Vial #127

Chapter 20: Healing at Dusk

The end of this chapter is sort of predictable/ cheesy. Sorry.  :)

Even before the truck stops, I open the door, hopping out with my gun. A slight strain comes from my weakened foot but other than that, I'm good.

"George, we're here!" I call out but there's no response, just the groans of biters milling in and about the bus. There's shattered glass strewn all around the road, some of it stained red. "George?" I say again slightly louder, praying that he made it out.

"Emma?" A strained voice sounds from a ditch off the side of the road.

I run over, nearly gagging at the slight. George is laying on his back, a biter leaning over him, tearing at his flesh. I take my knife, shoving it into the brain of the biter, then throwing it off. His guts are spilling over the sides, half eaten already.

"Emma, you have to find her, my daughter, she's still in the bus." He manages to say and I turn my head to the infested yellow car. She's disappeared. "Diana!!!" He yells in frustration but I can barely hear him.

"I will find her, I promise but let's take care of you first," I say cheerfully, trying cover up the truth, adjusting his jacket to cover the gash.

"Did anyone else pass by this way?" I ask.

"Yeah, a man and a boy, just kept driving. At that point, they could've saved us." He coughs up a bundle of crimson liquid, staining his torn shirt.

"Did they say where they were headed?" I ask selfishly, hope gleaming in my eyes. We could still catch up.

"They didn't stop. Just headed further down this road, where we just came from. They're doomed," he sputters, his body twitching with shock.

"It's okay George, I'm here," I grip his hand in mine. Aiden comes running over the ridge, sighing in relief that he found me. "George, you know what I have to do?"

"It's okay, just do it quick, it's for the best," he mutters, turning his head to the side, shutting his fear-filled eyes. I raise my gun, pulling the trigger back to load. Georges breathing stops a moment later after the echoing shot runs across the open highway.

"Was there anyone else?" I ask, wondering if his girl is okay.

"I couldn't see anyone but they could've run off; fled to safety," Aiden replies, hopelessness filling his bones as he slumps down. Biters are still everywhere. We need to get out of here.

"Diana," I shout into the open road. There's no response. "Diana it's okay, I'm here to help, not hurt you," I urge, scanning both lengths of the road. I catch sight of a tiny figure escaping into the forest.

I step into a fully blown sprint, heading into the direction that I saw her. She couldn't have gotten far. I will catch up to her. I must before a biter notices.

Entering the canopy, shade takes over, weakening my vision. She's gone, nowhere to be seen. No sound bounces between the trees. It is an empty landscape. That is until I hear a grotesque, blood-curdling scream. I run in the direction, the tussle sounds out even to here.

Branches bite at my ankles, tempting to trip me if I let down my guard. Eventually I come to an opening where Diana is pinned against a tree. A biter is pushing against her, her tiny arms loosing force of pushing it away. Instantly, I reach for my knife and throw.

Time slows down, the biter reaching for her neck. Her eyes are wide, her neck still turning my direction. My knife sails at the perfect angle, straight for it's skull. It pierces the brain, covering the girl in blood as the biter slumps on top of her.

My feet pelt against the ground as I hurry over, using my strength to drag the body off. She starts to cry. "Shhhh... It'll be okay," I urge, letting her nestle her head in my arms. Her face is smeared crimson.

"Is my Daddy dead?" I nod my head and she grips around my waist harder. "I saw," she chokes, "I saw my Mommy get bit, too." She bites her lip, attempting to control her breathing.

"It'll be okay, you're okay," I swing her up into my arms and continue back to the over turned bus. As I trek down the road, Aiden drives the truck closer, his eyes widening in happy surprise; a survivor. That doesn't happen very often. Then it changes as he reflects on the fact that she's the only one.

I walk around the truck, letting her sit in my lap as we drive on in silence. Her tiny body is shaking in fear. No one, let alone an eleven-year- old girl, should have to witness their parents death, not like this. Her hair is tied back in a perfect braid, made by the hands of her dead mother. Around her deep hazel eyes are remnants of red, caused by unstopping tears, and the streaks through the blood that covered her face when the biter was killed.

I wrap my arms around her, occasionally glancing at Aiden, wondering what to do next. "We need to reach them before it's too late. George said that they were headed into the death zone, that they barely made it out alive. Apparently there's a high concentration of biters, too high to even drive on some roads." Aiden nods and we all prepare for the worst.

By the time the sun is setting, we have still not caught up to my Father. I offer to drive and let Aiden relax but he declines, insisting that we all get rest.

At first I'm not open to the idea but soon the feelings of fatigue take over and I find myself cozied up with Diana, an almost motherly instinct takes over. I feel my mind lighten as I drift into sleep.

It's about midnight when I feel a slight tapping on my shoulder. I squint open my eyes to find a terrified look starring back at me. Diana is peering at me through the moonlight.

"Emma, I need to tell you something but you need to promise that you won't hurt me," she looks up at me, her eyes wide, reflecting the starlight.

"I can't promise you that," I say, knowing that safety comes first.

"You have to," she begs, "otherwise I won't tell you," she crosses her arms, stubborn like I am.

"Fine," I roll my eyes. My worst fear, her being infected isn't possible, the turn would've already happened. By now she'd be gone, I would've sent a bullet into her brain. Whatever it is, what she needs to tell me, it can't be major. Nothing can be worse than my scenario.

She opens her mouth to start, her countenance shy and scared. "Emma," she pulls up her shirt, revealing her belly, "I've been bit."