First Bitten: Chapter 2

“You got her? Careful, she’s bleeding out pretty bad. She’s lost a lot of blood already. Nathan, press down hard on her wound. Sol, get the first aid kit. I’ll stitch her up for all the good it’ll do her. Poor lass … What the hell happened? … Was it one of them? … I didn’t know there was any in the area … Is he dead? … He won’t have been alone, there’ll be others … Hey, she’s coming round…

“Can you tell me your name, honey?”

I blink up at the blurry figure hovering above me. “Where’s Carrie … ?”

“Sorted?”

“Yeah.”

“Do you think anyone could have seen you move the bodies?”

“Nope, there wasn’t a soul around for miles.”

“It hurts … ”

“Ssh, don’t try to talk. Just sleep.”

“Where’s Carrie?”

“Sleep.”

“But it hurts … ”

“I know it does. Sleep.”

“How’s she doing, Nate?”

“She’s sleeping at the moment.”

“You wanna get some rest? I’ll take over watching her.”

“Nah, Dad, I’ll stay with her. I brought her here. I feel like I should be the one to be with her when she passes.”

“She still alive, Nate?”

“Yes, she’s still alive, Sol.”

“You look knackered, son. Why don’t you go get some sleep? Sol can stay with her.”

“No. I’m alright.”

“Mind, it shouldn’t be much longer now. I’m surprised she’s lasted this long, to be honest.”

“Maybe we should just put her out of her misery.”

“Christ almighty, Sol!”

“I’m just saying! I mean, look at her.”

“I know, but I didn’t raise you to say things like that.”

“What, so we’re just gonna sit by and watch while she dies an agonising death?”

“No, son, but we’re not playing God either.”

“Arggh!! What’s happening to me? It hurts! Help me, please help me!”

“It’s okay, honey, we’re here. Sol, go get some more of those painkillers. Nathan, fetch a bowl of cold water and some towels, will you? She’s really burning up.”

“The pain … you’ve got to make it stop … ”

“I know, honey, it’s gonna be okay … Nate, soak that towel and lay it over her stomach where the wound is.”

“God, Dad, look at her. Maybe I shouldn’t have saved her. Maybe I should have let that bastard kill her and have been done with it, instead of putting her through all of this agony.”

“You did the right thing.”

“I’m not so sure anymore. I’m starting to think maybe Sol’s right, maybe we should just, you know, end it for her.”

“Sol talks shit.”

“I am still here, you know.”

“Well you shouldn’t be. Go get those bloody painkillers! Nate, I know you, there’s no way you could have lived with yourself if you’d walked away and let him kill her.”

“I know, but I just didn’t know it’d be like this, and it’s been a day now. Shouldn’t the infection have killed her? I didn’t think they lasted this long once infected.”

“Neither did I but–”

“Arggh! Help me! Please! Help me!”

“I’m here, honey. Sol, where the bloody hell are you with those painkillers?!”

“You’ve gotta make it stop! My body’s on fire, I’m burning. Help me, please!” I grab hold of the blurry figure beside me. “You’ve got to make it stop!” A strong hand untangles mine from their clothing, and encompasses it. “Don’t leave me, please.”

“I’m not going anywhere, Alexandra. I’m staying right here.” A hand brushes over my clammy forehead. “Just try and relax. I’m going to get something to make you feel better.”

“Dad, that morphine…”

“I’m getting it now.”

“I don’t understand how she’s still alive.”

“Me neither, son. Me neither.”

“She’s going through the transition, though, isn’t she?”

“Seems that way, Nate.”

“Do you think she’s gonna survive?”

“If you’d have asked me yesterday, I’d of said no, but now I’m not so sure. The girl’s a fighter, I’ll give her that.”

“She’s human, though. I just don’t get it, but it’s bad though, isn’t it, if she makes it through?”

“Well, it’s not great, son, no.”

A large shadow hovers over me. “Here, sweetheart, this’ll take the pain away.” I feel the needle pierce my skin. “Thank y … ”

“She’s asleep?”

“Yep.”

“So she survived, then.”

“Looks that way.”

“And the bite?”

“Healed. She has the trademark scar.”

“She’s changed, then. She’s one of them.”

“The only one. She’s in trouble, isn’t she, Dad?”

“We all are son … we all are.”