Page 29

At first, the pain was dull, an annoying ache drifting in the background. Then slowly it grew, spreading from her stomach to her head like a wildfire eagerly devouring everything in its path.
She moved, and suddenly she felt someone jump beside her.
Not a dream.
Her eyes flew open, met only with darkness.
"Hey—it's—"
Saff jolted away, putting an arm between herself and whoever was beside her as she grabbed for the flashlight in her pocket. Blinding pain shot through her stomach and head with each movement.
She yanked the flashlight out and clicked it on, shining it immediately to her left.
The girl from her dream stared back.
And then it all came back: the fight, her head being smashed against the asphalt, the knife piercing her side, the horde of zombies.
She moved the flashlight around the room. It looked familiar, but she couldn't quite remember why.
"How are you feeling?" the girl asked carefully.
Saff cleared the dryness from her throat, the effort sending unpleasant shock waves through her head. She moved her hand up to her temple and gently prodded where it hurt the most. Dry, crusted blood covered that side of her face and matted into her hair. She slipped her fingers over the area until she found the source. It was sensitive, but it didn't seem to be bleeding anymore, which was a good sign.
Then she swept the light down onto her stomach. She carefully pulled her hoodie and t-shirt up, wincing as they tugged away from her skin.
A small angry red opening trickled with blood. Although, luckily, the bleeding appeared to be nearing it's end. And based on where it was, she could safely bet that it hadn't hit anything vital.
"How do you feel?" the girl asked again.
"Fine," Saff muttered, searing pain shooting through her temples as she spoke. She shut her eyes and took a slow, deep breath. "How long have we been in here?"
"A while. I’d guess five hours at least."
Saff released a frustrated breath. That meant it would most likely be dark soon. If the bunker was, in fact, still there, she’d have a hard time finding it in the dark. It would be a safer bet to stay hidden through the night and leave in the early morning. But that also meant risking running into Mike and the others.
"Here," the girl held out a jug of water. "Drink this."
Saff looked down at it for a moment, then her gaze trailed to the floor around them.
It took her a second to realize that her backpack wasn't there. Then she remembered them taking it off. She remembered them opening it, digging through, looking at all of her stuff, and leaving it strewn about in the street.
She took a heavy breath, leaning her head back to rest against the wall.
"You need to stay hydrated," the girl said, still holding the jug out towards her.
Saff tilted her head to the side, looking at it again. "It's not smart to give away your supplies."
The girl scoffed, but the edge of her mouth tilted upward in amusement. "I'm just trying to keep you alive long enough to help me get out of the city."
Saff watched her for a moment. Then finally, she took the jug of water.
The few small sips washed relief over the dryness in her throat.
The girl sat quietly for a moment as Saff handed the jug back to her.
"The duffle bag we stashed in the hotel is big. I don't think you'll be able to carry it and make it to wherever you're going in your condition."
Saff shook her head. "I’m not going in the hotel."