Dale was standing near the reception desk, taking to Harry when I wandered over rubbing at my eyes. "Evening, Megan. Did you sleep alright?" Dale asked as I shrugged off his jacket, holding it out to him without speaking. "I was going to talk to you earlier but you fell asleep before I could say anything."
Once he saw that my face was a bright red my eyes on the floor so I didn't have to face him or the curious stare from Harry he smiled at me. "Yes. Thanks for the jacket." I finally mumbled, my hand outstretched while I waited for Dale to take the jacket from me.
With a tiny grin he reached across and I blinked, lifting my head to find that his fingers were now touching mine. I didn't know if it was intentional or not though that didn't really matter since my face was as red as it was possibly going to get. Muttering something no one could understand I took my hand away keeping my arms at my side and well out of reach.
Apparently not understanding why I was blushing Dale tilted his head slightly to one side, silent as I stuck my hands into the pockets of my jeans. "Thank you for returning it, Megan. Are you feeling okay? You look a little peaked." Dale commented, slipping the jacket on over his suit and I just shrugged wishing he would stop staring at me.
"You know I've been a little emotional lately but I have a good reason. Now what did you want to talk to me about? Did you manage to find somewhere I can stay?" I asked, watching on with interest when Dale picked up something sitting on the floor at his feet.
"Here. Lucy picked up a change of clothes for you." Dale explained, handing me a blue backpack. This time his fingers didn't brush mine and that brought a frown to my face for reasons I wasn't too clear on as I took the backpack from him, unzipping it before I took a peek inside.
Finding a toothbrush inside I smiled to myself, grateful that I could finally clean my teeth properly and as I dug around in the bag I found a hairbrush. "Thanks for bringing these back. i can't walk around in the same clothes day after day." I joked, looking into the bag when my eyes started to well.
Darn it. I thought I was through getting upset about my home. It's gone now but at least I can make sure the same doesn't happen to Twin Peaks.
"Did you see Doctor Hayward about the infected man?" I asked, hoping the distraction would be enough to stop me from getting weepy.
"While you were taking a nap, Megan we did indeed go to the morgue. Doctor Hayward gave us the results and they're..." Dale trailed off when I raised my head meeting his gaze. "He's highly contagious, Megan. According to the results he shouldn't even be walking around."
"I told you didn't I? That virus changes people, burns out their brain so they shouldn't even be conscious but that doesn't stop them walking around." I replied breathing hard until Harry gave my shoulder a pat. "You need to make sure no one touches that body without knowing what he's infected with. If someone had a cut and the virus got into their system."
"Already taken care of, Megan." Dale assusred me and I frowned at him, wiping away beads of sweat from my forehead. "Doc Hayward put the body in a freezer until we can positively identify him. But we have some bad news."
"You want me to see if I know who it is?" I answered in a small voice, swallowing when he nodded at me. "I can't. I'm sorry but I just can't look at another dead body."
"Megan, we need your help. If this infection is as bad as you keep telling us we need to make sure it doesn't escape into the town." Harry asked this time but I shook my head, my shoulders quivering and Dale sighed. Running his fingers over the fading hand print he walked directly in front of me.
"You're the only one who knows what signs of infection we need to know in case anyone else gets sick. Megan, we're asking for your help." Dale said placing his hands gently on my shoulders and I took a deep breath knowing that he was right; I was the only one in Twin Peaks with the experience they needed.
"F...fine. I'll go with you but only because I don't want anyone else in Twin Peaks to suffer like I did." I agreed, letting out another breath when I recalled the empty look in the infected man's eyes as it stumbled towards my friends. "I'm doing this as a favor."
"We appreciate it, Megan. We wouldn't normally ask this but even Doc Hayward's never seen a virus like this. You're the best person for the job." Harry agreed and I sighed rubbing at the bridge of my nose.
"Say that after I throw up on your shoes." I muttered looking directly at Dale who fixed me with a wide stare while Harry cleared his throat trying very hard not to laugh.
We drove back in silence and while Harry occupied his time keeping his eyes on the road I stared through the window, gritting my teeth in an effort to ease the trembling that had spread through body the nearer who travelled to the hospital. Dale looked at me from time to time, his lips pressed into a frown when he saw my shoulders trembling.
As soon as we finish up in the morgue with our John Doe I'll take Megan back to the hotel. I doubt she can take anymore stress without snapping at me again.
Dale ran his fingers over the fading mark on his cheek, hoping that this time Megan wouldn't take her frustration out on the other side of his face.
I never knew that she could hit so hard. Megan looks fragile but looks can be deceiving.
"We're almost there, Megan." Dale told me and I lifted my head slightly giving him a tiny nod though I soon turned my attention back to the window, looking out as the hospital came into view. "Relax. We just need to speak to Doctor Hayward and ask a few question about the body. Once we do that I'll make sure to bring you back to the Great Northern." Dale explained and I swallowed thickly already dreading looking at a man's dead body as Harry pulled into the parking lot.
"Coop, just be careful with her. She's had a rough day and looking at a dead body..." Harry began pausing when Dale held up a hand.
"I know, Harry. This isn't the first time I've had someone identify a body though I guess this time it isn't someone she knows. Regardless it needs to be done for the good of Twin Peaks." Dale assured Harry who sighed, parking his truck before he looked over at me.
"You alright back there, Megan?" Harry asked and I quickly nodded, hoping that they missed how badly I was trembling as I climbed from the parked truck. Harry barely had time to shut off the engine when Dale opened the passenger-side door, exiting the vehicle. Harry shook his head, pocketing his keys before he climbed out locking the door behind him. Together they followed at my heels as I made my way inside the building, my hands in the pockets of my hoodie so no one could see my hands shaking.
Dale held the door open for me when we stepped up to the front doors leading into the hospital but I ignored him, not to be rude but because I was too focused on not throwing up on my own shoes. Once I stepped inside the building I swallowed for the third time standing as still as I could while I waited for Dale and Harry. Reaching my side first Harry waiting with me while Dale informed the receptionist that we were here to see Doc Hayward.
"Steady there, Megan. It won't take long." Dale said once he returned and I just narrowed my eyes at him, avoiding his eyes even when he guided me towards the door leading to the morgue.
"Here we are." Dale announced looking at me when I let out another breath, clenching my fists in an effort to stop them from shaking.
"Doc Hayward's a kind man." Harry told me, placing a hand on my shoulder before I could change my mind. "Now let's just get this over with."
"Fi...fine with me." I stammered, stepping into the dimly lit room just behind Dale. The door closing behind me made me jump and Dale stopped himself from commenting on how shaking I seemed. "Where's...Doc Hayward?"
"Megan. it's good to see you again." Doctor Hayward told me and I grimaced, looking past him when I noticed the gurney and the sheet covering it. "Don't worry. I just want to know what the infection looks like and then you can be on your way."
"I...I'll tell you everything I know. Not sure how much help I can be." I muttered, looking behind him at the gurney again. Leading me over to the gurney I watched as Doctor Hayward carefully pulled back the sheet to reveal a middle-aged man with grey-green skin his head and shoulders uncovered.
I backed up so fast I bumped into Dale who gave me a pat on my back, his strange way of comforting me which helped a little. Until I moved closer to the body and after peering at the man for several seconds I stumbled back once again bumping into Dale who set his hands down on my shoulders to steady me. "This is becoming a habit isn't it?" Dale told me and I just shook him off staring at the corpse instead.
Willing myself to move closer I saw a bite mark on his shoulder and I blinked, lifting my head. "I know this man. He's one of the survivors I left the city with." I pointed to the bite mark as I did, looking at the man again with my eyes narrowed. "But everyone seemed fine when we split up."
"Megan, is there anything else you can tell us about the virus?" Dale asked and I sighed, rubbing at my eyes before I looked at his face again.
"A bite or scratch from one of the zom...infected passes the infection on. It causes violent behavior and makes them cannibals. They look like they're dead but they're not even though their skin peels off and I've seen them missing limbs. They don't feel pain even when they lose body parts and only by bashing their skulls in will they go down and stop moving. Some grow claws and have these really long tongues, like whips and they look like someone skinned them. I only saw one but it was enough." I explained, taking a few steps back from the very dead man. "As long as you don't get their blood or fluids in a cut you should be alright. At least I think so but some people changed without getting injured so I can't be positive. Just keep him away from everyone."
Then I made the mistake of taking a breath too close to the dead man the smell of decayed flesh invading my nose, leaving me fighting off a coughing fit.
Dale stepped in, gently guiding me away from the corpse but it didn't make me feel any better and after a quick apology he led me outside the room leaving Doctor Hayward and Harry in the room. I spent the next few minutes hunched over in the parking lot, trying to breath the fresh air and not throw up on my shoes as Dale looked on. "Take slow breaths." He advised and I resisted the urge to smack him again, too busy trying to get the smell of rot out of my nose. "In and out, Megan."
"W...what do...you think I'm trying to...that smell!" I gasped, pressing a hand over my mouth when my stomach rebelled and I dashed towards the nearest bushes. I barely made it not even aware that Dale had followed as I christened the bushes, my hands gripping my knees as I did.
Once the urge to vomit passed I wiped at my mouth with my left hand not understanding Dale who stood beside me, his hand at my back. His words were barely audible to me and it felt like I was underwater as I peered at him. I took a single step back from the vomit-covered bushes before I started to fall backwards hands catching me before the world darkened.