"Riley? You feeling okay?" I ask, sat next to the girl I admittedly have feelings for.
She coughs, her throat rasping for air. "About as good as I'm gonna get, what about you?" She replies, staring at the bite on my fore-arm.
Just what? An hour ago? We were having fun, acting how teens are meant to act like. And now? We're both bitten and slowly dying. Riley, the girl I have just admitted feelings for is going to die and I will be forced to go with her through that. We will both turn hopefully at the same time, else one of us will end up ripping apart the other.
"I'm good," I answer bluntly.
We sit in silence, our hands entangled for what seems like hours.
"Riley, you're sweating." I whisper, placing my hand against her forehead.
I unzip my backpack and take out a small bottle of water, pouring half its contents on my jacket sleeve, placing my sleeve against Riley's boiling head.
"There, that should cool you down." I hand her the bottle. "Take little sips,"
"You, you don't feel ill?" Riley stutters.
"My arm hurts a little," I say, shaking my arm to prove my point.
"Ellie,"
"Yeah?"
"When I was with the fire-flies, Marlene; she, she knew who you were." She coughs.
"What?" I ask, puzzled. Maybe its the virus attacking her system.
"She told me she knew your Mum, that ever since she died she's been trying to look out for you." Riley gasps, bending over to throw up at my feet.
"What was my Mum's name?" I growl, only I know this answer; its something I told no-one not even Riley.
"Anna, Marlene said she was very beautiful." Riley touches my cheek. "I guess that's where you get it from."
Riley coughs up her own blood, it sticking to the corners of her mouth as her eyes flutter shut.
"Riley, Riley? Don't you dare fucking leave me."
Her eyes open.
"My gun... You have to shoot me before I turn, okay?" Riley cries.
"You're not going to turn." I say sharply.
"Ellie, I... I can't fight this."
"You can, I promise you can."
"I'm going to go to sleep now, kill me before I wake up; okay?" Riley whispers, struggling to keep eye contact.
"No," I begin crying, my eyesight beginning to blur.
"I... I love you Brick Master."