A/N: Welcome to Chapter 3 of Panic. I think I may finally be getting the hang of 1st person POV. My style, as I'm told by a few friends, is very different but still enjoyable so I think i'll continue this story. At least for a while.

But you're still all welcome to send me some comments.

If you want to make suggestions about the story or have questions, send me a message at alleymills3300 .

Thanks for listening, the couples in this are subject to change on a whim. Please enjoy.

Recap:

"I can hear them.

The gasps, the moans, the heavy breathing, and footsteps.

They're gathering around me...

it doesn't matter anymore...

they'll eat well.

I close my eyes.

This is it...

I'm sorry... Carlos...

I wasn't worth your life.

I don't have to open my eyes to know what that screech means...

They're attacking.

I'm going to die..."

Chapter 3: Reunion

'BANG'

I gasped.

The crack of a gunshot ringing in my ears.

'BANG BANG'

two more shots firing.

…... who's firing a gun?...

my eyes open slowly, not sure I want to believe that I'm saved, again...

really, how useless am I?

"haha! Take that zombie scum! You don't stand a chance against the hero!"

my eyes snap wide, looking up to the mess hall roof...

Alfred...

I wonder for a moment if I'm dreaming, but I've gone down that path of thinking and it hurts, I've got the bite marks to prove that.

So I'm going to think I'm awake for the time being...

awake... and my brother's alive...

that's much better.

I stand up, running for him, at the base of the building, now out of the broken circle of man eating...

what the hell are those things anyway?

Oh yeah... didn't Alfred yell something...

zombies?...

well... fitting enough, if I believed in that rubbish.

Hmm... circumstances being what they are... no better time then the present to start believing.

Well, counting crows, I'm a believer.

Wait... counting crows didn't sing that song...

no, that was... smash mouth, right.

Counting crows sang accidentally in love...

….

..

.

why the hell am I thinking about this now?!

I groan and duck behind a bush, letting my... apparently trigger happy brother finish off the creatures.

I never pictured myself a coward but to be honest I never imaged a zombie apocalypse either...

wait... zombies?...

shit! I got bitten by a zombie.

I'm going to turn into one of those things!

Panic set in pretty damn fast, I have to admit.

I could feel my breathing quickening until I was hyperventilating.

My heart pounding in my chest like a terrified rabbit.

no...

I don't want to become one of them...

what if I attack Alfred...?

my head is pounding and my chest hurts from the strain of trying to keep my heart from bursting out.

I can't turn into one of those things...

not here

not with Alfred so close.

I have to keep him safe.

I could hear him calling after me but I ran anyway.

Running

running so fast

where am I running to?

Where should I go?

Alfred, where should I go?

My foot caught on a pothole in the courtyard and I yelped out when I hit the ground.

I couldn't breathe for a second and when the air returned to my lungs a sob came with them.

I felt my tears rolling down my face...

this is so fucked up...

why did this have to happen?

Why was I so useless?

Carlos died so I could save Alfred and I can't even do that.

I've failed Carlos...and Alfred...

I'm going to turn into a monster.

I'll become one of those horrible creatures, tearing at innocents with insatiable hunger...

I'm digging my fingers into my arms, holding onto myself... it hurts.

but it doesn't matter how tightly I hold on.

I'm going to lose. The monster is going to come out.

I can't hold the sanity inside with my hands alone.

"Matty? You okay?"

the words are spoken softly and I jolt at the hand on my back, trying to scoot away from the familiar voice.

No, Alfred can't be here.

I want to get away but His grip on me is strong

He always was stronger than me.

He's keeping me there with him, I can't get away.

"please... you have to let me go. I'm going to change any minute now"

my voice comes out weak and broken as I show him the bites and claws on my arms.

Do I sound as terrified as I feel, I wonder?

My voice wont come out anymore.

Do I look scared, alfred?

I'm fucking terrified...

I don't wanna die.

He's watching me...

his face is blank...

say something..

please, Alfred. Say something!

He sits beside me and sets down the shotgun, rolling up his sleeves.

I cant' breath...

he's got a mark too..

I was too late.

There's no hope anymore... we're both going to die here.