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Word count: 1850
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I try so steady my breathing, but no how hard I try, I can't. I had the hang of this. Well, I thought I did...

I look down at my wrist that is secured to the guard rail of the gurney I'm on. It's turning blue slightly.

Then I hear the door to the room open. It's Holly!

"Holly!" I manage from behind the mask that's covering from my face. She comes over to me and helps me to sit up. She's really scrubbed up, more than I've ever seen her before.

"How are you feeling, Payton?" She asks. I lift my arm to show her it. "Oh, it's too tight. I am so sorry!"

And she loosens it, but doesn't let me out. "Why are you doing this to me? I haven't done anything." I tell her, a few tears running down my face. She wipes them away with her gloved finger and brings a chair over, taking a seat.

She breathes out, sighing. Then looks to me. "I should be honest with you."

"The truth would be nice... It's 6 p.m, Holly. I was supposed to be transported by ambulance around 2 p.m. That was hours ago."

"I know, but I'm afraid that's been put on hold now. But I promise I'll do everything I can to keep that bed open for you, but it also depends on how you're test results come back."

"I don't understand what's happening, Holly..."

"Payton, sweetie, Gabriel has gotten sick, okay? We had to seperate you two while you undergo testing and he goes up to medical for... treatment."

"Why did you bring me to the break room?" I ask.

"I'm sorry, but we had to place you somewhere. It'll be okay though, I promise."

"Holly, I want to leave. Just transfer me or cancel my involuntary commitment order. You can change you're mind."

"I'm afraid it's not that easy. My colleague, Sonia signed off on that and so did the on call Psychatrist alongside I."

"What do you want from me?"

"Payton, Gabriel is unwell. Do you understand that?"

I shake my head. "So what if he is? A flu never really hurt anybody."

"Well, I'd argue that it's debatable, but this isn't just like getting the flu."

"Then, what is it?"

"Payton, you've been kissing him and been in close contact with him, living in the same room as him. We have to test you and a whole waiting room of people now who we have no where to place."

"What are you saying?"

"I don't want to scare you, but do you remember the thing's you saw before the firefighters who saved you, brought you here?"

I think about it, then shiver. "Do you remember?" She asks. I nod slowly, biting back tears.

"Is that was he has? Whatever is making people act like that?"

She nods painfully. "I'm afraid so."
I start to struggle to breathe normally.

"Hey, hey, focus on me. Breathe in, hold it for 5 seconds, and let it out."

I manage to follow her instructions. "There we go. Good, good."

"Holly, am I going to die? Are you guys going to kill me? I don't want to die!"

"I don't know anything, Payton, I'm sorry. If you're test comes back negative, you'll be okay. We don't know how this spreads though. It was assumed via biting, but it could transmit via droplets and/or saliva too."

"I hope it does."

"I hope it does too."

"Payton, if I have to die..."

"Yes?"

"Sedate me beforehand. So I don't have to feel a thing, my skull being smashed. I can just drift off. Be with Karl... Be with my parents."

"I'll talk to my colleagues and the director, but I see no reason we couldn't fufil that request."

"My parents died in a car crash, you know?"

"Did they?"

"Yeah. I went into foster care because of it. Aged out at 18 and spent a year, homeless. At 19 on my birthday, I came across Karl. He listened to my story and gave me a job. I wandered into his bakery and was looking at the birthday cakes even if I couldn't afford them.

He also gave me one cake for free. He helped me out. He let me stay with him at first till I saved up enough to afford my own apartment and he encouraged me to go onto further study.

I chose veterinaty as you know. I wanted to be a vet, I love animals, but that might not happen now.

I owe everything to Karl."

She nods softly, listening. I don't want a response. I just wanted to talk.

"And my whole life may be over now. It all depends on one little test to come back. Positive or negative."

She nods her head again. "Holly?" I ask. "Anything." She responds.

"While we can't do anything right now, can I make a phone call?"

"You want to call someone?"

"Yes."

"Who? I thought you said you didn't know or have anyone left, but I'd more than happy to call them for you if I can.

Do you want me to notify them where you are?"

"Yes. They're names are-" But I don't get to finish as the door the room slams open, a guy there. "Holly, her bloods came back and so did, Gabriel's!"

His holding two sheets of paper in his hand. Holly stands up quickly and walks over to him, taking the sheets from his hand quickly to read.

She unloops one side of her mask to show her face.

"Holly, what does it say?" I ask her. I can't read her expression and she turns the paper to face me.

"Payton, I'm sorry." She says quickly. Stamped on both sheets of papers are the words, 'positive' in red and on one of pages it says, 'Match. Infection transmitted.'

"No, no, no!" I scream, starting to struggle on the gurney. I don't care if  hurt myself now. Holly drops the papers and grabs him by his doctor coat.

"Go and find the heaviest sedatives and strongest pain killers you can find, you hear me!" She yells at him. And he nods, sprinting off once she lets go. She takes a few steps towards me, then stops and re-does her mask.

"Payton, I promise you will not a feel a thing." She says, tears running down her face. I begin to cry too.

"So this is it? I'm royally fucked."

"Guess so." She responds.

Then I hear the door open and Holly's colleagues return, this time aided by others and Security. The hospital director is also there.

"Miss Payton Jones?" The Director speaks up. I turn my head to look at him while a woman with short dirty blonde fading into brown comes up beside her, name-tag reading, 'Sonia', and she hugs Holly.

"Y-yes?" I stammer. "I regret to inform you have tested postitive for the same infection that others have had. You will turn into a flesh eating monster unless you're brain suffers an impact, destroying any chance of you coming back to harm others.

You will not feel any pain as we will supply you the nessecary drugs. You are hereby remandered into Crescent-Port and Sully goverment qnd military custody under the current public health act."

"Don't phrase it like that! You'll scare her!" Holly shouts at him. "Holly, shut up! Control yourself." He barks at her.

She looks ready to deck him, but this Sonia chick is holding her back.

I see Security and other doctors and nurses approach me, fully geared up and they turn off the breaks, and begin to move my gurney around.

Holly collapses to her knees and starts to cry, slamming her fists into the floor. Sonia kneeling beside her, trying to keep her calm, telling her it will be okay.

"Just hold on tight, Holly. It'll be okay. She won't feel a thing."

"This isn't fair, Sonia! She doesn't deserve this! She doesn't deserve this!"

And I see the director walking away from them, without a single care, then I'm pushed out of the room that I can't see Holly anymore.

I pushed into a elevator really quickly and a hospital worker near me presses a button that's not the basement or the 2nd floor and on the small elevator screen, it reads, 'Labs'

"Labs?" I speak up. "Where are we going?" I ask, but no one bothers to answer me. We reach that floor and I'm pushed out, down a long, sterile smelling hallway, with bright lights.

They pass by me rather quickly and then we turn quickly to my left, someone holding the door open.

I squeeze my eyes closed and I feel the gurney placed harshly against the wall, rattling. "Careful, watch it!" I yell, not daring to open my eyes.

"Jackie? This is another one who tested postitive. Get her hooked up up to the tubes."

Tubes?
I open my eyes. "No, I don't consent! No! Why would you do that? What for?" I yell, trying to sit up, but a man beside me, tightens my restraints and then I squeal, feeling IV's shoved into my arm. It stings for a minute, then I see a woman who I presume to be, Jackie hang up a bag and press, 'start' on a button.

She takes a look at me, then hooks me up to several monitors, applying sticky patches to my chest without care and I cough, her lifting up my head as the man helps her, placing a oxygen mask over my mouth and nose.

Then they lay my head down again, walk out, switching off the light and pulling the door behind them that I'm left all alone in a dark room.

"I'm not afraid of the dark, I'm not afraid of the dark, I'm not afraid of the dark." I whisper when I jolt, feeling something grip the edge of my gurney's rail, but whatever it is, let's go instantly.

I turn my head right and let out half a squeak when I see him, looking in bad shape and hooked up to IV's, monitors and an oxygen mask too.

He has slipped one of his restraints, but now his arm is lying limply off his gurney and his eyes are growing foggy.

"I-I don't want to go to sleep." He manages. "Gabe-" I start when he cuts me off.

"I love you, Payton."

Then he passes out, but his eyes remain open. His gone limp.

It's been hours since they seperated us. How long has been fighting this and suffering? I thought killing us would be instant.

I guess not. I keep my eyes focused on his sleep face so his the last thing I see and then slowly close my eyes, letting the drugs take over to speed up the process.

All I can hear is the IV's, heart monitor beeping and oxygen working before everything goes quiet, I can't taste or smell anything and I can longer move my limbs or open my eyes.

Goodbye.