The New World

***Barnaby***

Barnaby pinched the bridge of his nose, looking over at the little firestorm that was started. "Fuck a duck and call me a monkey..." he mumbled to himself. He looked back at Mando, "Right then...I'll go get the stuff rounded up, then we'll finish this business. See you in a few." Barnaby said before he turned around. He looked at the slave girl and gestured to his guards. "Just stick with them if he scares the bageabis out of you." Barnaby said before he turned and began making his way back towards the gates. "Oy...I am one lucky son of a bitch aren't I..."

***Belial***

He looked around at the group, still getting the uneasy looks from them. None had spoken up yet, and it was somewhat irritating him on the inside. "What? I heard you guys have some good chit-chatting earlier! Fuck the boy was brave enough to speak up, come on! Besides, not like you haven't seen disfigured folks like me before!" Course he should be smarter than this, to realize how these folks were not exactly going to be forthcoming with him. After all, he certaintly wasn't the prettiest of guys on the block nowadays.

_-*Muuussic*-___

Zanetta frowned at the Crawler and ran up to it kicking it square in the face, it took a swipe at her chest, reopening it, she held it. ''Shit!'' She shout. As her blood poured out from it again, the crawler growled at her, its eyes fixated on her blood.

The Crawler then charged at her in speed she reacted in turn as it swiped it's claws at her, she dodged the first, the second scratching her cheek and the last she blocked. The Crawler licked her cheek and she grunted in annoyance and head butt it, it backed away holding it's head and screaming violently, now with a dent. She screamed not effecting her to much, just making her sound bleed for a moment as she stood the closest to it. Her cheeck healing instantly at that moment, her chest stopped bleeding but her rib cage was on full display.

The crawler shaked it's head whimpering like a wounded animal, then it pounced to her direction and she waited, pointing her left hand like the head of a arrow like she did in the forest then she used the Crawler's strength against him and used her strength to peirce its chest, it whaled in shock, it's blood spraying from the back of it onto the floor like it were water, the tips of Zanetta's fingers showing.

For a moment she just looked at the crawler with cold eyes, her free hand covering her rib cage to not scar the children anymore than she had to then she yanked her hand out taking a rib with her, a large snap followed as she did so then she head butted the creature again making the dent in its head split with a crack and he fell to the ground sliding back from the force then Zanetta plundged the rib into the severly split head of its without mercy and the crawler riggled on the ground like it were having a fit for a moment then die, bleeding out on the ground, its blood black and corrupted.

Zanetta would step back, still holding her chest, finally wincing loudily from the pain turning back she looked at her rib cage her face paling. Her left arm was bloody to the bottom of her elbow. Another tank top ruined. She'd also wipe away the blood from her nose quick with her hand that covered her chest then put it back straight away.

She'd turn back around her right hand still on her rib cage. ''Is everyone okay?'' She'd struggled out in pain.

Nicholas was looking around, he put his hands down since it looked like no one was attacking him. Suddenly a man jumped down from the trees, and one of the men said something to him. Nicholas could not hear anything. The strange man looked as if he was really angry and like he was telling everybody off. Nicholas had no idea what he was say, the earphones were still in his ears and all he could hear was his music playing while the man was telling him off. Nicholas wasn't really afraid of him. Well, he had been living in an apocalypse, so this should normal according to everything else that had been happening in the passed years.

Nicholas took his earphones out of his ears, and walked back slowly, so that he wasn't in the middle of everyone else. "I was just passing by, I don't want any trouble. I got sloppy just for a minute, but I'll get out of your way." He said to the strangers and also to the strange man. He turned his mp3 player off and put it in his pocket. He couldn't handle all of the staring, and he was pretty sure that the other man was getting tired of it as well. "Sorry I didn't answer you, I just couldn't hear you."

Lucas was impressed when he saw Zanetta taking on the Crawler. He was still on the floor with the pistol in his hand. He struggled to get up, but he got up eventually, standing on one foot. He limped to Zanetta.
"Are you okay?" He asked looking concerned.

((OOC: I would of posted earlier but I had a shitload of homework to finish DX ))

Aarti stared at the man, unable to think of anything to say. She was doing her best to hide her surprise... it wasnt everyday she saw someone who looked like... that, but it was clear she was failing.
She wished that Leo had kept his mouth shut and pretended he hadn't heard the man speak, but what was done was done.
"Sorry! Normally people like you... I mean, the ones that look kinda like you..." Aarti trailed off, lost of words.
The way the man looked shocked her, if he hadn't spoken Aarti would of guessed he was one of the infected.
Maybe he was, maybe he just wasn't fully infected...?

Suddenly the new kid, whatever his name was, took a few steps back,
"I was just passing by, I don't want any trouble. I got sloppy just for a minute but I'll get out of your way...Sorry I didn't answer you, I just couldn't hear you."
Truthfully she was kind of disappointed, being around Alex and Leo was surprisingly boring, and Aarti didn't know if the blonde and her brother were going to stick around or not... maybe not, Alex had been planning to kill her, after all.
But still, having a new addition to the group would of been fun.

Aarti flashed a smile, wishing she could use the kids excuse of 'I didnt hear you'

***Belial***

He chuckled, look at the young woman. "'People like you.'? Some might interpret such a comment to be racist!" He said with a chuckle before looking towards the boy backing away. "As for you, now you can hear me. And besides, who cares if you were just passing through! Now you've got people to talk with."

He looked back at Aarti. "To let you know, I am the same, but I'm not the same. To go any further in-depth would be...confusing. Not to mention it wouldn't really make my employer very happy." Belial sat down on the ground, looking around at them. "So what brings all of you folks out into the middle of butt-fuck nowhere? Granted it's a nice forest," he said while looking around. "Butt it's certainly not a friendly one with all of the groaners and moaners wandering about for a snack."

Aarti's face went red with embarrassment, "Sorry."
She was glad that the man didn't seem offended, but she reminded herself to be more careful with her words.

Alex was listening to what the man was saying, and the words 'my employer' caught his interest.
He was working for someone?
"So what brings all of you folks out into the middle of butt-fuck nowhere?" The man said, not giving Alex a chance to question, "Granted it's a nice forest, but it's certainly not a friendly one with all of the groaners and moaners wandering about for a snack." He continued as he looked around.
"Well... i've been traveling with these two idiots," Aarti said, pointing at Alex and Leo, both of them didn't look like they appreciated what she called them. Then Aarti hushed her voice into a whisper that was still loud enough for everyone to hear,
"Honestly they're both complete dumbass's."

Alex narrowed his eyes,
"You said something about a hoard of infected heading this way... did you actually see it with your own eyes or did you just hear it from someone?" He asked the man, completely ignoring Aarti.

Nicholas answered the man. "Just escaped a small town and trapped them with a wall of fire. The fire was necessary because I alerted all the infected by killing a crawler. I'd rather have a group of infected than one crawler on my ass."
He looked at the group and looked away.
"See ya." Nicholas turned around and walked away deeper into the jungle.

As he was walking away, he shook his head, disappointed in himself, he could've died just from being sloppy.

"Idiots, eh? guess I'll have to take your word on that one then." Belial said while placing his hands behind his head and leaning back against a tree. "As for you boy," He said while looking at Alex. "I did see them. In fact I had walked through a part of it. And boy, there were plenty I'll tell you what!"

He looked at Nick though next. "Right, and that point would be~? What? Besides, Crawlers are pretty adorable! Cute little fuckers I tell you what! They always squirm around though when I try to hug them...but I'll admit that when they scream it can be very annoying..."

Richard looked on in surprise as he at Zanetta standing over the body of the crawler, it's chest bleeding profusely and one of it's ribs in Zanetta's hand. She was changing alright...changing too fast this could be dangerous.

"Daddy, what's going on?" Alex asked from the stairs

"Yes! What in the hell is all this racket about!" Belinda said as she stomped down the stairs

"What!?" Richard called out. His hearing was shot at the moment from the banshee scream that had just filled the house, he was unlucky enough to catch the full blunt of it "Darcy get the kids back to bed while I deal with this, take Betty White with you too." Richard called out as he stood up, unable to hear his own words over the ringing in his ears. He strolled over to Zanetta, still holding his head "We need to talk!" he said, fighting the urge not to yell so he could here himself.

Mai had just gotten comfortable when a loud banging sound errupted at the door of the church. She sat up and jumped out of the sleeping bag she was in like a bullet and realized what was going on. The zombies had figured out Charlie and herself were inside and they were hungry. "CHARLIE, WAKE UP!" Mai screamed grabbing her knife from her pocket and her lighter. She lit it and threw it at one of the zombies. The flame lit on its clothes and the thing was down for the count. But there was more. Mai charged at them. She ripped through the undead with her knife and she was out of the church, followed by Flare.

That's when Mai realized that Charlie had not followed her. She fought her way back inside and found him pinned against the wall. His pistol clutched in his hand, he had ran out of bullets. Mai ran over and disassembled some of them. She didn't notice that one had crept up behind her and was about to sink its teeth into her shoulder. Charlie came to the rescue. He launched himself at the zombie and tackled it to the ground. Mai turned around and realized what had happened. Charlie still had it pinned to the ground and Mai ran to his bag to find some bullets. Once she had some she loaded Charlie's pistol up and shot the zombie that he had on the ground. But not before it had bitten him on the neck.

After Mai had shot down the rest of the zombies, Mai helped Charlie up and allowed him to lean against her. The church had gone up in flames from the lighter and she just barely managed to get him up before the roof caved. Mai and Flare helped Charlie to the next safest spot they could find and Mai did the best she could to make him comfortable. The bite was already taking it's effect on him. "Shoot me Mai. I'm a goner" he told her. Mai bit her lip and shook her head. Tears threatening to overcome the girl. "No, you're the first person I've met up with in so long-" he cut her off. "I don't want to become one of them Mai. Just do it, please. I have served my purpose and fought for as long as I could. I will feel good knowing that I saved you before I died" he told her. Mai felt her tears splash onto the man and she forced back a retort. Slowly she lifted the pistol and pressed it against his temple. "Goodbye Charlie" she whispered and pulled the trigger. The loud bang made Flare whimper.

(Scraggly has allowed me to kill off Charlie, just saying)

Zanetta looked to Lucas, still holding her rib cage, it slowly reassembling itself, the skin however taking longer to heal and so created a see through sturdy gel like substance to protect her lungs, heart and veins from futher damage. She nodded to Lucas before her lips parted. ''I'm fine...just...healing.'' She would struggle out, now placing her hand on to her side. Her healing chest in full veiw and her head down.

Suddenly she was grabbed by the arm from Richard, the crawler's blood over it sticking onto Richard's hand. She'd nod instantly without question. ''I know..'' She'd reply, a sigh at the end. She'd look away for a moment then back to Richard. ''Lead the way.'' SHe would tell Richard in a calm voice, dispite what se had just done to the crawler, you could almost feel sorry for it for the way Zanetta mutilated it.

But almost..

Darcy couldn't hear a word that was being said as her ears still rang, but she knew what Richard meant as he pointed up the stairs.

Connor still in her arms, Darcy marched up to Alex who had entered the room now and was examining the dead creature on the floor and then about to touch Zanetta's open rib cage when Darcy grabbed the child's arm and yanked Alex away. She had to stop herself from being sick from the sight of such a gruesome wound.

How was that even possible? That Zanetta still stood?! It wasn't right . . . It wasn't normal.

Darcy dragged Alex upstairs, Connor still on her hip. Her mother followed behind.

"What is going on?" Belinda complained

"I don't know mother." Darcy said flatly as she dragged the children to the bathroom.

Oh God . . . The blood and gore hadn't touched her or her children but she felt like it was on them. Her skin crawled.

"Clothes off." Darcy said as she put Connor down and ran the hot water.

"But I don't-" Connor began.

"Now!" Darcy said firmly with a voice that allowed for no arguments.

The children got into the tub that was filled up half with warm water and half a bottle of Bubble Bath when Belinda brought Maggie in. Darcy systematically took the baby's clothes of without saying a word and sat her down in the water next to the twins.

It wasn't like Maggie would be able to bathe downstairs in the Kitchen like she normally did it was covered with broken shards everywhere.

"Ducky!" Maggie asked happily as she splashed in the bubbles.

"No baby." Darcy said softly "Not today."

"Here." Connor offered one of his toy ships to his baby sister "Look you can play with this Maggie."

Darcy watched a gentle smile on her lips as Connor talked to Maggie and played battleship with the girl. Darcy knew deep down that Connor was a sweet boy with a good heart but he just didn't have a stop button or a red light when it came to his impulses. This worried Darcy no end.

"Mom watch the children." Darcy said as she slipped out the bathroom and very slowly and stealthily headed down the stairs.

She wanted to listen to what Richard and Zanetta were speaking about. For some reason when it came to Zanetta's 'state of being' they talked about it very secretly. Darcy felt left out . . . She knew they were hiding something from her . . . But what?

Darcy wasn't exactly sure. But what she had seen today . . . Zanetta's insides! Darcy tried to swallow the bile rising up her throat. It was obvious . . . something was wrong . . . Zanetta was changing?!

If that was the case, then Darcy felt no qualm or guilt at her next thoughts. Zanetta had to go. Richard would not be easily convinced because Darcy knew he was attached to the girl and Darcy loved her too in her own way.

However, for Darcy it came down to a simple calculation. If it was a choice between keeping Zanetta alive by any means or keeping her children safe and alive. She would choose her own children in a heartbeat.

Darcy knew Richard would call her selfish, spoilt and having a complete disregard or care for Zanetta and her feelings. But Darcy did not care. To her there was no one more important then her children, so she needed to know.

Pressing flat against the door to the living room, Darcy listened . . . .

*-___-___Music___-___-*

Zanetta acked in pain and she would put her finger up to Richard's face. ''Wait...something isn't right, let me just do something but...please don't get grossed out or I will probably faint. This is no picnic for me you know..'' She would say in a weak voice and almost a begging voice.

Jake would run into the room and sit infront of Zanetta, looking up to her, his ears up right, he looked serious, his blue eye matching Zanetta's eyes, he would stare into them. Zanetta would smile but become serious as she began to talk back to her companion. ''Yeah...I know, it was going to be hard to hide it anyway. I swear I will tell them now.'' Jake would nod his head then his tail would wag happily again. Jake would then rest his head onto one of Zanetta's feet like he always would.

Zanetta would remove her hand from her chest to reveal broken and collapsed ribs and she would start to re-line them into thier correct place, cracking and snaps echoing through out the room and even up the stairs of the house and small grunts from Zanetta as you could imagine it was painfully and uncomfortable, afterall she had her hands in her own chest. She would then click her back and straighten her back, clicking being heard like the cracking of knuckles.

She would breathe in relief as she could now stand up now without pain of her ribs jabbing her insides. Then instantly as she put her bloody hands to her side the bones visibly reconnect in place, renforcing theirselves again then a clear sturdy gel like casing formed over Zanetta's chest, you could see very slightly blood flowing into the renewly regenerated vessels. Her heart bumping two times faster than a average heart should and her lungs breathing as she did, some of the flesh wounds on them healing in time also.

She would clear her throat then look away from Richard. ''So...w-what is it?'' She would timidly say then turn her head to him with a desperate look in her eyes. ''I only wanted to stop that thing! It was going to kill Darcy and the childern!'' Her eyes would sadden once more and she'd look at the ground. ''I hope I didn't scare Alex and Connor away from me....they make me worth living even if I am different they still hug me..'' She would smile then a tear would fall from her eye. ''I know I am not normal...and I knew I could kill that crawler because...''

She would pause then look up to Richard, tears falling from her eyes but her face serious. ''Last night...I killed a NIGHTmare and two crawlers in the forest.'' She would pace back and forth. ''I can....sense them...my eyes can adjust to darkness and heat signatures.'' She would stop and look at Richard the tears stopping. ''I went to the forest and tested my limits but ven then I felt I could go further.....'' She would then run to the kitchen and came back with a knife. ''Look..'' She would simply say.

She then would stab herself in the stomach, deeply. Her eyes widening from the pain then she would pull it straight out again and pull her tank top up and show the stab would heal, like a spider fixing its web in moments. She would would throw the knife down, Jake wagging his tail, simply watching her. ''What am I? That should of killed me! And my chest looks like a something from a horror movie yet I am still standing!'' She would sigh in frustration.

''Isn't there a way we could figure out why this is happening?'' She asked Richard in curiousity.

Taylor remained silent, observing cautiously, and as she was about to open her mouth to talk, there was a voice from behind her, up in the trees. She whipped her head around, instantly spotting the man among the trees and watching him, knowing that behind her Max was doing the same, gun still in his hand, but pointed down. Although abnormal for him, he wasn't really talking. For once, he was taking a tip from his sister and watching.
Looking at the man, he noticed strange things about him, the type you see on newly affected and the like, although he surly was a man. He allowed a slightly confused expression to take over his face, not even trying to hide his curiosity as he all but stared. Taylor was different. Pushing a blank expression on, she glanced at the man, watching him speak for a few seconds, then turning to see how Max and Scout had reacted, Scout now standing, ears perked and watching.
They watched him jump down, one of the boys speaking with him, and then the girl. The man replied, then the newest boy replied, turning around and walking away. Taylor knew this didn't matter. Either within the next week they would find each other crossing paths, or they would never meet again, and it was what it was. Taylors blank face slipped into a bit fo a smirk, although not for any reason necessary other then the man was searching for NDO's.
Watching him talking to them, She glanced at her brother, signally for him to say something, and he slowly nodded, twitching his fingers so Scout would sit again, then speaking up.
"N-NDO rebels?" He shook his head slowly, gaining more confidence. "We don't mess with them, they don't mess with us." Taylor watched, interested, and waiting to see how the situation would unfold.

As Nicholas walked through the bushes, to get away from that group he looked at his watch, which showed 2:00p.m. "Shit!" He thought. Nicholas was worried because it was going to be dark in 4-7 hours, and Nicholas didn't know how long it would take to find another town. "Looks, I'm going to have to run."

Nicholas sprinted into the "never ending" forest. Nicholas had been running for 2 hours and a bit, and he had still been in the forest. He stopped suddenly, and hid behind a bush. As he peaked through, he saw a massive horde of infected coming his way, and it would most likely make it to the group that he just came from. "I can't take them all on... I bet that huge guy could take them on though." Nicholas quickly climbed up the tree with ease, and this tree was very high. The only infected to get him would probably only be a Crawler or a Nightmare, but luckily it was daylight... for now.

Nicholas sat on the highest branch that could support him. He grabbed the stage curtain that he took from the nightclub and strapped himself to the tree, in case he fell of while sleeping. As he watched the infected passing through from underneath him, he thought; "Those guys better move quickly..." He wasn't worried about the other man though.

Lucas limped back to the guest house, and he was a bit annoyed. "Why are all these new generation infected showing up at the farm... and even near the farm." He thought to himself. He remembered that he left his second machete back in the forest. He stared at the forest thinking, "I can't go back and get it in this condition...". He grabbed one of the crutches they had at the farm, so he could walk properly. Lucas knew that he was a changed man ever since Colorado. He was darker and more lethal. After seeing what he had saw through the years, the one that haunted him most was the young corpses and the bloody nursery. He could barely look at Richard and Darcy's children without that image popping up in his head. This is the reason he is cautious and always checks on them, but also tries to stay away from them.

Lucas thinks, the only thing keeping him sane is Zanetta and Leon. Lucas felt his stitched up head. He furious but he had no idea why. Lucas walked inside the guest house and grabbed his second pistol and put it in his jeans. He also grabbed his long green & black, zip-up high collar trench coat, without a shirt underneath and walked towards the forest. He attached his silencer to his pistol as he was making his way.

Lucas entered the dark part of the forest, and saw the ray of sunlight he created. He pulled out his pistol and limped towards the light looking for his machete. Lucas did not care if there was a Nightmare lurking around. He finally spotted the machete and reached down and grabbed it. Covered in Nightmare blood from when he sliced its arm off. Lucas looked at the fallen headless Nightmare that he killed earlier. He then heard a Nightmare's groan from behind him. Lucas' face changed, he was really pissed. He looked at the Nightmare, waiting for its move. It didn't even look like Lucas was ready to fight, he was just standing there, his face showing that he accepted that he would die one day and he was ready to die if it came.

The Nightmare growled loudest it could and charged towards Lucas. Lucas just stood there, leaning on his crutch not caring about the Nightmare, all of his good and happy memories just flushed through his head. He was thinking about everyone he had loved, his mother, father, aunt's and uncle's, his grandparents.... and Zanetta.

***Belial***

Belial watched the dog with a smile as one of the young man spoke. "N-NDO rebels? We don't mess with them, they don't mess with us." he said. Belial then pouted some, looking back at him.

"A shame, least on the fact it means I have to keep searching for the rats now. Good for you folks though, it's not usually a good idea to get mixed up with those folks. You folks already have enough trouble dealing with the infected, it'd only be worse to now have to worry about running into any enforcers." The boy who spoke about leaving had done so a few moments ago, but the other people didn't seem so interested in separating.

Well, judging by the blonde haired woman's look, was far to excited to see what might occur. He then looked between them all, his one eye looking over each and everyone of them. Quite a group he had to say, and he certainly liked how the women looked. Twas a shame that there wasn't a women alive that he'd want to sleep with that'd feel the same way about him. Shaking his head, he then stood up, brushing himself off. "Well, I can't say I envy you folks. lotsa runnin', lotsa hidin'. Course some of oyu look good in a fight, which is also my preferred method of handling things."

There was a distinct groan that came from a ways away. Belial could hear it easily, but he wasn't sure if the others may have picked up on it. Turning to look, he could see a single infected blindly strolling through the forest. At the moment, it had failed to notice them, but Belial knew that it only meant the rest of the horde was not far behind. He grinned, chuckling some before looking back at the others. "And unlucky for you folks," he said while using his thumb to point over his shoulder, back at the walker. "that would be your warning to get the fuck out of here. Unlike you folks, they don't want to nibble on my flesh. Can't blame them though, I probably taste pretty damned awful..." Belial said while looking himself over.

Richard sighed as he put a hand on Zanetta "Look," Richard said in a much more controlled tone now that his hearing was beginning to return "I'm not mad at you Zanetta...I'm worried." Richard said in a sweet tone "You have been immune so far but...after seeing this...I'm worried about you." Richard said in a way that would get his point across. HE didn't want Zanetta to turn...he had lost too many people.

"We can't do anything but wait and see if these powers are...the start of you turning or...just 'normal'." Richard gave Zanetta a hug as he shook his head, looking at the dead crawler on the ground "I wish you would have told me Zanetta...I would have been here for you."

That's when the scream of a nightmare shook the quiet air, and Richard noticed Lucas was gone....

_-__-___Music___-*

Zanetta wiped a tear from her eye. ''I didn't want to worry anyone...'' Then she was cut off from a screaming from a NIGHTmare. She then blinked her eyes and they started to glow. ''It's Lucas! The NIGHTmare is studying him!'' She'd then look at Richard, her glowing eyes hypnotic. ''I will clean up that crawler in a moment.'' She'd then look down at Jake.

Jake growled at the direction fo the NIGHTmare. ''Time to run...I just hope my chest isn't torn open again.'' With that she took her boots off since they would just slow her down then with a motion with her hand Jake went forth with much speed out the door and to the NIGHTmare's position. Zanetta looked back as she took her shirt off, just leaving her tanktop on. ''I'll be back. And...I love..dad'' She would then smile warmly, though pain still in her eyes. She felt she was lossing everyone.

She then would run out towards the forest, her speed incredible then as the NIGHTmare charged at Lucas she shouted as she ran as fast as she could tackling it away from Lucas, Jake then jumped onto it shredding it's neck apart. The NIGHTmare then swiped at Jake, he moved away and Zanetta backflipped out the way and stood infront of the NIGHTmare, its shadow casting over her in the blistering heat with a frown on her face her lips parted. ''If you want him! You're going through me!'' She screamed at the NIGHTmare, Jake growling in turn.

Zanetta and Jake looked at eachother for a moment and nodded at eachother, they had a plan. They then split up, the NIGHTmare seeing Lucas undefended and foolishly followed it's hunger instead of it's insticts and as it got moment's away from touching Lucas, Jake and Zanetta attacked it, Jake bit into it's neck as Zanetta plunged her hand into it's side and pulling out it's heart, she'd then shove it into its mouth then Jake would bite down hard, it's head being ripped away from it's body. It's headless body collasping at Lucas's feet. Zanetta caked with it's blood and Jake munching on it's corpse. This was normal for Jake as he needed more meat in his diet and the infection wouldn't effect him since he was immune to it.

She'd then hug Lucas, tears streaming down her face. ''What were you thinking!? I could of lost you!'' She cried out. Then she would notice the machete and take it from his hand and start walking him and Jake back. ''You should be resting..'' Still tears running down her face.

Lucas stood there not moving, not really caring, and watching the Nightmare charge towards him. He looked up to the trees and suddenly, the Nightmare was tackled to the ground. Lucas' machetes and pistols at his feet, he just watched, leaning on his crutch. He felt empty inside as Zanetta and Jake were fighting the Nightmare.

After the fight Zanetta hugged him.
"What were you thinking!? I could of lost you!" She said as tears fell down her face and her arms wrapped around Lucas. Lucas put one arm around her waist and then turned around and limped towards his weapons, picking them up.
"We have to get back... That scream could've alarmed more infected. And same with the Crawler's scream back at the house." He said as he limped back towards the camp, machetes in their holsters and his pistol in his free hand.

He didn't know if Zanetta saw it, which she probably did, there was a Nightmare watching the whole thing, stalking Lucas. Lucas stopped walking, pulling out his machete, and threw towards the Nightmare, piercing it in the stomach. The Nightmare squirmed on the floor, as it was pushed into the heat. Lucas aimed his gun at the Nightmare's head, and shot all of his rounds into its head.

"I'm sorry..." He said to Zanetta as he walked back to the farm. Zanetta could tell that Lucas had changed in someway.

Zanetta and Lucas finally got into the guest house and she sat him back onto the couch and went into the kitchen and got two glasses and some wine, pouring it in the glasses at a equal quantity at the same time washing her arms and hands of the blood.

She came back into the living room, Jake went to his bed and started to snore away, Zanetta smiled at him, she was proud of what he did today.

She'd then placed Lucas's glass of wine infront of him and took a sip of hers then placed it next to his glass. She then sat next to Lucas, her eyes full of concern as she put her hand onto hin chin and turned his head to her so their eyes would meet and she would smile to him lovingly, the eyes full of concern not leaving.

''I think it is time we talked.....don't you? Alot has happened and I understand that me not telling you everything lately as probably had an effect on you for that I am sorry...I-I just need you to tell me how you are feeling, and don't say you are fine because I know you are not.'' She would wipe away her tears turning her face away for the moment, her chest still healing and tired from everything she had done today.

She would breathe in to calm herself then she'd turn to face him again and continue. ''To think that if me and Jake didn't comoe to help you...you would die and I'd have to...to make sure you didn't come back haunts me.'' She'd then grab Lucas's hands in hers squeezing them ever to slightly. ''You accept me, besides...well..everything and I-I can't lose and...I won't lose you. Now please....please tell me what is wrong.'' She'd say, almost begging as she looked deep into Lucas's dark eyes.

Watching the moves of the man, and his eyes, Taylors head was turned before he pointed and spoke. The first infected, although slow, and groaning, was not a good sign, and sadly, one that Taylor knew very well. It meant that they had not a lot of time, and by the looks of this place, the nearest city was probably miles away. Not nearly enough time to get there.
Glancing back at the man, giving him a quick once over, interested in what he was saying, though not enough so that she was going to ask. She looked at Scout quickly, the dog back on his feet, a low growl sounding from his muzzle, but a quick meeting of eye contact shushed him. The fortunate side of having such a well trained dog tended to involve the fact that they didn't have to worry about unpreventable noise.
Taylor turned back to the man, hearing him finish his words and simply increased her smirk. "How fortunate for you." She said, taking a few steps the oposite direction as the zombie, then turning back and looking at the group, especially her brother and dog. "I believe there are taller trees this way, and we should at least try to get ahead of the horde, before we do anything."
Max shrugged, taking a step towards his sister then pausing. Were they going to work with the trio, or would now be the time to split? He turned back to them, and watched.

The next morning, Mai burried Charlie in the local graveyard. She used a plain rock and some flowers to decorate it up. After that, Mai and Flare moved on. All their supplies had been burnt in the fire so Mai had to rob a few stories. She grabbed some pain killers and antibiotics from a pharmacy and food and water from the grocery store. She also went into a gas station for a lighter and a bag. She was right about to leave the town when she found a gun store. She went inside and grabbed a few packages of bullets and a holder so she could keep the gun at her side. Soon they left the town, and Charlie behind. She hadn't run into a single zombie since last night. She supposed most of them had died from either the fire or herself.

Mai travelled off and on for a few hours. She would sit on the side of the road and eat with Flare for half an hour before heading out again. They didn't make it to another town and Mai ended up having to stop at a small abandoned house at the side of the road. Mai checked the house and the property fully before deciding it was safe. She barricaded the doors and made herself comfortable in the basement where there was no windows and another door that she barridaded with a very old and beaten up couch and lay down on a bed in one of the rooms.

Mai played with her lighter for a while before falling asleep. She and Flare had been travelling in the heat all day and it was nice to lie down. The bed was comfortable and Mai unclicked her lighter. She rapped her arms around Flare and fell asleep. She woke up the next morning and ate breakfast with Flare. Mai could feel herself sink into a lonely pit again. She noticed a box of cigarettes on the dresser and picked them up. She had never smoked before and one day when she was little, she asked her father why he smoked. He told her it relaxed him and that she should shut up because it was none of her business. That was the first time he had burnt her on the wrist. "Why not" Mai muttered to herself. She opened the box and lit the cigarette. She hesitated before lifting it to her lips and taking a puff. That was when Mai began to smoke.

Aarti clapped her hands together,
"Well! Thank you mister, for giving us the warning... I guess we'll be on our way now!" She exclaimed, flashing a smile as she picked up the backpack.
She was grateful that he had taken the time to warn them, even if it was just so he would be able to ask them if they were working with the NDO, it was nice of him.
And as nice of a guy he probably was, he creeped Aarti out.
Sorry...

Aarti pointed at the boy and the girl,
the girl had just spoken, something about taller tree's and at first Aarti wondered if she had meant to suggest climbing them, but Aarti decided against it. They'd probably be trapped up there once the hoard passed through.
"Anywho, I hope you two don't mind if we tag along, do you?" She asked although she wouldn't listen if they said no.
There was no way Aarti was going to go back to wandering around the monster-filled world with just two people, it just wasn't going to happen.