Footprints in the Blood

SEVEN

Day 12

The sound is bone chilling, rattling the walls around us as effectively as the infected which are trying to break through. Sammy whimpers, leaning against the farthest wall, Kenneth beside her. Both he and Dan are trying to keep her calm, but how can they do that when their own eyes are full of fear?

"That's not Kelly," Matt states from beside me, and I turn to find his face splattered with blood and sweat. We all look like we've been through the ringer and it's going to get worse before it gets better.

"No, it sounds-" I stop, too terrified to put into words what I'm hearing.

"It sounds like the infected," Carter finishes, staring at the door in concentration. I can see his mind working on a plan, as if he's trying to solve a difficult equation. In reality, that's exactly what this is. We're trapped in the one room on this floor that's not overrun by the infected, but how long exactly is that going to last? They're relentless when they smell their prey.

"They never made sound before," Dan comments, coming up to stand next to Matt. "Not any kind of an understood sound. It's always been noise and only when they attack."

We stand still, listening to the echos of the screaming and that's when I realize it's not as random as it seems. One starts up when another one ends, like a pattern repeating over and over. The noise draws me closer to the door, almost as if reaching out to me. I feel Matt's hand graze my arm, but Carter stops him. He lets me walk over to the door, my mind running over the sound and the sensations coursing through my body. It's a pull I don't understand, but a part of me seems to be acutely attuned to it nevertheless.

"I think they're communicating," I whisper, pressing my palm against the wood. The patterns echo over and over, overwhelming the space around us, as if they're inside our minds. A thud slams against the door, jerking me back. Carter's arm is around my middle again, pulling me back.

"I think you're right," he says, his voice right in my ear. "We need to get out of here, before it's too late."

A part of me thinks it already may be that. Carter turns to his men, who have been searching the room we're in, trying to figure a way out. Matt takes his place beside me, reaching for my hand.

"Are you okay?"

"Are any of us? Really?" I reply, my mind on the outside and the noise I can still hear echoing inside my mind. If I'm right, if they are communicating, it's just another part of the myth that the humanity got wrong. We're not prepared for them being anything but mindless beasts. How can we win, if they're as smart as we are and three times as ruthless?

"We need to move," Tom announces, raising his voice to be heard over the screams.

"Not without Kelly," I say, walking around Matt and to the middle of the room. The other man looks at me as if I'm the lowest insect on the earth and if Kenneth didn't give me the same look for days now, I would be offended.

"Your friend is already dead. We're not going to risk the rest of our lives."

"Excuse me, isn't that what you signed up to do when you joined the military?" I snap back, my voice colder than I've ever heard it before. The other men stand up straighter around me and I know I hit a nerve. "We're not leaving until we know for sure. We can't leave her behind."

The last is directed at Carter, who's watching me with a new kind of an expression on his face. I'd say it's pride, but it's too hard to see in this dim light. At least I have his attention, so I push.

"I'll go. They can't smell me, so if I stay quiet, I can get back to where we were and see if I can find her."

"No!"

"Absolutely not!" Both Matt and Tom exclaim at the same time.

"It's not your decision to make," I snap, turning to Matt, who's objection rings louder than Tom's. Also, I don't really care what the other man thinks, but Matt is different.

"Addy, you can't go out there. They're right at the door. They may not be able to smell you, but there's no way to get around them." Matt is pleading, his eyes fast on me, but I can't leave Kel behind. I already lost Molly. I can't loose Kel too.

"Carter," I ignore Matt, turning to the other man. "Is there a way?"

He watches me steadily for what seems like a long time, but he finds whatever he's looking for in me because he takes a deep breath and nods, before replying,

"We're going through the vents and I'm coming with you."