What Must Be Done

This was originally published 26.3.2009 as another piece of "Fiction in 10 Tweets" on Twitter.

What Must Be Done - ©2009 @Zombie_Frenzy @brttrx

"I think I cut my leg." Leslie reached down and ran her fingers along a tear in her jeans. Karen stood above her, frowning.

"What?" Leslie leaned back against a shelf. Some canned goods spilled onto the floor. They were alone in the grocery store. It was quiet.

Karen didn't move. Unwashed brown hair hung in her face. "Did one bite you?" She fingered the trigger of the pistol hanging in her hand.

Leslie shifted and her face dipped into shadow. The corners of her mouth moved downward, tugged by tiny invisible strings. "I-"

"Are you bitten?" Karen interrupted. Leslie ripped at her jeans, revealing a clear bite mark on her calf. Blood trickled out of the wound.

Karen backed against the opposite shelf and sunk down to the floor. "No, not this, not you." Tears welled up in her eyes. Her lip quivered.

The two girls startled as a loud bang came from the front of the store. It continued in a constant rhythm and Karen flinched each time.

"Karen, Karen!" Leslie said. "Snap out of it." She took labored breaths and looked worse with each moment. "You know what you have to do."

Leslie closed her eyes, pushing tears down her cheeks. The banging grew louder. "Do, it Karen. Then run and don't look back. You have to."

Karen stood up. She raised the gun and pointed it at Leslie. Pain tore at her face. Tears rained. "I love you sis," she said, and squeezed.