Against the Rabid

There I was sneaking over tall grass into an empty abandoned drugstore. The smell of rotten eggs and ammonia burned my nose.

I crept around every corner making sure there weren't any Rabid people. "Coast is clear."

I immediately went to the medicine aisle looking for anything to help with a fever, but all I came across was five bottles of Tylenol. "I hope this helps," I said while packing up the medication into my black backpack.

I crept back out of the drugstore and into the tall grass. I looked around making sure I was safe as I held the gun in my left hand. I made it over to a broken-down gas station when I heard footsteps coming from inside.

I quickly hid behind a rustic car with blood stains indented in the cracks. "Help! Help! I need help!" A man came out of the building holding his arm as I stayed hidden trying not to breathe too loudly.

The man started to stride in my direction, "Help!"

I gripped the gun tighter and tighter the closer he got. The man wheezed and coughed as he approached the car, making me fear for my life.

"Stop! Don't get any closer!" I jumped up from behind the car pointing the gun right at his head. The man didn't react as he got closer to me foaming at the mouth. My hand shook, "Stop! I don't want to shoot!" I said while backing away.

"Please! You got to help me..." Tears were falling from his eyes and blood rolling down his arm.

I swallowed hard while sweat dripped from my forehead. "I can't... you're sick..."

The man twitched as his emotions changed to anger. More foam spilled from his mouth as he sprinted towards me.

I panicked and pulled the trigger, shooting him in the head. I watched as he fell to the ground with a thump. Tears rolled down my face as I got up onto my feet and walked in the other direction.

When I reached the abandoned house I was staying in, I looked all around to make sure I was not being followed. I put my fingers under the garage door and slowly lifted.

I walked to the other side and slowly let the garage door back down with a loud bang, almost slicing one of my fingers off.

"Callie! I'm back!" I yelled as I walked into one of the bedrooms.

Callie lay on a dirty mattress on the floor with a blanket wrapped around her. I sat on the edge of the mattress and then placed my hand on her forehead. "You still got a bad fever..."

I opened my bag and pulled out the box of Tylenol and a half-empty water bottle. "Here, you should take this." I handed her a pill and the water bottle.

"What's this?" Callie says inspecting the pill.

"It's the same thing that Mom used to give us but in pill form."

Callie squinted at me and then inspected the pill more. "Just take it... It will make you feel better." I said.

"I can't Gracie... I'm scared I'm going to choke."

I sighed loudly with frustration, "That's why you drink water with it, so you won't feel the pill go down." 

I took a pill from the bottle and placed it on my tongue, I then took a sip of water and washed the pill down. "See... not scary at all. Now it's your turn."

Callie hesitated but placed the pill on her tongue and then swallowed it with water. I took back the water bottle and placed it in my bag.

"Do you think I'll end up like the Rabid people?"

I looked over at Callie who had a serious look. "No, you don't have rabies... You just have a cold. Now, lay down and get some rest."

I took my pistol out of my bag and counted how many bullets I had left. "Have you used it on anyone?"

I paused, "Yes..."

"Was it a regular person or a Rabid?"

"Callie! No more questions!" I got up and went over to the corner of the room where our pile of sticks was.

It was still quite bright outside but the sky was beginning to turn orange. I started to rub a stick over moist moss and twigs until I saw a little spark.

I immediately started blowing and watched as the fire got bigger. I laid the fire down gently on the other sticks and twigs.

Callie began to cough making me feel uncomfortable. I grabbed my gun and pistol and laid it next to the mattress as I got underneath the blanket with Callie.

Callie laid her head on me and drifted off to sleep, while I lay there keeping an eye out for intruders.

I could feel her unnatural body warmth as my eyes started to get heavy. I tried to shake it off but I couldn't as I let the sleep take me.