Impregnable {A Walking Dead Fanfiction}

Two

    I unlocked the door and opened it slowly. "Oh, sweetheart, what hap..." She rushed past me into the apartment, pausing for a moment to look back at me before darting into my bathroom. Her eyes were bloodshot and wild. What did I just do? I grabbed the pepper spray attached to my keyring, sticking it in my back pocket before approaching her. The door was cracked and she was bent over the toilet, violently retching and vomiting bright red blood everywhere. "I'm going to call 911, okay?" I said, feeling sick to my stomach. The smell was unbearable. I grabbed my phone and dialed, all I got was a tone followed by a robotic voice telling me the line was busy and to wait for the next available dispatcher. There was a crash in the bathroom, the girl had fallen to the floor and was lying in the fetal position, sobbing uncontrollably. Oh my God, what do I do? Should I call Cameron? He'll be so mad that I let her in... I put my phone in my pocket and held my breath as I entered the bathroom, jerking the bathroom window open in an attempt to help the smell. I braced myself before turning to her. There was blood trailing from her mouth and from a large cut on her shoulder. "What happened?" I could barely hear myself over her wailing. "I...I...I was...I was just sitting there." She took in a deep, labored breath. "He came out of nowhere." Her eyes glazed over for a moment before she retched, spewing a fine layer of chunky red liquid all over herself and the bathroom floor. I jumped backward into the hall and gagged, feeling choked by the air. "Did you call 911?" Her voice was so quiet I could barely understand her. I suddenly remembered I was still on the phone with 911. "Yes, they're on their way, just breathe." I lied, taking my phone out of my pocket and placing it to my ear. "I'm sorry, we are currently experiencing a high volume of callers..." I groaned and bent down next to her. "Is there anything I can get for you?" I brushed her hair from her face, she was drenched with sweat. "Water." She moaned. "One second," I said, glad for an excuse to leave the room. 

    I picked up a glass from the dish drainer and got water from the fridge. Another round of retching started in the bathroom, followed by the sound of thick liquid hitting the ground. I returned to her and held the cup up to her mouth. She choked for a moment before taking two long gulps. "Let me see if I have anything to slow down your vomiting, sweetheart. It might be a little bit before the ambulance gets here." I tried so hard to sound calm, but I couldn't hide the shaking in my voice. I sat the glass next to her before returning to the kitchen, checking my phone again to no avail, then opening the medicine cabinet. Expired Nauzene was better than nothing. I sighed, closing the door and returning to the bathroom. "Here, sweetheart, take this." I offered her the pill and her glass of water. She struggled to focus for a moment before retching once again and falling back to the floor. She was breathing harshly and dripping sweat. I placed the pill and glass on the counter before bending down to help her take off her soiled shirt, revealing why her shoulder was bleeding so heavily. There was a deep wound on her shoulder that looked like a human bite. Her breathing was shallow but so labored; she was going to die here if I didn't do something. She retched again and a small line of blood trailed down her face.

    I swallowed my pride and pulled out my phone, hanging up on 911 and calling Cameron. Two rings. "Hollie! Oh my God, I was just about to call you. Pack a go bag, I just turned around and I'm on my way home." "I...what?" I couldn't comprehend what he was saying. "I'll be there in ten minutes. Get our shit packed now! Clothes, food, and water, get my hiking bag that has my hunting knife." My heart pounded and my vision began to blur. "There's a lady throwing up blood in our bathroom." I blurted out. "WHAT?" He screamed into the phone. "Are you f*****g kidding me? Hollie what the f**k were you thinking...just pack the bags....F**K." I heard him start punching his steering wheel. "Okay," I said, nothing felt real. I didn't want to know why he was turning around and asking me to pack our belongings.

    The girl was lying completely still on the bathroom tile. "Sweetheart?" No response. How angry is he going to be when he gets home? I left her there and redialed 911 and got the same robotic response. I dug through our closet and threw our hiking backpacks on the bed, throwing clothes and keepsakes and whatever I could grab inside my bag. I took Cameron's bag and emptied our canned food shelf and the few water bottles we had into it. I unzipped the front pocket and removed Cameron's hunting knife, clipping it to my shorts before returning to the girl. She was still and quiet except for the sound of her shallow breathing. She almost looked peaceful.

    First aid kit, cellphone chargers, towels, travel shampoos we'd stolen from hotels. I'd placed the bags next to the front door and was deciding if I should pack my laptop when I heard the girl stirring in the bathroom. "Are you okay?" I called out, no response. I heard an awful gurgling sound and commotion like she was throwing herself against the wall. The bathroom door crept open a moment later, and she trudged towards me. Her eyes were empty and bloodshot, her skin was a sickly gray-green color covered in bloated dark purple veins. She turned her attention from me to Simba, who had just hopped onto the kitchen counter. She became enraged and lunged at him. He went to bolt for the bedroom and she followed, diving onto the floor on top of him. He let out an awful, ear-piercing scream and clawed at the woman's face. "GET OFF OF HIM!" I screamed, running towards them. He wrestled himself out of her grip and limped into the bedroom, leaving small drips of blood behind him. I grabbed the broom that was propped against the wall and swung the handle full force towards her, cracking her over the head. She turned to me with wild eyes, seemingly unphased. "GET OUT NOW!" I screamed again, swinging the broom hard onto her back. She reached out and clawed at the air between us, tufts of yellow fur falling from her hand. I heard the sound of heavy footsteps and Cameron's voice yelling from the hallway. I retreated and opened the door for him. "Cameron! I'm so sorry!" I had been brave until then, but the tears began flowing as soon as I saw him. He was four doors down and sprinting towards towards me. "Simba's hurt." I sobbed. "Where are the bags." He huffed, desperately trying to catch his breath. I opened the door and gestured at the two large backpacks and duffle bags that were sitting next to the door. He grabbed his backpack and the duffle bags and pulled me into the hallway as I was putting on my backpack, shutting the door behind him. "Cameron, what are you doing? Simba's hurt!" He glanced anxiously down the hallway before looking back at me. I could see tears welling in his eyes. "You have to leave him, we have to go right now." The world began to spin violently. "Hollie, come on!" He took my hand and began pulling me down the hallway toward the uncertainty that was our future.