Hailey glanced through the barred window of the safe room door. Holding her magnum adjacent to her face she peered into the very low lighting that was the tunnel of love. She leaned back away from the window and turned her head towards Ellis. He gave her a single nod and rushed across from her readying his weapon. Hailey let one of her hands fall away from her gun; placing it on the guard bar of the door. She pulled up on the metal rod and threw it to the bed as to make a quiet landing. Together they left the safe room cautiously.

Slowly the pair crept through the dark tunnel; void of any water in the canals. The drained waterway allowed a very hollow echo of each foot step they took. The reverberation ricocheted against the walls and bounced further into the gloomy passageway. There were bodies everywhere. They decorated the hall with a morbid tone and the smell began to etch away at both Hailey and Ellis. It was clear that most of the corpses had been lying in the canals for a while and dried blood spatter was beginning to peal from the walls. Hailey placed a hand on her stomach and began to feel the familiar condition of want to retch. Her vision had also begun to change and she found herself rubbing her eyes in attempts to retain the normal hues of the world around her.

Then dizziness caught Hailey and swayed her against the side of the tunnel. As her hand made contact with the metal wall of the enclosure a loud and somewhat eerie thump resonated out into the corridor. Ellis jumped at the noise hold his gun against his chest. It had been louder than either of them expected.

"Oh man, you scared me," Ellis flustered; he held a small smile in his tone.

Hailey smiled apologetically, she knew her strength was becoming noticeable. She attempted to push away from the wall but felt it difficult, her stomach was upset again and she withheld the urge to be sick. Ellis moved to her slowly and grabbed her hand at the wrist placing her arm over his firm shoulders. His muscles still felt soft under her arm and Hailey allowed for him to help her along the tunnel. With his hand resting just above her hips Hailey noticed the ever growing southern charm this boy had. With his body walking in stride beside hers she gave Ellis another look. He was young and handsome, even with the dirt and dried blood. On closer inspection he didn't look like a boy he looked like a full grown man, with chiselled features and an even beard. With these traits Hailey found herself troubled, she found it harder to think of leaving him. Ellis after all was her only friend now, and she didn't want to be alone but she knew she was becoming dangerous.

"We should stop for some water," Ellis spoke quietly and reached into their communal backpack.

"I'll be okay," Hailey lied feeling the room spin harder.

They'd stopped in what appeared to be a maintenance room with a garage door lay open. Hailey peered out and saw sunlight but she didn't much care, she was looking for infected. The fairgrounds remained as empty as the halls of the Tunnel of Love. She wondered where they had gone; maybe this was a blessing, or more a curse in disguise.

Moving outside Hailey placed her hand on the back of her forehead wiping away beads of sweat. She felt worse in the sun; it was hot and hurt her eyes. Squinting only made her headache worse. The world began to blur in and out of focus and Hailey crumpled down with her hands on her knees. At this point Ellis came over to her and rubbed her back.

"I know I ain't no nurse, but I think you should drink somethin'," Ellis said thrusting a water bottle into Hailey's hands.

Reluctantly she took the bottle and gently unscrewed the cap. She placed the bottle to her lips and felt the cool liquid flush against her tongue and cheeks. It tasted better than anything, even the cotton candy. Greedily she gulped it back until it was finished. Strangely she placed the empty bottle on the ground, as if it might be a good place for it.

"Thanks," She whispered placing a hand on Ellis's back.

He smiled his boyish grin but it soon faded. In the distance they heard crying, and ghostly crying they knew all too well. They swiftly moved towards the walls lining their backs to it, and held their breath. A few moments managed to sneak by them without being noticed. A witch slowly wandered a few yards from them holding her head up in her hands, her body heaving with sobs. Stumbling along it was very hard to believe she could notice anything but herself .The howls chilled their very spines and Hailey began to creep away with Ellis at her side. They pushed along against the wall as if it were a very small ledge on a colossal building. A pebble caught itself underneath Hailey's foot and flew a few feet in front of her, she froze... they both did. The growling of the witch was closer and pricking at their ears.

"Hailey," Ellis breathed.

Very measured in her movements she turned to see the witch glaring at them, her red eyes wide and her jaw clenched with growls. The witch heaving on the brink anger began to rear up for her attack. And before Hailey could think she had lunged at the witch with her own piercing supernatural cry.

A/N: Aren't Cliff hangers a bitch? Tell me what you think; you know I'm always looking to improve my writing. REVIEW!