Apocalypse

Confusion

"H-help.." Her voice was barely audible. Then she collapsed to the ground. Nathan jumped up and ran to her.

"Holy shit she's so torn up! Help me lift her." Penny's face dropped sadly at the moment being ruined, by Becca no less, but it was only for a second and her back was to Nathan so he wouldn't have seen. She spun to stand and hurried to help him.

"What could've happened to her?" Pushing aside her thoughts, she went into doctor mode. "Lay her on her stomach with her head facing out so she can breathe." They lifted her to the cot on her stomach.

"What is going on? Where did Becca go-" William barged through the entrance and stopped at the sight. First of Becca's state on the cot, unconscious and a dreadful mess, then his eyes went to Nathan, who was shirtless.

"She just got here. Where did you see her last?" Nathan felt there was no time for squabbles.

"Just now when she was stumbling out of the forest. We thought she was a zombie and nearly attacked her..." He paused for a moment then his eyes darkened. "Last I saw she was running from you."

"Don't give me that bullshit. You followed me back here. You saw her when she ran away."

"Why did she run? What did you do? What did you say?" With every accusation William got closer until he was right up in Nathan's face.

"Please if you two have a problem take it outside! Let me do my job!" Penny shoved between the two to get to her supplies. She returned from the chest. She shoved a bucket at Nathan.

"Get dressed and get some water now." He was glad to get out. He pulled on his old shirt and ran out for water.

"What did he do to my daughter?" William demanded, but in a more authoritative, protective tone than the angry accusatory one he had towards Nathan.

"Nothing. He'd been with me ever since his fight with Justin. I treated his wounds and he fell asleep."

"Hm. I don't believe it." Penny scowled. She hated his grudge towards Nathan. She had lost someone too and was still giving him a chance.

"You don't have to. I don't care what you believe, but that is the truth." Nathan came back with the bucket full. Penny was thankful, she didn't want to be with William alone.

"Thank you." She took it from him and began to work on Becca. She had grabbed a brush from the chest and was working on her hair to help find the source of the dried blood. When she did, she wet her rag and gingerly pressed. "A head injury? Do either of you know when or how she attained that?"

"No, I don't. I was going to go after her but I was forced to come back." Nathan glared at William.

"Justin was supposed to take care of her." William paused. "Justin hasn't come in has he?"

"No, I haven't seen him."

"Penny take care of her. If she's injured and Justin went for her, he could be in danger too." He glared at Nathan. "Stay away from my daughter." William turned and left.

"I hate him."

"I know, but that doesn't matter right now." Penny placed a gauze on her head. "I need you to lift her head carefully." He went around and gently lifted her head up.

"Is she going to be okay?"

"I don't know yet. I'm not sure what's wrong or what happened. At the very least, there are no bite marks so I'm ruling out zombies." Penny took an elastic bandage and wrapped it around her head. "Right now, I don't know what else to do, because I don't know what happened." Penny was a little worried. What could've happened to make Becca look so messed up? Her clothes were in tatters, her jeans weren't even buttoned, and her hair was a nest full of mud and pebbles. She was so dirty.