My fingers clench and unclench in a steady rhythm as me, Sarah, and Maxine all stand in front of the gates, ready to head out. The remembrance of seeing our trio heading out today-the same day it was in my dream-makes me uneasy, but the reminder we're not heading out to Jeffro Complex relaxes me slightly.

But only slightly.

"It's just," Sam starts, letting out a certain noise of discomfort, "that with the Major away-"

"I know. I know," Maxine interrupts with an eye roll. "She has her rules: Don't risk the doctor. It makes sense, it does but just this one time."

"Well, that's what the old Runner Seventeen said about going to that old abandoned carnival that everyone thought was haunted. Remember?"

"Well, it certainly wasn't haunted," She shrugs.

"Still wasn't a good idea though, was it?"

'No, in all honesty that sounds like a very stupid idea,' I tap into the mic.

"See, Five agrees with me!" He exclaims, but again Dr. Meyers just rolls her eyes.

"Well, I guess we did learn zombies are attracted to the smell of really old candy floss."

"Not a lesson worth knowing." Sam sighs and I can guess he's running his hands through his hair in frustration. "What I'm saying is these rules are there for a reason. You might get bitten but-but you might also get attacked by wild dogs or tangle in with some roaming cannibals or..."

Sam continues to spout out random things that could happen, one scenario even involving unicorns while Maxine laughs and smacks her forehead with the palm of her hand.

"You've been reading 'The Road' again, haven't you?" She giggles. "I told you not to read that before bed time."

"I haven't read that in a few days, mind you," He snaps, having finished his list of things that are very, very unlikely to happen, especially since unicorns are extinct. "And I know there's no one in the hospital right now but there might be-"

"If there's an emergency Caleb and Summer will know what to do. They've been working with me at the hospital for a while now, and if anything becomes too overwhelming you can always patch them in so I can give them instructions on how to treat the patient.

"Plus we've checked the whole sector. There are no zoms within several kilometers of Hurtston, and I'm the only one who can try to identify what's left of that lab equipment and try to see what is going on down there."

He makes a small noise of unease. "I still don't think it's..."

"And me and Five will be there too for protection," Sarah promises.

"We're going to be fine; There and back before you know it. Plus we always always say, 'Runners are safer than cars.' Make no noise, attract no zoms," She shrugs dramatically and crosses her arms. "It's only a few kilometers, Sam. It's not as if I'm insisting on going to the Jeffro Complex, is it?"

I stiffen at the thought, knowing about today and the dream and-

That's all it was, My inner voice reminds me. It was only a dream.

Sam laughs nervously, his voice projecting his feelings in it as well as mine. "You-you wouldn't actually insist on-"

"No, I know the risks. We'll find out all we can and then maybe-eventually we'll to go Jeffro, but for now just a quick run to Hurtston to visit the lab."

"If you're sure," He mumbles, and I can hear the bit of hesitance in his voice. "Be safe out there, okay?"

'Don't worry, Sam,' I tap out, 'We'll keep her safe.'

"I was talking about you too, you know," He mutters before his voice becomes loud and clear. "Runner Five, Runner Eight, Doctor, ready?"

"Ready!"

"Ready."

'Ready.'

"Raise the gates!" He yells out, and the familiar reoccurring beeping sound blares out. "Covering fire! Short run to Hurtston. Go!"

And out the gates we go. Surprisingly we don't have to run any slower even with the Dr. Meyers with us. In fact, we're actually running faster than we were the first time we ventured out here three days ago.

It's odd. It feels like it's been so much longer.

I can tell by the determined look on Maxine's face that she wants to be out here, going toward Simpson's Corner Shop, and there's a certain shine in her eyes that gives away just how bad she wants to get there and see what she can find.

I don't blame her though. The thought of a vaccine or getting closer to finding one is enough to encourage anyone, but the thought of a vaccine leads me back to my dreams, and Pro. Van Ark still being alive yet somehow actually having the zombie virus.

That's insane. No one can have the virus and still be human. It was a stupid dream. We're not even going to Jeffro today.

"Look, is there anything you can really learn from that place in Hurtston?" Sam asks, and I roll my eyes seeing as we've only been running for about ten minutes or so. "It was on fire the last time we saw it. Can you learn a lot from a pile of ashes?"

Maxine lets out a huff of annoyance, but keeps her voice calm. "As long as there's some equipment left intact, we might be able to reconstruct-"

"Oh, what, like CSI?" He says sarcastically. "Are you gonna like-like enlarge a single fragment of ash until you know exactly what it was and exactly where it was bought and exactly how old the person who bought it was and-and what bubble gum they were choosing at the time?"

I raise a brow at nothing in particular. Dramatic much?

"No, I've told you before," She answers, "CSI was never very accurate about forensic science; And I don't really have the right equipment and I'm not... how can I put this?"

"Not a forensic scientist?" Sarah guesses with a smirk.

"Th-that about covers it. We're hoping to I recognize something that'll tell us something."

"And what if you don't find anything you recognize?" Sam asks.

"That'll tell us something too," Eight answers before Maxine can. "We know Patient Zero worked there; We know it wasn't a Corner Shop. We have to find out everything we can about what it was. Medical, scientific research, terrorists."

"Terrorist?"

"It's a possibility."

Sam gulps audibly, and I press my lips together firmly. Terrorism isn't really something you think about during an apocalypse, but then again neither is the flu or the fact that the American government has a place where they keep the most deadly diseases locked up in a facility so they won't get out. No one thinks about it but that doesn't mean it's not there.

But Patient Zero was the first zombie, meaning if this was terrorism then it was being thought up before the apocalypse, making it a more likely theory.

"Tell me about Van Ark," Maxine says suddenly, ultimately changing the subject of our thoughts. "How'd he seem?"

In my dreams he was a homicidal maniac, but he was a pretty alright guy yesterday when he was... still alive.

"You heard him," Sarah replies with a simple shrug. "Frightened, mostly. And brave in the end. He died well."

"But not crazy, right? He-he didn't seem like he was making stuff up?"

"You're thinking about Paula," She says. It's not a question or a guess, but a fact.

Maxine sighs and looks away at the scenery. "Yeah."

"I wouldn't have said he was making stuff up, no."

I nod in agreement. 'He seemed pretty sane to me.'

Dr. Meyers gives a small smile in appreciation. "Thanks... thank you."

'Could I ask you a question about Paula?' I ask, remembering I never actually learned her last name. Not in the real world anyway.

"Sure," She answers, brows slightly raised in confusion.

'What was her last name? She wasn't known as Dr. Paula, was she?'

Confused, Maxine shakes her head. "No, most of her colleges called her Dr. Cohen. Why?"

My stomach drops and I feel my shoulders tense as I run, but I force the best smile I can muster and shrug. 'Just curious.'

•

"Uh, guys," Sam says nervously, breaking the silence that has been surrounding the three of us for quite a while now, "do you see that at your three o'clock?"

"Zoms?" Runner Eight guesses.

"Not unless they've learned how to march in formation, and drive jeeps."

"Only people around here with more than one jeep is New Canton," She grumbles with a clenched jaw of aggravation. I feel the blood begin to drain from my face. "How many do you see, Sam?"

"Uh, around forty of them, armed. Three vehicles."

'That's quite a lot of people,' I tap into the mic, anxiety starting to build up in my chest.

I never knew how many people were with Archie and I in the dream. I just wasn't thinking on it... but this has to be a mere coincidence. It can't mean anything, can it?

"Raiding party," Eight claims. "At least they're headed away from Abel this time."

I nod, as does Dr. Meyers, since we both know this is a good thing since we aren't ready for their attacks just yet. After all, it's only been a few days since we received the news. But even with this good thought in mind, Maxine darts her brown eyes around worriedly.

"Three jeeps, that's a hell of a risk," She says, which Sam is quick to agree to.

"Yeah, they've picked up a small tail of zoms quite a distance away."

"We'll bear left and steer clear," Says Eight. "If you get any idea of what they're up to, let us know."

"Yeah, are you sure this is the best day to be out, Doc? Don't want to head on back now?"

'Maybe we should,' I sign hastily, in which Maxine gives me a wide eyed look of shock in reply, while Sarah simply shrugs and picks up the pace slightly.

"We're practically there," She says to the both of us. "Why stop and turn back now when we're so close?"

"Uh, I guess you're right," He reckons. "Just be really careful. I'll tell if I see anything but remember there's not much camera range in this area. You've already made it past three K but Janine managed to hack into some of the security cameras in a few stores in Hurtston yesterday."

'So you'll be able to see us?'

"Depending on where you are in the city, yes."

'That makes me feel safer,' I tap, only half joking, and Sam laughs softly.

"Yeah, me too."

The coms go silent after that. Loud, banging music fills my ears instead and I wince at its harshness and turn the volume of my headset down immediately. With words of a song I don't recognize echoing into my ears, I look at the scenery around me.

There's trees of the woods in the distance, and even from this far away I can see the dying leaves and dried up bushes. In the autumn times the leaves turn from healthy green to orange and brown before shriveling up and dying completely. It's something nearly everyone is taught, but still it's a hard thing to believe that something so beautiful is just weeks if not days away from death.

It might even be considered terrifying since the same thing can be said for human lives.

A cold breeze blows by, causing my skin to erupt with goosebumps and a shiver to rack through my body. Neither Sarah nor Maxine are bothered by this, but then again I am almost always cold. Even in the summer I find myself huddled up in a blanket when I don't have to be somewhere.

My eyes focus on the two people running beside me, both silent and in thought, and I can only imagine what it might be about. Of course I'm sure Maxine is thinking about her girlfriend, which is understandable seeing as how this might actually lead to us finding out if she's alive.

My overactive mind surely seems to think so, but just because you think it might be so doesn't mean it is, especially when those thoughts have something to do with a person.

Sarah is probably still thinking on the possibilities of what the underground lab was used for. She's very persistent, and suspicious; I know that much, but that might prove to be useful in this case.

Another gust of wind hits me, blowing my hair back and making me take in a sharp breath in surprise of its coolness. That in turn only sends a sharp pain in my lungs, and I remember just why I hate the cold weather so much.

The only thing good about it is my birthday and Christmas... and Thanksgiving.

My teeth are just nearly rattling together, but I clench my jaw tightly to keep it from happening. This causes it to ache, of course, but I deal with it, hoping maybe the next time anyone goes on a supply run they'll find a jacket in my size.

"Yeah, I know that, but I'm staying here 'till the doc gets back," Sam argues through the headset. A huff of laughter leaves my lips. He must've accidentally turned the mic on. "Tell Jack and Eugene they can have the shack when I go for my rest break."

There's another voice that mutters something irritably, but I can't make out the words.

"If their listeners are that loyal they'll wait for them, won't they?" He bites back. "I'm sorry-sorry. Shouldn't be much longer."

The radio operator sighs with a mixture of frustration and relief after the creak of the door opening and closing.

"We've been running for about four kilometers," Sarah announces. "We're near now. It's just there in the distance."

"I see it," Maxine states as we enter Hurtston itself. Even with most of it burned into nothing the now blackened building is still visible, becoming more clear the closer we get. "Simpson's Corner Shop-the sign's still on it. There's quite a bit of smoke damage and the roof and three of the walls are gone."

"It could look worse though," She says, "The fire's burnt itself out. There should be some pretty decent things to look at if you're careful."

"Hey! Hey!" A voice calls out-male.

We look ahead and see a man waving toward us. There's a little tent and supplies just across from the Corner Shop, as if he's been staying there since we left.

Strange.

"New Canton?" Sam questions with worry, but Sarah guns in reply as we keep going forward, passing an old butcher shop that smells nothing less of horrible.

"No, I don't think so," She says. "Lone guy-rifle."

"Don't come through this way!" He warns. "In the store there are-"

His words are cut off by deadly growls, and my veins turn to ice as I see a rooting head pole out through the butcher shop, and then another and another.

"Eight zoms, close quarters," Sarah states with panic. "Must've been feeding on whatever rotting meat is still in that butcher shop. Run!"

And run we do. I push Maxine in front of me to make sure if the zombies catch up they'll get me first, while the stranger readies his weapon and starts firing. The loud shots that fire from the rifle rattles my brain, but I ignore the loud noises and push forward, and push Maxine forward.

"Four down!" The stranger shouts after an impressive headshot. He jerks his head to the right. "Come this way. It'll get us to higher ground. You armed?"

"No, we uh-" Maxine stammers but is quickly interrupted by Sarah.

"I am. Not too much ammo to spare though."

The man shrugs and a small smirk forms on his lips. "Better aim for the head, I guess."

Sarah nods and pulls out her pistol just as the skilled stranger takes out another zom. With growls and moans they stagger toward us, but Sarah takes them out before they can even get within ten feet.

"Last one. Good." Sarah looks at the stranger with a raised brow. "There more about?"

"All over town. They were drawn by that fire. Been picking 'em off when I can."

I look around at the nearly empty streets, feeling slightly confused that the zombies would still be roaming around since the fire seems to have burnt out at least a day ago.

Well, they are stupid creatures with no logic so I guess it doesn't matter, now does it?

"Well, Five, seems like you and me need to run a little defense while the doc takes a look around the shop. You go with..." Eight looks over at the stranger and frowns slightly. "Sorry, I didn't quite catch your name."

"Name's Ephraim," He replies. "Ephraim Wheatley."

"Sarah, but we go by running numbers at Abel. I'm Runner Eight, and this is Runner Five," She jabs a finger at me before pointing the right. "You two go that way. I'll go this way. And Doc, make it quick."

Maxine nods at her demand before crossing the street to the Simpson's Corner Shop, or what's left of it, while the rest of us start running. Ephraim and I both go to the right as told, effectively gaining the attention on three zoms wandering by, most likely heading this way because of the noise.

His amber eyes focus on my running number on my shirt before he chuckles. "Not from New Canton, huh? Can't say I'm sorry; Them New Canton people are hard-mean, you know?"

Oh, trust me. I know plenty.

"Tell you what I know that they don't know. See this?" The light skinned man grins sinisterly as he pulls a portable radio from his jacket. It sputters in static but suddenly one voice becomes clear for a second and a second only.

"Runner Five and Runner Twenty..." Nadia says before static drowns out her voice. My heartbeat picks up drastically, and I know it's not from the running.

"They keep changing their frequency, but I keep following 'em." Ephraim's lips curl up into a sneer. "I don't trust 'em. They lock people out; Locked me and Patty out when we were running from a pack. They would've watched us die."

A flame of anger fuels in his eyes for a fraction of a moment, but then it's gone-buried away for now. I can't say I blame him for being angry. If someone had locked me and Wes out why we were running from zoms, or me and... her.

"That's a confirm," Nadia says again through high pitched static. "We have 130 on their way to the Jeffro Complex. This is a full platoon."

My breath catches in my throat, as if something is stuck making me no longer able to breathe. It's the exact words.

The exact words!

I swallow thickly, my dread magnifying as Ephraim glances over at me and grins. "Well, that's mighty interesting."

•

"No!" Sam screeches. "No!"

"We're out here now," Maxine argues. "It's not even that much further."

I grab at my backpack strap in worry. After running around for a good while we managed to lose the zoms tailing us and come back, and even though I really hoped he wouldn't and even asked him not to (although I'm not sure he understood me) Ephraim told the others what we heard. Now we're here.

"This isn't the-it's not the mission, Maxine," He stresses. "I've seen it before; This is how people get killed. You know it is, you know it."

"There's nothing conclusive here at Hurtston anyway. It's just beakers and basic lab equipment. It doesn't tell us anything." She pauses. "Something was going on here, but there's no way to know what and we're so near to Jeffro now."

"But-"

"We have to warn them, Sam. If New Canton is coming for them we have to let them know. They don't answer radio transmissions, you know that yourself."

I wrap my arms around my middle, a heavy feeling settling over my bad. It's a bad, terrible, horrible, monstrous feeling but what can I say? How can I argue with this?

Oh, I really don't think we should go because I had a dream last night and Nadia said those exact words to me except I wasn't me, I was New Canton Runner Five and the real me that is with you guys went to the Jeffro Complex and we found out Van Ark isn't dead but instead is getting plasma transfusions to keep him alive. Oh, and Paula was there too.

Yeah, they'd label me a bag of cats and say that you could smell the crazy coming off me.

"We're safer sticking together," Sarah butts in.

"Yes! Yes, stick together and come back! Right now!" While he is yelling at us to obey, I can hear the plea in his voice. I can't help but grimace as it reaches my ears.

Ephraim' stadium sparks back to life, and Nadia's voice is recognizable, but her words aren't. They're all gargled and strained.

"New Canton are moving," Ephraim states. "Heading south and east of us."

"They're directly across the path of home anyway," Dr. Meyers shrugs.

"O-only for now. Wait awhile. Come back later.

"After dark?" She scoffs. "Oh, yeah. That's gonna be safe."

Sam sighs deeply, his tone tired and annoyed and scared. "I-I know you miss Paula-"

"I have to see what they're doing at Jeffro, Sam! It's not that," She snaps harshly, before taking a deep breath to compose herself. "If they're close to a vaccine there... If what we've learned could help-Sam, the human race could be saved!

"Imagine it, the day when a zombie bite is no more than a dog bite. Just get a shot and you're done. Imagine."

My mind glitters with that thought-the thought of being safe and not have to worry about death as soon as you step outside a township or settlement. It's an amazing thought, truly, but the feeling of dread I feel now overwhelms that thought by far.

"We don't know enough to... Jeffro won't communicate with the outside world," Sam says. "We don't know if they're even still out there."

Maxine quickly looks at Runner Eight with hard, determined eyes. "Sarah, if I go, will you come with me?"

She nods. "We should find out find out what New Canton is up to."

The doctor turns to me. "Five?"

I hesitate in answering. 'I really want answers. I really, really do, but I think Sam's right. We should come back another time. Going today seems too dangerous.'

"Why's that?"

'I just have a really bad feeling about this. It's really bad, almost evil.'

Maxine sighs. "Five, I know you're a Christian, so do you believe God will protect you?"

'Yes, but that doesn't mean I'm going to do dangerous things just for the hell of it,' I reply, ignoring Ephraim's sudden interest in the conversation. 'I'm not going to jump off a building and expect angels to catch me.'

"Well, I think if God's protected you through all of this, then He'll protect you on the way to Jeffro too."

'I'm not worried about my life as much as I'm worried about yours,' I argue, and Maxine sighs.

"Are you coming with us or not?"

I don't answer right away, although I already know what I'm going to say. She's Abel's only doctor. She keeps everyone healthy. She keeps Caleb healthy.

'Yes.'

She nods. "Alright, so Sam, we'll just go a little further, okay? The four of us."

"I'll show you the backroads," Ephraim says, "but if I come, we're radio silent. New Canton could pick us up if you're talking to Abel."

My stomach drops. He can't be serious...

"Radio-oh, no!" Sam exclaims. "That's-no. That is absolutely-"

"Radio silent," Maxine agrees. "I'm sorry, Sam. You'll be able to see us on the scanner most of the way."

"No, that's totally-"

Click.

A/N: Here you go, everybody. Hope you enjoyed it! Please be sure to vote and comment because I love to hear from you guys! Thanks and have a blessed day!