"We'll be heading for this location here." Barnes pinpoints on the map that he acquired at a gas station they raided a while back.

"I figure it shouldn't take us more than a full day there and back. If we leave right when the sun hits the ground we should be back the next morning. It'll take more than a half a day there and we can start heading back and find somewhere to hide out when night hits." He continues staring down at the map.

We were all crowded in a circle near where I was laying since I wasn't supposed to be moving. Even no name was standing to the side listening.

"If for any reason we aren't back by mid-day expect us to either be stuck or worse." He looks to each of us and the vibe in the room went downhill fast. "I don't expect any of you to try and come after us, is that understood?" He stares right at me.

I knew he was meaning Kyle. Of course, I would be searching for them as well. But he didn't know that about me yet. That I was just going to be as hardheaded as Kyle is when it came to people he cared about. I get his meaning and nod, even though I wasn't going to hold him on it. If they aren't back here by mid-day tomorrow, I was heading out to search for them.

End of story.

"Alright lets pack up and get a few more hours rest. The sun will be up soon."

We all don't say a word as we do just that and before I knew it, I was out. When I wake up it was to find the others already gone.

"Hey, I made you some breakfast." Kyle tells me as he hands over a plate of sliced apples and oranges.

Apparently there was a nearby orchard not too far off from where we were. So, we had plenty of the fruit until the season for them was over. I take the plate and munch a little as I look around. Miles seemed to be gone as well. No name looked like was still sleeping, facing the wall away from us.

"Did they already head out?" I ask chewing around an apple piece.

Kyle sighs as he sits next to me. "Yeah, about an hour ago. Miles just went outside a few minutes ago. Didn't say where he was going though." He shrugs, not really caring that the guy had left.

"The water pump got clogged again. I was going to head out there right now to get it fixed but wanted to wait until you woke up first."

Wincing a little as I swing my legs over the cot I was lying on, I say, "I'll help you."

He starts shaking his head. "No way. Casey would kill me if I allowed you to do any laboring work."

I nearly growl at him. "Kyle, if I don't start doing my share of the work and start moving these muscles I won't be able to do anything for the rest of my life. I need to strengthen my body so I can heal better and faster. I already feel weaker as it is." I point out.

He looked a bit indecisive as he stares at me, making me sigh with a heavy breath. "Come on man. Would you want to sit around all day for the past few months watching everyone else doing everything while you sit there doing nothing?" I press.

His shoulders sag. "No, I would lose my mind if I had to sit here all day like you. But your wound-"

"Is getting better by the day. I need some fresh air anyways. Being cooped up in this bunker is slowly driving me insane."

"Alright fine. But you better stay by me, and you can't overexert yourself. If Casey finds out-"

"She won't, I promise." I quickly state and realize I was negotiating with a kid who was five years younger than me.

He stands up. "Fine but eat that first. Then we'll head outside."

I never scarfed down my food so fast in my life. I wanted to feel the sun on my skin, the wind in my hair, and the sounds of nature in my ears. With a pounding heart of excitement, I realized just how much I missed being outdoors. I was fine, truly I was. And I wasn't lying when I said I needed to get my muscles moving before I became an invalid.

I wouldn't be any good to Jinsen if I became too weak to find him.

Placing the plate next to me, I go to put on my shoes. It hurt to bend over, and it caused me to go slower than I would have liked. But I didn't show any signs that I was in discomfort in case the kid changed his mind. Although I'm older and considered to be an adult, I wouldn't put pass it that he could overthrow me in fighting right now.

I was seriously that weak.

Carefully sitting up straighter, feeling the tightness on my side, I make sure the bandage was still tightly wrapped around me. I carefully stand and I was feeling a whole lot better than I was a couple weeks ago which was a good sign.

I look over to no name. "Hey, want to join us for some fresh air?" I ask just in case he may want to venture out too.

He doesn't say anything, nor does he move from his position. I see his breathing, so I know it wasn't because he was dead or something. I could also tell from his breathing that he wasn't asleep. No, he was wide awake avoiding us like he usually does. Grimly looking away, I don't bother to ask again since he pretty much gave his answer loud and clear.

I move to follow Kyle out the door and up the concrete stairs to aboveground. As soon as the sunlight hit my face I was in heaven. Of course, not being in the sun for such a long time I knew I was pale as fuck, but the blinding light made my eyes sting and I had to quickly shut them before I went completely blind.

"You know, being in the bunker I never noticed how lack of sun you have been getting. You're white as hell." He laughs as he stares at me.

Being half Asian, I always had tanned skin no matter what time of year. Seeing my skin now though, it was amazing what little sunlight would do to a person.

"Regular visits out here will bring my natural color back in no time." I say to him as I get my first look of the surroundings I have been in since I woke up all those weeks ago.

I didn't recognize the area at all.

We were behind a farmhouse that was at least a half mile away. Beyond that was the highway and rows upon rows of dead crops. I turn behind us to see the beginnings of a forest that widened out into huge hills and then to the mountains that looked so close yet so far away from us.

The blue sky looked clear with big white puffy clouds spread out.

"Come on. The water pump is over here, behind the shelter." He says and begins walking ahead.

"Where do you think Miles went off too?" I ask as I follow him just around the bend to reveal a makeshift watering pump that was connected to the ground just above the shelter and into the river that was flowing behind and into the forest.

"Don't know." He states as he starts taking a large hose out of the ground. "He does this sometimes. Walks off when the others are gone and doesn't return until right before nightfall."

I frown at that. I was aware that he normally doesn't come in the bunker until right before then, but I wasn't aware that he goes MIA the entire day. I just figured he stayed outside, hating being in the bunker just like the rest of us. But to actually leave all alone?

What was he doing out there?

I look all around us as Kyle does his thing with the pump. As far as I knew Miles never brought anything back. So, it wasn't like he was looking for supplies himself. So, what the hell was he doing that no one knew about? I wonder if Branes even knew what he was doing or even aware that he goes missing all day long while he's away.

"Hey, mind giving me a hand real quick? But don't do anything to hurt yourself." He was quick to add as he grunts, trying to remove the gunk that was clogging the drain.

I carefully get down to my knees on his other side and hold the hose so he can get the gunk out of there as well. We sat there doing that for at least fifteen minutes. The sun was a bit hot today beating on my back, but I welcomed it wholeheartedly.

"Alright, I think that should be good." He finally says and starts to connect the hose back to the drain.

Once that was done, he begins to say as he looks back up at me, "We should head back in-Zared watch out!" His eyes grows big as saucers, fear and shock written all over his face.

I go to turn my head to see what he was looking at when Miles stands there swinging a flat head shovel right at my face and blackness takes over.