Page 47 of Savagely Yours
“Sir!” Leigh hurried over, waving a stack of papers. “Got those copies for you.”
“Did you report this to anyone?” I asked, taking the stack and shoving it inside my uniform shirt.
“No, no one,” she said.
“Thank you.” I stood. “Now, will someone take me to Larke?”
I followed Ana down a hallway until we reached a white door with a number plaque that read 104. We entered the unit, stepping onto parquet floors covered by a massive area rug. The front room was lit by a battery-operated lantern, but from what I could make out, it was immaculate.
Cozy.
Clean.
There was a small kitchen with a gas stove and refrigerator, the appliances mismatched and not as pristine as the ones in Woodhaven.
Yet, they sparkled.
The living area housed a small sofa, chairs, and assorted bookshelves. A board game sat in a half-uncovered box on a coffee table in the middle of the room.
I followed Ana to the bedroom.
Inside was more of the same—inviting and tidy, the room illuminated by battery-operated nightlights. A beautifully weathered bookshelf had been turned into a storage unit stuffed with woven baskets. Trunks at the foot of each bunk held what I assumed to be clothing. A small desk beneath the windows separated the two bunks. And there, on the bottom left, was my girl.
I kneeled next to the bed and pressed my hand to her forehead.
Still warm.
“Her throat looked raw earlier,” I said.
“You saw her earlier?” Ana asked. “Are you here to take her?”
“Two soldiers were out today. Whatever she has, it might be spreading. She needs to be treated, or we run the risk of it spreading through the camp.”
“Assuming she’s the originator.”
“Regardless, she needs to be treated.” I stroked her brow. “Tapley? Hey, Tapley? Can you hear me?”
Her eyelids didn’t flutter.
I pulled out my flashlight and shined it on a slightly exposed section of her chest. “What’s this? Looks like a rash.”
Ana came closer. “If that was there before, I didn’t notice it. Maybe she kept it covered.”
I handed Ana the flashlight, stood, and wrapped the covers around Larke. Then, covers and all, I scooped her up into my arms.
“Cover her head for me, and use the flashlight to check if any part of her is visible.”
Ana walked around us, shining and inspecting and tucking. “No, no parts.”
“Do you have any masks here?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Grab me one and another set of covers.”
She disappeared and returned with a mask and a flat sheet that she added to the bundle in my arms. Afterward, she turned off the flashlight and returned it to my pocket before escorting me out.
“You’re the security guy, aren’t you?” she asked.
