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“If you bite me, I’m quitting Camp Molev,” Sid said.
“I will not bite you.You will try to bite me, and I will show you how to avoid being bitten.”
“Says the guy with all the bite scars,” Roland said dryly.
Molev ignored him and waved Sid forward.Sid came at him like an infected would but stopped at the last second.
“No removing my head either,” Sid said.
Molev snorted, which had us all grinning.
“I will be gentle,” Molev said.
“I need a cold shower,” Roni muttered.
Katie and Steve sniggered.
Sid leapt at Molev.Molev brought his arm up to block Sid then pushed him back.Not with Molev-type strength, though, just human.Sid stumbled back a few steps.
“I prevented a bite and created space between us.That space will allow you to draw your weapon, or if you call for help, it will allow someone else to kill the infected for you.”
“Smart,” Roni said, focused.
Molev turned, facing away from Sid.
“You’ve been working in pairs.One watches forward, and one watches behind.What happens when you lose your partner?How do you prevent a bite you cannot see?”
He went through several more examples, and when he finished, he reshuffled the pairs and had us go again.Steve had a solid sixty pounds on me and wasn’t easy to push back, no matter how hard I tried.It didn’t help that I was tired from the first session.Each time we broke apart and he came back at me, it was harder to fight him off.
Until I couldn’t.
My strength quit on me, and Steve darted in.His teeth dug into my neck, and I grunted at the pain.
He was off of me a second later, dangling by the collar clenched in Molev’s fist.
“I said no hard biting.”The anger on Molev’s face and the growl in his words had Steve nodding.
“It was an accident.I didn’t expect her to stop trying.”
Molev set Steve down and turned to me.The anger was still in his eyes when he grabbed my chin and turned my head to inspect my neck.
“The skin isn’t broken.Why did you stop trying?”he demanded.
“It wasn’t a conscious decision.My arm just gave out.We’ve been stuck in survival mode for weeks, Molev.Eat, sleep, and guard duty.Most of our days were spent in the trucks.This is the most exercise I’ve had since we left.”
Molev exhaled heavily and looked at the others, who’d stopped practicing too.
“Am I asking too much of you?”The open concern in his question had Steve standing straighter and wiped some of the shock off Brandon’s expression.
“You’re asking us to survive,” Roni said.“It’s not something that’s going to be easy, but it’s something we all want to do.”
Molev nodded and looked at me again.
“You will likely wear more of these marks, then,” he said, trailing his fingers over the bite.Then he lowered his voice and added, “Get stronger faster, Andie.Please.”
I nodded, and he stepped away.
“That’s enough of this practice for now.When your strength is failing and the infected are near, you have two options.Run or climb high.Which do you prefer?”
