Francis POV

I woke to complete darkness. My head throbbed painfully as I sat up in a rapid jolt. I groaned and reached for the back of my head, the bandages were thick and secure. I couldn't even remember what happened. Nor did I know where the hell we were. It appeared to be a safe room. Good thing I wasn't the only one awake.

"Where are we?" I turned to Louis to confirm my suspicions.

"In a safe room." Louis muttered.

I sneered and rubbed the pain that seared through my skull. "Yeah I figured that much. Where are we? What happened?"

"We're just outside Fairfield. We didn't get far." He scorned. "When the chopper crashed, your head smashed against the glass. I wasn't surprised you had a concussion. We had to haul your ass through the wave of zombies. It was hard, and it hurt like hell, but we managed."

Shit. "How long have I been out?" I whispered.

Louis shrugged, "Could be two days by now, maybe three."

I glared down at the cold, solid floor, and as a shiver crawled down my spine I tightened my vest to gather warmth. Before his answer sunk in, I noticed the condition of my vest.

"What the fuck happened to my vest!" I hauled the vest closer to my sight to observe the damage caused. An entire chunk of the right side had been torn off, its whereabouts unknown. "Care to explain?" I glared into the eyes of Louis, his face confused.

He gulped, "Shit. God damn it Francis. How the hell would I know? Maybe it uh, tore off from the chopper somehow?"

I trembled with rage, fingertips digging into both temples as I attempted to calm myself down, enough not to actually bash the shit outta Louis. But hell, that would have made me feel better, and damn it, I wanted to. "You have no fucking idea where this shred of my perfect, black vest is?"

He sighed, "Francis. I don't really care, man. It's a piece of cloth for God sakes. Zoey wouldn't chuck a fit if she lost her jacket!" As soon as he said the words, I knew he immediately regretted opening his mouth. He must really want a death wish. That could have done it. A fuse was definitely blown. Red lights were flashing inside my head. 'Rip Tear Kill!', 'Bash, Obliterate, Destroy!' All targets aimed for the man opposite me. Boy was he in for a pounding!

I leapt from the floor. But before I could even close the distance halfway to my prey, I stopped. Zoey wouldn't have wanted this. As much as I wanted to hurt the bastard, she wouldn't have been happy.

I sighed, even if her jacket was lost, she wouldn't make a ruckus outta it. Not like me. One fuse blown and I'd be lethal toward my victim. I watched as Louis trembled slightly, I knew he was scared for the oncoming attack, but I wasn't going to do it. I wasn't in the right condition, and I also knew that wasn't a good enough excuse. I just didn't want to kill the prick… accidently.

Louis's response slithered back into my mind. I'd been out for three days.

Three days wasted. Seventy-two hours worth of my time searching for her was lost. Even if the others didn't want to search for her, I would. I wouldn't stop until I found her safe and alive. As soon as darkness fell, I'd be outta here. The first place I'd check would be back on level four in Mercy Hospital.

I wasn't going to leave her back there.

I rolled onto my side and let my eyes close. I knew I wouldn't fall asleep, not without the warmth of the companion I'd lost. I felt stone cold. Rigid and frozen inside.

Waking to the sound of pots clattering, my eyes flickered open after an unsettling sleep. Bill and Louis were appetising on a small meal; it reminded me of a moment before, so similar, yet so completely different. Because this time she wasn't here next to me.

"Thanks for waiting." I grumbled.

Bill stood to wash out his plate with the newly installed watering system. "Hurry up and eat. We're leaving as soon as you're finished and loaded." He moved into the other room.

"No need old man," I slumped down into the wooden chair, the wood buckling under my immense pressure, "I'm taking my time and heading back to Mercy Hospital."

Louis remained silent as Bill stomped back into view. "We're not going back there, Francis. You should know we do want to go back for her, but we can't afford to waste time back-tracking for her. Even if she was alive, she'd find a way to take care of herself. I'm sure there are survivors fighting their way to salvation just like we are. She'll meet up with them."

I leapt from the chair and heard the crashing noise of it shattering against the floor. My index finger pressed into his chest stiffly. "Let me get this straight." My eyes narrowed as I dug in even harder. "You're not going to go back for family, for an innocent and kind-hearted and beautiful girl who considers you a father figure, a daughter you've known for at least a month in this shitty world. But wait!" I added in my own sarcastic monotone, "That's not all! Oh no, definitely not all." I sneered as I towered over his figure, "You think she's fucking DEAD!" I shoved the vulnerable man aside as I grabbed and loaded my pump action shotgun.

Louis immediately stood from the table, "Shove Bill like that again and I swear I'll break your legs!"

I pissed myself laughing, and then abruptly stopped to glare. "I'd like to see you try." Raging with pure anger and malicious hate, I grasped the gun and unlocked the safe room door, ignoring further protests behind me.

"Francis!"

"Fuck you Louis," I muttered under my breath.

"Francis."

That voice made me stop. Stupid old man and the stupid influence he has over me.

There was a moment of silence, and then I heard his calm and quiet voice. "You're going the wrong way…" I heard him sigh.

I turned back around and looked into the face of the man I trusted most. The harsh years of battle scars and death earned him my respect. I watched as he limped in the opposite direction, gun in hand, and I followed.


Zoey POV

Eyes flashed open.

Blinding sunlight.

Unbelievable pain in my abdomen.

Clenching…

Tightening

Heaving

Definitely not a good sight. Blood, as black as midnight, spurted and gushed like a waterfall, streaming through the abandoned street. The streetlights appeared to be flickering intensely as –

But wait!

How did I end up here? It was only last night that I was on the rooftop of the hospital, feeding on those who were destroyed as I savoured their blo –

So much blood, too much. Stomach so full, I knew it had the capacity to explode. Just like it did a moment ago and just like it will in three, two, one…

I felt all the contents rise straight up my throat as it surged out, the bile lightening to a charcoal as the last remnants of blood hurled out of me.

Now so very weak, too much energy wasted to lift a limb, too much energy to roll onto my stomach, to my knees and hands, to crouching, to unbuckling the unsteady trembles and cracks of my frail legs, to standing upright. I cracked my neck and then my fingers and continued my quest to hunt for prey.

It seemed impossible at first, entire streets were deserted in the mid-morning air. The cool breeze flowed through my grimy hair, a wide grin protruding on my rose lips. This reminded me of a simpler time. An image flashed across my sight, an image so old, yet not forgotten. A child, building a sandcastle by the shore, the blistering heat charring her soft, pink skin as a gentle draft cooled her body. The child's dark brown hair was showered with sand as she was hoisted metres above the air; a constricting object tightened her airways. Broken ribs, and a painful stiffness in her spinal cord before she was falling, lower, lower… lower.

The image slowly faded as my eyes adjusted to the scenery around me. I felt like I had just awoken from a terrifying nightmare. The image was familiar despite my clouded thoughts. The choking… and the snapping of my ribs was a sharp and painful experience. As my memory faded at the scarred edges, I knew the next scene of that image didn't replay because of my lack of remembrance.

"Damn it. I wish I could remember." I muttered to myself.

I realised there was a period of time where I was in utter darkness, where I knew I had done something wrong. I let the monster take control when I was at my weakest. Now that I was feeling stronger, I wasn't going to let it happen again, as much as I would try.

The gnawing sensation in my insides quietened for only a moment. I took this opportunity to check the state of my appearance. My clothing, my hands, and no doubt, my face was coated in blood. I glanced down at my tattered clothes; the fabric was soppy with blood… speckles, splashes and sloshes of red and black blood.

The sight was absolutely horrendous. I was sure that I resembled the infected in my state. I cried out in pain, not physical, but an emotional baggage of pain that erupted as a river of tears flowed down my face. "Shit." I cried. "Shit. Shit. Shit." I collapsed to the ground, allowing the overwhelming sorrow and guilt consume me entirely. What had I done? It was a given obvious, but I didn't want to believe it myself. It wasn't humane. I wasn't humane.

"D-Did I r-really… feed on… s-someone?" I whispered as I let out another hysterical sob, and accepted the realisation that I was the monster.

I reached up toward my neck, and tore the bandage that was plastered against my scummy skin. I felt eight jagged holes as they pierced into my skin, caused by what? Had an animal bitten me? Or worse… those infected and sick men and women that lay dead on every building, was it perhaps, one of them?

I flinched from my thoughts, and feeling weaker and sleepier than ever I crashed against the pavement, my head lopsidedly supported by the brick wall. Thoughts and images scattered across my fading sight, yet of course, none of them made sense. But they provided me with an unknown sense of comfort, as I let the feeling of loss and lonesomeness sweep me under.

Someone…

Anyone…

Help me…

Grab me…

Save me now…

Distrust.

Darkened.

I lost sight.

My vision slithered into blackness.


A/N: A quick chapter, I know.

I've already got my plans for the next chapter, and quite a few more characters to spice things up. I'm pretty excited about the content and I hope you guys'll like it.

A great big thank you to my reviewers and such, loving your praise heaps, it's inspiring and motivational. :)