The Risks

September: Chapter 23

ANOTHER COUPLE OF weeks went by. Several times we went on runs and Raleigh and Andi were getting better. We hadn't ventured too far into the city yet, but we did move to places where we knew were worth looking.

After discussing it a lot with Parker, we decided to go deeper into the city.

It was mid-morning, and it was chilly. Fall was approaching quickly and we didn't have any warm clothing. Today's goal was to stock up on coats, socks, anything to keep us warm during the cold months.

We entered the front of the small clothing store as quietly as we could manage. The door had been nailed shut so we had to use some muscle to get it open.

It was dark inside and we split up, Parker and Raleigh to the men's section; Andi and I to the women's. Luckily shit hit the fan when it was still cold, so the clothing racks were filled with winter items.

"This feels weird," Andi said while trying to find her size.

I nodded. "I always hated shopping."

I grabbed the first coat I saw in my size. It was forest green and had several pockets. Convenient.

"Tell me," Andi said, she'd changed the tone of her voice to sound more girly. She held two coats in her hands. She held one in front of her. "This one?" Then she switched coats. "Or this one."

I started laughing quietly and she did too. She threw one of them over her shoulder. Then we moved on to scarves and gloves. I grabbed several, enough for everyone, then we started to head to the entrance when Andi stopped.

A Feral appeared from behind rack of clothing. It reached for her, making its awful inhuman growl, and she shrieked. Its hands were mangled, bones poking out the ends and blood dripping endlessly and it grabbed at her arms and face, lunging at her. It smeared blood across her face and she screamed a wordless cry of anger as she drew her pistol and fired into its skull.

When the Feral fell to the floor, she took a step away, her back to me, and looked at her blood smeared arms.

"You alright?" I asked.

"Fuck," she breathed, her voice shaking.

She slowly turned to face me. Her expression was one that I'd never seen her wear before. Fear. My eyes followed hers until I saw what had put the look on her face. My heart dropped deep into my stomach as I stared at the missing chunk of flesh in her arm.

"Oh, fuck," she whispered, looking up at me for an answer.

I just stared at her, unsure of what to do or say. I could hear Parker and Raleigh approaching. Their footsteps were urgent. Their flashlight beams bounced wildly.

"What do I do?" Andi asked, eerily calm.

I shook my head. "I don't- I don't know."

"We heard a gunshot," Raleigh said when they closed in. "You guys okay?"

Andi's blood dripped heavily onto the carpet beneath us. Pooling. Her eyes rolled upward and I caught her before she collapsed.

Parker and Raleigh both rushed toward us. Raleigh wrapped one of her arms around his shoulders, helping to distribute the weight. Parker stared at her bite for a second before his eyes met mine.

"She got bit?" He asked softly.

"What?" Raleigh asked in alarm. Then he saw the wound. "No. Wait. Wait, no. She couldn't have gotten bit."

"Sorry, buddy," she mumbled to him as her head rolled on her shoulders. "Didn't mean to."

"Oh, no," Raleigh wailed. "We've got to do something. We've got to help her!"