REANIMATION

[40]

     Liy rushed up to the other two, gasping heavily for breath by the time she reached them.

     "AUUUGH- AH SHIT--"

     "We'll give you a moment.." Saw told her, beckoning Liy to sit down and let her wounded leg rest.

     She let herself relax on the dirty road, releasing heavy breaths each time she opened her mouth.

     Lollipop and Saw exchanged glances, Saw hesitantly bending down to join her on the ground.

     "So it's Liy? I heard that girl say it, is that your name?"

     "No," She hurriedly replied.

     She raised a brow.

     "...Maybe."

     "Well, looks like your plan to keep that secret backfired on you!" Saw giggled heartily, "Although, if you're like-- uncomfy with it.. I can keep referring to you as 'stranger'."

     "I don't care what you do."

     Her gaze locked on Lollipop, who was facing away from them, arms crossed. Her posture alone gave away she was deep in thought, which she figured was no good.

     "Lollipop, are you okay?"

     "I'm fine," Lollipop spat in such a tone that implied she was, in fact, not fine.

     "Ahm," Saw turned to face her, "is something up?"

     "Just thinking."

     "...What?"

     She took in a deep, sharp breath. Her head slowly twisted to face Liy.

     "Why did you do that?"

     "Do what?" She winced.

     "Try and attack the zombies, Liy!" She scowled, "Before that zombie lunged in for whatever reason and saved us, you were going to face them! I saw you rush toward them, determination in your eyes and all. Don't you know that stuff is what gets you killed?"

     "What else was I supposed to do?" Liy shrunk back from the hostile tone, "Just let them get closer? If I didn't act fast we ALL could've died!"

"If you throw yourself headfirst into a group of zombies you would have died."

"Then at least you guys would've lived."

Lollipop's eyes flashed with horror.

"...Why..."

"Lollipop, are you... are you thinking about her..?"

She stared at Saw with wide eyes only momentarily before her face hardened in anger, grunting and turning away, heading back down the trail.

"I'm going home. You guys catch up when you're ready."

Then, she disappeared down the path, leaving Saw and Liy alone on the ground.

Saw slowly hauled herself onto her feet, expression brimmed with sorrow.

"...Why is she so angry?" Liy asked, "Was what I did really so bad? I thought..."

"It's not you," Saw said, "someone she knew... pretty much did the same thing you did. And she didn't make it out alive."

"...Who was this?"

"I'm not sure you know her, but..." Saw reached out her hand for Liy to grab onto and pull her up so she was standing next to her, "her name was Barf Bag."