The group had only waited for about twenty minutes when a nurse came in to talk to them. She was round and jolly with a kind face and soft red hair.

"Hello, everyone." She smiled, holding a clip board in one hand. "My name is Linda and I'm here to take you in for decontamination. You look fairly clean right now but you can never be too safe. If you'll all just come with me, we can get this over with nice and quick."

They all got up and followed her down the hall. The men went with another nurse and Kaylee and Rochelle stayed with Linda. The room they entered next reminded Kaylee of the old YMCA she had gone to once during a hurricane. The room was tiled all the way up the walls with rows of silver lockers.

Linda had them remove all of their clothing down to their underwear (Which they got to keep on until walking into the showers). The water was hot and refreshing, even if it didn't have the privacy Kaylee would have liked. Her hair and skin were scrubbed so hard that she felt an inch thinner after she got back out. The look on Rochelle's face as they both stood in their towels told Kaylee she felt the same way.

"Okay, ladies." Linda smiled. "We have some fresh clothes for you right here. You'll have to pardon the look of them."

Kaylee took the clothing she was handed and got dressed. The pants were black and form-fitting, made from a soft cotton by the feel. Her shirt was white and somewhat loose, but felt good and didn't look terrible. She sat down on a nearby chair to lace up the plain black sneakers she had been given. Rochelle did the same and after a few minutes, both girls were clean and ready to go.

"Feeling better?" Linda asked.

"You have no idea." Rochelle smiled.

"One last thing, we have to test you both for the flu."

"But we don't have the flu." Kaylee spoke up.

"You don't have symptoms." Linda corrected. "You're either entirely immune or carriers of the disease. For your safety, we have to run a quick test to see which."

"That makes sense." Rochelle replied. "Let's get this over with."

"What happens if we're carriers?" Kaylee asked.

"You would be taken to the doctors right here on base for medication. After a few days, the infection would be out of your system for good."

"And we would be okay after that?"

"Yes." Linda laughed. "That's why we call it the cure. Nearly everyone brought here as a carrier has made a full recovery thanks to our new antibiotics."

"Does it work on people with the infection?" Rochelle asked.

"We are still watching the results. So far, the few infected individuals we are treating are taking very well to this new medicine. It will be a while before we know if they will be as good as new, but the important thing is that our antibiotics can destroy the virus in carriers." Linda explained as they walked into an examination room.

Kaylee sat down on the examination chair, brown paper crinkling when she shifted her weight on it. Rochelle waited her turn by the door. Linda took out an empty syringe. "All I need is a small blood sample and you can go into the nicer holding room."

"Okay." Kaylee nodded. She looked away when her blood sample was taken then waited in the hall for Rochelle.

Linda lead them into a nicer room a few doors down that was set up like the one they had waited in first. The couches in here were much nicer and there was a television hooked up to an XBOX. Kaylee was thrilled at the sight, running over and sitting down in front of it. She turned it on and picked up the controller, bouncing up and down.

Rochelle sat down beside her and they looked through the small collection of games, trying to decide what to play first.

The men rejoined them a short time later, all piling in and claiming a couch or chair for their own. Ellis' hat was gone and he seemed to miss it. He kept running his hand through his hair, frowning. Keith didn't seem to mind losing his hat. He laid down on his stomach beside Kaylee and the two of them turned on a racing game.

Coach put his feet up in the recliner and watched the tv screen with a tired face. Alan laid down face first on the couch, his hair still damp from his shower. Nick remained standing, watching Kaylee and Keith while he drank from a paper cup of water. Zack claimed the other couch, laying on his back and flipping through a home and garden magazine.

"How embarrassing." Nick smiled after a moment. "We're all wearing the same thing."

"It's like we're a poorly styled team of super heros." Kaylee laughed, bumping Keith as she drifted past him in her hot pink sports car.

"Men were not meant to wear sweat pants." Ellis complained. "They could've given us briefs for crying out loud."

"I don't mind a little free ballin'." Alan laughed, turning his head so he could watch the game on the tv.

"That is an image I did not need in my head." Nick winced. "Ellis, they gave you a choice. If you didn't want boxers then why did you pick them?"

"I picked before they gave us sweat pants." Ellis defended. "At least we don't have to run or nothing."

"Kaylee, how the hell did you get a hover car?" Keith asked.

"It's a cheat code. Here, I'll put it in for you."

"How do you know the cheats?" Zack asked. "You've never even played that game."

"My friend in middle school had the game and I watched him play once."

"Wow." Keith whistled. "I can't even remember what I had for breakfast."

Zack got off the couch and walked over to Kaylee. He sat down behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, leaning his head on her shoulder as he watched her drive.

"What are you doing?" Kaylee smirked.

"Nothing." He smiled.

Nick took Zack's empty place on the couch and sat down. Just as he was about to bring up what the general had told them, a nurse came in with a soldier.

"Pardon me, everyone. But the lab results came back and we need to take a few of you for treatment."

Kaylee paused and turned around, "You mean some of us are carriers?"

The nurse read from her clip board. "Zack, Keith, and Rochelle, please come with me just as soon as you can."

"I'm a carrier?" Rochelle gasped, fear in her eyes. "But..."

"You'll be perfectly fine, I assure you." The nurse promised. "After two days of medical treatment, you'll be flu free."

Zack and Keith stood up quietly. Kaylee grabbed onto Zack's hand. "No, there must be some mistake. He doesn't even look sick at all-"

"Kaylee." He smiled, putting his hand under her chin. "I'm fine now and I'll be fine when I come out. They just want to make sure I can't infect people."

"But you said you'd come with us."

"Can I still go?" Zack asked the nurse.

"No, I'm afraid not. We have to get that disease out of you while our medicine can still destroy it."

"Fair enough." He sighed.

The General came in behind the nurse. "Hello again, survivors. Nurse, how many are in need of treatment?"

"Just these three." She gestured.

"I see." He looked over the rest of the group. "Have you reached a decision?"

"I'm going to help you in any way I can." Kaylee announced firmly. "Ellis will come with me."

"Just the two of you?"

Alan sat up straight, "To be perfectly honest, Sir, I couldn't the broad side of a building with a cannon ball that was already aimed at it. I'd only end up getting myself killed."

"I see..." The General nodded.

"What exactly does this dangerous mission entail?" Nick asked as he stood up.

"The base housing the President, as well as many other people, is on lockdown within the heart of a city now so over-run with infected that we cannot get any vehicles through it. Any helicopters we try to send are destroyed."

"Destroyed?" Nick gasped. "How are they destroyed? Last time I checked, there weren't any flying zombies."

"The sound of the choppers alerts infected that wander the roof tops. I'm sure you've seen tanks throw things before."

"Well how the hell would you expect us to get through that?" Nick demanded.

The General took a deep breath. "We need people who have experienced it first hand, who could navigate the roof tops fast enough and quiet enough to make it to that base."

"How would we get in?" Kaylee asked.

"The device we have stored the data for the cure in also acts as a security key. It would take you in through the building's roof entrance."

"How far would we have to go to get there?" Ellis asked.

"From the point where we can safely drop you off, it is a straight shot across eight buildings. Big buildings, of course. You may have to get creative. If you alert any infected up there, I can't guarentee your safety. I can barely promise anything now."

Nick mulled over it for a moment, thinking about the painting on the wall. "I can't let those two go alone." He spoke. "I'll go too. Neither of them can even open doors."

"Ellis!" Kaylee groaned, punching his arm. "You said you wouldn't tell."

"I'm sorry but it was too funny not to."

"The bravery of you four will not be forgotten." The General replied.

"Four?" Kaylee asked, looking between her, Nick, and Ellis.

Morgan stepped around the corner, wearing the same black and white outfit. "You think I'd miss this?" She smiled quietly.

Kaylee ran over and hugged her. "Morgan! I was worried you'd be trapped in the ICU or something!"

Morgan laughed and gently pushed her back. "Oh please. Even if they tried, there's no way I'd sit aside and let you have all the fun."

"This suicide trip is not my definition of fun." Nick glared.

"Morgan, what's that thing?" Ellis asked, pointing to the thick black choker around her neck. It had small blue lights on it and seemed to be made from some kind of metal.

The General stepped in to explain. "That is your key and your cure. You all need to work together to make sure it gets to the base, even if one of you doesn't. It is worn around the neck to prevent it from being lost."

"What if she falls or something?" Kaylee asked.

"It can be removed at any time by pressing the release button on the side." He explained. "We've scheduled the chopper to leave in three hours. The infected don't see as well in the dark. Every small benifit we can offer you, we are giving."

Kaylee walked back over to Zack. "I guess this is good bye."

"No." He smiled, pulling her close. "I'll just see you later."

"But what if I?"

"You won't." He pulled her in and kissed her lips roughly, drawing her up onto her toes.

The nurse cleared her throat and Kaylee pulled away.

Morgan walked over to the three before the nurse led them away. "Don't you worry." She told them. "They know what they're doing, and I've even said hello to a few people who already went through it."

"I've been through worse." Keith waved.

"How many times have you been fully engulfed in flames again?" Rochelle asked him as they began walking away.

Morgan smiled to herself and sat down beside Alan. The other three took seats as well, Nick on the couch, Ellis and Kaylee on the floor.

"So what happened?" Ellis asked curiously.

"Huh?" Morgan looked at him.

"They said they had to run tests. What kind of tests? What did they say?" Ellis elaborated.

"Oh!" Morgan chuckled. "I'm sorry, I guess I'm a little light-headed. Well, they did some brain scans. I forgot the word for it...anyway it seemed fine at first. But when they gave me a tiny dose of adreneline..." She gestured with her fingers, "Everything lit up. The virus responds to it and makes my sense of touch and hearing go crazy. It shuts down sight though to make up for it. I couldn't really understand the rest of their medical talk."

"They explained the mission to you, right?" Coach asked.

"Yes." She nodded. "They gave me this." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a yellow syringe in a protective plastic case.

"What is that?" Nick asked.

"It's an adreniline shot. I was told that if we had no other choice, I was to use this to get to the base, or at least as far as I could."

"Why don't they just stick you with that and watch you go? Wouldn't that just be the easy way?" Nick asked, imagining her dashing across the buildings like the Road Runner from old cartoons.

"No." Alan answered for her. "Based on what she just said, a full shot would overload her nerves and kill her."

"Yes." She nodded, putting it back into her pocket.

"Woah woah woah!" Ellis stood up and walked over to her. "If that might happen then why do you still have that? You can't kill yourself like that!"

Morgan stood up, "I can't? Ellis, if I have the chance to protect millions maybe just thousands of people from a disease that has already torn so many lives apart, why wouldn't I take it? Everyone in this room has suffered from this flu, but I have the chance to end it before it claims any more brothers or sisters or mothers or friends. If I chose to be selfish now, it would only save me a few months before the disease mutated so far that none of us could fight it. If I have to die so others can live, then so be it. I'm not afraid of death."

Ellis looked at her sadly, his heart breaking in his chest. "I can't lose you, Morgan, you and the others here are all I got left. I ain't even got a place to go back to."

"You have to help me do the right thing, Ellis. We have to deliver the cure before it's too late."

Kaylee's eyes were wet. "Morgan, are you listening to yourself? Why would you want to do that to us? You dying isn't a simple thing! It's terrible! I won't let you die out there!"

"Nothing has even happened yet." Morgan said, walking over and holding Kaylee's shoulders. "Be brave so I can be."

"Nobody gets left behind." Ellis spoke. "Okay? No matter what happens out there, we either all make it or none of us do."

Nick shoved his hands into his pockets. "He said to go quickly and quietly. I think we can handle that."

"You all better come back in one piece." Coach smiled.

"If I lose a limb, I will never shut up about it." Nick laughed nervously.

"You never shut up as it is." Ellis teased.

Morgan and Kaylee laid together on the floor in darkness, trying to rest as well as they could before the big night ahead of them. Everyone else had gone to the cafeteria to eat, but neither girl wanted to.

"Morgan." Kaylee whispered.

"Hmm?"

"When we get back...they can cure you right?"

"No."

"No? What you mean no? Why not?" Kaylee asked, propping herself up on one arm.

"They can't fix what they don't know. But they know about that place now, and they will send a force when they can. But right now the infection is more important. They don't think I will live very long anyway."

"Morgan, don't talk like that. You've been getting better every day. Most of the time, I forget that anything is even wrong."

"I'm trying to stay positive, for you and for Ellis. Sometimes I really do feel better, but I only sleep for about an hour now and there are always night mares."

"I have them too." Kaylee frowned. "I think that is just the situation."

"Yeah, I think so too. Everything can't be bad luck, right?" She laughed nervously.

"You and me." Kaylee smiled, sitting up and taking Morgan's hand. "We survived high school, the day we got lost hiking, the time I got gum in my hair and you had to get it out with peanut butter, and even the time you drove all the way out to Orlando to get me when my fucking ex left me at a Shell station. We can survive this with a hand tied behind our backs."

"Whose hand?" Morgan laughed.

Kaylee laughed along with her and pulled her into a hug. "Oh, what have we gotten ourselves into...?"

"Two relationships, a pile of zombies, and the scariest obstacle course of our lives."

"You really think Zack will be okay?"

"Oh yeah, he'll be fine. Over half of the soldiers here have had the medicine. You saw them running around earlier."

"It's nice...knowing he is there for me. The name calling and the pranks...I guess he was just acting like a little boy. He hurt me because he loved me."

"That sounds healthy."

"I know, right?" Kaylee sighed. "If he so much as looks at me wrong, his ass is grass."

"I've got your back out there, Kaylee."

"And I've got yours."

They locked hands and Morgan asked, "What about Nick and Ellis?"

"They can watch out for each other."

The friends laughed and held each other in the dark, trying to chase away their fears with laughter.

Footsteps broke the silence as another body entered the darkened room. "Morgan?" Ellis spoke, unable to see them.

"Down here. What is it?" She asked.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?"

Morgan stood up and walked over to where his voice was coming from. The lights all down the hall were still on, so once she turned the corner, she saw him just fine. He pulled her into a tight hug before she could even ask what he wanted to talk about. As she wrapped her arms around his neck, she realized that he hadn't wanted to talk at all. Ellis only wanted to hold her. She smiled softly and stroked his hair as they embraced there in the hallway. They had come so far, and now things looked like they were finally coming to an end.

"Ellis..." She cooed, "Everything will be okay."

"How do you know?" He asked, pulling back enough to look her in the eyes.

"Because we haven't come this far only to fail when it really mattered."

"This isn't a movie though. This is real life and those infected aren't actors. We don't have a script. Anything could go wrong out there and I ain't losing you again."

"Look at me." Morgan spoke, putting her hand gently on his jaw. "If we don't do this, then we can't have a future together. The disease will only mutate and spread if we can't take it down tonight. I have faith in us, Ellis. You, Me, Kaylee, and Nick, we're a team now. And when the morning comes again, all that darkness will be gone and this nightmare can end."

Ellis smiled and kissed her forehead. "When we watch the sun rise together, I've got something I been meaning to ask you."

"I can't wait to hear it." She smiled.

The Fallen city was worse than any of them could have ever imagined. A sea of infected made up the entire ground of the city like a churning black ocean. The full moon cast a white glow across the abandoned city roof tops that loomed high in the night sky like forgotten idols. The four messengers stood in the open door way of the chopper as it slowly touched down onto the crumbling roof of a once prosperous bank tower. Morgan stepped down first, her black sneakers making only faint noise as she kicked up dust from the short jump. She had been given a white hoodie along with the other three that bore the image of the red cross across the front and on the sleeves. It was an image of relief for any who saw it, and if those waiting for a miracle at the top of the farthest building were still alive, it would be the symbol that brought happy tears to their eyes.

Morgan wound duct tape around the sleeves and her wrists to keep the sleeves from hindering her in any way during the trek. As Kaylee jumped down after her, she took the roll Morgan handed her and began to do the same. Their loose pants had all been replaced by black biking shorts but the men weren't complaining. They were too scared to. Nick pulled on the red fingerless gloves he had been given and flexed his fingers, psyching himself up.

The General remained in the door of the chopper as the blades slowly came to a stop. "Your objective is the tall building you see in the distance with the red light blinking on the top." He instructed. "Get there as quickly as possible without alerting infected. This chopper will be forced to leave in two hours, whether you are all on board or not. Deliver the cure and get back here. May God be with you all."

"Uh...thanks." Ellis smiled nervously. "You too!"

Morgan and Kaylee began bending down and touching their toes, stretching their muscles as if they were about to go for a little climb. Nick walked over and mimiced them, gesturing for Ellis to join in as well. Morgan backed away and walked to the edge of the building, looking over the side. The drop to the ground below was deadly, more than anyone could survive. Her eyes watched in fear as the tide below rose and swelled with the mass pit of infected people. As she looked up in the distance at nearby buildings, she could make out the lumbering figures of tanks and chargers. No wonder it had been impossible to fly in. A machine as noisy as a chopper would send a Tank into a rage, and juging by the twisted rubble of a helicopter on the roof across the street, it already had.

She walked back to the others and faced the edge. "Let's do this."

Kaylee nodded and turned to face the same direction as Morgan. Nick and Ellis followed, each swallowing a lump in their throats. The little blue lights on Morgan's collar blinked as she sprinted toward the edge of the rooftop. As her heart began to pound, the live wires in her hands came fluttering to life. She pushed off with one foot and launched herself over the gap between this building and the next. When she hit the next roof, her body rolled forward and she pushed off again, sprinting across the broad building to the next ledge.

Kaylee charged after her, feet pressing hard against the concrete surface as she propelled herself with all her might over the chasm. She hit the second roof hard but forced herself back up with her arms, looking back to see Ellis flailing his arms as he jumped over her. He fell onto his hands and knees but stood quickly, ignoring the blood on his legs from the rough landing.

Nick held his breath as he ran faster than he had before, closing his eyes when he jumped because he was afraid of seeing himself fall. He opened them in time to land on his feet, pressing one hand against the roof as he let out his breath. Ellis offered his hand down to him and he grabbed it, the two of them running side-by-side to catch up to the others.

Once on the third roof, Morgan stopped and waited for the others. She turned around and watched them as the approached, barely making out the tired looks on their faces in the dim light. A flash of light burst out from all around them as lightening lit up the clouds. The crash of thunder followed moments after, vibrating from their feet all the way through the tips of their fingers. None had ever been so close to the sky before, close enough to feel its power with each roaring boom. They all paused in a small circle, heads facing up to the unforgiving clouds as lightening lit the way. The rain came down like an over-turned bucket, soaking them to the bone with one swoop.

"No time to stop." Morgan panted, breaking away once more and running for the next roof. She had to keep her adreneline up, for she knew it was the only thing getting her over each drop. Kaylee was right at her heels, their feet falling at the same pace. Nick pulled ahead of them, clearing the next jump before Morgan even reached the ledge. He skidded as he landed, sneakers kicking up a wave of water. As the others landed, each sent up a fresh splash of warm rain. They were half way there.

The blinding white lights of each flash were growing in intensity as they ran, sheets of rain slamming against them. Ahead of them on the roof, a familiar beast bellowed as it readied to tackle. Each had a pistol, but in the random bursts of light they would be impossible to aim. The Charger was at the edge of the roof ahead, about to run at them with one monsterous arm hunched forward. Nick picked up a lead pipe from the pile of rubble beside them, shaking off bits of dirt and concrete as he balanced it in one hand.

"Nick, what are you doing?" Kaylee asked slowly, eyes darting between his flashing figure and that of the monster.

"Leveling a charge." He smiled, the white of his teeth flashing like a shark's. She felt as if she was glancing back in time to a younger man, a dangerous man. He ran slowly at first, picking up speed as his mouth stretched into a yell all while the Charger thundered toward him in a deadly game of chicken.

Both hands gripped the pipe as he pushed off with his heels and jumped. As the Charger caught him by his waist, he drove the pipe deep through its exposed skull, through one eye socket and out of the back, ramming the pipe upwards. The skull cracked as their combined forces were enough to break free the entire top portion of the Charger's head, sending it soaring up into the air like a gore-covered plate. Nick fell to the side and rolled as the momentum of the dead beast rocketed him over the edge they had just surpassed and down to the Black sea below. He coughed once, holding his side as he stood again.

"I'm good! Go go!" He barked, everyone looking at him. Ellis gripped Nick's shoulder and the men starred at each other for a moment. This was a war, and they were brothers, whether they admitted to it or not.

"Are you sure?" Ellis asked.

"Yes, I'm fine. Come on!" Nick said harshly, jogging past them.

The dash continued as the rain continued to slap the roofs around them, the thunder a booming chorus that kept their hearts in their throats. It was the jump before the seventh roof when Morgan missed her foot hold. The slick ledge gave no friction beneath her sneakers and she dropped down out of sight between the buildings. Kaylee turned around, short hair whipping water against her face. "Morgan?" She screamed, running back toward the ledge they'd just cleared.

Nick and Ellis stopped cold, falling down on the wet roof. They ran back to Kaylee just as soon as they had scrambled to their feet.

"Here!" Morgan called up.

Kaylee threw her body against the stone bricks, looking down at the darkened trench. The shambles of a fire escape had saved Morgan from a deadly fall, blue collar blinking around her neck. She was laying on her back, trapped too far down to climb back up, stairs long since collapsed.

"Morgan!"

"I'm okay!" Morgan yelled, standing up slowly as her legs shook weakly. "I'm okay!"

"We'll get you!" Kaylee shouted, standing up.

"No!" Morgan screamed, stopping them dead in their tracks. She reached up and unhooked the choker from her neck. "There's no time! Take this and get to the base!"

"We aren't leaving you!" Kaylee yelled back, impossible to tell if the water on her face was all just rain.

"It's okay!" Morgan replied, forcing a smile to her face. "I'll climb back up while you keep going! I'll run back to the helicopter and wait for you!"

Morgan tossed the small blinking ring up into the air and Kaylee reached out her wet gloved hand, catching it as it brushed against her finger tips. She locked it safely around her own neck and stood up.

"Are you sure you can get up?" Ellis yelled, looking down at her trapped at least a full floor below them above the darkness.

"Yes!" Morgan yelled. "Go! Before there is no time!"

"We'll go back together!" Nick yelled, pulling the other two away from the edge. "You two go and deliever the cure. I'll find something to get her back up and we'll wait for you at the chopper."

"Don't let me down, Nick." Ellis spoke.

"I won't. Go!" Nick barked, enough anger in his voice to send them both away. Kaylee looked back at him once before running to the next jump, her and Ellis taking it at the same time.

Nick got down on his hands and knees, looking down over at Morgan, who was again on her back. "Morgan! C'mon we are getting out of here!"

"It hurts, Nick!" She called, rain splattering against her cheeks. "Just go!"

"What hurts? Morgan, get up! We didn't come this far to die now!"

"My arm, Nick!" She yelled, sitting back up as hot fire flooded her arm all the way to her shoulder. "It's broken! Just fucking go!"

"Nobody gets left behind!" He yelled, her pledge stinging his throat as he screamed it at her. "I'm getting down there and dragging you up. I'm not leaving you!"

Morgan looked up at him, saw the determination in his face. She smiled, feeling that he was finally trying to make up for the things that troubled him so much. He was a bad man trying to do good, but she wasn't letting him die for her. "Yes, you are, Nick!" She called back kindly, gripping her limp arm. "You don't have a choice in this."

His eyes widened in horror as she dragged herself on her knees to the edge of the crumbling fire escape. "No..." He leaned his whole torso over the edge, reaching down with one hand to try and grab a girl he could never hope to reach. "No!"

His scream rocked him to his very core as lightening flashed behind him, bringing the buildings around him into sharp focus as millions of bloodshot eyes shone angrily from nearby windows. He stretched his arm down, believing that if he pushed himself hard enough, he would catch the fabric of her shirt beneath his fingers.

Kaylee's heart slammed against the inside of her chest, a cramp twisting in her side with enough force to stagger her briefly, the red light beating against her face only a roof away. With her blood pounding in her ears, the drum of the rain seemed masked and the thunder dulled. Somewhere in the back of her mind she could hear a man screaming but when she looked beside her, all she could see was blind determination in Ellis' face. Her feet were moving mechanically now, propelled by an unknown force that was removing all thoughts from her mind. They jumped together once more, a flash cutting through like the darkness like a camera taking a picture. They hit the last roof and rolled, bright blinking light casting dark shadows under their eyes as they held their stomachs, coughing and gasping for air that would not come fast enough.

The door ahead of them swung open, two armed soliders pointing guns at them. They wore helmets that covered their faces, but as Ellis rose to his knees and the red cross bore its powerful image, they nearly dropped their weapons in disbelief. Kaylee used the last of her fleeting strength to take the ring from her neck. She held it up in the air above her in one balled fist, blue light flickering in time with the red light and the white flash of lightening.

Morgan took the shot from her pocket with her working hand and brought the protective case to her mouth. She bit onto it with her teeth and pulled it free, needle glinting for a brief moment as she held it up, broken arm hanging at her side. All this happened quickly as she stabbed into her exposed thigh. Roses of red light bloomed in front of her tired eyes as the adreneline rushed through her veins. Bright and beautiful visions flooded her brain as she let herself go, falling down over the edge.

Her golden hair fluttered in front of her face as a painful smile stretched her cheeks. The wet wind rushed past her as her hoodie flapped, red cross disappearing into the dark as the medicine numbed her senses. She saw Ellis reaching out a hand toward her, face free of cuts or bruises. His skin was golden tan and the sun shown behind him, making a halo appear around his head. He wanted her to come to him, to play with him in the forgiving rays of day light. Kaylee was there, dancing as flower petals rained down around her.

" The dawn would come again and their play would never end..." She whispered, the darkness below reaching up to welcome her.

When the image of the red cross had vanished from his sight, Nick choked and slid down onto the roof. He pulled his knees up to his chest, crying for the first time in many years. The sobs welled up from deep inside his chest, blurring his vision as he stared out blankly at the faint red light ahead. I couldn't see her because it was night when I saw the others. He realized as he cried alone on the roof, wind howling around him and chilling his bones. I couldn't see her because she is the dawn. Ellis, I failed you. I've failed them all...the dawn will never come.