(A/N: This is a fill-in chapter; just to foreshadow later events. That is all~)

(Carly's POV)

Not good. Not good. Not good.

She could be running at the speed of light and it wouldn't have mattered. She never really understands how the zombies manage to do this. They don't run. They limp. They limp after you. Then why does it seem that no matter how long you run, they always manage to catch up behind you? How is that possible?

She isn't thinking about that now. She's too busy running for her life.

Run. Run. Run.

She was aware of the rest of the group running beside her. But now she's alone. And apparently the sudden disturbance attracted the zombies.

Peachy.

She's too far gone to think rationally. The only thing that was going through her head was run, run, run. Almost like a feral chant that haunts lost travelers. Well, there's no going back now. It's do or die here.

She can't see. It's too dark to make out anything. Her feet constantly get tripped up by every little thing. Someone, help!

` She slams into a wall.

It's enough to send her spiraling to the ground. She hits the ground, letting a scream release from her mouth. Most of the impact hit her cheek, and she cups it with her hand. She forces herself to her feet, feeling weak and shaky.

They're close.

Feeling around, she realizes there's no escape. There's no escape. The words echo in her head over and over. She grips her arms and swallows painfully. In a matter of minutes, she will become a human happy-meal.

"Carly!" Her head whips around at the sound of a voice. She looks around, seeing nothing, but then she hears the voice again. "Carly!" She snaps her head up and she sees him. Alex, outlined by very dim moonlight. "Grab this! Come on!"

"Grab what?" She yelps back. For a second, all she hears is the moans from the infected, and her heart lurches.

"Hold onto this!" She feels something fall, right onto her shoulder. Her hand grasps it. Rope.

She holds onto it, and she feels the weight under her feet disappear. Holding on tight, she's lifted up. She tries to help out, pressing her feet against the wall and half climb up. Once she can, she snags her hands onto the ledge, and Alex pulls her up.

"Where are the others?" Her voice is breathless.

"Over here," Alex replies, grabbing her by the arm. "Hurry! It's not safe!"

Still in a daze, Carly runs on the top of the building. "Where are we?"

"Dunno." Alex chokes out.

Carly can see them up ahead. Two familiar people, on the ground,, gasping for breath. She runs ahead and collapses into Spencer's arms. She sees Gibby beside them.

But…wait.

"Where's Sam and Freddie?" Carly looks up and stares at Alex.

Alex gives a helpless shake of his head. "I-I didn't see them since we burst out of there."

Carly stares at the other two. "Spencer? Gibby?"

Silence.

Carly falls to her knees, and she feels Spencer rub at her shoulders. "Carly, this is Sam and Freddie we are talking about. I'm sure they're nearby."

"But—" And that's the winning evidence. Not far from there, a bloody scream suddenly pierces the ragged air. It lasts for five seconds before ending. Who screamed?

Carly falls to her knees, thinking. What if it was one of her friends…? The idea was so horrid and it sent that same scream echoing through her head. She presses her hands to her ears, trying to block it out.

"Spencer, Gibby," That was Alex's voice. He sounds serious. "Can you peer around the ledge of this building and scout ahead for the other two? Try not to be seen."

Carly keeps her hands pressed to her ear. She hears Alex sit beside her.

"You know," Alex says slowly. "I've only spent a few days here, but you know what? I think that if any of us were to get separated, Sam and Freddie have the best bet of making it out alive."

"What if they don't?" She sobs.

"I'm sure they're out and about somewhere. Probably bickering." She can feel Alex's gaze on her. "You disagree?"

"What about that scream?" Carly whispers.

"Some unlucky guy." He replies.

She moves her hands away and stares at him. "Can we go look for them?"

"Of course we will. And I already know what they're gonna say. Freddie will say thanks, and Sam will remind me of how I'm gonna kill you all."

This makes Carly laugh. Something rare in a time like this.

"I know it's hard. And we'll look for them. We'll get through this."


(Freddie's POV)

`His eyes snap open. Lifting his head a bit, he can see Sam, still curled up a few meters away. His head snaps up when he realized he fell asleep on watch.

Damn, he thinks. He looks out the dim window and he sees the sun paling. At least sunset is soon.

He looks over at Sam, and he wonders how he'll explain to her that he fell asleep. It'll probably result in getting slapped. Right?

Surely no boundaries changed after last night. Right?

No. Stop thinking about it. Odds are, it was a dream.

The more he thinks about it, the possibility of it being a dream become more real. Yes. It was all a dream. Of course it was. She'd never kiss him. Right?

He realizes that while he comes to this conclusion, his eyes were set on the blonde the entire time. Gotta love this luck. First you're having dreams 'bout kissing her, and now you can't get your eyes off her. Sometimes I amuse myself.

He moves closer and shakes her leg. "Sam. Sam, wake up."

Her eyes snap open, and she jumps a bit. Everyone has been jumpy since this has started. "Freddie?" Her eyes blink deeply. "What time is it?"

"I sort of fell asleep." He admits. "I-I'm sorry. It won't happen again."

She shifts upward. She stares at him for a moment, before moving away and chuckling.

"What?" He didn't mean to say it as harsh as he did. But the stare enlightens fear in his chest. What if…?

Sam tips her head to one side, and then her eyes mist over. "Oh…nothing, I guess."

"Wait." He murmurs. "Did…it…"

"You tell me." She sounds just as confused as he does.

It wasn't a dream…?

He sits back, wrapping his arms around his knees. "Is this a bad thing?"

"I don't think so…" She narrows her eyes and stares into space. "But…I'm not sure. Is it?"

Freddie stares at her and she looks into the air as if it held all the answers, her eyes slightly narrowed, her mouth slightly opened. He feels a rush of something, but if he were to ponder it, it would ruin the story, wouldn't it?

"No." He says firmly. "It wasn't. Not to me."

"Oh…" She looks at him as if surprised. "Um, are we gonna tell them?"

Freddie couldn't help but grin. "How about we play that by ear, eh?" She just shrugs.

"It's almost nighttime. Can we go look for them?" Sam asks. She grips her pocket that contains the switchblade that she's been carrying around since she was eleven.

"Yeah. But let's go over some ground rules…" She says slowly, but Sam throws back her head and groans. "…Or you can groan. Either works."

"Fine. What are the 'ground rules'?" She makes parentheses with her hands.

"Okay. We should stick together. If zombies come or looters, we cannot lose sight of each other no matter what. Or we'll have a repeat of yesterday, except even smaller divisions. And if you see looters…don't shoot. Please. And in case we do get attacked by something,
I think it's best if we—"

"Freddie," Sam rolls her eyes. "Don't you know the major rule of the Zombie Apocalypse?"

"What?"

"Do not make a plan. A plan will simply screw you over. I promise I won't shoot unless I have to, okay?" She says.

"Deal. Alright, let's hit it." Freddie stands up and hands Sam one of their guns (something not advised unless in the Zombie Apocalypse) and he grabs his own. "Oh, and Sam?"

"Yeah?" She looks over at him.

"…Just stay by me, okay?" He says, almost desperate.

He was expecting a smart-ass answer back, followed by "you pansy" and then she'd stay as far away from him as possible.

But instead she looks over at him and drops her gaze. "I will." She whispers.

Freddie grabs her by the hand and they look out the window. "Let's do this." Freddie says.