Ashlyn took a step back when the gun was pointed at her, she held her hands up the bite mark on her arm now visible, ashlyn was a bit smaller than Selene, she had a hourglass figure, long black hair that was braided tightly in pigtails, and toned muscles she was about 5,7.
She let out a shaky breath when she saw the gun being pointed at her "Selene.. Please don't."
Her quickened breathing started to slow down as the woman lowered her gun, she took a step forward her hands lowering a bit and she looked up at her friend "thank you.. " her brought her hand back down to the bitemark on her arm and looked at it "maybe I got lucky.. It doesn't look bad-"
Selene had chopped her hair when this mess had started, and kept it that way. Dirty blonde turned brown from grime, sweat, and ash, and gray eyes that would terrify even the most cold of soldiers. She stood tall at a 5'11, 6'0 with her combat boots.
She clicked her tongue, "You know damn well that if I didn't know you as well as I do I wouldn't have hesitated." Now that the tension had left her expression, it was just exhaustion and pain. She had lost everyone, and now… The only other person she interacted with had been bitten. Lovely.
When Ash moved to stand beside her, she grabbed some rubbing alcohol, gauze, water, and wrap. She hummed as she looked over the bite. "It's shallow. That's good at least. "There's more blood so it makes the wound look worse." She sets to work carefully cleaning the wound, offering the water to Ash to drink. With steady hands she cleaned the wound, grimacing slightly at the sight of the bite but wrapping it carefully before nodding in satisfaction. "There. We'll check on it in a few hours, clean it again, and make sure the infection hasn't spread. There's always the decision of amputation, but it's hard to tell exactly how far the infection has spread."
Ash nodded not saying a word, she was silent seeming to be lost in thought letting memories flash in her head she refused the water she didn't want to waste supplies if she was just going to die soon. She pl a sed her hand on the bandage and took a breath. She looked to Selene before hanging her head, "I'm sorry.. I saw a kid- I couldn't just leave him there.. Before I could check him infected came out of nowhere.. " she trailed off letting the situation play in her head and she didn't speak again.
Selene sighed deeply and shook her head before she thrusts the water forward, "Drink. I don't need you dying from dehydration before you die of whatever that is." She sighed deeply and shook her head, "No, it's fine. They're crafty little buggers." Selene muttered quietly. "I should have come with you, watched your back." She grunts softly and shakes her head. She hated this- so much. Running every day of her life, wondering whether the army or the infected were coming after them. And there were people worse than the infected too… She ran her hand through her hair. "Just… rest. I'll make us some food and we'll go from there, okay?"
Ash took the cup and looked at the contents carefully she hand shaking slightly, "I don't want you to waste resources on me Selene I'll take the water that's it, your not feeding me anything there's no point in giving me food. " she turned away and looked out a window her hand still trembling slightly "don't- don't blame yourself… Please. I wanted to go alone It was just a scout, I didn't think there would be anything out there," she leaned against the window seat and sat that water down, she was terrified she didn't want to drink she's probably throw it up and then it would really be a waste. "Just- sit with me, I not hungry.. I just don't want to be alone. "
Selene sighed deeply and shook her head, "I don't care. It's water. I can find more later." She murmured quietly, leaning against a wall tiredly. "As for food, same thing." She ran a hand through her hair and shrugged hopelessly. "I don't blame myself. But don't think for a moment that there's nothing out there. Always…" She sighed, "There's no point in lecturing you." She felt horrible still. She didn't know what to do at this point. She didn't want to be alone anymore. She didn't want to be left alone. She didn't want to be stuck in this hell alone. But she wanted to live. This life is the only life she knew. Monsters and pain. But she didn't care at this point. It was such a nightmare. Such a terrifying life. She hated it. "You won't be alone. Promise." She assures gently. She moved to sit with Ash and gently tugged the girl to sit against her side.
Ash leaned against Selene sighing to herself. "No but your going to be alone, selen." Ash held her are out and touched the bandage "I'm not ready to leave you…" she whispered to herself she pulled her legs up to her chest and pinched the bridge of her nose "I can't believe I was this fucking stupid. "
Selene shrugged hopelessly. "That's fine. I've been alone before." She muttered quietly. Though at this point… She didn't like the idea of being alone. She liked the company of Ash. She liked being around people. Yeah, the world sucked right now, but she had found it a little less grim with Ash by her side. She sighed a little and ran a hand through her hair. "Don't blame yourself. You saw a kid, you got bit. It could have happened to anyone if they had been in your shoes. All that matters is that you got back alive and we could have some time together before this…" She didn't finish her sentence, instead biting her lip and looking up at the ceiling, and swallowing a thick lump in her throat. If she remembered correctly, it could take anywhere from 2-8 hours for the infection to reach Ash's brain… and then Selene would have to be the one to pull the trigger.
Ashlyn sighed and shook her head. "We've known each other for years selene, damned near our entire lives. You can't be serious about this," she turned to looked at the girl with her icy blue eyes, "I left the kid, I saw him I got bit and I bailed- I don't even think he was infected.. Had I been smart, we would have more time, not just a few God damn hours."
Selene ran a frustrated hand through her hair. "We have known each other near our entire damned lives, and I know we've experienced a lot of shit, but I've been on my own before. I'll be okay. I'm just mainly worried about you." She murmurs softly. She shut her eyes for a moment and shook her head. "It's not your fault, you were just doing your job- Shit I should have come with you." She mutters sadly. She didn't want to think about it too much. She didn't want to be left alone if she was being honest. But what could she do? Her friend was dying and she was powerless to do anything to stop it.
"It's my fault this happened why the bell aren't you mad? Fucking yell at me or something! " she slipped off the couch and turned to look at selene her eyes burning with tears that threatened to spill down her cheeks "I wasn't doing my job, I was being overly confident in my ability, and I got myself killed! "
Selene gazed at Ash with tired eyes. "I am mad, Ash. But not at you. I'm angry at the government, I'm mad at whatever those freaks are, I'm angry at myself for not being there to protect you. You were doing something I asked you to do and now." She sighed and motioned over at the bite mark. "Just… Sit." She mutters quietly, "Sit with me, for now."
Ash's body relaxed no longer as tensed up as it was when she was yelling, she looked sad as she stared at selene. Her body was tired she'd spent most of the night running, running to her home, to selene. She sighed and climbed back into the couch and back to the slight embrace of the woman, she had her head against selene arm once more and fought back tears "I didn't mean to yell, I'm just scared.. I don't want to die and I don't want you to have to waste me or whatever I turn Into."
Selene sighed softly and ran her hand through Ash's hair once the other settled at her side once again. "it's okay to be scared." Selene murmured quietly, her eyes shut for a moment as she allowed herself to fully process everything. "If anything it's weird not to be scared." She smiled a little before ruffling Ash's hair affectionately. "No one wants to die. I don't want to die. But. I'm still gonna look after you, even after you're gone. Understand. I'm not gonna leave you alone anymore. Promise."
Ash leaned Into Selena's hand and closed her eyes. She sighed "I'm just not ready.. I don't understand how I could be so stupid, I just don't want to leave you.. " she let herself get comfortable against selene and smiled a little when she ruffled her hair. "Thank you for not leaving me.. Sele I don't want to be alone during this.. I just wish you didn't have to kill me. "
Selene sighed deeply, "I know. But I'm here for now, and that's all that matters." She murmured quietly. "No one is ever ready. And don't beat yourself up for it, yeah? We all gotta leave eventually." She hummed softly, her head falling back as she just focused on humming that tune. "I'm not gonna leave you. I've got your back, yeah? And I don't have to kill you. Not… not yet at least." She shut her eyes tightly and rook a deep breath.
She closed her eyes and stayed silent, she nearly fell asleep, her breathing falling steady and soft "thank you.. " she mumbled softly listening to selene hum, she couldn't believe that she wouldn't ever hear that again "yeah you don't have to kill me yet, but you will. "
Selene nodded hesitantly, "Of course." She murmured softly. She didn't want to wake up in the morning to Ash being infected, but she was glad that the two of them were able to spend some time together before that happened. She sighed deeply and just held onto Ash, playing with her hair and focusing on humming. She would have to kill Ash- but she would worry about that in the morning.
Ash ell asleep eventually, her body take slow steady breathes her eyes fluttering every now and then. The night was peaceful and quiet. Ashes arm was across Selena's stomach just barely, her facial expression was soft along with her breathing. She had no dreams that night just darkness consumed her in her sleep was was no longer aware of her surroundings until the morning.
(Hi! Sorry about the late response, I was sick :/ still am but feeling better!)
Selene stayed awake for the majority of the evening, just carefully playing with Ash's hair, her eyes carefully scanning their surroundings as they slept. She let out a slow breath when she saw the sun coming up. She'd let Ash rest a bit longer. She kept her hand on Ash's back, her eyes shutting tightly as she tried to will herself to do what she needed to do once Ash woke up. She knew that it was her responsibility. She knew that she didn't want to do this, but she had promised Ash. She didn't move, for the most part, just keeping Selene tucked into her side.
(Oh no! It's okay don't worry about it notebook always comes last your health is what's important!)
It was a hour or so after the sun had risen that ash woke up, she opened her eyes and looked to Selene with her eyes squinted and she cleared her throat before saying anything "Selene..? What's going on, I shouldn't be awake." She spoke softly trying to keep calm she wasn't sure if this was time to celebrate or be terrified. She started to sit up and she looked around the room, she felt fine and her arm didn't hurt like it had, was she dead? Was this her heaven or hell? She couldn't decide all she knew was that Selene was here and she always home safe.
Selene was startled when she heard Ash wake up, looking down and to see a perfectly fine Ash- Wait. That shouldn't be possible. She paused and slowly sat up, "What the fuck-" She looked so confused before she quickly dove for Ash's arms. She carefully removed the bandage that they had wrapped around the wound the night before and a sharp breath left her lips at the sight of the wound. Not only had the infection not spread, she looked… she looked fine. Selene paused and looked up after thinking for a moment. "Okay. Here's what I'm going to do. You're not dead- not yet at least. But- Do you think…?" She ran her hand through her hair. "Either the infection is spreading really slowly- or you're immune." Immune was impossible. Or was it? Selene didn't know.
Ash looked up at Selene she hear was pounding and she nearly jumped out of her skin when Selene jumped to her she looked at her arm along with the other woman and she looked looked to Selene with wide eyes "Selene the infection doesn't spread slowly i kills you within days or hours and it turns red… This looks the same was before-" she stopped and touched the infection softly it didn't hurt it looked clean and… healthy.
Selene took a deep breath in and glanced at Ash, "We still can't be overly careful. Even if it's not infected, we should keep an eye on symptoms for a while, and keep an eye on the wound." She states simply. "Okay… Once that's taken care of we can move forward and get out of here. We need to start moving north at some point. The higher we get, the further away from the infected we get." She explains quietly. "We need to get as far as we can. Okay? Maybe someone up north can help us."
Ash nodded but she wasn't really listening she was lost once more in her mind selene's voice faded and all she could hear were her ears ringing, she was hugged her stomach and looking down at the ground. Why couldn't you had just been smarter? Look at what you've gotten yourself into! she closed her eyes and tried to breathe but it felt as if she were suffocating in her own fear and guilt.
Selene noticed how Ash curled into herself and she stopped talking for a moment before slowly leaning forward to gently take Ash's hand. "Hey, look at me." She gently cupped Ash's cheek and tilts her head up to make the other look at her. "It's gonna be okay, I promise. We're gonna get through this together, just like everything else." She offers a tired smile. "We're gonna get through this, we're gonna survive. We're going to put this one day at a time, one step forward in front of the other." She squeezes Ash's hand. "Come on. Let's go get some supplies and then head out."
Ash looked at Selene quietly and listened to her speak. She nodded and glanced away for a moment. "But what if I turn.. What if you get infected- it would be my fault." Her voice cracked and she tried to collect herself she thought about what Selene was saying and it soothed her thoughts for the moment at least. She sighed and nodded her head. "Okay- fine.. Let's go. " she said softly turning her head back towards Selene
Selene glanced at Ash with a raised brow. "Considering the fact that when this whole mess hit and my father lied to me about being bitten and I woke up to him-" She swallowed harshly. "I can handle it. Trust me." She ruffles Ash's hair gently before moving away and gathering their supplies before slinging her rifle over her shoulders, double-checking her ammo packs, and setting her pistol in its holster. "Alright, let's get going then." She pulls the map out of her pocket and carefully marks where they were headed and marks where they were at the moment.
Ash looked away and cleared her throat "I'm sorry.. I forgot-" she added quietly before standing up and moving to grabbing her pack from off the floor and grabbing her ammo belt with a holster attached and grabbed her assault rifle she'd shipped off a QZ soldier a few months ago. "Alright.. Let's go. "
Selene shrugged, "You're fine. It happens." She sighed deeply and nods, "We'll walk through the city and get around to the other side. Depending on how infected it is, we'll have to go the long way around." She points to the city they were heading to. "There's a QZ not far from here. If anything we could steal cars or medicine." She tucks the map away and offers her hand to Ash, "Come on, let's get going."
