Survivor { R5 fanfiction}

Chapter Twenty Three

RYDEL

I asked to drive, although I'm really nervous. I'm glancing at the rear-view mirror non stop. The boys settled down in the back, Hailey beside me.

Riker's head is placed on Ross' knees. Ross is gently stroking his hair. He's pure as the driven snow.

"Please... I don't want this to happen again..." He whispers, whining.

"It's gonna be okay Ross." Ryland tries to reassure him.

"I know. But I can't stop myself to think it's my fault."

"It's not, Ross." I tell him. He just sighs.
"I got the idea to go into the building the first time. Rocky agreed with me and now he's dead. Riker wanted to save me and look at him."
I restrain myself to brake and slap him. But I take a deep breath, to calm down. I'm stressed and I don't need to tell him off. He doesn't deserve it.

"Listen Ross, this is not your fault. He would have done it for any of us. Riker's gonna be fine. He's just inconscious, but he's gonna wake up soon okay?" Ross raises his eyes at me, and nods.

"The Infected. He talked to me."

"What?" Ryland exclaims.
Hailey and I glance at each other.

"He... Talked?"

"He did, he told me ' Now you're gonna die'. " Ross says imitating a deep voice.

"It's strange. And pretty shady."

"Tell me about it. This one seemed smarter than the others. He knew Riker was a threat, so he...repulsed him." Ross looks back at our big brother.

"Maybe. But for them every human is a threat. Their goal is to kill us all and transform us, do you remember? I don't think it sticks to your theory."

Ross only nods. And we do the end of the ride home in silence.

********

The boys gently lay Riker on his bed as Hailey gets the first aid kit. Ross sits on the desk's chair and Ryland leans against a wall.

Hailey is eventually back. I grab the kit she's handing to me, and the wet towel I asked her to bring. I place it on Riker's forehead, to clean the blood.

The cut isn't very deep. No need to stitch. But I'm still worried. I thought he would be conscious now.

"That's all I can do right now. I need him to wake up to give him some medecines." I sigh.

But then I notice the bruise that is appearing in his cheek, so I spread a ointment on it.

"Apart from that, everybody's okay?" I ask.
Hailey doesn't have anything, just like me, maybe some little bruises still. Ryland has a little cut on his eyebrow arch, just a bit of disinfectant and it'd be okay. So I get closer to Ross.

"Show me your neck."

He obeys and raise his head, groaning. He has red finger marks turning purple, which show well he got strangled. He will have trouble to drink and swallow for a moment. Then I notice that his t-shirt is all bloody.

"Let me see..." I start lifting it up, but he stops me removing my hand.

"Don't worry, it's not my blood." He weakly smiles.

"But..."

"Delly, it's okay, it's not mine, I..."

I hear a long whimper behind my back. I turn around and see that Riker is moving.

"Oh God!" I rush to him and take him in my arms.

"God you're okay! You're awake!"

"Yeah, but it's still hurting..." He groans in pain.

"Oh sorry..." I release our hug.

"Name, situation?"

I want to see if he remembers everything. He got threw from the top of stairs, it's something! Everybody get closer to the bed, but Ross stays a bit apart. He still feels guilty, probably.

"Riker Lynch, 23, you're Rydel and this is Ryland and Ross, you are my siblings. And this is Hailey. A virus developed killing half of the humans and turning the other into bloody and disgusting Infecteds who want us dead. Well, we live in a shitty world." He weakly smiles. This smile warms my heart.

"I'm glad you're awake. And alive."

"So am I. I'd just like to move." He winces.

"I don't think you broke something, but we'll check. You're probably going to have bruises and stiffness everywhere though. Here, swallow this."

I hand him a pain-killer. He takes it and puts it in his mouth.

"All right, let's check your arms first."

*****

ROSS

Riker finally woke up. I'm so relieved... But I need to check something. So when Rydel starts looking at his arms, I discreetly slip out of the room. But someone forestalled me,waiting in the corridor.

"I wanted to let you have your family reunion." Hailey tells me seeing my questioning look.

"Oh okay. By the way, thanks for saving my life." I add scratching my neck, embarrased.

"You really think I would have let this thing kill you?"

"No... No of course no." I blush.

"About the bet, forget it. I'm gonna do my chores. You're not in a condition to do them."

Tell me about it...

"No, don't worry, I'm gonna do them. A bet is a bet."

"Sure?" I nod. She shakes her head.

"You're a very stubborn person, aren't you?"

"I am." I smile. "Now, excuse me, but I'll clean myself up a bit."

I pass next to her and head to the bathroom. Wait I forgot something. Since she finally listens to me, I need to apologise.

"Hailey, sorry for yesterday evening. I don't know what happened to me..."

She just glances at me, and goes back to Riker's room. Great. She still doesn't forgive me. Best day ever.

At least she talked to me...

I close the door, upset, and lock myself. I place myself in front of the mirror, and stare at my neck. These red and purple prints are horrible. But certainly not as horrible than the thing I wanted to check.

I lift up my bloody t-shirt wincing in pain.
When the Infected tackled me, I felt something. Something sharp. And painful. It wasn't due to the tackle.

A huge bruise is spreading on my right side. Probably the kick he gave me. But my look remains on my hip.

Blood was slowly escaping from little cuts spaced regularly, which are shaping a circle. I bite my lips and hold back my tears.

I've been bitten.

******

It's short and that sucks. Sorry.
Don't forget to vote and comment if you liked ☺️❤️!