The Safe Zone (The Dead Zone Book Two)

Chapter 9

A blanket of snow covers the fields and trees surrounding Lemuria as Paige sits tucked tightly in the lookout post, a soft wool blanket wrapped tightly around her shoulders. Several weeks had passed since their arrival, which meant it had been several weeks without Bryson.

She shoved thoughts of him to the back of her mind, keeping her eyes peeled for any sign of movement between the dancing snowflakes. They'd sent a group out hours ago on a supply run and they were due back any moment now.

A shout rang out from one of the other lookout posts, signalling someone, or something, was approaching.The icy wind whipped her face, bringing tears to her eyes, making it hard to see. One of the dark colored military jeeps was speeding down the road, barely stopping in time before slamming into the broad metal gates that sealed Lemuria off from the rest of the world. Indiscernible shouts rang out from the vehicle, and she knew right then and there something was wrong.

Scurrying down from her post, she used her walkie-talkie to alert them she'd left, so they'd know to send a replacement. They had to keep someone on watch at all times, no matter what.

Jogging toward the gates, she learned they'd already whisked the injured man away to Doc before she'd been able to reach them.

"I'm going to go see if Doc needs any help!" She calls over her shoulder, heading toward the small clinic. She was out of breath by the time she finally reached it. Doc was in the back, along with one of the men they'd sent out this morning. She covered her mouth when she saw him; he was pale and sweaty, despite the freezing weather. Blood covered every inch of his clothing, flowing freely from several marks on his body. Bite marks. He'd been bitten.

Doc was fretting over the injured man, who had lost consciousness, barely sparing Paige a glance as he worked to spare the young man's life. He was wasting his time, and they both knew it.

Approaching the man, Paige studied his face, which even in the reprieve of unconsciousness was contorted in pain. She knew then how to save him. Pulling her gun free, she rested the barrel on his head, averting her eyes as the shot went off. Doc's eyes nearly bulged out of his head.

"NO! Why'd you do that!?" His voice is horrified, as he stares at her as if she's the monster.

"He was bit. It had to be done."

"That's inhumane! You shouldn't have done that." He frets over the dead body.

"You'd rather I let him turn?" She asks in disbelief. "You'd rather I knowingly let a roamer behind these walls? That would be inhumane. Any rational person would have wanted to go out before turning into a monster. He could have turned any moment!" She adds, putting her hands on her hips. It's not like she'd wanted to shoot him, but she'd done what she had to. Doc's eyes turn sad.

"You were out there too long." She doesn't miss the accusation in his voice, cutting her like razor blades. "Don't you have any humanity left? Now his family will never get to say goodbye."

She hadn't thought of that, she hadn't even known he'd had any family left as guilt began to creep in.

"Maybe you just weren't out there long enough. I've seen terrible things, Doc. I know the risks of letting someone turn. My best friend begged me to take her life after she'd been bitten." Her lip quivers then, remembering her best friend, Tori.

Doc's eyes soften a bit as he tosses a blanket over the dead man. "I'm sorry for you Paige. But here, we don't have to live like that anymore."

She wasn't so sure he was right. Fighting for her life was the only way she knew how to live. Adjusting to this new lifestyle wasn't coming as easy as she'd hoped.

"Yeah... you're right I guess. I'm sorry." She studies him, another thought tugging at her. On her second day here at Lemuria, Doc had been trying to tell her something about Bryson. After she'd left, Jason must have said something to him, because he now refused to touch the subject again. When she'd asked about it he'd only shrugged and said it was nothing, or claimed that he 'couldn't remember'. Doc was a bright man, so she didn't believe that.

She had an underlying suspicion that there was a lot more going on than what meets the eye around here.

Speaking of which; Jason had been stuck to her side like a leech. Everywhere she turned, he was there, trying to win her over with that charming smile. Too bad she preferred sky blue eyes and a mysterious grin over that any day.

"I really miss Bryson." She sighs, watching Doc closely. She'd spoken a bit about Bryson to him over the last few weeks, trying to get him to divulge any information he might have on Bryson's sudden departure. In the process, the two of them had grown rather close. His eye twitched slightly at the sound of Bryson's name.

"I'm sorry dear. He'll be back before you know it." She wondered if he truly believed that, or if they were just words of comfort. In all honestly, she'd thought Bryson would be back by now. His absence was a pressing weight on her shoulders, threatening to drag her down into depression if she let herself dwell on it too much.

"What makes you so sure?" He's thoughtful for a moment.

"It's hard to keep yourself from those you love, wouldn't you agree? And after everything you've been through together... he needs you as much as you need him. You've just have to keep faith."

"It's hard to keep faith when I don't know for sure he'll ever come back."

"But that's what faith is." Doc says. "Faith is believing in something even when you're not sure of the outcome." Maybe faith just wasn't her forte.