Broken Silence

Fading

Bright, disturbing light burns into my eyelids. It fills me with a sort of warmth, even though it's slightly annoying. I just want to sleep.

I roll over, but wince, instantly regretting my decision.

My eyes fly open, taking in my surroundings.

Hay beneath me, cold and stiff.

Red, faded walls. Wooden and chipped.

Stacks of hay-bales sit solemnly in the corners.

To my left, a gaping hole in the wall that lets in the blinding sunlight.

I can tell I'm higher than ground level, the tips of pine trees swaying just outside the giant hole.

I don't see any other people, or flesh eaters. Which is good and bad.

I try to sit up, but again, I regret my decison. A searing, vengeful pain rips through my entire body.

I force through it and shove myself to a sitting position.

From here, I can see a rickety staircase that leads down to what I presume is the first floor of this barn-like building. Hay bales and moth-eaten cloth have been halfheartedly thrown on top of the stairs to act as a sort of barricade.

A stash of food and weaponry are piled beside the almost concealed stairwell.

But there's no way I'll be getting to any of it.

I slowly, painfully drag my hand to my neck, only to find that it's been bandaged carefully. It's damp and soggy and when I pull my hand away my fingers a sticky and black. But still, it's better than nothing.

I cough suddenly, which surprises me a bit. The gross, dark liquid Erupts from my mouth, lathering the hay around me.

Great.

I look down, staring my neck. All the hay around me within three feet is black.

Even better.

I cough again, only adding to the bloody masterpiece.

How did this even happen? The sickness? The black blood? The "zombie disease" if you will.

Where did I get it from? I certainly want bitten, not that I can recall anyways.

The only plausible answer I can think of is Snake Eyes. When he stabbed me.

I think it was yesterday, or maybe two days ago. I don't know how long I've been asleep.

But when Mr. Stupid-Ass-Snake-Eyes tried to cut into my neck, maybe there was flesh eater blood on the blade or something? Maybe when he dug the knife into my neck it mixed into my bloodstream? Maybe he really did succeed in killing me, but in a sort of prolonged, extra painful, evil way.

Sudden footsteps disrupt my thoughts. Wait. Footsteps. I can hear them. My ears work again!

"Hurry!" Someone shouts. Yes, my ears are not broken!

"I am hurrying, you idiot!" Comes a reply.

"Oh, stop your whining! If it weren't for you, we'd have been back by now!" I think it's Mitch, but I'm not sure.

"If it wasn't for me? Your the one who had to pick the goddamned flowers!" Kara says. Definitely Kara.

"Well, she's dying! I want her to at least be happy!"

I watch quietly as the cloth and hay-bales are shoved from the staircase. Mitch and Kara emerge cautiously.

Mitch's eyes light up when he sees me.