Dystopian zombie era

Chapter 35

Ruby holds Noble and Jay stands in front of me holding my right hand. Brandon and Coral are near the door and Storm stands near a desk. The bright light overhead hurts my eyes and the room is so white.

Scarlett takes a piece of cotton wool and puts antiseptic on it before she cleans a patch of my skin on my upper arm. "You ready?" I nod. Jay's grip tightens but I don't want to pull away. This is my decision and I'm going through with it if it means saving everyone's lives.

She slowly pushes the needle in before injecting the infected blood into me. Brandon weeps silently and Ruby turns away. I expect to feel dizzy or nauseous but when she takes the needle out and covers it with cotton wool and tape, I feel totally normal. "How do you feel?" Asks Jay softly.

"Fine." I answer before hopping off the bed. "I'll be as quick as I can." She tells me. I decided that the next morning would be a good time to do it. At least then I wouldn't be tired. Ruby hands Noble back to me and the rest of us walk back to the reception area while Storm and Scarlett scurry off.

I hold Noble closer and rub my cheek against his head. I have no idea how long it takes for someone to turn but I hope it isn't right away. I still want to hold my baby. Choosing to be infected was a tough and risky decision. I didn't do it just to play the hero, I'm just as scared as the rest of them are.

I have my own fears. I'm afraid Scarlett won't be able to even make a cure. I'm afraid it will be too late to work and I'm afraid I might die. But I can't tell the others that.

I sit down on the chair and we sit together in silence. No one is in the mood to hold a conversation when we don't know what will happen to me. It's not long before I'm feeling hot and sweaty. I fan my face. The rest all look fine so I know this must be an effect. If I'm burning up like this, does it mean it's almost like a flu virus?

Jay immediately notices my discomfort. "Do you need water?" I nod. "Yes please." He immediately gets up. Ruby puts a hand on my thigh. "Hang in there okay?" I nod again. I lean into her. "If anything happens to me, promise me you'll look after Jay and Noble for me." Her eyes widen and I know she wants to shout at me but she lowers her voice.

"Darcy, don't say stuff like that."

"Just promise me, okay?"

"You're making me keep an empty promise but yeah, I promise." I hold out my pinky finger and she rolls her eyes. "No."

"Please." I insist and she sighs before hooking her pinky finger with mine. I smile. Just then Jay returns with a cup of water that I drink up very fast.

I'm suddenly very hungry. "Do we have more food?" I ask and Jay nods before he goes to the corner where all the bags are. Coral looks at me and gasps. "What?"

"The purple veins. They're starting to show." My heart races and I'm frightened.

Please slow down.

"I'm going to check on Scarlett and see if she has anything." Says Brandon before he hastily walks down the corridor. Jay returns with a small chicken and mayo pie. I grab it from him hungrily and I notice how his face saddens when he sees mine.

I eat the pie quickly but it's not enough. It's like there's a hole in my stomach that's so big, not even the pie could fill it. Noble is asleep against my chest and I'm glad for some sort of comfort that I can hold onto during this.

I have violent urges and they won't go away. The floor is stained with blood and everyone's bodies are laid on the ground. Intestines and small pieces of brain litter the floor. I hear my stomach growl at the sight of it and I welcome the smell of strong, fresh blood.

"Darcy, you okay?" Asks Jay with his hand on my shoulder. I see two of him. I shove Noble into Ruby's arms. "Take him. I can't hold him." She hastily takes him without protesting. "Darcy?"

"I'm okay." I tell Jay. "I just need to lie down." He helps me up and places jackets and blankets against the wall next to a chair for a makeshift pillow. "The chair won't be comfortable but you can lay there." I nod, too tired to move anymore but I lay down on the chair with my head against the blanket and jacket.

I must look like a zombie to them already. Thankfully I'm still sane but that vision I had, it was gruesome. Why did I even think that?

Noble starts crying and Jay leaves my side to help Ruby with him. Coral walks over and hovers over me. "I'm sorry." She says after a while. "Sorry for what?"

"For being such a downer. For being so difficult."

"It's fine. You couldn't help it. It was on all our minds, we just didn't want to say it." Coral suddenly has blood running down her face and I close my eyes to get rid of the sight.

"I really wish I'd been your friend before Jay dated you." I open my eyes again and she gasps. "Darcy, your eyes..."

"Hmm?"

"They're... white." I can feel it. The transition is almost complete. My body feels so weak and I don't think I'll be able to move for a while. Suddenly a loud sound makes my body jerk. "What the hell was that?" Asks Jay

It happens again and then it's continuous. Wait... Are those gunshots? "Those are gunshots!" Exclaims Ruby. "And it's right outside!" Shouts Coral. My ears are ringing now from their shouting and the gunshots. "Darcy, stay here!" I hear Jay say.

Coral disappears from my vision to probably go outside. Where's Noble? They can't go outside with him, it's too loud. I slowly sit up and my vision is extremely blurry. I can barely see what's in front of me so I stretch my arms out to stop me from bumping into anything as I slowly walk to the gunshots.

After minutes of stumbling, I feel the door and find it open. I exit the hospital. "Darcy go back!" Shouts Coral. "What's going on?"

"It's the army. There are other people Darcy. We'll be okay!" I hear Ruby exclaim. All I can see are blurry figures in front of me and I can't quite walk properly, I keep stumbling.

"No! Wait! She's not a zombie!" I hear Jay shout before I hear a loud gunshot.

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A/n: I can't believe this is the last chapter and it ended on such a sad note. I'm so happy that this is the second book I've finished omg. I hope you all enjoyed the book, I'm gonna miss writing the characters lol