Survival: An Unexpected Visitor
Chapter 30
As night fell over the rubble that was L.A., a young guard named Sam, was walking the perimeter. As she was making her rounds, she noticed something on the ground. At first she thought it was a pile of rags but when as she approached, it revealed itself to be a person, collapsed in the dust and debris on the road.
”.... hello?” She said tentatively and reached out to touch the figure’s shoulder. No response. With a little more effort she managed to grab a shoulder and turn the figure over. As her flashlight beam fell on the face, she gasped.
Scars crisscrossed the figure’s features, the markings across the woman’s face appeared older while some looked very fresh. Her short hair was so full of dusty grey powder that it was impossible to tell what color it was, but her build and the lines on her face that weren’t made by a weapon suggested she could be in her thirties.
The woman groaned and her eyes squinched shut even tighter, fighting off the bright flashlight beam. As soon as Sam realized it was uncomfortable, she aimed it off to the side.
“Hello? Ma’am, are you alright?” She asked again, panicked this time.
“How did you get here? Please, try to stay still and calm.”
Another groan sounded, and the woman on the ground raised a hand to her face, muttering something inaudible.
“Ma’am, I can’t hear you. Let me go get help, I’ll be right back. “
Sam spun around and set off towards the camp, her heart pounding. What was this woman doing here? What other injuries might she have? And who did this to her to deserve those scars?
Back in the camp, Sam scanned the area for her watch partner, which tonight was Felix. Spotting him peering into the gloom by the weapons tent she jogged over.
“Felix! I found someone, hurt pretty badly. She collapsed right outside of camp. Can you come help me take a look?”
He turned around and he saw the shock and confusion on her face mirrored by his. “A person! Anybody we know?”
“No. She just appeared. At first I thought she was a bundle of rags but...”
“We should head over to where she is, then. Let me grab an extra gun first though—we can never be too careful.”
Sam and Felix headed back to where the body lay, armed and jumpy. Each fed off of the other’s nervousness until they nearly tripped over her, they were so focused on their surroundings. The woman struggled into a seated position, but she was far too weak to remain there and had slumped back again.
“Oh my god,” Felix breathed. “What happened to her face?”
“I don’t know, but I don’t think it’s the only damage. She could have some serious internal bleeding.”
Felix leaned closer to her. “Is she saying something?”
“Is she? I didn’t hear.”
“I can’t make out the words, you try.”
Sam leaned forward. Now that she was closer she could hear the faint; breathy whisper being breathed against her ear. The sound had a strange cadence to it; a rhythm that almost made her think—
“No wonder you couldn’t make it out. She’s speaking Spanish. You probably never got to learn much before the war.
”
Felix sighed. “No. And afterward, it was somehow never a priority. Can you understand her?”
Sam shook her head. “I had three years in high school; but now the most advanced thing I can do is recognize it. But I bet there’s someone in the building who can speak Spanish. Dr. Matthews traveled all over the place, maybe she picked some up.”
“Of course! Maybe Kalinda can help if internal bleeding is a possibility.”
Sam was about to reply when the woman reached out a hand and grasped her wrist. She was whispering urgently, “Ka-leen-da,” in sharp and precise Spanish vowels.
“Kalinda? Kalinda? Estás aquí?”
Felix and Sam exchanged a glance. “She knows Kalinda,” Sam breathed. “We need to let her know. Felix, you stay and guard, I’ll carry her inside.” Without waiting for an answer, Sam hoisted the woman into her arms and started toward Kalinda’s quarters.
“Ma’am, can you tell me your name? Uh... nombre por favor?”
Coughs racked her body, and Sam immediately loosened her grip to allow for more lung expansion. They were almost there, heading towards the door. In a voice so faint that she could barely detect it, Sam heard the woman whisper, “Rosa”.
Written By:
JaneF