The Touch of Infection

Chapter 64: A bite

Marnik set Carisa down handing her the gun while he exited the house through a window on the second floor. He held the alarm he'd set off in his hand, grumbling to himself over the people he left Carisa with. Setting off the alarm a few houses down when he emerged out to see the horde running at it. Their minds forgetting the people they had been chasing after.

But when his eyes landed back on that house he noticed dogs clawing at the doors and windows. Their barks making some of the zombies stay around. When he reached for the gun he remembered leaving it with Carisa. But the worry in his eyes didn't cease, as he ran back towards the home.

Carisa stood in the living room with the rest, all shooting at whatever peeked its head in. She was shooting at them until she felt the gun grow too hot to hold. Dropping it on the ground as a dog barged in. The others concentrated on shooting elsewhere while some ran out of bullets.

She went to pick up the gun when it lunged at her. Bitting her arm before Ethan jammed a knife into the neck, pulling and ripping hard enough to decapitate it in the spot. He grabbed her other hand to get her on her feet, before slashing into another dog, "There's too many." He said, and all of them were backing up against the wall.

The door is broken down but not by the dogs, Marnik rushed in grabbing the dog jumping towards them, snapping its neck while grabbing some of the few zombies around and tearing into them. By the time he came too he was covered in blood, and the group was cowering against the wall, Carisa making her way through.

She walked up to him grabbing his hand, "You're done, there's no more."

His eyes fell on her bloody arm, taking hold of it, "I shouldn't have left, I should have taken you with me."

"I'm alright, it's just a bite?" She said and looked up at him, "I'm already infected anyway."

"I should have been here." Marnik continued to say. His eyes turning to glare at the group before seeing his gun on the ground. Grabbing it and taking Carisa out along with him, the group staring at them now.

Ethan walked after him, "Alright I'm not saying I completely trust you... because being honest she told me to get away from you before he whole, he's not that bad a guy... so come to the camp with us. We can get her arm checked...Run the test to those who offer if they don't like you there you leave."

"I can care for her myself." Marnik growled, "As for going to that camp if they're as inept as you I would rather not."

Carisa smacked Marnik's chest, "You know he helped me in there, I could have been mauled to death."

Marnik spared a glance at Ethan when she said that and rolled his eyes, biting his lip, "Thank you, Ethan... goodbye now."

He looked down at Carisa and she smiled whispering, "Now give him a smile."

Marnik frowned, whispering, "You're asking too much."

Going on their way Marnik didn't bother again with the group, getting to the house he'd left her in before the whole issue with the group. Grabbing cloth from the backpack they left in the corner. And pouring water on her hand before wrapping it in the cloth.

"Why did you go out?" He asked her.

"Because I saw them... and I saw you stalking them. I didn't want you experimenting on them. I don't want to die, but I don't want to live if it's such a high price to pay." She admitted and looked up at him, "and you infuriate me with the whole, I'll get a cure no matter what."

"I thought you wanted a cure... I'm at fault that you got infected Carisa. I hate myself for it, I hate every time I speak without really thinking it through because it hurts you. And I hate the past because of all my mistakes... I've done thousands of things that just lead to ruin your life." Marnik kneaded down and leaned against her legs, "I never meant to hurt you."

"Except when you tried to eat me."

Marnik looked up to find her smiling, "Don't tease me."

"We're going to that camp." She stated, and pushed his hair out the way, "even if you can cure me you could cure someone else."

"I don't want to cure someone else." He complained, "Stop talking like you'll die, I don't want to hear it."

"Fine, fine... but if we are going to the camp, we'll need to make a trip to the vehicle-"

"I'll make the trip, you stay here. Swear to me, promise me... I don't know any other way to say you can't break what you say... but do not go out." Marnik pleaded.

Carisa brought her hand in front of him, raising her pinky, "I pinky promise I won't go out."

"I don't know what to do with that... I don't want to rip it off." He said, Carisa grabbed his claw-like hand taking the finger that resembled the pinky most and she crossed it with here.

"There, I pinky promise I won't go out, but you need to hurry I get bored."