Chapter 7

"K-Mart, stay with me now!" Alice shouted, as she ran as fast as she could to the Hummer.

K-Mart was gasping and spitting out blood with her eyes shut tightly in pain. Claire was running beside them, trying her best to keep up with Alice's catlike sprint. Claire's heart was pumping loudly in her ears - making the ambience around her muffled as if she was underwater.

The three of them eventually reached the sanctuary of the car and Alice quickly placed K-Mart in with utmost care in the backseat. "I'm driving!" Alice commanded. "Seeing as you're too shook up to do so," she said to Claire, as she quickly made her way to the driver's seat and started the car with a roar. "Get in and look after K-Mart!" Alice had to shout to get Claire out of her shocked state.

Claire climbed into the backseat and hovered unsurely over K-Mart's injured body. She stared at the gaping wound on her shoulder. Claire didn't know what to do - she felt so lost and confused by the sudden state of things.

Alice drove fast, but carefully through the desert - making extra sure to avoid potholes or bumps along the road. She turned her head quickly towards the back to see Claire staring dumbly down at K-Mart's wound. "Don't just stare at it! Cover the wound with cloth!" Alice demanded Claire like a helpless child, but that's what Claire felt like - a helpless child.

Claire quickly tore the sleeve off of her army jacket and wrapped the wound on K-Mart's shoulder securely to stop the bleeding. As she touched K-Mart's arm, she was shocked at how cold K-Mart's skin felt - she usually felt so warm…and alive.

Claire's hand shook at the icy feeling of K-Mart's skin and felt her nervous system wanting to snap - she couldn't believe any of this was happening.

Alice once again turned around to check up on K-Mart and saw the look of anguish on Claire's usually stoic face and felt her heart break for Claire. "You got the wound covered?" was all Alice could think of to say.

Claire was still staring down at K-Mart and whispered, "Yes."

"Good," Alice lamely responded, her mind was busy with scenarios and ideas on how to help K-Mart - nothing was coming up.

Claire moved her hand hesitantly towards K-Mart's hand and felt the eerie coldness again. She squeezed K-Mart's hand as K-Mart lay gasping and breathing heavily with her eyes still shut. "K-Mart…" Claire whispered as she looked down at the girl she loved writhing in terrible pain. Claire had never felt so helpless - not since the day she failed her convoy. Claire tried her best not to let her tears come out as she caressed K-Mart's blood-covered cheeks. She wiped away the dried blood with her thumb and K-Mart's eyes fluttered open tiredly.

"Claire," K-Mart croaked out as she stretched out a hand to touch Claire's face.

Claire felt her heart stop at K-Mart's sudden awareness. K-Mart was looking up at her with a small, sad smile on her face.

"I love you, Claire," K-Mart whispered breathlessly as she traced her finger along Claire's jaw line.

Claire felt tears choking her throat as she felt her whole world crumbling before her. "K-Mart, K-Mart please, don't leave me. I love you. I love you…" Claire pleaded to the wounded girl beneath her. She knew there was nothing K-Mart could do about it, but she was praying more to God or whatever benevolent spirit there was that was looking down on the two of them - to not take away her only source of true happiness.

K-Mart had drifted out of consciousness with the smile still on her face and laid her head back down on the backseat of the Hummer.

Claire held tightly onto K-Mart's hands and cried openly - letting go of all the pent up emotions she had kept in for so long.

Alice had heard the whole conversation and remained silent - it was none of her business. The only thing she was thinking of was trying to find a way to cure K-Mart, so she wouldn't turn into one of those flesh-eating monsters. Alice looked out at the open road hopelessly and did the only thing she could at the moment, and that was to drive.

They made it to base camp and Claire gently picked K-Mart up into her arms. She felt the coldness off of K-Mart's body as she held her and shivered slightly. Alice walked along with Claire to K-Mart's tent to place her on her cot. Claire pulled a blanket over K-Mart's body and sat down on one of the stools. Alice stood on the corner of the tent, looking down at K-Mart's unconscious body.

"What do we do now?" Claire asked frankly, with her hands folded under her chin as if saying a prayer.

Alice remained silent and sighed. "We need to find a cure." Claire moved a hand through her hair and sighed exasperatedly. "You know there's no such thing."

Alice's eyes still remained on K-Mart, "Maybe there is…" Alice said deep in thought.

Claire's eyes opened wide in surprise at Alice's comment. "You mean it?"

"Yeah, the White Queen told me my blood was the cure to the t-virus," Alice said simply.

Claire stood up in amazement. "No way! So all we have to do is inject K-Mart with some of your blood and she'll be cured?"

Alice nodded her head a bit hesitantly.

"Then let's get started," Claire sternly said, and walked over to grab a first aid kit for a syringe.

Alice stood still in one spot, lost in thought.

Claire noticed Alice standing idle and said, "Come on, Alice. Please, we need you," Claire pleaded to Alice.

Alice looked sadly at Claire and said, "It's not a guarantee that it will work at this stage," she said quietly, as she stared at the blue veins starting to appear on the sides of K-Mart's neckline.

Claire dropped the first aid kit she held in her hand and walked over to Alice. "What do you mean?" she demanded, grasping onto Alice's shoulders and looked intensely in Alice's eyes.

"I mean, K-Mart has been infected with the t-virus for about a day now," Alice said softly, "I just thought it would be best to warn you now before you get your hopes up," Alice said as gently as she could put it.

Claire let go of Alice's shoulders and walked away to pick up the first aid kit she had dropped and rummaged for a syringe. "Let's just do this," Claire said somewhat fiercely, as she proceeded to ready a syringe from the kit. After hearing Alice's warning, Claire wanted to slap her, but she knew Alice only had her best interests at heart. Her usual steely resolve was now back, but deep down inside, Claire wanted nothing more than to break down and cry.