Slightly futuristic.

Red eyes opened to look at the piece of paper in front of him.

He stared intently at the paper (slightly amazed though, because he thought they ran out of this material a long time ago, but apparently now) before narrowing his eyes at the tiny fine print.

They should learn how to write a little bigger, it would be easier for people that weren't too good at reading to see what was written.

If only Alice was here-

He shook his head, and tucked the letter away back into one of his pockets, and walked out of the tent.

They stayed their to replenish supplies and the likes, when they received word from a bird and a human messenger.

Not even two days since they saved this camp and they're told to 'get on with it' and 'proceed to the next area'.

Reynard, who had been on watch when the note had came, was in charge of handing this over to his superior officer.

He looked up at the stars that glittered the skies, and took a deep sigh in the forsaken world that was rapidly rolling towards Autumn.

Silently, as he quietly moved away to the next tent over to deliver the mail, he clung to the hope that Alice was looking at the same sky.

She sighed and unsheathed her sword. She began chopping at a tree. She was waiting for every one else to hurry upand be ready to go. She heard a noise and threw her dagger towards it. It seemed to have hit the target as whatever it was stop moving. I walk over and see that it was an animal or some sort. Rabbit or hare she didn't know her it had gotten quite bloody. Also it was still moving. She pulled her dagger out and slit its throat not wanting it to go through more pain than it should. She walked back to camp to see if they were ready to move yet.

Reynard heard soft footsteps walk nearby into the camp area and tensed.

His hand was already on a dagger when he turned to see what was coming near, hoping that it was just an animal that went stray and not a zombie. It wouldn't make sense if there was a zombie here unless someone had gotten infected without anyone knowing. That would be very, very bad.

Then, when he saw ginger hair on a very alive human, he relaxed.

She seen a boy looking at her and she wondered why he was looking at her like that. She walked over towards him.
"You alright there" she asked. She had a little blood from the rabbit on her but that was barely noticeable she put on a friendly smile. She hoped he hadn't noticed her scar. It always started unwanted conversations.

A long pause struck the group, and Reynard looked away from the woman.

Oh god. It was a woman. And suddenly, all the words in him disappeared like the human life around them. And the male turned back to the girl, before turning away.

"I am..." his voice snapped shut before he coughed once more and shifted his feet.

He looked away, then back at her.

"Yes," he said, answering her question.

Present:

"Thank you," said the young woman. "Thank you so much for saving me from those monsters,"

"Not a problem," said the man closest to the woman. "Here have something to eat," he said offering her some food. "It will help with the shock. My name is Garry, by the way. What is yours, miss?" Garry asked as he took another bite and chew as he stared at the woman. She seemed to take the food quite easily. It was cleanest food in the world but she seemed to not mind the mess..

"Charlotte," she answered between bites. She hadn't realized she was so hungry. It was understandable. She looked at the two men that had attacked and tried to have their way with her.

-----------------------------
Last night:

Charlotte ran for her life as the two men followed.
'No, not men.' she thought to herself. 'These were beasts. She ran on feeling exhaustion attacking her muscles. The only thing that was working for her was the adrenaline that was keeping her awake.

They had attacked her group in the middle of the night. Charlotte, Ben, and Trevor had made a small fire to keep from being noticed early before it got dark and then had rolled up to stay warm. Trevor took first watch and was the first to die. The two men were wilderness fanatics judged by their attire and from talking about finding their tracks. Ben and Charlotte ran but it was difficult in the night. Ben had stayed behind to give Charlotte a better chance.

Charlotte had been running all night long and stopped only to catch her breath but she ran further. It was too much for her. Her fear of what they would do to her outstripped the fear of any zombies that might show up. This fear was overridden however when she saw her first zombie. She changed directions to avoid the zombie just as tree burst into pieces as it was struck by a bullet. The gun shot followed. She ran frantically trying to weave around trees. She could hear them laughing and jeering as they continued to pursue

The bullet hit her leg and she screamed in agony as she fell hard to the ground. Her adrenaline was overloading as she ignored the bullet and tried to stand only to fall as the pain pushed pass her fear. She started to crawl digging her fingers and nails into the dirt only to see another zombie. It looked fresh. It had been an decent looking young man. She noticed the bite mark glad he hadn't been deformed by a horde. Charlotte smiled a bitter smile thinking there was a chance these bastards would suffer.

It was only when the zombie looked at her that she was thrown for a loop. It didn't approach, in fact it looked away. Bitter tears and confusion swelled within Charlotte and her fear returned when she heard a laugh and felt the warm hand of one of the survivalists around her ankle. She screamed for help only for no answer to come nor did it attract the zombie either. She stared blankly as her mind went numb as she continued to fight the men but stare at the zombie. It was only when it looked at her again and smiled that she felt a coldness wash over her.

Snap! broke a twig behind the men. They both turned around while the first didnt' let go of the fighting girl. Charlotte stared at the new zombie, but actually realized it was the one she had passed long before.

'Was it fresh enough to have run after them,' she wondered slightly realizing she was not fighting the man anymore. She started to struggle with a new vigor as another sound of snapping twigs came from the left and right. The man left standing shot only to hit the arm of the zombie behind due to it's head being hidden behind a tree. He shot at each of of others only to the same effect.

The woods remained silent only filled with new snapping twigs as zombie after zombie began to inch closer and closer all the while keeping their heads hidden behind trees. Two zombies fell and the air was filled with moans. The first man pulled out a machete and the second let go of the Charlotte as he pulled out a gun and machete too. They put their backs together circling taking shots when they could. The fear escalated when the first click of an empty chamber.

The zombies swarmed and not just shambling but they were almost at jogging speed. The the man that had grabbed her opened fire hitting shoulders, necks and the occasional head.

Click, click, click. Empty.
They swung their machete's down and the closest one stopped short lifting its arm trying to grab the man's but failed at it and lost its arm and was pushed back. But in response it was pushed forward by the zombies behind and made a lunge and grabbed for the mans arm again. The other man was swinging in arcs showing a great deal more skill as he aimed for heads.

Charlotte smiled as she was saved by zom-
A hand wrapped around Charlotte's neck as teeth sank into her neck. She screamed bloody murder and watched as the men fell under the weight of the zombies and watched as a few others came to her to feast as well. Her heart betrayed her as it pumped blood out the wound in her neck. Everything went dark as she felt another pair of teeth sink into her back.

-----------------------------
Present:

Charlotte finished off the hand that Garry gave to her. She had been shocked at first when she had awoken but was strangely at ease with the situation. She asked how it was possible, and Garry pointed to the young man with the single bite wound on his arm. The young man's name was Zeke and he had some sort of ability that allowed the mind to be revived, keep the bodies from rotting, and somehow allowing them greater control of their bodies than what would be expected of a normal zombie.

Zeke stood up.

"Come on all," he said with a strong voice. "Finish up and lets get moving." And with that the surrounding zombies picked up a few scraps and chewed as they started walking after Zeke. Charlotte grabbed the machete and lopped off the bastards foot and carried both as she too followed the small horde.

She smiled. She had realised that he was highly likely to be socially awkward. Many people were especially with her scar.
"I'm Cassandra, just call me Cassie." She said. She rubbed her bloody hands on her jeans hoping he hasn't noticed.

Reynard gulped, with a jerky nod.

He moved to leave the woman, and deciding (with his inner Alice yelling at him about manners) to turn back around to give a name.

"I'm Reynard." A short pause. "If you're a solider, go get some rest."

He paused quietly, wondering why he was speaking to some random woman that was probably a civilian because he had never seen her face before.

Eyes narrowed at her before he relaxed and stated very cleanly, "There's running water here."

He gestured to the small building closer to the center of the make-shift town.

Then, before anything could be spoken, he said, "Tomorrow morning, our group will be leaving. There will be more soldiers with supplies to help you and your people to survive. I..."

Another awkward pause, and Reynard turned around to face away from Cassie.

"Goodnight."

He fled the scene.

She slept well that night. When Cassie woke she felt refreshed. She wondered if she had dreamt last night or not. She never seen that Reynard boy before but then again she didn't know many people. She got up and got dressed. As she washed her face she looked in the mirror and traced her scar with a long bony finger.
She headed down ready to join the group when she got there hardly any one was there. She sat down in a small uncomfortable bench and polished her knife.

Zeke watched as the new day began and the size of his group increased. He and his band of merry zombies had bumped into another group of zombies. Zeke was not entirely sure why but zombies seemed to act violently against him and the ones like them. They didn't try to eat them but instead attempted to rip them apart. Zeke had learned this quite early in his current lifestyle of eating flesh.

Zeke and his group seemed to be somewhat above even the zombies in the food chain because neither Zeke nor his fellow thinking zombies minded eating rotting flesh. Zeke had tried to turn most of them but some of them had terrible personalities that none wish to share with them. In the end Zeke added seven new members and they ate 5 rejected zombies.

Garry and Charlotte were getting along quite well as were the new members. charlotte made fast friends with the females of the just turned. They talked about many things, some trivial and also about their new diet. Zeke was amused as he thought about the way he used to see zombies. He thought they were quite frightening. Now he was one of them and had several friends as well.

Zeke watched the sun rise with a few other zombies who had decided they were finished eating. All they really did was eat and walk. He had been asked many times what were they going to do. He never had an answer. For now they just did what most zombies do. Eat. And walk.

Zeke thought about human settlements and wondered what would happen if they came across one.

It was time to go.

Reynard looked up to see the sun high up in the sky and narrowed his eyes at the brightness.

They were late too.

He grabbed his small pack, filled with food, a knife sharpener, another knife, and gently placed it over his shoulders. Looking back towards the remains of the small village (all safe and maybe Alice is safe too) he moved to leave.

His unit was just shy ahead of him. So he walked at a brisk pace to follow.

Cassie scouted the area she jumped from roof to roof easily. There houses were spaces close together so that all she has to do was take a step. She would look out from the roof tops if see if anyone was coming. Twirling her sword in her hand she spotted some one following behind the group. She called out to her scout partner.
"I see someone followin' I'm jus' gonna check't out!" Cassie yells climbing down of the roof tops. She lands silently on her feet and sneaks up behind the person. Realising it was the boy from yesterday day.
"Oh, hey" she says from behind him.

Reynard turned and stared at the girl. He blinked at her.

What was he supposed to say?

She had greeted him. He should greet her.

His eyebrows furrowed and he nodded at her, "Hey," he said awkwardly.

He looked down to the ground and over at his group ahead of him, and then back at her.

She should get back to her duty but she couldn't leave him alone behind the group.
"Wanna scout with me, I don't mind" she said smiling trying to be polite. She ran over to a small building and jumped up and grabbed the roof edge and climbed up with ease. She smiles Down at him .
"Comin'?"she shouts down.

Reynard looked at her and shook his head.

"I must... decline," he stated, "I need to continue this mission."

And find my sister, he mentally added.

He looked to her, and slowly looked away.

Samantha was one of the first of Zeke's awakened zombies. She took a liking to him but Zeke had told her that she was too young for them to be romantically involved. Samantha was 17 years old or had been when she died. Zeke funny enough took the law very seriously despite his disposition to kill others and eat their flesh.She had had her lower legs eaten off before hand but she had found replacement legs that had given her two more inches of height which brought her closer to Zeke's height.

Samantha was invaluable though she had the ability to teleport which made her a good scout. Granted it hadn't helped her in life but she had tried to save others despite her age and lack of physical strength. Now she eagerly volunteers to scout ahead to help Zeke and the others. There have only been a few times where she had been in danger. They were all because she was being curious and simply wanted to help.

Zeke looked around at the zombies surrounding him. Many had useful abilities. His eyes fell on Garry. His ability was quite the find. Invisibility was perfect of reconnasaince as well as sneak attacks. Zeke liked Garry, he was decent guy and he seems to have taken a liking to Charlotte, whose ability seemed to be a healing touch. Zeke's abilty gave the zombies an unnatural healing function but it was slow. Charlotte's on the other hand had help make all the zombies look quite normal again. The their life was gone and their eyes would easily give them as well as their smell. They appeared to human. It was invaluage and would help greatly to sneak in and out of settlements and avoid those with guns.

Cassie really disliked the idea of leaving him alone.
"Hey" she said swinging herself of the roof." I'll help if ya want." She said grinning.
She swept her brilliant red hair out of her face. She waited patiently for reply. She looked at her scouting partner. She waved her hand allowing him to go on.