Chapter Fourteen: Strange Wounds And Stranger Noises

(White Noise)

***

Allison held Nick's hand, looking at him and feeling relief all over again that his eyes were more focused than before, the pain that clouded them gone now.

Kaitlyn and Hayden still hadn't returned from when they'd left to find Ryan and Dylan. Nora had curled up beside Sarah during that time of waiting as she murmured softly to her, fingers running through her hair, while Allison sat beside Nick, body torn between alertness and exhaustion.

But the wounds were clean and disinfected. There were bandages. Nick and Sarah were awake and alert, neither of them slipping into unconsciousness once. Now, all they had to do was wait for Kaitlyn and Hayden to come back, and then for help.

It would all be okay.

Unless the infection...

No. They had to be okay. Allison and Nora had disinfected the wounds. That should give Nick and Sarah both a fighting chance until they could get proper antibiotics. It would be okay.

It would be okay.

It was that moment that the door opened, causing both Allison and Nora to turn to see Abi there, two cups in her hands.

"Hey Allison. Hey Nora," she greeted.

"Hey," the two answered in unison.

Moving to Nick, Abi kneeled down as she told him and Sarah, "Hey, I couldn't find anything to eat. Kitchen's pretty cleaned out."

"It's okay, Abi. It was probably a long shot, anyway," Sarah assured, giving her a soft smile.

"Yeah, it was a miracle I was able to find water," Nora told her.

Abi smiled, before she twisted and muttered, "Oh shoot, I left my bag..."

Twisting back around, she said to Nick and Sarah, "I-I brought you guys these."

Nick and Sarah gave appreciative smiles as Abi set the cups down and stood up, before she asked, "Where are Hayden and Kaitlyn?" 

"They went to find Dylan and Ryan," Allison informed. "I'd join them, but I had to stay here and I..."

Allison sighed heavily, exhaustion in her bones.

"You did good, Allison," Nora assured.

"Yeah. Glad I have a doctor like you to patch me up," Nick said, smiling affectionately.

Allison returned it with a tired one of her own.

"I'll go and get some extra bandages," Abi informed, going to the cabinet as Allison gave her a grateful smile.

When she did, Nick muttered, "That was... fuck, I don't even know what happened, it was all just a blur."

"It was so fast," Sarah breathed, clutching Nora's hand tight. "It was on me, and then..."

She winced, letting go to hold her shoulder as Nora held her, whispering soothingly to her as Nick looked at Allison and asked, "It didn't hurt you, right?"

"No. No, it didn't hurt me," Allison assured, carding her fingers through Nick's hair. "But just rest, okay? If you and Sarah have a chance of fighting that infection, you need to rest."

Nick nodded, slumping back as Allison's fingers stroked through his hair one last time.

But now, Allison's mind couldn't stop thinking about infection. Because even if the wounds weren't hot and inflamed, that didn't mean anything. She had to make sure it hadn't spread any further.

Looking at Nick, Allison pressed a soft kiss to his forehead before getting up and moving to Nick's leg, peeling back the bandage.

"What are you doing, Allison?" Nick asked, sitting up.

"Just checking. Rest, Nick—you and Sarah need all the strength you can get," Allison answered, voice softer than the clinical bark it'd been earlier. Now that the adrenaline and terror had worn off, that Nick and Sarah had scraped past the danger zone, that Allison had managed to stabilise them, she could breathe easier. Be softer.

Turning, Allison looked at the wound. Then frowned.

"What the hell?" she breathed, staring at the wound.

It still looked nasty, an angry red gash with blood around the edges, but that was just it. It didn't look like anything like what it was earlier, nor that infected. It wasn't inflamed, there was no pus brimming at the surface, no purpling of the flesh around the radius of the wound, nothing.

In fact, it looked like... like it was weeks old, not hours.

"What the actual fuck?" she breathed.

"What's wrong?" Nick asked, sitting up again.

Allison dropped the bandage. "Nothing. It's nothing."

"You sure? Is it infected?"

"It's fine," Allison assured as she peeled off the bandage. "But I think the blood made it look worse than it was. And since it isn't bleeding anymore, I don't think you need it bandaged."

Nora frowned, catching on to Allison's lie, but she didn't want to worry Nora, or Nick, or even Sarah if her bite was healing in the same way. Not when she was worried and confused herself, nothing about Nick's injury agreeing with anything her textbooks, or her teachers or her dad told her.

Wounds shouldn't look like that, shouldn't heal that fast.

Shouldn't they?

Swallowing it back, Allison moved to Nick's side as she asked him, "How are you feeling? The painkillers helping?"

"I'm okay. I'll be okay," Nick answered. "Thanks to you. Like I said... I had a good doctor."

Allison smiled, but it was unsure. "I'm glad to hear that. Even though Kaitlyn and Ryan and Hayden helped as well."

"Hayden... is she okay?" Nick asked, worry flickering over his face.

"She's fine. She's with Kaitlyn," Allison assured.

Nick looked relieved at knowing his sister, before he looked at her and said, "But you're here with me, even more. That helps."

It was then Kaitlyn and Hayden came back as Abi returned, arms bare and obviously having not found any more bandages, as Kaitlyn informed, "Alright, they're off to find a radio or something."

"Why?" Allison asked.

"The landline was cut," Hayden revealed.

Allison's stomach bottomed out as Nora hissed, "What?! When?!"

"Just before the power went out," Hayden told Nora, before looking out the window, worry for Dylan flashing over her face.

"What's with the—um... the—" Abi asked, pointing to the shotgun in Kaitlyn's hand.

"Oh, uh, they found another in Mr. H's office. So. Just in case. Like the axe and the bow," Kaitlyn explained.

"And this knife Nora gave me," Hayden explained. She looked at Nick and asked, "Nick, you okay?"

Nick gave a thumbs up and smile. "I'll be 'right."

Hayden gave a flicker of a smile as Abi asked, "Uh, what happened to the lights?"

"The lights are out?" Sarah asked, looking confused.

"Yeah. They went out a few minutes ago," Allison answered.

"Babe, are you alright?" Nora murmured as Sarah looked confused and scared as she whispered, "I... I don't know."

"Not sure," Kaitlyn replied to Abi's question, before she turned to Nick and Sarah. "You guys any better?"

"I'm doing okay," Nick answered. "Kinda."

"More or less same over here," Sarah responded quietly.

"Wait, are they going to the radio hut?" Abi questioned.

"Phone's dead, because of the landline. They're gonna try to send out an SOS or something," Kaitlyn explained. "We're holding down the fort."

Sarah frowned. "That's a bad idea—you should never split up in a horror movie."

"Exactly what I said to Jacob, babe," Nora said.

But before anyone could speak further, a thump sounded. A thump that sounded like... footsteps. And right above their heads.

"Fuck," Hayden hissed as they all went still, Allison clutching Nick's hand tight as he gripped hers just as tightly, all of them collectively holding their breaths as the footsteps continued, reverberating from the ceiling.

"I thought you said Dylan and Ryan already left," Abi whispered.

"They did," Hayden whispered back, eyeing the ceiling warily. "This isn't them."

Looking around at them, Kaitlyn ordered, "Stay here. I'll check it out."

"I'll come with you. Watch your back and all that," Hayden offered. "Besides, I'm the tallest one here who isn't injured. If it comes to a fight, I'll have the size advantage."

Kaitlyn chewed over it before nodding. "Okay."

"Hayden, with the knife—don't hesitate. Just stab," Nora advised.

Hayden nodded, hand sliding into her pocket to hold the knife Nora must have given her as Nick sat up and assured, "We'll be fine. Just... be careful. Especially you, Hay. Just... come back."

"I will," Hayden promised, moving forward to press her forehead against Nick's in an affectionate gesture, squeezing the fingers of his right hand with her left before she moved back to Kaitlyn, who warned, "Stay alert. Allison, keep an arrow ready. Nora, keep that axe ready as well."

Allison and Nora nodded, Allison moving to nock an arrow and Nora grabbing the axe before returning to Sarah's side as Kaitlyn and Hayden left, leaving Allison, Nora, Sarah, Nick and Abi behind.

All they could do now was wait—and hope that Kaitlyn and Hayden could make it back—as Allison kept an arrow near the bow with one hand, the other holding Nick's his face full of worry for his sister.

Please be safe, guys, she prayed. Please, please be safe and come back.

Please.

***

For the second time, Hayden and Kaitlyn were walking through the lodge, on the lookout for someone. Except this time, it was for someone decidedly unfriendly.

Hayden held the knife tightly, having pulled it out of her pocket when she and Kaitlyn had left the room, flicking the blade out. It glinted in the light as she and Kaitlyn crept forward, trying to stay silent and not alert whoever was in here of their presence, Kaitlyn quickly pumping the gun. Hayden winced at the noise, but it didn't look like it had been heard as Kaitlyn slipped the gun's strap over her shoulder.

Footsteps creaked as Hayden and Kaitlyn walked into the dining hall, sticking to the walls and trying to stay out of sight of the balcony. Hayden's grip turned clammy around the knife and she held it tighter, heart in her throat, trying to steel herself in case she needed to use it. And Hayden couldn't think of any situation where she didn't have to if it meant getting out alive.

Together, she and Kaitlyn walked up the stairs, their footsteps sounding as loud as gunshots in Hayden's ears. She swallowed, mouth dry, trying to curb back her fear as Kaitlyn's hand held hers, holding it in comfort before letting go as they made their way to the landing—and Hayden froze.

There, back to them, was the same guy who tried to drag Nick away.

Fear and rage welled up in Hayden, and she tried to push both down as she and Kaitlyn stuck to the wall and crept up the next flight of stairs and on the landing, sneaking after the maniac as he walked into a room, Hayden's heart pounding so loud the guy must have heard it.

And maybe he did, because he turned around, torch beaming.

"Hide!" Hayden hissed, pulling Kaitlyn to the wall and hiding both of them behind the small section that jutted out—and just in time. Heartbeat furious in her chest, Hayden peered out to see the guy look around, torch lighting up the room, searching for agonisingly long seconds before he turned and walked away, closing the door.

Once he was gone, Hayden and Kaitlyn walked out and half-ran, half-creeped to the door, pressing their ears to it.

"No sign of 'em," came through, muffled by the wood. 

"When you find 'em, blood 'em. And keep me posted, Bobby," another voice came through. 

Stepping back, Hayden turned to Kaitlyn and mouthed, "Blood them?"

Kaitlyn shrugged, showing she didn't know what the fuck that meant either, as they kept walking back—and faster as Hayden's eyes grew wide seeing the doorknob turn, walking faster and faster, holy shit he was gonna see them, holy shit!

That was when Kaitlyn stumbled against a wooden post and fell.

"Kaitlyn!" Hayden hissed, pulling her up as they ran down the stairs, her heart racing as they stopped and she saw the guy, Bobby, walk out, gun in his hands—and immediately notice them.

Oh my God oh my God, fuck fuck FUCK! Hayden cursed as Bobby stood there, pulled something out of his overalls and threw it at them.

Without thinking, Hayden moved to shield Kaitlyn with her body as the thing collided with her shoulder and it's contents sprayed over her and Kaitlyn.

"Fucking—" Kaitlyn started before Hayden cut her off with, "OW!"

Wincing, she pulled away from Kaitlyn, only then realising to her horror and disgust what had sprayed over them, as did Kaitlyn.

"Ew! What the fuck!?" Kaitlyn breathed as Hayden dry-retched, the vile smell assaulting her nose as she held her shoulder. She didn't feel any glass in it or her own blood joining the liquid—the blood—that was already on her as she stared at the man.

"Kaitlyn, go! Go!" she yelled, pushing the shorter girl, but instead Kaitlyn took off the gun and pointed it at the man.

Hayden gaped at her. Did she have a death wish or something? They needed to run and warn the others!

"What do you want?" Kaitlyn demanded.

"Kaitlyn, we need to go!" Hayden hissed.

Instead of answering her, Bobby picked up a table as Hayden pressed herself against the wall before Kaitlyn fired the gun, causing Bobby to stumble back.

"Okay, let's run now!" Hayden yelled, and this time Kaitlyn listened as they ran down the stairs, only to fall with combined screams.

"Answer me, dumbass! Have you got them?" the unknown voice crackled out as Hayden helped Kaitlyn up with the vial, by some miracle, having not shattered in her pocket as she stilled at the words. Them... did that mean all of them, or...

Hayden's mind flashed, remembering the man dragging Nick away—only Nick.

Wait, could them mean... Nick and Sarah?

Why? What did this man want with her brother and her friend?

Well, whatever it was, he wasn't getting them—he wasn't getting Nick. Not over her dead body.

"Let's go!" Hayden yelled, picking up the knife as she and Kaitlyn ran to the others as fast as they could, Hayden knowing two things.

One, she would not let that Bobby take Nick or Sarah. Not in any chance in hell was she letting him touch her brother again.

And two, they needed to get out of the lodge and get to Dylan and Ryan. Now.

***

Heheheh... >:)

Okay, I lied, THIS is the last chapter where we have Nick and Sarah before the werewolf infection begins its takeover, even though it's already begun with the quick healing (and confounding Allison in the process) and Sarah being able to see in the dark. Hope you enjoyed it while it lasted >:)

Yeah, Allison is pretty exhausted right now (and this is just the beginning of the night!) and noticed something's up with the bites! Unfortunately, she won't be able to rest for much longer...

And Hayden was with Kaitlyn during the Bobby scene, so she got blood over her as well!! And yeah, she was definitely thinking how crazy Kaitlyn was being when she decided to shoot at Bobby instead of running XD

Next chapter should be soon—and be the beginning of the pain for Hayden and Allison and Nora >:)

Please read, comment and vote!

GhostWriterGirl out!