The Touch of Infection

Chapter 9: Blood stains

He walked in the room she was in, seeing her cower in the corner. But why? He saved her, didn't he? What was she hiding from if not him? Slowly walking towards her he kneeled down at her level.

Seeing she had nowhere to go he pressed his bloody hand against her cheek. Feeling her try to push it off, he removed it. Standing up and grabbing the bedsheets to clean his hands from the blood. Staining them in red, heading as she got up to try and walk past him.

His hands where stained no matter how much he tried scrubbing it off it didn't change, it was just red. Trowing the sheets aside he found himself looking in the mirror. Seeing her backed up against the wall staring at him.

Bloody mouth, blood-stained hands, his clothes in red. This is what he was seeing, but in her eyes, it was worse. She saw a beast she couldn't understand... turning around towards her he knew she was uncomfortable, that she wanted to leave, get away from him.

So he left, he didn't wait to see her next reaction, he didn't try speaking the words she could never understand. Leaving was his best option, the one where she didn't get scared.

Her back still against the wall she regained her senses. She had to leave, the sound those bullets gave off would attract zombies. But was he waiting outside!? Would he follow her? Why did he even leave so suddenly?

Looking at their bed and seeing the now red sheets on top, what did he do to them exactly? No time to ask these silly questions. She ran down the stairs and looked both ways, she knew the zombies went west last time, so this time she'd go south. See where it took her... see if he was there.

She couldn't keep herself from running towards where he had attacked them. Finding the blood staining the grass... the blood staining the grass... her mind was drifting to past memories she wanted to forget. This blood would attract the zombies and she needed to be away from it, and so she ran.

Hearing growls coming closer, looking both ways she saw them. They hadn't seen her yet, so she ran faster, looking ahead. Her eyes focused on the plains ahead. Sure they were open for danger, but she could also find the next place to go.

Her eyes squinting when she looked farther ahead, zombies were coming from that area. Stoping a second she looked towards every direction, she'd have to spend the night in a house again. The closest one she tried opening the door to it was jammed. She couldn't call attention to herself while trying to open it, she had to get in quick.

Looking at the windows she began climbing, her foot slipping slightly but she regained her balance. Getting to the very top of the house she hid, looking over the edge slightly to see the zombies running around. She knew where they were headed, she knew they'd eat every last bit of those people.

Her eyes moving along them, looking for a figure that just disappeared. He just protected her, but he did kill them... wouldn't those people have done that to her if he wasn't around. So how bad was it really that she marched into her rescue.

Feeling guilty now over being so afraid, the blood was still on her cheek even. She'd be stuck there the rest of the day and the whole night, nowhere to go, nothing to do. Even inspecting the windows, none of them were open. She'd have to break in and they'd hear her.

As the hours passed he watched on, he couldn't find it in him to just leave. He had kept his distance for a while now, but refused to just leave her in such a bad situation. Keeping an eye out for her, but not until it was dark did he go into the house. Blocking the door to keep any of those things from entering. Going up the stairs and to the closest window from her. When he opened it she was fast asleep. Tired from being under the sun most the day, tired from having not slept much the previous night.

He poked his head out and knocked on the roof a few times until she opened her eyes. Seeing him there she walked a few feet back startled but crawled towards him when processing the situation. She still looked around, the zombies were walking around, unaware of them still.

Taking her hand he pulled her inside, closing the window afterward and following her through the house. She didn't investigate and just sat at the bed. Patting the spot beside her telling him to sit. When he did she didn't move away, Didn't say anything and grabbed one of the sheets. Taking his hand and carefully cleaning off the stains.

Carefully going over each hand and cleaning as best she could. Staring at as she continued on with his next hand. He was so relieved when she didn't seem so scared. And her expression was calm, at peace...

She was so concentrated on cleaning his hand when she was done she had forgotten all about his face. When she turned around and saw him staring at her he looked like he'd eat her whole. Upon further inspection, she noticed it was just the blood on him.

Getting up she walked across the room, finding a shirt that would work to get the blood of him. Maybe she could find water in the kitchen, that way it would all be easier. Going down there he followed after.

Looking through the cabinets, the place might have been closed but anything useful was taken. She decided to try something she had very little hope would work. Heading to the sink she twisted the nibs, no water as expected.

She sighed and walked back over to him, it would just be a little harder to help him. Before she tried cleaning his face she couldn't help but look out the window. Peeking her face out, to see nothing around. Sitting by the sofa she patted the side beside her, and again he sat beside her.

Waiting to see what she'd do, and moving back when she went up to his face. She grabbed his face, pulling him in a starting to wipe the blood away. Trying to not scrub on him too hard as she did. When she looked up at his eyes they were closed. Why did he always react this way when she touched his face?