Decades

Chapter 5

"We can put the bags here." Quinn pointed to the couch and we threw them to the floor.
"I'll take care of these." Mikey pointed to the Trailers we had just killed.
"I almost fell down the stairs when one of them came out of a bedroom." Rachel laughed and picked up the arm of one of them. Max grabbed their feet and one by one we threw the dead into the backyard. When the pile was complete, Cam and Mikey took leaves and covered them up. Didn't want the government to be suspicious.

"Look!" Quinn said. I couldn't see him from behind the wall and I assumed he was in the kitchen. I ran around and saw him opening up the cabinets.
"What?" I asked walking up to him.
"There's all this food." He said smiling that half smile that makes my knees go weak.
"Seriously!" I walked next to him and looked at all the boxed food that was still in the cabinets.
"This is amazing! We can definitely use this!" Quinn started taking out the boxes and placing them on the countertop. I wanted to go through the house and see what else was in here.

I walked down a hall to what looked like more bedrooms. I felt something touch my back and I smiled thinking it was Quinn. I turned around and tried to scream but my mouth was covered. A tall man grabbed me and hit my arm so I would drop my gun. I tried to scream but he had his dirty hand over my mouth.

"Drop the gun and I won't hurt any of your friends. And I won't kill you." He whispered into my ear and it gave me nasty chills. I nodded into his hand I felt a tear run down my face. My side was killing me where he hit me. He raised a large knife to my neck and released his hand.
"Now don't speak." He pushed me forward, back to where I came from. We came back into the kitchen and Quinn was still turned facing the cabinets. The man pushed me forward and I hit the chair which made me fall to my knees. The knife cut my neck and the side of my face. Quinn turned around and backed up against the counter, feeling for his gun.
"Don't. Move." The man yelled holding out his knife. Quinn looked at me and I nodded. My head was yanked back by the man pulling my hair up. I cried out and Quinn went to run to me but the man grabbed me and out the knife back up to my neck.
"Listen kid. I want you to leave all your stuff. Leave the food. How many of you are there?" I gently shook my head at Quinn hoping he understood me.
"Just us two." He understood.
"Do you think I'm stupid? Do you know what happens when you get bit? You go a little crazy. Start seeing things."
"You're bit?" Quinn looked at the man trying to find his bite.
"Yeah. You don't really feel anything anymore and you wait to die. The burning feeling that tears your insides apart."
"Oh yeah." Quinn reached back for his gun and picked it up with a quick swoop. He pointed at his head and the knife tightened around my neck.
"Don't move! I'll slice her open. No problem."

I looked down slightly and I saw Quinn look down too. He slowly nodded and pointed the gun down and I closed my eyes. I heard the loudest bang I've ever heard and I was let go. I fell to the ground and opened my eyes. The man was on the floor holding his leg. Quinn rushed over and helped me up.
"Are you ok?" He held me close to him and hugged me. I wiped the tears from my cheeks and nodded.

I looked down and the man was convulsing on the ground. Foam was coming out of his mouth and his eyes were rolled back in his head.
"What the fuck is happening to him?" Quinn asked disgusted.
"I have no idea." I backed up with Quinn still by my side and looked at the man laying on the floor. He finally stopped moving and we stood there silent for a minute. We didn't know what to say. There was an awkward silence until Cam came through the door.

"What happened!" Cam ran up to me and Quinn and looked down at the dead body in front of us. Cam kicked his foot but the man didn't move.
"Let's get him out of here."
"That's it? You're not going to ask what happened to my neck? Or what happened to him?" I looked at Cam and felt tears well up in my eyes.
"No."

Quinn took me off to the side and examined the gash in my neck. He lightly tipped my head back and set his gun down.
"Come on let's find a bathroom."

Quinn took my hand and pulled me down the hall. We found a bathroom, without anyone in it, and looked in the cabinets for anything. Quinn found a few bandages and some alcohol.
"What's Cam's problem?" He asked as he unwrapped the cloth bandage.
"I don't know anymore. He's different. Like all of a sudden today he's got some kind of attitude." I sat down on the toilet and gripped the side of the sink.
"This is going to burn. Here." Quinn held out his hand and I smiled at him. I wrapped my hand in his and braced for the burn.
"Ready?" He winced. I nodded my head and he pressed the damp cloth to my wound.

It was like a thousand knives were jabbing my throat. I couldn't scream or move. I was frozen from the sharp blast of pain through my neck. Quinn took it off and threw it in the garbage. There was blood covering the bandage and I felt tears rolling down my cheeks.
"It's ok. You're done." Quinn smiled and handed me a towel from the rack.
"Do you know how many diseases could be on this thing?"
"Fine don't take it then." He shrugged his shoulders but I took it anyway.
"Here's this." Quinn raised a dry bandage to my neck and gently placed it on my tender skin.
"Thank you."

He helped me up and we walked back to the kitchen together where Cam was waiting for us.
"Where the hell have you two been?" He asked harshly.
"Do you not see this?" I pointed to the bandage on my neck.
"You can't just leave like that. And you," he gestured to Quinn, "don't be stealing any more of our medical supplies."
"What are you talking about?"
"I saw you taking those pills earlier." Cam accused.
"I didn't take anything." I looked up at Quinn and really wanted that to be true.
"I saw you."
"Where?" Quinn crossed his arms.
"When we got here you took one of the bags." Cam pointed to the pile of backpacks on the floor.
"He took it. I found it in his pocket," Quinn pointed to where we buried the man and pulled out the bottle from his bag, "I was going to give it back to you." Quinn threw the bottle to Cam and he looked embarrassed. He was wrong, and Cam is NEVER wrong.

"How about we all cool off and get down to the basement. We can set up down there. Sylvia, grab any food from the kitchen." Max instructed and none of us said anything. Quinn grabbed a bag and headed towards the basement door. Sam followed.

By the time night rolled around we had almost the whole floor covered in blankets. With nine of us it made sleeping more comfortable. Max asked if I wanted to walk around the basement with him. Surprisingly it was very big, almost like another house.

"So you and Quinn?" Max smiled.
"No not me and Quinn." I giggled and grabbed Max's arm. A sting shot through my neck and I needed something to grab onto to stop the pain from killing me.

"I see the way he looks at you when your back is turned." Max opened a closet door and glanced inside. Only brooms.
"How does he look?" I squeezed my fist when another shot of pain spread to my face.
"Like he just discovered the cure to all the sadness in the world."