Flesh Eaters

Immune

Chapter 18 - Immune

*Murphy's POV*

"I told ya' I couldn't leave ya' this soon," I say.

I feel light headed, like I'm 'bout to pass out again but I fight through the fog filling my head. I know if I lose conscience again Grey'll lose it.

My stomach burns where the knife stabbed me. I look down at the wound and see Grey has lifted my shirt up, exposing my stomach as she holds a blood soaked gauze on it.

I clench my teeth as I snap my eyes up to Grey. I wonder if she's found the scar that marks me.

She stares back at me, smilin' with tears drippin' down her cheeks.

"Good," she says. "What's wrong, are you in a lot of pain?"

I sigh in relief as I realize she has no clue. "No more then you were in when ya' got your arms sliced by Clint," I say in response then clear my dry throat.

I look passed Grey and see Mercedes tying Baird up.

"He still alive," I ask, my voice soundin' rougher then usual.

Grey nods and glances over her shoulder at him.

"Saw those punches ya' threw," I say while smirkin'. "Surprised ya' didn't kill him."

"Wish I did," she says as she turns back to me. "If Mercedes wouldn't of pushed me away from him, I would've. He'd be dead right know."

I swallow, tryin' to clear my throat as I attempt to sit up.

"No," Grey says as she places a hand on my chest and pushes me back down. "Your still bleeding. Wait for it to clot all the way."

I sigh and close my eyes. She's right. I shouldn't be movin', not while I'm still bleedin'.

I open my eyes and watch her gently remove the gauze and study the gash. I see that my blood stains her hands and my stomach as she sets the dirty gauze to the side and reaches for a clean one. Carefully she starts to clean the dried blood that covers my stomach and hides the scar. I cringe when she wipes over it.

Her hand freezes and she looks up at me. "Did I hurt you?"

"Just leave it."

She sighs and presses the gauze back to the gash.

I look where the scar sits, barely covered by the blood. The pale skin shines through. It's clear that somethin' marks me but Grey hasn't noticed yet.

I remember when I got that mark. It was shortly after Annabelle turned. I thought for sure I was a goner, that I'd be joinin' my sister.

I was sleepin' without a fire in the forest, biggest mistake of my life. I woke to something cold touchin' my arm. When I opened my eyes I saw the monster leanin' over me snapping it's jaws. I don't think the fastest person could've got away without a mark.

It sank it's dirty teeth in my stomach. I experienced pain like I've never had before as it ripped a hunk of flesh from me. I watched it eat me alive.

My adrenaline kicked in and I reared my foot up, kickin' in away. It stumbled back as I grabbed my crossbow. I pulled the trigger and sent an arrow through its forehead. It dropped dead and I sank back down as shock started to set in.

As I laid on the ground gaspin' for air I remembered what happened to Annabelle after she was bit. She grew weak and she ran a fever. Her skin grew clammy and pale. She was in constant pain. She was gone within four days.

I waited for these symptoms ta' come to me as I laid on the ground bleedin'. When the sun set the bite clotted. By the second day I was able to move slowly from my place on the ground. When the third day rolled in the bite was startin' ta' heal over.