Free Survival Ties (The Outbreak Chronicles Book 1) by Trisha Leazier Page B

eyes found Angela. She was up and by his
side.
    “Hey sleepy head.” Angela said
to him as she ruffled his hair, “How’re you feeling?”
    “My leg hurts. Did I get bit?”
Thomas responded and went to touch his leg but Sydney grabbed his hand.
    “No sweetie you can’t touch
that. Do you remember what Sam did to help stop the infection?” Sydney asked
him as she rubbed his palm in her hand.
    “Yeah it hurt a lot.” Thomas
said “Am I going to be a Red Eye?”
    “No sweetie we wouldn’t let
that happen to you.” Sydney said and he hugged her.
    Thomas and Angela both hugged
Sydney. Angela wanted to know what she could do to help keep the bandage on
Thomas’s leg clean. It was hard to believe that she was only fourteen, she
acted a lot older. I was wondering how much time Thomas and her had spent
alone, neither one would talk about their parents.
    Neither Sam nor Tone came back
to the main part of the bus. Sydney went up and talked to them a bit but she
wouldn’t say anything to us when she returned. She gave Thomas some sort of
pain pills to help keep the pain in his leg in check so he could play with
Angela and Axel.
    They had found chutes and
ladders in the pile of games. Apparently it was Thomas’s favorite; he lit up
when he saw it. Of course they were letting him win. Every time he won, he’d
stand up and do a victory dance that looked a lot like the chicken dance.
    Thomas barely made it through
lunch before he fell asleep again. Angela was worried but Sydney told her it
was normal; he was healing from a traumatic experience. Angela got Thomas to
their room and left the door open so if he woke up we would all know.
    The bus rocked like it hit a
pot hole and came to an abrupt stop. Angela ran back to the room to check that
Thomas hadn’t been thrown from the bed. She came back and stood next to Axel as
we waited for Sam or Tone to come and tell us what had happened.
    “Is everyone okay?” Sam asked
as he opened the door, he looked relieved to see us all standing there.
    “I think so. Did we hit
something?” Sydney asked.
    “Not something. Someone.” Sam
answered, his hands were shaking, “I tried to stop but they were in front of us
too fast. I don’t know if—”
    “We should go check the body
and bury him.” Tone added as he came into the living room.
    “Is it safe out there? What if
he was being chased?” Sydney asked as she wrapped her arms around Angela and
Axel, both standing closest to her.
    “That is one point. If we just
leave, is that going to be something we can live with?” Sam asked as he sat
down.
    “Any chance he survived?”
Sawyer asked and I noticed she was holding Micah’s hand.
    “No. I don’t know how much this
bus weighs but the tires went over him.” Tone answered.
    “My vote’s for leaving.” Sydney
said. “Not to sound heartless but we do have everyone else on this bus to think
of. Plus, if he was running from something we are risking getting ourselves
hurt or killed. For someone we can’t help, someone who is already dead.”
    “I have to say I agree but
since we are all in this together I didn’t want to make the call.” Sam said as
he stood up and headed back to the driver’s seat. He didn’t shut the door as he
started the bus back up and got us moving.
    I remembered news stories about
hit and runs. How horrible they were. Now everything was different. There were
risks now that no one would have dreamed to worry about before. I didn’t know
how I felt; I wanted to know who he was. But I didn’t want to see him either.
    I didn’t realize I was crying
until Aaron came and sat by me. He didn’t say anything just hugged me and put
his chin on my head.
    “It’s okay to be upset.” He
said to me.
    “Was it right to leave him? Is
this what the world is now?” I asked as I hugged him.
    “I don’t know if it was right
but it was safest for everyone on this bus. You remember now that other people
made the decision.” He said.
    “But I feel