Natalia had fallen over onto her hands and knees. Panting she stared at the tiled ground under her and tried not to cry. “Oh man.. oh jeez..” she tried to come to terms with what just happened. She had just shot a human being. Well what was left of one after the infection took over, but still. As the adrenaline ebbed, Nat’s body started to feel again. It was cold in this room, but she couldn’t tell if her hands were shaking because of that, or because of fear. She was tired, the suit was still itchy. A moan from a near-by injured civilian brought her back to her senses. 

A man, not too far off was writhing on the ground and gripping onto his leg. Nat’s instinct was to go and help him. She turned towards him, and moved an inch before realizing what he had forgotten. Gripping the pistol in her hands, she turned back towards the blonde girl behind the solider. “Here, I’m sorry I just grabbed it,” her voice was steady, even though her heart was still pounding. Handing the gun back, she let out a weak smile, “I’ll try to find my own.” 

Nat directed her attention back towards the injured man, and started to make her way to him. She leaned over his body and was about to try to help before noticing all the blood. As he writhed, the blood from his leg seeped through his white suit. The suit also had splatters of blood across the chest and arms, and Nat couldn’t tell if that was his own. Her eyes widened and she scrambled backwards. [i] That’s how the virus transfers![/i] she thought to herself, quickly back tracking in her steps. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” she whispered, trying not to look at him.
 
Two girls were over by the dead marine, the one that was up on the railing before. They were looting him, taking his armor, his knife, his gun… no, they had left that behind. Maybe they were waiting to pick it up? Well, it couldn’t hurt to ask. Nataliya made her way over to them, crouching and pushing through the debris and the people. She muttered apologies under her breath to any injured ones that she couldn’t help. She made it to the girls at about the same time that others started to question the man who had finished the infected marine off. 
“Can I grab this? Or are you planning on using it?” She asked politely, trying to muster a kind look on her face. Her hand touched the butt of the gun, but she did not take it. 

"Ask him a maths question, the infected can't logic for shit."

Nat didn’t really know what had happened, but out of memory and impulse she shouted out, “7 times 7!!” Her parents used to force her to do the multiplications tables over and over again, but she never really got the hang of it. Math wasn’t her thing. But if it could help someone else, she’d call out.