As Long as I Have You

Arrival

"You don't have to take me, but please just take him," I yell at the young guard standing atop the camp wall.

"You're bitten," he replies. His voice shakes. The kid couldn't be more than fifteen.

"He's ten!" I plead not able to hide the growing hysteria in my voice as the hoard nears. "I'm injured. We were attacked by raiders. I can prove it's not a bite."

"I'm not going in without you," Lou says from my side. I glance over to see the boy's face covered in determination.

We're running out of time. I yank on the gate again, but the large bars blocking it keep it from providing us salvation. A small crowd of about six people that appear to be in their mid to late teens have gathered to observe us outside the gate. All of them are arguing, and a lankier boy with wire glasses is shouting at the guard to let us in. However, as much as the boy shouts, the others argue against us.

Multiple rotters are beginning to flood out from the treeline that lies about 50 yards behind us. Lou and I could attempt to make a run for it, but by the time we make it around the camp's perimeter the monsters would be upon us. Not to mention I'll bleed out from the large slash down my right shin in about thirty minutes. I'm out of options.

"What the hell is going on?" a voice shouts from within the walls of the camp. My eyes search for the source. A blonde girl is running down the stone steps of the main building towards us. The others turn towards her. "Open that gate."

The guard starts to protest, but three of the people standing out front have already begun to lift the heavy metal previously blocking our entry. As the old rusted iron creaks open, I can feel the panic flooding my system receding dramatically as the girl quickly ushers the two of us in to the camp. Lou resides under my right arm, and I do my best not to let my full weight fall on top of him as I struggle to stay on my feet. The last thing I need is to pass out right now.

The others work quickly to close the gate behind us, and those who aren't currently struggling with the large gate arm themselves and clamber up ladders to wage war on the incoming horde. Everyone except the girl that let us in.

"Are you okay?" she asks. Her eyes travel over me until they reach my legs. Her eyes widen, or at least I think they do. The blood loss has started to set in, and it takes all I have to stay on my feet let alone focus. "Kingsley! She's hurt!"

"I-" I start. I can't do this right now. I can't do anything right now. I can barely keep my eyes open, and even then I have to fight to do so. Should I be seeing spots right now? Should everything be fading like this? I register my knees buckling underneath me, and I can feel Lou move to try and catch me. The girl makes an effort to get to me, but she's too far away to catch me before I hit the rough gray gravel beneath me. I suppose that's alright though because I don't feel it anyways.