She awoke with small sweat beads on her forehead. Keith wasn't in the room so silence flooded every inch of it. Zoey lifted her head slowly and listened for any noise inside the house...or outside even. It was truly quiet. She arose from the floor and walked to her pants that laid neatly folded on a night table along with her jacket. They were clean, thank god. She slid into her pants, put on her jacket and placed her hat back on her head.

She stretched for a moment and rubbed her eyes gently. She left the room she was residing in only to bump into Keith.

"Sorry I didn't say you there" she said.

"No problem. Are ya leaving already?"

"Yeah...I uhh have something to do."

"You know it ain't safe out there. Lemme give you something before ya go at least."

"No it's okay. You've done enough already and I have nothing to give you back. "

He stayed silent for a moment as she walked past him, down the stairs, and headed to the door. But as she opened the door slowly Keith followed her.

"Take this" he handed her some keys.

"What's this for?" She gave him a puzzled look. Did she really need keys and for what purpose could it possibly serve?

"There not fur the house if that's what's your thinkin. There fur a truck I have at the auto shop." He smiled gently at her. Zoey stared at the keys in her hands. A truck? This could be useful...maybe.

"I could take ya there if you want." he scratched the back of his head in hopes she would accept his request. She hesitated for a moment. This could be a good idea and way easier than walking.

"Okay but I'm driving" she smirked. His eyes lit up but before they left Keith went to the basement of the house for some supplies. Couple minutes later he returned with his Combat Shotgun, an AK-47 and 2 medkits. He handed her the AK and one medkit.

"Alright lets go, I'll lead da way." He smiled and the pair headed off to the auto shop. The walk was fairly quiet. They picked off roaming zombie and killed a couple of Special Infected along the way.

"Hey you okay?" Keith spoke breaking the silence between them.

"Yeah I'm fine...just thinking is all." She adjusted the hat on her head so the sun's rays didn't hit her face.

"We'll almost there, just a block over Zo."

"Don't call me that! You have no right to..."

"I'm sorry I didn't mean any harm by it."

She adjusted her hat once again but this time to cover the water in her eyes. 'Don't you dare call me that again' she thought to herself.

"Lets just get there already..." She brushed passed him and reloaded her AK.

When they arrived the area had been clean of infected. She wondered why. Has he been over here recently? As they approached the garage she heard a slight cackle inside. She readied herself for whatever was inside.

"Do you hear that?" He asked as he slowly entered with caution.

"It's a Jockey" she answered she knew it had to be.

Behind the truck was a man in a straitjacket. He had short black hair and was constantly mumbling and cackling to himself. From the sight of him he looked like he escaped an asylum but she knew that couldn't be the case. They ducked down behind the front of the truck before being seen.

"What the hell is that thing?" She whispered to him. She truly never seen this type of zombie before even when traveling with her companions.

"It a Screamer. Don't startle him okay?"

"A Screamer?"

The newly discovered Screamer began to staggering towards the entrance of the garage. So Keith and Zoey crawled around on the opposite side of the truck so they wouldn't be seen but as they did Zoey's hat fell to the floor. Just her fucking luck.

"Wait wait! My hat. I can't leave it there." She looked into his hazel eyes with worry.

He hesitated for a moment "Alright I'll get it, wait here." Keith crawled back around the truck as carefully as he could only to see the Screamer staring down at him.

"Fuuuuuuuuuuccckkkck!"

In a blink of an eye the Screamer released a scream that echoed everywhere only to be followed by the howls of an oncoming horde. Keith grabbed the hat and ran to Zoey's side handing it over to her.

"We gotta go now!" He removed the combat shotgun from his back and aimed it towards the Screamer who was now fleeing into the crowd of infected sprinting towards them. Zoey ran to the drivers side of the truck, opened the door and jammed the key into the ignition as Keith was holding off the horde. Only problem was...the truck wasn't starting.

"Why ain't it on?! I don't have much shells left."

"I don't know, Keith!" She shouted at him as if that would help their current situation.

"Come on...come on dammit!"

The Screamer returned in view only to continue his explosion of screams but just as he got closer to the garage the engine roared to life and Zoey sighed in relief.

"Finally! Hurry Keith!" She yelled over the growls of the infected closing in. He ran to the passenger side, opened the door and hopped in. Zoey immediately slammed her foot down on the acceleration.

"Hold on!"

She sped over the zombies; running into and over them. Blood, guts, and limbs spreading across the windshield obscuring most of her view. The Screamer tried to flee once more but Zoey wasn't going to allow it. She put more pressure on the acceleration and ran over him. He screamed one last time only for the front tire to run over his skull with a sickening crack.

"Damn yer crazy! Did ya see how you ran over all dem zombies?" Keith laughed. It was like a kid saying a curse word for the first time.

"Yeah I saw." She smiled slightly but aimed her vision towards the road.

"So where we headed?"

"We? I don't remember inviting you to come."

"True, but you need someone to watch yer back."

"Fine but don't get in my way..."

A couple hours later the sun began to set leaving an orange-ish tone in the sky. They needa a place to rest the longer they're out, the quicker they'd get noticed by the infected. Keith had fallen asleep once the sun faded. The poor guy needed some rest after today. Zoey, once again took this time to enter her pensive world. Just why is Keith following her? What does he want from her? He's definitely one strange man. The auto shop had that same aura that she felt at the house though. She was uncertain where her thoughts were trailing off too but she knew one thing. She wasn't alone anymore...for now that is. Zoey yawned slightly as they drove for what felt like hours. She was lethargic just glancing over to Keith's sleeping form from time to time not to mention famished too.

She peeked at the gas meter to notice it only had a quarter left. That's just great, isn't it? Next gas and food was a mile away. Just when she was so close to her destination too the truck came to a stop. She slowly exited the truck and lift the hood of it. As if she knew what's wrong with it. Keith woke up to her swears that were mumbles but clear enough for him to hear her. He scrolled the window down and called out to her. Startled by his voice and she bumped her head on the raised hood.

"Oww dammit!" she exclaimed rubbing her temple to soothe the throbbing pain pounding within.

"Why'd we stop?" He asked stick his head the passengers window.

"I don't know...I think maybe the battery died or something."

He hopped outta the truck and took a look for himself.

"Oh yeah, battery is dead. I'm sorry I must have forgotten to change it"

"Great…well there's a rest stop just up ahead." she pointed in the designated direction that was shrouded by darkness ahead.

They two ventured off into the night in hope of rest, food, and relaxation. The brunette needed to get some answers one way or another but is this trip worth it?