"Jesus, fuck!" Katherin huffed as she opened the passenger door, sliding into the vacant seat.

Morgana had pulled the steering wheel to the left, narrowly missing the tree that they had been hurtling towards. The action had caused the car to tilt dangerously on its side, threatening to roll if they drove any faster.

Katherin had almost been crushed underneath the wheel. She'd tucked her legs to her chest at the last moment, grunting as her arms had to take her weight.

"I'm sorry, okay?" Morgana replied.

She scrubbed her face with the back of her palm, begging herself to stay awake. Her vision was beginning to blur, tiredness setting in. She hadn't thought to bring her glasses with her to meet Ttod. He always had her spare pair on him, just in case.

The stench of blood wafted from Katherin's side of the car.

"You're filthy," Morgana told Katherin, wrinkling her nose in disgust.

Katherin shook her head, a small smile playing on her lips. She pulled the metal bat from her jacket, dropping it to her feet.

"You're welcome," she responded.

The horde was following the car. They inched forward at an agonisingly slow pace, their patience outweighing their need to feed.

It was curious. Katherin had seen the zombies run before. She didn't understand why they didn't run now when the zombies could easily overpower them.

Morgana tugged on the steering wheel, wincing as the wheels squealed in protest. She slammed her foot on the accelerator, eyeing the small torchlight that indicated Jaxx and Gwynth's presence on the hill.

"Don't tell Jaxx about the bat," Katherin muttered. "He'll kill me."

"He doesn't have to know," Morgana responded, though she glanced at Katherin's blood-splattered torso.

Jaxx would know. He wouldn't need anyone to tell him. The evidence was glaringly obvious.

Morgana slammed her foot on the break, screeching to a stop in front of Jaxx and Gwynth.

Gwynth climbed into the back seat. She slammed the door behind her, shuffling into the footwell, her leg dragging behind her stiffly. It looked pitiful. Gwynth's jeans had been torn, exposing the blue-black bruises littered around her injury. A stick had been fastened tightly to her leg; a makeshift splint.

Jaxx opened the passenger door, squeezing in beside Katherin.

Morgana put the car in reverse, turning around and heading back down the hill.

"We found a medical kit," Jaxx explained, his hand clutching the seat as Morgana drove off erratically. His other hand fumbled for his back pocket, pulling out a roll of bandages.

"You were supposed to stay put, not go off on some scavenger hunt," Katherin's spoke softly, a hint of frustration lacing her tone.

Morgana chuckled.

"You're both as stubborn as each other."

Katherin huffed.

"I don't need the bandages. Save them for later. The others might be injured."

Katherin's head was spinning. The adrenaline of her confrontation was wearing off, leaving her with a hollow chest.

"Don't be an idiot," Gwynth called from the footwell.

The splint dug into Gwynth's thigh, blistering the skin, but it was better than the alternative. Gwynth needed to be able to walk on her own. It wouldn't help anyone if she was unable to fight, if she relied on others to get her to safety.

"Fine."

Katherin peeled off her jacket, hissing as she tugged her wounded arm from the sleeve.

Blood had coating Katherin's skin in a thin film, leaving her skin sickly pale.

"Ouch. Are you sure you're feeling okay? You've lost a lot of blood," Morgana spoke, her eyes glued onto Katherin's wound.

"Keep your eyes on the road," Katherin replied.

They didn't want a repeat of before.

"You didn't answer my question.

"No, I'm not okay. I'm annoyed because that fucker tore through my tattoo. Do you know how much they cost? I won't even be able to get anyone to fix it because everyone's fucking dead."

Jaxx snorted, failing to hide his amusement at the situation. He fished through the glove box, pulling out a half-empty bottle of whiskey.

"No," Katherin grimaced.

"I need to clean the wound."

"That's going to fucking hurt."

"Don't be such a baby," Gwynth muttered.

The car sputtered as Morgana hit the horde, rolling over the bodies of the undead. A zombie hit the window next to Morgana's head, clawing at the glass as Morgana accelerated away.

They'd have to fight soon. It was necessary for them to get to the apartment, to save their friends who were trapped inside.

Katherin's lips drew into a thin line, her eyes flashing with rage. She didn't like it when Gwynth belittled her, when she treated her like she was nothing more than a child.

Katherin hadn't forgiven Gwynth for siding with her parents those years ago when Esther had finally come out to her parents. It had been brutal. Katherin didn't understand why Gwynth wouldn't want Esther to be happy.

"Fine. Just get it over with," Katherin held out her forearm hesitantly.

Jaxx grabbed Katherin's forearm gingerly, careful not to put pressure on the wound. He twisted the lid of the whiskey open with his teeth, unravelling the bandage with his free hand.

Katherin closed her eyes. The whiskey was going to burn. She knew it.

Jaxx poured whiskey over Katherin's arm, holding out the remainder for her to drink. Katherin took it, her fingers gripping the glass dangerously tight. Her teeth ground together as she put the bottle to her lips.

The wound sizzled. Katherin fingers digging into the seat, biting down on her lip as she tried not to scream.

Jaxx grabbed the bandage quickly, wrapping it tightly around Katherin's arm.

The car slammed to a halt.

"Get the others," Morgana spoke quickly, looking over her shoulder at the approaching horde.

Jaxx opened the passenger door, sliding out without a word.

"I'm going too," Katherin muttered, grabbing the metal bat as she darted out the door.

Morgana nodded, revving the engine as she accelerated off. The horde turned their attention to the car, trudging slowly down the road in pursuit of a meal.

Morgana was buying them time; enough to get the others packed and ready to fight.

Katherin jogged behind Jaxx, grabbing his forearm with her free hand. The metal bat was clutched uselessly between her fingers, her wounded forearm aching in protest.

"What are you doing? You're injured!" Jaxx huffed.

"You left your knife in the car."

"Fuck. Give me the bat."

"And leave me without a weapon? No way."

"You can't even move your arm properly. How are you going to swing a bat?"

Katherin sighed in defeat, handing the bat to Jaxx.

"Thank you."

"If I die, it's all your fault."

They crept towards the apartment building, circling each other as they eyed the retreating horde. The shadows seemed to loom over them, twisting into monstrous, alien shapes.

"Wait outside. I'll get them," Jaxx spoke absent-mindedly, his attention focused on the door.

"If the horde comes back, I'll die."

"I'll be quick."

"Zombies can run."

"God, you're so annoying."

"Does that mean I can come with?"

"Yes."

Jaxx rolled his eyes. He strode forward to the door, almost pulling it off the hinge as he yanked it open.

"Wait - Jaxx!" Katherin grabbed Jaxx's arm.

Jaxx turned around.

"What? The others are inside. We need to get them."

"No, they aren't! Look!"

Katherin pointed to the door. The black sharpie was barely visible against the wood.

"They went to the pharmacy."

Morgana pulled up outside the apartment, the wheels screeching as she pressed the brakes a little too late. She rolled down the passenger window, shouting to Jaxx and Katherin.

"Weren't you supposed to get the others?"

"They're not here," Jaxx responded dryly.

"You're joking," Morgana replied.

"No. They're at the pharmacy," Katherin replied.

"Get in."

She slid in the passenger seat, motioning for Jaxx to get in the back. Katherin wasn't going to sit with Gwynth, not now. She'd blame Esther's absence on her.

Morgana waited until Jaxx closed the back door. Then, she sped off.

The ride to the pharmacy was tense. Morgana gripped the steering wheel, constantly looking over her shoulder in search of zombies.

Katherin closed her eyes, her head rested on the dash. Her heart was pumping, her skin clammy. It was becoming difficult to breathe.

Gwynth let out a grunt of pain as Morgana rode over the curb.

Katherin didn't make a noise at all.

Morgana glanced to her side. She reached out her hand, shaking Katherin softly.

"Hey. Wake up. You can't go to sleep." Her voice rose higher, panic creeping into her throat.

"Fuck," Jaxx murmured. He climbed over Gwynth, sliding into the front seat.

Katherin didn't respond.

Jaxx shook Katherin, pressing his fingers to Katherin's pulse point.

"Can you drive any faster?" He looked to Morgana.

Morgana nodded, pressing her foot further down, hunching over the wheel.

Gwynth propped herself up, reaching out to shake Katherin gently. Her sister would kill her if Katherin died. She'd blame it all on her.

"Give me your jacket," Jaxx turned to Gwynth, tugging at her jacket.

Katherin's skin was cold. Jaxx had heard that extreme blood loss led to hypothermia if the victim wasn't careful.

They couldn't let that happen. Hypothermia led to brain damage, which led to death.

Gwynth tugged off her jacket, handing it to Jaxx. She shivered.

"We're here. Come on."

Morgana stopped the car, pulling the key from the ignition and shoving it in her pocket. It might be useful later. She'd just have to hope that the zombies didn't destroy it and scavengers didn't harness it for parts.

Morgana slipped out of the front seat, helping Gwynth stand. She pulled Gwynth's arm over her shoulder.

"I don't need help," Gwynth muttered, though there was no use in protesting.

Morgana forced herself to walk slowly to the door. She knocked on the wood, calling out to the others.

There was the crash of metal, the sound of something being dragged from the door.

Jaxx jogged up beside Morgana and Gwynth. He had thrown Katherin over his shoulder, using his spare hand to hold a weapon.

Ivory opened the door.

"We were so worried - what happened?"

Her face morphed into horror as she glanced between her friends.

"Gwynth's leg is fractured. Katherin lost a lot of blood. We need Rosabelle," Morgana explained quickly, already pushing her way through the door.

Rosabelle raced to the door.

"Put Katherin on the counter," she murmured. "We can't do much about Gwynth right now. Ivory - get the crutches. They're in the back room."