"Don't you worry, Cole. I'll be back in no time," Mattie assured the baby without much conviction after putting him down and setting the backpacks on either side of him, partially to keep him hidden and partially to keep any windchill from seeping through his blankets and clothes. This seemed to distress him more, but now that she knew Nicholas was still alive, there had been a swell of determination to keep him that way and a squirt of adrenaline that made the hairs on the back of her neck prickle more than they already had. 

She ripped a fence-post out of the ground and thundered into the dim room, slamming the heavy slat of wood into the ribcage of the headless ex-pacifist and knocking him through a window so dirty that light had a hard time getting through. She panted and twitched. Everything in her was alive and twitching and itching to fight. 

Mattie turned and her eyes fell on the horrible red mark on Nicholas' arm. Her eyes widened, and she whispered to herself, "Holy hepatitis-flavored jelly donut," while raising the fence-post defensively in front of her. She didn't know how long the infection took to set in, but one thing was sure, and it was that she didn't want to be near it. She took one step back, two, three, while staring at Nicholas as if he were a mother grizzly bear and would attack her any moment. She choked as if the disease had suddenly taken on a horrible smell, and nearly tripped as she backed swiftly out of the house. 

[i]Take the baby and get away.[/i]