"I told you before that Bridget is not, repeat, not infected." Brad snapped, glancing down at an unconscious Bridget when she groaned. Lying on a jacket he'd salvaged from a corpse he watched as she shifted her head to one side. Giving her a weak smile before he lifted his head to glare at the woman in front of him. "Now get that machete out of my face."
"Don't blame me when she tries to eat your face." The woman snorted at him as she turned her back, wandering towards a set of stairs that Brad knew led to the roof. Once she was out of sight he finally let out a breath and nearby another woman shook her head.
"You shouldn't take any notice of Kate, Brad was it? She's just a little jumpy after...well this outbreak." Emily sighed and he nodded, kneeling beside Bridget who groaned when he gently tousled her hair. "Is that your girlfriend?" She added and he gave her a tiny smile, watching as she pulled out a medical bag.
"Yeah since Los Perdidos. Protecting each other brought us together." Brad explained as Emily removed a stethoscope from the bag. "Hang on I'll turn her over." He added as he set one hand on each of Bridget's shoulders. As he turned her over she stirred grimacing before Brad saw her eyes flutter open.
"W...what's goin' on?" I groaned not fighting when he carefully laid me onto my back. My head aching I stared up at him until someone leant over me and I blinked when an unfamiliar woman smiled at me.
"I'm Emily. You've been unconscious for nearly an hour now, Bridget. How do you feel?" She asked and I sighed, my eyes widening when one of her hands moved to the hem of my shirt. "Relax okay? I'm a trained nurse and I just want to examine you."
"Okay...I guess it's alright." I whispered trying not to react when she carefully lifted my shirt exposing the pale skin underneath. I jerked when she pressed the stethoscope on my stomach and she cracked a tiny smile at me. "Man that's cold." I gasped and Brad gave a grin, tousling my hair again as Emily listened closely to my heartbeat.
"Your heartbeat is strong but you need to rest your head. Plus I need to see that eye a little closer." Emily explained as she returned the stethoscope to her medical bag, removing a small penlight and with Brad's help they helped me sit up. I coughed and she blinked, her fingers checking my forehead and the rough patch job Brad had done then they moved to my eye. After staring at my eyes for long enough to make me uncomfortable she straightened. "You have a subconjunctival hemorrhage in your left eye." She added and I raised both eyebrows at her.
"What does that mean in English?" I asked and she chuckled, giving my shoulder a pat before she returned the stethiscope to her medical bag.
"It bascially means your eye's all red right now. It's only a minor injury and it'll heal eventually. Probably in a few weeks." Emily replied and I blinked up at her then Brad who gave me a weak smile and a light pat on my left shoulder.
"Great so I have a red eye now? No wonder that other woman thought I was a zombie. At least it's not a bite this time." I grumbled and Brad chuckled, sitting beside me. "Oh you be quiet." I added, resting my head on his shoulder.
"That was Kate and I won't let her anywhere near you. Now are you up to eating?" Brad asked and I sighed tilting my head to one side when he gave me a tiny smile.
"Okay just for you." I finally agreed and he nodded, watching as Emily reached into her medical bag. Rummaging around she removed a energy bar grinning when my eyes lit up. "Thank you." I whispered when she handed it to me and after I ripped it open I took a bite before I offered it to Brad who politely declined.
"I'm fine, Bridget. Besides you need it more than I do." Brad told me and I nodded, swallowing the piece already in my mouth before I started on the rest. As I ate the bar Brad climbed to his feet and I frowned as he moved away slightly motioning to Emily. I could hear them whispering but I could only make out my name and I paled, not liking what I knew he was going to say. "Bridget..." Brad began and I snorted, dropping the wrapper on the floor before I crossed my arms.
"You're leaving me behind aren't you?" I growled and he sighed, running a hand through his hair as he struggled to explain himself. "I knew it. Just like before you want to go off on your own."
"Bridget, I need to find Frank and hopefully Vic. Besides if someone needs help I have to help them." Brad explained as he knelt beside me and I sniffed, fresh tears springing to my eyes when he gently reached over. Running a hand through my hair he sighed when I turned my head wiping my eyes with an open palm. "Please understand. I wouldn't leave you but I don't want to put you through anymore danger if I can help it."
"I know but...if something happens to you I couldn't live with myself. I lost my home and my parents and if I loose you too." I sniffed and Brad just gave me a weak smile, pulling me into a hug. Unable to help it I sobbed into his jacket and he swallowed, rubbing my back until my tears dried up. Lifting my head I leant in and he reacted immediately giving me a gentle kiss before he released me. "Be safe okay?" I told him and he nodded, giving my hair a tousle before he climbed to his feet.
"There might be a way out via the parking garage but be careful. There are some weird zombies with glowing red eyes. They're fast." Emily warned as she handed him a crowbar and Brad nodded, sparing one more glance at me to find I was lying on the jacket they'd salvaged for me. To his relief I was begining to close my eyes exhaustion taking its toll on me. "We'll watch over her until you get back." She promised and Brad nodded, heading towards the door leading into the mall. As he reached for the doorknob he risked one more glance to see that Bridget had fallen asleep and he gave her a smile before he carefully opened the door, peering out before he stepped outside.
The door clicked behind him as Brad gripped the crowbar tightly in his hands, his eyes taking on the sight of several parked and smashed cars but no zombies. Breathing out he started to take his time wandering the hallway until he heard a loud screech and he paled sighting a zombie that leap onto a crashed car, a male with bloodied clothing and a bit on its cheek. As soon as it saw Brad it let out a screech and Brad sighed as its glowing red eyes focused on him the zombie rushing towards him still screeching as it closed in on the colonel. Shocked by its speed Brad only just missed its lunge, leaping to one side so it crashed into the floor.
Growling it scrambled to its feet and Brad attacked when it did, striking the zombie directly in its face. Teeth flew and with another hard strike it tripped, hitting the floor though before it could get back up Brad finished it with two more strikes the last spilling its brains onto the floor. Gagging at the smell Brad quickly checked the surrounding area for more fast moving zombies though he could only make out several shambling shapes in the distance, smoke from a few fires masking them. Shaking his head he began to search for a way out as the zombies stumbled into cars and debris, not seeing him due to the smoke. Seeing a door set a few feet away Brad sighed, seeing that he would have to face multiple zombies to get to it.
Steeling himself he hurried forward dodging a few of the slow moving zombies only to hear a screech and he groaned as two more of the fast infected leapt towards him. Shaking his head he readied his weapon hoping that Frank, wherever he was, was having better luck finding Vic than he was.