Vial #127

Chapter 12: Flaws of Battle

"Follow me!" I order, attempting to focus my mind back on reality. Darryl was dead; gone. There was nothing I could do. I push open the emergency exit door, leading us into a back parking lot.

We hurry to the truck; loading is tight. There's no seats left. I quickly put the key into the ignition and the engine roars to life. Already there are biters piling out of the door that we exited from. They are long done with Darryl's body.

After a few twists and turns, I reach the highway and go down faster than I've ever gone before. "Emma, we have to go back and see if anyone survived." Sadie mumbles. Her arm is still intensely wrapped up in white bandages.

I ignore the thought and continue down the road. "Emma, stop, you're not thinking right." I keep my face held up high and force the gas down even further.

"Emma, stop." Aiden reaches over taking control of the wheel. "Now, slowly put your foot onto the break." I ease my foot off of the gas and the vehicle gradually slows down. Aiden gets out and switches spots with me and I stare out the window as the car turns around to head back into the infested land of danger.

When we arrive, the majority of the swarm seems to have moved on. "While we go scout for others, why don't you get some rest," Aiden suggests to me and I merely nod my head and slump back down on the side of the car.

Once they're inside, I open the metal box Darryl handed me. Inside is a dozen tiny vials marked #127. I can save twelve people, only twelve. When I peer inside the journal, there's scribbled notes scrawled all over the page. Trying to interpret them is like cracking a code; there are so many advanced formulas to break down to my level of understanding.

If there are survivors in the Med Centre, I could still save them. The thought jumps in my brain and causes me to act before I think further. I grab the box and a needle from the first aid kit and rush inside. The lights are flickering; bloody handprints mark the wall like some preschool art project gone wrong.

"Aiden?" I call to the darkness. There's no immediate response so I take a right turn, thinking that they'd go back to the dining room.

"Jackson, please," nothing happens. That's when a massive crash makes my heart skip a beat. In confusion, I spin around to find Stephanie stumbling over a body behind me.

"Emma, help me." On her neck is a bloody fountain. She is bit.

"Stef, you need to lay down, I'll help you," As she lies down, I kneel beside her. She closes her eyes and I get the remedy ready. Carefully, I place the need against her neck and push down.

"Okay, I've done all I can do, just come with me," I help her up and wrap her shoulder around my neck, guiding her forwards.

An entanglement of voices makes their way down the hallway. They are fading away. "Wait, help us," I call out; my back can't support both of us for much longer. Footsteps near as they respond to my plea.

Aiden rounds the corner first and then sighs in relief. "Stef was bit," I say and look down. Her eyes have shut, leaving her in what looks like a peaceful state.

Jackson rushes up next to us, loading his gun and holding it above her head. "No!" I yell to stop him. "Darryl made a cure and I used it on her," I manage to get out before he shoots.

"What?" all three of them say, their jaws dropping in disbelief.

"This morning he invited me to his lab and we tried his latest formula and it worked." I say quickly, trying to explain. Sadie tears up and wraps her arms around Stef's body.

Will stays silent. "We shot Michael already. He was bit. It's just we could've saved them and I shot them instead."

"Will, it's not your fault, it's what anyone who didn't know, would have done." Together we raise Stef off of the ground and return to truck.

"Was there anyone else?" I ask. Everyone goes silent and I take that as an answer for the place was deserted.

"I noticed that there were several cars missing; maybe some made it out," Sadie pipes up.

I go into the driver's seat and pull away onto the highway. Up on the side is a pair of cars. Inside are a few people from the clinic. Most of them I don't know but Will immediately jumps out to help the survivors. In one car is everyone who is safe. In the other, everyone is bit. There is a mix of teens and the elderly. It's too late to save anyone. It's already been too long.

"Emma has a-" I stop Jackson from speaking by cutting him off.

"I'm so sorry for your losses." I sympathetically say. The group of survivors start digging graves for when the others turn.

When the others eventually go back to their own business, I lead my group behind the car. "You can't just go around telling everyone about a cure. It'll be mayhem. Plus, it only works within two hours of being bit. It's too late for them." The group takes in the information. If only there was something I could do. "Besides, I only have eleven vials left" I add on, rounding out the information regarding the cure.

"I cannot believe that they kept alive the bitten. They pretty much just took them to die. We might as well shoot them now; they're all goners. When they turn, they're going to attack the others and they won't be prepared." I have this whole conversation inside my head.

I get back into the car and wait for the chaos to start. When they all turn, there's going to be gunshots. That'll attract more biters and I have to be ready to make a speedy get away.

It is selfish but I need to save who I can. For now, I sit back against the soft seat in the front, the steering wheel against my abdomen and wait, just wait until it's time to leave these people for their end.