I could feel the bags under my eyes, they cut off the air conditioner so there wouldn't be so much power being used throughout the night.

My legs ached, I've did nothing but stay awake for about four hours according to the clock. Aurei still laid there....I could hear the door open.

"Avery? Did you get any sleep?" A voice that belongs to Laurie asks, I shrug then turned around.

"No...I didn't..." I said, I sounded like those women in those movies who were hypocrites, hesitant and they cried about everything....being stupid for the lovers....

"Well you should get going...they have plenty of food...fresh fruits...even some dried bacon..." Laurie says, jerking her thumb to the door.

"I will eat later...once the doctor comes by and tells me what's going on with my sister." I said weakly, Laurie nods then walks back out, closing the door.

"How can I be so stupid? I've lost everything...." I said, pinching the bridge of my nose then Aurei's chest rises.

My heart skips a beat. No....please don't let her become one of the undead...I don't want to see her stuffing someone's organs inside her mouth...I don't want to see her rot and walk slowly....

No. No. I can't....

"A-Avery...." She whispers, I could feel my eyes widen. Her eyes open halfway, I grab her hand, she squeezes it.

"You're more upbeat than that...." She adds, her voice is faint....I give her a small grin.

I take a deep breath....Aurei gives me a gentle smile, I haven't seen much of those in a while....

"Is he gone?" Aurei asks, I raise a eyebrow.

"Who?" I ask softly, she tries to shrug but she gasps out in pain.

"The bastard that shot me." Aurei said breathlessly.

"Yeah...he's gone." I assure her, as I continue to rub my thumb along her knuckles.

"Good." Aurei whispers.

"This is my fault...I'm just a ignorant asshole..." I said, facepalming. Aurei knits her eyebrows at me, making an irked face.

"Stop saying that. You just screwed up." Aurei said weakly, her voice barely coming to a whisper.

"When you get better, I'll treach you how to shoot...that's a promise." I said, she gives me a small smile.

"When I get better, this hole hurts like hell...." Aurei said.

"Language." I said, biting my tongue as Aurei tries to take another deep breath but starts to wheeze a little.

"It's too late for that." Aurei said, I nod, then started to stroke her hand again.

"I thought you were dead..." I said, she closes her eyes then takes a deep breath.

"Where am I?" She asks softly.

"In a hospital....this isn't help....just a place where survivors get recovered and they have the choice to leave or stay." I said, she shakes her head.

She slowly closes her eyes, but her chest still rises up and down. I get up, then I walk out of the room.

I see patients looking at me, this place seemed too sketchy...there is no safe place...just easy targets for the undead. I keep walking until I stop at a line.

Laurie gets up from the floor then walks to me.

"Aurei is awake." I said with a small grin.

"That's good....what happened to your parents? If you don't mind me asking..." Laurie asks, looking down, she looks two years older than me, I could feel my whole face grow cold.

"My Dad died before all of this....my Mother turned into one of those things...so I had to put her down." I said, slowly stepping up as the line begins to get shorter.

"Damn...I'm sorry to hear that..." Laurie said, closing her eyes.

"My son....he was eating my husband, I had the bat in my hand so when he started to walk towards me, I kept beating him....keep that little girl pure....that's for one...we've had untrustworthy people here before..." Laurie said, cracking her knuckles.

"That little girl....what's she like?" Laurie asks as I step forward behind a man with a bald spot in his head, he's a little chubby but I bet if he could make it this far, anyone can....

"Quiet, very smart....she can outsmart a grown man if she wants to, swears a lot, but she is a very understanding person." I said with another small grin plastered across my face.

"Wow....she really could?" Laurie asks with a smile as she folds her arms.

"Outsmarted our Dad at chess, she's a logical little girl....outsmarted a teacher on his smoke break....." I said with a small smile, Laurie laughs.

"Really? How?" Laurie asks.

"She asked 'Why are you telling us not to smoke when you're doing it yourself?' And she had a point, this was the day before our Dad died...." I said, turning to Laurie.

"Wow....is she nosy?" Laurie asks with a chuckle.

"Not a chance....Aurei isn't annoying as she was when she was five....but when she was around thirteen years old, she was around to know about the severe problems...like our uncle who was going through a power struggle with our mother over the household." I explain, Laurie nods.

"Our uncle said that she was too wild, too grown for her age....but Aurei didn't act much of a kid most of the time....and she couldn't help but be that way, he also said that I had no sympathy for others...that I was up to no good, our mother didn't believe him, she kicked him out of the house before he can say another word." I said, it felt better that I could let this all out...I know Laurie is someone I just met....but she trusted me with her secret....so I trust her with mine.

"He wanted her to be a kid....but your little sister just ignored him....that isn't a problem with you though?" Laugie asks.

"Not really, she's just being tough....sometimes letting your inner child out can get you killed...." I said with a shrug.

"I guess you're right..." Laurie said with a shrug.

"Funny. My son was the opposite, he was deaf....but he always welcomed me with a smile whenever I came home from work." Laurie reminisces, then she closes her eyes.

"Sorry everyone, we're out of food!" Someone announces, a woman carrying a little girl glares at the man who was closing everything up.

"This is bullshit!! My daughter hasn't had a full meal in three fucking days!!!" She yells, the little girl looked so weak.

"You're running low on food." I said, turning to Laurie.

"Yeah...more of those dead hungry bastards blocked our way from reamstaurants that contain condensed food." Laurie said with a shrug.

"Still, that's a problem. Sometimes sacrifices are made." I said.

"I know....it's just...."

"Avery? May I speak to you?" I heard a familiar voice ask, I turn around to see the same doctor, he had pale skin, a bald head and a clean shaven beard.

"Sure." I said, Laurie nods at me, I turn on my heel then I follow the doctor down the hall.

"It seems that your sister is doing well." He said as he walks up the stairs.

"How did you know?" I ask.

"You're calmer now, dealing with patients can have you get used to their reactions." He said emotionlessly.

"Why do you want to talk to me?" I ask, following him down another hall, past a barricaded part of another hallway.

He opens the door to a small room with a desk and three chairs.

"Have a seat." He said, I sit down on the edge of the seat.

"I'm Dwayne....others call me Dr. Mayfield." He said, sitting down.

"What do you want from me?" I ask, giving him a poker face, he frowns then props his feet onto the desk.

"Harsh, after I've provided surgery to your sister....I would choose my words wisely." He said.

"Vise versa Dr. Mayfield." I shot back. If he hadn't saved Aurei I would've told him to go to hell....but he isn't like Joe....Joe says that I'm weak and that I wouldn't make it out here...but Joe's dead, unless I feel threatened I'll kill this man....

"I have a couple of questions...." Dwayne said, moving his feet off the desk and towards me.

"Did you kill any of those things?" He asks.

"I wouldn't be here if I didn't." I said matter-of-factly. He chuckles.

"Makes sense." He said noncholantly.

"Then there you go." I said, sitting back into the chair.

"Have you killed anyone?" Dwayne asks. I wasn't proud of killing those people....but I'll be honest.

"Yes. Most were going to kill my sister, one was bleeding to death so I put her out of her misery." I said, Dwayne looks at me with wide eyes.

"You don't look that strong-" He tries to say but I cut him off.

"Sexist bastard." I said quietly.

"I guess I underestimated you." He said quickly.

"I would've told you to go to hell if you were to do it again." I said, keeping a straight face.

"Do you know anything else about those things?" I ask. I know I call them roamers but if I don't want to seem bat shit crazy to Dwayne.

"They're dead....they don't think, they don't breath, they rot as they eat the organs and the flesh of the living....they'll eat anything alive...at least they're really slow so you have the advantage to run away." Dwayne said, sitting on the desk.

"If you run, you die. They can also come in herds....then what?" I ask, crossing my arms.

"You're a smart woman....but that isn't necessary here." Dwayne says, putting a hand on my shoulder, I glare up at him.

"No place is safe, that's why I try to stay on the move." I said, looking up at him.

"Then that'll change....soon your sister will eventually want to settle down somewhere....this place may be perfect for the both of you." Dwayne suggests, I gently pry his hands off my shoulder then just gave him the poker face.

"I'm leaving...I need to check on my sister." I said, quickly getting up and walking towards the door.

"Don't let your sister drag you down." He suggests.

That sentence felt like a slap in the face. Aurei is my sister.....she's alive. Like hell will I ever leave my sister alone to fend for herself....I can abandon anyone but her.

"Rot in hell Mayfield." I said coldly before calmly walking out of the room. This asshole must be out of his mind if he thinks my little sister is dragging me down.

I'd rather go down knowing that my sister is alive than abandon her just for me to live....she's the only one who tries to add humanity in my life...

And if she's not there, I'll have this whole world screw me.