Chapter 9: Return in a dreaded state
Exhaustion eventually claimed Daisy, pulling her down into the fitful embrace of sleep as the first hints of dawn began to paint the world outside in softer shades. The persistent ticking of the clock seeped into her dreams, a relentless metronome that underscored a soundscape of memories and monsters. In her uneasy slumber, images flickered behind her swollen eyelids—scenes of terror interlaced with faces of loved ones, now possibly just phantoms of a world that once was.
As the sun crept higher, its light became a beacon of time's relentless march, illuminating the reality of her new existence. She lay amidst the disarray, a lone figure on a bed that had been a witness to the night's terrors. Her eyes were puffy, the salt tracks of her tears drawn across her cheeks, while her muscles ached with the remnants of adrenaline and the effort of securing her makeshift sanctuary.
BAM BAM BAM
The sound was foreign in the silence that had become her companion—a series of soft, insistent knocks that pierced the veil of her sleep. Daisy's eyes snapped open, her body tensing as the fog of rest was abruptly replaced by a surge of alertness. Where was she? The remnants of her dream clung to her, a ghostly afterimage as she oriented herself in the reality of the destroyed bedroom around her.
The room was a time capsule of chaos, possessions strewn about as if the previous inhabitants had fled in a sudden rush. With the daylight spilling through cracks in the barricaded windows, the extent of the night's labors was laid bare—the room, once a place of rest, now spoke of fortification and fear.
Rising, her body protesting with stiffness and soreness, Daisy reached for the frying pan she had found the night before. Its weight was reassuring in her hand, a makeshift weapon that grounded her in the here and now.
She approached the door, each step measured, the pan held ready. Who—or what—could be knocking? Her heart was a drum, its rhythm quickening with each step. She edged toward the window, her movements a dance of caution, and parted the blinds just enough to peer outside.
There, in the unforgiving light of day, was James. His appearance was a stark testament to the ordeal he had survived. Beaten and battered, he stood shaking, shivers racking his frame despite the warmth of the morning sun. His clothes were torn, damp patches telling a silent story of struggle and escape.
Daisy's breath caught in her throat at the sight of him. Relief flooded her system, a tide of emotion so powerful it nearly swept her away. But the relief was tinged with apprehension—had he been followed? Was it truly James, or had the creatures learned a new, cruel mimicry?
Torn between the fear of opening the door and the urgent need to let him in, Daisy hesitated, the frying pan a cold weight in her shaking hands. The world had changed; trust was no longer something given freely, yet here she was, on the precipice of a decision that could mean salvation or doom. The knocking continued, a soft but insistent rhythm that demanded an answer. With a fortifying breath, Daisy steeled herself for what she would do next.
In a tragic surrender to his ordeal, James's battered form crumpled, folding into the overgrown embrace of the bushes. The sight of his fall was like a blow to Daisy's chest, her breaths hitching in a rhythm of panic. Without a second thought, she sprang into action, her own fatigue and aches forgotten. She heaved the barricading furniture aside, the heavy pieces dragged across the floor with a series of thuds and scrapes.
"Damn you're heavy," she muttered under her breath, her words a mix of concern and adrenaline-fueled exasperation as she wrapped her arms around James in an effort to pull him to safety. With a heave that taxed her muscles, she managed to maneuver his unconscious body across the threshold. His weight was a deadened thing, resistant in its limpness, making her every movement a battle against gravity.
Blood, a stark contrast against the pale flooring, smeared behind him like a macabre trail as she dragged him deeper into the house. Daisy's mind raced with urgency, the need to secure the entrance pressing against her concern for James. With one final, grueling effort, she repositioned the furniture, resealing their haven from the monstrous world outside.
The house, which had just hours ago been her fortress, now felt like an infirmary of despair. She had to focus on James, on the life that was slipping from him with every passing second. She remembered the backpack, the weight of it on her back as she had first made her way into the house—there had to be a med kit. It was a scant hope, but hope nonetheless.
Rushing to the room that had been her shelter through the harrowing night, she found James's bag discarded in a corner. Her fingers, trembling with urgency, rifled through its contents until they closed around the compact shape of a basic medical kit. It was better than nothing, but as she knelt beside James, the kit opened before her, the reality set in.
The kit was designed for scrapes and bruises, minor injuries—nothing that could fully mend the deep lacerations and apparent broken bones that marred James's body. His wounds were a map of his flight, each mark a tale of narrow escapes and desperate battles. She fought back a surge of helplessness, shaking her head to clear it. She couldn't afford to freeze, not now.
Daisy's hands worked with as much steadiness as she could muster, cleaning the wounds with antiseptic wipes that seemed laughably inadequate. She wrapped bandages around the deepest cuts, the fabric soaking through with crimson almost immediately. Splints for the broken bones would have to be improvised. She tore through the house, searching for anything sturdy—magazines, pieces of wood, even a sturdy spatula—to use as makeshift stabilizers.
Her mind was awhirl with every first-aid tutorial she had ever seen, every movie scene of makeshift medicine—anything that could help her save James. The sun climbed higher, casting light on the life-and-death struggle that unfolded within the house. Daisy worked on, her determination a bulwark against the encroaching shadow of loss.
James lay still, his breathing shallow, each inhale a rasp that spoke of his critical state. Daisy leaned over him, her shadow merging with his, a silent prayer on her lips that her hands would be steady, that her efforts would be enough, that James would hold on until she could figure out what to do next. She was no medic, but in that moment, she was all James had—a beacon of hope and tireless care in the daybreak of a shattered world.
Days turned into nights, and nights into days, the sun rising and setting in a world that no longer made sense. Daisy became the caretaker of the hour, each minute a cycle of tending to James, who lay in a deep, unyielding comatose state. Her vigil was unwavering, her presence by his side a constant as she battled the infection that sought to claim his weakened body.
She meticulously cleaned his wounds, the antiseptic sting a small victory against the unseen onslaught of bacteria. When he needed to be moved, she would gently shift his prone form onto her thighs, offering him the soft cradle of her lap, a touch of comfort amidst the sterility of his recuperation. Feeding him was a delicate task; she used a dampened cloth to moisten his lips, to keep them from cracking, and when he could manage it, she fed him small sips of water, and when he seemed strong enough, tiny morsels of food that she hoped would give him strength.
Daisy's own exhaustion became a distant concern, a secondary need that she pushed aside. She ate sporadically, whatever canned goods and non-perishables the house had offered, her appetite a faint shadow of what it once was. Sleep was a luxury she could scarcely afford, snatching moments of rest with her head resting on the arm of a couch or the edge of a table, her body always close to James, always ready to tend to him at the slightest change.
Two weeks passed—a fortnight of survival in limbo. The food supply within the house dwindled down to scraps, to nothing. The hollow feeling in her stomach mirrored the hollow feeling in her heart as she watched over James, who remained locked in his silent battle for life.
The inevitability of their situation bore down on her. They needed more supplies if they were going to survive, if she was going to keep James alive. With a heavy heart, she made the decision to venture out. James's backpack, once a symbol of their flight, now became her lifeline. She filled it with the remaining food—little as it was—and left it beside James, a meager offering should he awaken in her absence.
With a quiet resolve, Daisy stepped out of the safety of the barricaded house, into the unknown dangers that lay beyond. Her heart was heavy with the fear of leaving James alone, vulnerable. Yet, the same determination that had driven her to care for him now drove her to find sustenance, to bring back hope.
The world outside was a different place from the one they had run through weeks before. The monstrous roars and the relentless chasing had subsided, leaving behind an eerie stillness that was almost more frightening. Buildings stood silent, cars abandoned mid-escape, the desolation complete.
Daisy's every step was cautious, her eyes darting, always on the lookout for any sign of the creatures, or of other survivors. She kept to the shadows, moving with a quietness born from the need to be unseen, unheard. Her journey was one of necessity, each step a gamble, each breath a silent plea to find what she needed and return to James without incident.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Signed_JMB
Signed_JMB Creation is hard, cheer me up!
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