The Next Chapter! I hope you enjoy it, I'm finally done assembling the team and now I can move onto the more exciting pieces I have planned out for this story. Please comment if you have any suggestions :)

Out in the streets, the infection had finally broke out and the creatures were dotting the roadways. I gulped and slowly pulled out my pistol and switched off the safety. The older man spotted my weapon and eyed it.

"Glad you've got something to defend yourself. But we are going to need something with some more kick. There is a gun store a few blocks down…. I say we head there."

Both me and the other man nodded in agreement. Then, we began picking our way down the streets carefully. Cars left and right had been stranded on the road, some people heading indoors to escape the sudden outbreak. We crept along cautiously and I broke the silence by talking to the older gentleman.

"Thank you for saving us back there, that could have only ended badly. I'm Zoey by the way."

The old man glanced backwards for only a second and said: "Was nothing. I'm Bill."

I smiled back, I was happy Bill had some sort of plan… I sure didn't have one right now. As the three of us picked our way through the streets I tried to ignore the sticky goo that was plastered to my jacket. What the hell had just happened?! I immediately tried to silence all the million questions rolling through my head. I needed to make it to the next area before I could sort out what was happening.

I heard the white shirt man clear his throat and say "I'm Louis. I can't believe I'm doing this… I can't imagine being able to keep my job as the manager after this. If there is any job to return to…" He trailed off.

I tried to ignore his last comment and pushed on with Bill in the lead.

Bill shot two infected before I could even lift my pistol. A little part of me didn't want to shoot the gun, but a sickening feeling covered me as I realized I would need use it in order to survive.

We quickly found the gun shop and pushed our way into the darker store cautiously. Suddenly, we heard the click of a reloading shotgun.

"Well what do we have here? Hmmm?"

A leather clad figure stepped out of the shadows wielding a battered shotgun. A smirk played over his face as he gave us a once over, pausing shorty on me.

"Look. We don't want any trouble. We just need some weapons and possibly a place to rest for the night, thats all." Bill said sternly.

The man eyed us coldly for a moment, then quickly shrugged his shoulders. "Whatever. Just don't take too much. Theres nothing more useful than guns for a god damn vampire breakout."

And with that the man stalked back further back into the store, and then through a creaky back door.

After a short pause, I turned to Bill and brought my voice to a whisper "Do you think we can trust him to leave us alone?"

Bill turned his head and cast a long look at the back door. "I'm not sure. We each take watch tonight, just in case."

Both Louis and I agreed, and then we began picking through the plethora of weapons behind the counter. We found a stairway up into a little storage room and Bill claimed it as our sleeping quarters for the night. We each carried up several guns and many boxes of ammunition before setting in for the evening.

Glancing around I realized there would barely be enough room for the three of us, but it would do. Bill clicked his tongue behind me and I turned to face him.

"Will chicken soup do?" He said while holding the canned good he retrieved from the backpack.

"Yup!" I said back, and I was STARVING. I sat down hungrily and consumed the cold can soup with gusto after opening it with an Bill's pocket knife. After we were done with our makeshift meal, I quickly realized that I also needed to use the bathroom.

"Um… Is there a bathroom here?" I said shyly.

Bill looked up and shrugged. "Maybe, ask the guy downstairs."

Dang it… Anything but that. However, I really needed to go. I got up and stretched then headed down the stairs.

"... Hello?" I called out into the darkened room. A light flickered around the battered door, so I entered in cautiously. The unknown man was dozing and propped against the wall facing a TV. My eyes locked onto the glowing screen, desperately praying for some sort of answer for all of this madness. A haggard reporter stood in front of a giant board showing different locations across the state. "Officials have stated that this infection is worse than we could have ever predicted. Evacuation sites have been posted throughout the area, and everyone who is not infected is STRONGLY encouraged to head to these locations as soon as possible." A giant list then popped up on the screen, and my eyes quickly darted across the list of evacuation sites looking for any recognizable or close places. MERCY HOSPITAL flashed by in red letters, and my heart leapt with excitement. It was not far from here, I had been there only last month for an appendectomy. I began mapping out the quickest route when a voice broke me from my concentration.

"What are you doing here?" the man said gruffly.

I jumped at the voice, then looked directly at him then said "Is there a bathroom?"

After a short pause the stranger gestured to the door on the opposite wall. I grunted my thanks then proceeded to the room. Afterwards, I exited the room and the stranger had fallen asleep again. I moved out of the door, up the stairs, and collapsed into a broken heap on the floor.

"So, who is going to take watch first?" Bill questioned the group.

I moaned in agony, and Louis chuckled.

"Aw come on Zoey, it will be fun!" Louis joked.

I rolled over to face him and gave Louis the death glare. He responded by putting his hands up in surrender, then advanced over to the door with a machine gun in hand.

"That is alright, it will give me time to figure out how to work this thing anyway." Louis said pointing at the gun. "I'll wake you up next, ok Zoey?"

But I was already fast asleep, lost in the dreams of a safer, lovelier world.

Louis' soft shakes awoke me and I jumped up startled.

"Woah girl. It's alright. It's your turn for watch." He gestured to the door. "So far its been quiet, that one guy has left us alone so far. Wake Bill up in a couple of hours, ok?"

I grumbled and proceeded to prop myself again the doorway. Louis quickly fell asleep on some cardboard boxes on the left side of the room, and Bill was snoring loudly on the floor close by. I fussed with the small flashlight Louis had left for me for a little awhile, trying to keep occupied so I wouldn't fall asleep. Waves of emotions began hitting me as I thought about what had happened to me so far. Was my family alright? Would I even make it to them safely? And who are these people I'm traveling with? All these thoughts filled my head… I pulled my knees to my chest and began letting the tears fall. Maybe everyone was safe. Maybe we could make it to Mercy Hospital no problem. Maybe this was all a huge nightmare, and I will just wake up. I sniffed quietly and wiped at my eyes with my sleeve. My thoughts were cut short when suddenly several loud crashes ensued downstairs. I bolted upright and stopped breathing, something was down there. I heard the roar of the shotgun again and again then screams abruptly echoed up the stairs.

"Someone HELP ME!"

I shot up with eyes open wide. I charged down the stairs with my shotgun and tiny flashlight in hand, completely unsure about what I was going to do.