Zombie

Chapter 8: Who's Hungry?

The trek back through the woods was a long and tiring one. John's arm refused to leave Ayden's side, offering him support as usual. They walked side by side, John murmuring to Ayden in a one sided conversation.

Bellamy thought it strange. The boy so ready to get into a knife fight, so caring and gentle when it came to a blond boy named Ayden.

"You'd better tell me all about your little adventure when we get back. I want to see those hands speeding," Murphy chuckled softly. A pause. "Don't roll your eyes at me."

Bellamy pushed ahead, dragging the panther on the parachute behind him. He didn't have the brain to figure out the oddity that was Murphy and Ayden.

"They're back!" A figure yelled in the distance. "Over there!"

Wells and Finn dragged the unconscious Jasper through the camp.

"Is he...?" Monty asked as he moved towards the group.

"He's alive. I need boiled water and strips of cloth for bandages," Monty nodded at the order, rushing off to acquire the needed items. John helped Ayden into the dropship behind Clarke, settling him down near Jasper.

"I can watch over him if you'd like, make sure his wounds don't get infected," Clarke looked to Murphy.

"Thank you. I'll be back for him soon. I need to help Bellamy," John turned to Ayden. "You aren't getting out of telling me that story, okay?"

Ayden nodded, smiling at his best friend, who smiled back, before turning and walking out of the dropship.

Ayden watched over Clarke as she washed Jasper's wounds with the care that only a medic could possess. It was methodical, practised, hypnotising. She cleaned his wounds like she was a river washing him free of his sins. It was strangely calming to watch the girl work. Ayden felt himself begin to drift off. It had been a long day.

"Ayden? Are you awake?" Clarke's soft tone pulled him from his lull. He hadn't noticed her move to his side, eyes unfocused in the throws of sleep. Ayden nodded slowly. "Can I take a better look at your leg, clean it?"

Ayden nodded once more. He stood with the help of Clarke and shimmied off his pants, revealing the make-shift bandages underneath, soaked with Ayden's blood. Clarke peeled the bandages away. Angry purple bruises surrounded dark red punctures in the boy's leg. It was gorey, like something straight out of a horror movie. His leg had not been made better by sneaking around the forest, not made better by climbing trees. Ayden Deyoore's leg looked ghastly, to put it nicely.

"I'm sorry we left you," Clarke mumbled as she wet a piece of cloth and pressed it to Ayden's leg. Ayden hissed at the contact, the sting unexpected. The water was warm, most likely left over from the boiled water Clarke had needed for Jasper. "Your leg wouldn't be so bad if you hadn't walked around on it all day."

Ayden frowned, wincing as Clarke's cloth washed over a particularly tender spot. His leg looked much better now that the dried blood was gone, but it still looked pretty horrific. Clarke grabbed the leftover bandages, tightly wrapping the boy's leg.

"Try not to walk on it for at least a day, okay? At least get someone to help you around. Can I take a look at your face?" Ayden nodded, closing his eyes. Water dripped down his face, comforting, in a way. "Your face isn't as bad, just some minor cuts and contusions. Try not to face plant again, I guess."

Clarke's presence moved away from his size, water dripping into a container of some kind as she wrung out the cloth. Ayden's eyes opened slowly once more. Placing a hand on her shoulder, Clarke turned to face Ayden.

"You aren't at fault for leaving me behind. I had to leave Jasper behind as well," Ayden admitted. "I understand and I don't blame you for it."

"Thank you Ayden," Clarke's voice was warm with a hint of sadness that only proved that she didn't believe him. Ayden sighed as Clarke left the dropship, leaving him alone. He stayed like that for a while, eyes drooping sleepily as he waited for someone to come into the dropship and talk to him.

"Who's hungry?" John's voice rang through the ship as he entered it, two sticks with some meat on them, one in each hand. Ayden rolled his eyes playfully.

"Give," Ayden signed, causing John to laugh.

"Okay, okay. Consider it a gift," John said, handing over the stick. Ayden dug in immediately, suddenly ravenous. "You going to tell me about your birthday and what I missed of it?"

Ayden looked up, smiling. He placed the food down, rapidly signing at only a pace that the two creators of the language could understand.

The boys' smiles never faded.

i'm baaaaaaack

i am also so so so so sick my lungs have given up on me

i can't go out *VIOLENT COUGHING* im sick

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