Footprints in the Blood

EIGHT

Day 12

"You don't have to come with me," I say, staring Carter down, but already knowing it's pointless. The man is as stubborn as...well, me.

"I'm coming." Is all he says, as he moves to speak with his men. Matt takes his position in front of me, a frantic look in his eyes.

"You're not seriously going out there? I'm not about to allow that!" he's whispering, but I'm sure the rest of the room can hear him just fine. That I don't care about as much as the statement he just made.

"This is not your decision to make," I snap, all warmth from his concern leaving my body. I'm not about to be told what to do. Not even by a guy I've had a crush on for weeks. He bristles at my tone, realizing his mistake, but it's too late. I'm already moving past him, to where Carter is waiting.

"We go through here," he points at the section of the ceiling one of his men is taking apart. "The panels don't seem too solid, so stay to the grid. It should be able to hold our weight, one at a time. They can't smells you, and if I stay quiet enough, the rest of the scents should confuse them enough for us to get through."

"I got it," I reply, studying the ceiling above me. We'll have to be extra quiet, as the sound seems to carry in these halls, and having the infected attack when you're in a vulnerable position is the worst possibility. Carter gives me a curt nod, and I glance  behind me at the people who have become my survivor family. Sammy is huddled against Kenneth, who looks less hostile then usual. Dan and Matt stand side by side, defeated. Matt looks like he wants to rush over and crush me in his arm, but now is not the time for sentimentalities. I turn back to Carter, where he stands ready to give me a boost.

"You okay with me going first?" I ask, looking up into his handsome face.

"If you are."

His answer brings a quick smile to my face and then I'm reaching for his shoulders. He folds his hands and I place my foot in the pocket, as he hoists me up. I've never been a small girl, and days without proper nutrition have helped some, but not much. Yet, he still lifts me as if I weigh nothing. I pull myself the rest of the way in, staying on the outside of the panel, testing the strength. It's tougher than I anticipated.

"We're good," I call down softly, moving forward just enough for Carter to follow me up. His large body fills the space around me, as he settles just behind me, and I breath in his musky smell. If I could bottle it up and sell it for profit, I would have to call it "Strong Man", because that's exactly what he smells like to me: strength.

We don't speak as I begin to make my way across the panels. The building is one of the older ones on campus and that's when I realize why this is possible. Newer buildings don't bother so much with the ceiling, making it flaky, to save on the costs. But older buildings had whole passages built inside their walls. Ceilings were just as important.

My thoughts are interrupted by the noise. We're above the hall now and I can hear the infected moving around, some right against the door where we left the others, some farther down the way. Carter and I don't speak, but I look back at him to find him listening. He may not have a superpower, but I don't think there's much this man doesn't know how to do.

Turning my attention back to the sounds, I try to pinpoint any that may be Kelly. It may be stupid to risk our lives for her, but I can't bring myself to walk away if there's a possibility that she may be alive. I listen, but I hear nothing but the infected.

Retracing our steps, I keep my attention on what's going on below. The infected aren't acting as brainless as we suppose them to be and it's scaring me more than I've let on. Not thinking about it, of what it can mean for all of us, is difficult. I've always had an overactive imagination, and now that monsters are no longer just on TV, my mind isn't coming up with anything nice.

I feel a slight pressure on the back of my leg and turn to see Carter has stopped. He motions down and that's when I realize we're back to the hall right outside of the room we were hiding in. I close my eyes, pushing at the distracting way his hand felt on my leg, and search for any signs of the infected. Not finding any, I open my eyes and nod.

Pulling at the panel in front of me, I angle my body so I can see inside. The place is dark, but there is no movement. After another quick check with my senses, I lower myself down to the floor. Carter lands softly beside me, his weapons at the ready. I pull out my knife, gripping it tightly in my hand and move.

We landed on one side of the room and the other is plunged into darkness. If Kelly isn't here, that means she's somewhere between this room and the one the rest of the group is at. In the space infested with the Infected. My heart drops as I think that may be the case, when I hear it. A small whimper, coming from behind one of the desks.

Carter must've heard it at the same time I did, because we're now moving as one. He motions for me to go to the right, as he takes the position on the left. He's just an outline now, but I watch as he raises his arm in a command.

As one, we move around the table, weapons at the ready. Kelly opens her mouth to scream, but Carter is faster. I land hard on my knees, pulling her into me.

"Shh, it's just us. You're okay. You're okay."

Kelly clutches to me, as if we're more than mere strangers who ended up in the same place during an apocalypse. There's an intensity in her grip, as if she thinks I can save her from the pain that's become our world.

The moon moves from behind the clouds, illuminating the section of the room we're in and I'm thankful for the small shred of hope the light offers. I glance up at Carter, who's staring at the two of us with an unreadable look on his face.

"Carter?" I whisper, and he raises his eyes to meet mine. I don't understand what he's trying to do, until he's moving towards me and slowly pulling me away from Kelly. "Carter?" I ask again, as he reaches for my hands. I look down and that's when I realize, they're covered in blood.

Kelly's blood.