The Amour series (Book 1): The Embers of Amour

by LaRue, Coushatta

  “I was a nurse before all this. I can help you if you need me to.” Megan smiled.

  “We heard a gunshot last night. Was that you?” The man growled. Megan shot a glare at him and looked back at Abby with a frown. Abby looked at the man then at Megan and down at the gun that felt very uncomfortable in her hand.

  “I took it from a man…” Abby muttered with grief. Abby looked up at Megan with glassy eyes. The man’s eyes raised, and he lowered his gun a little. Then he asked kindly, “Did he hurt you?”

  Abby looked at him and saw kindness in his hazel eyes. She frowned and looked away then answered, “I’ll be okay.”

  For a moment, everything was silent; and no one said a word. Birds flew above them, and an undead moved slowly down the street. She heard Megan walk closer to her, and then she was standing next to her. Abby looked at her, and Megan smiled. She had a very nice smile, and it made Abby feel good inside. It had been so long since she had seen a real smile.

  “Are you alone?” She asked. Abby nodded sadly, and then her stomached growled loudly. Megan looked at her with wide eyes and said, “Would you like food?”

  “We don’t know her, Megan-“The man chimed in angrily however was cut off quickly by Megan. She looked at him with draggers in her eyes and snarled, “Look at her, Evan. She needs help, and she is hungry and alone.”

  Evan eyed Abby closely with much disapproval in his eyes. Finally, he lowered his gun. Megan looked back at Abby and reached out, hesitated, then touched Abby’s shoulder gently and told her softly, “You don’t have to be scared. It is just me and my husband. We have enough food for all of us. Maybe just eat with us and then you can be on your way?”

  Abby stared into the woman’s chestnut eyes and at her round nose and freckled face. There was sympathy in her expression but fear in Evan’s. Abby was so hungry and very tried. She needed to clean her wound and clean herself. She did not know these people and felt paranoid, but something told her that it was okay. She touched her necklace then nodded her head slowly.

  “That would be nice,” She mumbled with a sore throat. Megan grinned and looked back at Evan and said, “Wasn’t there a drugstore up ahead? We can probably rest there and find some crutches.” She looked back at Abby and then at the hockey stick.

  Evan let out a disapproving groan and started to walk. He walked past Abby glancing at her quickly. She looked at Megan and swallowed. Megan put her hand on Abby’s back as they turned towards Evan. He kept a slow pace and looked back at them very often. Megan put the bat to her side and looked at the gun in Abby’s hand. Abby could tell that Megan knew Abby did not want it.

  “Have you ever used one before?” Megan asked then quickly added, “I mean before last night.”

  Abby gazed down at the gun as she wobbled forward and back up at Evan’s back. A cold breeze ran down her back. She felt very frail as if she would rip to pieces with a gust of wind.

  “I went to the shooting range a few times with my fiancé.” She answered dryly. It was hard to speak about Aaron. It made her feel sadder than she had expected. She saw Megan turn and look behind them and then back forward. Megan frowned and took her hand from Abby’s back and rubbed the back of her own neck.

  “I’m sorry…” Megan sniffed.

  “You didn’t tell him to go…” Abby heard herself say with rage. She looked down lamely and then back up at Evan who had glanced backward again. Silence fell in, and the sound of the wind and distant undead growls gave Abby the chills. She wanted the comfort of others so badly, but she felt as if she did not belong around them.

  “My name is Abby.” She uttered. Evan took a quick glance back, and she could have sworn he had a smile on his face. She heard Megan sigh with relief and then squeezed Abby’s arm.

  “It is nice to meet you, Abby,” Megan clucked. Megan had a very girly laugh. She had painted pink nails and two butterfly bows in her hair. Abby wondered when Megan had the time to pamper herself. Then she remembered they had plenty of time. They just needed the right place and mind set to do it. Abby’s eyes felt very heavy, and her stomach burned for real food. She had run out of water but had the sports drink left, but she knew that would not last long with her new thirst.

  “It is right up here…” Evan muttered from in front of them. He stopped at the edge of the street and looked both ways as if he was looking for traffic. Abby heard a low growl and looked to her left at an undead wobbling around a light pole looking at them. She heard Megan say something and looked at her with a blank stare. Megan was pointing at something, so Abby looked. It was a small white drugstore mushed between a bakery and a coffee shop.

  They crossed the road slowly, avoiding trash and a few corpses. Abby felt herself dragging, and her lungs felt very heavy. It felt as if she needed more sleep. Evan glanced back at her a few times with a weary look; and when they got to the other side of the street, he turned and looked at her.

  “What happened?” He asked pointing at her leg. She felt fear swirl in her mind, and her throat tightened. She felt for a moment that somehow he could see through her clothes and see the bite wounds. She stopped and swallowed hard. Megan glanced at her and then at Evan with narrowed eyes.

  “I fell from one floor to another,” Abby mumbled gritting her teeth. He was looking into her eyes with a hard look. Searching for the truth he somehow knew she was hiding. Megan made a sighing sound and then said, “How long ago? That sounds so painful.”

  Abby opened her mouth to speak, and then she stopped. She could not remember how many days had passed. Had it been a week? Two? Or a few days? She was not sure. She rubbed her face with her right hand and looked at her broken pinky.

  “I am not sure,” She answered quietly.

  “So your leg is broken?” Evan asked moving forward and looking her up and down suspiciously. Abby shook her head and was not sure of what to say. She realized she could not hide the truth very long from this man. Even Megan was giving her a strange look. She started slowly and with a stutter, “I cut my leg badly when I fell. I have been doctoring it, but I don’t know much of how to.”

  Abby looked down and gritted her teeth again. It was not fully a lie, so she did not feel too guilty. Megan placed a soft hand on her shoulder and smiled at her then said, “I can help you.”

  Abby pulled away suddenly and moved her arm upwards and said, “No.” She looked at the shocked look in Megan’s dark eyes, and Abby looked down ashamed.

  “I’m sorry… I’ve just been alone,” She paused and remembered Tomas then closed her eyes and continued, “Sorry I’m just used to it.”

  “It is okay, Abby. You do not have to be alone anymore.” Megan was smiling when Abby looked at her. Evan was not. They started to walk again and then stopped in front of the store. Evan looked in before they entered. Evan stood by the door while Megan and Abby slowly walked inside. He shut the glass door behind them and looked outside to make sure nothing was following them.

  Inside was very warm, and it smelt oddly like cinnamon. Abby looked around at the empty shelves and frowned. Megan saw her expression and nudged her playfully. And then she said, “Don’t worry. Evan and I got the stuff that was left over here a few days ago.” Megan walked to the back of the store as Abby stood there. She could feel her bite marks burning under her clothes and knew she had to clean them. Evan walked to the side of her and stared at her disapprovingly. Abby looked down at her shoes sadly.

  “We have beans and pickled eggs. And a few crackers plus apples we found a week ago.” Evan told Abby as he pulled his bag from around his neck. He knelt and pulled out a tiny barbeque pit and started to set it up. Abby watched him closely then looked up when she heard something shuffling towards them. Fear choked her, and then she felt silly when Megan came around the corner with some crutches. She had a bright smile on her face.

  “Here this will do much better than that old hockey stick.” She handed one to Abby and sat the other down next to them. It took Abby a minute before changing the hockey stick with the crut
ch. She stared at the hockey stick and the dry blood stains and felt a little sad.

  Abby stood there for a while as Evan started a fire and took out some food supplies. Megan took her bag off and handed him a pot that was inside of it. It felt strange being around people. Abby looked around the drugstore. She looked at the ugly white walls and empty aisles. And at the happy pictures of laughing kids on the walls.

  “I’m sure I can find a chair somewhere if you need one,” She heard Megan say. She looked down and saw Megan digging in her bag for something. Abby looked around the dark store and saw a door for the bathroom. She shook her head.

  “No it is okay,” She turned towards the bathroom and balled her hands into a fist. She hurt all over, and she felt a lot of confusion. However, she was very sure that these two people were real. At least she hoped they were. Her leg throbbed, but her arm felt better with the crutch under it. She felt the weight of her bag on her back and looked down at Evan who was starting a fire in the barbeque pit. He then opened a can with a knife and poured beans with bacon in the pot that Megan had given him. He placed it over the fire and looked up at Abby.

  “You can sit down,” He told her with a kindly tone, though he still seemed tensed and wary of her. Abby wanted to sit, and her stomach growled loudly at the smell of the food cooking, but she knew she had to clean her wound. It had felt like forever since she had last cleaned it. She could smell the nasty puss that came out of it and urine. She could only imagine how she looked. She forced a smile and nodded.

  “I am going to go to that bathroom…” She paused and looked down at her feet and then added, “Can I have some water?” Evan narrowed his eyes at her. Megan gave her a soft smile and replied, “Of course.” She reached into her bag and pulled out a bottle of water and gave it to Abby.

  “The bathroom is probably dirty and unsafe,” Evan pointed out with suspicion. Abby chewed on her lip then regretted it when she felt the cut on it. She could not remember busting her lip, and that made her feel sad. She shrugged then lied, “I need to pee.” Megan let out a small laugh and pointed towards the aisles and said, “Probably be safer just going behind there. We can hear you if you need help.”

  Abby swallowed hard and gritted her teeth. She knew there was no way of keeping her bites a secret. Sooner or later, they would want to know why she took so long to pee. She looked down at her feet nervously and put her hand over her stomach. Her ribs were still bruised from her fall off of the house next to Tomas’s. Her head was starting to spin, and she felt very anxious. She looked at Megan and chewed her lip. She was a nurse; maybe she could help, or maybe she would freak out and kill her. Somehow inside Abby felt as if it were okay to tell them. It had been awhile since she had been bit, and she was starting to believe she was not going to turn.

  “Actually…” Abby shook, her lips trembling, head twirling. She felt as if she would faint. She took in a deep breath and touched her hair. It felt very oily and dirty. It was hard to speak; and when Evan stood up, she felt very scared. Megan stood too and tilted her head then said kindly, “What is it?”

  “I didn’t just fall,” She cleared her throat, she could feel the weight of the gun in her hand, and then continued, “I hurt myself really badly.” Megan stepped closer to her and asked, “It is okay. We can help if you need some.” Abby took a quick look at Evan. He looked even more tensed than before. She felt as if he could see right through her.

  “When I woke, from my fall I was lying next to an undead,” She hesitated, her voice caught in her throat, she felt so sick. Evan stepped forward, while Megan stared at her with a forlorn expression. Abby licked her dry lips and then said, “I was bit twice. I’ve been doctoring it.” Evan pulled his gun out and aimed it at Abby’s head, Abby did not even have time to scream, the gun went off, and she backed up. She felt the bullet pass by her face, cutting the side of her ear, and slamming into the wall behind her. She fell to her knees, gasping for air.

  She could not hear Megan screaming, but she was, and she had been the one who saved her. Megan had reached for Evan’s arm at the last second, saving her life. Abby knew the moment she landed on the floor, she had peed herself. And that the hearing in her left ear was gone. She put her hand on her ear and trembled. She felt warm blood on her fingers and tears streamed down her dirty cheeks.

  She closed her eyes for a moment and pressed her hand to her bleeding ear hard. She was alive yet did not know for how long. She threw up. When she opened her eyes, Megan was kneeling in front of her with her hands on her shoulders, saying something. Evan was behind her with his gun, walking around with an angry look on his hard face. After a time, Megan’s low squeaky voice entered her ear.

  “Abby, are you okay? Can you hear me?” Megan sounded so worried. It made Abby feel very confused. Abby dropped her hand from her ear and stared into Megan’s large eyes. She looked so calm and collected. “Hey it is okay,” Megan said, brushing some hair from Abby’s face. Megan glared back at Evan and said something that Abby could not hear.

  “I am so sorry. Evan just is so jumpy after all that has happened,” She touched Abby’s face lightly, and then said, “I can try to help you. Just tell me everything.” Abby felt suddenly very hot and sleepy. She moved her hands slowly towards her sweatpants and started to try and take them off. Megan realized this and helped her. Evan stopped and watched the two with wide eyes. When Megan saw her bandages, she grimaced.

  “How long has it been?” Megan asked as she slowly reached for her bandages. Then she stopped and looked at her ear. Abby took her backpack off and opened it showing the medical supplies inside. Megan reached in then turned to Evan and asked, “Give me some water.” Evan twisted his face and did not move. Megan turned back to him and snapped, “Water, Evan!”

  He grabbed some water with a disapproving face and handed it to her, avoiding Abby’s gaze. Megan started to clean and doctor Abby’s ear. Abby did not feel much pain, she felt very numb, and so exhausted. She did not even feel when Megan cut a piece of her ear that was dangling. Abby closed her eyes and remembered her fall as if it had happened yesterday. She could still see the horrible look on the undead’s face when it looked up at her.

  “Over a week I think.…” Abby mumbled as she blinked open her eyes. Abby was starting to drift in and out of sleep. Abby did not know how long it took Megan to fix her ear; but when she opened her eyes again, it was bandaged. Megan had already cut off her leg bandages and was cleaning her wounds. Abby looked up at Evan who was staring down at her with a very unbelieving expression.

  “She is infected, Megan. You know what we have to do.” Evan snapped as he walked up behind Megan with his gun in his hand. He had mad eyes and a tense face. However, he would not look Abby in the eyes. Abby blinked and felt sweat roll into her eye. She wanted to rub it away, but her arms felt so heavy. Her stomach growled, and she pressed her lips together. She could not feel anything but the spinning in her head.

  “Get back, Evan. I will handle this.” Megan hissed. Evan hesitated and then stepped back and started to take care of the food he had forgotten about. Abby could smell it had burned, but it still smelt so good to her. Megan kept looking at her with soft kind eyes and then back at her wound. She was cleaning it and examining it closely.

  She grimaced again then said, “It looks like it is already trying to scar.” Megan told Abby as she dabbed some cotton balls on the wounds. She smacked her lips and started to grab some gauze.

  “What symptoms and pains have you experienced?” She asked as she cut some gauze. Abby could barely hear Megan, and she suddenly felt very cold.

  “Weak… I feel weak and so tired.” Abby started with a dry voice, then added, “Cold and hot… my head spins, and I shake. Like I am going to have some attack and die.” Megan looked at her oddly and then nodded.

  “I can’t really keep things down, and I can’t control my bladder,” Abby said embarrassed.

  “Does it hurt to pee? Is it normal urine?” Megan asked with no hint of meanness. Abby t
hought about it and could not remember hurting when she peed or noticing it looked different. It smelt very strong though. Abby shrugged sluggishly and replied, “Not really.”

  Megan nodded and asked, “Anything else?” She had a queer tone in her voice that made Abby turn her head. Megan did not have to say it, because Abby could see it on her round plush face. She wanted to know if Abby had urges to feed on humans. It made Abby feel sick inside.

  “I don’t crave anything unusual,” Abby answered slowly. Hoping Megan could tell what she meant. Evan grunted as he put his hands over the pit and rubbed them together. He had put his gun down. Abby closed her eyes for a moment and felt oddly at peace. She wanted to sleep, and then she remembered the hallucinations and wondered if it was a good idea to tell them. She touched her ear and frowned.

  “That is all,” She muttered dryly. Before Abby knew it, Megan had cleaned and wrapped up her wound and helped her put her pants back on. She then had a wet rag to Abby’s face, wiping the sweat and dirt away. She was very gentle, and it surprised Abby. She was just a stranger. She didn’t know Abby and she had no idea if she would turn or not. And yet there she was cleaning her up and being kind. Abby glanced at Evan with heavy eyes and saw him staring down at his burnt food with a sour expression.

  Abby felt the darkness drift in on her, and her eyes shut for a deep sleep.

  Chapter ten

  “Where have you been?” Abby snapped as Aaron walked through the front door of the apartment. He looked at her flatly, and she saw irritation in his deep tired eyes. She had her hands on her plump hips, and her hair was wet from a bath. He shut the door and locked it and started to take his shoes off. “At the job lunch. I already told you.” He grumbled. He walked towards the sofa and sat down and stretched out.

  Abby felt very angry and jealous. She knew he had been there. And she knew that the coworker he had gotten too close to had been there too. She knew she needed to trust him, but there was this little voice in her head that said not to. She hated it and felt so guilty, however she felt very afraid. She did not want to lose him, and a part of her already felt as if she had.