Infected

The Beach

I woke up dry and warm. The storm last night was brutal. The wind howled so loud, it woke me up a couple of times, but I fell back asleep anyways. The rain pounded the building, but never seeped in. I pulled off the sleeping bag and tapped the light button. It glowed bright for a washed-up phone(because that's how I found it). I pulled the can of peaches closer and looked inside. It was the same as yesterday. Good. I didn't want any rats trying to get in my leftovers again.

I ate quickly and decided to keep the can. If I found anything, I could use it as a container. I put it in the far corner to keep it out of the way. I picked up my shoes and felt of them. They were dry. I slipped them on and pulled my pack on. Today, I was going to take a quick shower in the ocean, then go out farther to find anything. I searched almost every trash can at the docks, and they're almost all empty. But I had to look. I crawled through the vent back outside. It was warm, but still cloudy like yesterday.

I walked down the docks to the ocean. The water wasn't choppy, but almost touched the pier. I pulled out a small hidden can under a crate and pulled a towel out of it. It was thin, but it would dry. I took my socks and shoes off and put them under the crate. Then, I took the rest of my clothes off and slid them in. Hopefully, no one was looking.

I put a foot in and shivered. It was cold from the rain last night. I needed one, though. Just a quick wash. In and out. I stepped off and plunged down. I got chills as I went down deeper into the cold seawater.

Then, something hard hit me on the side.

"Ah!" I yelped, releasing bubbles of oxygen. I scrambled up in the water.

I felt it hit me again.

I broke the surface and scrambled for the deck.

BAM!

A wave came up and hit my head on the side of the pier. I saw stars and felt a sharp pain just above my left ear, but I couldn't stop, or I'd drown. On the next wave, I grabbed the side and pulled myself up. I picked up my towel and rubbed the spot on my head. I winced as I slowly dried it, then pulling it around the other side of my head and getting the water off. I wrapped it around my waist and looked over the edge at the sickly waves.

What was that? A shark?

I sighed and pulled my clothes on. My aching head really dampened my mood. I didn't feel like going for a scavenge, now. At least I wasn't bleeding.

I decided to take a walk on the beach and cool down a little. I walked to the edge where the pier met up with the sandbar and jumped down four feet. I put my hands in the pockets of my jacket as I walked on the sand. I looked down, not watching where I was walking, and kicked a rock into the water. I found a seashell and put it in my pocket. I closed my eyes and just walked. It wasn't long, though, when my foot hit something hard. I opened my eyes, but I wish I never did.

What my foot hit was a face. A pale, bloody, human face. Staring up at the sky. At me.

"Ah!" I shouted and fell back on the sand in shock. I looked around in horror. It wasn't the only body on the beach.

There were several scattered across the shoreline. They were pale and bloody, and some even had gaping holes in them and missing limbs. There was a couple still being pulled by the small waves. I looked out and saw a body floating on the open water.

Then I realized what happened.

That wasn't a shark that hit me.

That had to be a dead body.

"Oh..." I didn't finish speaking and puked right where I sat. When I stopped, I wiped my mouth clean with my sleeve. Those peaches didn't stay long.