Chapter 13

Nikole Hammond

I was worried about Josh. He pretended to be alright. He was talking, walking a bit even. His ankle was a bad mess, but he was still able to walk. Both of the other two didn't seem to really care though. They had bought his story. They believed him. But I...I knew different. I kept running it through my mind, playing the memory over and over...

I was going through my backpack, looking for something to eat. It had been almost a day since we had eaten, and my stomach wasn't feeling as well as it should have. Alex had gone off looking for Salone, so I had time to collect my thoughts without anyone else around me.

Digging into my pack, I found one of the military MRE's. I pulled it out, looking it over. The case was made out of metal, with some heavily scratched words printed on the front. Opening the top, I found nothing but a black, plastic like pouch inside. Picking it up, I made out the words "MEAT LOAF" printed on the side. It was hard from the slight chill in the air, but still felt rather squishy. I was disappointed. I didn't really like meatloaf all that much, and plus it was already cold. However...

Diving back into my backpack, I found Salone's butane lighter. Putting my hand over it, I gave it a tug. There was a soft "Hiss" sound as I pulled it out. Looking it over, I found a crack in it's side. The gas inside was slowly ebbing away. Great, this was fantastic. The lighter was broken. What else could I warm it up with now? Sighing, I did the only thing I could do...

I slowly lifted my shirt up, putting the cold pouch on my stomach before quickly pulling it back down. I breathed in sharply. God, it was cold! But it was the only thing I could do to warm it up. My stomach was becoming numb, trying to get used to the cold plastic against it. Breathing in and out sharp breaths, I tried to ignore it. I closed my eyes...just a bit more. Just let it get warm...

From behind me, I heard the crackle of leaves and twigs being crushed. I turned my head, looking at a pair of torn and bloody dark blue pants. My eyes went upwards...oh my god...

"Josh!"

I jumped up, running to him. He had survived! He wasn't dead! I skidded to a halt, however, as he drew a large knife.

"Stay back, Nikole. It's...it's too dangerous."

He had taken me aback. I didn't understand. What did he mean? He had gone through a whole group of zombies with just a knife, how could it be dangerous? But then...I looked downward. His right ankle was a horrible mess, dried blood and even thin strands of flesh covering what should have been part of his leg. I looked back up to his face. Slowly, he put the knife away, His forehead was laced with beads of sweat. His nostrils flared every time he breathed. He gasped for breath. I edged towards him, wondering what was wrong. I stretched a hand out, gently feeling of his forehead. He was...he felt hot. He was on fire. He had a horrible fever. I pulled my hand back, turning it over, watching it. I didn't understand though...what was wrong? Why was he so sick? Why- Oh my god. No...

"I...I was bitten."

"How long ago?"

He swallowed, trying to get his breath down. It was getting to him. Whatever it was, it was tearing him down. Already trying to turn him into something he was now destined to be. No...we had already lost him once. Now, we were going to lose him again.

"About six hours, give or take. Listen, you need to move. They're coming up the tracks, they'll be here within a few hours. We...we..."

He was swaying now. I put my arms behind him, helping him lay down. He drew ragged, uneven breaths. Tearing off a small chunk of my sleeve, I put it around his ankle, covering up the nbloody mess. I tied it off, but now it didn't seem like there was much of a point. He cleared his throat, speaking in a hoarse voice.

"Don't...please don't tell the other two about this. I want to be Joshua King as long as I can. Promise me...promise me you won't tell them?"

What could I do? He was dying...he was more than dying. It seemed so important to him. It was like a last wish. I couldn't deny it.

"I promise, Josh."

He nodded to me slowly. My vision began to blur as I tried to hold back tears. I was watching someone die, and I couldn't do anything about it. It just felt so wrong, to sit here beside him, and not offer him any comfort, any type of help.

"Josh, is there anything I can do for you?"

He looked up at me through pained, tormented eyes. He moved his lips, his voice almost coming out in a whisper.

"Some...some food would be nice."

With a slight bit of redness in my cheeks, I remembered that I still had the pouch of meatloaf under my shirt. Pulling it out, I ripped it open, handing it to him. He grasped it slowly, lifting it up to his mouth, letting some of it slide in. He barely chewed before swallowing it, trying to put on what looked like a brave face. After a few seconds, he said in a somewhat stronger voice...

"This tastes like shit, Nikole. You...you were going to eat this?"

...I looked over to Josh. Just glancing at him made me feel sick. He'd gotten a bit better over the food, but...he was still sweating. I could tell he was in a lot of pain. He was tough, to be able to all of the sudden, hide it from the other two. And they were just stupid, idiotic for believing that a raccoon could do so much. I wanted to stand in front of them and scream to them that in a matter of hours he would be trying to eat us. But I had made a promise. I couldn't tell them. I sat there blankly, not listening to them as they spoke. I wasn't sure what I was supposed to do. He was dead. He was as good as dead. But he could still talk and walk and think and reason. He was alived, but dead. Oh, Josh...what was I supposed to do?

I was taken from my thoughts when I noticed something was pressed against the palm of my hand. Looking down, I noticed I had been gripping my gun. I loosened my grip, but didn't take my hand away. It was too dangerous now, to let it be anywhere else than my hands. And as I looked at Josh...it only made me tighten it once again.