** EMOTIONAL DAMAGE**

This whole book is just a giant knife to the heart. Sorry...not sorry.

**A little Chloe aesthetic. The little girl is an AI version of what I imagine she looks like**

Once everyone in the room was awake and they ate another can of food, they got ready to leave the room. Zach gave Alex some food to put in her pack, once they shouldered their packs he handed her a pistol. He gave her a pointed look and she nodded stiffly, slipping it into her thigh holster. Chloe grabbed her stuffed bunny, shoved it into her bag and her brother's hand and they slowly and carefully unlocked the door.

Alex and Zach clicked their flashlights on and slipped out into the dark tunnel, with Chloe between them. Zach took the lead, quietly stalking down the hall. No one said anything. Alex's nerves were on high alert, the quiet feet and tinkling of glass still very fresh in her mind. Zach led them through turn after turn.

It's just like the shuk maze down here!

All morning they walked, well it seemed all morning, could have been longer, might have been a full day. They had just taken another rest break when Alex heard a quiet pop. Instantly followed by tinkling of glass. Alex was on her feet, flashlight and gun held up, her heart racing.

"What?" Zach asked, alert again.

"Shh. Listen." Alex breathed. They waited a full minute until it happened again. A small quiet pop. And tinkling glass, followed by faint demonic laughter. Zach was on his feet beside her holding his gun in an instant. Alex's chest was heaving.

"We need to go." He said.

"No Shuck Sherlock!" She sassed. "It was following me yesterday before you jumped me. But the disembodied laugh is new." she added.

Zach backed up, waving a hand behind him, "Chloe. Come on, get up, we need to move. Now."

Alex slowly backed up, gun still raised, Zach grabbed Chloe's hand.

"Come on!" Chloe called quiet.

Alex turned, put the gun into her holster and grabbed the girl's hand and the three of them ran. They took a few corners, Zach pulled them up against a wall.

"Lights off." He rasped out.

Alex did as he said. Their breath ragged from running. Zach's breathing sounded worse, he couldn't seem to catch his breath. They heard the slap of footsteps coming down the tunnel. The sound echoed off the walls. It was only after her breathing slowed down did she hear the unnerving wild laughter again, that was riddled with wet hacking coughs. Alex's eyes were wide. She turned her head to look at her two companions. Chloe looked terrified. Zach was shaking his head furiously, like he was trying to dislodge something inside.

"No. Zach! No, we need to go. Come on! Don't listen to it!" Chloe urged quietly.

She grabbed his hand and pulled. Zach was starting to twitch and moan. Alex grabbed his other hand and helped Chloe pull him down the hall away from the wild crazed laughter. Every few feet the girls had to stop, Zach was thrashing and grabbing his head. At first it was quiet, an internal battle. But he started to get louder. He kept ripping his hands out of their grip, grabbing his head, pulling his hair, grunting and muttering to himself.

"Please Zach...please come on, don't listen to it!" Chloe pleaded, pulling his hand again.

The wet juicy cackling behind them was getting louder, following the sounds of Zach's muttering and yelling and the girls pleading. Alex froze when she heard Chloe scream.

She pulled her flashlight out of her pocket and flicked it on. Just at the edge of her beam of light stood a man. He just appeared, they didn't hear him coming so quickly, one minute he was following then next he was there.

Alex's mouth had gone dry again, her knuckles white from clenching the light. Chloe had froze, her eyes wide in terror. Alex threw an arm out in front of Chloe, and slowly pushed her behind. The man was leaning heavily to the right, his left leg jiggled, like a nervous tick. His left arm was also twitching, his fist clenching and unclenching. The suit he was wearing was dirty ripped and wet with something Alex didn't want to know the source of. What had Alex's attention though was his face and head.

Most of his hair was gone, leaving big red sores and scabs. There were only a few small tufts of hair left. His face was pale with black ropey veins all over his neck and face, He was missing an eye, a bloody gummy mess was left in place. But what really turned Alex's stomach was the fact he was missing a nose. Alex could actually see the nasal passage in his skull, underneath all his mangled skin. His mouth was drawn back into a black and bloody gummy snarl. He let out a loud wet juicy cackle. And then he said something that made Alex's blood freeze.

"Rose stole my nose, I suppose."

Chloe screamed, grabbing a handful of Alex's jacket from behind. Zach cried, thrashing, still fighting whatever demons were in his mind. He had sunk to the floor in a crouch, holding his head. Alex prayed he wouldn't crank out right now. Chloe just stood transfixed in horror.

"Rose took my nose, I suppose." The man repeated with another wet cackle.

His head was rolling back and forth. Alex was scared to move, unsure what their next move was. She had to get them out of there, but with no way of knowing where she was, she couldn't even get herself out.

"GET IT?" the crank suddenly yelled, spit and black goo flying from his mouth.

"It really blows. My nose. Taken by rose. I suppose." He whispered, like he was cooing to a loved one.

"Ya...ya we get it," Alex said, "Very funny! So funny, you should be a comedian." Alex forced a laugh.

She gave Chloe and Zach a side eye, trying to figure out what to do. Chloe had somehow pulled a can from her backpack and was gripping it tightly. The girls made eye contact, and Alex nodded. Alex stepped out of the way and Chloe threw it with all her might, it smashed into the cranks face, and he screamed in a wild animalistic way that set ice shivers down Alex's back.

"RUN!" Alex yelled.

She spun on her heel, grabbing Zach by the arm and pulled him from the floor. Chloe already sprinting ahead of them. Alex glanced behind them, and she saw more of them, more cranks, creeping out of the darkness. All of them just as gone as the Rose man.

"You have a pretty nose! I want your nose!" He shrieked, and chased after them. The small gang of Gone Cranks following.

"Where do we go?" Alex yelled at the other two. Zach had grown quiet, he wasn't struggling, which made running easier, Chloe took a right. Alex followed without hesitation.

"There is a door up here...somewhere... I think...Zach where's the door?"

"I don't know," he snapped.

"Please Zach! Where is the door?" Chloe cried, "Come on, think! Please!" She was close to tears.

He growled in frustration, but pointed a shaking hand up the hall.

"Next intersection, take a right. On the left side."

Alex grabbed Chloe's free hand and ran faster down the hall, hearing the cackles and coughs and cries from the cranks following them. Alex got to the door, pushed it open, pushed the other two inside and closed the door as quietly as she could. There was a table in the far corner, other than that, it was an empty room.

"Chloe go hide under there. Zach, I don't know what's going through that shuck head of yours but I really could use that bloody soldier training. I can't do this alone." Alex whispered urgently to the two.

Chloe ran to her brother, and wrapped her small arms around his waist. He hesitated but hugged her back.

"Chloe. You need to promise me. Listen to her. Okay? Please. And I'll see you...over the rainbow." Zach struggled to get out.

Chloe gulped, tears in her eyes "Zach ..what-"

He cut her off with a scream, "PLEASE CHLOE!"

She flinched. A tear falling down. His eyes softened and he dropped to his knees. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry." He hugged her tight. "Please. I promised mom and dad I'd keep you safe. Listen to her. Please." He pleaded. Chloe nodded slowly, another tear falling down her face.

"Okay. I promise. I love you Zach!" She whispered.

He hugged her tight. "I love you too Chloe. You're a brave girl. And smart. I'm proud of you."

The girl nodded, backing away and crawled under the table, pressing into the corner. Her eyes wide and Alex could see tears silently sliding down her face and neck, her lower lip trembled. Alex took a deep breath, and crouched down in front of her.

"Hey, I know you're scared. I'm scared. A good friend once told me, 'if you ain't scared, you ain't human.' It's okay to be scared, but we need to be brave right now. Do you know what that means?"

It's the same bloody thing I had to say to Chuck. Shuck this! I shouldn't have to tell kids, shucken babies to be brave.

Chloe shook her head.

"Being brave means doing what's right, what we have to, even when we're scared." Alex explained quickly and quietly. She gave the girl a small smile.

"You hold onto this knife." Alex pulled out one of her knives and handed it to her. "But I want you to stay hidden. Understand?"

Chloe gave her a small nod, gripping the knife tight.

"Good that. I made your brother a promise to keep you safe. And I don't break promises. Cross my heart."

And she drew a quick X over her heart. Even though her heart broke, thinking of the last time she crossed her heart with Minho. Alex pulled out her other knife.

"If I tell you to run, you need to listen okay?" Alex told her. The girl clenched her jaw but nodded. She made sure Chloe was hidden from view under the table, as best she could.

Zach was still kneeling in the middle of the room shaking his head, his eyes glossed over and dark. Alex didn't have a lot of experience with cranks, and what she did have wasn't good, so she wasn't sure what to do with him.

"Zach?" She whispered, unsure. He was unresponsive, but coughed and a little black coloured phlegm dribbled down his chin.

Oh shuck. Black is not good.

She thought of Chris, and Ben and Winston...they all had black goo before they turned. She left him for the moment, easier to leave him. She flattened herself against the wall, beside the door, steading her breathing. Waiting. The anticipation was the worst. She could hear the Rose crank coming closer, getting louder and more wild.

SHUCK MY LIFE! I just want to see the sun again. And I want to see Newt laugh..and Tes giggle. I would love to see Minho throw his head back and laugh, I want to hear his deep raspy voice call me a shuck face! I want to feel the spark of electricity when his lips are on mine. Chuck, I love you, but I ain't ready to come visit yet!

There was a loud argument outside the door. Apparently the gone cranks didn't want to chase their next meal and left the Rose man.

Well, one crank is better than a group...

Her desire to live, her desperate need to see her loved ones again drove the determination, drove her will to live. Her love for family, her hatred for WICKED, her disgust with this disease; a disease that strips all humanity from you, leaving nothing but a wild animal. So far, she had defied all the rules thrown at her, defied death too many times to count. She could defy the odds one more time. Right?

Zach was hunched over, his breathing was heavy and ragged. The cackling laugh was right outside the door.

"OH NOSES! COME OUT COME OUT WHEREVER YOU ARE!" the crank screamed, followed by a wet cough and manic laughter.

Zach was growling like an angry animal now.

Please don't turn, I can't fight both of you!

There was a bang on the door beside Alex, making her jump.

"COME OUT TO PLAY NOSES!"

She pushed her back flat against the wall, waiting. The door slowly creaked open, taking her attention away from Zach. The crank stepped into the room.

"You stole my nose, I suppose. I want it back."He whispered menacingly.

Alex gripped her knife, knuckles going white. Her breath caught in her throat while her heart thudded against her ribs. The crank took another step into the room. Alex stayed hidden behind the door. The crank was staring at Zach, who hadn't moved from the middle of the room.

"Hello noses." the crank hissed.

Zach finally looked up, his eyes were pits of black. Alex had to close her eyes for a second and remind herself he wasn't Chris. The crank took another step forwards, closer to Zach. Alex took a silent step forward.

Before she could stab the crank he spun around and grabbed her wrist, screaming at her. He squeezed her wrist, and lunged at her, causing her to drop the knife. Alex yelled, definitely, back in his face. She brought her knee up into his stomach. The crank groaned and stumbled backwards, letting go of her wrist.

Alex dove for her knife on the floor. She just managed to wrap her fingers around the handle when she felt pain shoot up her leg. She twisted onto her back, the crank had dug his teeth into her calf, ripping through her pants and biting into her flesh, ripping a chunk away. Alex screamed in pain. She kicked him in the face with her free foot, where his nose should have been. He let go, giving Alex time to scramble backwards and onto her feet. She could feel the warm blood running down her leg

"NOW WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO HELP ZACH!" She screamed.

Her eyes glued onto the noseless crank, who was now seething with rage, he was panting, and screaming. Spit and black goo flying. Alex's blood dribbled down his chin. He lunged at her, Alex scrambled out of the way, just in time. He changed targets and lunged for Zach who was still kneeling in the middle of the room.

The crank knocked Zach down and crawled on top of him, biting and scratching. Zach finally fought back, throwing punches and biting and wiggling under the crank. Alex flung herself at the crank, throwing her shoulder into his side, knocking him off Zach. Zach rolled onto his hands and knees, coughing up black. Alex and the crank rolled on the floor. The crank was flailing his arms, and managed to hit Alex in the face. The crank screamed at her. Movement on the floor caught his eye and he smiled wickedly.

"Hello, pretty nose!"

He had seen Chloe.

He left Alex on the floor and scrambled over to Chloe hiding under the table. She screamed and scrambled out from under it. The crank grabbed hold of her ankle and pulled her back. He grabbed her shoulders. She screamed again. Zach lunged forward at the same time as Alex, both yelling a desperate "NOOOOOO!".

The crank threw an elbow, knocking Zach back. Alex managed to stab her knife down, causing the crank to howl in pain. He let go of Chloe to grab at Alex. Chloe stumbled back, tripped and smacked her head on the wall and slid to the floor. She didn't get back up. The crank kicked out, hitting Alex in the ribs, she fell back into Zach. Who shoved her into the wall and screamed at her.

Shuck it. Now I have two.

Alex was backed up against the wall, standing over an unmoving Chloe, holding a knife facing two cranks .

Alex spat blood from her mouth. This was a hopeless situation. She couldn't see a way out. She had no way to fight off two wild Past Gone cranks and keep the kid and herself alive. She bit her lower lip hard to keep it from trembling, tears pricked her eyes. She was hopeless, but she would go down fighting.

"Zach!" Alex pleaded, "Think about Chloe. She needs you! She needs her big brother right now!"

Alex could see the blackness lighten, his eyes cleared for a second.

"Help us please. Help Chloe. One last time." Alex tried again.

He blinked. The crank lunged for the girls. Zach jumped forwards at the same time. He knocked the crank onto his back. Zach scrambled on top of him, pinning him down. They were screaming at each other. Alex picked up her knife, scrambled over to the wrestling cranks and plunged the blade down into the cranks heart.

The crank became still, his blood flowing from the stab to his heart. Alex pulled the knife out. Zach slid off, panting and coughing. Tears in his eyes.

"Alex...I can't. I can't hold on...much longer." He looked into her eyes, pleading. "I don't want to turn into him. I don't want to be past the gone!" He wiped a tear away. "I don't want Chloe to see me like that."

"Zach.." Alex started.

"NO! YOU PROMISED!" He screamed, his eyes clouding over in anger. Alex backed up.

"Zach, please..."

"NO! YOU COWARD!" He yelled, he jumped forward, knocking her onto her back, he scrambled on top of her, pinning her down.

"You promised! You promised me!" He hissed, his face inches from her. He slipped a pistol from his belt and cocked it, putting the barrel to her forehead.

"COWARD!" He screamed again, his eyes black pits, rimmed with red. The veins popped out of his neck as he yelled. Tears slid down her face, into her hair. She didn't want to take a life. Not his life. Not like this! He was still in there. Chloe needed her brother.

"Okay...okay Zach." Alex whispered, her voice trembling.

At least with Winston, he was sane enough to do it himself. Chris and Ben were pushed into the maze, I didn't have to witness their deaths. Maybe I am a coward. All those boys who suffered, and I left them to others, to make a choice between two evils. At least here, I could put this young man out of his misery. Right? Shoot him while he's sane or wait until he's wild and trying to eat us...Chloe won't have to see it.. No, I'm responsible for all their deaths. I'm nothing but a coward and a killer. You're nothing more than a murderer.

She reached shaking hands up, and grabbed the barrel of the gun that was pressed into her forehead.

"Zach."

She gently pulled the gun from his grasp. His eyes cleared, long enough for him to whimper

"Please..Alex. Please." He grabbed onto the barrel, and held it to his own forehead. "I'll see her...over the rainbow."

Alex pulled the trigger with a loud sob.

There was a bang and a sickening splatter. She felt warm blood splatter all over herself. Zach's lifeless body flopped on top of her. Her stomach twisted, she was going to throw up, she could feel his life flowing out of him, she pushed his body off and she scrambled away from the two dead bodies. Alex collapsed, sobbing, great shuddering sobs.

What have I done?!

She rolled over onto her hands and knees and threw up. Her breath came in and out, too quickly. She pressed her forehead onto the cold cement ground and screamed. She screamed until her voice was raw. She knew she had to get up and check Chloe. They had to leave, the other cranks definitely heard everything. She gave herself one more minute, trying to take deep breaths.

She got shakingly to her feet, deliberately looking away from the bodies on the floor. She crouched beside the girl, and rolled her over. No blood, and she was breathing. Alex slid the gun into her belt, it was still warm, a nasty reminder of what she just did, along with her bloody knife. She lifted the girl with a grunt and cautiously walked out of the room.

We need to get to the surface, no more dark. And we do it fast.

Alex ran as fast as she could, while holding Chloe in her arms. It was another hour or so before she stumbled upon what she assumed was a ladder. Alex laid the girl onto the ground, slipped Chloe's backpack off, throwing it over her shoulder as well. Alex climbed up the ladder and pushed on the heavy metal top. She strained her muscles, grunting in the process. She managed to slide it a bit. She took a breath and pushed the lid a little bit more.

"Come oooon!" she grunted. It finally slid open.

They made it! They made it to the surface!