"Thank you for the Zombrex and the chips. I'll analyze them and let you know what I find." Cora said as I took a drink from a water bottle she gave us before I handed it to Brad.

"We just need to make a stop along the way. Bridget's foster family are in Central city so we're going to bring them here." Brad explained, taking a drink.

"I just hope they're safe. After everything that's happened I'm begining to worry something bad's happened to them." I said, my gaze towards the zombies gathering outside the hospital.

"They're probably taken shelter somewhere. Where do they live anyway?" Brad asked, giving the remaining water to me.

"In Central City, a couple of blocks from where the bus broke down." I replied, quickly searching the surrounding area for a vehicle. "If that and the zombie apocalypse hadn't happened I'd be there now. Not that I'm not enjoying your company, Brad." I added, giving him a quick grin.

My companion remained quiet though he did return my grin, keeping his attention on the road in front of us. It took a lot of searching to find a car that wasn't a fiery wreak but we came across a police car of all things and I quickly climbed inside, trying to ignore the sounds of moaning. "Brad, hurry up!" I called out, looking towards Brad who fired at two zombies who were scratching at the door of our car.

"Maybe you should try helping." Brad answered, firing off another shot of the Pacifier before he raced for the car. "Never mind. Let's just find your family." He muttered, jumping behind the driver's seat. He took off so fast I gripped the dashboard, narrowing my eyes at him.

"Thanks for that. My foster family owns a store called El Spanol Liquor." I explained, looking out my window as the zombies stumbled towards our vehicle decaying arms stretched towards us. Brad turned his head, eyebrows raised at me and I just shrugged. "Yeah so they sell alcohol, who cares. Not important right now."

I lapst into silence, a sudden chill running down my spine. Seeing my eyes looking through the windshield, Brad focused his attention back on the road ahead.

I hope they're okay. I should never have left to...

"Look out!" I shouted as something darted into the path of our car. Brad slammed on the brake, a thud making the car leave the road. I heard yelling, possibly me, as the car spun around and around until it smacked into a crowd of zombies. With a loud crash, the windshield shattering, the car came to a screeching halt.

"Bridget? Bridget, wake up!" I heard Brad yelling, the moans of zombies getting louder as my eyes fluttered open. "Finally. Come on, we need to go now." Brad told me, helping from the remains of the car. I stumbled into the road to see smoke rising from the car a massive dent in what remained of the bonnet.

Dizzy, I let Brad pull me to safety just as the car ignited. With a huge bang the car exploded, taking out several zombies and throwing us into the road. Dazed I thought I saw a burning head land next to the car but that could have been due to slamming my head on the dashboard as Brad helped me to my feet. Unsteady I staggered after him as the zombies converged on us, his hand never leaving mine as we made our escape.

Running from the zombies, weaponless now due to the crash, we quickly searched the surrounding area for my foster family's shop. "There, over there." I coughed, pointing to the shop's sign making my way towards it with Brad not far behind. Grabbing the doorknob I prayed it wasn't locked but the door opened and we dived through the door, quickly shutting it before the few zombies still intact from the blast could reach us.

As they scratched at the door, Brad shoved a wooden crate across the door blocking the undead for getting inside. Ignoring their moans I raised my hand to my forehead, not too shocked when my hand came away bloody.

"Here, let me see that." Brad said and I turned to see him with a shotgun in one hand. Setting it down beside me, he grabbed an office chair. Once I was settled he checked the wound. "It's just a scratch from the crash."

"Yeah but it hurts." I replied, gritting my teeth when I saw him grab a cloth. "Please tell me you're not going to..." I trailed off, letting loose a very loud swear word when he pressed the cloth against my forehead. Whatever he wet the cloth with first burned like hell and I bit my lip, gasping from the pain.

"Sorry but it needs to be clean." Brad apologized, wiping the last of the blood from my head. I just glared at him, choosing not to comment as he wound another much cleaner cloth around my head. "Would you stop looking at me like that?"

"Come on, we need to find my parents." I told him, standing despite the ache in my head. "There's a door in the back." I said to Brad, grateful as he grabbed the shotgun he'd found. Making our way past the many shelves filled with bottles and cans, I carefully grabbed the doorknob.

"I'll go first just in case." Brad whispered and I moved clear, staring as he slowly opened the door. The smell of blood and rotten meat hit me immediately and I gagged, quickly clamping a hand over my mouth to stop myself from puking. Even Brad winced, looking around the room as I stumbled back hoping to avoid the worst of the smell.

Keeping my hand firmly over my mouth I waited as Brad checked the room. When I heard him muttering to himself I stepped towards the doorway and he turned around, moving towards me. "No, don't!" He yelled but it was too late; I saw something lying in a heap against the wall. "There's nothing you can do for them."

"No, no, no!" I cried out, rushing over to two bodies lying side by side. As tears starting leaking down my face I fell to my knees, looking down at the lifeless bodies of an older couple. Vision blurred I saw that they were holding hands, my father holding a handgun in his fingers his other hand clutching my mom's. "At...at least they died together." I whispered, not feeling a hand on my shoulder.

"It's okay, Bridget. They died from gunshot wounds not zombies." Brad said and I glanced at both my parents' foreheads; he was right, there were bullet holes directly in their heads. "Your mother has a bite on her wrist but there are no other wounds."

"Y..you're right. They went together without...without..oh fuck." I started to sob, hands over my eyes. In a heartbeat I felt Brad wrap his arms around my shoulders and without knowing why I buried my head in his chest, my cries muffled by his jacket.

Half an hour later...

"I don't know what happened to my birth family but this couple found me wandering the streets when I was two years old. They took me in, giving me food and shelter as they searched for where I came from. But no one ever came back to claim me and by then they'd grown attached to me. I knew they weren't really my mom and dad but they were so nice to me, I didn't want anyone else." I told Brad as he sat beside me, using a wooden box as a seat.

"They sound like great people." Brad answered and I nodded, fiddling with the gun in my hand.

"Even though they had saved up for a holiday, they used the money to make sure I had clothes, sent me to school and when I finished high school they watched as I went away to college. But I missed them so badly I decided to come back home to see them again. But then this happened.." I waved my hand towards the door, the unmistakable sound of moaning coming from just outside.

"Are you going to be okay? I know it hurts but we need to head back to the hospital." Brad said and I lifted my head, fingers clenched around my father's handgun. I felt bad about talking it until Brad pointed out he would have wanted me to take it, to stay safe. I hated to admit it but he was right; my dad and mom would never need it again.

"I just wish...I could have helped them. Gotten my mom some Zombrex." I whispered, feeling fresh tears well but I quickly wiped them away with the back of my empty hand.

"You know you're pretty tough." Brad said, giving my shoulder a quick squeeze and I gave him a weak smile. Rising to my feet I stretched, giving my parents one final glance. "Come on, let's go back to Cora."

"Okay. But we're saving as many survivors as we can. No one's gonna die while I'm still here." I replied.