AM13 Outbreak Shorts

One Year On - Forty One (Katie)

Katie

"Urgh, what the hell?"

I push myself up into a sitting position while rubbing my aching head, wondering how I managed to get knocked out in all the chaos erupting in the camp. I was escaping, hiding to help out Oliver so he isn't worried about me, but something must have gone wrong.

"Where I am?" I don't recognize this place at all. "What's going on?"

"Ah, you're awake." I'm chilled to the bone as the voice greets me. This isn't someone I want to see in a crisis. "I've been worried about you. I thought you were hurt."

"Ryan?" I try to scoot backwards, but I can't move because I'm tied to a metal pole in this dark, damp room. "I am hurt. What's happening? Why are we here? Where is everyone else?"

"Oh, dead, I imagine."

"Dead?" My eyebrows knot together. "Is that some kind of sick joke? How can you be so callous?"

"You saw the chaos out there." He waves his hand dismissively. "Something happened in the middle of it all and brought the walls down. The infected got in, so I saved you."

Urgh, he's so gross. Such a sick and twisted person. How did I ever used to like this man? It seems insane now to think that I admired him for such a long time when he's so dreadful. Sure, the world falling apart might have dragged the worst out of him, but that side of him must have always been there. I just didn't see it.

"So, everyone is dead?"

I think I might need to play his game, just for a moment. Otherwise I won't be able to gather up all the information I need to escape this. So, however much it sickens me, and I want to yell at this man, I don't think he'll release me with ease.

This is my survival instinct kicking in and leading the way.

"I would imagine so." He shrugs one shoulder. "It's a mess out there. Bodies, blood, infected..."

"And you saved me? How?"

"I grabbed you before one of those beasts could get you. You hit your head on the way, but that was an accident. I just wanted to save you."

He's lying, I can see it on his face. He planned this all along and just took the opportunity of the chaos to put his plan into action. I may be injured but I'm not dumb.

"And where is this place? It's set up well..."

"I made it a while back." He smiles proudly as if this is a good thing. "Just in case of a situation like this. I wanted to have somewhere to go in an emergency. With you, of course. I was never going to save myself without looking after you too."

I stare at him defiantly. "So, if you've saved me, why am I tied up?"

"Because I don't want you to go," he tells me as if this is obvious. "It's dangerous out there. No one else can look after you and keep you safe as Oliver has proved. You are the safest with me."

Wow, he's suggesting that I'm safe in the place where I most fear for my life. I need to get out of here. I have to escape. I don't even want to think about the possibility of everyone no longer being alive. If I consider that, I will give up, so I will focus on this one step at a time.

And this step is me getting away from him...