Problem in the Family

A dim glow from the flickering overhead lights cast long shadows in the makeshift clinic. Bodies crowded around cots, some moaning, others resting eerily still. The smell of disinfectant hung in the air mingling with the weight of the morning's events.

Paisley, taking an afternoon break, sat on a folding chair, elbows resting on her knees. She traced the rim of a chipped mug with one finger, lost in thought. Sam glanced her way, concern flickering in his eyes.

"Hey," he said softly, breaking the silence. "You okay?"

She looked up, forcing a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Yeah, just... a lot on my mind."

Liam stepped closer, adjusting the fabric of his jacket. "You want to talk about it?"

"I mean, it's just… all this," she gestured broadly, encompassing the chaos around them. "We've seen so much in just a few days. And I've never really shown you guys my vulnerable side. But I think, well, maybe it's time."

"What do you mean?" Liam's brow creased with curiosity. "You're one of the strongest people I know. You've been keeping us together."

A faint laugh escaped her lips. "That's just it. I've always had to be strong. I've never really felt like I could show what I was feeling."

Sam leaned in, trying to meet her gaze. "We all have our struggles, Paisley. No one expects you to carry everything on your shoulders alone. Just tell us."

A shadow flickered across her face. "Okay. I guess I just want to share a part of myself I never really talk about." She took a deep breath, glancing toward the empty table. "I was adopted when I was a baby. My biological parents… they didn't want me."

Sam's features softened. "That's a lot to carry. But you have your adoptive moms now. They must love you."

"They do," Paisley admitted, a mix of gratitude and sorrow in her voice. "But there's always that part of me that wonders about my real parents. If they had any regrets. If I mattered to them at all." She paused, swallowing hard. "What if they're happier not knowing me—"

"No one can take away your worth," Liam interrupted, fiercely. "It doesn't matter where you came from. What matters is where you are now."

"What if my moms are dead out there?" Paisley continued, ignoring Liam's words. "What if I lose the only family that has stood by me? What if I'm stuck here, facing… all of this, alone?"

"You're not alone," Sam insisted, taking her hand between his. "We're all in this together. You have us."

"What if we fall apart?" she asked, tears shimmering in her eyes. "What if we don't make it out of here?"

Liam shook his head firmly. "That's not going to happen. We'll fight, like we always have. Together."

The weight of the moment hung in the air as each of them felt the truth in his words. Just then, a loud crash reverberated through the building, causing them to jump.

"What was that?" Paisley asked, her breath quickening.

"I don't know. Should we check?" Sam suggested, rising to his feet.

"Yeah, let's go," Liam urged, adopting a brave front, though they could hear the fear in his voice.

As they stepped outside the makeshift clinic, a tense silence enveloped them. Shadows danced on the walls, and they moved cautiously toward the source of the noise.

Suddenly, Gary, one of the surviving hospital staff, sprinted down the corridor, sweat glistening on his brow. He skidded to a halt in front of them, panic evident on his face. "I went upstairs, to find some more food, and found a wounded young man hiding in the ER so I escorted him to the basement but he's gone out of control!

"What do you mean?" Sam's voice quivered. "He started getting aggressive," Gary explained, glancing over his shoulder as if expecting to see the man leap out at any moment. "We tried to keep him calm, but he just... snapped! He's loose in the basement, we need to find him and contain him now before—" he froze as another loud crash sounded in the distance.

Liam felt a chill creep up his spine. "What should we do?"

"He could hurt someone," Paisley whispered, shivering slightly at the thought.

"Let's go," Liam said, already moving down the corridor. "Stick together."

The three friends fell into step behind Gary as they approached the direction of the noise. Each footfall echoed dread, the air thick with uncertainty.

"What if we can't help him?" Sam asked, his voice a strained whisper, eyes darting nervously. Liam shot him a quick glance. "We will help him if we can. We can't give up on him yet. He's still… he's still a person."

The door to an unused section of the hospital basement loomed ahead, its metal frame dark and foreboding. As they reached it, Gary turned to the group, anxiety creeping into his features. "It sounds like he's in here. We might need to use force."

"But what if he's too far gone?" Paisley interjected, biting her lip.

"Don't worry we'll figure it out," Liam said, heart racing.

Gary pushed on the door and swung it open. The hallway ahead smelled of dampness and decay, a world of shadows where the flicker of a dying bulb barely illuminated the space. They stepped inside, hesitantly moving further in. Every noise felt amplified, the air thick with tension.

"we're here to help you!" Gary called, voice trembling. "Can you hear us?"

Silence answered—a silence thick with danger.

Suddenly, a crash echoed from deeper within, followed by frantic movements along the walls.

"There he is!" Gary shouted again, his voice strangled with fear.

Liam exchanged worried glances with Sam and Paisley.

"Maybe we should just leave," Sam urged, his expression showing the turmoil.

"No!" Gary rebuffed, his voice near breaking. "If we abandon him, he could hurt himself… or worse, someone else."

"Please don't make us go over there," Paisley choked, her fingers trembling.

"Where's your courage?!" Gary shouted, desperation evident. "We need to do everything we can to save as many people as possible!"

"Maybe if we talk to him, we can bring him back," Liam suggested, frantically. "Just—just hold on!"

As they ventured deeper, they found a familiar but disheveled man hunched in the corner, his clothes torn and bloodied, his eyes wild and darting. He breathed heavily, a low rattle echoing deep in his chest.

"Colin!" Liam stepped forward, arms raised in a mix of assertion and fear. "It's us! Please, talk to us!"

"Get away!" Colin bellowed, his voice thick with rage and something far more primal. "I don't want to hurt you!"

"Just breathe, okay?" Sam interjected, taking a tentative step closer to his big brother. "We're not going to harm you. You need to calm down."

Colin's eyes flickered, a brief glimmer of recognition surfacing before being overtaken by anger once more. "I can't… I can't control it!"

Gary ventured near, voice steadying. "You have to fight it, Colin! We know you're still in there. We're here to help!"

Colin shook his head, fear radiating from him. "You don't understand! I can't stop what's happening! I can feel it taking over!"

Liam took another step forward, heart pounding. "You're not alone! We're right here with you! You have to fight it!"

Colin's breath caught in his throat, pain evident on his face. "It's… it's too much!"

The moment hung, heavy with despair, as Sam reached out, fingers brushing against Colin's shoulder, urging him to remember who he once was.

"Colin, think of all the good things. Our family. Your friends. You can overcome this!"

A flicker passed through Colin's eyes—a deep internal struggle waged behind the storm brewing within.

Finally, words escaped him, broken and desperate. "I'm scared... I don't want to hurt you."

"I know you don't," Sam insisted, voice trembling yet strong. "Don't give up. I'm with you. Always."

Suddenly, a raspy sob erupted from Colin and tears began pouring down his cheeks.

"Liam, we've got to do something!" Paisley exclaimed, drawing forward instinctively.

"Colin, we can protect you. Focus on us!" Sam shouted, unwavering determination in his eyes.

With renewed determination, Colin locked eyes with them, slumping against the ground.

"I… I'll try."

Gary heaved a sigh of relief, stepping back with a wide grin. "Told you we could do it!"

Liam didn't share Gary's optimism. He could see the toll it had taken on Colin, the inner battle won but at a cost.

"We still need to get him help," Liam asserted, glancing at Gary.

"The doc and the others are tending to the injured," Gary explained. "But I'm sure they'll—"

His words were cut short by a commotion at the far end of the hallway. Shouts echoed through the basement, followed by the thunder of footsteps. Gary's face fell, and he sprinted off, shouting back at them to stay put until he gets back.

Sam and Paisley stood on either side of Colin, providing a comforting presence as they waited. The seconds ticked by, stretching into an eternity of worry. The shouting grew closer, mixed with the clatter of medical equipment and the whimpers of the injured.

Around the corner, a young nurse sprinted toward them, her face etched with panic.

"I got a phone call from Gary, he told me Colin is here and he needs help!" she cried, reaching them. "Oh my— Colin you really have been infected—Dad said you ran away from home and they couldn't find you!"

Sam's heart leaped as he recognized the nurse as his older sister. "Elsie! I can't believe you're here!"

"Sam?!" Elsie exclaimed, eyes wide with disbelief. She dropped her medical bag and rushed to embrace her younger brother, relief flooding her features. "I've been so worried about you since the city was put on lockdown, but Dad said you were okay.

As they pulled apart, Sam gestured to Colin, concern returning to his face. "Colin is really sick. He's… not doing too well."

Elsie's eyes moved to Colin, compassion flooding her gaze. "It's okay, little brother. We're going to help you. I'm here now." She turned to the others. "We need to get him to a spare room, somewhere we can keep an eye on him. He seems like he's hanging on to his senses, but who knows how long he can hold out for."

Liam and Paisley helped a weakened Colin to his feet, and they slowly made their way toward the stairs, Elsie guiding them.

"How did you get here, Elsie?" Sam asked, falling into step beside her. "Dad must have been worried sick."

"He was," she confirmed, her face grim. "But I insisted on coming. I'm in my last year of med school, Sam. I have to help." She paused, determination flashing in her eyes. "This is my dream, to make a difference in situations like these. And I'm not going to let this infection win. Not when there are people depending on us."

Sam felt a surge of pride in his sister, giving him hope in the dire situation.

"You always were the responsible one," Colin mumbled, his voice strained. "Even when we…" His voice trailed off, and he glanced at Sam with a hint of remorse.

"It's okay, Colin," Sam soothed, refusing to dwell on Colin's past bullying. "We're here now. We're together."

Elsie led them to a vacant office, and they helped Colin lie down on the couch. She quickly checked his vital signs, her face grim, before turning to the others.

"He's stable for now. The infection hasn't fully taken over, but we need to keep him calm and monitor him closely. I'll see what I can find to help."

With a nod, Elsie rushed off, leaving the trio alone with Colin.

Sam took Colin's hand, determined not to leave his side. "We're going to get through this, big brother. We'll find a way to fight this thing."

Colin managed a weak smile. "You always were the optimistic one."

In the hallway, Elsie encountered Gary returning with two other medical staff.

"Any luck?" Gary asked, his tone hopeful.

"He's doing better than expected," Elsie reported, relief evident. "But we need to keep him under observation. I know you all are tending to the critical cases that just arrived, so I'll head upstairs on my own and see what I can scavenge for him."

"Great, great," Gary praised, wiping his sweaty forehead. "The other doctors will be glad to hear it."

Elsie's eyes widened suddenly, and she turned to the nearby staff. "Has anyone seen Dr. Walsh around? I need to brief him on Colin's condition."

The nurses shook their heads, worry creasing their foreheads. "We haven't seen him since he went upstairs to check on things," one of them replied. "He said he'd be back shortly, but that was over an hour ago."

Frown lines etched across Elsie's forehead. "I'll go look for him. Keep an eye on Colin, and call me if his condition changes."

Elsie hurried off, her mind racing with concerns. As she reached the stairs, her eyes darted around the empty stairwell, a chill running down her spine. Taking a deep breath she climbed the steps, listening for any signs of life. The faint sound of raised voices drifted down from the upper floors.

Reaching the first floor, Elsie moved cautiously down the corridor, her feet feeling heavier with each step. The doors to the intensive care unit loomed ahead, and the voices grew louder as she approached. Pushing through, she found herself in a chaotic scene.

Elsie's green eyes widened at the sight before her. Bloodstained patients lay scattered across the ward, some crying out in pain while others remained eerily still. The less severely injured darted between them, their faces etched with exhaustion and despair. Amidst the commotion, she spotted Dr. Walsh shouting orders and bandaging a wounded woman's leg, his face flushed with determination.

"Dr. Walsh!" Elsie called out, weaving her way through the crowd.

The doctor turned at the sound of his name, relief flashing across his face at the sight of her. "Elsie, thank goodness. We could use another pair of hands over here."

"I just came from the basement," she explained, her voice strained. "Colin's down there—he's infected but still lucid. We need to keep him calm and monitor his condition."

Dr. Walsh's brow furrowed with concern. "Infected? And yet he's coherent? That's a first. We must act quickly then. The infection rate is accelerating, and we're running out of time."

"I want to help him," Elsie asserted, her eyes pleading. "Please let me try."

Dr. Walsh's gaze softened, and he nodded. "You are in training to be a medical professional. Of course, your help is welcomed, Elsie. We'll do everything we can for Colin, but the majority of our attention must first go to these critically injured people."

Elsie's determination strengthened. "I understand. I'll start with whatever cases you want and work my way through. We have to try, don't we?"

"You're a credit to your profession, Elsie," the doctor praised, turning back to bark orders at an overworked nurse.

Elsie moved through the ward, assessing patients and administering aid where she could. Some injuries were grim, but she refused to back down, instead organizing the distribution of supplies and directing other helpers.

Hours passed like an eternity, and the ward slowly began to resemble a functioning emergency ward. Elsie's clothes were stained with sweat and blood, but she pushed on, driven by the lives depending on her skills.

As she tended to a deep cut on a young man's forehead, a nurse approached her, eyes wide with alarm. "Elsie, we need you down in the basement, stat!"

"What is it?" Elsie asked, her heart quickening.

"Colin's taken a turn for the worse," the nurse explained, her face lined with worry. "He's becoming aggressive again, and Gary can't hold him back on his own."

Elsie's eyes widened, and she hurried toward the stairs, the nurse hurrying alongside her. As they descended, Elsie's mind raced with ways to help Colin.

Reaching the basement, Elsie found the situation tense and on the brink of chaos. Colin was struggling against Gary and another nurse, his eyes wild and dancing with an animalistic lust for blood. Sam and Paisley stood to the side, frozen in fear, unable to help Colin in his current state.

"What happened?" Elsie shouted above the commotion, rushing over to join Gary and attempting to help hold Colin back.

"He just snapped!" Gary explained breathlessly. "We couldn't stop him from hurting himself. It's like the infection took over his mind again!"