|
|
Post by Abby Kramer on Nov 22, 2012 8:36:16 GMT -8
Abby ran a dirty hand through her short hair, the oils were slick. Disgusting. She gritted her teeth. She had always been the kind of person who was perfectly groomed. Not necessarily dolled up, but defiantly clean. Which no one would believe considering she was currently primping in a truck stop restroom on I5, she had bared the door so she could finally get some sleep, but even in sleep she dreamed of them, and that was enough to wake her back up. She finally gave up, splashing her face with water and was ready to head out again. Well, ready was an overstatement. More tired of sitting with her back against this bared door on a floor that probably hadn't been swept since the bathroom was built. She emerged slowly, pulling the straps to the back pack she wore as tight as they could go, in case she would need to make a break for it, she couldn't lose what little supplies she had.
The sun was on her face, giving her that moment of blinding vulnerability. But then the moment was over. The empty stop was clear, of cars or movement. She proceeded.
The day was a warm one, for being the third week of September. But she refused to uncover her arms. Her mind flashed to the little girl she had found near a bridge, the little girl was below, looking into the water, Abby called to her, began to run to her, who would leave a young child alone in this time? Perhaps she had no one? The young girl had turned, and was no longed human. Her jaw slack, and lips rotting away. Those eyes, so feral. Abby knew what she was, so why didn't she run? Because this girl was wearing one of those cute tee shirts that said something along the lines of "Someone who loves me got me this shirt from Arizona" It was such a human thing. It froze her for a moment. A sign of humanity, on something so far from it.
Abby's chest began to heave with silent sobs, from the stress of everything surrounding her, to the depressing truth that this young girl was infected and would never play or laugh again. The girl watched Abby, then began to walk forward. A child learning how to walk all over again. Abby looked away, such a horrid sight, the drying blood on the edge of her mouth meant she had eaten recently, perhaps that was why she wasn't charging Abby, she wasn't desperate, like that ones in the city who were going on week two of old corpses. Only fools are in the city, Abby thought back to her classmates trapped in the university, she knew not all were immune, so soon they would be turning too, Fools, and those desperate.
The child's small feet sunk into the soft ground with each step and took effort to get out, but she didn't take her eyes off of Abby. Abby began to back up slowly, but when the little girl saw the chance of Abby fleeing she lunged, clamping her clammy hands onto Abby's wrist. Abby shrieked, and was able to pull her hand out of the child's grasp and with her long legs, a few strides and she was out of reach, and she got out of there. Not looking back. Ever.
So now, sleeves were a necessity. She had seen people get infected from open wounds caused by them. She retched after she stopped running, and when she stood back up she still felt the cold grip on her wrist. Sleeves, no matter how hot that sun got on her body. She uncapped a water bottle kept in the side of her pack, swigged enough to keep her mouth moist, then placed it back. The thin woman began to walk around the building to make sure there really was no one around. Living or dead.
word count:685
|
|
