Survivor { R5 fanfiction}

Chapter 41

ROSS

I let out a long frustrated grunt as I hear joyful shouts, and burry my head under my pillow.
Wait. A pillow?
My eyes open wide, I'm fully awake now. I quickly sit on the bed, seeing I'm in an infirmary, in what seems to be a living room in a flat. My eyes scan the room, which is lit by rays of sunshine coming through the holes of the shutters, and land on a chair, where clean clothes are settled.
I haven't dreamt. I'm well and truly in a refuge, where Ellington is. I brush the bandage around my leg with my fingertips, remembering everything that happened. I don't really get why, but Ell stabbed me here, and then this Heather girl treated me.
I run my hand through my hair, sitting there for a while. I'll have to get up one day or another. I'm kind of stressed, because according to all these shouts I hear, they're pretty numerous here. What if they don't accept me? I've been bitten, they could be scared of me... To be honest, I don't know how I would react if someone bitten, who's probably going to turn someday, live under the same roof as me.
I glance at my bandage. I don't even know if I'll be able to stand up.
There's only one way to know.
I sit at the edge of the bed, putting my bare feet on the cold floor. And slowly, I stand up, supporting myself on the bed. It hurts less than I expected to tell the truth, I'm probably going to limp though.
I slightly hiss as I make for the chair with the clothes. I take off my dirty t-shirt, puts the clean one that seems to be my size, and then the pants. They're a bit too long, but it doesn't matter. Having clean clothes on you feels pretty good, especially when your were wearing your former ones for 5 days straight.
I hesitate to move from here, but eventually take my courage in both hands and head to the landing.
I try to stay as quiet as possible, as some people, 14 years kids maybe, passes next to me. They don't seem to see I'm here though, and they keep going down.
I feel relieved inside, when I spot long dark hair in the stairs, and see Heather's face among all the other ones I never met.
"Hey, you're awake! How are you feeling?" She smiles at me as she climb up the few stairs to the floor I am.
"A little dizzy I guess." I shrug.
"Oh, great, you saw the clothes. What about your leg? And your face?" Since she stand next to me now, she checks the bruise, taking my chin and slightly turning my head so she'll see better. I wince as she does so.
"Oh sorry." She releases me." It's only a bruise, on your temple, it'll disappear in a few days. Can you walk?
"I limp more than I walk, but it's okay." I weakly smile at her.
"It's noon already, everyone is going downstairs to eat." She tells me when she sees I glance at other people going downstairs.
"Noon? How long have I been sleeping?"
"Two days."
"Two day?!" I half shout at her.
"Well, you know, the portion of pain killers I gave you was pretty important." Heather chuckles at my reaction.
I don't really have something to say to this, so I stay quiet. Well, until my stomach decides to growl, and I hold it with my hands as I feel my cheeks redden from embarassment. Heather chuckles once again, and puts a hand on my shoulder.
"Sounds like someone's hungry. You'll go eat too, but first... Don't take it the wrong way... You really should take a shower."

•••••••••

I wipe my hair one last time with the towel Heather lent me, before putting it aside and going out of the room. I don't really know if I can call it a bathroom, since what they call a shower is actually basins full of water put in a living room, just like the infirmary. You have to use a washcloth and soap to rinse your body, and I had to manage on my own for the hair. I ended up plunging my head in a bucket. Let's hope it's enough. I guess they use water from rain, or even from bottles. The real showers don't work, unlike the one I had in the bunker or at the familial house. I think we still had a reservoir of water that was working, and a water pump.
Anyway. Now that I'm clean (and I can tell you I really needed it), I can join the others. Heather told me they would be at the ground floor, in the room at my left, at the opposite of the flat I came in.
I go out of the flat, and notice how quiet it is now on the landing. I guess they're all downstairs. I follow Heather's instructions, and go down slowly. I slow down even more when I eventually arrive at the ground floor. I hear how they chat happily, conversation coming out of where I'm supposed to go. I have to admit it, I'm still kind of stressed they won't accept me. It's always hard to show up in new group. At least, I already know Heather and Ell. And this other guy, with who I fought with, but I don't really wanna remember his name.
I take a deep breath, and breath out heavily, before pushing the door.
I wanted to be discreet, but I guess I failed, according to all these faces turned toward me, and the silence that took place.
They're about 15, maybe more. I've never seen so many people reunited in a same room since the Disruption, and it's pretty impressive. They're all from differents roots, age. The youngest, a blond girl, seems to be barely 10, while the oldest, well, it's seems to be the guy from the other day. He may be around 25. At least now, he isn't glaring at me anymore.
A lot of cans are settled on the tables, along with cutlery and bottles of water.
It seems like I wait ages like this, not really knowing what to do, until Ellington, sat at the head of the table, eventually breaks it.
"Hey, Ross! Don't stand there, take a seat!" He smiles widely at me. I look around, still quiet, and see Heather patting a free spot next to her. I awkwardly walk toward her, before sitting on the plastic chair. I mouth her a thank you, and she smiles as an answer.
It's always as silent, and I just hope it'd quickly stop, because it's pretty embarrasing. They're all staring at me, whispering in each other ears, and it makes me wanna burry myself six feet under the ground.
"Well guys, this is Ross. He arrived 2 days ago, and he's a friend of mine. So it'll be great that you welcome well him here." He rubs his hands together." What about doing a round table? So everyone can introduce themselves?"
They then all said their name, and age. I was almost right about the little girl, Jessica, who's in fact 9. I didn't really remember all their names, all these faces are still unfamiliar too me. I think there's a Peter, Kyle, Emily, and Sam. This one, I'll remember it. Mainly because of the death glares he keeps on giving me. I swear, this 17 years old guy is creepy as hell, it makes me shiver.
After the presentations, they stopped paying attention to me, and start talking with their mates again, even Heather. It's like I'm not here anymore. The person next to me, a brown haired girl, gives me a can though. I look into it, to see something greenish inside. I don't really know what it is, but nevermind. I'm hungry, and if the person before me ate half of it, it means it's edible.
I then grab the fork in front of me on the table, and start eating. After the first mouthful, I decide it's actually pretty good, and keep on eating slowly, getting lost in my thoughts. Ell mentionned how they should welcome me well here. But honestly, with my current situation, I shouldn't stay here. Plus, I don't feel comfortable around these new people I barely know, and I feel like I don't belong here. It's when I hear someone talking about my now blue eyes my decision is taken. I lower my head, hiding my shame that is now printed on my eyes, wanting to get out of this place.
"Hey Ross." Ellington eventually calls me. I look up at him." After lunch, we'll talk about the chores you'll have to do from now on, okay?"
"No need for this. I'm leaving tomorrow." Ellington raises an interrogating eyebrow at me, as everyone starts staring at us.
"You aren't going anywhere Ross."
"Come on Ellington. You can't force me."
"Or what? You're gonna shoot yourself in the other hand and leave like a thief in the night again?" He coldly snaps.
Woaw. This have the effect of a slap to me. I feel myself blushing hard, as all the looks turn toward me. I lower my head in shame, feeling the tears coming. My feelings and emotions have deepened since the bite. And at this very moment, I feel a mix of shame, pain and anger. I let you imagine. I'm like a bomb ready to explode. My hands start shaking by the way, and I'm breathing heavily. I'm doing my best to hide it. I see Emily, the girl sat next to Ell, gives him a hit in the ribs with her elbow, a furious look on her face. Ellington hiccups in surprise, and glares at her, rubbing his side. Then he looks back at me, his features more relaxed.
"Ross we gotta talk. Alone." He stands up. I reluctantly do the same, and follow him out of the room, feeling all their looks in my back.
It's gonna be hard to not punch him. Anger got the upper hand over the other emotions, and I really want to send my fist in his face.
But I hold back. Because he's my friend. And because he is in part right.
Ell leads me to the end of the entrance, near the elevator, and once we're far enough, looks straight into my eyes, before asking with a calmer voice:
"Ross. What are you afraid of exactly?"
I can't help but chuckle. I quickly stop when I see the pissed expression on his face though. It's at this moment I noticed how older he looks now.
"Wait. You're serious?"
" I am. Answer now."
"You know why." Ell sighs and closes his eyes, before he slightly shakes his head.
"What?" I insist." You know as much as I do I've been bitten. I'm a threat and I gotta get out of here, before I hurt someone."
"Listen Ross." Ellington's voice sounds serious as he puts his hands on my shoulders." You're fine."
"Well, no I'm not..." I frown.
"Please, let me finish." I keep quiet, and support his look, to make him understand I'm listening.
"Okay, you've been bitten. Okay, your eyes are light blue. But your body somehow fought the virus, and you're immune now."
"Immune?" My frown deepen. How can I be immune? The virus kill or infect everyone. There must be a mistake, he missed a detail. Nobody can fight the virus.
"You know, I injected you something." Oh yes, I remember well. My leg is kind of throbbing a little bit right now.
"Well." Ell goes on." It's a serum, Peter's parents made. They were in the army, it's reliable at 200%, it never makes any mistakes. The test has been negative on you, it only means one thing. You're not Infected, and never will be."
I stand there gaping. What could I reply to this anyway? I shake my head my mouth still wide open, as I take Ell's hands of me.
"It... There must be a mistake. Is it really sure?"
"I tell you it is. You don't have to worry anymore." He gently pats my shoulder beaming at me." It's over now. Please, tell me you're staying with us now."
"Is it why the sun is scorching more than usual? To me at least?" I ask when I remember how some Infected fear the sunlight.
"The sun hasn't change. So yeah. Peter will explain it to you better. Are you staying?"
I look at my best friend, and see how worried he is, and how he truly wants me to stay. I then nods. If he says I'm not dangerous, I don't see why I should leave. I have nowhere to go. He smiles widely at me.
"Come on now, we need to get back there." He gets away turning his back at me. I don't move though, my back still against the wall.
"Ell?" I call him, and he stops. He doesn't turn around though.
"What if I actually turn one day?" The question slips out. We never know what can happen.
Nothing really happens during a few seconds, and Ell eventually turns toward me, le visage grave.
"Then we'll do the necessary." He says, before going into the room. I bite my lips, half satisfied by his answer, and soon follow him.