Don't Talk To Strangers | BOOK 1

twenty one

Elle McBriar
July 29th, 4 months and 17 days after the first zombie report

I sat alone in the kitchen with Paxton. He was playing doctor this time. Every time he pinched me or it hurt too much, I told him he's a bitch. He just laughs and agrees.

"Jesus, did they use a fucking cane?" He mumbled under his breath. He was working on my ankles and wrists. Both ankles were wrapped with bandages, after he cleaned off the blood and tended to the swelling. My wrists were next, they were raw and thinly sliced from the rope that cut into me. It broke the skin, making thick red, syrup like blood trickle down my arms.

"I don't know what they used. But every time the came into the room, they got tighter." Paxton's hardened gaze got even harder, if that's humanly possible. "So, you were saying that it was the guys Tyler and Jared? Why did they want to create more zombies?" Paxton asked, distracting me from the pain.

"They didn't say. All they told me was that they wanted to wipe out the entire population and re-create it using zombies. But now they don't get too. Because they're dead."

Usually, I'd never smile over a death, but this time I let it slide. I was over the moon. My captors were shot and killed. Take that fuckers. See you in hell.

"I guess we know where the large masses of zombies were coming from then." He smiled, "Yeah, I guess we do." 

It was silent in the room while Paxton operated on me. We taped the torch to a random pole and used it as a lamp. A temporary lamp. Which reminds me, I need to get batteries in case it runs out.

Paxton stood up, "Cool, am I done?" I asked, smiling.
"Not quite, sit down." I frowned as he sat me back down on our 'operating table'. 

"I still haven't checked your head or your throat because you keep hitting me." Paxton smirked at me. I rolled my eyes, "It's because I'm fine. It doesn't hurt." I lie, "Yes it does. Don't lie."

I let him do what he needed to do, "How did you learn all this stuff? Like, medical stuff?" I asked. He was up close and personal with my face now, he was holding the side of my face as he placed a cool wash cloth on my neck, "I had to do it a lot to myself as a kid." He shrugged, not meeting my eyes. While the cloth rested on my neck, Paxton grabbed gauze and a bandage, "Did you get into a lot of fights or something?" I asked, smiling at the thought of Paxton in a fight. He'd definitely win, it's just funny to think about.

He wasn't smiling, "Remember how I sad my Dad is a bitch?" I nodded, watching his eyes, "Well he was a wife beater. And apparently a kid beater too." I bit my lip when he said that. His eyes traveled to my lips very briefly before he taped the gauze to my neck and throat, "My father used to beat me and my Mom when he was drunk." He shrugged, a pained look on his face, I kept quiet, as he wrapped the bandage around my whole neck once and then twice.

"I don't know when he flipped the switch. He was a really good Dad until he got fired when I was in fourth grade. I think that's when he gave up." His voice was low, almost like it hurt him to tell me, "Hey you don't have tell me if you don't want too." I said, putting my hand on his hand, he looked down at our intertwined hands and pulled his away, almost like fire burned him, "I know, but I need too. It's been haunting me ever since." He whispered.

I felt him shift behind me. Then I felt his hands on my shoulder. I flinched at his hands on my skin, "It's okay. I'm just going to check out the scratch, alright?" Paxton said. I relaxed into his touch, as his rough calloused fingers brushed over my smooth skin. I didn't know I had a cut on my back. Maybe it was when I was thrown to the ground.

"I know this is going to sound uh, w-weird, but I need you to take off your shirt." 

I turned around faster than lightning, he looked awkward, glancing around the room, I just smiled. I reached for the hem of my shirt, "Paxton, you need to lift it over my head, I can barely move my arms." I whispered. 

His fingertips left a trail of tingles as his hands replaced my own. He lifted it over my head and I heard him suck in a breath. I was wearing a bra, just so you know.

"Okay, can I get you to breath in and then out, holding for 5 seconds." He said. I did as I was told, my shoulders floating up with the air I sucked in. 

When I breathed out, I felt Paxton place a little pressure on the area he said the cut was, "What is it?" I asked, "It's nothing. You just have a cut, that's all." I frowned, "Then why do you sound so worried?" I asked, waiting for his reply, "Trust me, you're fine." He chuckled, I breathed a sigh of relief, "Don't scare me like that." "I'm sorry, really." He placed a band aid over it and came to stand in front of me.

"Does everything look okay doc?" I say, standing up so he can examine the rest of my body. He was staring right into my eyes, and I realised it's because I'm shirtless. "I think so, yeah." He said quickly, still looking right into my eyes, "You didn't even check. You need to look, Paxton." I teased, waiting for a reaction out of him, he shook his head, "What are you playing at?" He growled, leaning his face closer to mine, "I'm doing anything, swear. I'm just saying, you say I'm fine but how do you know? You haven't even checked me yet." 

I was challenging him, standing on my tippy toes to reach him, he was still too far away. 

He glared at me, our faces inches from each other, "You look and seem fine to me. So I'll ask you again, what are you getting at?" His eyes wandered over mine, I made the mistake of looking at his lips, "I'm not getting at anything." I whispered. His hands suddenly went around my waist and I was flinched, I was not expecting that.

I was convinced he was going to kiss me. Our mouths were so close, yet he pulled away. He left me high and dry, standing in the middle of the kitchen as he stormed off. I'm weak in the knees.

As I dreamt that night, I thought about Paxton. His gorgeous brown eyes, dirty blonde hair. The way his hands felt on my skin. The aroma of deodorant and sweat filling my senses. The way he looked at me under the limited light as I bit and licked my lips.

I ignore the weird feeling bubbling inside of me and go to sleep. 

Hopefully tomorrow will be better.

* * * 

i hope so too!!

HEYO

so, tell me. who do you like elle with, paxton, gage or alex? i haven't decided yet. i know who she ends up with though >:) 

happy reading!!