*unedited*

"Say something," he croaked, his tone sharing the agony of his past choices.

She remained silent for a moment. What could she say or do? Disengage from her promise? That's not the type of person she was, nor the person she wanted to be. And besides, didn't everyone have a dirty little secret in this harsh new world? She knew as much as anyone that it wasn't easy to keep your hands clean anymore. Sharon glanced at the dirt under her own nails.

"Let's just find your car," she said softly.

Her daughter opened her mouth to speak, but Sharon held up her hand and shook her head. The last thing she wanted was for him to find out about her own morbid past. It was something that had happened while her daughter was sound asleep, and she hasn't had the heart.

He sighed in relief. "Thank you."

Heather looked behind them. "Don't thank us yet."

Turning around, Sharon swore under her breath. "We gotta move it! Now!"

Behind them the herd was approaching faster than they were able to move. She thought they got rid of them, but they must have heard the gunshots. Tightening her grip on Karl, she plowed forward as fast as his weight would carry them.

"Leave me behind," he said, stopping in his tracks. "I'm only slowing you down."

"Just shut up and move it," she ordered. "No one is being left behind."

Even Ben stepped behind Karl and pushed his butt, egging him forward. She couldn't help but smile. He wasn't big, but he really did love trying to help. She just wished she could give him a better life than this, but one couldn't turn back the hand of time.

"Up there. My car is that black one," he said, pointing ahead with the free hand that was wrapped around her shoulder. It was about a half a block ahead and sitting all by its lonesome. The road up ahead was clear of any zombies by the looks of it, but one never knew for how long.

"Where are your keys?" Sharon asked.

"My front pocket."

She put her hand in his front right pocket, but found a big hole where the bullet pierced. "Heather, check his other pocket."

Both of them came up empty. That wasn't good. "What are we supposed to do now?" Heather cried, looking back over her shoulder.

"We need to find a place to hide until we can find another mode of transportation," Sharon commented, sweat beading on her forehead. They weren't going to last much longer out here. It was a little easier to hide in the dark, but it was like they could smell you from a mile away.

"Here?" Karl suggested, pointing to the white panel house ahead of them. "I hid in here for a few days. It's been ransacked, so there isn't much left, but it's a place to stay."

Why the heck did she go to the school today? They wouldn't be in this predicament if she hadn't gone so far away and allowed Karl to follow her back. She hated that she had been so careless. She should have been paying attention. Her lack of attention to detail was going to get them killed.

"We should turn in here," Karl suggested, pointing to the house right beside them. "Go around the back so that they can't see where we've gone."

That would be good, providing there weren't any coming up the alleyway. But it was the only option at this point. If they saw what house they went into, the doors and windows wouldn't stand a chance. They could handle one or two, but not a hundred. Tightening her grip on his belt loop, she pressed on forward.

When they reached the back, she sighed with relief. The yard and the alley were clear of zombies. Not a sight you'd see very often. And the people that they had been fighting with were long gone. It didn't take them long to get to the back door of the neighbor's house. Her daughter knocked on the door, and then put her ear against it to listen.

Thankfully the coast was clear. Heather pulled a pin out of her hair and shoved it in the lock, moving it around carefully until she heard a click. Trust her daughter to know the tricks of the apocalypse trade. They'd gotten pretty good at it as of late. Strange thing to be proud of, but she really was.

If they didn't know how to open a door, you had to break it and then what good was it? It would leave them vulnerable in a crazy world. Walking through the kitchen, they paused at the entrance to the living room.

"Where should we plunk your ass?" Heather asked.

"Heather!" Sharon said.

"The couch is fine," he replied.

They walked over to the couch with him and he sat down. Sharon leaned down and helped him lift up his legs. He let out a painful groan. "Sorry."

Laying his head back, he closed his eyes; a grimace resting on his face. "It's fine."

"We need to check the rest of the house, will you be okay?" she asked.

He waved her away with his hand. "Don't worry about me."

As the early morning sun started to break through the window, she could see the blood staining his shirt. "We won't be long."

Guiding Ben to the corner between the couch and the wall, she said, "I want you to hide right here and not come out until I come back okay?"

"I want to go with you," he pouted.

"I'll let you explore with me after we make sure the house is clear, okay?"

"But I can help. I'm not a baby anymore."

"Stay here and keep Karl safe for me then okay?"

His eyes widened. "Can I have a weapon?"

"Call for us if you see or hear anything," she said, ruffling his hair.

He continued to pout, but took his place in the corner, watching the area vigilantly. The house appeared to be silent, but that didn't mean anything. Anyone or anything could be waiting in the shadows. Quietly they moved through the main floor, checking everywhere before stopping at the base of the stairs.

That's when they heard it. The sound of something rolling across the hardwood floor above them...