Fragile Hearts [DANGEROUS FELLOWS]

⚠️NINE: INFECTED⚠️

You jumped from the blankets so fast you slid on them and lost your balance, teetering forward and crashing into the door. You regained your footing and threw it open, running down the hall towards the stairs. Just as you began to descend you heard someone else's classroom open as well, and Eugene burst out.

"Where are you going?" he shouted after you, but you ignored him, going down the steps and then jumping down the last four. You heard Eugene's steps behind you as he gave chase.

"Are you trying to run away again?" he pressed, but you still didn't answer, bolting down the hall and bursting out into the yard. The banging and screaming was louder here, and you could tell she was crying.

"Madelyn!" you cried, running towards the gates. "I'm coming!"

You could see a zombie out of the corner of your eye but you ran past it, not stopping until you got to the gates. You saw Madelyn, tears running down her scarred face and her short hair looking disheveled. Her eyes widened when she saw you, hand going over her mouth.

"(Y/n)?" she asked in disbelief. "Is it really you?"

You nodded, unable to speak. She sobbed, reaching through one of the bars to grab your hand. "Please, let me in," she begged.

"Don't worry, I got it. You're gonna be safe now," you assured her, but you froze when you saw a fresh wound on her neck.

In the shape of teeth.

You backed away, fear and dread filling all of your senses. She was infected. You finally found your best friend of years, and she was infected.

She was going to turn into a zombie.

"Please, help me!" she screamed as Eugene came up. He grabbed your arm, pulling you away from the gate, but suddenly Madelyn reached in a hand, grabbing your other arm.

Eugene pulled you and pain seared through your limbs. "Let her go!" he ordered, jerking you again.

"(Y/n), please, don't do this to me!!!" Madelyn screeched, and you saw zombies from the other side of the gate start to notice the commotion.

"Let's at least take her inside the gates, keep her separate from us but away from the zombies," you pleaded in a panicked voice as zombies started rushing towards her.

"She's infected, can't you see that huge bite?" Eugene scolded. "It's too risky."

"(Y/N)!" she begged, tears streaming down her face like waterfalls, pure desperation in her eyes.

"You're one of them now. Let go!" Eugene shouted at her. Her scared face morphed into a mask of anger and betrayal and she pulled your hand close to her mouth, opening it wide.

"Madelyn, stop!" you screamed, your vision going white with panic. You couldn't bear to have the virus in you, to slowly lose your mind and turn into a murderous zombie.

It was worse than death.

Eugene cried out with effort, pulling you back and wrenching you free from Madelyn's hold. Both of you fell on the grass, pain shooting through your shoulder.

"(Y/n), please," Madelyn begged, her voice weak and raw. "Kill me, please. I don't want to die because of them."

You knew what she meant. The zombies. Your mind a haze, you looked around until you found a sharp piece of wood, gripping it in your hand and rushing forward. Madelyn pressed herself against the gate, the sound of zombies growling and snarling coming closer. You reached out to press your hand against hers, intertwining your fingers. Her cries had hushed into quiet sniffles and you held the piece of wood ready.

"Madelyn, I'm so sorry," you whispered.

"It's okay, (Y/n)," she answered just as quietly, barely heard over the crowd of zombies only a few yards away.

"Do it," she said, the sound barely above a breath. Her voice raised and she said it again, this time screaming, "do it!"

"(Y/n)!" someone called from behind you, and you pulled back the piece of wood, pushing it hard into Madelyn's abdomen. She gasped, her eyes fluttering as you drove it in, your body beginning to tremble and eyes clouding with tears. Then you pulled it out, a gargled sound escaping her throat. Her grip on your hand faded and she collapsed against the gate, sliding until she hit the ground.

Just then someone's arms wrapped around your waist, pulling you back as zombies hit the gate, reaching their rotten limbs through. Some of them stepped on top of Madelyn's lifeless body, while others stopped to eat.

You just killed your friend. You killed Madelyn.

You killed your friend.

You killed Madelyn.

Your stomach turned and you swallowed hard, but you couldn't hold back your nausea. You pulled free from whoever was holding you, emptying your stomach in a bush. Your whole body shook and you cried helplessly, tears pouring out of your eyes.

Someone knelt beside you and you saw it was Harry, who pat your back with sadness in his eyes. "It's okay, let it out," he said in his soothing voice. There was a thump of metal on flesh and you made out Ethan beating down a zombie with his bat.

"I can't take it anymore," you sobbed. "I just want it to end. Please, I just want it to end."

"Hurry, back inside, before we attract more of them," came Lawrence's voice, waving everyone back to the school building. Eugene rushed by you, and although his face was indifferent, you saw the horror in his eyes.

"Let's go," Harry said gently, trying to help you up, but your body was paralyzed and you couldn't get up. Gently he slid his arms under you, lifting you from the ground and carrying you back through the doors of the school. You couldn't stop crying, your breaths fast and panicked and heart racing. When Harry reached the top of the steps to the second floor he set you on the step, sitting down next to you.

"(Y/n), take deep breaths with me, okay?" he asked, putting his arm around you and pulling you close comfortingly. He took a deep breath in, and then a long, steady breath out, but you couldn't do it.

"Dude-" Zion began, but Harry shushed him with a firm look. He watched, scratching the back of his neck nervously.

"Deep breaths," Harry repeated, more sternly this time. He inhaled, and you managed to do the same, exhaling with him.

"Good job," he said approvingly. You kept taking deep breaths with him until you managed to calm down, your breathing and heart back to normal. The tears still came, though, and you just hung your head, letting them fall.

You felt empty inside.

Madelyn was gone forever.