My head is throbbing. Everything feels numb, like when you wake up and you've slept on your arm all night. The worst thing is I can't open my eyes. The black moves and twists, forming sickening images of Tim's terrified face and Mum's slumped body on the sun lounger. I can't see anything else but their distorted faces and the dark. I start to wonder if this is death, if this what hell is like.

"It's not safe." I hear a voice break through. "We can't keep her like this forever."

"And what's the other option? Kill her?" My heart flutters and my stomach twists.

"There may not be another choice." I panic. I desperately try and thrash about. Eventually I manage to open my eyes. Just for a second. But it's enough.

"Look. She's waking up." I feel a hand close around mine. "Hello if you can hear me, try and squeeze my hand." I force my muscles to move and I think it works.

"Can you open you open your eyes? One for yes two for no." I squeeze twice. I hear the man curse under his breath. "Don't panic. My name is Dr Alex Martel. We have you under sedation. You should feel your movement returning. Are you in any pain?" I don't do anything. How do I explain that I can't feel anything? "Does this hurt?" A sudden rush of pain flows through me, from my leg all the way up my aching spine. I practically break his hand.

"See! She's just going to cause more problems." I here the creak of floor boards.

"No. She'll be able to move soon. Just be patient." The hand is gone and the voice moves away.

"I'll do it myself." I hear the click of a gun being loaded. I have to move. I can't just lie here. I'm going to die. I have to do something.

"No Jack!" My eyes snap open.

I'm sat up, my hands still shake with the shock of having a gun pointed at my head. Jack was escorted out of the room screaming that I'm demon and that my soul is non-existent and I should be burnt. Now I'm left with Dr Martel and a female lifeguard called Fiona.

"It's okay. You're safe now." How safe can you get in a zombie apocalypse? I take the water bottle and sip the warm water. My stomach lurches as Dr Martel digs into the bite on my leg. He pulls out a small white shard.

"What is that?" I ask in a croaky voice.

"A piece of tooth I think." Fiona says. My eyes widen. "Oh crap sorry." I shake my head.

"It's okay. My younger brother had worse..." Tim. How did I forget. Tim. Where is he now? Is he still alive? I start to shake again as the vision of him being ripped apart by one of those things. His face fills my mind, battered and scared. I dig my finger nails in my head, dropping the water bottle. "No no no no no no no." Fiona puts her arm round me and peels my nails out of my scalp with the other.

"What's wrong? Abbey. Look at me. Abbey." My eyes are shut. This can't be happening.

"Tim. I'm so sorry. Oh god. Tim I'm so sorry." Dr Martel is on the bed now, wiping my blood off his hands.

"Who's Tim? Abbey? Open your eyes. We can't help him if you don't open your eyes and tell us." I slowly obey. Picking a point on the wall as my focus.

"He's my little brother. He has a lung condition and I... I..." I break into sobs.

"You what?"

"I told him to run." Silence fills the room. I know what they're thinking. He's not going to be alive. Not any more. He'll be lying on the hard concrete pavement, bleeding, crying for Mum or worse. He'll be one of them. Walking around. Looking for the sister that abandoned him.

"Abbey it's okay." My sobs shake my whole body. No it's not okay. Fiona takes me by the shoulders and speaks solidly but not harshly. "Look at me now." I meet her eyes. They're deep blue and reflect the dim light of the energy saving light bulb. "Abbey we will find your brother. I promise. As soon as you're better we will find him." I nod, tears still pouring out of my eyes. How long will that be? Days at least maybe even weeks.

After I calm down Dr Martel finishes taping up my leg and works on my shoulder.

"Dr Martel-" I begin.

"Please call me Alex."

"Okay, Alex. I want to thank you. For what you did when Jack was... You know... Going to shoot me." He smiles, but doesn't look up from his work.

"You were my patient. It's my duty to protect you and heal you." I smile as well but it soon turns into a pained expression as the needle pierces my flesh. "Sorry." He adds quickly.

"Where did you get all this stuff?" He stands up and walks over to a briefcase full of bandages.

"This is my room and a doctor is always prepared. Even for a zombie apocalypse." He comes back over and wraps the soft white cotton round my wound. I take a deep breath. I know how it spreads, I can't avoid the question any longer.

"Will I change?" He stops. "I know I was bitten. I can easily work out what happens next. I just want to know." He looks into my eyes.

"I'll give you an honest answer. I don't know." I nod. "I assume not. Most changes happen within a few minutes. These bites are over eight hours old." Is that how long I've been out? My thoughts are interrupted by a man bursting through the door.

"Abbey!"

"Dad?"