“Turn this goddamn car around, or I will slit his throat!”

Everyone has moments in life where things spiral downhill fast; what should be under control, my life was no longer in the grasp of my hands, but being jig sawed by fate. I looked up at Sgt. Norris, contemplated my words and delivered the threat once more. “Stop the vehicle, or I will cut his throat open, under your protection.”

Time moved too fast for even my mind to comprehend, but my hunting knife was placed that at that delicate spot between the Adam’s apple and the jawbone. Norris’ hesitation sped up my reaction and I pressed harder into the soldier’s jugular. Even in the darkness, a trickle of blood contrasted with the soldier’s pale skin.

My eyes stayed on the Sgt., challenged him to refuse. “Sir?” the boy cried, felt the effects of a crazed woman.

“Don’t make me kill him…” I whispered and pressed harder. The boy groaned in anguish, but I kept my game face. I couldn’t leave Michael, not after everything he’s done for me.

“You’ll kill us all if we go back,” The Sgt spoke after he demanded that the van stop.

“Well, leave without me. I’m no good to you.” But I was to Michael…

“As you wish.”

Instantly, the van went into a wild U-turn and raced back toward the academy. We passed the convoy, which stopped immediately, but the Sgt. was already on his radio. We didn’t make it far, still on the grounds, however I needed to remember exactly what direction Michael ran in.

“Stop right here!” I ordered when we were about fifty yards away for the chaos. Abruptly, the van squealed in submission and he all were jerked from our seats. “Unlock the door.” And it clicked. Norris reached over the boy and I to open the passenger door. He gestured out toward the dark trees and burning ruins.

It was now or never, I thought and jumped out. I pushed the boy back inside and ran straight into the woods. Immediately, I had my bow at eye level, strained to pinpoint any predators. I was blind in the night, but I knew the sound and scent of the Z’s.

Once I reached the spot I seen Michael run to, I let out a loud birdcall. Quickly, I climbed the nearest tree and waited for a response. I sent another call and yet again nothing. Making quick work, I jumped out the tree and right into two Z’s. There was no time to run, so I sent an arrow flying. It caught the first creature right in the eye and down it went. I repeated my aim with the smaller Z, but the weapon shot right pass him. Quickly, I pulled my knife out and sprinted toward him. The sharp metal plunged deep into the skull, the crunch of his penetrated skull said I marked the spot, and with ease, the single blade slid out. Another Z was at my feet. I swiped it’s rotten blood on my pants and retrieved my arrows. My third call was carried on the wind as I trailed southeast.

The smell of those fuckers increased and I slowed down my movements. There must have been a lot around, either dead or searching. Michael had to be their target. I ran toward a monstrous tree with thick branches, high enough to give me ample cover. I struck my knife into the bark and used it as leverage. My right foot up and supported, I climbed to the first branch and perch there for a second. My fingers were placed across my mouth to muffle my heavy breaths as sluggish footsteps moved below me. I gagged and swallowed back vomit from the pure stench. There was a mob crossing.

Fuck, I thought and tried to make my breaths as shallow as possible. If they knew I was up here, then I’m as good as dead. So I did what I could, I became a ghost.

As their footsteps crunched amongst crisp leaves, I looked through bare trees at the academy. The main building continued to burn, illuminated the vast fields. Zs clustered around the scene, while the helicopters were no longer in sight. I listened for commotion, or sign of danger, and when silence greeted me I thought it was safe to drop, yet something stopped me.

A sparrow cry blew through the trees. I smiled at the familiar whistle, knew that it was Michael. I whispered back, and instantly, a small beam of green light hit me in the chest. I followed the glow to see its origins. About five trees apart, Michael sat perched on a branch as well. His dark silhouette huddled up against the bark. Excited, I made to drop again and run to him, but he sent another birdcall with haste. I paused, hid myself once more and listened.

The rotten smell was back, however not as big in quantity. I guessed two or three below; I could take them, but cautiously, I didn’t move. And then there was the growl. It was a scream like no other, one that took me back to the tunnel. It was the undead, but one of those mutated fuckers.

My mouth stayed covered by my hand, while I flattened my body as close to the tree trunk as possible. In the grayish blue glow of the moon, I watched as more filtered into this area. Drawn to something, their crippled bodies slugged around, sniffed through fallen noses and black holes. Michael’s laser point had disappeared and I strained to find him in the shadows of the trees. Unlike before, noise of any kind would be risky; our birdcalls must have sparked their curiosity.

‘Fuck,’ I cursed to myself and tried to monitor the movements below. I was caught, surrounded by many footfalls. Their weight crunch heavily on dried leaves and small branches, and with each sound, there seemed to be a hustle toward its source. I listened to it happen a few times, before I came up with a plan.

I looked at my wrist watch and slowly  moved to unclasp it.  In the confines of the tree, I managed to set an alarm to go off in the next minute. Quickly, I latched the arm wear to the sharp edge of my arrow and pointed south, toward the mob of Z’s that passed earlier. The obnoxious sound of the alarm would alert any undead, and the closer they were to each other, the more time we had to escape.

I took a deep breath and then let it soar. The low whistle of the wood echoed through the space before I recognize a little thump. The sound ignited a slight roar from below, I had the monsters attention. Now I had to wait.

My eyes scanned the area again for Michael, tried to gain his attention, but all the shades confused me. I reached my hand up to see if he would repeat the movement, but everything stayed the same. In my head, I knew the minute was almost up; I pulled another arrow and got ready to jump from the branch. “Come, on…” I repeated with hopes that everything would go smoothly. Suddenly, the annoying sound of the wake call screamed though the trees and alerted everything. A growl came from below and abrupt running filled the space. More and more footsteps ran underneath, with me counting as many as I could. Thirty was the close estimation by time the coast was clear and my feet touched the ground. Instantly, I ran in the direction of Michael, continued to run fast and light. I leaped every once in a while to keep my footsteps inconsistent and to decrease the sound. After I passed the fifth tree, I stopped and turned 360 degrees. I scanned the area for a sign of Michael but came up empty; however in the distance I spotted the sluggishness of several Z’s. I ran to a tree, and hid. I slid my bow around my back and pulled out my hunting knife.  I moved to the side to peer around the bark when something fell from the tree. Immediately a hand gripped my weapon and wrapped around my mouth.

“It’s me…Michael,” he whispered harshly, his breathing shallow and quick. I swung around to look at him to see a few scratches along his cheek and brow. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“I couldn’t leave,” I spoke quickly.

“You should’ve. I can’t keep myself alive if I have to think about you too,” he snapped.

“Well stop thinking about me. I’ve survived this long, I’m sure I can last one more night, even with thoughts of you surrounding every decision. I came back for you.” I longed to touch him, but kept my hands to myself.

“Really?” he asked, doubtful of my intentions.

“Yes,” I nodded, and instantly was pushed against the tree. His hands landed on the bark beside me while his head collapsed on my shoulder. “Michael?” I whisper, unsure of his reaction. I bit my tongue and bared his weight. “Are you hurt?” Finally, I whispered and he stayed the same, breaths shallow.

When I began to worry, his head came up and he laid a gently kiss along my forehead. “thank you,” he whispered, however his voice scared me. There was no fight in his words. I pulled away to identify his expression but he kept a poker face.

“Michael…”

I started but he cut me off. “You are great with distractions, but they’ll find us soon,” he said and stood at his full height. Instantly I grabbed him and flipped us around, his back was now against the tree, while I stood in front. The closeness of my movement left no space for air, and I gasp as his hands found my waist.

“There were some Z’s lingering beyond this tree. By now, they should be upon us.” With that, I closed my mouth and turned my head away from his calculated stare. I listened for any sign of movement, but once again was interrupted.

“How do you expect us to get out of here…”

“Shhh…” I sent him a sharp eye and went to closed eyed concentration. He stayed quiet while I tried to hear but everything was silent. Curious, I moved out of his grasp and peeked around the side of the tree. I gasped at the sight. All the Z’s I spotted heading our way, now lay dead on the ground, above them stood five armed soldiers. In the center Norris stood with a smile and his weapon rose. I moved completely out of Michael’s grasp to confront the force.

“You’re an asset now, girl.” Norris said, before more men stepped out of the shadows behind us.

“But what about…?” I looked toward Michael, with his hands raised above his head, and all his weapons stowed in their harness.

“and so is your friend. Shall we?”

Norris gestured toward the direction the van dropped me off at and the soldiers began to move, ironically Michael began with them. It wasn’t until he passed me that I noticed the nose of a rifle in his back, held by the soldier I grabbed for my own escape. The boy smirked and sent a nod to me as he placed pressure on the weapon and urged Michael to walk faster.

“Next time, I’m going to kill you…” I whispered and a light chuckle was his response.

As we exited the trees towards the waiting vans, Norris’ escorts all piled in their assigned vehicles, the same ten guys as earlier. Of course I was led to Norris’ vehicle, Michael as well. He was pushed into the back, and instantly I followed. His normal blank stare replaced any emotions, but his tense mouth relayed the anger he felt. I reached for his hand and curled my fingers through his. There was a slight tremor in his façade but slowly his fingers detangled from mine and stared ahead. I followed his lead, only crash into the stoic face of Norris; however his eyes weren’t on me. A silent transaction happened between the Sgt. and Michael. The intensity erupted and sent chills down my spine. At this point, Norris said I was the asset, and yet he looked at Michael like he was the reward.

“Shall we go sir?” the driver asked, as the other vans started their ignitions.

“Of course, son, now drive,” Norris ordered and took his seat in front of me, but behind the driver. Perplexed that he trusted us to ride behind him, the meeting of his gaze in the mirror informed me of how in control he was of this situation.

I turned quickly and looked out of the tinted windows. In the dark, there wasn’t much to see, but instead my mind raced with thoughts of the previous events; Jasper’s death, my potential suicide, and the existence of rebels. In two years, I stayed clear of rumors and gossip amongst the crazies, but now I didn’t know what to believe.

****

It took a long five hours drive before the convoy pulled to the side of the road. The early morning’s glow spread through the cool air and vast field of short weeds, made it easy for the heads of each of his men to seen and counted for. Most of the soldiers stretched in the ditch beside the road, some swallowed back energy bars I haven’t seen since the downfall of our nation, and others relieved themselves in the woods ten feet away. I climbed from the vehicle with only one intention. “Excuse me, Sgt. Norris, but you said I would be reunited with my friend, where is he?”

I caught the Sgt. at the nose of the van, with his head between his legs and his arms linked behind his back. As my question hung in the air, he continued with his deep stretch and came up a minute later. “We found your friend where you left him. He’s on his way to the cove.”

“Was he…alive?”

His eyebrows knit together in confusion, but soon the emotion dropped. “Alive?” he questioned.

“We left him because a pack of Z dogs chased us. The last image that haunts me is one of him being ravage by their pack leader. So do, understand my enquiry.” Norris reached his full height at my explanation and swallowed. His eyes scanned over the field, below his men lavished in the little freedom. He turned back to me in suspicion.

“Are you sure you saw the dog’s teeth on him?”

“No, but they were pretty close. What did you find?” I asked, suddenly nervous of his response. Had Jasper succumbed to his wound and died, but the undead didn’t segregate until the dead has risen. “What happened to Jasper?”

“Your friend is sick, extremely sick, but not with the disease of the undead. He was still alive with no other wound than the one in his abdomen.”

“Impossible, the dogs were all around him. Why didn’t they feed?” I shot down his words in disbelief, but needed more question answered.

“For the same reasons we avoid damaged food. Would you eat a pig if he had symptoms of something that could kill you?” With that he walked to the side of the van and whistled twice. While I stood in shock of his revelation, the soldiers obediently went to their assigned vehicles and got in.

“Celeste…” Norris called, his hand gestured for me to return to the car. Like the soldiers, I followed orders, but stopped right beside them man.

“Are you saying that these monsters gained the sense to pick their food based on survival?”

“I’m saying that this virus is far more sophisticated than what most people give credit. That’s why the research at the academy prevailed.”

“Then why would the government shoot it down…?” I challenged his theory, but he recovered.

“For the same reason’s they made it.” Suddenly, movement caught my eye and I spotted Michael just beyond us. Norris noticed him too, but didn’t seem surprise of the man’s eavesdropping. Once again, Norris smiled a Cheshire cat smile, which revealed that he did know a secret about my stranger.

Soft grey seats were my only comfort as I got into the car and watched Norris whisper to Michael. The guy remained numb in expression, but he did respond. Curiously, I observed the silent conversation before Michael jumped into the seat beside me, and behind the Sgt. Michael avoided my gaze and I waited until we were back on the road before I moved closer to him. “What did he say to you?” I whispered in his ear.

“Nothing,” he responded and looked down at me.

“It was more than nothing, Michael,” I countered and displayed agitation in his evasiveness.

His face softened at my reaction and a hand cupped my cheek. “Do you believe that I will keep you safe?” he asked.

“Of course,” I asked wholeheartedly. I had to believe in his word.

“Then leave it alone. Your safety is in your naivety, remember that,” and with that, I was once again shut out. Frustrated, I turned away, but not before meeting Norris’ eyes through the mirror. He was once again in control…actually, he was always in control, and now I wondered if I was the true asset. I looked over at Michael’s profile, so strong and composed, and whispered, ‘Who are you?’