Arabella

Chapter 10

The team did a jog, quickening up the pace, shooting few Runners at a time in the head. For about thirty minutes now they have been running, trying to find the neighborhood. It was told that it was the last of the city, and it must be congested with the Infected. Arabella's body ached, the tension in her arms. The numbness of her skin hitting against the cold air. Beads of sweat dripped down her forehead but was quickly wiped away as she had paced her breath.
Inhale. Exhale.
Luke was staring at her. How was she able to cope with all this? He wondered.
I'm not giving out yet, I'm just pushing myself.
Arabella had finally spoken to him. It seemed so real, to be hearing her voice through his mind. It sounded more like she actually said it, but all she did was continue running. The hunters turned left, right. Not one person had said a word unless they were tired. She checked on Dalton, the youngest of them all. He seemed to be fine. Everyone did. Arabella had been minding her own business, sick and tired of finding this car. She looked around, never aware of her surroundings.
Broken pieces of concrete everywhere. If she hadn't been careful now, she'd be weak. Possibly dead for all they knew.
Shortly the hunters began to slow down coming to a halt, amused by how empty this city was. It's gotten colder. It's been about a month now, since they've been gone. Looking for this neighborhood left on right that appeared to be on Third Avenue as Carlos had said. They gave her a key which she held onto in her skin tight jeans. Max pulled her back from the shoulder, "Not so fast young lady."
"We should turn left," Dalton suggested pointing towards apartments, "There's homes here."
The boys looked at Arabella for the approval and she proceeded to move forward with their run. She had no time for relaxing. Her body was so close to giving in. They ran through the neighborhood.
They ran to Third Avenue, seeing the first white house from the neighborhood. The fifth one from the left. They had to get inside some how.
It was quiet, but walkers were galavanting left and right, wandering like they were lost, a limp added to their walk, making clicking and moaning noises. The tingles of fear began to rush through their bodies. As silent as possible, they began to quietly unlock the doors, for those who are part of the infected can hear well. With one slam, everything is able to go wild.
Stealthily, Dee and Noah searched the place till Arabella heard the noises of a reloaded gun and cries of worry. She hurriedly came in search of the room the two men were in. They pointed at a woman and her child. Her daughter was sound asleep, the mother cringed at the guns pointing at her.
"Step back Arabella she could be bait," Noah pointed the gun ready to fire.
She aggressively moved her shoulder out of Dee's grip. Chris and Dalton followed along with Luke, searching the rest. Max, guarding the front door, peeping through the window. This house looked like it hadn't been touched.
Her eyes remained brown, the blue rims appearing and her expression softened, "Who are you? And why are you here by yourself?"
"My name is Amber. This is my daughter. I've hadn't had the time to name her." We've been hiding here for a week. My daughter and I ran here. We aren't infected, I promise," she whispered upset and scared. Arabella raised her hand up to signal them that it was okay.
She knew they were telling the truth. Their hair dirty and clothes clean. They'd washed their clothes, but how? "Do you know anything about the Palace?"
"Our safe haven?" She questioned, "We've tried finding it." A small ball of disappointment filled her chest.
She sighed and looked away with tears in her eyes, "My daughter is just a year old. She's healthy. Are you headed that way?"
"We are," Arabella murmured softly, "What's the matter though?"
Amber looked at her sadly, "I'd been bitten not too long ago." Arabella's heart sank, only wishing to find a way to keep this in control, "I wish I could do something about it." Her eyes turned puffy red as she cried. Arabella almost felt completely bad. But she pitied her, for it having to be this way, "Take her! Please. I want my daughter to be safe."
"We can fix thi-"
"No you can't," Amber murmured painfully, "It's too late." Her wound was shown, already bruised, puss coming out. Noah winced at the bite, only avoiding the image of himself dying from this.
Arabella's breath was just uneasy. Her daughter was so young. She didn't know what to do. With sad eyes, Amber held her baby up, "Please take care of her. She's yours now. Raise her for me. All of you."
"What is your name, darling," she cooed. Arabella had heard that before, how her mother had always called her darling.
The mother stood up, holding her, planting a kiss on her forehead. Then Arabella cleared her throat, "My name is Arabella."
"Arabella," she repeated, "It's such a beautiful name. I think. I will give her the name Isabella."
Arabella nodded her head with a faint smile as Amber continued speaking, "I'll go now." Amber started crying, but then handed Isabella towards her. Noah handed the lady her gun, only leaving a few bullets behind with her. She stepped out into the backyard.
Amber gave her a reassuring smile, "I will always remember you, Arabella." By now, the entire group had been with them. Luke stared at Arabella holding just a one year old, slightly chubby, cheeky. She carried the baby delicately. He then moved behind her. Amber held the gun to her head, and Luke quickly turned Arabella around as the gun had fired.
"It's time to go now," Chris said in a hurry to the car. It had been ready for a minute, warming up after not being used. Eight seater only. Noah was trusted and held onto the baby inside the car from outside. It was far, but she heard the clicking and moaning noises from Runners. Quickly, she got up and ran as fast as she could. Gravity had gone against her, and in a matter of seconds she tripped over a wire.
Falling flat on her face she couldn't get up. The wire stung like no other. It was a trap, and the house's sparks blew everywhere. She picked herself up, and tried to run with a limp till a pair of strong arms carried her to the truck where she sat in the back seat with Luke and the baby. Max and Dalton in the back.
He lifted up the cuff of her skinny jeans as tears trickled down her cheek from pain. It hurt so badly. The wound looked like a gash from a knife--but this wire was sharp. She held his hand tightly as he was trying to tie a cloth onto her ankle to stop the blood. Before he did, she applied the blue medicine to her ankle, something that's been keeping her alive after every wound. She knew it'll only heal the wound, not her bone, but hopefully the people watching over her would fix it. The engine roared and they ran straight through the neighborhood, into a plain land where it only lies sand dunes. It took hours, and she planned on getting rest. By the time she woke up, they stopped. Sand dunes.