Page 33 of Afflicted

She gives a small, shaky nod. “Y-yeah, better. They gave me something, to calm me down.”

“Good, I’m glad. They’re just setting up a new dorm in one of the other buildings, and then you’ll be able to go and get some proper rest.” I want to move to her bedside, sit beside her, fuck I want to take her hand and try and soothe the tremors that won’t stop reverberating through her body. But her eyes are like a deer’s, caught in headlights, and I’m worried that if I get closer to her she’ll faint again.

“Is everyone OK?” She asks, her voice high-pitched, as though her throat is swollen. “Did you see Gina? I couldn’t find her, and-”

“Gina?”Gina, Gina, which one is Gina, fuck I only know them by numbers. “The lady with the curly hair?”

Juliet bites her lip and nods shakily.

“Yes, she’s fine, safely ensconced in the new dorm.” I hope I sound reassuring.

She looks away, brushing the hair out of her face, and shivers. “I was so… So s-scared.”

“I know.”

“Are we safe here?” She asks in a small voice. Her stormy eyes land on me, her jaw chattering. “I w-want you to t-tell me the tru-truth. Are we s-safe here?”

I lean on the bed frame. “I promise you we’re doing everything we can to keep you all safe. Really.”

“That sounds like a company response.” She sits up, her hands clasped to her chest. “I want to know. P-please. What’s going on?”

I don’t want to lie to her, but I don’t want to scare her with half-truths. We don’t know what’s going on. We don’t know how this happened.

“There just seems to be more Afflicted than normal around right now,” I say. “Maybe a neighboring colony got attacked and they’re making their way past us. I don’t know. But whatever it is, we will keep you safe.”

She sniffles, drawing her knees up against her chest and wrapping her arms around them. “How many people died?”

“Too many.”

My answer seems to surprise her, and those pretty eyebrows dart up in her face. “You almost sound sorry.”

“I am sorry. I don’t want to see anyone die if they don’t have to.”

She cocks her head, regarding me critically before turning her gaze to the curtains. “I’m tired. I should try and sleep.”

“Do that.” I take a step back from the bed. “It’ll be alright.” I watch as she huddles back down into the bed, and it’s not until she pulls the sheet up over her head that I step out of the cubicle.

I hate leaving her there, shivering and alone, scared down to her bones. She should be tucked up in a warm bed… Yes, with me. I groan at myself. I want to take her in my arms and soothe those fears, kiss her mouth until she forgets how scared she is.

Surrendering to those thoughts is a bad idea. A really fucking bad idea.This isn’t the time.

I know I should go and help the others, I should see what else needs to be done. But the past few hours have caught up with me suddenly, and now I just want to be alone. I want to wash all this soot off me.

I head to my cabin, the horrid stench of smoke pursuing me. I shut the door behind me, stripping off my clothes just inside the threshold so I don’t drag all this dirt and grime into the room. I drop the clothes on the floor and head straight for the shower.

I consider jerking off for a moment, because of course thinking about Juliet and holding her in my bed has got me hard. But instead I blast myself with cold water, hoping to chase away the arousal. It helps - not much, just a tiny bit.

I dry off and head back into my bedroom. There’s a dragging sound behind me, and I turn around to see Sam forcing open the door which is catching on my discarded clothes.

“Open this fucking door, right now.” She barks.

I roll my eyes and rush over, waving her away. “Just back up for a second, hold on.” I push the door closed before Sam obliterates it and leaves me with no door. I kick the clothes out of the way and Sam shoves her way in with considerable force, pushing me aside. She slams the door behind her, her eyes roving up and down my naked body.

“Did you know I was coming?” She asks, her eyes blazing bright red with fury and desire.

“You need something, Sam?”

“I need to be fucked.” She advances on me and grabs a hold of my mostly-hard cock. “I just got a fucking railing from the boss that I did not enjoy, so now I’d like one I will enjoy.” She pumps me roughly a few times, and I clench my molars together as I harden in her hand. “Get on the bed.”

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