A Different Virus - Laura's Story

Chapter 117

We just finished breakfast when Kerry approached. Kerry sighed sadly, "A mouse chewed some wires last night and the cooler failed. Can you possibly donate some more blood sometime today?"

Diane scratched her head while she thought. Once she donated blood, she would be down for the count and it was barely breakfast. Amber and others wouldn't begrudge her napping all day while they worked if she donated blood, but that approach bothered Diane. People would happily do whatever chore she had planned on doing.

The traders weren't leaving until tomorrow, so there wasn't a rush unless someone was bitten by a zombie and we hadn't even seen one in the last two days.

Diane tilted her head, "Why not tonight after supper? I don't have anything planned then and I will be back on my feet by morning. Laura will have to run with someone else though. We can either cancel fighting training or people can spar using what they already know."

That was Diane's usual preference. She preferred to give blood after supper so she could just relax and eventually head to bed early. Kerry knew that if an emergency popped up that Diane would immediately respond and change their arranged plans. I nodded my acceptance, it wasn't the first time I had run with Todd before.

Ace commented, "Today will be my third day. In some older forms of fighting, many close friends would cut their palms and let their blood mingle in handshake. I consider her to be good friend and sparring partner. Would it be possible for Diane and me to do that? Assuming Diane doesn't object of course."

That sounded kind of creepy to my mind. Although now that I thought about it, some of the movies my father watched the fighters often used the term blood brother and they cut their palms to share blood. I still thought it was kind of gross.

Kerry looked somewhat surprised, but shrugged, "It is fine by me. I can take blood from her other arm. Scared of needles I presume?" Ace made a face and Kerry laughed, "No worries. You are not the first to detest them. Diane isn't fond of needles either."

We all looked at Diane, who shrugged, "I see no harm in it. I cut my palm three times before with no issues." She looked at Ace, "If we both do this tonight, neither of us is going to be in good shape. You won't be getting much sleep tonight."

Ace nodded easily, "I know. This will allow me to avoid a needle and shouldn't interfere with Kerry's plans."

Diane chuckled, "You are almost as bad as me. A cut or bruise is nothing, but a needle? Those things belong in horror stories."

I giggled as the others chuckled at her response.

We washed our dishes and left to go do some work. I helped collect eggs from the chickens and herd the cows out to the pasture outside the gate. We brought them back in every night, but it gave them much more grazing. Ace was tagging along with us, so we chose things that he could help with without needing Heartfire stamina.

Supper came and went and, before I knew it, we were entering a room carved into the cliff that had been built as a medical wing. It was on the ground level so we didn't have to worry about carrying a wounded person up a ladder.

Kerry was already set up in a back room. She had a typical chair seen in hospitals when drawing blood. She had a folding chair just off to the side for Ace. Diane made a face at the needles, but took a seat. I went to sit against the wall so I wouldn't be in the way.

Diane drew her belt knife and set it on her leg as Kerry finished the last of her preparations. Diane's eyes were already slightly unfocused as she concentrated on her feelings. Kerry would be ready long before Diane managed to make her blood glow. It was not an instantaneous process.