Bloodlust

Chapter Two - The Plan

The next morning I wake up, and everything is definitely not back to normal. A huge explosion shakes the building, and I shoot up, scrambling up onto the couch to look outside.

"What the fuck??" Monica shoots up on the couch, and I practically trample over her to look out of the window . Outside, I find the source of the explosion. Across the street, a helicopter has crash landed into an apartment building, smoke and flames billowing into the blue sky above. It would have been such a beautiful day if everything was normal.

As I watch smoke begin to turn the blue skies a deep grey, I feel my stomach drop. I had hoped that when I woke up, everything would be back to normal, That this was just some sick twisted dream and I had fallen asleep last night slumped over the hospital bed like I had done many nights before. Mae's heart monitor beeps softy behind me, so I close my eyes and let myself get lost in it for a moment, just praying that I'd open my eyes and this could all be over.

"I think we should try and find help"

Monica's voice snaps me back into reality. I turn to look at her, staring at the door, her face scared, but desperate.

"You want to leave here? And go where?"

"I don't know. But we can't stay In this room. That helicopter. There's people out there, searching for survivors! "

She turns to look at me, and for a moment we sit in silence. Her scrubs are covered in little specks of blood. Streaks of mascara and tears trail down from her dark green eyes, which are red and puffy from crying all night. The morning sun shines behind her, and her long dark hair shines a deep red that I hadn't seen before. 

"Look, why don't we stay here and wait for help to come. You heard the news. They've shut down the borders to the city. I'm sure soon they'll come rescue survivors" I suggest reassuringly.

"How will they know we're in here? We need to get to the roof"

I shake my head immediately. "No. Absolutely not. I can't leave Mae here. Ill take you there but then I'm coming back." I feel my fists clench and my fingernails dig into my palm. "I just can't leave her here. I can't."

She doesn't say anything for a moment. Fear fills me at the thought of leaving the room, but I push it aside. Her brows furrow and she wrings her hands together nervously.

"Gabriel.... This hospitals generators only run for 72 hours. When they shut off, we'll lose all power...." She whispers.

As soon as the words leave her mouth I feel sick. Behind her, Mae lies In her bed, as peaceful as ever, the machine hooked up to her beeping steadily. Her life support. Which in less than three days, would shut off.

Suddenly I want nothing more than to leave this room, to get up and run and forget everything. I want so badly to go back to before the accident, back to our apartment and our life. To hold her and make her laugh again.

I jump up from my seat on the couch, striding to the far wall and without even thinking, my fist collides with it. 

"Are you fucking crazy???" Monica whispers frantically. She lurches towards me, reaching up to grab my arm. Her hand is cold on my skin, which burns hot with anger.

A piercing, animalistic scream rings from the hall and we both freeze. It's a sound like nothing I've ever heard before. Chills run cold down my spine. 

"Shit"

Her fingertips dig into my arm as we both listen for any sound of movement In the hallway. Footsteps, coming rapidly towards the room. I panic and push Monica behind me, fearing the worst.