48 Days

Chapter 11

We run through the forest, gunfire behind us. We dodge clumps of thorn bushes, Jane yelps in pain, I turn around to help her up. A long gash runs along her arm, shit, we need to get out of this valley of thorns. I pick up Jane, she latches to my shoulders as we run frantically through the forest. The gunfire stops, I call to Lee, saying that we lost them. We stop, panting,we almost died.

I look at Jane's wound, " Shit, that's deep, Phora hand me the medic kit!". Phora stares at me silently, " What?" I ask. She stays silent, her face turning red in embarrassment and shame. I sigh, " You lost it, great, now Jane is going to get infected and die, just excellent,". Heather stares angrily at Phora, Kieran sighs. He gets up, " I'll patrol the area,".

" I'll go as well, " Heather said, while passing she mutters " Dumbass," to Phora.
Phora's eyes narrow at the comment, she then looks in guilt at Jane. I stand beside her,
" It's all your fault!" Lee growls at Phora. Phora looks at Lee, " What?!".

I hold Lee back while he stands up, " Now she's gonna get infected if we don't find a pharmacy soon and that'll take forever due to the whole fact that we are in a freaking forest being hunted by a bunch of homicidal teens!" He points at Jane, who is shaking in pain. She is already pale and sweating, infection will kick in soon if we don't do something quick. I have an idea, Phora and I will go find a pharmacy in the city. It'll take us the rest of the day to get there but it'll help Jane.  I explain the idea to Kieran when he gets back.  He agrees with it, we then leave for the city. 

  It takes us until sunset to get there, the dark shadows of the desolate buildings loom over us.  The orange sky bathes the city in an orange light that will only last a couple more minutes.  It is then replaced with purple or navy, leaving only darkness to decide our fate.  " I saw a Pharmacy when I was here last time with Wolf," I point to what was once a massive mall.  " It's in there." I say.  Phora nods, her rifle out and ready to fire at anything.  " Careful for the Infected, they have the Heat Wave, if they hurt you in any way, you get it," Phora gulps in air with a long sigh.  We enter the mall, a broken down escalator greets us, " I guess we need to go up,".

Phora scouts downstairs, while I go upstairs. It's eerie upstairs, darkness consumes me. I dig in my bag for the flashlight, I feel out its shape and pull it out. I then feel out the switch and flip it. Blue light shines on the floor. Phora climbs up to join me, " It's clear downstairs!" She pants. I nod, panning my flashlight around the floor.

The noise of movement makes me jump, Phora grabs my shoulder. " What?!" I gasp.
She places her finger on her lip, " Shhhhh,". She points to the escalator, " Shine it down there," I follow her instructions. The light shines on the horror below, gargling, foamy mouthed, blood stained clothes. The Infected, their clouded eyes shine in the light. They growl at the sight of the light, one jerks forward slowly making itself move up the stairs. It then leaps at us, Phora screams. Three more crawl forward, screeching at the top of their lungs. Phora takes out her gun and fires. I grab her, " You idiot! You'll attract more-" A helicopter flies by. " We need to go, now!". The World Government is here, they'll send in soldiers to get rid of the infected then capture and send us to HQ.
" The Pharmacy!" Phora yowls, I stop and turn around. They aren't following us anymore, why? I then turn back to the store, " Quick," I gasp. We run in, think Caroline, think! I search for disinfectants and painkillers. Half the store is empty.

Tampons, protection, infection, infection! Look down the row for infections, I find some disinfectant and stuff it into my bag. Now, painkillers! The sound of gunfire pierces the air, at first I thought it was Phora but it's distant. The soldiers are inside, I grab Phora and pull her behind the counter.

The soldiers quickly flash their lights into the pharmacy, they then move onward ignoring the two teenage girls behind the counter. " Let's go," I whisper, Phora nods. We quickly scurry across back to the escalator as gunfire proceeds. The screeches of the infected hurt my ears. We then rush downstairs, we run out of the building into the forest. We hop over logs, as well as rotting bodies of more infected. A loud thoom comes from behind us, the helicopters fly off. As the mall burns mercilessly in the night...........