Beautiful Death (Bella Morté Trilogy Book 1) (18 page)

Candice saw what was happening and shoved Sophia out of the way, throwing her own body in Erica’s path. Sophia hit the ground, sliding to the far wall. Though she didn’t mean to push her that hard, Candice wanted her out of the way. She was the doctor. Montana raced to help Sophia, tripping on the slippery floor. Sophia pointed, screaming for him to help Candice. Erica grabbed Candice with a screeching howl. Turning, she slammed her into the concrete wall. Gripping a handful of hair, she banged her head repeatedly, snapping her teeth like a vicious animal.

The constant banging of her head was enough that she almost passed out. She felt faint. Her mind grew foggy. Finally, she closed her eyes, accepting the fact that she was dead. That was when Erica lunged at her. Snapping her teeth and aiming for her throat. She leaned in close with her mouth wide open.

The shot pierced the room, echoing. It felt as if her eardrums shattered. Candice felt the spray of liquefied chunks hit her face, arms, and chest. Opening her eyes, she looked at the headless body of Erica. She pushed it off, moving away from her. The body drifted to the floor. It looked as if Candice held a watermelon and it exploded on her: seeds and all. Pieces of Erica clung to the ceiling and walls as if she just refused to let go, even in death. If that wasn’t bad enough, she was scattered in every corner of the room.

Candice cringed, gagging at the sight, as she tried to keep control. Not only was the smell horrible, but it was on her, which meant she couldn’t escape from it. “Okay. That’s just gross.” She gagged. “I hate to be a drama queen, but I’m wearing Erica all over me. Please don’t let her get in my mouth.”

Montana winced. “I’m sorry, but I didn’t have a choice. She was about to kill you.”

She wiped her face with the inside of her shirt, which was the only clean part on her body. Though it was wet with blood, it wasn’t chunks of flesh. She gagged again, stepping over the body. “I understand, but this is just so gross.” She looked at Sophia. “Are you okay? I didn’t mean to push you that hard, but I didn’t want her touching you.”

“Honey, you just saved my life. I’m sure I can handle a few bruises. I would hug ya, but… ”

“I need a shower. If I get that bad, please promise me you’ll shoot me first.”

It didn’t take long for the others to rush down the stairs, like a herd of wild animals as they fought for lead position, when they heard the shot.

Justice was the first in the door and shook his head. “Oh my God, what happened?”

Montana motioned to Candice. “She just saved Sophia’s life.”

Brandon looked around. “Nice paint job. Not sure I like the texture though.” He ducked as a piece of bloody pulp dropped from the ceiling. “Gross.”

Trevor cringed. “Nasty! So I take it Erica turned, huh?”

Sophia nodded. “Yeah, she wasn’t as nice as she has been.”

“That was her bein’ nice before?”

“Yeah, I’d hate to see ‘er bein’ mean,” Brandon said, shaking his head. “What a waste.”

Zach tried not to gag. “I remember what that felt like. It still feels like Todd is on me.”

He nudged him. “Dude, show a little compassion.”

“I am! I know exactly what that feels like.”

“Then don’t say stupid shit like ‘at.”

Candice gagged again. “That’s okay. I’m going to go take about five showers. Turn the generator on boys. This is gonna be my longest shower yet.”

Trevor held his nose. “Why do they smell so bad?”

Sophia shrugged. “Decayin’ flesh smells like ‘at.”

“It smells like those outside!”

“You should let me give ya somethin’ for the pain.”

Candice shook her head. “Why? Why waste it on the dying when the living might need it. Just keep it for when someone really needs it.”

She walked over with the needle, plunging it into her infection. “Hush you. The livin’ needs it. Stop talkin’ like ‘at.” She motioned her to the showers. “Go take your shower. I’ll see if I can find ya somethin’ clean to wear.”

After her shower, when she was clean again with River Riders shirt and shorts, she went to find Sophia. She sat down near her. “I have some more information for you to write down.”

She took out her book and pen. “Okay, what’s wrong?”

“My head and arm are killing me.”

“What do ya mean by killin’ you? Is it a shootin’ pain, throbbin’, or just all over?”

“It feels like there’s this fire creeping through my body.”

Sophia nodded, writing it down, before looking up at her. “You said ‘at before. On a level from one to ten, what’s the level o’ your pain?”

“Is ten as high as I can go?”

“Yes.”

Candice winced. “Seven or eight, but heading close to nine.”

“Yeah, that’s bad. Do ya need another shot?”

She shook her head. “No. I know it’s the poison going through my body.”

“Ya mean infection.”

“Same thing. Before I get as bad as Erica was, I think I should go in the room. Now that she’s not there, there’s no reason not to.”

Justice shook his head. “No way, ya just got bit! We know from watchin’ Erica an’ what’s-his-name, ya have at least five days before ya go nutso on us.”

Brandon nodded. “Yeah, he’s got a point. We do enjoy your company.”

She shook her head. “You can still talk to me through the door.”

“It’s not the same.”

“What if this is highly contagious and I sneeze on you?”

Justice shrugged. “So, we’ll make you a mask.”

“Or one of you accidentally picks up my cigarette? Or you drink after me?”

Trevor winced. “Oh, well yeah, I guess ‘at could happen.”

“Yes, it could. I’m not ready to infect anyone.”

Sophia nodded. “Okay honey. If you’re sure that’s what ya want.”

“I’m no different than Erica.”

“Yes, you are.”

Brandon nodded. “Yeah, we happen to like you.”

She chuckled. “Thanks. Regardless… We couldn’t get her in the room fast enough.”

“We didn’t know as much about it as we do now.”

“Really? What do we know about it?”

He thought about it before shaking his head. “Um, not much.”

“Exactly. The same applies. The danger is still there.”

Trevor scoffed. “Yeah, but she was a bitch.”

“Even still,” she offered a weak smile. “Please guys, don’t make this any harder than it already is, okay?”

She turned, walking down the hall to the storeroom. Taking a deep breath, she pushed the code and entered the room, pulling the door behind her. The sound it made was so final, like the slamming of a jail cell. She turned; ready to face the remains of Erica.

The room was clean. It looked like someone took a hose to it and washed it off. It was still a little damp, but at least it wasn’t filthy. Breathing a sigh of relief, she walked back to the far wall and sank down onto the ground. She placed her hands on top of her head. “Go camping, I said. We’ll have fun, I said. This was a wonderful fucking idea, Candice. Are you having fun yet?” She muttered, rolling her eyes.

The door opened a little while later. Sophia entered with another needle. “Hey baby girls, how ya feelin’?”

She flinched. “The pain’s getting worse.”

“What is your level now?”

“Ten and going higher.”

“Is it still your head an’ arm?”

Candice shook her head. “No. I feel like my whole body is achin’. My head feels like it’s about to explode, an’ my arm… I feel like the fire is burnin’ my flesh.”

“I have another shot for you.”

“I’m almost tempted to say put me in the freezer. I don’t think it can get any hotter.”

“Honey, it’s not that hot in here.”

“Are you sure? I feel like I’m sitting in a pan of hot water, boiling on the stove.”

“That’s the virus. Montana kicked on the generators an’ turned up the AC to help ya. The rest of us have to keep walkin’ outside. It’s like the arctic in here. He’s freezin’ us out. He’s gonna have to turn it off soon. That’s why he’s givin’ it full power now. He thought it might help ya out a bit.”

“Tell him thanks, but I can’t feel it. No reason to freeze everyone else.”

“This shot should help ya sleep an’ relieve some o’ the pain.”

“Really, you should save that for someone who might need it later. You’re just wasting it on me.”

“Shush. I’ll not hear that kinda talk from you. Sleepin’ is always good when you’re sick. It helps the body heal an’ recharge. It might be what ya need to fight this. Ya know, if we were back in medieval times, you’d be the one in the village goin’ out to save us from the fire breathin’ dragon.”

Candice chortled. “Now I can see that happening; me fighting off a fire-breathing dragon while trying to stop him from burning me to a crisp; just call me extra-crispy Candice.” She winced as she got the shot. “I think you’d be right there beside me. It would be both of us trying to keep the dragon from scorching our asses. Sounds like fun to me.”

“Your idea o’ fun an’ mine are totally different.”

“Watch out for the guys, will ya? Keep an extra eye on Zach, because without me around, he’s gonna fuck up a lot.”

Sophia sighed. “I’ll do my best. I’m gonna go do this autopsy.”

“Give my regards to Erica. Tell her I’ll be seeing her soon with an ass whipping.”

“Stop that! You can will yourself to death. You can will your body to shut down an’ you’ll die, sometimes in as little as three months. If anyone can fight this bloody thing, you can. You put it in your head an’ heart that you can an’ will beat it! I know you’ve heard o’ mind over matter. It’s true.”

Candice smiled. “Okay. I’ll fight it. I’ll see you on the other side of that door when I recover.”

“Good. I’ll make sure there’s plenty for ya to eat when ya do.”

It didn’t take long for Candice to go to sleep; pressed up against the back wall with her head on the top of her bent knees, arms cradling them to her chest.

Fourteen

A couple of hours later, Sophia made her way into the break room. Splotches of blood covered her clothing. She peeled off the bloody latex gloves. Pulling them off inside out, she wrapped them in paper towels before shoving them in the trash.

Brandon looked over. “Is ‘at really safe?”

“It should be in a hazard material bin, but I have to work with what I have.” She sighed, pouring a cup of coffee before setting down at the table. “God, I’m so beat right now. I wish I could sleep, but I know I can’t.”

Trevor pointed to her clothes, covering his nose with his shirt. “Are you sure that blood isn’t contagious?”

“No. Once the host is dead so is the virus.”

“That doesn’t make sense if it’s air born.”

“I dunno if it’s air born or not. However, in most cases where a virus is concerned when the host dies so does the virus. So anythin’ that ya get from a dead host is a dead virus.”

Montana sipped his coffee. “So did ya find out anythin’ good?”

Sighing, she shook her head. “Not really. It seems when the virus attacked, all her organs were affected.”

“Is ‘at normal?”

“I expected that to be honest. It’s not normal when it’s somethin’ like a cold. However, this isn’t anythin’ like ‘at. It’s more like Ebola. Like I said it attacked all her organs, but I dunno what it did to ‘em. I won’t know until I can look at it under a microscope.”

Trevor winced. “How bad is it?”

“Without a microscope, I can only guess.”

Brandon nodded. “We need to find you one then. What did ya see?”

“I saw a lotta damage, but I don’t know what caused it.” She sighed. “The only thin’ we can do for Candice now is just pray an’ wait an’ see what happens.”

“Pray hard.”

Fifteen

The alarm on his phone shattered the silence and he quickly reached up and shut it off. He chose the one that sounded like a sinking ship because it was loud enough to wake the dead. However, in the small cabin of his S-10 truck, it was ear splitting. It was his idea to sleep there to avoid the partying that would happen with his return from a weeklong vacation. When he noticed his day was starting very early, it seemed like a good idea. However, with every action he took, his six-foot-three frame protested loudly with creaks and pops to the cramped accommodations. Having no room to stretch out, he slept in a tight ball all night and now he was paying the price for it.

Mark Sheen had an early tour planned that started at eight in the morning, but that wasn’t the hard part. Being the lead guide with the early morning tour meant he had to do the safety check and that took a good two hours. When he returned, late last night and checked the schedule, he immediately grabbed his gear before anyone saw he was back. He left a note for the driver and his partner just to meet him at the zip line.

Groaning, he opened his eyes and looked around. He stretched as much as possible before opening the door and stepping out. When there was actually room to move, he stretched again, emitting a loud squeak of pleasure as cramped muscles relaxed.