TORN FLESH

CHAPTER ONE: THE BEGINNING OF THE END

YOU think you know everything, and then your world gets turned upside down and you're suddenly in the dark about the world you thought was mostly safe.

Well, that was Margo when she opened her eyes on day eighty-three of the apocalypse, stuck between walking corpses and a safe city that's far from safe she quickly realizes the world is not the one she knew before she blacked out.

She felt her tongue run over her dried lips the texture being enough alone to make her tongue recoil. She could feel dried blood on her face, although she wasn't sure where. Sitting up from where she laid, she reached a hand up to her mouth wiping around the edges.

She didn't catch much but a few pieces of dried cracking blood that fell off like dead skin, rubbing the side of her head she paused when a sudden strike of nauseating pain hit her like a wave.

She steadied herself against her bed trying to catch her breath in hopes that she wouldn't feel so sick.

Taking notice of the cold white tile she'd been laying on she glanced around the room trying to get a feel for her current surroundings, all the electrical equipment seemed to be turned off, most of it covered in dust, which told her one of two things, everyone had left, or, she was in an abandoned building.

Both of the statements held true.

She ran her hand through her hair quickly taking notice of the length it had gained since she'd been out, it was close to four or five inches past her shoulders- far longer than she had ever let it get- she could hear a crashing out in the hall, then running, she scooted so her back pressed into the wall closest to her.

Letting out a sigh she attempted to stand up having to rely on the wall for support all the while, she dropped back to the floor in pain gripping at her upper leg, pulling her gown up just slightly she could see the wound a bullet had left when it grazed her, fresh blood wept from it her eyes wide, taking a deep breath, she slowly braced herself against the white wall making sure to keep her weight off her left leg.

She let out a hacking cough her throat dried out from a lack of water. She searched the room with her eyes hoping that she could find something that would help tell her what was going on, eventually- struggling as she crossed the room- she approached the window the trip taking longer than expected with her newly acquired limp, having to take a step back at what she saw outside.

A hand made its way to cover her mouth as she stared out at the world she was seeing. All she saw were bodies- dead ones- covering the land before her, blood seemed to cover all of them, some were torn open their organs and bones being exposed to anyone that passed by, if that wasn't enough, there were cars covered in blood, their doors left open as they'd been abandoned, Margo wondered what had happened to all of them.

Were they dead?

That seemed to be the case for the majority of the people.

She glanced back around her room questioning how it seemed to be untouched by the destruction and death that lurked just outside her window, she was alive, and breathing, but she could tell she'd lost a considerable amount of weight in the time she'd been out of it, her legs were thinner than she ever thought they could get.

She could feel cold air fluttering throughout the room ruffling the edges of her gown, she clutched it tightly hoping to get a sense of warmth from the thin material; she didn't.

Her eyes landed on the hamper where the staff had more than likely placed her dirty clothes, limping away from the window and towards the hamper she propped it open to dig through, tossing a few things out, she quickly located her t-shirt and Mitch's joggers that she'd arrived at the hospital in.

Bringing the pants up to her nose she inhaled the scent it gave off closing her eyes, they still smelled like him, which made sense after endless nights of sleeping in the same bed together, opening her eyes, she remembered he wasn't there to comfort her, she could remember Stan tugging him away from the door, and for the first time since she'd met him, she could see fear in Mitch's eyes.

Not fear for himself, not for Stan, but rather for Margo, and what would happen to her if he left.

Her attention was drawn away from the clothes as she remembered the apparent wound her leg was suffering from, the smell of blood crossed her nose the scent making her want to vomit with its correlation to death, avoiding looking down at the gash in her leg she rummaged through the contents of the hamper quickly locating a hospital shirt that had been placed inside, using the little bit of strength she had, she tore the thin fabric in two slowly convincing herself to look down at her leg.

Taking a deep inhale of air she braced herself for the pain she knew would be inflicted upon tying the tourniquet, preparing the shirt she slowly wrapped it around her leg the pain minimal until she tied a knot clenching her teeth as she hesitating to yank it tight.

When she did, a loud- muffled- groan emitted from her mouth her eyes going wide as she looked down at her leg to make sure it was tight enough, when she realized it was, she double knotted it leaning against the wall to catch her breath and take some weight off her limb.

She didn't know how long she'd leaned against the wall until she woke up on the floor later that day, at least, she thought it was still the same day.

The sun was dwindling about the horizon by a few mere inches leading her to believe it was close to dusk, she rubbed her eyes quietly sitting up her back pressing into the wall behind her. Looking down at her leg she could see a few meaningless areas where blood had spotted through the fabric, it didn't matter much as she knew she'd have to replace it once it was soaked.

She didn't bother getting up as she knew there wasn't much she could do in the small room, and as the sun set she realized checking out the hospital- or what remained of it- would be useless with the lack of light. Letting her head slump to the right she gaze out the window watching as the sun slowly disappeared and the room around her darkened.

It seemed that the air in the room cooled with the sudden lack of light causing her to shiver, she thought back on the clothes she'd pulled from the hamper earlier lifting her head to scan the room for them, using the last of the light available she located them on the edge of the hospital bed.

Scooting over to the bed, she reached out for them her fingers just barely being able to latch onto the articles. She let out a sigh quickly pulling the loose fitted gown from her body, she shivered at the lack of cover adjusting the shirt before she pulled it over her head, checking the tourniquet to see if it was soaked from blood she carefully slid on the sweatpants going especially slow as she pulled the leg over the wound.

She relaxed for a brief moment deciding that she didn't want to sleep on the floor again, it was cold and hard, making it even less suitable to sleep on. She made the bed her goal slowly pushing herself to her feet, half hopping half limping, she crossed the room pressing her hands against the bed once she'd made it.

Margo wondered if Mitch was struggling right now, if he was having the same problems as her, maybe he was running, running from something. Maybe he was dead.

Plopping down on the bed she gently lifted her legs onto the mattress making sure she was in a position that wouldn't cause her any pain when she awoke the next morning, for she had plans, one that would hopefully tell her where the hell everyone had gone and why so many of them were dead.

Closing her eyes the scene of Mitch leaving her replayed in her mind, it was the same thing, the only thing that she thought about, surely he hadn't wanted to, right?

She would have to ask him for herself.

If she ever found out where he'd gone.

Letting that thought slip away with her mind she found herself tumbling through every emotion she was capable of feeling her mind shutting down for the night.

She awoke to a sudden yell out in the hall.

Sunshine was shining into the almost completely white room as she sat up, the pain in her leg being a reminder of what she'd woken up to the day prior, staring straight ahead at the door, she watched as a figure- all but a blur through the small slip of glass that looked out into the hallway- passed by the door, they were short, but just barely tall enough that she could see the top of the persons- who she assumed to be a child- head, they had blonde hair and seemed to be running.

Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, she slowly placed her weight on both feet the cold tile sending shivers up her spine as she crossed the room, she'd adjusted to the pain knowing that it would go away if she didn't think about it for too long. Pressing her face against the glass to get a view of what laid beyond the glass she watched as the blonde figure buried a machete into the skull of someone.

Margo's eyes widened as the person crumbled to the ground the small girl's eyes flicking to her as if she was her next victim, she took a few steps in her direction Margo unsure if she was coming closer as she backed away from the door checking to make sure it was locked.

She scanned the room for something she could use as a weapon her eyes landing on the I.V. that was hanging from the small cart that carried the bag attached to said I.V.

Moving to grab it she glanced over her shoulder to check for the girl, she was nowhere to be seen. She picked the small instrument up tightening her grip around it as she returned to her spot at the door, the small girl popped up into view Margo's harsh glare set on her, glancing to the left the girls gaze returned to Margo as she gently tapped against the door.

"Can you open it? They're everywhere." she furrowed her eyebrows glancing to where the man the girl had killed moments before laid in a pool of his own oddly darker than normal pool of blood, "you just killed that man, I'm not going to be next."

The girl furrowed her eyebrows giving Margo a look that asked her if she was ignorant, "man? That was a monster." she shook her head, "you killed him, he didn't do anything." the girls face softened as if she'd realized something, "please, if you don't let me in they'll get me too."

Margo glanced out into the hallway again before eyeing the girl, "I'm going to open the door, you're going to hand me the machete, and then, you can come in, deal?" the girl bit the edge of her lip glancing in both directions before she gave a curt nod.

Slowly cracking the door open she held her hand out waiting for the blade, the small girl slid it along the floor into the room waiting for her to pick it up, when she did, Margo opened the door just enough for her to slip inside.

Gently pushing past the older woman, she closed the door behind herself making sure it was locked before she reached up on her tippy toes to glance out into the hall, she turned to look at Margo her eyes locking on the machete she now wielded, "why'd you kill that man?"

The girl frowned, "do you really think that was a man?" Margo opened her mouth confused as to what the girl meant, "when was the last time you saw someone?" she proceeded to ask.

"Two months ago, maybe a little longer- what does that have to do with you killing an innocent man?" the girl smiled, "so you've been here the entire time then?" she nodded her head pointing the machete in the girl's direction, "I don't know what you've been doing, but in case you hadn't noticed, the worlds gone to shit, the dead walking and all that jazz."

She gestured to the window, "I'm guessing you haven't looked outside recently?"

"I looked outside yesterday." she replied, they stayed silent for a few brief moments before Margo spoke again, "what happened here?" the girl let out a sigh her shoulders relaxing, "it's a long story.." she trailed off, Margo drew the machete just the slightest bit closer, "I've got plenty of time." her stomach growled the sudden realization of how hungry she was settling in, the girl must've heard the sound because the next thing she said slightly shocked the older girl.

"How about, we go get some food first, I can tell you then, it won't do either of us any good if we starve." she hesitated for a moment before softly nodding, the girl stood moving to head for the door, "I'm Violet."

Margo gently pushed against the foot of the bed doing her best to balance once she was on her feet, "some people call me Margo, and others call me Raven."

"Bringer of death, nice ring to it." she frowned at the small blonde questioning why she'd let her inside, watching as Margo walked to the door she held her hand out, "you're staying here, you'll slow me down with the limp." she glared at Violet about to protest when she spoke.

"I need the machete, when I come back you can have it again." she didn't respond for a few moments before she carefully handed the girl the weapon, "see you soon."

NEW FLESH

CHAPTER ONE: THE BEGINNING OF THE END