Chapter 6 : Bill and Frank's
They had been riding for a few minutes, when Joel grunted in pain. There was blood all over his shirt and he was holding his stomach.
- Wait, he said with difficulty. Wait... Stop!
Chloé pulled on the reins and the horse stopped galloping.
- Joel, we have to put some distance between us and them, she said, worried. They could come after us.
- I know some people, not far from here, he replied. They'll help.
Chloé took her map out.
- Just show me where, she said, desperately.
Joel pointed to a town called Lincoln. She didn't think it was very far. But it was dark, and she couldn't locate themselves with certainty. They were running out of time, though. He wouldn't make it through the night. She had to hurry. Chloé took her jacket off and bandaged his stomach, hoping it would contain the bleeding for a while. She wrapped his arms around her and flicked the reins.
- Hold on, Joel, she said.
She rode as fast as she could and finally got out of the woods onto the highway. That was a lucky break. It seemed clean and free of infected. The full moon was up. She found a milestone that helped her find their location on the map. Joel was right, it wasn't a long ride. His grip was getting looser, though, he was beginning to lose consciousness. She speeded up the pace.
After a while, they finally made it to the Lincoln exit.
- Where to, now? She asked.
Joel did not answer her. He was out.
- Joel ? Oh, man...
The exit lead directly into the town. Chloé slowed the horse down. She knew that the infected tended to concentrate into urban agglomerations. They were lucky enough not to have crossed path with any so far, but she didn't think their luck would last very long in these parts. She had to think fast.
Chloé flicked on the reins and started trotting slowly and carefully across town. She had to find something that would indicate the presence of people. But what ? There was only the sound of the horse's hooves on the pavement. It was all too quiet.
That's when an infected jumped out of a shop window and ran in their direction. The creature was in its early state of mutation, which meant it was still able to see. The horse reared and they both fell over. The animal fled. Before long, the creature was on top of her, screeching and trying to take a bite at her. Joel was on the floor, unconscious. She was hardly containing it. At that moment, Chloé heard a clicking noise from the shop.
- Joel ! Wake up ! She screamed.
The clicker ran in their direction. She tried reaching for her knife, but the infected on top of her was too strong.
- Joel !
It was the end, she thought. At that moment, an arrow pierced the head of the clicker. And then another one went through the head of the one on top of her. Chloé was panting. Where the hell did these arrows come from?
A large man jumped down a truck and walked in her direction.
- Get a move on, more are coming, he said.
He was right, more infected were coming from all around them. The man grabbed Joel. Chloé stood up and helped him carry him.
An explosion set off in the distance. Another one much closer.
They started running, infected behind them. The man brought them into an alley and opened a door. Chloé helped him close it right in time. Infected banged on the door on the other side. They were safe. For the moment. Chloé caught her breath.
- Man. That was close, she said. Thanks for the heroics and all.
The man aimed his gun at her and loaded it.
- Wow, wow, she said while putting her hands in the air.
- Turn around and get on your knees, he ordered.
- What?
- I said, on your knees. Don't test me.
- All right, all right. Take it easy... she said.
Chloé complied reluctantly. Joel was still unconscious.
- My friend is hurt. You have to help him, she said.
- Any bites? He asked, while checking her. Sprouting?
- No !
- If I see so much as a twitching...
- Goddammit, I'm clean. Are you done ?
- Am I done ? You come into my town, you set off all my traps, you damn near get me killed. Who the fuck are you and what are you doing here?
- I am none of your god-damn business, she said. I came here because my friend is hurt, he said he knew some people here, and I have a feeling you didn't save us out of the goodness of your heart.
She looked him in the eyes.
- So lower your damn gun and help us, she added.
He huffed at her.
- Follow me, he said.
The infected outside had scattered away. They slipped through the door and headed to an electrical fence, carrying Joel with them. The man entered a digital code and a door opened. This part of town seemed clear from infected and well tended to. It even had flower pots on the corner of the streets. Weird, she thought.
A thin man wearing a colorful shirt came out of a house.
- Bill, what's going on? I heard the explosions, he said.
- I'll tell you what's going on, Frank, said the gruff man. We got company.
- Oh my god, Joel, said Frank. What happened?
- He got shot, said Chloé.
- Put him on the kitchen table, said Frank.
They rushed into the kitchen.
- There, said Frank.
He opened a few drawers, gathering tools.
- Is he going to be ok? Asked Chloé.
- Why don't you both give me some space? Said Frank. I need to focus.
Bill dragged Chloé into the living room and sat her down violently on the sofa. He grabbed a chair for himself and, placed it right in front of her. His face seemed stuck in an eternal frown. She thought he kinda looked like an angry Santa.
Bill was holding his gun on his thigh, ready to use it.
All the pressure from the hellish night that she'd just lived through was starting to fall down. She didn't even notice how scared she had been all this time. She didn't want him to see her flinch, though, but she was so tired.
- Ok, look, she said. I get the whole paranoia thing. Can't be too careful nowadays. You don't know me, I don't know you. But you know Joel. You're just going to have to trust that he wouldn't bring someone who'd mean you harm in your home and get that gun out of my face, she added firmly.
They heard glass breaking in the kitchen and Joel grunted in pain. Bill put his gun back in its holder and grumbled something in his beard.
Chloé looked around her. The house was decorated with taste. It even smelled nice. Juurft
The old clock on the wall indicated that an hour had passed when Frank came into the room, a bloodied apron tied around his waist. Chloé stood up.
- He's going to be fine, said Frank while wiping his hand with a cloth. I took the bullet out, gave him some antibiotics and painkillers. He was very lucky it didn't touch any internal organs, he added. But he lost a lot of blood, he's going to need time to heal.
- Thank you, she said, holding his shoulder with gratitude.
- You can go see him, if you want, said Frank.
Chloé entered the kitchen. Joel was still on the table, sleeping. Frank had put a pillow under his head and covered him with a blanket. She sat down next to him.
- Joel, she said.
His head moved slightly and he took a deep breath. He was still out of it, but it seemed as though he could sense her presence.
- You're going to be ok, she said.
Gently, she took his hand from under the blanket and wrapped her fingers around his. Frank came into the room.
- I've prepared the sofa for you, if you want, he said. You must be exhausted.
- Thank you, she said. For everything. I'm ok. I'll stay with him.
- All right, as you wish! I'll see you in the morning then. Good night, he said.
Chloé stayed alone with Joel in the kitchen. He'd almost seem peaceful. Gently, she stroked his cheek and fixed the hair behind his ear.
The images of what she'd seen at the farm came back to her. Those girls in the corridor, those women's shoes on the shelves. Is that what happened to her mother?
Chloé ran her hand on his chest and felt it lifting at the pace of his breathing. She knew so little about that man. And yet, she couldn't help but feel... this intense attraction to him. She couldn't explain it, but she'd felt it from the moment they met outside the QZ at sunrise. Although, she didn't know if she could trust him. What was the extent of his association with those people at the farm? Did he know what they were doing to those poor girls? Plus, he was probably twice her age. But despite all that, on that night, when she thought she was going to lose him, everything in her fought to save him.
Chloé rested her head close to his on the table and shut her eyes. She needed to rest for a bit. There would be time to unravel all of that in the morning.