"I think we're getting sign language down pretty quick, right, Five?" Milo asks, shoving in a spoonful of oatmeal that I thankfully didn't have to aid in preparing this morning.

I nod, twirling my spoon in my own small bowl of plain oats. While I'm more than thankful it's something that hasn't come from a can, I seem to have lost my appetite.

Sarah's already suspicious of me, and I'm nearly positive that she saw me outside with Caleb the night before last, I know her suspicions have far from dwindled. The part that actually makes me a bit frightful is the fact that I'm sure she wouldn't hesitate to pull out a gun or a knife or a baseball bat if that's what she has on hand and use it to put a hole in my head.

"I miss flavored oatmeal," Willis says, snapping me out of my thoughts. "You know, the kind that tastes like bananas or cinnamon. If I were old enough I would go on a food run and try to find as many boxes if those as I can."

'Just be thankful we actually got to have oatmeal,' I say, taking a bite from my own bowl since I know I'll need it even without the appetite.

I find it funny that before the world went nuts I would've refused to eat this without honey and vanilla extract, but now I could eat this all day if I were hungry. To tell the truth I'm surprised we still find so much of this still in stores since it's been so long, but I guess if God gives you a blessing, don't waste it, right?

"I miss pie," Penelope says softly, doing exactly what I was earlier and twirling her spoon in her food.

'I miss pie too,' I respond, thinking how that was the one thing I couldn't make. That and fish.

"Maybe someday you'll find a pie or something, Five," Milo mutters with a giggle. "You seem to be good at finding everything else."

'I'm not that good.' I shrug, my eyes focusing on my food.

"Yeah, you are. You found ammo just lying around three years after the apocalypse started," Milo grins, his eyes sparking as he looks at me. "You could probably find anything you wanted to if you look for it."

I squirm uncomfortably in my seat, but another voice cuts in to take the attention off of me, sort of.

"Well, if that's true then she should really start looking for some jars of marmite because I'm starting to run low."

"Ew," Penelope scrunched up her nose as Sam as he sits down beside me.

"Yeah, Penelope's right on that one," Willis nods. "Marmite's gross."

I just shrug. 'Never tried it.'

"Really? Well then you should try it sometime, but just not any of mine," Sam states quickly. "We aren't close enough for me to share my marmite with you. Not yet anyway."

"Aren't you guys like best friends or something?" Milo asks, and I scoff.

'I don't have a best friend. Not since the apocalypse at least,' I reply, with a small smile. 'I don't have many friends, either since I don't like people, according to Caleb anyway.'

"That's a bit rude for him to say," Sam says, his voice sounding somewhat defensive. "When exactly did he say that?"

I force a smile and grab at my invisible backpack strap-which Sam notices-before answering, 'Well, Caleb and I were... we were talking about two days ago about my... people skills and he said by my facial expression it looks like I don't like people.'

"You like us, right?" Willis asks quickly, and I see the desperation in the younger children's eyes as they wait for an answer.

'Of course,' I nod, before looking at Sam, 'and don't worry. I like you too.'

"Really?" Caleb screams, literally popping up out of nowhere. Sam jerks back, his hand hitting my bowl of oatmeal causing it to splatter all over me.

I send a glare at Caleb who is watching me with wide, shining eyes.

"What the bloody hell was that for?" Sam exclaims, sending the redhead a sharp look that just about matches my own. "Look what you did to Runner Five!"

"For one: don't curse in front of the children," He replied calmly, motioning to the kids, Penelope specifically. "Two: you actually did that to Five, and Three: I'm excited because I was right."

He sends a cocky smirk at me and I have to physically restrain myself from tackling him to the ground.

"About what?"

"About you and..." His voice trails off when he sees me with face aflame shaking my head vigorously just behind Sam. "Wait, so you weren't... you're not...?"

"Not what? What am I missing?" Sam turns around to face me and I immediately stop my movements.

"Nothing. I mean, since it's not, that's good. Great!" Caleb's voice is strained but the dark haired radio operator doesn't seem to notice.

"Uh, sorry about that, Five," Sam laughs, his face flushing a light shade of pink. "Didn't mean to give you an oatmeal bath."

'It's fine,' I reply, although I'm sure my face says otherwise.

"Here," Caleb says, looking at me apologetically, "let me get this."

He licks his thumb and goes to wipe off the bit of oatmeal that splattered on my face, but as soon as his skin touches my own I slap his hand away. I wipe up the breakfast off my face with the back of my hand and send Caleb another glare, to which he shrinks back, still looking at me with regretful eyes.

'I have to go get cleaned up for my run today,' I state as I stand, not giving any of them a second glance I march off in embarrassment, only now noticing the few stares from the townsfolk.

•

I brush a strand of my now cleaned hair out of my face and tuck it behind my ear.

"Raise the gates! Runner Five, ready... gates are open. Covering fire and go!"

I charge outside at Sam's command, looking forward and doing my best to avoid the bullets flying past me to kill the zombies near the gates. Thankfully the shooters have good aim and are able to take the zoms out within a few seconds, which leaves me running over the dead, for real dead corpses in silence.

"So, just checking my mission sheet for your status," Sam says in a nonchalant voice, and then chuckles right after. "Yeah, there's no mission sheet. You've seen my office, or should I say corrugated iron hut that we've decided was no good for a latrine? With enough electricity from the generator to power the transmitter but not enough on some days for, oh, I don't know, lights? Did you hear that, Janine?"

I can't stop the smile from spreading onto my lips at the thought of me ever trying to teach Sam Morse Code in the dark. That would be a very interesting experience, I know that much.

'Sorry you have to deal with that, Sam.'

"Well, let's just say we're both having misfortune days today. I still haven't gotten Caleb to tell me what he was so excited about. He seems too afraid of you to say anything." There's a slight pause in his words. "Is there something you're hiding from me?"

'I'm hiding a lot of things from you, Sam. You'll have to be more specific.'

"I think Caleb's turning you into a smartalec," He deadpans, and I laugh voicelessly. "Anyway, it's okay... about the whole light thing. Don't you worry about me, Runner Five, even though we are 'best friends', after all. Just trying to keep everything together over here while Janine-what are you doing with the electricity, Janine?"

"Remember you're in my house, Mr. Yao," She snaps, and I raise a brow in question.

'Not in the humble shack today, Sam?'

"Unfortunately not," He grumbles. "And I-I thought we did away with the private property thing after the, you know, end of civilization. Remember that?"

"I remember this place was my farmhouse before all of you arrived. And I remember I'm the only one who knows where all the junction boxes are, because I wired the place myself."

Her voice hasn't changed in anyway. It's professional and cold without a hint of amusement, and I can't help but wonder if that's the only way she knows how to speak. Even the people at Mullins would share a joke or two among themselves, with me always hidden in the corner refusing to socialize.

"And yeah," She continues, "those tools we're expecting from the military base would be quite useful right now. Any word on that?"

"Uh, yeah. Right, right, right. Yeah, so we're sending you back to your helicopter today-see if there's anything you can find in the wreckage," He explains, and I listen intently until I hear a cough come from behind me. "And I've got a little surprise for you."

"Hey there, Five. Remember me?"

I cringe. Unfortunately.

"Your old pal, Runner Eight. We're on the road together again. Isn't that great?" She coughs out, and I strain to keep from frowning.

'Sam.'

"Yeah, Runner Five?"

'Next time you decide to surprise me, just get me a jar of peanut butter.

"Huh," He hums, "dually noted."

I keep myself quiet-well, more quiet than I normally would be, and I avoid Sarah's eyes at all costs, although I can feel her gaze burning into my face as she stares at me, only to look back ahead a few minutes later.

Coming back this way brings the memories of the crash right to me. Flashes of that red blinking light and that noise of alarm; the heat coming from above me as I jumped from the plane; the terror of having multiple fast zoms right on my tail. It seems like an eternity ago, but in reality it was maybe a month.

"We're making good pace here, Five," Sarah pants breathlessly. "We're heading into hostile territory. You remember your first run in? But if we just keep running and don't stop too long at the chopper, we'll be just fine."

I nod, not exactly fearing this since the open field will make it a lot easier to see which zoms are coming, and how to make an easy escape without too much stress and worry.

"I'm pretty interested to see what we'll find in that chopper, you know. That's why I volunteered for this duty."

Well, I knew it wasn't because you wanted to spend time with little ol' me, that's for sure. But I guess since the feeling's mutual...

"I know what people say, 'don't think about the past, survival is key'. But I-" Her words are cut off as she coughs loudly into her arm, and I look at her with a raised brow. That chest cold is still with her?

"I just can't help but wondering about things. I mean, I've got the same problems as everyone else-lost my husband and two boys when the dead took the East. I had to take them out myself when they came back; Only had a shovel to do it with. I never would have thought I had the strength in me."

I desperately try not to picture those images in my head, but still small slivers seem to escape past the wall in my mind and flash before my eyes. Sarah standing there with a bloody shovel and three heads all disconnected from their bodies. I cringe at the thought but I hear Sarah's laughter and am able to force the thoughts and images from my brain.

"But you know what they say," Her voice rings out, "we didn't know ourselves until this happened. You never know what you're capable of. Well, I won't ask your story. You'll share it when you're good and ready. No one's story is ever good, is it, Five?"

I ignore her question, continuing to look forward and keep what I hope is a calm and collected face. But on the inside I'm pondering on that she could mean by that, if she meant anything by it at all. In all honesty, if I were to share my story with anyone, it would be either Caleb or Sam.

And I'm still a bit ticked at Caleb, and Sam... well, we aren't near as close enough for me to share that information with him, if I ever do. I'd rather keep my past in the past and in my mind only. It's a lot easier this way, plus I don't have to worry about anyone's pity. The last time someone said they did what they did out of pity I nearly lost my life.

"Anyhow, I didn't expect to wind up somewhere like Abel Township," Sarah continues, seeming happy and calm as if this were any other run with someone who wasn't me. "For a while there I thought I might go mad, but turns out I can run really fast. I always ran at school and at college when I was a girl, and that's a useful skill these days. Useful enough for me to keep my place."

I'm never going to get to attend college...

Sarah hacks loudly, her coughing lasting only a few seconds but sounding loud and painful. "This damn cough just won't quit."

She is about to continue when another cough cuts her off, but this time it isn't hers. She looks over at me with a raised brow.

"I know I cough loud, but that wasn't an echo. We've got company."

"Hey, Runner Five, Runner Eight," Sam's voice flitters through my headset, and I smile at the sound of his voice, blocking out the sound of ragged coughing coming from who-knows-where. "You're out of range for Runner Eight's transmitter but I guess you can still hear me. You're getting close to the chopper, and we've got movement. Hostiles behind you just like we expected but something up ahead too. Watch yourselves because I... Janine, is this really necessary?"

"Unless you want the whole base's electricity to go down in the middle of the night," She answers. "Got to replace the wiring right here."

"Yeah, apparently it can't wait. They're switching off transmissions and scanners," He explains before adding quickly, "but only for a few minutes. You're on your on your own guys. You'll be fine."

His reassuring voice eases my nerves a bit, until a certain someone decides to open our mouth.

"Unless we turn on each other, aye?" Sarah jokes, and I look at her with mouth agape.

Why would you say something like that?

"Who is that coughing?"

And then keep talking like you didn't just say that?

"Okay, I'll be back in a few minutes. Sorry about this, guys," He apologizes. "You know, if I could do it myself-"

"You'd be a very a very valuable asset to this base, Mr. Yao," Janine interrupts.

"You know it's pretty sad when there's someone worse at sarcasm than Five."

Before I can truly be angry at that comment the headset crackles and goes silent. Up ahead I see the chopper, or what's left of it. Scattered metal and supplies surrounding dried and black crusted grass-still burned from what happened from a month ago, with the gasping cough still piercing the air.

"So we're on our own, huh? Just as we reach the chopper and-Holy..." Her voice trailed off as I freeze, seeing exactly who's making that terrible coughing. Still strapped into her seat, mostly hidden by a piece of the plane.

"Is that your pilot?"

I nod, my blood feeling like ice in my veins. It's her. It's Sierra.

"The girl who's-yes, reanimating from the dead right now. How has she survived this long to only recently been bitten?"

I remember the emergency food supply for the pilot and passenger just incase an emergency like this. She must've been too injured to move and instead lived off of that and hid behind that piece of metal until a zombie found her half-strapped into her seat and... I nearly gag at the sight of the giant hole in her side; The chunks of flesh that's been eaten away by the undead. Her skin gets a pale green tint to it, and her coughing becomes a low growl.

"Holy Mary mother of God," Sarah breathes as Sierra, or rather the body that used to be Sierra, rips itself from the straps of the seat and races toward us. "Run!"

I don't waste any time to linger on her death. I thought she died long before now. With a quick turning of the heel I'm running off beside Sarah, with the zombie behind us breathing out a low, ragged breath.

"Hey, Five, I've got a plan," Sarah pants. "We've got to find out what's in that chopper. So if you-I know how this sounds but just trust me-"

That is never a good thing to hear.

"If you circle 'round that way," She instructs pointing to the trees at the edge of the field, "she'll chase you. I'll head back 'round to the chopper quietly to see what I can find. Deal? Okay. I'll catch up to you."

I give her a pointed look. She didn't even give me time to nod. And she does realize I have an axe strapped to my back, right?

"Remember, the newly reanimated are the quickest. Run really fast," She instructs, and while I feel reluctant to do so, since well, I have an axe, I nod, heading off towards the trees as Sier-the zombie chases after me.

It's odd to know that they're not them anymore. It's something that's happened for years but I still find the concept itself hard to grasp, especially if you knew the person. It's just weird.

I mentally curse when I hear the zom's disgusting noises of pursuit get closer. One thing I always hated about being short is that most everyone is taller than me, including the zombies. Sierra had long legs, which the zombie that is now her is using greatly to its advantage.

I dart into the woods, the trees and branches slowing the said zombie down, although I would rather not stay in here for too long, since I know the noise both me and the Sierra's corpse are creating will surely attract more of the undead.

It only takes a few more minutes of twisting and turning through the trees and the zombie's groaning before I've had enough.

Oh, forget this crap. I think to myself while grabbing my axe. I turn and wait as the zombie runs toward me, and I tense up my arms in preparation for the swing.

Just a bit closer.

Its dark hair swings in front its face.

Closer.

Its hands are reaching out for me.

Closer.

I see its eyes. They're dull and bleary. They aren't Sierra's.

Twack!

The axe swings down with a crunch of bone and the rip of flesh. The zom falls to the ground in a broken heap.

I hope this helps make up for your death in a little way. I didn't let you continue to walk around a rotting flesh bag. I know it's not much, but it's all I could do.

I start to jog back towards the edge of the trees, my axe still in hand just in case another zombie appears. Once I reach the edge of the woods I start making my way back to the burnt metal and supplies that once was my way of traveling.

"Got them," Sarah says as she comes up to run beside me. She hands me a few things that seem to be salvageable. "Here. I can't carry all this. You take some."

I start piling stuff into my backpack, securing my axe there on my back shortly after. Sarah takes notice on the gray tinted blood on it but says nothing on it.

"Well, you know what I found back there?" She asks me. "Your I.D. It's looking pretty good for you."

She takes out a card and shows it to me. "There's your picture, and your military cred, but oddly no name. Just a bunch of numbers."

My lips pull back into a sneer as I see those numbers. Of course they wouldn't even try to give me a fake name. They just put what I'm worth. They put my price.

"Guess you're just a roll recruit like the rest of us, huh? Now I hope you don't mind, Runner Five, but I'll be handing this to the Head of Runners when we get in. Just because, you know, a bunch of us were wondering who you are and who you were and this," She waves my I.D. in front of me, "this is looking pretty great for you.

"Imagine what I would've had to do out there if I'd found someone else's I.D. in that chopper." Her face grows harsh as she narrows her eyes at me. "Just imagine... wouldn't want dear ol' Sam to hear that, now would we?"

I look at her in confusion. Why is she bringing Sam into this?

"Don't think I didn't notice you smiling away when he was talking over the coms. And he's taken a liking towards you too, so if I had to tell him you weren't really who you said you were..."

Taken a liking? What does that even mean? You have to be specific! Damnit, Sarah!

I grit my teeth as my brows furrow thickly at her.

"And... we're back!" Sam exclaims over my headset, and I hear Janine agree.

"Yep. Got you all hooked up again back here. Even boosted your signal a bit."

"So," Sam says, "did I miss anything?"

"Don't worry, Sam. We didn't have too much fun without you," Sarah answers. "Although I think Five likes to hear your voice more than she does mine."

Sam laughs, and I can hear the bit of embarrassment in it. "Really? I'm glad, I guess. Most people would rather listen to music."

"Well, Five is a bit different from the rest, isn't she?" Sarah grins, while I'm scowling at her. Why do people want us together? Who's going to try to pair us up next? Janine? Penelope? Ed?

"Yeah, I uh, I guess she is," Sam states, his voice cautious since he knows I can hear what he's saying as well. "You'll be home in about ten minutes if you keep up the pace. Good work, you two. You've done amazing."

'Thanks, Sam.' My fingers rhythmically tap out out and I keep a neutral look on my face, but I can ignore the odd feeling in my chest that's grown all-too-familiar.

"You know, Five," Sarah says after the music begins to play. "I didn't know whether to trust you at first. I've been in the military base myself, you know. Never saw you there, but I guess people move around a lot. Yes, I was there, well, it must've been over three years ago, just after the outbreak started."

Of course she didn't see me then. I wasn't there. Heck, I wasn't even in the same country.

"They gave us all these shots. Told us it might be a vaccine, it might be a punch in the eye, ya know?" She laughs. "A lot of people thought they had a vaccine back then. Remember what they said on the news? 'It's like smallpox; It's like rabies. We'll have a vaccine in a few weeks.' Yes, pie in the sky.

"But a bunch of us thought we could make it to family down south. Well, I guess you know how those journeys turn out. I was lucky to find Abel Township before I got bitten." She breaks out into a small fit of coughing. "Anyway, I still keep in contact with a bunch of people back at the base, and I guess it's my job to say you and me-we've for to talk sometime, Five."

The next words that leave her mouth leave me shocked with wide eyes and jaw dropped.

"About Project Greenshoot."

A/N: Hello, everyone! I really really hope you liked this chapter and if so be sure to click that vote button (it won't strain your fingers I promise) and if you could be super awesome please leave a comment telling what you did and/or didn't like and where I can improve. Thank you!