Behind You

I

Document ????

Date: Unknown, possibly late October

Patient Research Number: 302

Infection Stage: Four

Description: Something odd is happening. Something we haven't seen in any other patient. The two girls are becoming molded together. They progressed into stage four throughout the night, their jaws now unhinged and their eyes sunken in and oozing a black liquid. When attempting to get a sample of this, they became extremely aggressive. Though their skin has merged, they still seem to function as separate people, stumbling over the other's limbs and pulling each other in different directions. The sounds they make are unintelligible. Unlike stage three, they're now circling their room instead of staring into the cameras monitoring them. Like they're in search of something.

Signature: Doctor Angeria P.V.

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The pot of water was set down on an open fire in the middle of a wasteland. Two girls stared down at it, the taller one grimacing at the foggy water. It wasn't safe to drink. She doubted even attempting to boil it and kill off any bacteria would help. "It's no use, Jaida." She said, voice muffled by the gas mask on her face. "Nothing here is safe anymore."

Jaida glanced up at her, but kept the pot over the fire. "Okay, Bitter Betty. What do you suggest? Dying of thirst? This is all we have."

Daya wasn't a fan of the nickname the other refugees had given her. Especially since if anyone was bitter, it was them. And the water they drank.

She remained quiet, letting Jaida have wishful thinking as she surveyed their surroundings. Nothing but abandoned buildings that had been scalped and broken down with decay littered the land around them. Daya could hardly believe people used to live in them, and it was just a few months ago.

At least she thinks it was only a few months ago. It was getting hard to tell time and remember the days. It all blurred together. The smoke and gas and radiation in the air didn't help keep things from decaying and turning into nothing. Daya turned to face the view of the city. The city she once called home.

It was nothing but a wasteland now: filled with infected people and things Daya could only imagine. She hadn't been back since she left. A large cloud seemed to shield it from the outside world. A cloud that seemed to be almost a greenish yellow color. Daya felt sick just looking at it, and even from this far away, she could hear endless sirens from inside that cloud. At least, she hoped they were sirens.

"Maybe Crystal and Gigi are coming back with water." Daya finally said. "They should be back by tomorrow morning."

Jaida looked up at her again. She sighed and shook her head. "I don't think Crystal left to get water, kid." She said.

Daya had hope. It wasn't unusual for people to leave the refuge in search of better supplies. Especially now that their food was scarce and the water supply was getting rougher. Crystal had said she'd be back. Gigi did too when she left just a day later to go after her. It had been a week. Daya was still waiting.

The water started to boil, and Jaida smiled like she had already proven it'd be safe now. Daya wasn't so sure. She still wasn't going to be drinking it. Even if her body was practically begging for just a bit of it.

She wrapped her arms around herself as the breeze picked up. Her jacket did little to keep her warm these days. She looked out to the distance at the sun that was lowering. "How much longer?" She asked. "It's almost sunset."

"Just a few more minutes. I want to make sure anything that can kill us is dead." Jaida said, pulling a thermometer out of her bag and sticking it into the water to check the temperature. "You can head back if you want."