I swore as I shoved my sleeve over the bite and held up my gun and fired at one of the remaining zombies. As it fell, I tried again to move the door and this time I managed to shift it enough that I could sit up, propping myself against the wall. I tapped my ear cuff and said, “Call Tia.”
She answered immediately, and asked, “Lyn?”
“Hey. Uhmmm can you call someone to bring a test kit? I can already guess what the results will be but, I need one to be sure.” I said, and fired a shot at another zombie. Caeden shot the last one and hurried to crouch beside me and began trying to shove the door off me before I put a hand on his arm. As I did so, my sleeve slid back revealing the bite which was certain to have put active Kellis-Amberlee inside my system. Caeden stared in horror at the bite and stood up. He grit his teeth before getting back down and shoving the door the rest of the way off.
“Ok but you’ll need to explain why you said you can guess what the results will be when they get there. I’m coming as well.” Tia said before cutting the connection.
“Caeden…” I protested as the door fell off me with a loud clang!
“I won’t believe you’re infected. We don’t know how long the one who bit you was a zombie for. There’s a chance the saliva hasn't gone live yet.” Caeden said as he crawled a little closer and cradled my head in his lap. I stared at him, surprised at how much he cared about and watched as tears fell from his eyes, resting on the bottom of his sunglasses.
“You know that's not true Caeden.” I said softly.
“I know.” He replied just as softly. In the reflection of his eyes, which I could hardly see anything other than his pupils, I noticed my pupils were still normal sized.
“Ma’am. Sir. please stand up.” Someone called.
Caeden looked me in the eyes and I nodded. He stood up while I remained on the floor.
“Thank you sir.” the voice said again and I turned my head toward it. It was a big man with several others waiting behind him. “Ma’am. Please stand up.”
“I can’t. One, my legs were crushed by this heavy door, and two, I got bit. Can we get some test kits please?” I said all of this calmly as I waited for their response.
“Sir, take a few steps away from her.” The man said to Caeden.
“I’m sorry sir but if she is infected I would like to die with her.” Caeden shook his head.
The man hesitated before nodding. A few minutes later, a test kit was in Caeden’s hand and another by mine. I looked at Caeden who said, “On three.”
“One.” I began.
“Two.” Caeden finished and we both slid our hands into the kits at the same time. The lights on Caeden’s kit circulated quicker, showing he was clean. Mine took longer, and stopped on one green, one amber, and one red. I stared in confusement at the kit before taking my hand out and sliding the kit across the floor towards the man who had previously spoken. He put on gloves before he picked it up and looked from it, to me then back again.
“We’ll give you another one ma’am.” He decided as someone shoved through the guards and I realized it was Tia. She looked breathless in her baby blue dress and her brown hair in a messy bun as she paused, leaning against the wall.
“Don’t use the regular kits.” She said as she held up one of the really expensive but most accurate test kits that all three of us had. “Lyn, don’t tell me this is for you though.”
I held out my hands and said, “Sorry. My first test was odd. One red light, one amber, and one green.”
“What?!” Tia exclaimed in surprise as she began walking past the guards who tried holding her back. She just shrugged them off and kept walking. She placed it beside me and despite my protests, she carefully placed my fingers inside the fancy kit and closed it.
“Ouch.” I said as the needles bit into my palm without anything to lessen the pain. Tia glanced at Caeden who was staring wide eyed from where he stood on my other side.
“Wha…” I trailed off as the lights on the test kit settled on green. I held it up before removing my hand and sliding the kit across the floor to the man who spoke before. For a moment, he just stood there, staring down at the kit before he picked it up and handed it to someone behind him. That’s when I started feeling the pain from my crushed legs. I hissed in agony as I did and Oreo jumped on my chest and began to lick my chin, partially distracting me from the pain. I saw Caeden crouch down and stare at me worriedly and say something as my vision faded to black.
I woke up a while later, staring at a white ceiling. I looked around to see white walls, a white sheet covering me and what looked like Caeden at the end of the bed.
“Caeden?” I called softly. He turned around and to my relief, it was him.
He turned to look at me and smiled with relief.
“Where am i?” I asked as I struggled to sit up. Caeden reached over and helped me, propping me up on my pillows
“The Memphis CDC.” I heard a click as a man in a white lab coat entered the room.
“Miss, it’d be best if you laid down for your legs to heal properly.” the man said as he walked up to my bed.
I nodded but didn’t even try to lay back down on my back.
The man sighed but didn’t try to persuade me anymore. “Your legs were crushed severely, we considered amputating them but decided against it. However..” he hesitated before continuing, “I fear you might not be able to return to the field. At least, not as a Brayler.”
“What?!” I holler and force myself to not try and leap on the man.