To Be A Survivor

Chapter 48: The Lion Sleeps Tonight

Carina breathes out heavily, and wheezes when she tries to inhale the air back in. Simon looks petrified, as if he's scared to death for the little girl. Jaime keeps looking down at her every few seconds, worry etched on his face.

"Okay, guys, you're clear of that horrible town full of fast zombies-although I guess they're just corpses now because I'm not seeing any of them following after you. They all are dead... including Jasper. Jaime, I'm so sorry. I just... How's Carina doing?"

"I think she's havin' an asthma attack. I gave her a puff of her inhaler, but there ain't much left." He turns his eyes to me expectantly. "You can carry her for a bit. I'll check my pockets; Maybe I brought the spare inhaler."

"Jaime," Carina says weakly, her voice shallow as she coughs and tries to take in another breath of air. "Jaime, I feel sick."

"We're gonna get you to a doctor. You're gonna be just fine."

I nod in agreement as I take her into my arms, wishing I could remember what Katelyn did when she had an asthma attack. Hers was mostly sports induced, and it had to be something really vigorous for her to even have a slight attack. She never had anything like this. I don't know what to do to make it better.

"She'll be alright, won't she?" Simon stammers. "We're gonna-the doctor can fix her, I bet."

"I've buzzed Maxine. She's putting her medical bag together," Sam says. "She's-she's gonna run out to you."

"How long?" Jaime reaches inside his back pockets and grits his teeth when he finds nothing.

"Maybe... forty minutes."

"Carina ain't got..." He cringes at the thought, and so do I. "Can she make it any quicker?"

"No, but... hmm, there is a way you can get to her a bit faster."

"We're listening," I pipe up, feeling desperate.

"You see that road to your left-the one with the high barbed wire fencing on the other side? If you go down there, it'll cut at least ten minutes off your journey."

Simon hums. "I'm sensing a catch. There's a catch, isn't there?"

"Uh... yeah... That's the road to the Safari Park."

My shoulders tense up, and Jaime sucks in a sharp breath.

"Safari Park as in 'Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!'" Three flinches at the glare I send, the message of 'This is really not the time!' clearly there. "That sounds bad."

"But, there's been nothing for them to eat for years. I don't even have to say I doubt there being any type of thing in there still alive; I know it.. Nothing can survive that long without food."

Jaime groans and rubs at his face. "No spare inhaler with me, not in any of my pockets. You say it'll be ten minutes quicker?"

"At least."

He casts a look at the huffing girl in my arms and reaches out for her. She instantly goes to him.

"Let's do it."

Simon looks over at me, and I give him a small, silent nod that he returns. Then we turn onto the left road, into a place that used to be dangerous. 'Used to be' are the key words. That's what I tell myself in hopes it'll make me feel better.

But it doesn't help much.

Because how can you not be scared when you're heading into a Safari Park? Especially since we'll have to be cutting through the exhibits, instead of walking along the sidewalk, all safe while the animals are fenced in.