This isn't listed in the categories but I think more people should probably give it a chance. It's inspired by the old radio dramas and is about a group of survivors trying to live in a world overrun by zombies. This started out as a recurring dream and I couldn't get it out of my head. The characters are mine and not from We're Alive. I hope you like it. All comments are welcome.

Chapter 4

It took some time before we made it past the remaining check points, but making it through the first one was the biggest challenge of them all. Not surprising by the time we made it into the underground parking garage, we had started to get a few interesting looks, to which I ignored. By then Hope had fallen asleep and had to be carried out while Aenne and I carried our packs out of the vehicle, leaving the rest to those that handled distribution. Beau followed us closely and a few who came to retrieve what we had collected stopped to pet him.

"Hey Redgrave! If I had known you were looking for a family I would have adopted one myself!"

I turned and glared at the woman who stood laughing not too far away from us. He placed a hand on my arm to stop me from going over to her and causing a scene. I loathed the woman almost as much as I did Kyle but she had been here since the beginning and blamed me for losing her brother when we foolishly ventured into the city. I shouldered my rifle and followed my team back to the medical lab, where we would be checked out before being allowed into the compound. I watched Gabriel as he carried Hope, listening to her murmur to him when he gently woke her before going in to the see facilities resident doctor. Thankfully she had not been on leave since the outbreak started.

"You sing just like my daddy used to," I overheard her say and I smiled, recalling the first time he sang in the mess hall.

"That's what our Gabriel did before all this, Hope. He was here to become a star!" Aenne joking splayed her hands in front of her in a dramatic post and Hope giggled.

"I'll go check in with Roadie before heading back to medical, alright?" I said before walking away.

"You can't miss another checkup, Moll," Aenne said loudly as the door leading to clinic opened and I came face to face with the doctor, with Roadie standing by her side.

"I thought I'd save you the trip," Roadie grinned as I tried to keep my face neutral. "Considering you always manage to use me as the excuse not to stop by to get checked out by the doctor every time you return, I planned to personally be here for you to find me."

"How considerate," I replied sarcastically, nodding to Hannah, our resident doctor.

I dropped my bags unceremoniously on the floor inside the door and followed both of them to a privately screened area. I handed Roadie the jacket I was still wearing as he stopped just outside of the screen while we continued on to the enclosed area.

"How was the search?" Roadie asked as I began to remove my top, with Hannah inspecting me for cuts or bites of any kind. We learned early on that was how the infection spread and took measures that everyone returning needed to be tested. Quarantine measures were established to keep everyone safe and although I knew I had nothing to worry about, I hated feeling like I was under a microscope.

"Same as the last report I turned in," I said as I was given the go ahead to remove more clothing. "They're a little slower but still out in force. I don't know exactly what they're using as a food source but I'm hoping if they starve long enough we'll find only corpses."

"And the little girl?" he asked.

"We passed her along the highway," I said as I was removing my boots. I added my jeans to the bench along with my top and shivered in the cool air, trying to ignore the feeling of her gloved hands moving along my legs. "She was stuck inside a car, along with the dog. There were four trying to get to her when we passed them and Gabriel stopped."

"What kind?"

"The usual, stumbling along but mostly intact," I said as my hair was lifted from my neck. "Sadly one was the girl's grandfather. They ran out of gas and he tried to make a run for the next town. I figured he got attacked along the way."

"You took them down?" he asked, knowing I wouldn't leave any before getting the girl but making sure as he always does.

"Four shots, to the head," I confirmed. "Aenne checked the area before I got out of the vehicle. I didn't see the dog until I opened up the car and made sure she was unharmed; figured there was no harm in bringing him along."

I put on the robe I was given by Hannah and followed her through the glass doors to the second exam room. It was standard that a blood sample be taken every time we returned and this is what I was dreading the most. I watched Roadie's face to distract myself as Hannah placed the tourniquet tightly on my upper left arm, probing the crook of my arm for veins as I opened and closed my fist. I focused on anything besides the coolness of the cotton swab as she disinfected the area and the pinch on the needle as she thankfully got it on the first try. She labeled the vial and placed a Band-Aid, excusing herself so she could start on Aenne, who was waiting patiently.

"Moll, I've been getting updates since you hit the first check point," he started to say and I sighed as I grabbed my clothes from him.

"Are we seriously going to get into this?" I asked as I jerked on my jeans.

"When would you like to discuss this? Do you think I really want to be discussing who you sleep with?" he asked and I moved away from him to change back into my top.

"Who is it now: Lily or Kyle?" I asked furiously as I walked back towards him. "Don't think I haven't noticed he's been petitioning to get on the active duty roster and he's asked for me to be his sponsor!"

"You wouldn't need to go out as often if we had more trained teams out there," he pointed out. "You wouldn't need to keep putting yourself in danger."

"I'd go crazy staying here, Roadie, and you know it. We have enough teams as we need," I said and took the jacket from him as well.

"We could cover more ground if we had more available teams like yours, Moll," he said and I looked passed him.

"I can't do it," I said softly. "Not after what happened to Sam."

He grabbed my arm and I looked at him. "Sam made his choice to try to save someone. It's what you do every time you go out there."

"But I trained him, Roadie. I trained him not to be reckless and now he's dead," I said softly, looking down at the floor. "And Lily…"

"Sam and Lily knew it was a risk when they signed up with the company. When this all started, we made sure everyone was aware of what was going on in the outside. It's a chance we all take when we leave these walls, Moll," he said and sighed. "Even you take chances at times. Don't you think I worry about you every time you're rotation slot comes up?"

"I can't stand not knowing what happened. I can't stand: not knowing if they're alive and if they know we're ok," I told him and looked up at him. "She looks so much like Bethany and it makes me want to risk it even more."

"I'm sure they're all safe. You're brothers will see to it that she's safe, Moll."

"I promised my mother I would always look out for her. I'm not even in the same state anymore!" I walked away from him and stood beside the glass door, looking out at Hope.

"I promise you, we'll find a way to get back home to check things out. But for now we need to keep it together here," he said and I turned back to him. "Just think about it okay? It doesn't have to be Kyle, but think about someone to train?"

"I'm not promising anything but I'll consider it," I said as he walked to the door to leave but stopping before going out.

"And Moll," he said holding the door open. "I'm just going to say…it's about time."

He left before I could reply, flushing that he was giving me his approval of something that I hadn't exactly thought through and wasn't even sure how to wrap my head around. One thing was for sure, I was in no hurry to disprove any rumor that might come about if it would keep my team intact.