A.N. This took me forever to get right and I still don't know if it is as good as I want it, but...We'll see? Bold Italics is a flashback, just to clarify.

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1


The morning sun fell on her face and warmed her skin. Her eyes flew open as she realised she'd fallen asleep on watch last night. Her neck felt tight and ached as she moved. "Ah. Shit." She hissed, shaking her head slowly to clear the sleepiness from her mind.

Thankfully the others were still sleeping, even the Soldier still slumbered peacefully; unaware of her mishap. Her mouth was dry as a bone and she gulped down the water that remained in her bottle greedily. She stood and stretched her aching limbs; a night sleeping in a sitting position had done nothing for her spinal column, and her back cracked loudly enough to cause the Soldier to stir slightly under his blanket.

She moved to the window, looked out onto the land and spotted a few of the dead roaming; though not enough to warrant a panic, she decided that they needed to be disposed of before breakfast if they were to remain safe.

"Olivia?" she heard Lilly call quietly, her gravelly sleep filled voice making her jump slightly. She moved to the child and Lilly stretched in her bedding before her eyes became focused and awake.

"Yes Boo?"

"Where are you going?" her eyes held a hint of panic when she looked down at Olivia's shoes that were still on her feet.

"I've gotta take care of the creepers that are outside and a little too close for my liking." The little girl's eyes darted to the Soldier and back to Olivia's. "He's coming with me too!" She kissed the child on the forehead. "Wake Josh and get yourselves cleaned and ready."

"Got it!" She did a sleepy mock salute and Olivia chuckled to herself at the traits she was picking up from Josh.

She made her way to the door of the attic and kicked the foot of the Soldier, his body jerked awake and he let a small grunt escape his lips.

"Wake up." She barked.

"What's wrong?" he replied with worry as he sat up hastily.

"We got creepers. Need to take 'em out before they get any closer." She pulled the barrel back of her gun and tucked it in its holster.

"Ok, let me just…"

"Olivia wait." Lilly cut in and ran over with a bunch of weapons she hadn't seen before. "I found these in some boxes yesterday. Maybe you could use them?" the little girl smiled up at her. She looked at the silent weapons and swore she felt her eyes light up and sparkle at them. "I thought you might like this one specially." Lilly held out a decorated knife; a tiger with a red eye, Olivia could tell she wanted her to like it and that she would take it, but she also saw a hint of sadness in her little eyes at doing so.

"I think you should keep this one. You need to upgrade." Lilly's smile beamed. "Besides I like my knife…" The child held it like a rare gem. "…but I'll take these." She took the three swords the girl had found. Tucked the medium sized one in her belt, setting one aside for Josh and then turned and tossed the largest to the Soldier, who had been watching the scene in front of him quietly.

"Thanks." He said appreciatively, tossing the blade between his palms and getting used to its weight.

She hugged the girl tightly and kissed the top of her head. "Thank you. Now move your butt and get Josh outta bed."

The Soldier had begun to lower the attic door, his eyes scanning the hallway before lowering it fully. "Ready?" he asked looking into her eyes. She nodded in response and they descended, quickly checking the house before going outside.

They closed the door quietly and crouched down on the porch for cover, he made to move further out and Olivia grabbed his arm. "What?" he quizzed.

"We need a strategy here. We can't just go running out there all guns blazing." He rolled his eyes and Olivia punched him in the arm. He flinched and rubbed at the spot with a grimace. "It wasn't that hard. Now, you take the front and I'll go round back. We'll circle around and meet back here once they've all been disposed. Understood?"

"We should stick together and take them out as a team." He offered.

Although she saw the logic in his plan, she thought hers was better to make sure that one of them didn't get bit or eaten and if both of them became creeper food, the kids were back to being on their own.

"No we stick to my plan. MY rules remember!"

"Understood Loud and Clear." They moved quickly and quietly, her mind raced as she thought about what could happen and hoped that one of them didn't end up as dinner. She had no time for that train of thought, so shook her head and cleared her mind to gain full focus.

She stopped at the edge of the house peeking around the corner and scanned the area; her knife in one hand and her newest weapon in the other. There were five on this side spread pretty wide, a stealth approach would be best; she could run up and… A flashback of her fall made her hesitate and a phantom pain shot through her ankle. She took a deep breath and made for the closest of the undead that; thankfully, had its back to her. She swung the knife into its temple and pulled it out quickly. The small moan that had elicited from its decayed lips alerted the others and they all honed in on her. She waited; feet spread, steadied her stance and took another deep breath.

The next one came at her, his milky white eyes and chomping grey teeth made her shudder. His torn and dirty clothes had dried blood all over them; it caked its jaw and chest where both collar bones protruded like jagged rocks. It lunged and she side stepped quickly kicking it to the ground. She drove the sword into its eye and the splatter caked her arm ending its infected life.

She had little time before the next was on top of her, but she made short work of it; ending it with one deadly blow before it could even really start and then moved back preparing for the next assault. Three had banded together and came at her in mass. She turned and spotted the edge of the trees and decided to make a run for cover in the dense forestry. The sun continued its ascent into the sky and her skin glistened from the exertion, what a morning this was turning out to be.

She made it to the tree line and glanced back to see if they were still pursuing her. She jumped over the small pile of branches that had accumulated and crashed into another of the dead. She landed on top of the monster, one of its cold hands clasping her shoulder as the other pulled at her clothing. Panic began to cloud her mind and she pushed against its bony form; both blades still in her hand. She brought her elbow up and cracked its arm, the force tearing its hand from her shoulder. She rolled off the thing and stood, quickly bringing her foot up she stamped on its head, its skull crushed beneath her heavy foot.

A moan to her left drew her attention as another creeper came from between the trees at her. The three that she had lured there now made their appearance, entering the mass of foliage and Olivia felt fear grip her body. Thick trees blocked any view she had of the surrounding area and not knowing what lay in wait she didn't want to go any deeper. The dead advanced quickly in the small space and she needed a minute. 'God give me a minute.' She thought. Her heart pounded wildly in her chest, adrenaline surged through her body as the urge to be sick almost overwhelmed her. She suddenly felt tired, her muscles ached and her stomach lurched. The group of undead closed in on her, their putrid breath permeated the air and Olivia found it funny, that considering they were dead and had no bodily functions how the hell did they make breathing noises in the first place?

She raised the sword and took off the head of the closest one to her; its body dropped to her feet, half of its brain spilling onto her boots. She pressed forward pushing against the line of creepers to knock them off balance and drove her hunting knife up into the head of the next one; a teen boy no older than 16. Its decrepit, coagulated blood burst from under its chin and all over her arm, joining the splatter from earlier.

The others recovered quickly and continued towards her. The dead woman managed to grab the end of Olivia's ponytail, she had no time to think as its emaciated fingers clasped the brown locks and yanked her head, exposing her neck to its chomping jaw. The other one came at her from the other side when her last kill fell to the ground. Her hand pushed forcefully against the bitches' torn throat; her knife still embedded in the head of the teen as she kicked out at the other, hitting its hip and sent it spinning to the ground. She lifted her other arm to block the dead woman from tearing into her throat with its fingers, knocking them away. Olivia couldn't break the woman's hold and did the only thing she could think of. She dropped down rolling onto her back, taking the bitch down with her, as her back hit the ground she brought her foot up and kicked the dead woman over her head; quickly bringing the sword up, she sliced the joint at the wrist taking the hand from its rotting body. She scrambled into a sitting position and turned to the side, spotting a big rock that had loosened from the ground, she grabbed it and smashed it down onto the woman's head; the blood spurting out and over her jeans.

She looked up to see the last creeper had regained its footing and was coming at her. She leaned back onto her elbows and with full force kicked its shins; cracking its bones, which sent it hurtling to the ground. It begun to crawl towards her, a guttural moan came deep from inside it and it reached for her ankle, she scurried backwards to try and get some distance. She backed into the trunk of a tree, her breath ragged as she found it hard to get oxygen into her body. The creeper was at her heels, its dirt caked hands dug into the earth at her feet, pulling itself closer to her. Olivia tucked in her knees; put her feet flat on the ground and pushed against a root that jutted from the earth hoisting herself to her feet. She stood above the disgusting thing that used to be a man, taking in deep breaths and a deep sorrow filled her as she took in the scattered bodies of the people that had once been human.

In reality they were still human, but they had been…the way she saw it; mutated? - Into some other form of humanity - a kind that had only the most basic of basic needs and it both puzzled and fascinated her in a grotesque sort of way. She looked down at the sword in her hand; the blade slick with the blood of the already dead, wondering how she had just managed to 'kill' 5 out of the 6 before her and now baulk at the last one because her conscience reminded her it was still there.

The thing had made it to her feet once again and she drove the sword down into its once functioning brain; the last of her sentimentality going with it and then pulling it from the once normal man she moved to the body that her knife still inhabited, snatching it from the corpse.

Her mind was blank and she walked robotically back towards the house, stopping at the tree line she felt the summer heat radiate from the opening she'd ploughed through. The house sat picturesque in the blazing sun and she pictured her life back with her Grandparents, the simple things she'd took for granted. She'd let her mind and body have its last bit of feeling.

There was no more room for it if the truly wanted to survive!


Jackson had waited for over 10 minutes now; he'd cleared the 3 creepers; as Olivia called them, from his side of the house. He'd used some of the drills they'd put him through in the army. It was a little more difficult when your enemy had no thinking power because dividing and conquering hadn't worked when they all wanted him for a big snack.

Thankfully he hadn't had to fire his weapon and attract any others that may have been in the vicinity; the last thing they needed was to have a herd blow through.

When he'd made a sweep of the rest of his assigned sector he came back to the rendezvous point and waited. The 10 minutes felt like an hour and worry had begun to settle in his stomach. Gut feeling told him she'd be ok and gut feeling was all you had to go on sometimes; he knew that from his experience in the war. The shade of the porch offered him a reprieve from the suns' rays, the heat was already beginning to swelter at this early hour and he decided a quick patrol of the perimeter; just to double check, wouldn't do no harm.

The house was rather beautiful and reminded him a little of a plantation house. He could imagine the stories that were imprinted in the walls of this old house, despite its obvious makeover by its previous tenants, its structure was of the old world his Grandmamma talked about. He came to the first corner where they'd split and moved along the house following the tracks she'd left. He noticed where she'd broken away from the path and her footprints led towards the woods.

He continued his patrol and was happy to find no more of those things on the property lines. Coming to his original spot at the back steps he made a snap decision to follow Olivia, he needed to know for sure. As he got to the side of the house he spotted her bloody figure coming from the tree line; it covered her arms, torso and one leg. She walked with purpose; her features fixed in a hard glare and made it to him in no time, walking past him silently.

He followed her with his gaze. "Olivia?" she didn't stop.

"I told you to meet me at the back porch." Her tone was edgy and filled with authority leaving no room for argument.

"Sorry, it won't happen again." He followed her obediently. They got to the door and she spun on him. The look in her eyes frightened him, this slip of a woman who was tall for a female; maybe 5'10, and weighed no more than 140lbs, terrified him with the darkness he saw in her hazel orbs.

"This is your last chance Soldier boy. If you can't follow simple instruction I'll drop you quicker than a whore's panties!" Her tone was so dark and he suddenly felt cold despite the summer heat.

He stood firm and nodded his head. She didn't say another word and they both entered the house. She threw her weapons on the kitchen floor and made for the sink, turning the taps. He wondered what she was doing, but to his amazement it steamed up quickly and he realised this house had perks if it still had hot water. He followed suit and placed his sword with hers.

She was scrubbing her skin roughly, her sun kissed gold colour changing to a reddish pink tone. Her teeth were clenched so tightly her jaw flexed from the tension. He moved forward slowly, wondering exactly what had happened in those woods, in the small space of time they'd been separated she seemed...wired. Her body was so rigid with tension it radiated off of her in waves. He'd been edging closer, his body no more than a foot from her now and he reached out and touched her shoulder, trying for reassurance.

She moved so quickly, slapped his hand away and drew her gun on him, aiming it right between his eyes. He held his hands up in defence. "Whoa..." her nostrils flared, her eyes glazed over and her finger played at the trigger. "...I wasn't gonna hurt you Olivia." She twitched her neck in response and pressed the barrel harder against his forehead. "Olivia." His voice was filled with panic. She dropped the gun and placed it back in the holster. Her expression was emotionless and she returned to her previous task of scrubbing at her skin.

He waited for his heartbeat to steady and his body to stop shaking before he spoke to her once again, trying to keep a safe distance he suggested. "If there's hot water why don't you have a quick shower and I'll make something for the kids?" She froze; the scrubbing brush held in mid-air, the silence was deafening and seemed to last longer than the 15 seconds it took for her to respond.

"No." she threw the brush into the sink and shut the tap off. "Go tell them to come down now. I said I'd make breakfast." And with that she turned and went into the small cupboard to get whatever she was gonna cook.

His feet seemed to be stuck for a few seconds, but he did as instructed, fearing another staring match with her 9mm would only serve to fuel whatever fire was burning inside her at the moment; and this time he might not survive the end result.

As he made his way to the attic an internal battle took place and he would swear to god the devil was dancing on his shoulder. His mind was racing, thinking why?

Why was he just doing as instructed?

Why was he so obedient when he didn't owe this girl nothing?

He'd betrayed his blood to save her hide and she shows her appreciation by putting a gun to his head. But what he saw in her eyes, he'd seen before on the battlefield. She hadn't really shared anything with him so far, nothing about her life before this shit had gone down. He didn't even really know her. She could be unstable? But the other side of him; the side that was attracted to this woman, knew that the responsibility she had on her shoulders and the constant battle to try and keep things normal for those kids could be a potential danger for anyone's sanity.

He called in a loud whisper. "Kids, breakfast in 5." He got no response and the cord was pulled up tightly. "Olivia said come down." A slight shuffle told him they were moving and the string dropped. He pulled it down only to have the barrel of the younger girls' gun pointed at him. "Jesus." He said sarcastically. He just couldn't win with the woman of this family.

He sighed and rolled his eyes at the statuesque children who wouldn't move from their spot. "I'll be downstairs." He turned and left them.


Olivia stood in the pantry; not really focused on anything, she felt numb and electrified at the same time. She had wanted to pull that trigger so badly and see if she would still…feel anything. She thought it would be a true test, but reality told her it wasn't going to be that quick or easy to forget.

She saw the fear in his eyes, in the sound of his voice and it felt good. It felt so good to feel that power over someone when she had no control over anything else. Her mind went back to the morning's event, to that spot in the woods, to what she'd done.

She'd stood at the opening of where she'd gone into the brush; the bodies of the undead behind her, when a small moan had her spinning on her heels. She pulled the gun from its holster; no longer caring if the shots attracted others, to be faced with an encounter she never wanted to deal with.

There - amongst the fallen - moved a dead child. Its grey mottled skin and milky eyes fixed on Olivia.

She stood stock still as the small creature shuffled slowly towards her, its blood covered mouth growling, and all her big brave words about not caring anymore seemed to falter. Tears burned in her eyes and a lump formed in the back of her throat when she saw the bite marks scattered across the little girl's body.

Her body moved of its own volition towards the child, her gun falling to her side in a defeated manor. She was not highly religious, but she wondered if God was real at this point because if he was he was a cruel master. Only a few feet separated them now; both human and undead about to collide once again, and Olivia stopped. The child's face morphed into Lilly's and her breath hitched in her throat, the tears spilled over onto her cheeks and she fell to her knees. The world seemed to move in slow motion and the creature with her sister's face launched its tiny body at her.

She grasped its arms, holding it back as it snapped its teeth viciously at her face. The tears continued to fall and she spun the child in her arms, crossing its small limbs over one another and held it tightly to her chest. It tried to chomp at her arm, but it couldn't reach. Sobs racked her body and her tears joined the mass of dirt that had accumulated on the back of the girl's clothes. It battled against her hold, constantly trying to taste her flesh. The sound of the rotten teeth crashing together sounded like voodoo drums and drove her crazy.

Suddenly all seemed silent and still; a ringing played in her ears like a sound loop, even the bugs had disappeared. The jerking movements of the creature in her arms shook her body, but no sound filtered through her head.

She shifted the undead child and held her to the side with one arm. It tried to turn and take a bite of her face, the acrid smell from its mouth returning her feelings of nausea. Olivia knew what needed to be done and her tears abruptly ended.

"I'm sorry." She said flatly. She released her grip and its arms flailed wildly as it tried to turn and grab at her, she'd pulled the child's head quickly to the side and plunged her knife into the tiny ear. The small stud earring that sat in her lobe; shaped in the letter K, was now dark red from the gush of blood that came from its head and the body of the child fell like a rag doll.

And as she stood in small kitchen with the beans and tinned ham cooking on the stove she closed her eyes and shivered. Looking back at it, it seemed like a long span of time, but it was no time at all, it was over in minutes.

She heard them sit at the table, scraping chairs and cutlery sounded into the kitchen. She had found some packeted tortillas that had stayed fresh in a bread box, so they would have a good filling meal for the day.

The menial task had helped her to think and she'd decided they would stay for a few more days, the propane tank had about that much left in it and she didn't see the point in leaving when they would have hot water. Then they would join Maggie's group at the farm, test those waters and make a decision.

She plated their food, served and sat at the table. Her appetite was gone and the thought of eating made her feel sick, but her body needed it so she ate it slowly. The children were smiling when she put it in front of them and they ate with glee. The Soldier kept stealing glances at her with each forkful that entered his mouth.

She didn't want to look at him, so she just pushed her food around the plate; all the while, she pictured the knife again and again as it pierced the skull of the little girl. Her hands clenched around her cutlery and she looked up when Josh said. "You ok Livvy?" She looked at his worried expression as his eyes darted from her hands to her face quickly several times and she sat motionless.

"Olivia?" Lilly added and she looked into the face of her little sister, only it wasn't Lilly's face she saw, it was the face of the undead child.

The ice that had started to form around her heart added another cold layer and it was the final straw, the world as they knew it was truly over.

'God help us all' she thought, but she realised now that God had left them a long time ago.


A.N.2 - I hope you like this installment and drop a review if you can. Thanks.

Jada