Young Writers Society

Julia

Julia watched as the one they called Wyvern ran up. She listened as she explained that Mika and Harry were hiding and a group around the same size as theirs was closing in. Julia instictively grabbed an arrow and held is against the string of her bow and followed the others.

it's quiet as they run to find Mika and Harry, Julia is worried. Last night there was an incident where they were trying to take the boy, Harry. There was a conversation about people wanting him for his immunity.

When they reached the building where Mika and Harry were hiding they all ran in and promptly began to board every opening up...Julia pulls her sleeves over her wrist again and helped keep watch, staying near Harry, her bow and arrow armed and ready. If it was one thing Julia was thinking it was that this boy was close to her brother's age now had he survived and she wasnt about to let another innocent get captured or killed.

"What are you doing?" Mika asked her with a smirk once they had finished boarding everything up.

Julia looked at him and shrugged, It wasnt really necessary for her to speak so she didnt. hopefully he wouldnt think she was being rude or anything. He opened his mouth but before he could utter a word the sound of approaching feet silenced everyone and Julia raised her bow in the direction of the door.

Samuel Evans

Samuel sighed as Wyvern offered to run after the scouts to deliver the message. Stop asking my permission. I'm not in charge here, he thought as he gave her a nod.

He gave a shake of his head when Wyvern began flirting with him and left her back pack. Matt began giving him a report on the medical supplies. He gave a nod in response before he spoke. "You and Wyvern need to keep your heads clear."

Matt immediately began sputtering and feigned ignorance, which was quickly quieted with a hand as he stood. "It doesn't matter to me, or anyone else I think if you two have each other. Just make sure you have everyone in mind if the shit hits the fan, all right?" His tone and face make it clear that this isn't a request.

After a bit Wyvern came running back, heavily out of breath as she warned us about the group that Mika and Harry saw. The group rushed through the forest toward their scouts to try and get there before someone saw them. By the time they arrived, Mika and Harry had moved.

Under a hunch Samuel gave a motion to head for the building. It was nearly in shambles but it would make for a good hiding spot if needed. He was right, Mika and Harry were there trying to use it as cover before the group noticed that something was off.

"What's going on? Where did they go?" Samuel hissed at the pair as he closed the door. He did a quick glance of the room. Just inside there was the charcoal remnants of a fire and the body of a man that seemed to have been dead from natural causes. None of the normal infection signs on him.

"They moved off into the woods," Harry replied.

"Took most of their gear too. they might come back though."

Everyone fell silent when the sound of feet were getting closer. They all looked to the door as it seemed that the group was going to search the house for supplies. "What do we do?" Wyvern growled.

Samuel did a quick look around once again and sighed as he moved to the fire and grabbed a handful of charcoal. "Brace the door. Make sure they can't get in," Samuel said as he smeared the black dust on his face in a messy fashion.

he unbuckled his sword and dropped his pack before grabbing at the shoulder of his shirt and tearing it to make a hole and add another smear to it. Pulling out one of his knives he swallowed hard as he drove it into the dead man's gut and cut out a hole. The smell it gave out made him nearly gag as he wrapped his hand in a cloth and shoved it into the opening to soak it in the blood inside.

"What the hell are you doing?" Matt asked as he held up against the door with Mika and Harry.

The voices outside could be heard at the door. Trying to decide which of them would open the door. Samuel moved to the window by the door and took a breath as one of the women looked into the window by the door. Samuel suddenly jumped froward slamming the blood soaked, cloth covered hand against the window to smear it all around.

The woman gave out a shrill scream as she jumped away from the window into the group. "There's one of them in there!!" she screamed as the men looked at him.

He gave out a series of sounds that were a mix between a cough and a growl as he kicked and growled at the group on the other side.

Everyone stared at Samuel like he was crazy before Mika and Wyvern caught on. Mika began to growl and moan, kicking the door to make it seem like there were several infected in the house.

Wyvern rushed to the charcoal and smeared it on her pale skin like Samuel had done and moved to another window to make the group think they had disturbed a horde of the infected.

"What do we do?! Put a bullet in 'em?" one man said

"Gotta save our ammo man," another said. "And who knows how many of them are in there. Just leave 'em be. I don't want to have to deal with these things."

The group turned and started to leave heading in the direction that they had just come from. Samuel stopped his beating against the window when he was sure that the group was gone. He sighed as he threw the blood soaked rag away and cleaned his hand off.

"How did you know they wouldn't shoot you?" Matt asked.

"I didn't," Samuel replied. He was answered with a stunned silence from them as he moved to get his pack.

"Can't believe that worked," Wyvern said walking to him.

"Fear and panic can be useful tools," Samuel stated as he looked to her. He paused as he noted the smear of charcoal that had gone into her hair, making it a dusty gray. He looked to the pile of charcoal and grabbed his canteen. With a handful of charcoal and a little water, he made a black paste and moved toward Wyvern. "Don't move."

"Samuel what are you...HEY!!" She yelled as Samuel ran his hands into her hair, smearing the past into it. "God! You Arse! Do you know how long it will take to get that stuff out of my hair!?"

"You're not gonna want to take it out," Samuel said with a hint of amusement in his voice. He was looking at how he just turned streaked Wyvern's hair with black with just a handful of charcoal. "If we use this stuff, maybe some used motor oil, we can change your hair color. Maybe make enough of a change to Harry and Blitz that no one will notice it's them."

"You're not gonna want to take it out," Samuel’s voice behind me holds a slight hint of amusement. I grit my teeth as he runs his hands through my hair. "If we use this stuff, maybe some used motor oil, we can change your hair color. Maybe make enough of a change to Harry and Blitz that no one will notice it's them."

“That’s a freakin’ brilliant idea!” Mika exclaims. “I reckon if we find something to change the charcoal to more of a pink-ish tone, we can add more colour to their skin too,” he pauses for a second. “And Blitz’s fur.”

“Can you quite yanking on my hair?” I hiss over my shoulder. “I’ll stab you if you do it – ow!”

“Stop your whining,” Samual grunts, rubbing charcoal through my hair, probably trying to get all the white.

A growl reverberates through my throat as I glance at the others. Mika has leapt into action with Sam and Julia, searching through the shack for more things to use to smother us poor Immune with. Lyle watches his brother with wide, curious eyes as the tall Australian sorts through bits of wood and old, rusted cans. Sam walks out of the shell of a building, around the sides. A small cry from her has Mika and Matt running to see what’s the matter. Shortly after they return with a big barrel between them, a wide grin on Mika’s face.

“Oil,” he announces. “We can mix that in with some dirt, and cover their faces.” The barrel is placed down and Mika ushers his brother over. He delves his hands into the oil and starts rubbing it through Lyle’s hair. It turns a glossy shade of pale brown, too light to match Mika’s hair. “Aw mate, you look gorgeous.”

“Do you honestly think it will work?” Matt looks at me, then at Lyle, then at Harry and Blitz.

“It has to,” Samual says, his fingers running over my scalp to massage the black into my roots. I find it hard to focus on anything but resisting the urge to elbow him right in the groin. “Besides, they’ll be less obvious like this.”

Sure.

“What about Blitz?” Lyle looks at the huge, white wolf watching everyone curiously.

“He kinda looks like a husky,” Mika muses.

“What’s a husky?” I ask.

Samuel’s hands pause in my hair for a second. Matt looks at me with wide eyes, and Mika frowns. The others are silent, waiting for someone to speak. My face heats up at the sudden attention, my eyes darting between Mika and Matt’s faces angrily.

“A husky is a breed of dog,” Mika says finally. “They kind of look like wolves.”

“Okay, could have just said that,” I hiss.

Samuel starts tugging on my hair again.

“I … it’s, well,” Mika looks at his brother before turning to me again. “How old were you when, you know, all this happened?”

“I was three,” I glare at the ground in front of me.

“Okay, well that makes senses it’s just,” Mika exhales rather loudly. ”I bet you don’t even know what a TV is. Have you ever heard any music before? Or is this all you’ve known?”

“I know what music is,” I snap.

“Name a song, then, that you remember,” Mika watches me intently.

My cheeks turn into an inferno as I continue to glare at the ground. “I … I can’t,” I mumble.

“It’s sad,” Samuel mutters, “that some people don’t even remember what the world was like before this. But for some people, it wasn’t any different,” I glance over my shoulder to see him staring at Mika. “Don’t give anyone hassle because they don’t remember the world like you do, okay?”

Mika narrows his eyes. “I’m not!” He retorts. “It’s just such a surprise that –“

“It’s also none of your damn business what people do and don’t remember,” Samuel snarls. I stare at him with open surprise. Sam and Julia have stopped whatever it was they were doing to look at him. Harry is staring at us with curious eyes, probably wondering where this is going. Lyle looks a little frightened, eyes darting between Samuel and Mika. “Just drop it, okay?”

Mika glares at him for a second before straightening to his full height. “Yeah, alright mate,” he drawls, accent thick with emotion. “I’m gonna go for a walk, make sure no one sneaks up on us.”

“I’m coming –“

“Lyle, stay here,” Mika snaps at his brother.

He glares at Samuel before stalking from the room, leaving everyone in a stunned, awkward silence. My eyes land on Lyle, his hair a glossy shade of light brown, dirt and charcoal covering his face, his bottom lip trembling as he watches Mika walk away, eyes wide and watering. My heart twists at the sight. I had never, not once, snapped at my little sister. I had never said anything cruel or harsh to her. I’d shown her nothing but love and compassion. Mika was the same with Lyle, but to snap at his little brother like that.

Matt lets out a breath. “That was intense,” he mutters, then chews on his bottom lip like he’s worried he spoke out of turn.

Are we regressing? The thought hits me suddenly and sharply. Are we, as a group, starting to go back to how we were as strangers? Acting like we don’t even know each other? No, that’s just stupid. Matt’s just shy. And Mika is … well, I don’t know Mika well enough to pass judgment. Samuel is Samuel, there is no real explanation for him. Harry is being observant and silent, and I’m kind of glad he didn’t join in. The girls are just watching in awkward silence, and Lyle looks like he’s about to cry. Poor little Lyle. Low walks over to him from where he’d been sitting in silence, and starts up a conversation about how to change Blitz’s coat colour. I turn my gaze back to Samuel, who has a stony expression carved into his features.

“Is anyone going to go talk to him?” I ask the dull silence.

“No,” Samuel grates out. “He needs some time to cool off. Don’t want to risk him yelling and giving us away.”

“Well he better get back before dark,” Matt says quietly.

Dark. It’s almost afternoon now.

Again I wonder if it’s better to run off on my own, and leave everyone behind. I wouldn’t need to worry about group tension or having someone rely on me for something. I also wouldn’t be around Matt. Maybe I could convince him to come with me. Just the two of us. We’re Immune, so it’s not like we’ll die, and I’m a decent hunter.

Although leaving everyone would make me feel so guilty. So very, very guilty. And everyone is so convinced that England will be safe. We don’t know how we’ll get there, but we’re still going to try. We are a hopeless race, assuming we can outlast a virus like this. Like hell it hasn’t spread worldwide.

Samuel finishes with my hair and walks over to Matt, Lyle and Low to talk to them about changing their hair colour. I sit silently for a moment, alone with my thoughts. I catch Matt’s eye, and smile. Pushing myself to my full height, I reach for my bow and walk over to an exit. I glance over my shoulder at Matt again, before walking out into the afternoon sun, a soft breeze tickling my hair and tugging at my clothes.

“Watching the sunset?” A voice asks behind me, a note of accusation in their tone. “With your bow?”

Samantha Banes

Not so long after falling to sleep, a yelp of pain yanks me from my dreams. Whipping out of my sleeping bag, the barest flickers of light cast dim a dim red glow from the embers of our fire across the group, including a man I had not seen before. Swordman Samuel was already up and near the man, weapon drawn while Harry stood close by. I pull my pistol then, following suit with the others as we all inch closer. The stranger seems panicked and something falls from his sleeve. Samuel warily regards the man. "Who are you?" I inch closer and, upon closer inspection, recognize the object as a syringe. Not-so-clear liquid is leaking from the now-broken needle into the dirt.

The man speaks up, voice shaky. "I... I didn't want to do it, I was just trying to survive." I'm calling bullshit. "By killing Harry?" I throw at back at him. He looks at me with wild eyes. "N- No! That would have just made sure he slept long enough for me to take him and collect the reward from Yuko."

The others all look around at each other at that. Harry looks at the ground and shakes his head at the man. "What reward?" The man's eye gleam as if he can already see it.

"A year's worth of supplies. An- And as many weapons and tools as I can carry." He looks around, pleadingly. "I needed it... so I stole this and moved on you. I was told the wolf would follow. I had to do it quick, before the death squad got you first."

The white haired guy's ear practically prick up. "Death squad?"

Harry looks over at him. "Five of Yukons best. With a complex skill set that makes them an excellent team, perfected for kill and capture assignments. And we have forty-eight hours before they find us."

Dragon-lady narrows her eyes. "How do you know the time?" There is an audible swallow from Harry. "I met a friend in the woods last night. He gave me my old pistols back and said that he'd keep the squad astray for forty-eight hours."

Steam is almost coming out of Wyvern's ears. "And you didn't tell us before?"

A sigh. "Well, we'd been through so much... the dogs, the argument, and the attack on Samuel... I just wanted us to have one good night's sleep before I told you." Samuel speaks up again. "Well it nearly got you killed." His eyes widen. Lightbulb.

"Wait, how did you know who Harry was?" The man looks startled to be the center of attention again. "There are posters with his face and reward all over. Others saw them too. Everyone wants to get in the good books of the most powerful man in North America."

Wyvern groans. "A manhunt! Just what we need." Samuel looks at her with a knowing gleam. "We're not going to let that happen. We're keeping Harry safe."

Suddenly, the man lashes out with a swift kick to Samuel's shin, who in turn drops his sword in surprise. Before we can even look up, the man is replaced only by receding sounds of crashing through the underbrush. Matt almost runs off after him before Wyvern grabs his arm. "Oh no you don't. You won't be able to catch up." The man looked like a crack-addled jackrabbit... "Besides, he won't go to anyone, or he won't get his reward. We should stay vigilant. There's bound to be others tonight."

"Not if they don't see Harry." Samuel pipes up. "Harry, go to your sleeping bag and pull it up over your face. We'll figure out something to hind you in the morning."

With that, Harry followed Samuel's orders and withdrew from the group. Samuel brings a newcomer to the group and we are all introduced to her, Julia. I try to position myself closer to her, also being a newbie but decide against it when I see how she responds to the other's greetings. She's been through a lot. The eyes always told volumes, and this girls eyes were full of stories.... and horrors...

I had trouble falling asleep again, with every little noise from the forest putting me and no doubt everyone else in the camp on edge. Finally though, the sweet embrace comes to me, and I drift off to troubled dreams.

When I wake up again, it takes more than a moment of panic and remembering to realize where it was that I fell asleep, and who the people around me are. It was somehow both unsettling and calming to have be in such close proximity with the group after such a long time alone. I could get used to this. She stopped the thought from continuing. But you shouldn't.

The group packs mostly in silence before heading out. I try my best to stay towards the back as we head out, but even looking at the back of people's heads, I can tell we're all jittery. Wyvern and Matt position themselves up in front with Samuel, and the looks on their faces alert me to something going on. Harry looks worried, so I take the initiative and speed up to walk along side him. When he looks over quizzically, I just smile and, despite my own conscience screaming to stop it, reach over and squeeze his hand. He seems surprised, but smiles nonetheless and we walk on with only the sound of the breeze to listen to.

Some hours go by before we stop again, and I realize that Wyvern, Mika and his little brother have split off. "To scout ahead." Harry tells me. Nodding, I take a few steps away from the group and take a seat, looking over the.... my group... family? No, I tell myself. It's far too soon to be calling any of these people anything but acquaintances.

"Sam, right?" I almost fall off the log I'm calling a chair before looking up. It's the white haired guy. The doctor of the group. Matt. Words suddenly refuse to cooperate with my tongue, but a stammer out a sentence. "Oh hey. Yeah, Sam." That's me. "You're Matthias?" He nods with a friendly smile on his face before gesturing towards my rifle. "That's quite a gun. How much ammo do you have for it?"

I stare blankly for a moment at the gun and the memories almost get out before I regain my composure. "It's...... kept me alive anyways. I don't use it unless I have to. Two full magazines and another 16 rounds in a box." I look up at him, wanting to change the subject.

"You have pistols right?" Matt nods and pulls his handgun from the holster at his belt before handing it over. M9, standard US military issue. 9 millimeter. I outwardly smirk and repeat it to myself. "9 millimeter...." I look back up at him for a moment before unholstering my own, handing it over with just a twinge of reluctance. His eyes almost pop out of his head when the weight registers. "What the hell do you shoot at with this? Buffalo? Bears?" Despite myself, I laugh. Dad always said the same thing...

"It gets the job done anyways. Use less ammunition when one bullet does the trick just fine." He nods slightly. "Fair enough." I hand his M9 back up to him and he does the same. For whatever reason, I almost start in about how my Dad had the same reaction when I first found the 10 millimeter, but before I can embarrass myself, Wyvern explodes from the treeline, sprinting like the Devil was after her.

We all jump up, weapons at the ready as she approaches. Samuel and Matt run to meet her while the rest of us repack what little we had take out. I can just make out snippets of their conversation.

"Hiding........ Old building....... People. A lot of people..... as many as us." Samuel and Matt exchange concerned looks. A few more words are spoken before Samuel shoulders his pack and turns to face us. "Let's move people! Looks like we're getting ready for a fight. Check your weapons and follow Wyvern. We're running." Shit. Crap. Crap crap crap. Shit.

At full pelt, it didn't take long before Wyvern and Samuel called us to a halt, and we stopped by the edge of the trees. Mika and Lyle were nowhere to be seen as we moved into the old building Wyvern had told us of. A quick sweep of the house made sure we were relatively safe inside, until the sounds of voices and footsteps are near. The group fell into a hush, frozen in fear until Samuel jumps into action, rubbing charcoal from an old fire across his face before crouching next to a long-dead man and cutting into his abdomen. Ugh, why would you- He wrapped his hand in a cloth before plunging his arm into the hole. Just as the footsteps grew dangerously close, a woman's face came into the window.

"Gaarrghhh! AaagggH!! Samuel threw himself at the window, painting the dusty glass with gore and issuing the most awful sounds. The woman let out a shriek, jumping back.

"There's one of them in there!" More footsteps as others came to peek in the windows, just as Mika and Wyvern caught on, painting their skin with the soot and letting out guttural growls and coughs.

"What do we do? Put a bullet in 'em"

Another voice. "Gotta save our ammo man, and who knows how many of them are in there. Just leave 'em be. I don't want to have to deal with these things." There was such a relief in the room that we may all have sighed out loud. Matt breaks the silence after a while.

"How did you know they wouldn't shoot you?"

Samuel turns around with a blank expression. "I didn't." Bad. Ass. "I can't believe that worked." Wyvern pitches in. "Fear and panic can be useful tools." Samuel responded, looking at her thoughtfully. He narrowed his eyes slightly before moving back to the charcoal, taking a handful and pouring a few splashes of water from his canteen into his hand. He took a few steps towards Wyvern.

"Don't move." He reached up for her head. "Samuel what are you... HEY!" Samuel ran the gritty, dark paste into her hair before she could jump away. "God! You are! Do you know how long it will take to get this out?"

"You're not gonna want to take it out." He said levelly. "If we use this stuff, maybe some used motor oil, we can change your hair color. Maybe make enough of a change to Harry and Blitz that no one will notice it's them."

Everyone starts to paste themselves up, with varying degrees of cooperation, while I decide to take a look again outside. After a quick peed through the window and a sweeping glance around at the trees, I decide it's safe. Walking around the corner, there's a large barrel sitting next to the side of the old building. Rust covers the surface, and minuscule holes have formed which seem to be leaking a black liquid. "Hey!" I shout, probably too loudly. Matt comes running outside and I run over to the barrel. "I think this is oil. Maybe this was an old farm barn or something." Matt come over and pries the lid off, showering us both with rust particles and confirming my suspicion. Between the two of us, we manage to lug the heavy container back inside with little spilling. Mike is already grinning when he guess what we've found. "Oil. We can mix that in with some dirt, and cover our faces." The Australian takes little time to get to work, and before long, Lyle's shock of white hair is a quite pleasing shade of brown.

I stay back from the group for a while, the drama that ensues between Mika and the rest of the group not particularly tantalizing. Harry seems to feel the same way, standing away from them and shooting glances towards me, but looking away when I try to meet them. I walk over to Harry, trying not to let Blitz stare scare me. It doesn't work.

"How are you?" I ask Harry. He looks up and back down, a little too quickly. He shrugs. "It's pretty clear that I'm a danger to the group. Half of them don't even want me here." He says sullenly. I put a hand on his shoulder. He almost shrinks away from my touch for a moment, but relaxes then. "Try not to let any of that get to you, Harry. Like Samuel said, fear is a powerful thing. No one here wants to leave you, not really. They're just scared. I think we all are." Who are you? Dr. Phil? What are you doing, Sam?

He sighs before letting the smallest of smiles creep onto his face for a brief moment. He turns towards me again and finally maintains eye contact. His, green, are reflecting the flickering wisps of flame that Samuel has going. "Thanks, Sam. I- ah... That means a lot." I offer a smile back. "I've lost people before. It might sounds silly but even though I've just met you all, I don't want to lose you too." A squeeze on his shoulder and I pull myself away.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see a form slip through the back door, and I follow curiously. When I turn the corner, Wyvern stands before me, bow in hand and pack on her back. Despite myself, I feel a twinge of betrayal. She's leaving? But...

"Watching the sunset?" I blurt out. The accusation in my voice is painfully clear. "With your bow?"

She whirls around, surprised and, was that guilt on her face? lowers her eyes. "You don't know me, Sam. I don't know you either. Why would you care?"

My face twists to register the shock in me. "Why would I care? Why-" I stop myself.

"Wyvern, I only met you- all of you yesterday, and already I can feel like I'm part of-" Say it.

"Part of a family again." She almost winces at the word. "This isn't a family, Sam. We're just survivors."

"Is there a difference anymore? I relied on my family for survival before they were taken from me. Now I'm relying on you. I think we're qualified." Don't overstep, Sam.

I swallow nervously before continuing. "If you won't stay for me, or anyone else.... Stay for Matt. Even I can see that you two need each other, even if neither of you wants to admit it."

Julia Lizongale

After the danger was avoided by Samuel jumping in the window as a woman appeared in it Julia slowly lowered her bow, keeping the arrow strug and watched everyone yell at him. Personally Julia thought it was extremely stupid but also lifesaving. Her hair was dark enough to be confused for black unless she hit the light right. She looked at the charcoal and looked at Samuel's face. She shrugged her jacket off, forgetting the scar on her arm and started rubbing the charcoal all over her skin. When she was done Julia began helping to rub charcoal in the kid's dog's fur, hiding the lighter fur with the dark black of the charcoal.

When two of the boys return with the barrel that Sam had found earlier. Inside was some old oil that they used to help darken their skin. it stung a little when she rubbed it over the scar, effectively hiding it from view. When they were all covered in charcoal and oil they sat down to decide what they would do next.

Wyvern

"If you won't stay for me, or anyone else.... Stay for Matt. Even I can see that you two need each other, even if neither of you wants to admit it."

Her words strike a chord in my chest. I lower my gaze, guilt and pain slamming into me. Why do I feel like this? Why do ... her words ring so much truth? For Matt? Stay for Matt? I look up, meeting her eyes.

"I ... everyone I've ever cared about ..." I choke on my words. "My family died. In front of me. I've tried hard not to feel anything ever again," my eyes burn with unshed tears.

Sam stares back at me in momentary silence. "So?" She says firmly. "You're not the only one that's gone through hell. We all have. You're not the only one that has lost family. We all have. Maybe if you just stop feeling so sorry for yourself, you'll realise that we all need each other."

My mouth drops in shock at her words. Even Sam seems a little taken aback. She lowers her eyes, cheeks flushing red.

"I um ... I didn't mean -"

"You're right, though," I cut in, finding my voice. "I ... I'm going to go find Mika. And maybe get some food. We can't keep living off dried meat forever. Something fresh would be good."

Sam tries to smile. "I can come with you," she offers.

My mouth opens to say, "No." But I stop myself. Instead, I smile at her and nod my head. "Yeah," I try to make my voice sound welcoming. "I wouldn't mind the company."

Sam looks almost relieved to hear that. She walks up to me and I turn around. We head toward the trees, where Mika probably went off to. The sun is starting to get lower and lower, a stiff breeze swiping at my body. I keep one eye on Sam as we walk through the trees, the other eye out for Mika. We don't get very far when I notice a form amidst the shadows of the forest. Sam opens her mouth to speak, but I hold a hand up to stop her, pulling an arrow out to load the bow. We flatten outselves against the nearest tree and watch as the figure looms closer, it's gait jarred and uneven.

"What -"

"Shh," I give Sam a sharp look and shake my head. We turn back to the figure and watch it stumble passed. When it's a blob of darkness behind us, I let out a breath I hadn't realised I was holding, and glance at Sam. "Infected."

"Ah," she chews on her bottom lip.

"The fu -"

Whirling around, I lift the bow and aim it at Mika's face. He stares at me with wide eyes, hands up defensively.

"What the hell?" He hisses.

"Have you been bitten?" I snap as quietly as I can.

He narrows his eyes at me. "No." He glances at Sam, then back at me. "What's this, the retrieval party?"

"Guess so," I spit back at him.

"It's also getting quite dark," Sam adds. "Lyle will be worried."

Mika rubs the back of his neck and gives me a sheepish look. "Hey um, listen," he begins, trying to meet my eyes, "I didn't mean to upset you before."

"Whatever," I roll my eyes at him.

"I think we should go back," Sam interjects.

"I agree," Mika gives me a challenging grin.

Ugh.

"Alright then," I lower my bow and spin around. Sam leads the way back through the forest, to our little camp inside the rotting building. As we walk, I mull over her words. Family. Family. Are we really like a family? I don't see it. I mean, all I see is a group of people trying to survive. Does that make us a family? If it does, we're nothing like my real family.

We arrive back at the building to find Samuel handing out some of the cured meat we've saved up, and some berries someone must have collected recently. We all eat, no one speaking. My eyes wander over the faces of the people present. I still don't see it.

"Are we a family?" I blurt.

Sam chokes on her food beside me, giving me a withering look. Everyone else just stares at me like I've grown a second head. But my gaze has turned to Matt, who is staring at me with flushed cheeks and curious eyes.

"Well?" I press. "Are we?"

Julia Lizongale

"Are we a family?" Wyvern blurts.

Sam chokes on her food beside Wyvern, giving her a withering look. Everyone else just stares at her like she's grown a second head. But her gaze has turned to Matt, who is staring at her with flushed cheeks and curious eyes.

"Well?" she presses. "Are we?"

After a moment of silence I look up, taking a deep breath before speaking,

"I would hope to God we are, because if we aren't then we're all going to die soon." Everyone looks at me, like they've just witnessed some unnatural occurance. A split second later Mika bursts out laughing.

"What the hell is so funny?" I demand, not used to how my voice sounds. Mika just keeps laughing.

I look around at everyone's shocked faces.

"In all aspects we are the only family each other has, and we need to work together like one otherwise, yes we are going to die. I don't want to die personally, I've seen enough death as it is." This gets Mika to stop laughing, which is good because I dont know how much more of his idiocy I could tolerate.

My throat feels raw after saying all of this, not using my voice for years and then suddenly talking a lot rubbed the chords raw. I look around at everyone my glance staying on Wyvern a little longer than everyone else before I look down and go back to picking at the dry straw on the ground.

"Can I just say, I dont think any of us were expecting the mute to talk." Mika pipes up after a few minutes. Looking up at him with a glare I respond.

"The actual hell did you just call me?"

I pull the pocket knife from my pocket and open it, suddenly it feels like all the air has left the room.

"Definitely not the reaction I expected, alright I'm backing down," Mika says flushing and looking down. I put the blade away and focus back on the floor, making sure to pay attention to everything everyone says.

"It's sad that some people don't even remember what the world was like before this. For some people, it wasn't any different," Samuel said thinking how dark his childhood was before and after the outbreak. "Don't give anyone hassle because they don't remember the world like you do, okay?"

Mika narrows his eyes. “I’m not!” He retorts. "It’s just such a surprise that –"

“It’s also none of your damn business what people do and don’t remember,” he snarls. Wyvern stares at him with open surprise. Sam and Julia have stopped whatever it was they were doing to look at him. Harry is staring at the pair with curious eyes, probably wondering where this is going. Lyle looks a little frightened, eyes darting between Samuel and Mika. “Just drop it, okay?”

Mika glares at him for a second before straightening to his full height. “Yeah, alright mate,” he drawls, accent thick with emotion. “I’m gonna go for a walk, make sure no one sneaks up on us.”

“I’m coming –“

“Lyle, stay here,” Mika snaps at his brother.

He glares at Samuel before stalking from the room, leaving everyone in a stunned, awkward silence.

Samuel shakes his head as he works on Wyvern's hair. Some part of him remembering when he used to run his fingers through Lucy's hair so long ago. He shakes the memory from his mind as Matt speaks up.

Matt lets out a breath. “That was intense,” he mutters, then chews on his bottom lip like he’s worried he spoke out of turn.

“Is anyone going to go talk to him?” Wyvern asks the dull silence.

“No,” Samuel grates out. “He needs some time to cool off. Don’t want to risk him yelling and giving us away.”

With her hair turned a dark black color, Samuel poured some water into a bowl to wash his hands off. The charcoal made his hands slick, if he needed to fight that would get him killed.

He heard Wyvern and Sam outside talking, though not really what they were saying.

Samuel looked around the room, people were tired, high strung. The group barely held together with the string of survival that they all faced.

As the girl, Julia, was covering up her skin, he noted the bite mark that she was taking great care to cover up. He didn't bring attention to it as he looked through the house for anything that they could use, without success.

It grew dark, and the small group came back with Mika. Samuel had gotten food warmed up and there was a steady silence.

"Are we a family?"

Hearing Sam choke, Samuel looks up a little confused. "Well? Are we?"

Julia speaks up giving her idea of what she thinks about it. Mika running his mouth again before being silenced by what would be a frightening Julia if it weren't for Samuel's deadening to it.

He paused as he prodded the fire a little. "It depends on your definition of family," he said feeling the eyes turn toward him. "If family is a group of individuals that rely on one another, then yes. We're a family. If family is a like minded individuals working toward the same goals, then yes. We're a family. But my experience with family has never been a good one. So I'm not one that could tell you yes or no."

Samuel stood as he headed around the house, locking windows, doors and blocking the basement. He knew people would be heading to sleep soon. One of the windows on the top floor led out to a small space to sit on the roof. He sat there keeping an eye out for trouble. He could get Mika or Matt later for the next rotation if he needed to.

Looking to the window he watched as Wyvern came out onto the roof with him.

She quietly sat down next to him, looking up at the stars. "What did you mean? Your experience with family not being a good one?"

Samuel sighed a little as rested his elbows on his knees. "My father was a drunk and an abusive one at that. Every night he would come home and unleash some new torture on me until I could barely move. Spend the day recovering and then have it happen all over again. Day in and day out."

Turning to her, Samuel could see an expression of shock, but not quite surprise. Like she expected something like that to be how he was how he was. "And to answer your next question, yes...that is how I got most of my scars."

"Didn't....anyone help you?" she asked quietly.

Samuel's expression changed ever so slightly, but it was enough to convey a world of painful sadness. "You should get some sleep," he said suddenly. The expression evaporating like dew in the sunshine.

Samuel didn't realize that Julia was sitting at the window, listening in.

Julia

***Dream***

I'm focused on a rabbit, bow in hand, arrow loaded. I can hear Jayden playing quietly in the stream nearby. I take a breath. And shoot. Hitting my target. I gather all my other quivers and sling the bow over my shoulders and grab the rabbit up. Dinner for another day.

Suddenly Jayden screams, and not a happy scream. I drop our dinner and pull a arrow from it's sling and load it into my bow. Running up to my brother. I notice we're both surrounded by the infected, I look around for a reason as to how they tracked us. I notice a small cut on Jay's arm. Fresh. Of course. Blood.

I shoot the nearest ones before grabbing Jay and booking it for the ladder to our tree house. Once out of the reach of the infected I push Jay towards the water basin and have him wash any blood off of him.

"Julie, Julie" he tries to say something I ignore him. Focused on killing all the infected. It takes a while. When I'm finally done I turn and see Jayden standing on the edge of the makeshift balcony. I look at him and notice...A bite mark on his arm.

"Jay....Jayden" I begin but he shakes his head, mouthing "I love you" before falling backwards off the balcony.

***End***

I wake up with a start. Everything is quiet, and it takes me a moment to remember where I am. I lay back onto my pillow and close my eyes, hoping to sleep again. Unfortunately Mika snores...loudly. I try to sleep for 15 minutes before giving up and arming myself with my bow and arrows and stepping carefully over everyone else. Making my way outside to the fresh air.

I pull my jacket tight closed against the cold air of the night. Looking out into the dark forest. I frown, I hate uncertainty of safety. I hear someone clear their throat and turn around, seeing Samuel on the roof. He holds his hand to help me up.

Once I'm on the roof I look out to the skyline, and it's quiet.

"Couldn't sleep" Samuel says, focused on the tree line.

I shrug and respond "Nightmare"

Samuel nods and is quiet again. A thought runs through my mind.

"Did anyone help you?" I ask, looking at Samuel.

He looks at me for a split second before going back to studying the treeline.

I frown and look at my tattered shoes.

"No, no one helped me." Samuel says, I look up at him.

"That's....that's stupid" is all I can say.

"It's alright, I turned out alright....or, at least I think I did"

I nod. And everything goes quiet again.

"So, you know my story...what's yours?" he asks.