The Touch of Infection

Chapter 62: Reaching understanding

Carisa slowly turned around and pointed at the house, "We're walking there, don't go too fast, but not too slow either." With her warning, they all slowly began walking.

Ethan turned to look at her, "So you're working with the demon."

"First off if I was working with him you'd be dead, and he isn't a demon." She said and saw Marnik push Ethan.

"Shut up and move." He wrapped a hand around Carisa leaning down to a whisper, "what are you planning?"

"To not have you kill them." She said and quickened her steps all of them now in the old living room of the home.

Carisa stood beside Marnik to keep him from killing anyone while the men were all huddled together.

"Let all just drop our weapons, so we can talk calmly. Marnik why don't you drop yours first." Marnik growled moving his gun seeing the men step back until he put it on the floor.

Carisa smiled, "Do you boys mind putting your weapons on the floor for a while. It'll just be a short talk."

The two men set their guns down while Ethan stood aside. Seeing this Marnik glared at him, "Knives are weapons too you imbecile."

Ethan huffed and set the knife he'd had behind his back and putting it on the floor, "You said we'd talk."

"Yes." Carisa said, "Alright so... I'm sorry about your friends. My... acquaintance here-" She pointed at Marnik, "-tied them up in trees... I can fix that, their alive right?"

Marnik crossed his hands, "They're alive."

"See, um... and you seem like nice people. I... I propose a deal. You see, my acquaintance is developing a cure. And you said your camp accepts people even if they're infected. I'm not saying let him test them, but if anyone wants a chance of living past this infection, maybe they can try one of the probable cures." She moved her hands around and tried her best to seem calm, even when feeling Marnik's glare on her, and when he grabbed her hand she tried to continue looking at the men.

"Is that why he got me but by zombies!" Ethan yelled.

Carisa looked at Marnik, "You did what?"

Marnik scrunched up his nose, "I didn't do that. Zombies just came around while I was there."

"Then explain whatever the hell this is." Ethan pulled his sleeve up, his skin marked with signs Carisa recognized.

She looked back at Marnik seeing him scoff and ignore Ethan, "Marnik, did you get them a bit?"

"I threw them against a tree, if they got bit it ain't my fault," Marnik said flinging his hands around menacingly. Changing to his native tongues, speaking slow enough she'd understand, "This is stupid, we don't need their permission."

"Why don't you take a walk." Carisa suggested, looking back to the men, "He's not the best with people." She scratched her hand continuing, "I get he's not the nicest... or nice at all, but I'm giving you a chance to get a cure. We're both infected, I'd gladly be another test subject, and even if you didn't want to... you do have a possible cure in you, sir." Marnik went out the door annoyed continuing to listen in from outside.

"Ethan." He said giving his name, "Well it's a possible cure, not a sure one. If that's all you had to say, we'd like to leave alive... and go get my friends down from trees."

"We can help you... we just want you to consider this, after all, it's only if people want to give it a try. They don't need to say yes." She said but Marnik knocked on the wall getting her attention as he shook his head, "He'd love to help."

Marnik huffed, "Actually-"

She walked over and pushed him out, looking back at the men, "And we should get to it now." She grabbed Marnik's gun from the floor and signaled them to follow. Handing him the gun she whispered, "Be nice, just today. Or are you being too much of a prick to do that today?"

Marnik was about to reply when she interrupted, "You hurt my feelings Marnik."

He held back his words, "I'll be nice." He pushed out a smile and saw the men walkout. He glanced back down at Carisa seeing her expectantly, "Let's get them off the trees."

Ethan was still looking at him paranoid, "I'm only agreeing to this because of her, you however demon, can rot in hell before you ever use me as a test subject again."

Marnik grinned creeping the men out, "We'll see."

Ethan and the other two men began to walk as Marnik grabbed Carisa's hand and began walking. He clicked his tongue and grabbed a hand full of her hair, she looked at him, grabbing her hair and moving it away, "What?"

He leaned and spoke in his tongue, "Do you think they'll agree to be tested with unsure cures?"

"Desperation leads to many things. Knowing you'll turn in less than a month, will make anyone worry and make rash decisions." She said stumbling on her words, "Just be nice, put on a smile, they'll trust you easier if you do."