"We need to stop."

"We can keep going."

"You need a break. You're halfway to collapsing on your feet."

"Halfway." Olivia echoed, her voice clipped, as she strode down the pressed-dirt path. "We need to move as fast as possible, my family is in danger."

"A matter of a few minutes will not make a difference." Hero shot back. "Notch, more likely than not a few days will not matter in the slightest."

"But what if it does?" Stubbornly, the blind girl pressed onwards, one hand on Hero's arm to keep her bearings. Hero sighed.

Then, out of nowhere, he turned and scooped her up into his arms.

"Hey!" Olivia squawked, immediately starting to struggle, but her captor held fast. "Put me down!"

"No." There was a note of amusement in his voice, and she hated it. "You need some time off your feet. If you insist that we keep going, then I'm going to carry you."

"No way." She kept squirming.

"You're going to hurt yourself."

"Put me down."

"No." She kicked at him. He didn't even flinch.

After a couple moments more, she gave up, focusing instead on his body as he carried her with ease. Reaching over, she touched the arm under her knees, running her hand up it until she hit his sleeve. He was really muscular. Well, he had to be to carry her so easily, she supposed. His skin had a number of long, thin marks. Scratches, maybe? No, too smooth, probably scars.

"What are you doing?" He asked as she touched his sleeve again.

"Trying to figure out what you look like."

"Ah." She trailed her fingers up his shoulder. His shirt was short-sleeved and thin, probably linen. Raising her hand higher, she touched his hair, which curled around his ears.

"What color is your hair?" She asked.

"Brown."

"Mm." Her hand travelled down to his cheek. It was scratchy, he had a thin beard. She moved her thumb towards his eyes, and he flinched, but didn't speak. She covered his eye, and felt his eyelashes brush her hand as he blinked.

"I can't see."

"Maybe you should put me down." She chirped in response. Instead, he shifted her weight and used his (relatively) free hand to grab her wrist, gently tugging it away from his face. She didn't fight it. Most people didn't like it when she touched their faces. "How old are you?"

"Almost 30, I believe." He responded. "And you?"

"24." He let out a hum of surprise.

"You look younger."

"Well, I wouldn't know, would I?" He chuckled.

"I suppose not." Olivia fell silent, and the pair was quiet as Hero carried her along. His feet were very steady, each step was smooth and regular.

Eventually, she lowered her head onto his shoulder. The gentle rocking that came from each step certainly didn't help her stay awake, and she was already tired. She could feel his heart beating in his chest, lulling her to sleep, and she fought the urge to doze off. She still wasn't particularly convinced about his intentions.

They travelled in silence for a long time, Hero occasionally adjusting his grip on her but never stopping for more than a moment. Doubts began to creep into Olivia's mind about him - she wasn't that light, was she? He had to be incredibly sturdy to carry her for so long. Was he really a normal person?

On the subject of normal people, though, days of travel and lack of sleep took more of a toll on her than Olivia had expected. Despite her determination, she eventually drifted off to sleep in Hero's arms.

The man's face was white.

Deep, violet hair swirled around his head, dotted with shimmering stars. A purple-grey robe flowed from his shoulders, decorated with golden accents. Olivia stood stock-still, transfixed by his pitch-black eyes. Slowly, he extended a hand towards her, and she reached out to take it.

d? リ?￢ﾄﾸ ̣ ᓭᒷᔑ∷ᓵ⍑ ⎓?￢ﾈﾷ ⍑╎ᒲ. Hᒷ ╎ᓭ ᒲ╎リᒷ リ?￢ﾈﾴ.

Olivia awoke with a start.

Immediately, her head popped up as she tried to get a sense of where she was. Crickets chirped around her, and blades of grass tickled her bare feet. A plain, maybe?

She reached out, planting one palm on the ground and pushing herself up. Hero must've eventually stopped to rest. Unless he had left her here? Holding her breath, she paused, tuning out the sounds of nature in order to find any sign of her guide.

Deep, peaceful breaths came from directly to her left.

Cautiously, she reached out, and her fingers brushed warm skin. She placed a hand on his arm, and felt the scars she had noticed earlier. It was him.

Lowering herself down again, Olivia curled up in the soft grass, leaning her head on her forearm. Despite the urgency of the situation, Hero was right in that they needed rest. They were no good to Mom and Isaac as sleep-deprived zombies.

Something clicked in her head, and she jerked up once more. It was nighttime. The crickets were chirping, and she couldn't feel the sun on her. Where were the mobs?

She whistled a high note. No echo. That implied they were in an open space, likely a field like she had previously guessed. Ordinarily, this space would be full of undead, waiting for their next victim to appear.

...so where were they? She couldn't hear a single one.

Slowly, warily, Olivia placed herself on the ground again, scooting closer to Hero's sleeping form. He could fight. If something bad were to happen, she wanted to be as close to him as possible.

When the sun finally rose, its' golden rays fell upon the wandering pair, curled up together in the tall grass dotted with sunflowers.