The Undead Series-Lost

Chapter 9

"Where is she, Michael?" I demanded but he ignored me.

He was staring longingly at the door of the greenhouse and I knew he was in deep thought by the way his forehead scrunched up.

Deep down I knew he was just concerned as I am but I was caught in the moment and the fear of losing Sam kept expanding and I found myself unable to breath.

I fell down to the floor and I realized I was having an asthma attack, for the first time since I escaped from the mine I was having an attack. I had this theory that what I had been injected with had miraculously cured my asthma and I never really questioned other than that but now I doubted everything. What if the bite comes back? What if I’m still infected?

Abby and Michael immediately rushed to my aid and I tried desperately to breath out the air. I read someone that you should try and breathe out to get rid of the stale air, I had never actually tried it.

It took a while but my breathing became regular. Once I had calmed down I began frantically searching my arms for any bite marks, the other looked at me and I knew I couldn't explain, so I just said I felt cold. Thankfully they shrugged it off and began looking out the windows of the greenhouse. 

I layed on the floor for a little bit, tracing my arm where the bite used to be. What is happening to me? I thought over and over again.

"How are you feeling?" Oliver said as he sat down next to me.

I immediately felt the warmth radiating from his body and rested my head on his shoulder. "I'll be fine." I said while closing my eyes. 

I felt really close to Oliver for some reason, yes we had been through a lot but I had this feeling that I was safe with him.

He entwined his fingers with mine and brought my hand up to his mouth where he placed a gentle, warm kiss on my fingers. He brought his hand back down while caressing my hand with his thumb slowly. 

If I wasn't worried about Sam, I could sleep right now, next to him and I wouldn't care about anything. 

"Eve." He said softly and I lifted my head a little to match his gaze. "We can't stay here." He whispered and my heart dropped.

"We have to wait for, Sam." I gulped and he squeezed my hand tighter.

"I know but it's not safe, they probably went in town, Michael said there were some of your group there." He responded with caution like I was ticking time bomb.

"What if she's not?" I insisted and I stood up. He stood up also and Michael came over to us. 

"What's going on?" He ordered and I glared at Oliver.

"Oliver wants to leave, without Sam." I hissed and waited for Michael to have my back but he didn't say anything.

He just looked at me like he pitied me. I knew he was thinking, he agreed with Oliver, he thinks we should leave to, he just didn't have the guts to tell me. 

"After everything, we're just going to leave on a hunch?" I barked at Michael and he just stood there. "She's only a little girl." 

"We don't have a choice." He explained and I couldn't find the words to argue.

I took a deep breath and swallowed the knot in my throat that was pushing me to the point of crying. "You can go but I’m staying."  I spoke calmly and he shook his head. "Just go. All of you." I demanded in calm tone but they weren't budging.

"Michael, you and the rest head into town. Check who's still alive and then send back if Sam is there." Michael shifted gazes to Oliver who was locked on me. "I'll stay with, Eve." 

All respect returned to Oliver, even though I knew he was staying for me, not Sam, I still appreciated it. 

Michael's forehead scrunched up while he thought about it before shrugging. "Fine." He finally added. "But if anything happens to her, those dead will be the least of your concern." 

I didn't like how Michael threatened Oliver, even though it was for me. I felt very protective over him, like he was mine and no one else’s. It was hard to explain but I had some invisible rope that tied me to him but I never felt that before, not even in the house. It took me losing him and finding him again, to discover how I felt and I wasn't even 100% sure of how I felt. I just needed him to be alive and safe, it was like how I felt about Sam.

Michael hesitated a bit before leaving, he gave me hug but didn't say anything, he just left. Abby on the other hand gave me a huge hug and told me she'll miss me. Abby was so different now and I kind of like her this way, less bitchy, more naive and innocent. 

I felt a little empty when they left but Oliver weaved his fingers with mine and I forgot about the emptiness for a little while. We sat down for a bit, he occasionally got up and checked outside through the windows for anyone passing or anything else that was wandering by. 

We didn't say much, I mentioned the weather once but I enjoyed the silence.

"Eve, can I ask you something?" Oliver said and tightened his grip on my hand.

"Of course." I said, lying back down on his shoulder. 

"Why didn't you come back?" I thought about the question for a while and he didn't push me to answer. He just sat there and waited for me but I didn't know how to explain how I felt that night. 

"I gave up." I began and I felt his body shift beneath me so he was looking down at me. "The world had gone to shit and I couldn't face it anymore. Everyone I knew from my old life was dead, except me and sometimes I feel like the girl from before this is gone too because I’m not me anymore." It felt good to get some of it out. "On that night I lost myself and I haven't found her since." 

There was rustling by the greenhouse and Oliver jumped up. I ran past him to the door and burst out the greenhouse. Oliver called after me but it was to late, I was outside, staring at the little girl I had been waiting for. She looked terrified but her facial expression wasn't what I was focusing on. 

Her hand was wrapped around her neck and blood oozed down on to her clothes. I couldn't move and then they came from nowhere, a set of arms securing tightly around her, attempting to bite the other side of the neck. I lunged at them and ripped the person off her. There was rock nearby thankfully and without thinking I began pounding the rock into the rotten flesh, ignoring the sound of crushing bones until nothing but mush was left. 

Oliver wrapped his arms around me and pulled me off. I was sobbing but all I could hear was him quietly shushing me, like a child. I calmed down and he whispered in my ear, "She needs you."

He carried me into the greenhouse and I saw Sam leaning against where we had been sitting before. She was breathing deeply and I ran to her side. 

"Eve." She said faintly and I moved the hair out of her eyes. 

"Hey, sweetie. How you feeling?" I said softly and she coughed violently.

"It hurts." She mumbled and I held her hand tight.

"I know, honey. It's only for a little bit." A month ago I would of cried but I had to be strong for her, so I couldn't cry. 

"Can you tell me a story about Christy?" She said quietly.

I snickered and gave her a reassuring smile. "There was this one time we snuck out of home and Hannah bought some pop rocks. Kristy had them with coke and it frothed out of her mouth." She laughed a little but then broke into a deep cough. " She laughed so hard she peed her pants." Sam laughed again but this time she didn't cough, instead her eyes closed and just like that, she was gone. 

I didn’t cry, I just looked at her lifeless body unsure of what to do. I had to protect her and I failed.