What Walks Among Us (book one)

Vermin

The next morning was a bit of a haze. Beck had come into my room and woken me up, saying that if we were to leave with Sam and help out today that we'd need to get an early start to the day. Which was saying something because it was still dark. Cody told me that we'd just do our work out later in the day, which was good because I had completely spaced on telling him that I'd volunteered to help Sam.

After my shower, and after breakfast with Chester who was whining about having to help Cody out with something today, Sam, Beck, and I all headed outside and started walking to Doctor Venson's makeshift infirmary.

I could remember when I first came to the compound, my hurt leg needed tending to and the boys brought me up to his house to get fixed up. They had mentioned that if you were particularly sick, that he would go out and make a house call. They hadn't mentioned an infirmary, and when I asked Sam about it he put on a cheerful face but I could tell he was worried.

"Well with so many infected in such a short time, Doctor V wouldn't want to be traveling all over the compound and leave his house for such periods of time, as other people are likely to be showing up at his door for other emergencies," he explained and shoved his hands in his front pockets, "This is also a little bit safer, we can watch everyone at once, and maybe stop the spread of infection."

I had tried to ask more questions but he shut me down on most of them, saying it was better that I asked Doctor Venson, as he knew far more than Sam did. A small part of me worried that by coming here today I was putting myself at risk to falling ill just like the patients, but a larger part of me knew that Sam and Doctor Venson wouldn't be able to tend to much more people on their own. Not to mention that it was the right thing to do, as I wasn't really needed for anything else.

I blew out a breath and watched in a slightly fascinated fashion as my breath came out as a puff of smoke in the crisp morning air. The grass had frost layering it, that I suspected would turn to dew and then evaporate all together as the day wore on. I had dressed in a short sleeve shirt and a pair of leggings, borrowing a coat from both Beck and Chester. Chester's coat was lime green and a hoodie, while I had Beck's leather jacket on over it.

The leather jacket alone would have been too big, but paired with the bulky hoodie it fit alright. And then of course there were my knew but used combat boots.

We turned onto a street that I recognised as the street Doctor Venson lived on, the cute little blue one story house came into view, and in the grassy side yard, which was big enough to hold at least two cars side by side, was a small building that hadn't been there before. It was made of mostly tarps and ropes, but it seemed pretty sturdy, as the tarps were tied down securely and the two flaps that served as a door were being held open with some bungee cords.

"Doctor Venson?" Sam called out softly, holding a hand out to Beck and I to signal that we stay put while he ventured towards the infirmary.

At first there was no noise, and then a greying head poked out of the flaps. His warm eyes landed on Sam before drifting towards Beck and I, "Sam, you brought helpers? Because they don't look sickly to me," he smiled and stepped out of the infirmary, letting the flaps that served as doors fall shut in his wake.

I couldn't see Sam's face from where I stood but I could hear the tone of cheerfulness in his voice, "Sure did, Kodi, who you met when she first came. Her knee was cut open, I believe you also saw her yesterday as well. And then there's Beck, who you already know pretty well."

Doctor Venson nodded and crossed his arms, "Well," he said, addressing all three of us, "mighty fine to see young people who aren't afraid to put in a helping hand! And I sure will need it today because two more people showed up last night, tallying up the total to five people in under twenty four hours," he uncrossed his arms and frowned, "Which might not seem like a whole lot, but we only have so many people here to begin with."