There had been little words shared between them since Hailey had attacked Ellis. He kept a few feet back, walking slowly to help stave off further injury. Hailey kept her head at a somewhat low angle; a position that was more so an auto pilot for walking. She was trapped in her thoughts and her stomach was still turning from earlier, she reckoned that she would never feel right again. As the time went by between them she slowly accepted this.

She also accepted that this dilapidated world would probably cease to be salvageable. The area was scattered with dead bodies and they had long left the theme park. They carried ahead on a cleared section of highway.

The wind slowly picked up with a stale warmth that still gave Hailey and Ellis a static body shiver. She slowly turned to her partner, a new title she also decided to accept. His arm drooped with the weight of a fully loaded shotgun; his body favoring his stronger side. Hailey quickly yanked her backpack from her back allowing air to swarm the sweated area. Heat escaped and her shirt clung to her even more; a shower would definitely help return some sort of human feelings.

"Here," Hailey spoke quietly, her hand outstretched with an offering of water.

"I'm good," Ellis smiled.

She pushed the bottle on him and allowed a small grin to spread across her lips. His southern charm was getting hard to resist. She'd found some comfort in being able to watch her back and see his boyish face.

"You need it, you'll heal faster," she said.

Ellis then clutched the water bottle and placed a slightly shaky hand upon the cap,

"You reckon' I'll ever heal?" he placed the opening to his mouth.

Hailey only helped push the water into his mouth,

"Drink."

He still managed to drink through a smile, Hailey attempted to ignore the somewhat broken nature of it. He handed the last bit of it to Hailey and pushed it on her.

"We gotta take care of each other," he voice dropped.

The blowing breeze slowly went still and quiet settled upon them. The lighting had dropped immensely and they'd been traveling by moonlight for the last two hours. Hailey decided that the dead breeze would be good to keep going, it would keep their scent from being found. But with Ellis pushing his injurer she decided against it.

"Speaking of which," she stated after a few moments to herself, "We should probably stop for the night."

"What here? In the middle of this highway, we've got swamps on either side of us, I don't know 'bout you but them critters and bugs ain't the nicest to be around."

"I can't have you walking around with that wound anymore today, not to mention the new inflictions," she felt herself become slightly irritated, "If you reopen any of those scabs you'll be useless."

"Useless? So you only need me for protection?"

"No that's not what I meant," She had back track but held her tone, she hated being told no.

"So if you can't make all the decisions you—"

"Stop!" Hailey shouted, gripped tightly on her backpack.

"No, I won't stop," Ellis got close to her, "I DON'T need a mother!"

They squared off against each other; each one looking frustrated and tired. Both covered in blood and taken very swiftly by hunger. These were survivors, these were two survivors and they were fighting like rats. Her eyes grew cold and his didn't budge from the grinding thoughts he wanted to say. They slipped none the less,

"I never even asked for those 'new inflictions'."

Hailey's eyes went wide and she turned sharply and started ahead on the road. It was at that moment Ellis instantly regretted what he'd said,

"Oh Hailey, come 'on I didn't mean what I said," his pleas were slowly drifting into the night at her back which seemed to be disappearing as the moments grew in range.

His limping run caused Hailey to slow down in attempt to stop him. His face did look apologetic. She felt her stomach; it was in knots and cringing under the weight of the emptiness. Her hand no longer helped comfort what she was potentially going to become.

"I'm sorry," Hailey said.

"No it's not your fault; I was being a jerk-."

"No," Hailey breathed, Ellis held his tongue and stared down at her face, creased in an familiar yet painful expression, "I'm sorry," she said again, "I didn't know."

"Hey," Ellis reassured her as she dropped her head in her hands.

She wasn't crying just looking for support in her own body; Ellis pressed an arm to her shoulder. He himself was unsure of what to do. They stood there for a bit just resting and listening to the silence of the night.

"It wasn't awful," Ellis smirked.

A/N: yes I'm sorry it's another short one; I'm at school right now so I hope to get home and get started working on another one. I'll also have to apologize for the somewhat disconnect of the writing, I'm getting back into to it.

I'm really sorry for the delay, the long $$ delay in fact, I transferred to a new school and they keep me very busy. And I'm sorry about the mistakes, I try to get them all but I never seem to do; which is probably because I proofread right after I write. But ummmm yes

Please REVIEW, as you know they are my oxygen and good reminders to update.