Wolf Running by Toni Boughton

rumpled sheets. Nowen swung her legs over the side of her bed and stood up. She pulled on a pair of scrub bottoms and went looking for her companion.
    She found Jamie at the nurses’ station, talking on the phone. The harsh overhead lights bleached the young woman’s face of color as she yawned widely. Nowen caught her eye questioningly and Jamie mouthed “Dr. Westrick” as she hit the speaker button and placed the handset in its cradle.
    “-and I’m pleased to say that both mother and child are doing fine.” The rich and self-satisfied voice rolled out from the small speaker. “My experience working under stressful conditions in the operating room enabled me to take control of this situation. Under my guidance the delivery went smoothly. Of course, the nurses provided valuable assistance.” Jamie rolled her eyes at this, then leaned over to Nowen and whispered “Why, the mother hardly needed to be there at all!”
    Nowen turned away to stifle her laugh as Jamie said “Wow, that’s some good news, Dr. Westrick. And I’m pleased to tell you that our first supply run went really well. We’ll be sending down-
    “Just a moment, please.” The doctor interjected, concern evident in his voice. “Can’t you quiet him?” This seemed directed at someone near the doctor. “Well, I think it might be good idea if we did. Now!”
    Jamie looked quizzically at Nowen. “Dr. Westrick, is something wrong?”
    “The infant is crying, and it’s rather loud. The infected people outside the delivery ward are attracted to the noise. There’s quite a few of them at the main door, now. No, you fool, move everyone back!” The doctor’s voice faded slightly as he pulled away from the phone to yell at someone. The sound of a baby’s cry came faintly through the speaker. “Jamie?” Dr. Westrick’s tone had shifted from concern into genuine worry.
    Jamie leaned over the phone as if she could crawl through the wires down to the second floor. “Yes, I’m here! What is it?”
    “We’re moving everyone as far from the entrance door as we can, but it looks as if every infected person on this floor is here. We’re hoping that if they don’t see or hear us they will disperse.” There was a pause, and then the doctor continued. “The worry now is that they will get in somehow.”
    “Like through the glass or something? ‘Cause I don’t think that’s gonna be a problem. We haven’t seen the Revs exhibit any kind of advanced thinking. It’s not likely that they’ll try to break the glass by throwing things at it.”
    “Could their combined weight break the glass?” Nowen said.
    Jamie shot her a withering look as Dr. Westrick gasped. “No, no, don’t freak-I mean, don’t worry. It’s all, like, safety glass down there. And as for any other way they could get in....the doors can only be opened from outside by swiping the hospital ID across the sensor pad. So unless one of the Revs has one, you should be ok.”
    Dr. Westrick’s voice, when it came through the speaker, was very quiet and very still. “One of them does.”
    “What?”
    “One of the infected at the front of the group has an ID clipped to the front of his shirt.” The whispered words spilled out of the phone. “He is watching me, and my speaking seems to agitate him. I will attempt to move out of his view.”
    “Put the phone on speaker!” Jamie whispered back.
    There came a small click, and then they could hear the muffled sounds of movement. Jamie abruptly whirled from the desk, walking briskly a few steps away before turning back. She motioned Nowen over and murmured “We’ve got to do something to help them!”
    Nowen nodded. “We can try and draw the Revs away....”
    “How?” The nurse anxiously chewed her fingernails as she paced in a small circle.
    “The stairwell. We can make some noise to get their attention.”
    Jamie looked up eagerly. “Right! Bedpans, trays, IV stands - those will make a hell of a noise!” She headed for the