Infected

Chapter 4

I cover my mouth to muffle my sobs. Another thump on the door.

"Marie? You in there? Are you alright?" A hoarse voice asked.

"Jim! Jim I'm fine. Are you okay?" She asked frantically. She gets the key to the door out of her pocket and drops it because of her shaking hands.

"No! Don't open the door!" Jim said, his voice weakening. "Tell 'um they need to come up here and put a bullet in all the bodies heads, and fast. It's the only way to actually kill them."

"What about you?" Marie's voice cracks. There's a long pause.

"I'm not gonna make it. They got me. I'm the only one alive. For now. "

"No! Let me help you!" Marie says fumbling with the keys again, struggling to get her hands to do what she wants.

"Don't, Marie. It's too late. I love you, girl." Then there is a gunshot. Marie is frozen with shock and grief. She slowly gets the walkie talkie out.

Barely audible, she whispers into it, "infected up here, need a bullet in all of the heads."

"We're on our way up." It said. Marie drops the walkie talkie on the ground, letting it clatter. She suddenly seems to put a wall, pushing her emotions to the side.

"You're not infected, are you?" She asked, her gaze shifting to me.

"No." I say.

"Then what do you need?" She says, actually sounding bored.

"I came to visit Sandra." I say in a small voice.

"Oh." She hesitates. "Are you... Neyomi?" She asked raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah." I say.

"Sandra said to give you something if you showed up." She gets up and looks through a stack of papers on Sandra's desk. She found an envelope and gives it to me. It's a letter from Sandra to me. I open it and it reads:

Neyomi,

I'm sorry that I'm not there. I've gone to look my dad,I don't know if he's okay and I can't stand it any longer. I know you of all people would understand. What with you not knowing about your sister and all. I may or may not return. Just remember and promise me you'll do this. Be brave.

-With love, Sandra

I clutch the letter to my chest.

'I promise.' I thought.

We are startled by gunshots. Eight. eight bodies gone. Just like that.

"Marie! We're gonna dispose of these bodies them it should be save for you to come out." Said a policeman.

"Thanks." She calls back. She sits and stares blankly at the wall. I feel that I should comfort her, however I don't know her so I don't really know what to do.

So, I give the best advice I can for the moment, "be brave."

After we sit there listening to the bodies being drug down the hall and into the elevator, the policeman comes to the door again, "alright, you're good to come out now."

Marie moves like a machine and unlocks the door. The hall reeks of bleach. I cover my nose and mouth with the collar of my gown. The policeman standing outside the door looked about forty with scruffy facial hair. He put a hand on Marie's shoulder," Jim was-"

Marie cuts him off, "I know."

He looked as if he might cry, "I'm so sorry." She didn't respond she just looked at the ground and eventually couldn't contain her sorrow anymore. She fell to the ground sobbing and screaming, "why?!" The policeman started crying too. He got down on on knee and put his hand on Marie's back and they grieved together. I couldn't handle this anymore. I took off toward the elevator. There were custodian cleaning up door fragments and still bleaching the floors on my way to the elevator. I can't help thinking that the policemen and the custodian are likely to become infected now. Unless they, too, have that precious drug.

Once in the elevator I went to the ground floor to go to the Living-room. I was going to look for Charlie. Or Owen. Or Erica. Someone to talk to. On the way there, I pass a bedroom and the elderly woman that was infected was strapped to the bed. I backed away and when I blinked my eyes, she was gone. I'm going crazy. Why am I surprised?

I shuffle my way toward the Living-room, my legs barely holding me up as they wobble. I have to try and forget what has happened. I know it's impossible, but I still try. My mind was so busy, I wasn't paying attention to where I was going and I ran right into Owen's chest.

"Oof!" I grunt. My elbow throbs from being jostled.

'Woah!" He laughs, "where's the fire?"

"I wasn't even running, you ran into me." I say, hotly.

"I don't think so. YOU ran into ME." He says teasingly. I roll my eyes, why are we even arguing about this? Charlie stands behind Owen, his hands in his pockets and a smirk on his face.

"Hey." I nod to him.

"Did you come from upstairs?" He asked, his expression sober.

"Yeah." I said quietly. "Did you too?" He nods. He must have help kill them then.

"You okay?" He asked.

"Yeah. I'll be okay." I say. All three of us are silent for a minute.

Owen breaks the silence, "so when do you get that sling off?"

"Not sure, actually. Not too long though because hyperextended joints heal pretty quickly." I tell him.

He asked,"What'd you do to do that any-" Charlie cuts him off.

"We've got to get ready to leave Owen."

Owen looks at his imaginary watch, "oh yeah. Better get moving. Bye, Knee-Oh-Me." I roll my eyes at him. I mouth 'thank you' to Charlie when Owen's back is turned. He smiles back and strode off behind Owen.

I head back to my room. I mean, mine and Te'Aysha's room. She is spread out on the bed her arms behind her head and she's wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt.

"Where'd you get those?!" I asked pointing at her outfit. She nods her head toward the dresser. I look at it as if it were covered in gold. Laying in top of the dresser were stacks of sweats and t-shirts, all back. No more ugly gowns. Maybe there are good things left in this world. I let out a high-pitched squeal and Te'Aysha raises an eyebrow at me like I'm crazy. I don't care. Because I know I am. It's getting late and I can't help but wonder if Charlie and Owen have gotten back yet. I'm worried about them.

Te'Aysha closes her eyes and just minutes later her jaw goes slack and she's snoring. I decide to get some sleep myself, if I can since I'm on the ground now. I change out of the ugly gown and throw it into the hamper like it's a basketball going into the net and put on the wonderful t-shirt and sweats. I put the rest of them away in my drawers. I curl up on the floor and let sleep take me, which comes faster than I thought.