The Virus

Twenty Three

The car finally comes to a halt and without thinking, I jump out of the car and run to the back. A small body lie crumpled on the road, I throw a hand to my mouth. She definitely wasn't a walker. I crouch next to her but jump up when I hear a low growl. I assume it's a Roamer and spin around ready for attack. Instead, a jet black dog stands poised ready to jump at me.

I approach it carefully trying to comfort it. As soon I approach it and try to stroke it, it relaxes. It looks like a German Shepherd. I take a look around and confirm there are no Roamers. I go back to the girls body. She's still breathing and her heart rate is normal. She probably has a few broken bones though.

I carefully lift her into the car and call the dog into the passenger seat. I assume the girl is her owner. I go to start the car but it dies. I'm still about fifteen miles from home. I make sure all the doors are locked and go into the back to check on the girl. She's small but has mature features. She could be anywhere between sixteen and about twenty five. I start feeling her arms and legs for major breaks. I use my own limbs as a guideline.

I pull out my first aid kit and empty it on the seat. At this point anything could help. If she had internal bleeding she'd be dead by morning. I tend to a few deep cuts on her forehead and arms, cleaning and dressing them. Then i continue my search for broken bones, her right leg and left wrist seem off but I have no way of knowing how serious they are.

I grab a few blankets from the back and cover her with them and settle down ready for the night.

Laurence's P.OV.

I drive around for nearly an hour with no direction going nearly ten miles out. After a while my adrenaline and anger wears off and I realise the futility in my search. I head back to the school.

Everybody is relieved to see me in one piece after my unannounced departure. I grab a small dinner but find myself without an appetite. I couldn't lose Ophelia.

After a while, I go to bed. Although I know I won't get any sleep. For over an hour I sit in darkness staring at the ceiling wishing Ophelia was asleep in my arms. I can hear everybody downstairs talking worriedly. They were deciding whether or not to send out more search teams.

How does everything go so wrong so quickly. The time creeps past and Ophelia has been gone for fifteen hours or more. I woke at seven to find the note and knowing Ophelia she probably left before dawn.

I give up trying to sleep and go downstairs. They all shut up after I walk in. "Oh, we thought you were asleep." Mark says. 

I shake my head. "There's no way I'm getting any sleep tonight." I say sadly. I take a seat with everybody. "Ophelia's smart. I assume she's still alive at this point. It's just there's definitely something keeping her from coming back. She's either lost or stuck somewhere. So it's probably a good idea to send a few people out. But if she's not back by tomorrow then we need to start panicking." I say. Everybody nods. "Before. I started panicking. It doesn't do anything." I finish.

Stella begins talking "Okay there's seven of us, we have three cars and a few people need to stay behind if she finds her way back. So we'll have two people stay behind. And then Terry and I will go together. Noah and Solomon, then Jason can go on his own. Mark and Alex can you stay behind. Go up to the tower make sure you're watching at all times. We'll all come back every hour and come back immediately if you find her. We'll all search at different distances." When she's finished we all get up and get ready.

I take the small truck with Solomon. We're going about eight to ten miles out and making circles around. And at eleven were all going to come back and regroup. We need to find her.

Ophelia's P.OV.

It's nearly ten thirty and I can't get to sleep. Luckily It's not too cold and the blankets help. The dog is sitting in the boot, asleep. I can hear it snoring. I don't know whether its male of female and I'm definitely not checking.

The girl keeps stirring, I hope she wakes up. I don't think I could live with myself knowing I hit someone on purpose and killed them. I'm not scared, even if she is dangerous she'll be too disoriented and weak to do anything. And I took all her stuff. I looked through it and she has everything she'd need to survive, with several guns and knives as protection.

Suddenly, her eyes flutter open and a pained moan escapes her lips. The dog is awake and alert immediately. "Whe-where am I?" She murmurs, looking around. 

"Just a car. Basically the middle of nowhere." I reply. She looks at me. I try to give a reassuring smile. "I'm Ophelia, Ophelia Clarke." I say, gently. 

"Claire Franklin." She mutters. Now I know her name.

She sits up slightly and mutters under her breath when she uses her wrist. "Yeah I think you have a broken wrist and your leg too." I say, quietly. 

She looks around again. "What the hell happened to me?" She asks. 

I give her a guilty look. "That may, uh have been me. I thought you were one of them I was gonna take you down but when I realised you were human I braked. But not quite quick enough." I say sheepishly. 

"I'll say." She mutters. She turns and strokes her dog soothingly. 

"I'm really, really sorry. I didn't mean-" she interrupts me before I can finish. 

"Really I'm not mad. It was a mistake. This car? Does it run?" She asks. 

"It did." I say. 

She nods, understanding.