#2 (read #1 first)
She reapplied her bandages and, laying on her back, tried to fall asleep. A knock at the door woke her right as she was drifting off. She remained silent, wondering if they would go away. They did not. Instead they knocked again, this time more frantic. Bella left her bed and walked to the entrance of her room.
“Hello?” She asked through the wooden door.
“Can I come in?” Cleo’s voice came from the other side. It sounded odd. Devoid of any emotion that she was usually filled with. Bella hesitated before gripping the doorknob to let her in. She swung it open and her eyes went wide with shock.
*That’s not Cleo.* She thought as the shadowy figure lunged at her, and sunk their teeth into her neck.
#1
They were almost hidden by the many freckles on her face. Cleo’s long brown hair framed her pretty eyes. Bella had noticed during the night that it was rare if Cleo’s smile ever reached her eyes. When it did her whole face would light up. Bella liked to think to herself that it was something special just for her. Something only she got to see.
“Well, we’re here.” Cleo said, coming to a stop with Bella at the front of her room. Bella realized she felt disappointed. She had wanted to walk with Cleo longer. She had wanted to talk to her more.
“I guess I’ll see you in the morning then…” Bella said, stepping towards her door. If I make it. She thought to herself.
“You know, I just had an idea.” Cleo started in the tone of someone who had wanted to share something for a while.
“What if we explored the village together tomorrow. I really enjoyed talking to you today and would love to spend more time with you.” Cleo smiled at Bella, waiting for her response.
The door was half open already but Bella turned back to look at Cleo and she smiled at her as well.
“That’s ok with me…” She said before stepping inside her room.
“Well I’ll see you in the morning then.”
“Yeah, see you.” Bella closed and locked the door, her cheeks warm and her heart fluttering with excitement about spending more time with Cleo tomorrow.
Unfortunately, she was barely able to take a step into the room before exhaustion and pain washed over her. It seemed to scratch and itch at the bandages Bella had wrapped around her left arm. She quickly took them off and clutched her wound. She sprinkled some of the oil she kept in a vial onto her hands and spread it across her throbbing arm. She rubbed the oil into the wound which, at first, only seemed to make the pain worse, like a thousand tiny needles poking the inside of her skin.
Eventually the pain faded away and Bella got up from the fetal position she had curled into on the floor. She walked over to her bed and sat on it. Looking at her wounds she noted the green pus and boils that covered them, all stemming from the bite on her wrist.
*I wish I’d never been bitten by that zombie. No, I wish there was a cure for necronosis or that my friends and family cared about me so I wouldn’t have to go on this stupid journey that was all for nothing.* She squeezed her arm in anger, and then remembered Cleo.
