Me: Chapter 14 is ready to go!

Sarah: I've been meaning to ask, how much longer is this story going to be?

Me: No idea, truthfully. I'll end it when I think I can end it without any questions remaining.

Zero: I see, and that could take a while?

Me: A long while, most likely.

-Everyone starts cheering-

Razor: We're going to be here for a while folks! WHOOT!

Erin: I suppose I'll get the disclaimer. Azard doesn't own Left 4 Dead or the types of infected created by Valve. All he owns are the characters, plot, and the "Adaptor" breed he created. -Hug tackles Zero and snuggles-

-Everyone stares-

Bear: I've never seen that happen, but I don't think they're complaining.

Me: Me neither. Anyway, read and enjoy.

Chapter 14: Farm Life Ain't the Life for Me

The morning sun shining through a window near the top of the barn woke me up. It's safe to say I didn't sleep all that well last night. I glanced over the edge of where I was sleeping and watched the bottom of the barn. Thankfully, there was no one there.

"Keeping an eye out this early?" Will asked. I turned to my brother who had just opened his eyes and was wiping the crust out of them.

"Yea. Someone was in here last night and I was checked to see if whoever it was came back."

"Any idea who it was?" Ash asked coming out of a dark corner.

"Not a one."

"Well, we've got to be off," Will started as he woke up Erin from her... peaceful slumber. Her face was beet red. Most likely she was dreaming... sweet dreams last night. Without another word, the two left. Erin turned back just before she left and waved goodbye. I could scarcely believe that she said what she said last night. What made her toughen up like that so soon?

I admit I was still a little nervous. Not many women can handle dealing with a pervert without losing it in some way... I wish I didn't just think that. My mind was wrapped around just how bad of a pervert this guy could be. With varying degrees of perversion, varying degrees of protection must be initiated. My vision went dark as another memory came to me.

The clique and I have dealt with something like this before. We may have been menaces back in Mercy City, but we were lawful menaces. Half the time the cops wouldn't even show if they were called, so we often had to take matters into our own hands. That's one of the main reasons they hated us. We did their job better than they did. We handled a lot of pervert cases, but the one memory that returned to me, I assumed, was one of the more extreme cases.

One of the nicer cheerleaders was being stalked by some creepy individual we had no information on. Of course, when I say nicer, I mean she was about as fun to hug as a cactus was. Hell, the nicest cheerleader was as nice as a fucking needle in the eye. Still, that wasn't a reason not to help. The guy in question was far above our age. When an image his face came to my mind, I guessed his face to be around the age of his lower to mid forties.

Fucking pedophiles. Regardless, he'd be stalking the cheerleader in question around for about a week before anyone was informed about it. When we caught him, he had almost succeeded in doing what his perverted mind wanted him to do. Bastard. Bear, Ash, Razor and I managed to beat him down in a barrage of fists and kicks. After we'd subdued him, the cheerleader walked up to him and slammed her leg into his family jewels. He coughed blood for twenty minutes before we dragged him to the police department.

The biggest problem was: How the fuck are we supposed to protect someone when we're forced to remain hidden? Back in high school, we remained hidden for information, but one of us was usually close to the intended target. Now, we've gotta protect someone from only the shadows. I racked my brain with ways to do this... considering we're not fucking ninjas.

"You're worried huh?" Came Razor's voice from another dark corner. I shook my head as I snapped out of my trance and looked toward him as I nodded. Razor understood what my answer was. The others must have filled him in on my memory loss and my blanking when a memory returned. "If that's the case, then stay back and let me handle searching for a home."

"Are you fucking insane!" I nearly shouted. Razor grinned and shook his head.

"Nope," he responded. "If anything, I'm more sane than you are at this point and time."

"I take it you have a plan?"

"Yep. First, have Will introduce you to the family. Just have him say you can't speak in a manner other than moaning because of a birth defect. Being as pale as you are, you can pass for an albino or just a pale guy." I already knew that much. "If you're working as well, you can keep an eye on Erin and make sure that pervert stays away from her."

"And what about searching for a different place to stay?" I asked. Razor responded by leaning forward and letting his wings explode out of his back.

"I can see and cover a lot more ground if I fly," he stated. "I can cover a few miles per day flying, and I'll fly high enough to make the humans think I'm some kind of bird. Then, I'll return when it's so dark no one will see me."

"You sure about that?" Razor nodded. I smiled as he took off out of the barn and soared into the sky. I looked outside and saw Will working on a tractor while Erin was doing a few quick chores while some other man was standing near them and talking. Will and Erin both looked annoyed which told me he was my potential target.

He seemed to be my age and was a lean, yet muscular young man, not unlike myself, Razor or Ash. No doubt that muscle was acquired through work, while ours came from fighting. He had short, messy, light brown hair and dark brown eyes. He wore the traditional farmer's garb, overalls over a stained white shirt and brown boots. At least, I think that's traditional farmer's garb... back in the 1930's at least.

I sighed heavily and hoped my brother could pull off an act like what I was about to do. I left the barn through the back and acted like I'd just shown up at the farmland. As I approached Will happened to glance at me and his eyes widened. The farmer boy turned and saw me before opening his big mouth.

"Who the hell are you?" He shouted out loud, most likely to get the attention of his father who'd probably come out with a shotgun. At least that's what would happen if the stereotype was true in this case. I rushed toward my brother and wrapped him in a hug before he could speak.

"Play along bro," I whispered lowly so only he could hear me. "You haven't seen me in months since the infection spread and you're relieved to see I'm alive. I have a birth defect that will only let me communicate in moans since I obviously can't speak to these people." Will's eyes softened as he dropped what he was holding, turns out it was a wrench, and wrapped me in a hug. Just as he hugged me, farmer boy's dad ran out of the house holding, well what do you know, a shotgun. Thank you, stereotypes!

"William," the taller man spoke. He was a near carbon copy of his son, or was it the other way around? Who cares? They looked pretty much the same except his father was in his lower forties in age and it definitely showed. "Who is this boy?" Will played it smooth, letting a few 'tears of relief' escape his eyes.

"This is my older brother," he responded letting the tears hit my shirt. He let go and moved back to look at me as though he hadn't seen me in years. "When the infection first hit, we were separated by the riots and mass hysteria. I thought he'd died in the chaos." Will pulled me in for another hug and I hugged back. I glanced into the older man's eyes and, to my surprise, they showed sympathy and understanding. Will let go again and pretended to be shocked. "Oh! I'm sorry where are my manners. Patrick, this is my brother Zero. Zero, this is Patrick. He owns the farm." I shook hands with the large man. He then turned me toward the shorter man, "This is his son, Rick. Rick, this is Zero." I shook hands with him as well, though I could feel slight anger in his grip.

"How are you kid?" Patrick asked. I smiled and nodded, feigning my 'condition'.

"I'm sorry Patrick, but he can't talk," Will said.

"Why? Is he stupid or somethin'?" Rick questioned. I turned toward him and gave him a hardened glare.

"My brother was born with a birth defect that keeps him from speaking unless it's a moan or a weird type of groan," Will explained. "Also, Rick, I wouldn't insult him. My brother used to get in fights all the time and would routinely beat up guys twice his size." Patrick stared at me for a few minutes before letting out a sigh.

"Can he work?" He asked. I nodded and placed my left hand on my right bicep while I flexed it for emphasis. Patrick reached out and felt the muscle for a second before crossing his arms and giving me an impressed smile. "Strong lad." He seemed to grin for a second before he pulled his son off to the side. I turned my head toward Erin and gave a small smile to her as I sheepishly rubbed the back of my head. She smiled back and blushed slightly under my gaze.

"I swear you're going to give me a heart attack some day with the shit you pull, bro," Will said. I turned to where Patrick had taken his son and listened in from where I stood.

"Seems like you got some competition boy," he stated. My face contorted itself into one of confusion as I listened. "Looks like the gal you're after has got eyes on the pale kid. Think you can handle it?" I could hear Rick growl slightly in annoyance.

"I can handle it, Dad," he replied. "That pale guy ain't got nothing on me." I chuckled under my breath. At least now I could keep a closer eye on things. Will tapped me on the shoulder and I threw my attention to him.

"You being here makes me feel a lot better bro, but what about searching for a new home?" Will asked.

"Razor said he'd handle it. As much as I hate to admit it, he can cover much more ground than I can," I said.

"You really weren't kidding when you said he could only talk through moaning and groaning," Patrick said, startling me slightly. "How the hell can you understand him?"

"He's my brother," Will replied. "It's like we have a bond that lets us breach the whole, 'can't speak' thing. I can pretty much understand what he's trying to say."

"Damn," Rick said, astonished. "Sounds to me like he's just retarded." I rolled my eyes and ignored the comment. I had better things to do than waste my time beating down a real retard.

"I don't mean to be rude, but are you trying to get your ass kicked?" Will asked.

"Doubt he could even lay a finger on me," Rick responded cockily. Pride always comes before the fall and the more proud you are the louder the impact. Sounds like when he falls it'll be nuclear. I chuckled. He honestly had no idea what I was capable of.

"That's enough Ricky," Patrick scolded. "Just cause he can't talk right don't mean he is or he can't whoop someone's sorry ass."

"He did plenty of that back home," Will snickered out. "The best one was when he put some guy in the hospital for three weeks. Broke every bone in the guy's body too.

"Okay, time to get to work. Zero, was it?" I nodded. "I want you to help your brother. Erin, you and Rick get collect some eggs from the henhouse." I growled at Rick's victorious expression. Will placed a hand on my shoulder and pulled me over to the tractor.

"Don't worry, once they leave I'll say I'm done and send you to help them," Will said making me smile. He usually had good ideas which made me wonder why he couldn't come up with full plans like I can. After a few minutes, he finished working on the tractor and sent me away. I caught up with the Erin and Rick just as they had arrived at the henhouse.

"What're you doin' here?" Rick asked, at least trying not to sound like an asshole. He failed, but whatever. I jabbed my thumb back and shrugged. "Whatsa matter? Can't follow simple instructions?"

"Is Will finished?" Erin questioned sweetly. I nodded quickly. "So he sent you here to help us, right?" I nodded again with a grin this time. She picked up on what Will and I were doing and motioned for me to follow. "Come on then, the eggs aren't going to collect themselves." I smiled brightly as I followed her inside, much to the anger of Rick.

Things proceeded... somewhat normally. Rick kept trying to send me off so he could be alone with Erin and made a perverted comment toward her every so often. From fetching eggs, to collecting some of the corn stock, to milking the cows and finally bringing everything in for dinner. Working here was tiresome and troublesome. I swear it would have been easier if I didn't have a fucking pervert to worry about.

Dinner was simple. His mother, who'd introduced herself as 'Trish', cooked a chicken dinner. The food was damn good. Honestly, I didn't know I could still taste things. My mind began to wonder just how much of me really wasn't human anymore. I mean, I could bleed, feel pain, taste food, have emotions... what part of this wasn't human? Still, the farm life isn't for me. I walked to the bathroom and looked at the mirror and recoiled in shock.

My skin tone wasn't as pale anymore. I had some color in my skin now. What the fuck is going on! Am I... recovering or something! That shouldn't be possible! It isn't possible! Could it be? Or am I just adjusting to being an infected better than most people? I mean, no one can recover from death! I returned to the table if only to have Will excuse the three of us so we could go to bed. We returned to the barn and took our places at the upper level. Razor flew in not a few moments later.

"So how did it go?" He asked me. I looked away as I answered.

"Fine. He sees me as competition so he may not move as quickly now. If he does make a move, he'll come after me first."

"Nice," Razor stated. A few seconds later I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned and saw Ash and Razor looking at me concerned.

"What's up bro?" Ash questioned.

"Ash, do you think it's possible to recover from this disease?" I responded with a question of my own.

"Dude, I doubt there's a cure for death," Ash deadpanned.

"Then why can I still bleed?" I asked practically shouting. "Why can I still feel pain? Why am I still affected by these things? If I'm dead then I shouldn't be feeling a goddamn thing! I shouldn't be tanning either!"

"Tanning?" Razor questioned. He fetched one of the lanterns in the barn, lit it, and held it up to me. He dropped the lantern in shock and Ash managed to catch it before it hit the ground. "How the fuck?"

"That makes no sense!" Ash yelled. "We're all dead! Nothing, no cells or nerves, should be responding, yet, for some reason, they are." We looked at Razor in the light and saw he had a little more color to his skin as well. "Seems it's happening to you too. What the fuck does this mean?"

"Maybe we're not as dead as we think. There may not be a cure, or is surviving a cure in and of itself?" I asked no one in particular. We had nothing more to say. What was there to say? Were we being cured by simply surviving? Perhaps, perhaps not. Maybe our bodies are merely adjusting to everything. It seemed likely. I laid my head on some hay I'd brought up to use as a pillow, placed my hands behind my head and closed my eyes. There was definitely a lot to think about. Was a cure actually possible? Or are we just kidding ourselves? Either answer seemed possible at this point.

The light dimmed as Ash put out the lantern. Silently I was thankful our little conversation hadn't alerted anyone. After a few moments I felt something lay near me. I opened my eyes and saw Erin laying at my side, her head resting on my chest with her right arm slung across my torso. Without thinking, I removed my right hand from behind my head and placed it on her shoulder. It wasn't long before I was holding her to my body. After a satisfied sigh that came from both of us, I closed my eyes once more, and let sleep claim me again.

Me: There goes another chapter.

Sarah: I didn't know Zero could be so sweet!

Zero: Sweet?

Sarah: At the end, you holding Erin close to you. So cute!

Zero: Why did you do this to me?

Me: Are you complaining?

Zero: ...Well, no but the hazing gets annoying after a while.

Me: Then plant a kiss on her and they'll shut up! In fact...

Zero: You wouldn't!

Me: Are you that against it?

Zero: NO! It's just that... I want it to be a mutual thing... I need to know how I feel first. I don't want to do something with her if I'll only end up breaking her heart later.

Sarah: SOOO SWEET!

Me: And that's what separates a real man from a bullshit one in my opinion. Well, enough of this bullshit. Be good and be safe, everyone!