Five hurtled toward Abel's gates, aware of only what she could see and hear. Her eyesight was blurred with tears. Sam was jabbering in her ear—excitement, encouragement, nervousness, and agitation all at once. Five's head began spinning.
"Runner Five!" Sam shouted, panicky. "Runner Five, if you can hear me, I can see you!" He let out a choked noise of astonishment. "Augh! Oh my God, Runner Five, you can't see them, but there's a—there's a tail behind you. Zombies!"
She could hear them. She could practically smell their rotting breaths as they rattled along behind her, getting closer and closer. She was almost to Abel's gates now. So close. Her body screamed at her to give up… it would be easier. So much easier.
The only thing that kept her going was the encouragement in her ear.
"No—about thirty of them, th— they're getting closer, I dunno—" Sam stuttered. "Ohh, don't they make that noise at night?"
Five couldn't stop them. Tears of terror ran down her face, and she was sure her heart would explode in fear. The only thing she could see was the red light above the comms tower, and she ran, almost blind, toward Abel's gates. The zombies were mere meters behind her now.
"Run, Runner Five!" Sam pleaded desperately. "Run, run, RUN!"
Through her leaking eyes, Five sped toward the gates as best she could, unaware how far she was from them.
"Raise the gates!" Sam screamed. Five's ears dimly registered the characteristic beeping as she slid into Abel Township. Unable to halt herself, Five continued running. She couldn't think straight, and there was only one person on the face of the earth who could stop her now.
People were coming at Five from every direction, swarming at her and yelling things she couldn't understand. Things she refused to understand until she found him.
"Five!"
A tall figure with black hair ran toward her, and her eyes sparked in recognition. Without any sort of warning, Five hurtled into Sam's arms, knocking them both to the ground and sobbing uncontrollably.
"We've got you, Runner Five!" Sam's voice broke as he hugged Five tightly in his lap, his eyes shining. "You're home."
Almost the entirety of Abel stared down at the two, but Five didn't care. She continued crying and hyperventilating, the groans of the zombies still reverberating through her mind. She was shaking, sweaty, and covered in bug bites, but Sam didn't seem to mind. Sam, her radio controller, who had been there for her through it all.
"D—d—don't—" she sputtered through her sobs, still clutching Sam tightly. "Don't forget—you said you'd forget—"
"Wh—what are you saying?" Sam asked her, concerned. "Five, what is it?"
"P—P—please—" she wept. "You asked—who'd re—remember me—"
"I—oh, God, you heard that…" Sam mumbled, squeezing her. "Five…"
"Don't—don't forget…" she cried frantically, still blubbering. "Please remember me…!"
"Five... I don't have to." Sam lifted her face gently to meet his eyes. "You're right here."
Sam held and rocked Five as her terror slowly subsided, glaring at anyone who dared to get close to them. Right now, she didn't need anyone else but him.