Rose POV

It was quiet; too quiet. The only sound was the soft pitter-pat of my feet on the pavement of a long unnamed street. It had been 30 years since the 'Accident' happened and not many were left to tell us what happened. My mother, before she died, told me it started with one and then there was hardly anyone to fight it, not even enough time to broadcast a warning. A lot of people just killed themselves out of fear, but even more fought and fell, only a small minority bid their time.

A low moan echoed around the silent street and I crouched behind an old, long dead, car. A zombie stumbled out of an abandoned building and into the last rays of day. There goes my only chance of getting by unnoticed, I thought bitterly. I pulled a small bottle of tequila out of my pack and took a swig. No point in dying with out going down in flames. I then pulled out a length of cloth from my pocket, and after haphazardly pushing it into the neck of the bottle, majority of it drenched in the alcohol. I looked up for a split second to see the street now flooded with groaning, moaning undead. As silently as I could stuck a match and lit the cloth.

With a short intake of breath I threw it at one of the cars, a red ford with rusted rims and door. It made contact and exploded into flames followed shortly by the car exploding with the flames reaching the fuel tank. All of the undead sprinted over to flaming remains of the car. I slowly backed into the alleyway just a few meters away. There I was meet with the pleasant surprise of a fire escape. At least something works out, I thought gleefully. But I just too short to reach but moving something would only alert the Zombies to my presences.

"Ah, to hell with it." I mumbled to myself. The nearest object of any use was a dumpster, so I shrugged and attempted to push it. Thank full it gave easily but not with out groaning with the sudden movement. I winced at the volume of the noise; it was too loud so I had to be fast. Using all of my strength I pushed it until it was positioned directly below the fire escape. Unfortunately it didn't go unnoticed, at that exact moment a small horde of Zombies lumbered into the alleyway.

If I was a girly girl I might have screamed, but I was Rose freaking Hathaway. As fast as humanly possible I hoisted myself onto the dumpster and clasped the fire escape ladder in my sweaty hands. I could feel my heart racing in my chest as I rapidly climbed up the ladder and onto the first landing. I hesitated just long enough to see the Zombies following, so I continued the incline, with speed I didn't know I possessed. When I finally reached the top I looked down. I was ten stories in the air and trapped. Damn it! The Zombies were still following and there was nowhere to go. Then I noticed there was a building opposite this one, about 3 meters away from ledge to ledge.

The Zombies were gaining and I had no way to stop them. So I readjusted my backpack on my shoulders and ran without looking back. The ledge was getting closer and closer and I was beginning to reconsider my options. I wasn't going to make it, it was too far; I was going to be another slash of red across the pavement. Better that then a mindless kidney muncher, a small part of my brain screamed. I leapt across the gap and it was at the very moment I was halfway I knew I wouldn't make it. My body slammed into the side of the building, my hands only just managing to clasp the ledge in my hands. I knew the pain when I felt it; I had broken a least 3 of my ribs.

With everything I had left in me I hauled myself up so upper body was lying across the cliff of the building. To my absolute horror I saw one, a single Zombie, attempt to follow. One of its blood covered hands clasped onto my ankle, pulling me down slightly. In all honesty I thought I was done for, but even in such a dire moment I kicked and flailed the lower half of my body, my ribs digging into me with the extra weight. With a scream of pain I kicked the horrid creature in the face and, to my relief it let go; making an inhuman, scream-like noise all the way down. Screaming again I pulled myself up and over the ledge and on to the safety, no not safety, temporary refuge, of the roof. Never again shall I building jump, I silently promised myself. I pulled my leather jacket off and my shirt up to inspect my ribs they were already beginning to bruise and I had twin lumps on each side.

With a huff and a wince I began the long process of rapping my ribs. It had to be tight but not too tight. When I was finished I scouted the rooftop. There was a small shed sized construction with a locked door I assumed lead to stairs. I didn't bother picking the lock, just slowly climbed on top and lay down trying to sleep until morning. But sleep came unwillingly and it was late into he night before I finally fell into a deep, and dangerous, sleep.

…

Distantly I was aware I was moving but I was still too groggy from sleep to take much notice. I was surrounded by someone's heavenly cologne and felt strong arms around my small stature. Then my senses slammed alert and my eyes flew open. I moved to fast for either me or the man carrying me to process. I wriggled out of his grip and my body hit the ground, I, ruefully, landed on my side causing me to gasp. The surprise was wearing off, so I scrambled away my body facing his but moving backwards using my hands.

I got my first good look and I had to say damn, he was fine. He was tall, probably 6.7' or 6.8', and boy was he muscular. His eyes were a deep chocolate brown colour and his hair a shade lighter and reaching his chin in length. My observation happened in the blink of an eye and I could feel him doing the same. That nearly made me blush, nearly. For a moment we just stared at each other, his even breaths a sharp comparison to my erratic ones. Then another face popped into view and I was so startled my fist shot out. It connected with a head of black hair and crystal blue eyes. He let out a string of curse words.

I hastily pulled myself to my feet and backed up even more, but was stopped when my back hit something. I turned to another male figure of brown hair and another set of blue eyes. I tried to get away but he grabbed hold of my arms.

"Easy now, your safe." I pulled myself from his grip wide eyed. "We were just trying to help, you were alone on a building across from one packed with Zombies." I turn looking at each of there face then take in the scenery around me. Nothing looked familiar; I was out of my territory. The man with light brown hair continued. "I'm Mika-"

"I don't want to know your names, because names mean attachment and that only leads to pain." I say, finally finding my voice; until this point I had nearly forgotten I had one. The all looked at me shocked and confused. Then I noticed I didn't have my pack. "Where's my backpack?" The black haired boy looked sheepish as he pulled it off his back and handed it to me. I crouched and riffled through it, thankfully they hadn't touched anything. As a second thought I took out my gun and slid it into the back waistband of my jeans.

"Well, thank you, but I had everything handled. I don't need anyone's help, reliance only leads to death." I repeated the motto in my head over and over. I threw my pack on and winced, momentarily forgetting about my ribs. They all reacted at the same time, pulling out guns and training them on me.

"Have you been bitten?" The man who was carrying me spoke, he had an accent, Russian I think. I was kind of hot. Stop it, Rose! Reliance leads to death, never forget that. I shook my head, no. "Are you injured, then?" He asked seething his weapon.

"No shit, dumbass." I yelled then clapped a hand over my mouth; too much noise.

"Come with us. We can let you heal, have a feed and rest. It won't be any trouble, right boys?" He turned to his companions. The black haired boy began to protest but the brown-eyed man threw him a glance.

My mind was warring with its self, part of it said yes but more of it said no. In then end I went with the minority and nodded.