Insanity Chapter 7

Chapter 7

I curse and shake my head, trying my best not to fall asleep.
Finally I see an old farmhouse, it is in bad condition, but it will have to do.  The car comes to a halt and I get out, slamming the door.  I run my hand through my thick black hair before walking around the car and opening the passenger's door.  I reach over Driana's unconscious body in order to release her seatbelt, which for once I managed to get on without an argument; of course she was not awake, but still.

I open the door for Scout, who slowly get's out, there are numerous wounds all over her body, a few of which I inflicted, but most are from her fight with the girl.
Once she is out I close the door before slipping my right arm over Driana's back, seconds later I put my left hand under her knee caps.  Pain shoots through my badly bandaged left arm, but I manage to lift her almost effortlessly.  Scout limps to the front porch, a few years ago this would have been a beautiful place, but now the blue and white pain is peeling off, years of weathering have left most of the wooden porch rotten and the garden has over grown to almost inside the house.

I lift me foot before kicking open the door.
"In you go."  I say to Scout before nudging to the dark room on the other side.
I watch as the dog limps inside, at least she should give me warning if there are any infected around, but a few seconds pass and nothing happens so I go inside.
The room I entered into seems to be the living room.  An old couch is placed a few meters away from me, in front of it I notice an old box TV.
In the other side of the room stands a large wooden bookshelf, although most of the books are rotten, the shelf itself seems to be in a surprisingly good condition.
I notice another door to the right, directly behind the couch.
"Scout."  I call, giving a low whistle before kicking the door open.
Scout limps into the kitchen before sitting down, licking her wounds ruefully.
I give a sigh as I notice a large wooden table, Driana is getting heavy.  I gently place her down on the table before I start to search through the cupboards.

A few minutes later I glance at my findings, I have eight jars of pickled fruit, another three jars with jam, and five cans of pickled sausages.  Further I have found a large bottle of whiskey and a few reasonably clean cloths along with a box of matches and a bunch of usable plates and bowls.
I walk over to the tap and open it, hoping for a miracle.  For a few seconds nothing happens except for a strange gurgling sound.  I reach for the tap to close it again when mucky brown water starts to flow, a few seconds later clean water runs into what is left of the sink.

I give a sigh of relief before taking a large glass bowl.  After filling it with water I close the tap and place the bowl in front of Scout.  Scout limps closer before gratefully starting to drink.

I shake my head again as my nagging exhaustion returns.  I walk over to the sink before splashing cool water into my face.
"Okay now you."  I whisper as I walk over to Driana.  I fold her black hoodie under her head before wetting one of the cloths.
There is thick red blood all over her face and sticky white foam on her throat and right cheek.
There is a large cut on the right side of her head where I hit her earlier; it seems to have bled a lot.  For a few centimetres all around the cut the skin is dark blue, confirming my suspicion that I might have hit her pretty hard.

After I got her cleaned up I am too tired to think straight.  I grab my gun before walking back into the living room.  I grab hold of TV before pushing it in front of the door, barring it from any unwelcome visitors.
The sun is completely gone now and I can't really see anything, but I still manage to find my way to the couch.  With a groan I drop down on it, but instantly regret it as a thick layer of dust springs up into the air, choking me.  After a few coughs I lei down, pulling my jacket over my exposed skin in a attempt to keep out the biting coldness, I have given Driana the blanket and it would be dangerous to explore the house any further in the dark.

I close my eyes, but even though I am exhausted I can't fall asleep.
I'm not sure whether the cold is to blame, or just the adrenalin of today.  I lift my right arm to look at my watch.  Its dark screen lights up as I press one of the many buttons.
"12. 30 am." I mumble before pulling my jacket over my exposed shoulder.  I am use to sleeping in bad conditions; I have done it a lot when I was still in the Special Forces, I served in the Force since I was 17, about 13 years now.  Sometimes I miss it, other times I am glad they kicked me out, I guess they had to kick me after I beat to death three of the people we were suppose to be protecting.

I guess I fell asleep sometime around two in the morning, when I wake up the sun is shining brightly and I notice I am covert in a blue blanket.
Glancing at my watch I notice it is already 11.30.
"I guess we can stay here for a few days."  I mumble before lazily moving so I am sitting on the couch with my legs on the old wooden floor.

I glance at my left arm and curse as I notice fresh blood soaking the cloth I roughly tied around it yesterday afternoon.  With a sigh I stand up, running my right hand through my hair as I make my way to the kitchen.

"Morning!"  Driana greets me cheerfully from where she is busy trying to light the stove.  She is wearing her cowl again, with only a few strands of her golden hair peaking out.
"Hey, how is the head?"  I reply as I walk over to the sink.
"It hurts, a lot."  She answers with fake anger and turns toward me.
I raise my eyebrow at her before opening the tap.
"Good, it serves you right."
Although I have my back turned towards her I know she's rolling her eyes.
"I hardly see how."  She replies as I splash some cool water on my face.
"Yhea whatever, hand me a cloth would you."  
"Would it kill you to say please once in a while?"  She replies, but seconds later she hands me a blue and red blotted cloth.
"Probably not, but I don't want to take the risk." I reply as I wipe the water off my face with my t-shirt sleeve.
I winch as I untie the cloth on my left arm, it is almost completely soaked with blood.
I throw the cloth in the sink before shoving my arm under the flowing stream of water.  For the first few seconds it stings, but eventually the coldness makes it numb.
"How do you light this thing?"  Driana asks before giving the stove a kick.
Without saying a word I walk over to the stove, within seconds I have a large flame running under one of the elements.  I stare into the dancing red and yellow flames for a while before glancing down at Driana who is standing beside me.
"Don't burn the house down, we're staying here for a few days."
"Why?"
"Cause I said so."
"That's a pathetic reason."
"And you're a pathetic little girl." I reply with a smirk.
"I am not!" Driana exclaims before pushing her hands on my chest, shoving me backward.
I laugh as I grab hold of the table with my right hand.
"Whatever you say, why don't you try and make us some food?"
"I'm going to poison yours." She mumbles softly as she grabs an old pot out of one of the bottom cupboards.

I shrug before going back to the sink so I can finish treating my wound.  Scout managed to sink her teeth pretty deep, luckily she just missed the main vein in my wrist.