"Well just imagine my luck," Angie mutters as She touches the gashes and winces with a grim expression. Adam quickly sifts through his backpack for a roll of bandages he may or may not have stolen from the medical tent before they left.
"It's ok," Adam tries to calm her, "The only way that you can get infected is through a direct bite. The virus spreads throughout the bloodstream but can only be activated through chemicals in the saliva. You only got scratched, so you should be fine," I look down and see that the cuts are both bleeding a decent amount, "Here, I'll patch you up." 1067Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ14BPxTjeNe
Angie nods with gratitude, and gives me a weak smile, "You know Adam, a month ago I never would have imagined that you'd have a P.H.D in zombie anatomy. How the hell do you know all this stuff anyways?"
"From my work in the med-center at the base. Dr. Reese has figured out a ton about how this virus and the infected work through her research. She's been kinda training me as her understudy," Adam unwraps a small section of the roll and begins to apply it around Angie's wound. 1067Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUrlNsaDvXM
"That's pretty impressive. Maybe you'll become a doctor or some shit like Mom and Dad always wanted." Angie says sarcastically.
"To think that a few weeks ago I was stressing to death over my AP Government final and you were getting hammered at college parties. I hated that class, but I'd do anything to have the world go back to normal."
"Same here," Angie agrees, "Who knows, this new world might be better in some ways."
"Oh really?" her comment catches Adam off guard, "How so?"
"Well, I don't have to work and freak out about classes. It almost seems like a movie, or...or one of those 'choose your own adventure' books."
"Let's just hope that we make the right choices then. I don't want to turn the page just to read that we fall off a cliff or something " Adam grins as he finishes tying the bandage strip around his sister's arm, "Is it too tight?"
Angie stretches her arm and rubs the bandage, "Nope. It feels great. Thanks, Adam." She gives him a hug and then picks up the water again, taking a generous gulp.
"So," Adam begin, "We should start moving soon. It's almost dark and they're probably waiting for us. The zombies get worse at night remember?"
"Yeah, I don't need the reminder. Learned my lesson there." she hands the canteen back to Adam and stands up, shouldering her duffel bag. "It's a few miles away from here right?"
30 Minutes Later
"Hands up, prepare for inspection," an armed guard shouts at the two, rifle at the ready. They finally made it back home. The base itself isn't actually that bad. There are thick walls that rise three meters high, and there are numerous guard towers positioned around the camp. There are dozens of tents scattered around the massive, enclosed area, and in the middle lies a fancy, two-floor ranch house. That's where the leader and his crew lives. The rest of the people reside in the tents. Angie and Adam, however, live in a bunkhouse attached to the main building. It's where all of the "Hunters" live. They get a little special treatment since they risk their necks to search for supplies and sustain the community.
"Hey we're fine," Adam yells back, continuing to walk towards the gate, "Open up."
Suddenly there's a gunshot and a bullet flies into the ground a few feet in front of him. He jumps back and raises his hands above his head. "Jeez alright." Two guards come out to check them for bites, and soon they're cleared for entry. Thankfully they didn't see Angie's bandages. Those guards really suck at their job.
The population of the camp is currently right around fifty members, which is far too many for a peaceful utopia. Fights break out almost daily, over food, medicine, and other necessities. Angie and Adam make their way over to the large supply tent and get in line behind a girl about Adam's age. She's depositing a bag with a large first aid kit and a couple vials of prescription pills inside.
"Great work Mia, this'll definitely be put to good use." The woman behind the makeshift counter says with a smile.
"No problem, I hope it will." Mia turns and offers a small wave towards the siblings. "Hey guys, find anything good?" Adam knew Mia from school, not well, but she was in his grade before everything went downhill. She's another member of the scavenging team.
"Oh yeah," Adam laughs, "We hit the jackpot." He takes off the duffel bag and places it on the counter, unzipping it to reveal a ton of canned foods, MRE's, and water bottles. Angie does the same and Adam crosses his arms in a triumphant gesture.
"Damn that's a lot of food," They turn and are greeted by the tall figure of the camp's leader. Caesar. It's not his real name, but everyone calls him that. He's the one who started to build this base years ago, fearing something catastrophic like this would happen. And a good thing too. "You two must've fought through hell to get it back here safely."
Mia steps back, sounding a bit nervous, "I'll catch you guys later," she walks off towards the bunkhouse.
Caesar also used to be a member of a biker gang. Many of the guards and soldiers here were too. He's a heavily built man in his late forties, with numerous tattoos on his arms and neck.
"Anyways, I need to speak with both of you. I think you're going to like what I have to say."
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