Infected Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Who Let the Dogs Out?

A couple of days passed. Everyone spent them trying to make themselves at home: 19 and 1 decided the lobby was the new throne room (mostly because it was the only room that didn't have a carcass or smell horrid), 7, 10, 11, 9, and 5 spent most of their time looking for supplies, 12 and 8 guarded their leaders, and 3 and 4 spent their time trying to make the rooms more sanitary.

The only one who spent any time by herself was 15.
Ever since she showed 6 those spikes on her shoulder, the female prophet almost never left her room. The only time she did was to grab something (paper, ink, glass, ect.), and never spoke to anyone. The striped artist tried speaking to her, but whenever he managed to stop her, 15 just looked down and walked away.

One day, the artist tried to draw to get his mind off his love. Ironically enough, each drawing he created had something to do with her: the first was her number, the next the lock she wore around her neck, and the third her pen-nib fingers. 6 screamed in exasperation and tore at his hair.

"6?"
The artist screamed.
At the doorway, 5 held his hands up in defence and said, "Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you." The artist stared at his brother a moment before wailing and covering his face with his ink-stained hands. The one-eyed mechanic instantly dropped to his knees and wrapped his arms around 6. "Hey, Stripes, what's wrong?" He asked.
"F-f-fi-15...sh-she..." 6 tried to speak, but sobs came out instead of words. "Oh, don't worry, I'm sure she's just a little stressed out. I mean, a new home, nearly dying...it's a lot for a girl to endure." 5 said soothingly. 6 sniffed and wipe his optics with his arm. "Y-yeah...m-m-maybe you're r-r-right." 6 said meekly.
5 smiled encouragingly and said, "C'mon, I think I might've found the perfect gift for 15."
6 perked up. "F-f-for real?"
"For real. C'mon."

~*~

6's eyes rolled back, and if 16 and 5 hadn't been gripping his shoulders, he would've fainted on the spot. Standing before him was a huge cat beast, only smaller and fangless. "A-a-a-are you g-g-guys i-insane?!" He practically screamed.
"No, we're geniuses. Girls love animals. 15 is a girl, and this is an animal, conprendo?" 16 explained. 6 hyperventilated as the beast nudged 16. The young mechanic grinned and scratched its ears. "Relax, Inkboy. It'll be fine." 16 said as he nudged the creature to follow them. 6 groaned and rubbed his temples as the small group continued towards the anaconda cage.

"Yu-hoo, little sister!" 16 called. In the dark corner, the female grunted and muttered, "What?" They were a bit surprised at her tone, but 5 gulped and said, "Um, we got you a little something."
15 sighed and stood up. When she came into the light, they were a bit shocked; the bone ends were half an inch long now, and 15 was keeping her hands behind her back. Also, her straight brown hair looked like a rat's nest.
"Uhh...meet Bernie." 5 said, gesturing to the cat beast. 6 stared at his brother figure. 'Bernie'? Of all the names on the planet, the one-eyed mechanic HAD to choose that?

The second it laid eyes on her, Bernie started howling at the top of his mechanical lungs. He even tried to pounce on 15, but 16 quickly grasped his pet's collar. "Hey, Bernie! Easy, easy!" He shouted as his feet slid on the ground. 15 stood there for a minute with a deadly serious face. Then, as quick as a cheetah, she kicked the pup on the side of the jaw.

There was a loud CRACK, followed by a whimper. The males looked at Bernie and noticed his jaw hanging at an uneven angle. "I'll rip it off completely if you don't get 'Bernie' away from me." 15 said in a grave voice. 5 only nodded and herded his friends out of the room.