Rise

Chapter 5

Derek opens his mouth like he's about to say something, then he closes it again. He stares at me like he's remembering something. His eyes glaze over and his mouth opens again only for a second this time. The room is quiet, too quiet. Sam clears his throat and Derek snaps out of it. He looks at his father and they exchange a glance communicating through only their eyes. He takes one last look at me before bolting out the door like he can't get out of here fast enough.

"Right, I forgot. I might have some meds that can help you if not we'll make a supply run to the hospital tomorrow, I'm sure its overrun with them by now," Sam says and I can't tell if he's talking to me or himself.

"I'm not even sure if I was on meds, and who are you to prescribe them to me, are you even a doctor?" I ask.

"Was..." he says walking over to a case on the wall that I hadn't noticed. It's a huge white cabinet with glass doors, inside looks to be medicine.

"Was huh?"

"Got my license taken away," he says.

"And so now I'm supposed to trust you to treat me for something I didn't know I had up until five minutes ago?" I adjust myself on the bed wincing when the needle from the IV stings.

"I didn't kill anyone if that's what you're asking," he says.

"Oh," I say my voice sounding weak.

"Well we need some supplies anyway, so I'll just send Derek out tomorrow. Your vitals are okay, so you should be okay," he says.

I look at him like he's completely lost his mind. I should be okay? What does he know anyway? The guy lost his license and he's got me hooked up like I'm some kind of experiment. I want to offer to go with Derek to get out of this house, but I have a feeling he won't want me with him, even if I did see the slightest bit of compassion in his eyes before I fainted.

"Oh and you have traces of the drug in your system still," he says.

"Wait so I did take it then? What is this drug anyway? That's an insane amount of time for it to still be in my system, it's been like what two weeks? And how do you even know?" I ask.

"I took some blood while you were out. The drug stays in your system for quite some time. I'm surprised you didn't turn," he says like it's nothing.

"I lost my memory though, is that a sign I'll turn?" I question.

"I'm not sure," he says.

I look at him as he takes off the stupid white lab coat he's wearing. How does he know so much about something that just happened? There's something about him and this family that is making me uneasy. They are a little too calm and very prepared with this whole thing.

"Can I get some of that chili now?" I ask stomach growling again.

"Yes I'll send my mother up," he says and quietly leaves the room.

I sigh, I don't understand why he can't just unhook me from this contraption so that I can go get my own food. If I was really sick I probably wouldn't have survived taking that pill, I would have ended up dead or like everyone else.

I stare at the huge book cases several rows high, taller than any shelf at a library. I wonder what kind of books sit on those shelves, all I know is if I stay here at least I'll have something to entertain myself with, even if they are medical books. It's funny how technology took over our lives and books slowly started to become phased out, but what do you do when the world ends? The internet is probably down, electricity probably will get cut off soon and then what? One thing I do know about myself is that I find comfort in books no matter what they are. So at least if I'm stuck here I have something familiar and something that can keep me level headed.