I could hear distance shots as I neared the shipyard. As I get closer, it seemed as if life dwindled. The buildings I glided past were empty of residents. Not a single soul I could detect besides the blood scent I was picking up. Looks like they had quarantine zones within the small, makeshift city. Probably cleaning up old messes from years ago or the buildings were to unstable that it made them unlivable. I grunted as I landed on the ground. The scent of blood was overwhelming and the feral side of me that laid dormant within me found it mouth watering which disgusted me. That was the one thing that I refused to unleash unless needed. I remember the horrible struggle I endured when I first turned. The craving for soft flesh and metallic tasting blood rushing down my throat nearly drove me up the walls insane. I resisted all the urges to hunt and kill helpless survivor's when they were plentiful at the time of my change. Now, there's barely a survivor to find within miles besides the safe zones established which can be states apart. How I kept my sanity during that horrifying hunger ordeal is beyond my own surprise. I lived off wild animals for a while before I slowly started to go back to regular food which is very scarce now. But I always find enough to eat to keep my mind intact. I lifted my head into the air and inhaled deeply. The strong sent of various male blood filled my nostril's. I followed the scents, slowly walking around and keeping all my senses on high alert. I came upon a massacre. I gazed at the dead bodies. One had a bullet directly to the front of his head that seemed it was done in close range. The other three bodies had bullets in their arms, legs, torso's. Seems like they bled to death. Their guns were emptied of all remaining ammo. No doubt done by my Joel and Tess. "Kill or be killed sounds about right," I mumbled to myself as I poked one of the dead bodies with my foot. The body shifted slightly but their was no movement. If I was a complete ass, I would've put the bodies in funny positions but I respected the dead. Only if the person wasn't trying to kill me which would be the only exception that I wouldn't respect the dead. My head snap up when I heard a nearby shout followed by gun fire. I looked in the direction I heard it come from and I ran, jumping onto the nearest, solid looking crate and I launched myself into the air and landed onto the roof of the building that was ahead of me. I walked to the edge and crouched. I saw the butt end of a huge ship that was sticking out from a storage house. Then there were hundreds of metal crates stacked upon each other before me. I covered my nose as the scent of blood smelled stronger here then back where I found those bodies. I never smelled this much blood before and I wasn't use to it. "They sure like bloodshed." My eyes scanned for Tess and Joel and I saw a figures quickly dash into the storage house. Just my luck. I sighed heavily, knowing the great risk I was getting myself into but I wanted to make sure that they at least made it out safe.

I jump down from my perch and landed gracefully onto the dirty ground. I started to jog my way to the storage house, picking up various blood scents that wanted me to gag. From the amount of dead bodies that I passed by, I think it would be enough to fill a pool. Suddenly, I heard a grunt ahead of me and I immediately ducked down just in time as a metal pipe was swung over me. I turned my head around and saw a man who I can only assume was one of Roberts men. He looked beyond scared and terrified. He didn't look more older then seventeen. Blood coated his face who probably belonged to one of his dead friends that laid about. I put my hands up, meaning no harm. I didn't want to hurt him. "Listen. Just go. I'm here for the lady and guy, not for you. Leave with your life if you still can," I stated softly. His paranoid dark brown eyes shifted to gaze all over me.

"Your friends killed my brother!" he said with a breaking voice. My heart ached with his pain. I understand that everything is survival now but damn, is all this brutality and bloodshed needed? In a time where everyone should be helping one another, everyone is turning against each other. I needed to lie and fast. I shook my head a no.

"They're not friends of mines. They took something that belongs to me and I want it back."

"What did they take?" he asked, almost demanding in a way. Crap. What can I say that sounds believable enough.

"T...they stole something that was from my late sister. A necklace. I want it back because that's the only thing I have left of her. So please, put the gun down and go to your brothers body and prepare for his resting place. I'm sorry for your loss. I understand how it feels to lose your sibling," I replied. He lowered the pipe, his eyes staring hard at the ground. Fresh tears falling down his face. I felt my heart strings be plucked but I knew I could do little to help. Once someone is gone, they are gone for good and there's no going back. The only thing that keeps a dead person alive is the memory someone has of them. They live on through someone else. I slowly backed away from him, heading towards the storage house, my eyes staring at him with sympathy. "I'm really, really sorry." With that, I bolted, leaving the crying man behind and chased after the mess that my humans left behind. I ran into a office, where it looked like they went through due to the clutter of whatever was on the desk previously was on the floor and it looked fresh. I could smell their scent in the room. There was another door that led down a somewhat long corridor and I cautiously walked down it. Their scent was strong, including an unknown male scent that smelled of pure fear. It must be the guy that they were looking for. Robert. From what they said earlier, he has to be some sort of dealer or smuggler of some sorts. The corridor led into another warehouse that was empty besides a few scattered boxes empty of their contents. The cold walls were decorated with graffiti that said saddening things that showed the last moments of someone who held up in this place years ago. My eyes gazed over each word. I could only imagine what went through these people minds in their last moments of sanity before it slip away into madness and despair. Suddenly there was a loud cry of pain that caught my attention. I ran to the nearest open window and pinned myself against the wall before peering through the window being careful to not reveal myself. Their they were. Tess and Joel if I remembered their names correctly hovering over a man who I could safe guess was Robert. It looked like he couldn't get up to defend himself. Joel had him pinned to the ground, holding firmly on one of his arms while Tess walked around.

"Where are the guns you promised Robert?" she asked. Robert grunted in response. "I'm sorry. What was that?"

"I can't tell you," he answered. Tess rolled her eyes before nodding to Joel who nodded back in acknowledgement. Without warning, he tighten his hold on the arm he was holding and twisted in opposite directions, snapping Robert's arm which caused the poor man to scream in pain. I cringed and felt my stomach sicken at the sound of the crack. I've seen more horrible things but this was on a non-infected. Its different with a infected, they don't show no pain or scream in agony but this was a human who wasn't sick. Maybe in the head, but he wasn't sick. He was screaming in pain, for help. He could feel everything that was being done to him and I couldn't do anything to stop them. They have guns. I don't. They won't hesitate to kill me.

"I sold them! I sold!" cried Robert in pain, "I owed someone!" Joel let go of him and walked away, running his hands through his hair in disbelief and annoyance.

"The only person you owed anything to was to us Robert. We don't give a fuck about the others you screwed over. You owed us guns."

"They would've skinned my ass if I didn't give them what they wanted."

"Well I think you should've been more worried about us rather then them seeing how we're here and their not. Some people are all bark and no bite Robert. Out of all people, you should know that."

"If you just give me time, I can get you more guns! I promise!" Tess laughed dryly, her eyes looking in the sky as if looking for a sign.

"We gave you enough time. You pointed a gun at us and pulled the trigger. You just waste our time." She then pointed the gun at him and shot him right in the head. His screams for mercy dying out completely. I stared in shock at the scene before me.

"So what do we do now?" questioned Joel, "Our guns aren't here."

"We go get them."

"And care to explain how are were going to do that Tess? For all we know he could've given the guns to a group of forty bandits. You really expect us to go get them barely armed while whoever has the guns is armed to the teeth. We'll be dead men if we even tried." My eyes watched as Roberts blood slowly trickled down the cracks in the ground. There was this sense of shock that couldn't leave me. I could deal with my infected brothers and sisters grotesque forms. I can deal with dead, mutilated, dismembered bodies. The mummified remains of those who died long ago in the beginning of the outbreak. I could deal with the dead bodies I seen on the way here. I can deal with the abandoned buildings and forgotten memories rotting away in the city. I can deal with the spores and I can deal with the loneliness. But I couldn't deal with taking a life and right here, a life was taken right before my very eyes. Without a thought. Without hesitation. I know what it feels like to lose a life because I had my humanity rip away from me years ago after what happened with my sister after she turned before me but to take one. How can someone do it? Is it human nature to kill or is it simple instinct to survival? My thoughts were interrupted when a unknown female scent invaded my nostrils and by her scent, she was hurt. I could smell her blood and it smelled fresh. I pinned myself back against the wall to avoid detection. Tess and Joel stop talking as they heard shuffled steps and a painful groan. They looked and saw a all too familiar face.

"Marlene?" said Joel, "What is the Queen of the fireflies doing here?" Marlene gazed at them than at the dead body of Robert. She pointed the hand gun she had at him while her other hand applied pressure to the wound she had on her side she received in an earlier confrontation.

"Well, I was here for him. But I see you got to him before I could. I needed him alive but he's no use dead now is he."

"What did you need him for Marlene? You don't go around asking for help unless you really need it," stated Tess. Marlene sighed.

"I needed help to get something super important smuggled out the city," she responded as she leaned against a barrel that was near her, "Since he's gone, I need both your help."

"What makes you think we will be willing to do you this favor?"

"I've got the guns that were meant for you two. If you don't believe me I can take you to were I have them stashed." Tess and Joel looked at one another. "You want gun's, I need help. Help me and I will give all the guns you want and even more. Please you two, I wouldn't be asking for help if this wasn't important."

"Fine," stated Joel, "But only this once. After we get our guns, we go our separate ways. Understood?"

"I got it Joel. You don't need to remind me again like last time," replied Marlene. Joel was about to open his mouth to say something only to be interrupted by the sound of shouting from military personal entering the area looking for anyone causing disorder.

"Shit," mumbled Marlene as she started to back up, "Follow me and be quick. There's a safe house not to far from here." Without a second thought they all started rushing to get out from the area in time before the authorities get inside the area and catches them. I swore under my breath as I frantically gazed all over for escape. It felt like they were rushing in from every direction and I could pick up more then fifty scents. In my panic, I jump through the window, not so successfully avoided the dead body of Robert and the oozing blood that now coated the bottom of my shoes and ran in the direction the other three went. I could jump onto the rooftops but knowing that I might be spotted due to the amount of people I wasn't taking the risk and I'm not in the mood to get shot again like what happened last time with the group of bandits.

"My stupidity will be the death of me, my stupidity will be the death of me!" I repeated under my breath as I jump easily over the fence they just went over. I hid behind a large crate as I heard them climb up the ladder. "Oh Lily, please tell me why I'm doing this." I couldn't understand why I was so curious about them, why I was so fond of them. Something about them drawn me to them and I didn't understand why.