REANIMATION

[11]

     "Empty handed?" Black Hole said, "Did you get unlucky?"

"Something happened," Tree told him, "we had to ditch."

"What happened? Are you all okay?" Bottle chimed in worriedly.

"We're all fine," He assured, "but there were some screams that came from the forest. Screams of terror specifically. Someone screamed after us but we didn't dare look back."

"Three people specifically," Liy added on to Tree's statement, "all roughly around our age. They were too far for me to recognize..."

Black Hole sighed, "Well, it's best you didn't engage."

Liy nodded, feet picking up to quickly pass them. She headed straight for the bathroom, not wasting a heartbeat longer dwelling on what had happened back at the forest.

She slammed the bathroom door shut and made sure to lock it. She dragged herself to the mirror, glancing sullenly at her own reflection.

"There's no way I'm.. actually infected.... right?"

She pulled up her shirt to look at her wound. Sure, the zombie had broken skin, but there weren't even many areas that actually drew blood. And even then parts that did were miniscule in size at best.

Could that have really been all it took?

     Taking a deep breath, she began to forcibly cough in an attempt to see if blood would spurt out of her mouth, but nothing came up. She tried to cough harder, but all she succeeded in was gaining an aching throat.

     She stood back, breathing in and out slowly.

     I was just being paranoid.

     ...There was... no possible way I could've had the virus in the first place.

     She flicked the bathroom light off, exiting the room and making her way back to the others, who had mostly dispersed by now and were doing their own thing.

     She overheard Pen talking to Tree.

     "Are you sure it will be safe to look for a zombie tomorrow? We have no clue what that scream was, we could get killed—,"

     "These days there is no feeling of safety. Every time we leave the house we are at risk. If this plan works, we will be in significantly lesser danger. We have to do this."

     "...Does it have to be tomorrow, though?"

    "It should be as soon as we can."

     "Right," He mumbled, "I guess we're going back out then..."

     Liy sighed. She stepped past them and headed toward the bedroom, waving as she passed them. After today she wanted sleep, needed it as a matter of fact.

     "L.....y....."

     "......i...!!!!...."

     "C....ou......h..r....e!?"

     "W....e u....!"

     "...Liy!!!"

     Liy felt her head ring in pain. It hurt like absolute hell. She wanted to scream and thrash around. It was completely excruciating.

     "Liy! Can you hear me!?" Remote called out desperately, horror filling her voice.

     "IT HURTS!" Liy shrieked, hands harshly pressed against her head. She curled closer to herself, screeching in agony.