It always gets worse before it gets better.

The nights were long and the days even longer. They had been at the farmhouse five days now. They had become accustomed to fighting at least one super horde a day, more special infected had started appearing each bringing their own unique disastrous flavor to the situation. They discovered them while on scavenging expedition, Carver, Violette and Olivia had been searching a nearby abandoned house. It was massive, and sat alone surrounded by corn fields. Carver had gone to check the upstairs while Olivia had gone to check the basement. Violette had stayed on the main floor and was searching the kitchen, when she heard an insane cackle come from the front of the house. She gripped her gun tighter as she moved cautiously towards the door, before she even had time to acknowledge the flesh covered shape moving towards her it had leapt on her back and started jerking her towards the outside.

"GET THIS THING OFF OF ME!" She screamed hoping to gain the others attention, she wasn't sure where it was dragging her to but she didn't have to wait long before she felt it go limp and fall of her, she turned to look only to find carver out of breath with a crowbar in his hands the end dripping with blood.

"Are you all right?" he asked quietly, she nodded her head before he pulled her into a hug. His breath ghosting on her ear, "you scared me." He whispered, before releasing her. They turned to find Olivia coming out of the house both guns draw, the color gone from her face.

"Hey!" Carver barked. "What's up?" she shook her head quickly as if trying to erase the image of whatever it was that scared her.

"It's nothing, sorry."

"Alright we need to leave, another new zombie appeared," he paused, "did you hear that?" Olivia shook her head, "no." he turned to look at Violette, before he heard the growl again. This time he was sure he heard it only to see a gray bulk charging towards him. It impacted with him sending Violette flying backwards, and him being slammed into the ground its massive arm slamming and pummeling him into the dirt. He couldn't even scream it was crushing his lungs in its grip. The world was starting to go white before he felt it loosen and collapse in a heap next to him. He blinked trying to bring the world back into focus has he tried to bring enough air into his lungs, the colors coming back into focus. Violette and Olivia where leaning over him pulling him upright, the concern etched on both their faces.

"Do I look that bad?" He finally managed to ask. Olivia just shook her head smiling as she helped Violette pull him back to the van.

"Glad we decided to bring the van today." Olivia said.

"Agreed," said Violette as she slammed the back door, the car peeling out down the drive. They could hear the wail of the infected building as they sped away from the house. Olivia could see them in her rearview.

"Let's get the fuck out of here!" she said looking back to see nods of agreement from the back. It took about 10 minutes to get back to their farmhouse, going 90 along the deserted country roads. The car slid to a stop in front of the house, Olivia jumped out to help Violette get Carver inside. They slammed the door behind them to find Tyler and running towards them. He slid to a halt gasping,

" Another new zombie, this one spits acid!" he gasped out, "we were cleaning the bodies up from around the house, when a gnarly looking zombie broad spit, I'm not kidding you acid goo at our feet, we managed to move before it did too much damage and take the zombie out, but it's another thing we have to worry about."

"Great." Sighed Carver, "we found two more new zombies, one that will grab you and pull you away from the rest and another that charges you and pummels you, I happened to be so lucky as to experience the later, while Violette got to experience the other. We didn't get bit but my ribs are defiantly bruised, and I might be concussed."

"We had a horde following us when we left so that may become an issue here in a bit." Olivia said, as she handed Carver a bottle of pills. They had just enough time before they heard the distinctive wailing to take positions on the second floor. It started like the rest, a wave of zombies then a few new infected, warnings being called out fast enough to avoid any real damage. Until a spitter zombie managed to get burning acid in one of the windows, causing them to have to back up as zombies poured through the open windows, only to fall in a hail of gunfire, the few who got close enough were greeted with a baseball bat and an axe. As soon as the spit dried enough the resumed their places, to fight of the rest of the horde the dead piling up below them, when the last zombie fell they took a few minutes to chuck the corpses that had made it inside back out to the ground below, the bodies landing with wet sounding thuds. They quickly boarded the windows again and went back downstairs to regain their breath. Olivia lit a cigarette and leaned against the counter, she wordlessly handed her pack to Tyler who fished one out and lit it, joining her in silence as the smoke filled their lungs.

"It always gets harder doesn't it?" Tyler asked breaking the silence.

"I have a feeling we haven't even begun to see the worst of it." Olivia replied grimly.

With that she put her dying cigarette out and lit another.

"This farmhouse will only suffice as a safe place for a while, eventually we will have to leave." She said. Tyler nodded in agreement, they would have to leave eventually but for now they could enjoy the relative stability it offered them. It was silent a bit longer before she broke the silence again.

"How are your ribs doing?"

Tyler shrugged, "sore but I'll survive, your injuries are…"

"Not infected fortunately, I changed the bandages on them; I will have some brutal looking scars from them." She said grinning at the last part.

"Why are you smiling?" he asked genuinely perplexed.

"Always wanted a cool scar story."

"You are appalling." She laughed at that.

"I thought you already knew that I was a terrible person."

"You're not a terrible person, just one of the strangest I have ever met." He laughed.

"It's why you keep me around huh?"

Tyler grinned and shook his head. "You're ridiculous." He put his cigarette out and went to leave, but something made him stay with her in silence in the kitchen, her hands shaking slightly he almost didn't notice it. Taking it for lingering adrenaline he didn't say anything.

"I'm taking first watch," she said "come relive me in a four hours." He nodded and went to get some rest.

A/N

I genuinly dislike this chapter it's filler really, and needed to be written, but i am not a big fan of it. things are going to start getting better between Tyler and Olivia in the next couple chapters I have been trying to work everyone in I know I am neglecting the characters of charels and Jane but i'm not sure what I want from them. Again reviews are awesome they make us better writers.