The Dead World I Live In

The Dead I Live With (Chapter 8)

"Ava! AVA! Are you okay? Wake up Ava!" Groggily, I sat up.

Dead bodies of zombies lay everywhere, and soldiers were moving them out of the camp. I looked up to find Chase, Kain, General Stark and Screamy Cammy the boyfriend stealer all looking at me. Chase was holding Isu.

The minute she saw me she barked happily, and Chase put her down at once. She ran over to see me, and clambered into my lap.

My hand was throbbing. I hid it from them, although it was hard to with all the blood gushing from it. Chase and Kain helped me to my feet. Chase never said anything, and Kain pulled me into a hug.

This time I hugged him back.

I didn't know what made me do it. Was it the near death experience, or something else? Either way, I pulled Kain close to me, and lived in his scent. Then, I remembered how I felt when he kissed Lena.

Nothing changed.

Even remembering the pain I went through then, I still wanted Kain to hold me.

Eventually we pulled apart. The others noticed my hand and were concerned.

"Ava, have you been bitten? Or scratched?" Stark asked me, and I shook my head.

If I told them the truth, I'd be killed on the spot.

"No, I hurt my hand when the zombie lunged at me, and I fell to the ground. I scratched my hand on the ground" I lied, hoping nothing would give me away.

"Doesn't look like it. It looks like you've been scratched" Cammy put in, and I glared at her, moving forward.

"What, Cammy?"

"You. Look. Like. You. Have. Been. Scratched" Cammy repeated, slowly, making me feel stupid

"Do I? You know Cammy, if I didn't know any better, I'd think you were trying to get me killed" I told her, and she looked scared.

"No. I just don't want you to turn into a zombie and eat us all!" Cammy yelled at me.

I felt the penknife in my pocket. If I killed.....

No. No-one else.

I took my hand out of my pocket.

"Nice of you to be so concerned" I snarled at her.

I put the rope around Isu's neck and pulled her along, before I did something I'd regret to Cammy.

Chase and Kain hurried after me.

"Ava, I need to bandage your hand"

"Fine"

I stopped dead, and let Chase heal my hand. Thankfully, he didn't touch the blood. He sprayed the disinfectant on my hand, and it stung like hell with a headache, but I refused to let Chase see my pain.

Carefully, he wrapped it in a bandage, and tied it up.

"General Stark's not gonna be pleased with that thing on your hand for his birthday" Chase told me, and Kain nodded in agreement. Before I could ask what that was, Cammy turned up.

"Ooh, that looks nasty. But you did a good job of cleaning it up Duncan" Duncan? Then I remembered Chase's first name was Duncan. Right.

They were on first name basis.

No, it's cool, I'm fine with it. Sure, I saved her life. And sure, I almost told Chase things I'd never told anyone. And slept, all curled up, in the same bed as him. But still.