"Sorry.", with your chin rested on your knees you looked over at Ellie.

After the incident the two of you had returned to the room with the fountain. Soft red stretched across the floor and made the water shimmer in a kind of gold.

The soft running of water filled the silence while leaves of green danced with every breath you took.

Ellie was tied to the statue, loosely yet tight enough to not be able to free herself. Neither with intelligence nor with brute force.

A bandage was wrapped around the bite marks. Deep red stained the white, made them appear wet. Although she hasn't complained it was obvious that she could have thought about better things.

"It's fine.", she shrugged, stretched her legs and tried to lay in a more comfortable position.

You took a deep breath, your lungs enlarged and for a brief second you felt like the air was way more than just that. It was a breath of life.

And yet.

You couldn't help but fear that she'd turn any second. You hadn't ever seen anyone turn. If you were completely honest with yourself, you weren't even sure what to watch out for.

If Ellie turned, how were you supposed to notice?

A shiver crawled down your spine and immediately the nausea returned. Torn between the urge to throw up at your feet and the will to stay strong you buried your face between your knees.

"Hey...", Ellie's voice was tired, almost a little annoyed.

Sucking in a sharp breath, you hit yourself in the face a few times before looking up at her.

"Can you feel anything already?", you couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to turn into something that nobody wanted to be.

Lost in thoughts, her eyes wandered over her arms, lingered on the edge of the green ink that peaked out from the dirty bandage.

Two spots shimmered in a particular deep red. Right where she had been bitten. You hadn't dared to touch the torn skin and flesh, not even to clean it.

Ellie had done the necessary things, had washed her arms and hands in the fountain until the water had turned into a palish, watery red.

"It burns.", she just said with a shrug. "Ever touched something hot and it still hurt even after a while?"

Rolling your eyes with a thin smile, you nodded.

"I'm pretty sure that's just how it feels like to get hurt.", you said.

"It's not any different, really.", Ellie's eyes wandered through the room.

Her body language was relaxed, she wasn't on edge or nervous about what was to come.

"It is, though.", to get your mind off the fear you reached for your backpack and grabbed some food. "Hungry?"

A smirk appeared on her face, cocky as always.

"I could use a bite.", with wiggling eyebrows, she demonstratively looked at your bare arms.

A shiver chased through your body. Yet there was this bush of warmth that made your cheeks feel like you had a high fever.

"Not funny, Ellie.", you snarled, tense but unable to hide the smirk that forced its way to your lips.

Ellie winked.

"Told you I'm immune.", she said and leaned back to let her head rest on the edge of the fountain. "Could use a pillow too..."

Hissing filled the silence as you lit the camping cooker and started to heat up some of the canned food. Sauce bubbled and the smell of something edible filled your nose, dove away the stench of raw meat and blood.

Lost in thought you poked around the mass, stirred and hoped for the best until the edges started to turn a bit crusty.

"Immunity...", you thought out loud. "Is that even a thing?"

Your eyes wandered over the floor, over every old footprint and every stain from a world that once were and never would be again.

All of this had fallen to ashes.

What could have been saved with immunity?

Maybe everything. Perhaps only those who had been blessed with this kind of protection. Like chosen ones.

Ellie let out a deep sigh. Her eyes fell shut but she opened them again as soon as she noticed you next to her.

"Have some.", you offered her a bowl of steaming hot food only for her to glance at her tied hands. "Right..."

You didn't really want to let her go. Even though the way she acted made that whole immunity thing pretty believable, you couldn't help but feel the fear grow more by the hour.

If she was to turn it was only a matter of time now. Some took hours, others days but in the end the time was limited for all.

And you did not want her to be on the loose when that happened.

Ellie seemed to notice the worries that reflected like tears in the (E/C) of your eyes. Sighing softly, she tilted her head but moved slightly to the side to face you.

"Feed me.", she demanded without batting an eye.

Struck by surprise, you blinked.

"Huh?", you frowned.

"I'm hungry. Or do you want to untie me?", she raised her hands into your field of vision.

Your eyes wandered over the rope. It wouldn't kill you to untie her for a few moments so she could eat on her own. And yet that thought chased shivers through all of your bones.

"Fuck...", rolling your eyes, you sat down next to her and put a spoonful in front of her mouth. "Don't do stupid bite jokes, m'kay?"

Ellie grinned.

"And if I do?", she asked back.

Your lips pressed into a thin line and a shadow crossed your face that was more warning than anything else.

"I will spoon your eyes out.", you said and threatened to stab her with the end of the cutlery.

Swallowing hard, Ellie nodded and took the first bite. She chewed a little, then demanded the next. As you fed her, your attention wandered from her shoulders all the way up to the bandage.