AN: Hey guys. I know its been a while since the last update. Sorry about that. Writing is really just a hobby for me, and I just couldn't find the time for it... I've been busy... But anyways, I hope you can forgive me for the long break, and I hope you enjoy the chapter!

The blood... The blood was all he saw of her. And screams were all that filled his ears.

Tina frantically clawed the air. Grasping at nothing, and screaming her daughter's name hoarsely. In fact, you almost couldn't understand her... she tugged and pulled away, only to be held back by SloMo.

He couldn't believe what he was seeing. He didn't WANT to... But there it was... right in front of him. One of his best friends was lying on the ground, not 30 feet from him... her once cheerful face now contorted in screams of agony, as her flesh was torn from bone. The screams were the worst part. Blood never bothered SloMo, but the blood-curdling screeches of the blonde cut him to the core.

"This has to stop." He thought. "She doesn't deserve this..."

The coarse grip of his sidearm dug into the palm of his hand as the weapon was ripped from its holster. One loud crack. After that... there were no more screams. Rayna's torment was ended...and her face relaxed. She looked almost like she was sleeping. Except for her eyes... they were wide open. Blank. Empty.

"YOU MURDERER!" Tina shrieked. Pain exploded in her hand as her balled fist made contact with SloMo's chin. His head jerked to the side, and Techno grabbed Tina's fist to keep her from doing more harm.

"YOU KILLED HER!" She screamed. "You... you're a murderer..." Her rampage ended as her voice trailed off, and she broke down in tears. Techno embraced her as she sank to the ground.

"What happened?!" Indie yelled at SloMo.

SloMo braced himself against a tree, sucking wind like there was no tomorrow. His arms were shaking, and his heart was still pounding like a drum. Looking around the tiny clearing in the woods, he wondered how far they had come. It had to have been at least a half-a-mile run before they lost the Zeds. He struggled to find Indie among the clustered group of people that had gathered around to hear the story. He was just so dizzy. Gasping out his words he replied, "Rayna...didn't make it... Zeds got her..."

The scowl was slapped clear off Indie's face. Tina began to sob harder as SloMo sat down, his back to the tree.

"Then why does Tina hate you so much?" Scene asked SloMo, sinking to the ground next to him.

"By... the the time me and Tina realized that Rayna was down... it was too late... Rayna was being torn to pieces... so I..." He began to tear up. He had lost other friends. Metal... HipHop ... Intern 2... but the loss of Rayna drove him to the brink. The loss of someone so young... so innocent. Rayna had never killed a Zed... or even seen one killed... She hadn't even been allowed in the armory. Tina made sure Rayna was never exposed to the world that had collapsed around them... but it happened... she died anyways. And as far as SloMo was concerned, her death was his fault.

"You...what?" Idol gingerly asked.

Tears rolled down his cheeks. "I put her down." A single drawn out sob escaped his lips. "I made sure she wouldn't come back as one of those...things..."

The trees around them came to life in the powerful wind, and the dark swirling clouds made the scene unfolding below all the more somber.

Silence pervaded the minuscule clearing... except for the sound of sobs. Techno hugged and comforted a bawling Tina, as silent tears streamed down her own face. Dubstep stood by himself, glazed eyes holding back tears of their own. Indie was gazing at the dirt intently. Anyone who didn't know what was on his mind might have assumed he was studying each grain of soil. Occasionally, his eyes would flit between the ground, and a teary-eyed Idol. He wanted to go to her. and just hug her. To just take her in his arms and let her know someone cared. She looked like she needed a hug. Or maybe it was him who needed one... he couldn't tell. Scene was silent as the grave... Hershey-brown eyes staring up at SloMo. He blamed himself... she could tell. She couldn't for the life of her understand why... She knew how protective he was, and she loved that about him. But to blame himself for a death that had nothing to do anything with him? It unnerved her... But that was a thought for different time. For now, she was content to curl up in the brush with his arm around her, with her head rising and falling in rhythm with his chest, and her tears falling softly onto his shirt.

Through tears, SloMo gazed around the clearing. Dubstep had moved to Techno's side, and was "wubbing" sadly as they carried on a conversation. Tina had quieted a bit. She was gazing at SloMo with a terrible emotion in her eyes. Not sorrow... or even hatred... just hurt.

Indie had worked up the courage to finally offer Idol his outstretched arms, to which she responded with a tearful, but fond embrace.

All any of them wanted to do, was just stay there, and mourn. But they couldn't... They all knew one thing for certain. The dead were on the move.