ContamiNation

Trinket

Diamma/Jolyne

Night was falling, fast. I hated that I was basically the maid—setting up, cooking, cleaning, sorting—while the guys were doing Gods know what.

Another candle, another shelf, another sigh. They could deal with the lack of candles later, right now I was giving myself some light.

I'd never been one for daytime, like my friend, unlike Carris—Sharp, damn it—but my eyes were still regrettably human and lacked night-vision. Soon, I'd break into an army base or anywhere they might have night-vision goggles.

Now, what was I supposed to do for twelve hours. We have books from the library but it's like every nerve has been lit on fire, like adrenaline is being shot into my veins, like I'd drank 15 energizer batteries, 20 energizer bunnies, 50 sports drinks and five-hour-energy drinks. If I sat down for even a second I started shaking, needing anything to do, but not knowing what to do. Everything wasn't good enough.

A gunshot broke the silence. For the first time in a long time, I jumped and fell of the desk I'd been standing on. It tumbled down with me.

Chris met me in the stairway. "You need to come see this."

When we got outside I found Phil, gun out pointing at a group of three. One was on the grass holding her arm, the other stood ramrod-straight with their gun unthreateningly on their shoulder, the last just glared at the three of us.

Our two groups set in a match, neither making a move. The girl on the ground kept gasping, holding her arm to her chest.

"What happened?" I said, pointing lazily at the crying girl.

Phil, gun still trained on the other guy, said, "They showed up out of nowhere."

"Jeez, all of you are useless. What is happening?"

The boy spoke. "We saw your lights, thought there was safety. We were wrong. Your man there," He said pointing at Phil. "Shot Kit here as she ran up to ask him something. We didn't want to leave in case he tried to shoot us in the back."

Phil scoffed. "I'm not the kind of guy to shoot someone who means no harm."

"Then what's that?" The guy pointed to the girl, Kit, on the grass.

"How was I supposed to know? She ran at me. For all I knew she was infected."

"Warning!" The boy yelled. "You yell a warning."

"For all I knew she was infected," Phil repeated. "And I panicked." He was embarrassed by that.

I cut in, "How many of you are there?"

"Five." I opened my mouth but he didn't wait. "Before you ask, no. None of us are infected and they're back at our hideout."

"Where's that?" He gave me a look, refusing to answer. "Fine, understandable. Leave now."

The rifle carrier stepped forward. "And Kit?"

"She can stay and wait for you to come back tomorrow, I can take care of her overnight. Or she can leave with you guys now and you all are welcome to come back in the morning."

The boy leaned over Kit. "We are not leaving her with you."

"No," Kit spoke for the first time. "I'm staying."

He grabbed her uninjured arm and pulled her up, whispering into her ear.

"No," She responded. "They probably have better stuff and I'd rather be injured behind walls than injured in a tiny car overnight. That mob..."