We exited the bank quietly looking up and down the empty streets. We couldn't see further then a few blocks, which made me stare long and hard at the dark waiting to catch movement. The air was heavy in a stench that we both new well, and every breath reminded us they were close... they were everywhere. I glanced at the bank sign ahead... we were so close it scared me... like i knew something HAD to happen before we made it there. Dani was still bleeding and I was out of energy. My mind flashed to different scenes were i passed out at the worse possible moment. Then suddenly i was picturing a face: my father's. But barely recognizable. I shook it out of my head before i could picture details... i knew he was following us... i knew he had made it out of the river and found our trail again. He was probably watching us right now. Unlike all the other infected Carper lood was still somewhat intact. It was never completely destroyed. Carper blood still kept sense... the ability to plan and make smart moves. A carper infected was the most dangerous infected their was... and there was one out there somewhere. I hated to admit it... but the situation i was in now allowed me to say we had been lucky that the other Carpers weren't just bitten... but finished off. If they had all survived we wouldn't have even made it into the city.

"Do..." Dani started to hiss... but i had already seen him and ducked behind a a cereal advertisement. Dani disappeared behind a mail box. I couldn't see him clearly... but i could barely make out the shoulder of one of them just around the corner ahead of us... just our luck: in our way. Dani leaned out so I could see him, and pointed at the roofs and mouthed 'go up..."

Crap... i thought. The roofs were hard enough but they would wipe me out for sure now. But the infected stepped around the corner and gargled. We both ducked back behind cover and held our breath hoping it hand't heard or seen us... but I could hear it... it was dragging a foot. It was coming our way.

I looked over at Dani... I still couldn't see him. I swallowed. If we had to run again... it would put me out. I was barely able to quite my breath. Muscles were aching, my stomach so tight I thought it would revolt. Each breath put my chest in a tightening pain... my blood pumping hot like it was still pumping infected blood. My eyes were burning now. The back of my throat stung. I wouldn't last another run for sure.

Dani's POV

My shoulder was aching more and more. Every movement hurt. But I would live... at least from bleeding. I knew it was bad news for both of us. The smell would attract infected for blocks around if they caught sent. It was putting both of us in danger. I was about to ask Vera if they had any medical supplies at her safe-house, when I caught movement.

"Down!" i started to say, but Vera was already ducked behind cover. I dove for cover myself, instantly regretting it. I landed on my shoulder and stifled a yell. I held my breath, waiting to see if it had heard us. Nothing. But it would smell us soon. It was dangerously close and one yell from it would alert others. There was always more. We had to gain ground between us fast. I looked at the roofs we could take them at least two buildings over, climb down cross the street and be at the bank... i leaned out to catch Vera's gaze. I pointed and mouthed. I saw the pained expression on her face and suddenly i realized she was deathly pale, her lips almost white. If it hadn't been for her bright green eyes i would have mistook her for an infected. She's still sick I thought... and now it was bad. Why didn't she say anything! She looked like she would pass out any second. Alex had told me she would do this... told me she would push herself. She was a strong girl... and I knew she would push herself to the end if you let her. Alex had always been there to tell her to quit it... slow down. He was her brother... of course she listened. Knowing Vera though, it wasn't without arguing first. But Alex probably knew how to deal with her temper as well as her stubbornness. But now Alex trusted me... Vera trusted me. SHe had begun to follow me and listen. I talked, she listened. She no longer had such a hostile view of me. I peeked at her again... she was breathing hard. I had to get her out of her. I had to. Me. Not Alex or her... I would do it.

Just then a gargle sound made me jump. I needed to move fast... and Vera couldn't move fast. So it was all me. Or so I thought. The infected suddenly stepped around my cover and was starring directly at me. I saw it's yellow eyes brighten with a bloodthirsty glare. It descended on me and i knew i was dead no time to get to my gun or knife...

WHAM!

The cereal advertisement Vera had been ducking behind crashed over it's head, locking it's arms to it's side. Then a metal pole crashed across it's head. There was a loud CRACK before it fell, breaking the advertisement further. Vera stood over it the metal pole in hand. She starred at it waiting for it to move again, pole raised over her head. WHen it didn't move, she dropped the pole with a clatter, and leaned heavily on the wall.

"I need a knife..." she muttered. I glanced at the corpse to be sure and then went over to her, "We're suppose to be the calvary for Alex... and look at us." i realized now why she pushed herself so hard. To get back to her brother. She needed to be with him... to not let him down. How horrible she must of felt to be loosing this fight. She must of felt like she was letting her brother down. Alex was sure a lucky brother.

"Two more blocks..." i siad. I grabbed her arm.

"What are you doing?" she breathed. I draped her arm around my neck and pulled her up.

"I'm getting us out of here... no man left behind." i siad with a smile.

"Sexist..." she muttered back. She was fading. So i moved faster.