Reta's shoulder slid back into its socket with a wet, nauseating pop.
She rolled it once.
Twice.
A satisfied smile crept across her face.
"There we go…"
Purple bruises stretched across her collarbone where Lila had nearly caved it in. Fresh cuts crossed her cheek. Blood had dried beneath one nostril despite someone's obvious attempt to clean her up. Her clothes had been washed as best they could, but crimson stains still clung stubbornly to the fabric.
She looked like she'd walked through hell.
Judging by the smile on her face…
She'd enjoyed every second of it.
The compound gates groaned open.
Nobody questioned her.
Nobody stopped her.
Workers continued carrying lumber.
Others reinforced fencing before the coming winter buried everything beneath snow.
Intelligent infected crossed paths with baseline infected without so much as a second glance.
It functioned.
Orderly.
Almost peaceful.
Reta twirled a knife between her fingers as she walked.
Round and round.
