Just a Really Bad Night

She's Been Bitten!

"Katie, why didn't you say something sooner-"

"I don't want to die Clark, please, I don't want to die, I don't want to die like this, please!" 

Katie begged, shuffling closer to him and hugging him once more. Clark couldn't bring himself to hug her back this time, too afraid to put his hands anywhere near the bite. 

"Please don't tell them Clark, they'll kill me, they'll kill me if they find out!"

"Th-They won't kill you Katie-"

"They will! I'm just another zombie, Clark! Oh god, I'm gonna turn into a zombie, I'm already turning into one, oh god..." 

Katie was in hysterics, hyperventilating as she clung onto her friend. Clark tried to shush her the best he could, though his mind was racing, trying to think of what to do.

"It'll be okay, everything will be okay... You haven't turned yet, you'll be okay..." 

He said gently, sighing. 

"Maybe you won't turn...? It's been hours, and you haven't yet, so maybe-?"

"I'm so hungry Clark, I feel like I'm starving, that must be part of it!" 

Katie cried.

"But you were looking for normal people food, not brains at least?"

"Zombies eating brains, that only happens in movies and we both know it!"

"I know, I know, poor time for a joke..." 

Clark admitted, biting his lip as he tried to think. His brainstorming was cut short as Katie suddenly went tense in his arms, her breath getting caught in her throat. Her eyes were wide and her mouth was open, her face frozen in fear for a few moments before her eyes suddenly rolled back into her head. Clark watched helplessly as Katie let go of him and fell backward, hitting the floor with a heavy thump. She laid on the floor convulsing slightly, her fingers twitching into fists every few seconds. Clark could only watch in stunned horror as the scene played out, unsure of what to do.

Katie suddenly let out a heartbreaking, blood-curdling scream, her back arching off the floor and her hands reaching for the bite on her side, screaming and writhing on the floor in agony. James was at Clark's side in moments at the sound of the scream, now wide awake.

"What's going on!? Was that her screaming?" 

James demanded, not letting Clark answer before he continued to speak. 

"Clark, is that...?" 

His face fell when he saw the bite mark, looking up at Clark with a deep frown. Clark shook his head, finding it hard to process everything.

"I just saw it too, she's been hiding it..."

"Clark, you may want to go back to our room... You won't want to see this." 

James told him, his voice resigned and sad. He reached for the pistol he kept on his person at all times since the start of the outbreak, pointing it at Katie's head as he took the safety off. Both Clark and Katie's shouts of 'No!' made James hesitate, giving Clark time to try and wrestle the gun out of his hands.

"You can't just kill her, are you crazy!?" 

Clark cried, grabbing the gun and trying to yank it way. James held onto it tightly, pulling back just as hard.

"Have you lost your mind? She was bitten, Clark! She's going to turn and fucking kill all of us, is that what you want!?"

"No, of course not! But you can't just shoot her! You've known her for years, do you feel no remorse?"

"Of course I do, I don't want to kill her! But I have to, to protect my other not-bitten friends!" 

James pulled the gun away from Clark with one last tug, holding it out of his reach. 

"Deep down you know it's the right thing, too. Wouldn't it be better for her to die now than to see her end up rotting away and killing one of us? Or what if she gets out and is cursed to wander the earth with all the other zombies for all of eternity? Think, Clark!"

Clark scowled, looking down at Katie. The girl had passed out at some point during their argument, now lying limply on the hardwood floor. She looked paler than ever, the bite mark on her side more red and inflamed than he remembered it looking before.

"There has to be another way,"

Clark mumbled, shaking his head in denial. 

"One day they'll find a cure, and we can help her. We have to keep her alive until then, don't you get it?" 

He looked at James next, who was also staring at Katie in deep thought.

"But what if there never is a cure? Having a zombie in our one place we know we're safe is dangerous. More of us could get hurt." 

James argued, all the fight gone from his voice. 

"The others are all awake back in the room. When Katie screamed the first time, it scared them all... I'll go explain to them what happened. I'll be right back, keep an eye on her." 

James stood, holding the pistol out to Clark. 

"If she tries to hurt you, defend yourself, okay? At least try to."

Clark nodded silently, taking the gun and looking back at Katie. He faintly heard James's footsteps get quieter as he left, leaving him alone with Katie's unconscious form.