Dead.

Chapter Sixteen

Arman's eyes were trained on Cass as she made slow work of the stitching job. It wasn't even something that really needed stitches but she wanted to keep Arman occupied, at least for a while. She ignored the wincing from her patient as she kept glancing into the darkness, waiting.

"You're not looking so focused." Arman growled out to Cass who shot him a look but didn't respond as she continued her work. Any response would be wrong, after what he had pulled with Greg, Cass didn't want to chance anything. Her hands were shaking, not something usual and her heart was hammering in her chest.

"Do this properly and I'll give your friends a fire for the night." Arman said to Cass, dangling a carrot over her head. She hated it, feeling powerless like this to a group who were ruthless.

Out of nowhere, shouts permeated the air, there was crashing and Cass looked over. She snatched the knife from the tabletop and tugged at the man's stitches which caused him to howl. Cass ducked and moved, Arman was roaring like some raging bull behind her as he ran through the darkness and Cass made her way to the group that were tied up.

"Get everyone back to the vans." She said hurriedly as she started cutting their restraints off. Her hands were somewhat warmer but the surviving members of their group were frozen.

"I'll meet you, get him out of here. I'll catch up, okay?" She assured Francis as she looked to Jeff. He looked half-dead and she ducked through the crowds as corpses filtered out and she shuddered. She snatched her medic bag from where she had been seeing to sick and injured. She ran back and ducked down, pressing it to Francis as he slung it on. His teeth were chattering as he hauled Jeff up and Cass watched them,

"Use what you can. I'll catch up. Take the vans and cars." She said to him and Francis looked like he might hesitate but they couldn't wait for her or David. Cass gripped the knife in her hand, tightly. Cass went in search of David, part of her felt guilt prickle at her as some corpses chewed on Arman's group and their screams split the air. The sound would attract more and they had to be ready to go. They couldn't hang around.

"You bitch." Arman stumbled out of the darkness, his eyes spelled out his livid temper and Cass realised he was armed. A gun against a knife would do nothing and she watched his movements.

"You filthy bitch, you ruined everything." He called above the weather and Cass could feel her chest on fire with adrenaline and exertion, mixed in with frozen breaths. Her gaze flicked to the surrounding area; it was impossible to see more than a few feet in front of her. She could be surrounded and not even know it.

"We are leaving." She said to him, finally and made to move but he fired a shot at her feet and advanced on her.

"You're going nowhere. Run where you like, little girl. I will hunt you down, I'll feed every one of your sorry friends to corpses." He snarled and Cass made to move again, to run and vanish but his meaty hand gripped her, yanking her back as his knee came up to her gut, knocking the wind from her. She staggered as his fist connected with her cheek, Cass saw stars and almost blacked out. She could taste metal and she pushed herself up from the ground but his boot came down on her back and he ground his heel in, keeping her in place.

"Ah, look. How ironic, your friend is hungry." There were snarls, unsteady steps and Cass managed to turn to look up. Greg's corpse was shuffling towards her, teeth gnashing and snapping at nothing. His eyes were soulless and gone, milk white and he was missing chunks of himself.

"They're getting away, shoot them down." People were yelling and Cass sighed out, struggling against the boot in between her shoulders. Not like this, she wouldn't go like this. The others were leaving, they were going to make it. She just needed to push.