Persistence - Left 4 Dead X OC

33

I looked out the door's widow, more water... I see a path branching out on the right, so I guess I can take the walking from here. Although I felt the group's eyes on me, swaying left and right on my feet. Was it the blood loss? Maybe. The lack of food and water? Possibly. The pills I'm taking just to keep this pain at bay? Yeah, that could be one of them.

Popping in more pills, my stomach was feeling worse over it. I had it written all over my face with the misery I was going through. I guess all that popcorn has been gone for a while. I held my stomach, gurgling loudly to make me wanna barf.

I walked to the door, pulling down the guard. "Wait!" Shouted Coach as I opened the door, I kneeled down on the steps and began dry heaving my guts out. I heard shots over head as I held my stomach with one hand and my weight with my other. I again gagged, making it worse for myself. "Jo, are you feeling alright?" Coach kneeled down beside me, patting my back a few times.

I started vomiting, puking up green and yellow bile in the waters. My stomach finally getting much needed relief. "That doesn't look right." Nick commented, as I opened my eyes again to my stomach contents. In the background an infected man was puking as well. It was quickly sniped by Ellis, making me jump from fright before I got a good look at them.

This didn't feel right.

I wiped my mouth, looking up to the village ahead. "I can't have anymore of these pills without food."

Picking myself up off the floor, the sickness was plaguing me but it still were to feel better if I didn't. I crossed to the right immediately, hugging up against the wall to only dip my ankles.

Looking back to the group, they all had their eyes on me. It didn't really feel like they knew what was going on and I guess I didn't either. I stood still, firing my SMG into the crowd of infected. My aim was even off, also granted by my limping and swaying. This was not my day!

The village we were in had the same fate of everyone else, infected. The boarded up windows just felt like procedure.

"Can we check for food." Asking the team, slowing down to bend down and hold my stomach. "Uhnngg..." I moaned in pain, feeling worse then before. Everyone gathered around me as I tried to keep moving but I definitely wasn't feeling okay. I felt like I was sweating a storm and the pain in my leg made it worse. I wasn't out of commission. I glanced at Nick and Rochelle, they both looked like something just ran me over. I felt like it too. Coach and Ellis were already looking at the buildings around us.

"You guys go search, I need to talk to Jo." Rochelle butted in, getting in closer as everyone disbanded. "You don't look right, come here." She kneeled on on leg and raised her hand to my forehead. She paused, switched to her other hand to check again. "I'll be back." Rochelle pulled away, and stood up to immediately head to Coach's direction. This already concerned me.

Looking up, I felt light headed starting up. I was fine, I was fine. "I'm fine!" I shout, standing up and holding my ground. I looked to see Nick joining in on their conversation, and I felt already on edge. Why do I feel scared? "Guys, I'm okay..." I started again, feeling my face and... damn I was hot. No... I was sick.

"Jo, hold on." Coach stopped me, motioning his hands to tell me to calm down. "We gotta figure out what this is first of all."

"W-what?" I started, holding my leg as the throbbing pain came back, my heartbeat leading the charge. "Guys, let's keep moving." I was pleading at this point. "All I need is to rest and recover, and once we find somewhere-"

"Guys I found somethin'!" Ellis came back, holding what looks like a can of soup. He looked back to the team, sensing the tension in the air. "Woah, what's going on?" He asked, stopping right before me to hand me the can.

"Ellis, come over here." Nick motioned for him.

I looked a Ellis, he was trying to observe what was going on between us. I felt myself feeling more I'll, immediately gagging out. Holding my mouth shut with my hand. "Woah! Jesus." Ellis stepped back to give me room, looking to the team. "Guys we need to find help now."

"Ellis, this might be more serious than that." Rochelle warned.

"What-wait, no." Ellis rushed back to my side, holding my shoulders to help my balance. "I know what'ch y'all thinkin' and it ain't that." Ellis stopped them. "Jo's not infected. End of discussion." Ellis shut them down, confirming my fears of what they thought of me.

"Ellis-"

"No! She's staying with us. She's not infected."

The team looked at each other, talking quietly to each other. Coach looked worried every time he looked at me. Rochelle looked mad at Nick, slapping his arm. They were arguing.

Ellis pulls out a pocket knife, grabbing the can from me and plunging the knife into the lid. He made quick work and cut the lid off the give it to me. "Now, I want you to eat this." He stepped closer to me, holding one hand on my arm. Chicken soup, perfect for any flu. I hope. Looking at the food already made me want to gag. I couldn't imagine eating anything when I'm feeling this sick. "And you're gonna keep it down to prove to em' you're able to take it." He assured me, looking me in the eyes. "Jo, you can do this." He confirmed my confidence, as I took it from his hand.

Chugging down the soup, I was able to eat everything that started coming down the can. It felt like it wanted to come back up, I paused, holding my mouth and looking at the team. They seemed hesitant, they were waiting for me to vomit again. I got this. I immediately went back for more, eating every bit of it.

"It's staying down." I told them, holding my stomach. "We're going to that plantation house, and we're finding help." I told them, they understood that I wasn't dying this easy.

Coach approaches me, standing tall. "Jo, we trust you. Just don't go turning into a Jockey n' shit." He chuckles.

"I would imagine her as a witch." Nick cracked a joke.

"No, you would be a witch." Rochelle steps him. They smirk at each other and give eye rolls.

Instinctively, looking at the team it made me realize one thing. I held my hand on to Ellis'. "Thank you." I said, as he pulled me into a hug. "You're best damn thing in this apocalypse."