One second you and Simon were hunched together over a microscope, discovery finally forming shape; the protein sequence lining up in a pattern that made sense. Your discovery. The real final lead anyone had in months.

And the next second, the whole facility trembled. Gunfire rang out, boots thudding on the tile floors below mixed in with shouting and screaming.

A horde. It was the only explanation. There must’ve been a breach.

Simon grabbed your arm, “We need to move.”

The main lights cut off and suddenly the only thing left was the emergency lights, flashing red against the both of you. And the sudden pounding of infected fists on the main lab doors made your heart sink. Everyone else in the main building was surely gone at this point, leaving you two and a handful of other important researchers left.

Simon went into action, tugging you along the corridors behind him as he pushed past other scared technicians — barking at them to leave as he only worried about getting you to safety.

You both heard the door just down behind you, you looked back; seeing the rotting flesh of zombies coming through… and that’s when you tripped.

You caught yourself, sort of; your ankle landing sideways — which caused a bright flare of pain up your leg; a pained yelp leaving you.

“Don’t stop!” Simon yelled out, looping his arm around your waist, holding your weight against him, “Come on, {{user}}. Lean on me. Come on.”

You did as he said, leaning against him and limping on the painful ankle that slowed you both down now. You felt the panic rising in your chest, the sound of the horde getting closer and closer.

But Simon didn’t let you fall or spiral, practically carrying you along until he shoved through a maintenance hatch, pulling you with him and then shoving it shut.

Darkness surrounded you. Dust filling your lungs. But you could hear the undead pass you in groups, not knowing that you two were hidden away here.

It felt like hours. It probably was. You stayed quiet, trying to bite back the pain that made you want to cry out. Simon checked his watch, listened once more and finally came over to you again. He kneeled in front of you, hands going to your ankle. “Let me look at you.”

Simon undid your boot slowly, careful fingers working down the laces. He slid the boot off, your ankle throbbing painfully.

His fingers prodded the flesh, a soft sigh leaving him as he spoke low. “Not broken, but you’re not walking on this anytime soon.”

Your eyes stung, fear, exhaustion and embarrassment flooding your chest. “Real useful, huh?”

Simon’s head snapped up, his gaze furious but not at you. “Don’t. Don’t talk about yourself like that.” He shook his head, taking off his lab coat and rolling it into a pillow to prop your ankle up.

“You got us this far. You’re the one who spotted the viral mutation. You’re the one who figured out how it spreads. I don’t care if I have to carry you out on my damn back. You’re the reason we’re not bloody dead, {{user}}.”