Survival Inc.

Chapter Seven

Sorry, I'm not putting any more 'special' pictures at the tops of chapters for it keeps getting harder and harder to find ones, and I have no one to make them for me. It will only be the same one from now on. Kind criticism is encouraged in the comments. Thank you for reading, and have a nice day! :)

We're at the Courthouse in about an hour, but I stay in the ambulance with my sister, holding her as she uses the last of her tears, my own far gone. Tucker's gone in to see if he can find any files or anything that can help him tell where his sister is, or any type of evacuation. After waiting about thirty minutes, I take my gun and tell Riley to stay in the vehicle, then run inside to find Tucker rooting through the front desk.

"T- Tucker?" I stutter, voice wavering from recently crying.

"I've found a file on the hospital evacuation, but it doesn't say where they went. It has a list of all the patients they took, and their illnesses, and the governor's signature of approval for their evacuation request. It shows where I can find the next file, but it's not here..." he says like he's rushing to get it all out.

"Okay. I'll go get Riley and have her help me search other rooms," I croak and go to leave, but feel a cold hand on my forearm.

"Just go rest with her, I'll be out soon," he says, and I realize that he's reaching over the desk to hold my arm.

"Tucker, you need to find your sister. I've put it off too long, I owe it to you to help you find her," I say and he smiles.

"Just go rest, I have a feeling that I'm close to finding the right file. I'll be out soon," he says and then lets go, kneeling back down and continuing his search.

I sigh tiredly, knowing I can't win this one. I open the door to hear a scream. Riley. I sprint to the ambulance and shoot a Mort in the head. It falls and sigh in relief to find that the back doors weren't opened. I pull them open and smile to see my sister unharmed. Jumping in, I wrap her up in a hug and we sit, watching the sun set over the tall and short buildings.

After about ten minutes, Tucker jumps into the driver's seat and turns the ambulance on, waiting for me to shut and lock the back doors before pressing his foot on the gas and speeding off. Riley looks shocked for a moment at the speed, but all in all, she looks tired. I lock the stretcher in place and put her on it, strapping her in and putting one of the blankets I got from my house over her.

"Sis, where are we going?" she asks and I smile reassuringly at her, even though my face wants to do all but smile.

"We're going somewhere safe, okay? You just rest," I say and hop up to the passenger seat, then buckle the seat-belt.

"She okay?" he asks and I frown at him.

"What do you think. We just-" I start, but my voice goes out. I shake my head and look down, then back up and meet his eyes. "Let's go back to the hospital. We get all the medicine and stuff possible, get Nova, and the rest of our group, maybe anyone who wants to come. Then we go off to find families."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" he asks and I frown. "We just secured the hospital, and we have everything that we need... by leaving, we're leaving the place that we know is safe."

"But we'll run out of things eventually. We can't just expect to be supplied for infinity, we have to be realistic... and you have to find your sister... what did you find in the Courthouse?" I ask and he flashes a smile to nothing in particular.

"I found where they were evacuating to. I'll turn on the radio and monitor where they are, but we're not going until I know she needs my help. And if she doesn't need my help by the time we run out of things, then we go to her. Up until then, we can just find families. Have people go out in small groups of... four per day? That'd be efficient and easy," he explains, speeding up a bit more to run into some Morts.

I sigh tiredly and nod, "Yeah, I just don't like being so close to such a big area of Morts... I guess I don't trust it."

Soon, we're back at the hospital, staying in the car just to enjoy the silence for about fifteen minutes before unloading everything onto four medical carts left by the garage entrance to the hospital. We each take two and my sister walks tiredly next to me. About twenty minutes later, I'm curled up on the couch in the lobby, not wanting to wake anyone on the second floor. Riley is softly snoring beside me, and I smile, knowing that she'll enjoy the breakfast I'm going to make in the morning.

Ah, the morning. Calm, peaceful, nice, and comes too soon. I'm in checking on Nova, whose condition hasn't changed other than the fact that she's gotten a healthier glow about her, and her skin is less pale, and a sleeping Bella. The rain doesn't improve anyone's mood, but Tucker and I discuss the family-finding plan with everyone, and I get more introduced to the new people that are here. I mourn... a lot... Afterward, I make room arrangements. By that, I mean I clear eighteen other rooms of all medicine and helpful things like that, then put them all onto two medical carts, the medicine all perfectly sorted, the teal surgeon scrubs and white masks and aprons folded on the first of the three shelves on each medical cart. I then put both carts into the assigned storage room. 

Our people have written their names above their rooms in sharpie. We have four assigned emergency rooms, but four more ready just in case, and four assigned rooms for if you want to be checked out for a sickness. My sister and I share the room closest to the emergency rooms, in case someone needed me on my 'break'. Freddie and I have agreed to do twelve hour shifts, for we have the most medical experience.

I sigh as I lie on the stretcher in the room I share with my sister. There is one hospital bed in each of the rooms on each floor, so I brought the stretcher up to sleep on so that Riley can get good rest. Pulling my blanket up to my chin, I close my eyes and let myself drift off, not even bothering to count sheep.