I don't know how long it took them to finish off their meal. But the sounds got more and more quiet. Less and less bone breaking and snarling. Vera was in and out the whole time. She wouldn't let go of my hand.

My arm…was killing me. The blood has soaked through the wrap and jacket, but had dried out. The tie was tight and stopped the bleeding but a gash in your arm was nothing to ignore. I began to wonder if we'd make it out of here…

I looked at Vera.

We would make it out. We had to.

Vera was out for a good two hours after silence fell outside. I listened hard but heard nothing: they must be gone. I let her sleep as long as I dared. We were past our time for arrival back at the castle. The boys must be starting to think the worst has happened.

What would we do after?

The thought came from nowhere. It just flew through my head and hit like a ton of bricks and I wanted it. I wanted it so bad I felt like I would do anything to get it. I would stay with Vera. No matter what. We would get through this and get back to the castle, kick Adam and his stupid gang out and reinforce the castle walls. Done.

I took a deep breath.

"Vera…" I shook her gently and her head rolled off my shoulder. She took in a sharp breath. "We gotta get moving."

"How long we been down here?" She asked.

"Three hours maybe…" I said. She swore…

"My brother is going to kill us…" she breathed. I had to smile. I pulled myself forward, grinding my teeth as I pulled at my arm. It was pitch black and neither of us could see a thing. The glow sticks had faded but Vera was digging through her pack slowly.

"You're not doing so well…" I said to the dark. The sounds of her moving around stopped. I heard her labored breathing.

"I know." She said.

"Why don't I get the rest of the stuff. You wait here…"

"No." she said quickly, "We go together."

"Vera you can hardly walk."

"I'm fine. You don't even know where you're going."

"You can tell me. We only need one person to carry the supplies."

"We go together Dani." She said harshly. "End of discussion."

"Vera…"

"Dani… don't push it." I couldn't see her voice… but I heard it in her voice. The softness in her voice was gone. The uncertainty of how she felt about me returned, as a hostility settled in her voice. So I dished it back.

"Vera. You're staying here. You'll slow me down anyway. We'll get out of here faster if I go by myself and just come back. You can rest until then for the trip back…"

"No." she said.

"Vera!" I hissed, "Stop being so stubborn!"

"Look, you're good… but not that good. You can't go out there by yourself you'll get killed! And this whole thing will be for nothing! Not to mention your buddies would kill me!"

"Vera you're staying here. Your brother told me to…"

"My brother isn't here! I'm coming with!" She tried to stand up.

"No you are not." I said, feeling my muscles tense. "You are staying here."

"You can't order me around…"

"You'll get us both killed…"

"Will not!"

"Sit your ass down… you're STAYING."

"I'M GOING!" she hissed.

"Why won't you just listen!"

"Why won't you just let me come!"

"Because you need to rest!"

"I told you I'm fine!"

"Why won't you just stay here!"

"Because you won't come back!"

"I won't…" I stopped. I heard slump to the floor again.

"Of course I'll come back…" I said, still unsure if I should approach her.

"But what if you don't?" she breathing, her voice shaking. "What if you get killed and I'm sitting here waiting for you to come back and you don't. What if I get left here… Dani I have to come with you. I have to. Last time they left me they never came back."

"They?" I stepped towards her, hearing her voice shake. I wanted to warp my arms around her and be near her.

"They left me… and they never came back." She said, "They all left."

"Vera?" I crouched down, starring into the dark, looking for her dark outline.

"That night… we went into the city to drop off supplies like we do every year. We bring in new supplies and take out the old to use. It was my first time to the city… I was finally old enough to go with them. We had two vehicles. My dad and I were in the second vehicle and Alex and the rest were in the first. I was in the far back seat. I saw Alex's car swerve. We collided and fell over the side of the bridge into the creek below. Alex's car went under… while we had hit the shore and were only half way under water. I was pinned between seats and couldn't move… everyone was unconscious or dead… but the infected swarmed in. A twelve year old shouldn't have to see her own father…" she sputtered, choking on tears, "I was screaming and everyone had gotten out of the water safely and heard me. They all went into hyper mode and got me out. We hid in the city. My family hid Alex and I and told us to stay there. I don't know how long we waited… but they never came back. Alex got worried and told me to stay put. He went to go find them. I sat there for days. Maybe three or four… by myself. Alex never came back. I was twelve… but I had to grow up that day. I had to be strong… I had to be a Carper. So I got up and left. I was on my way out of the city and found Alex and my grandfather. My grandfather had been bitten. We knew he wouldn't turn but he said this time it was different. That we had to leave him. I got angry. A swarm came at us from behind and I went into hyper mode for the first time. I killed them all. Alex pulled me out of the city barely able to pull me out of hyper mode… we got back to the castle… hoping others had survived… but it was just us."

Her story ended and all I could do was breath. I tried to think of words to say to her… but what do you say to that? What do you say to a scarred twelve year old who just watched her father get ripped apart while pinned between seats awaiting the same fate?

"Vera…" I whispered barely audible…

"I have to be a Carper…" she said, "I have to be strong . I have to fight this. I can't let them down… and I can't be left behind." I swallowed, realizing the weight of the situation. It was more then surviving… it was a metal stability. It was winning. For her it was simply about winning.

"We better keep moving…" I said. Vera didn't answer. I heard her shuffle through a bag and then something clicked. Vera had found a flashlight and clicked it on, illuminating the small space around us. She stood up on shaking legs. I stood up and went for the elevator doors. The floor came level to my chest, so I didn't have much leverage with my arms. I had only just gotten a good grip when I felt a hot hand on my arm.

"Don't." she said. I looked back and she had a dark look in her eyes.

"Why not?"

"He's waiting out there…" was all she said.

"Who?"

"… My grandfather." She said. She pulled a latch on the floor revealing the entrance into the elevator. She dropped her bag down.

"We get to the first floor, then drop down the gab below the elevator to the basement." She said. I dropped my bag down, before jumping down myself. I landed on carpet. The light from Vera's light shone above. I saw her hang her feet, and drop down… heavy on her feet. She collapsed to the floor but got right back up. The elevator doors now posed a problem… we had two doors to pry open and hold open as we went through. I went over to the doors and braced myself.

I pulled as hard as I could, straining my muscles. I felt the blood pump from my arm down my back. Vera came over and tried to help but it didn't budge.

"Perfect…" I muttered. Vera swept the flashlight over to the panel. She pointed to it.

"Get it open." She said. I pulled my knife and unscrewed the panel revealing a random pattern of colored wires. Vera pulled her own knife and set to work. She cut one… two… three wires and then began to strip the ends. She hit them together making sparks. Finally the doors pulled open by themselves and I quickly placed myself between them. The second set of doors only came above the floor two feet or so. Vera came over and took my place, sitting on the ground and setting a foot across the entrance to keep the doors open. She sheathed her knife and pulled her gun. I set my hands and looked at her. She nodded. With a good heave the doors came open and Vera swung her gun to the opening. Light flooded in, blinding both of us but Vera's gun didn't waver. Our eyes adjusted and we found ourselves looking at the lobby again… and empty lobby.

I gave a nod to Vera and hold the doors while she laid down on her stomach and slid through the gap. She swept the room before I heard a whistle and followed after her.