Keep Your Eyes Open

Chapter One: The Beginning

Emil ran. He ran far from his hometown, far from his previous life, far from the city. He had only but a small bag that carried basic supplies, a large, gold cross hair clip on a chain, a small pistol with three extra bullets, and finally, a long sword. He had found it in his attic long ago, and his older brother told him it belonged to their ancestors. Watching videos and reading articles, Emil was skilled at using the weapon. He didn't think he would be killing with it until now.

A peak of debris proved no problem for Vash to climb, and he stood at its peak. His situation nearly mirrored Emil's. He had run like a coward. He hadn't been able to help Lili. Oh, where was she now? The thought had loomed in his mind for every minute since he had fled. The pack and rifle on his back weren't even half of the weight of the pressure of his emotions. The emotions that threatened to make him crumble like the broken walls and buildings he now traversed. Vash told himself that he was okay- he could shoot his rifle and he had supplies. Sure, he could shoot his rifle. But now that the time had come, he didn't think he could kill with it. Who could?

"It's fine, you're going to be okay," Vladimir assured, carrying his smaller brother in his arms. Aurel had sprained an ankle when the two had been running from a set of zombies. The younger boy had done what he tended to do when he was scared- he became serious and adult-like to keep from worrying anyone. This worried Vladimir more, prompting him to believe the sprain was worse than it was and decide to carry the younger.

"I'm fine," Aurel's voice was barely a tiny mew as his solemn exterior began breaking back down into his usual youthful personality. Vladimir knew his brother wouldn't revert completely back to normal- he was still scared. It was an apocalypse. Everyone was scared, and had perfect right to be. Vladimir himself was terrified, but not for himself- for Aurel. If they got separated, there was no chance for Aurel- he was a small child, and no match for even a single zombie. The thought sent shivers down Vladimir's spine, and he wrapped his arms tighter around his sibling's tiny form before setting him down lightly.

"You're sure you can walk?" He asked concernedly. Aurel just gave a tiny nod as his brother held his hand and they continued walking. To where, they didn't know. Anywhere seemed safer than staying put. Staying put would be suicide. And they weren't ready to die yet.

The Feliciano back then would have ran in fear. The Feliciano back then would have sobbed to death. The Feliciano back then would have died. But the Feliciano now was different. He had changed- for the better or the worse. As he was walked, he looked around the landscape. The stench of death was mixing with the smell of pine needles. Not exactly your preferred perfume. Looking back, he could see nothing but trees. Feliciano sighed in relief. That would mean that he was far away from the city, far away from dead. Were they zombies? No, how about...

"Walkers." He said solemnly. Sitting down on a half rotted log, he took the sheathed katana off his back, and held it using his one arm.

"F-Feliciano." A deathly pale man laid on the ground, a huge chunk taken out of his neck. "T-take this. Use it... Wisely. Save yourself. You're stronger than-" He paused, coughing up blood. "T-than you think. Be strong, Feliciano Vargas. Goodbye." He closed his eyes, taking his last breath. Eyes flooding with tears, Feliciano took the katana, and pointed his own tiny pistol at his friend's head.

"Ciao, Kiku!" He shot the pistol, grabbed the katana, and fled.

Feliciano gasped, not realizing he was crying. The sad moment was interrupted by the most obnoxious laughter.

"HAHAHAHAHAH! Can't catch me now, Lovi~!" A blonde man with broad shoulders ran right past Feliciano. Wait. What?!

Only when the brown headed Italian jogged into view, Feliciano stood up.

"WHAT!?" He screeched. Lovino froze in his chase of the American and his jaw dropped.

"Fratello?" He asked, unbelieving, to the stagnant air that hung with sickening humidity. The sky was glazed gray to match the choking atmosphere, and the brassy chasms of the clouds rolled over the thick pines, spelling a disastrous storm that had yet to come, "And you, bastard!" he called out after the blond, remembering his fury, "get back here! Now is no time to be wasting your fucking energy and playing! Help me to help my brother, dammit!" with that, Lovino reached out a hand to help his wounded brother to his feet.

His bitter expression fought away tears of relief and he embraced his more fragile brother whom he loved dearly. And only then did he take note of the missing arm, "Feli… W-What… happened?" he choked out suddenly, eyes going wide with sudden panic. They had no medical supplies. How had such a horror happened? Back in normal days, this never would've happened. Feliciano could've lived his life happily with all of his limbs. Lovino was dumbstruck by how the world had changed.

No, not how the world had changed. How the world had changed him. And not just him. Everyone. The Italian stared upwards, as if begging the sky for an answer, although he didn't beg. Perhaps he was threatening it. So there Lovino stood with his broken brother, his broken heart, and his broken acquaintance, staring up from the clearing and to the gray slate that looked clean and yet so morbidly impure. The sun's golden beams dare not penetrate the clouds, a dying bird trapped within its prison. It seemed that they might all be doomed to the same fate as the sun, in time. With a doom so shadowy, it was easy to forget everything- the pinecones, the timber, the other humans. All of it. Except for the zombies. When everything else was forgotten, those stayed. Like a haunting spirit flickering between windows, they plagued Lovino's thoughts, night and day. How could someone survive in such a world?

Alfred groaned. "Coming, 'MOM'." The loud American ran just as fast back to the Italian brothers.

"What's u- Oh." Alfred stared at the one-armed Feliciano stared back. There was something unsettling in his eyes. Something sad, yet angry.

"Got something to say?" The taller Italian spat. He turned to who Alfred knew was Lovino. "I'm pretty sure it was obvious; one of the walkers, geeks, lame-brains, whatever you want to call them, got me." He snorted. "To take down a Vargas, you have to try harder than that."

Alfred whistled. "Damn. Badass!" He laughed again, but stopped as soon as both Italians glared at him.

"Geez, I'll just... Leave you guys to talk then. Yeah! Oh. And I'm Alfie." He walked to a nearby tree and sat down, folding his legs. Soon, Alfred found himself humming to a familiar tune- one that was from a band he was obsessed with.

"I walk a lonely road, the only road that I have ever known..." He sang quietly, and looked down. He had lost everything. His family, his best friend... Well actually, he didn't know if his brother had died. When he woke up from the coma, headed to his house, it was empty except for the corpses of his parents. His brother, Matthew, was missing.

'I hope you're safe, brother...' After the sad thought, Alfred returned to examining his "adorable" gun he found when searching the police station.

Groans filled the alleyway as a large crowd of what Natasha fondly named "Geeks" chased her throughout the adorable downtown area. She smirked and jumped on a nearby dumpster, and gleefully started shooting them with her automatic rifle. Soon, she was already all out, but still surrounded. As she lowered her hand in the pocket of her black leather jacket, she felt nothing but her pack of mints. Cursing loudly, she grabbed her backpack- a black Jansport- and out she lifted a magnificent machete. Cutting off the hands of the Geeks that were closest, she sighed, and wondered what to do.

'Big Brother would have a plan, he always did...' She thought. Suddenly, a smaller figure emerged from the nighttime darkness, and squealed loudly. It sounded pitiful and young, extremely familiar...

No. It couldn't be. "RAIVIS?!"

Again, he squealed, pointing at her, then at the Geeks. She didn't know if he was scared of the Geeks or her. 'Probably both.' She thought.

Suddenly, the Geeks started lumbering towards Raivis, making him squeal louder. And louder. And louder. Soon, the whole pack was decidedly abandoning Natasha, and chasing Raivis. The Eastern-European girl quickly leaped from the dumpster, and reloaded her rife with bullets she found in her backpack. Walking slowly, she shot down every single Geek. Just as calmly, Natasha dusted off her black skirt, and jogged to Raivis.

"Raivis!" A tall, monster of a man, skipped like a princess over to the bloody and bruised child. "Did you have fun today?" Silence.

"Raivis, my pet! Talk to me! Usually you have something to say, not as poetic as Toris or as witty as Eduard. But, still something!" More silence.

Whimpering, the child fell down to his knees as Ivan punched him again. And again, and again. Eventually, he brought out a six-inch switchblade until a beautiful girl stomped up to him, and grabbed it back.

"Don't you DARE take my shit without asking! I WILL stab you or one of your toys next time you do!' A glance. A sigh. And a stomp back.

This was the ordinary life Natasha remembered in high school. Thankfully, she left it all when she moved to Belarus to attend a fancy Girls' College. When she came back to America, she didn't expect it to end up like this.

"Raivis! What the hell!?" Natasha exclaimed, shoving her hands in the pockets of her leather jacket.

"N-Natasha?" Raivis sputtered, shying away from the girl whose brother had caused him immeasurable pain, "W-What are you d-doing here? Where… Where is Toris…? P-Please…" he choked out pitifully, eyes flickering about their dreary surroundings to make sure no more of the horrid 'Walkers' were near. His small frame shook like a leaf in the wind and his heart pounded so loudly that he feared it could be heard from several feet away. A tiny pack swung against his back as he took a hesitant step backwards, away from the platinum blond girl. His pack that held only the most basic of supplies. Actually, scratch the plural. Supply. All he had was three small bottles filled with water. The liquid gurgled a bit as he took another step back, weary of the Belarusian and about to flee, "Please." He didn't know why he was begging. He just was.

Natasha noticed Raivis walking away, so she put her gun on the ground. "A thank you would be appreciated." She grunted. Toris...

Last time she had seen Toris, he was surrounded. She didn't know if he was alive or not.

"Listen." She said, taking a breath. "I know we have had bad history, but-"

"But n-nothing. 'But' won't h-help us. H-help me find T-Tor. Please…" Raivis interrupted suddenly with mixed feelings. He had started talking with something near confidence. It had faded quickly, and again he bit his lip in fear and apprehension.

Natasha rolled her eyes. "Look, kid. The last time I saw Tor was three weeks ago, right when this whole shitstorm started. He was surrounded by the Geeks. He did have that sick sword though..." She trailed off. Then, looking straight at Raivis, she said something in a dark tone.

"And, don't think Ivan is hiding around here somewhere. I killed him. He's dead. Along with Kat..." Her eyes sparkled with tears. "We need to stick together. Unfortunately," she said in a sharp manner, "You're all I have left."

Toris' right leg ached, his nerves sending pain like tendrils of flame up his calf and thigh. His limp worsened. So much pain. Too much pain. The Lithuanian lowered to sit on the ground with a wave to his companion, a bright-eyed girl,

"I'm very sorry, Victoria. I… I think I need to rest," he mumbled out. His voice would've been barely audible in the average world, but now it seemed louder than thunder in the expanse of empty pine woods. At least winter hadn't set in- the winters in the U.S state of Maine were rather harsh. A light breeze danced by from the west. Right- the west. That was the direction they had been heading from.

Toris had encountered a horde of walkers three weeks ago, when all of this had started, in that direction. They tried to put a steady pace between them and the horde, but Toris' obvious injury slowed the trek considerably. It embarrassed him to be such a burden on Victoria, but she was a kind soul and didn't seem to mind much. Toris' thoughts were rudely interrupted by another bout of crippling pain searing at his skin, and looked down and gaped in horror. So much walking had loosened the bandages, causing them to rub against the skin and break the scabs. The wound was now open once more, festering and bleeding. He had no doubt that it could get infected if it remained open, and so rewrapped the gauze as best as possible, wincing in his agony, "Gah!" He cried out pitifully as the burning sensation intensified before he finished his wrapping.

"Eep!" Victoria squeaked. She instantly sat down next to Toris, and dumped out her bag- a worn out hiking backpack. All it had was a bottle of half-empty disinfectant, bandages, three bottles of water, a package of gummy bears, and Victoria's rugged-looking dagger that she claimed came from English pirates. Working at the speed of light, Victoria put disinfectant on the wound - she remembered to cover Toris' mouth when he screamed- and changed the bandages.

"Okay. We need to find a base, soon." She said seriously, standing up and putting her hands on her hips. "Ooh! How about another candy store? That place was great!"

Oh Toris. Now, he was a character. Victoria was only a mere high school student, wanting to go to her dream college- an acting college all the way in England! But Toris... He was mysterious, dreamy, and unique. If they weren't in the middle of a zombie apocalypse, Victoria would have easily fallen for him. But then again, her girlfriend wouldn't be happy about that. How did Victoria even get stuck in this situation? It was only three weeks ago when she had been running from a group of dangerous survivors when she spotted a surrounded Toris- and a figure with majestic platinum blonde hair running away from him. She decided right then and there, she was going to make a difference in this cold and indecent world, leading her to stabbing as many zombies as she could, (In a skirt with leggings, mind you!) until they could make a break for it.

She sighed, pacing back in forth in her white Doc Martens. "I think that there's a gas station coming up on this road... Maybe a small cabin in the woods...?" She muttered to herself.

"Anywhere… Anywhere out of the open should do," Toris stammered a bit and rose shakily to his feet, hissing under his breath quietly at the pain, "Thank you," he added. Without Victoria to help treat his wounds, he could've bled out. Hesitantly, the Lithuanian stepped from the treeline with caution to risk a look down the rugged asphalt road. He stared past abandoned, broken cars with their shattered windows, eyes never stopping to rest as they flicked over the ruins. The automobiles were like dead insects with colorful shells, scattered uselessly across the pavement. Oil trailed from several of the vehicles as if it were blood and the overbearing smell of gasoline and motor oil hung in the air. The greasy, iridescent fluid pooled across the road in fairly natural patterns, save for one particular spot. Toris didn't notice then, but oil-slick footprints made patterns across the pavement not 50 meters from where they stood. His restless eyes finally landed- at last, he saw what his eyes had searched for, "You're right, Victoria. There's a gas station down that way," he confirmed after a moment. A place to stay for the night. Even that had become a luxury by now. Necessities- food, water, shelter. All of them were luxuries in this world.

A/N :

Hi! .Weeb here, but call me Aquarius. "Keep Your Eyes Open" is a co-written story with me, and my lovely friend, Brandend-Draak ~! Now, I think chapters won't be as long as this anymore, we're thinking of splitting it up; three groups per chapter. Maybe for an annual, thing, we will do either all of them at once, or one giant paragraph for the most popular group. Remember: we need your feedback, so please PM one of us, review, or contact me at my kik at bloodycherryblossoms. Thank you so much! Anything you'd like to say, Blazing? Oh, thanks xD Well, Brandend-Draak here in bold now! You can call me Brand, or Draak or whatever you'd like, really. I'm here to say this: thank you for reading! I can't really say much that my wonderful companion .Weeb hasn't already said, but I will tell you this; I am very excited to be working on this story, so I hope you enjoy!