Both Needed The Walking Dead

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Both Needed The Walking Dead

Erin had lit a small candle to light up the room in the attic she had decided to use as her bedroom. Taking out her little red notebook she began to write her findings of the day.

The virus seems to be airborne. Even if a person is living when they are killed they can still become The Dead. It's as if all Living are currently infected. There's something about the Brain though. I'll need to collect any books I can find that talk about brain function. There has to be a way to isolate the virus, and the more I learn about how the dead become fully dead the better my chances are of defeating the virus. Tomorrow I will head into the city and get to the local library. I will gather any research journals I can find and then head to the hospital. If I die, I hope whoever picks up this journal decides to continue my work.

After dating the journal entry, Erin closed the book with a heavy sigh. She rose to check her traps a final time, wanting to be sure before she closed her eyes that even the slightest movements would be detected. She attached the early warning string that ran along the front and back door entrances to her finger lightly. Any living or dead that crossed the threshold would cause the string to tug and that would be all she needed to get up and make her escape that she had planned. She needed all the rest she could get with the task she had decided to undertake. Erin let her head rest on the makeshift pillow of her military issue duffel bag and let her eyes close for the first time in over 32 hours. Tomorrow, the real work would begin.
 
Faith sighed, stepping inside the broken station. In one swift glance, she noticed that most of the supplies had already been taken. She sighed, walking to th back room, where most of the extra items were held. Fortunately, the door was still shut and locked. She pulled out her python. Making sure nothing and nobody was around, she shot the lock. Unfortunately, the shot echoed for miles. She winced, kicking the door in.

Grabbing as many supplies she could fit in her bag as quickly as possible, muttering under her breath. She hoped and prayed nobody heard the shot.
 
When the sound of a gunshot in the distance filled her ears Erin's bright green eyes bolted open as if she were a deer caught in the headlights. She had become used to light sleeping, and so anything that sounded even remotely close tended to wake her up. It was a single shot, perhaps it was someone taking the easy way out, she sat up in her makeshift bed and waited to see if there were more shots. Glancing out the window she kept at her back she watched the distance, seeing if there were any dead outside, or signs of hostile groups of the living. She saw a few dead roaming around but not enough to alarm her. She knew better than to head towards the sound of a shot, as it usually meant one of two things, a brawl of living or a horde of the dead. The thoughts came as they often did, what if someone was hurt, or needed help? she fought the thoughts off for a while, not wanting to get involved, but eventually she talked herself into checking it out. Gathering her blanket into the top of her duffel bag she aimed the cross bow out the window and aimed for the ground with the barbed arrow head. Attaching the rope to the back end loop she fired the first silent shot and nodded to herself when she heard it secure itself into the hard earth. The second shot the other end of the rope, which she shot into the main beam of the roof. A good tug let her know the line was secure. Taking the crossbow and using it as a zip-line she let herself go out the window and land easily onto the ground. With a practiced move she tugged on the line and ripped out the bolt from the roof beam and let it drop to the ground with a soft thunk. She coiled the rope, and pulled out the second part of the line from the ground, attaching the device to the outside of her pack.

Erin made her way quietly through the city, using the side roads as often as possible. She knew what signs to look for, the gathering of the dead, which direction they seemed to be drawn to. There were a few close calls, but the hunting knife she kept at the ready made it easier to avoid being caught by the dead. A good sized group of the dead seemed to be headed towards what looked like a 7/11 station. There weren't a lot of ways for her to assess the situation on the inside, so waiting was the safest option, rather than barging into what could be a very bad situation. Glancing around the area she saw a fire escape that led to the roof of a tall apartment complex, it gave her enough vantage point to at least be of use if something were going on.
 
Shuffling and moans were the first sign Faith knew to look for. As the first moans and yells first ignited, she hauled ass. Grabbing what few cans of non-perishable food that would fit in her bag, she made her way back towards the front of the store. What she saw made her heart sink. 4 men stalked their way inside, weapons raised. She tried turning back, but her foot crunched glass. Her muscle tensed as one of the men on the left yelled, gesturing towards where she was. She didn't know who fired the first shot, but all she knew was pain went off like a nuke in her left leg. She bit down a scream, firing blindly towards one of them. A grunt was heard, then a loud thump.

She crawled backwards, tears springing up in her eyes. The pain was unimaginable. Grabbing her rifle, she aimed it at the door. As one of the men burst through it, his chest was layered with a full clip of 5.56 mm ammo. He died immediately. She didn't care if the shots were heard for miles. She cared about not being eaten alive, and stopping the bleeding. Two men were left, but they didn't approach her. After seeing what happened to their friends, they would choose their next actions carefully.
 
Caroline Douglas sat behind the desk in the lobby, her muddy boots propped on top. She was reading The Road by Cormac McCarthy - ironically, her favorite book. It was the library's copy, so she considered it her own. After the onslaught of undead walking around, Caroline had to make decisions. The school she taught at held no hope of surviving. It was lucky she even made it out alive. She had returned home, her professional clothes ripped and bloodied. Her husband never made it. She packed the necessities and left for the library, her second job.

She had a key and had decided to hole up among her books. She had a 9mm hand gun strapped to her thigh over top skinny jeans and a black sleeveless top. Her blonde hair was messily pulled up in a bun. She had laid low for a few days. She tried to run for supplies once a week, but this week had been especially noisy. Even now, she heard the sounds of a car alarm and some random gun shots. She flipped the page in her book, thankful she was safe indoors.
 
Erin watched the scene bellow, the four men became two but the woman didn't seem to really have her footing yet. Erin steadied her breath and knocked an arrow into her crossbow. Taking aim she let the arrow fly, it went between the two men, missing them both, but landing just in front of them. A note was attached to the end of the arrow reading Run or Die Simple, but effective. Erin kept glancing to the side streets as well, the longer she waited to take action, the more the dead would be attracted to the noise. Hoping her note would be enough to make the men leave she made her way quickly down the fire escape and made her way to the 7/11. If the men had left she would try and reach the woman and get her to safety as best as she could. If the men did not leave by the time she arrived Erin would have to use her trusty dagger on the living.
 
Faith's breathing started to die down, and she looked down at her leg. A chunk was missing out of it, blood pulsing from the wound. She gasped, leaning her head back. She tore a piece of cloth from her shirt, using it to tie a tourniquet. As she tightened it, she screamed in agony, the pain too much for her to bear. Tears streamed from her eyes, and she quickly realized that the other two men had left. Using the nearby shelves and table, she hoisted herself up. She hopped on one leg, gasping for breath. She loaded a bullet into her Python, and filled her M16 clip with more ammo. 15 bullets left. She switched the gun to semi auto before hopping back out in the store. The first guy to die had a bullet hole drilled staright through his chest, while the other continued to bleed.
 
Whoever that person on the ground was she was lucky that Erin was quick on her feet. A breath of relief escaped her lips as she realized the two men who were there before had decided to leave. She didn't like when she had to take on the living and the dead. Her feet carried her quickly over to the store front and held up her hands in a gesture of good will.

"Hi there. I don't want to alarm you, but the dead are coming. Will you let me help you get to someplace safe?"

Erin's green eyes didn't show fear, but she tried to keep her facial expressions as non-hostile as she possibly could. Her hunting knife she had placed back in it's holster at her waist and her crossbow was secured to her bag for good measure. She keep her eyes on the face of the woman before her, trying to get a read on her actions. The sight of the pistol didn't frighten her as much as it used to when she had just started her journey through this living hell.

"There's a Library not too far from here, according to the hours it should have been kept locked up when things went south.. I'm hoping it's safe to trust you.. It's just not in me to leave one of the living hurt and alone."

The world had taken a lot from Erin, including her trust of strangers, but her father's teachings lived on in her, and she couldn't leave someone defenseless and alone.
 
Faith was panting by the time she was halfway across the store. Seeing the sudden appearance of someone at the front caused her to whip out her Python, even if her aim was shaking horribly. "O-only if y-you can help me fix m-my leg..." She managed to get out, her body shaking violently. She was drained of color and she was close to fainting. Her normal icy blue eyes had turned to a dull grey, and they were unfocused. She managed to get the word "help" out before collapsing. During the conflict, she hadn't realized one of the men had shot her in the side. She weakly looked up at the woman, shuddering. "Please..." She whispered before passing out.
 
Erin rushed into the store and slid her bag onto the floor as she landed on her knees besides the collapsed female. She cursed under her breath as she fumbled through her bag for the makeshift trauma kit, then looked around the store for stabilizers she could use to keep the leg from moving.

"I know you cant hear me.. but it's a damn good thing you passed out because this is going to hurt."

Erin lifted the woman's shirt to get to the side wound and poured on a medical powder that caused clotting of the wound. Normally this would sting but since the patient had passed out she wouldn't feel it till later. After wrapping the wound on her side, she moved onto the leg wound. Erin cleaned the wound as best as she could before the sounds of moans and shuffling of the dead as they moved. Erin found some broom and mop handles in the supply area and used some rope in her bag to secure the leg so that it was stable for transport. The next task was the hardest, but luckily the woman didn't look too heavy. Stuffing the woman's bag into her own she wore it on her front side. She then squatted down and grabbed the woman's left arm and leg and used as much strength as she could to muster to put the injured female onto her back.

"Okay, we're gonna get someplace safe.. just.. keep breathing, I dont want to have to add you to the list of the dead." She watched cautiously as one of the men who had died began to reanimate. Noting for later that the other one didn't get up as fast. She adjusted the woman on her back and made her way as carefully as she could out the back entrance and towards the library. As long as she could get inside and find a clear room to stay safe, then she could make sure the woman stayed alive through the night.
 
Faith groaned, the powder causing pain even as she was unconscious. Eventually she woke up, and the pain she felt was beyond what even her human body could handle. She fought to bite down her scream, her teeth sinking into her cheek. The cold metallic taste of blood filled her mouth, and she sobbed slightly. "Where.... are you taking me?" She moaned softly between the female's steps. She shuddered, then promptly passed out once more.
 
Hearing that the young woman had woken up while on her shoulders was both good and bad. She needed to get someplace stable. As she made it to the front steps of the library she put down the young woman on the stoop and tried the door. It tugged but it didn't quite open which told Erin that it was just a simple lock. Taking a look around her surroundings she realized that she had the time to pick the lock without breaking the internal cylinder that held it. Taking a calming breath Erin took the small foldable wallet out of her back pocket and got to work on the lock. It wasn't all that hard of a lock but it was still difficult to do while trying to focus on too many things at once. She felt for the signs of the lock clicking into place.

"Okay, let's get you into that library and see if we cant help you."

She picked up the poor woman and took her into the first lockable room she could find, running back to close and lock the front door.
 
Faith groaned lightly as she was set down, goosebumps running up and down her arms. The pain had died down lightly, but it was still agonizing. Once she finally came to her senses and remained like that. "Wh-where are we?" She muttered, trying to stand up and instead causing a lance of pain through her leg. She winced, yelping slightly.
 
"Try not to move. Your leg is in bad shape and you have a through-and through wound in your side. I need to get you cleaned up and try and cauterize the bleeding. You're more than likely going to pass out from the pain... and I'm sorry.. but it's the only chance we have of saving that leg of yours."

Her voice was calm and sure, she didn't look or act panicked as she got to work opening her bag and searching for the items she needed. Gauze, wrappings, needles and stitching thread, a half empty bottle of vodka, some hand sanitizer, and a container of what looked like long matches, though they we cautery sticks from a dentist's office she had found. Taking a breath to settle her nerves she nodded once as if going through the plan in her head before she got to work on her patient.

"Okay, first thing's first, I need to clean out the wound in your side and then close it. Ready?"

She waited for a response before washing her hands with the sanitizer and preparing herself for what she was about to do. If the woman agreed, she would clean out the wound with the vodka and cauterize where the bleeding was found with the match sticks. It would feel just like it sounds, burning the flesh and leaving behind a tar-like stain. Once Erin was satisfied that the bleeders were under control she use the needle and thread to close the wound as efficiently as her skilled allowed. It would scar in the long run, but her reading of medical books helped her to know what to do. Once both side of the wound were closed she would place gauze over the wound and wrap her waist.

Moving onto the leg was more difficult. Erin took out a pair of tweezers and would begin to remove anything that was natural to the human body. small rocks, glass pieces, dirt that was large enough to see. This was where the pain would get worse. The patient would have a slight tugging sensation as she removed the items from her skin. Once it was clean enough that there was nothing visible in the wounds she would pour the last of the vodka over the leg, making sure to get as much of it as she could so as to keep it clear of infection as much as possible. Closing this wound would be more difficult. She would cauterize as much as she could with the matches, she had a full pack when she started but that would be cut down by a quarter by the time she was done. Knowing the next part was going to be the hardest on her patient she removed the make-shift tourniquet the woman had made and sighed in relief when there was no more visible bleeding. No arteries were nicked which was a very good sign. She closed the sound and dressed it, wrapping it just tight enough to ensure it was kept clean, but allowing good blood flow. When she was done she sat on the floor, exhausted. With her work done, she took out one of the medical books she had not yet finished and continued to read about how to find medicinal herbs in the world.

"All we can do now is wait.. you should be okay within a few days.."
 
She nodded. "I'll try my best." She steeled her nerves for the pain that was waiting her. "As ready as I'll ever be." She replied, clenching her jaw. She then brought a bandanna out of her pocket. She nodded, gesturing for the woman to go ahead. She gripped the steps, letting her leg stretch out. She laid back sighing. This was going to suck. Majorly.

She looked over at the female, a look of thanks in her eyes. "Just do whatever you need to do."

Faith passed out within the first minute. With a scream muffled by the cloth, tears sprung up in her eyes. Muscles tensed, she screamed, making sure the cloth decreased the sound. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, her muscles as tight as spandex.
 
Now that the deed was done, Erin, still reading her book on herbs, listened for the breath sounds that told her the patient she was working on might be waking up. She had a bottle of warm water beside her at the ready, wishing is was chilled even if it was just a little bit. The room they were in was fairly small, a conference room. it has a glass back wall that looked into the main library. The place itself was a little disheveled, books and tables strewn across the floor. It was the apocalypse after all, not many places were kept up very well.

Erin's green eyes returned to the book she read as she sat, curled up on the side wall. It was going to be a long night, listening for the dead and to make sure the woman in front of her stayed on the list of the living. She took her knife from it holster at her waist and let it sit idly beside her, ready to use it if it came to that.
 
With a low groan, the injured female finally woke up. She moaned, slowly raising her arm to her head. "Am I dead? If not, it feels it." She muttered, the chuckled softly to herself. She slowly sat up, wincing as a spear of pain ran through her ribs. She hissed, gritting her teeth. She looked over at the woman who'd saved her life. "Thank you. I owe you my life. And some more." She managed to stand with the help of a table, grunting. Her leg was weak, and she put most of her weight on her good leg.

She hobbled over to the girl, sliding down beside her. "So, where exactly are we?" She asked, her voice coarse from all the yelling and screaming. She was shaking violently, her skin still deathly pale. Slowly, her complexion came back though.
 
Caroline heard the front doors rattling. The dead? They normally weren't interested in quiet places. She stood, book in hand, and peered around to the door. Two bodies were at the door. Two alive bodies, and one was picking her front lock.

"Shit," Caroline whispered as she darted to the back of the office. She threw her book on her bag, on top of her makeshift cot, and grabbed her handgun from her hip. She heard movement within the library. The conference room?

Caroline cocked her gun, loading the chamber, as she eased herself to the conference room. She heard the two talking in low voices beyond the door. She emerged through the doorway, gun pointed, and exhaled.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?"
 
Erin smiled softly to the woman who was already moving after she had been shot. She hoped her work would hold, but knew that it was better if the woman could rest as much as they could. She closed the book she was reading and placed it gently in her lap.

"We're at the Atlanta Public Library. My name's Erin, by th--"

Erin hadn't finished speaking when she saw movement by the doorway her expression of calm turned to stone as she gripped her blade and wired around so fast her hair was like a whip behind her. She glared through emerald green eyes looking past the barrel of the gun that was currently being pointed at her. She used her body to protect as much of the injured person behind her as she could.

"I'm a researcher.. looking for the cure to the dead. I'm not here to steal food, just books."

Her statement was clear, practiced, and emotionless as she held her defensive stance. She had found that when she mentioned her research first she was less likely to be shot at before she could get to the explanation. She wasn't exactly in the best of circumstances as it were, having been caught off-guard and not having a gun herself. Erin had a strong distaste for guns. they were loud, and caused too much damage.
 
Faith looked over, eyes slowly widening. Her breath hitched in her chest. The least she needed now was a another attack. "Ma'am, calm down. We're not here for loot, just information. Besides, I'm not that much of a threat." She gestured at her injured and broken form. She managed to keep from yelling as more pain lanced through her side once again. (Sorry if it's short. Exams got me like ;-;)
 
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