---
Word count: 2686
---

Payton

"Now, try and remember what we taught you this morning, yeah? You perfect it and it will be easier to use anytime you need for the long run." She tells me. "Y-Yes, Holly. B-breathing, r-right?" I stammer out.

"Yes, and I'm sorry we sedated you before Payton, but it was necessary."

"I-I know..."

"Good and here." She tells me, placing a weighted blanket on my lap and I lean back in my chair out in reception. "How does it feel?" She asks.

"F-Fine."

"Good. Now, I need to run back to doctoring, but you try and relax out here, yeah? Reception is just over there and if you need anything, ask.

Also, I can paged and come out here to you, but please do mindful, I have things to do, Payton. Now, are you going to be okay out here on your own for the moment? If not, I can have a Security Guard sit with you as we have no spare beds available right now, but we're doing what we can to have that shift in the next couple of hours."

"I'll be fine."

"Okay. When I have a spare moment, I'll check on you myself, but till then, try and keep your chin up, Payton. It will be okay in the long run."

And then she hands me a bowl of steaming hot stew with rice and some vegetables next to a bottle of orange juice. "Food?" I ask.

"Yes, a full night has elapsed since the apocalypse began and after we sedated you too... It's the next day. Wednesday. Had a feeling you would be hungry, try and eat up if you can."

She gives me a brief hug, swipes her identification and is gone back to behind the scenes of the busy emergency room. I look up at the Tv that's playing. Normal programming has been suspended it says, but there is no news on right now. It's just showing the weather forecast, the date, time. Stuff like that. I yawn and look to the leafy pot-plant beside me and the small window. The streets don't look dead here in Crescent-Port unlike Sully, but there is a lack of people on them as opposed to first-respondents. Block-aid's have been set up and any civillian who is on the street is being re-directed to a place of safety.

Here, another Hospital, a fire department, a police station, other places too. Anywhere that it gets people off the streets. I turn away from looking out at the morning sun that's shining in and tuck into my food. I didn't realize how hungry I actually was after biting into this.

As I eat, I hear voices and look to see a young man and woman around my age outside together with a few friends and they're pulling on the entry door which doesn't open. They don't look greatly injured and I see the receptionist pick up a receiver to speak to them after watching them for a few seconds through a monitor near her. There is a speaker on the otherside of the door. "I'm sorry, but this Hospital is officially over capacity so we're not accepting anymore patients. There is another Hospital in the next area which I know has space.

Transport has been set up to help people move around more easily outside by the government. If you wait at the nearest bus station, a bus will be along shortly. They're running on 5 minute intervals." And then she hangs up. The group nods and leaves.

I relax and go to finish eating when I hear someone plant themselves on the chair next to me. "Hey?"

I look up to see a young man there, holding a breakfast wrap and a bottle of juice, but it's Apple flavored as opposed to my orange one. "What do you want?" I ask, shaking my head and let out a yawn. "You tired?" He asks.

"What do you want?" I repeat, snapping as I stare him down. He is dressed in some patient clothes and has an I.D Bracelet and a green bracelet around his wrist much like my own. "It's me." He says. "Who is 'me'? I don't have friends." I respond.

"You're a really pretty red-head you know? Your hair pulled back in a ponytail and I could just get lost in your lush green eyes-"

"Leave me alone or I will complain to Security." I threaten, turning back to my food, trying not to look at him.

"Hey, I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean to just act like that just now-" He apologizes, going to place his hand on my fore-arm.

"Don't you dare touch me!" I cry, standing up that my food and juice is knocked off my lap onto the floor. He stands up too after putting his food aside and I start to shake, breathing hard as I feel everyone eye's on us and the Receptionist is watching us intently, pondering on her next move which is probably to run and get help.

"Payton, I'm sorry-"

"How do you know my name?!" I shout. "It's me, Gabriel!" He protests. "I don't know you!" I respond. "Well, you may not have known my name, but you were scared. Do you really not remember last-night? You were trying to get away from some Nurses and a Doctor. I... I didn't let you run away.

Maybe I should have? Oh, I don't know! Fuck! That's probably why the main door is locked now and no one is allowed to leave. The only way in and out now is actually through the emergency bay the Ambulances come in through." He says, ranting as he paces.

"Just shut up, Gabriel! And my memories of last night are patchy! I'm going to need time to process what has happened!" I tell him. "There is real-life Zombies in Sully!"

"You're from Sully? I live here in Crescent-Port."

"Don't care, Gabriel!"

"But Payton-"

"What is your problem?! You know, I'm really good at reading people and I pronounce you to be a confident asshole!"

"W-what did you call me?!"

"A confident asshole! Or do you need me to slow it down for you because you're also dumb?!"

"Hey!" A voice yells out and I turn to see an older man there who's hair is turning grey. "That's my client you're insulting!" He says. "C-client?" I stammer. "Yeah... His my Agent..." Gabriel says, his voice all low toned all of a sudden. He looks shy and as if he wants to melt into the floor.

"Are you alright, Gabriel?" The man asks, coming over and he now has an I.D bracelet, green bracelet and patient p.j's on. Gabriel shrugs. "I can't believe the nerve of this Hospital, separating us. And that doctor was a bitch too. They take the clothes we changed into and force us to put on these cheap peasant clothes and plastic I.D Bracelets we can't take off!" The Agent complains.

"You're shallow." I say to the Agent. "And so are you." I add on, looking to Gabriel also.

"And I can't believe you are getting special treatment!" Someone says, standing up from they're seat. It's an old man. "You youth think you are so entitled. Act crazy to just get what you want. The doctor with you gave you proper food and that dumb oversized pillow you had on your lap. The rest of us haven't received much attention on outpatient. We've only be given water and snacks while you're getting juice and proper-sized meals!"

"Hey! The nerve of you for thinking you can speak to a young lady like that!" Gabriel says, turning around. "She. was. sedated. Do you have any idea how that would feel? She was scared last night, she wanted to get away from them, but you don't see her given a choice do you regarding anything?

The food and whatever the pillow she has doesn't even begin to make up for it and you're going to die soon, old geezer." Gabriel adds on, insulting him. His agent chuckles while I stand there horrified. A noise captures my attention and I turn around to see a cleaner, cleaning up my food.

"Oh, right." Gabriel says, picking up his food. "Here have mine, I've had enough to be full. You probably need it more." He says, offering it out to me. "I don't want your help!" I yell, pushing past him and I push my chair closer the corner of the wall near the window and I sit down, hunched up and pull the weight blanket onto my lap, turning away to look out the window at the semi-desolate street again. "I-I just want everyone to leave me alone, I hate people." I choke out, tears running down my face. Gabriel picks up my bowl I dropped, walking away with it.

I hear people sitting down, moving about and everything has gone quiet till I hear an alarm and look up, my face wet. It's at-least two hours later on the clock. I must have nodded off...

I place my feet on the floor and sit up, wiping the tears from my skin to see the alarm is for the other side of the receptionist's window. "Hey, uh - What's going on?" Says the man who claimed to be Gabriel's 'Agent', standing up. So this Gabriel is actually a celebrity? I don't remember him from last night... But Holly did drug me. He must be telling the truth that we did have a brief exchange with eachother last night. I hear Doctors and Nurses starting to panic. I stand up, slowly walking towards the glass, feeling my skin go cold and my emotions go numb.

"P-Payton? Stop, don't go over there!" Gabriel says, reaching a hand out to grasp my shoulder, fear etched across his face when I see a bed rush across the hallway on the otherside, a body tied now that's jerking alongside foaming at the mouth. He is my world... Was there for me when I had no one else in my life. He is like a grandfather. If he dies, I'll die.

He is moved somewhere else and I just stand with Gabriel standing right behind me and he doesn't touch me that I haven't proceed. The whole room is focusing on us and ten minutes later, I see Nurses and Doctors walk out with sweat beading across their fore-heads.

"What happened, Payton? You can tell me..." Gabriel whispers and I turn to face him, looking into his warm chocolate eyes. "Carl. That was Carl. H-His alive?" I ask, bring my shaking hands to my chest. "Here." He says, gently taking my hands and holding them in his warm hands.

"Did he try to protect you?"

"He did. I owe him. I didn't think... He made it out of hell."

"Well he did. Who was he to you?"

"He was my boss, I work at a Coffee Shop/Bakery, but he felt more like my grandfather. My parents lost custody of me when I was a toddler, I don't remember them, I have no siblings and the the family, my aunties and uncles wanted nothing to do with me.

If... If, he is dead, what happens now? How do I go on, Gabriel?"

"I-I don't know, Payton..."

"I need someone to tell me something otherwise I'll fall apart, please." I beg him, my hands starting to shake and he grips them tighter. "Squeeze my hands, it's okay. You won't hurt me."

I start to cry and break down. "Payton..." He whispers. "I-I need him, I-I can't go on without him!" I tell him. "He might not be dead, he could be stabilized now which is why they're out here. Y-you should ask?" He suggests and then I turn my, seeing Holly and she utters a few words to the receptionist.

"How did it go?" The receptionist questions.

"He didn't make, he was bitten, but he had also suffered a heart attack as well. There was something else disturbing though..."

"Like what?"

"He woke up, was growling at us, his eyes were white like road kills is.

B-Brett hit him in the head with... a blunt object. What we saw... It makes me just want to be sick. Needless to say, that old man is not coming back."

And just like that, the last remnants that shone brightly in my world have gone out. Been distinguished. "Payton?" Gabriel whispers. "W-what?" I ask, tears on the edge of my eyes, stinging. "Do you want a hug?" He asks, offering and gently starts to give me a hug when I pull away and wipe my eyes. "Sorry, Gabriel." I tell him. "That's okay, but my offer will forever stand, okay?" He smiles.

"I know." I respond and then I look to my right, seeing a young girl with her parents and she is holding something in her arms. "When is big bro coming out, Mum and Dad?" She asks.

"Baby, his..." But then the Mum's voice freezes up. I step towards them, standing right infront of him. I focus on what is in her arms. The skate-board belonging to the teenager who saved me. "His dead?" I ask.

"What's dead?" She asks, looking to her parents. "Tina, sweetie. Your brothers not-" The Dad begins. I shake my head. "No, no, no! He is not dead, he is not dead. I'll find out for you, I just lost the last person in my life, I have no one now. I'm alone in this world, I'm sure your big brother is sitting up in bed, alive." I tell her.

"Okay!" She smiles and I look to the staff with the keycard panel on it, but there is a glass panel above it. That's how I'm getting in... I look the girl and I wrench the skateboard from her hands and repeatedly hit the glass with it, shattering it and then let the skateboard drop. The girl looks confused and the parents look horrified. "Payton..." Gabriel gasps, stepping back.

"Oh my god..." The receptionist. "Holy fucking shit!" Curses a Nurse and I see Holly looking right at me. "Payton, don't go any further-" She begins when I press down on the handle on the other side, not caring that my hand gets cut and start to run. I hear an alarm go off, but I push myself to keep running from room to room.

Several patients are confused and none of them is that brave boy. I halt and start to spin around, looking up at the ceiling lights, feeling sick and nauseous when I see an elevator.

I go up to it and hit the button. It arrives a moment later and I slide in, hitting the only other button on it which says 1 as we're already on two and I begin my descent. It doesn't take longer than a minute and step out, coming into one single corridor with broom closets and stuff like that, but the room at the far end isn't that and I press down on the door handle going in. It's dark and as if the temperature plummeted to an unnatural coldness and the door closes behind me with a small click.

I can't see anything. I try and reach for a light panel next the door when an awful stench hits my nose that I need to pinch my nose with one hand.

I flick the light switch down and the light comes on, but then immediately I feel myself collapse to the floor for a reason I don't understand. I can't get up, I'm shaking hard and I can't open my eyes when I suddenly cough, my chest beating wildly and feel my breakfast come up my throat, covering a freezing cold plastic floor beneath me that feels slimy.

After that, I don't remember anything else. I'm out like a light.