The autumn night was cold, announcing the beginning of the end of summer. I didn't think much of it. There wasn't a vacation I was sad about leaving. There wasn't school waiting that brought all the unwanted stress. There weren't football games and romance filling the air to which everyone was excited about.

Instead, what I thought about was how I was going to survive.

I regretted leaving Ground Zero with Chase. What was I thinking, an amateur trainer leaving in the middle of the night and entering the Infected's territory?

I wasn't thinking. All I wanted to do was prove myself.

There is no way of proving yourself if you are dead.

"You are good at running, I'll give you that."

Chase broke the silence, entering the living room of the cabin. It was an empty, old but cozy looking place. The coffee table had a single rose to which all of its petals had fallen around its slender vase. The windows, one in the front at which I was sitting by were covered by the white, long curtains that seemed to be the only thing left in full piece. The wooden walls were covered in shattered pictures of the family that used to be here. A mother and two kids that didn't seem older than my sisters.

I wondered if the family was alive. Did they find the Miracles, just like my family did? Or did they die trying?

"Honestly, Aliana," he began and I wanted to leave this first constructed building we came across and find somewhere to stay alone. "You not giving me some snarky, immature comeback is kind of concerning."

We managed to lose the herd of the Infected but I stayed muted ever since we found this cabin. All I wanted to do was go back. It was only a matter of time before they sensed us again. We were sitting here, signing our deaths.

"I messed up, okay?" He admitted, the words spoken much harder than intended. I kept my eyes on the window, observing any kind of movement. I could sense the sudden remorse in his tone.

I felt him shifting towards me but I only wished for him to leave me alone. Why would he suddenly care if all he did was make my time at Ground Zero miserable?

"We're stuck here because of me. It was reckless and stupid. But you can't ignore me if you want both of us to get out of here. It would be extremely stupid on your side."

"If anyone is stupid it's you Chase," I snapped, turning to look at him. The words came out harsh, cold, angry. "Why bring me here when I can barely fight?"

Hot fury flashed across his dark eyes and I shifted back into the window. He towered above me, holding back his words I was sure would hurt me. I realized I overstepped my boundaries with him yet again.

"How are we going to get back?" I whispered, resolving to another tactic. Chase liked to be in control, in power, looked up to. If I acted smaller, afraid, vulnerable he might forget my outburst.

Somehow, for whatever reason, it worked.

He shrugged, chugging the last water bottle from the broken fridge. I ignored the sips of the fresh clear liquid, subduing the thirst. "We'll stay here for a couple of more hours. They should be gone by then and we'll get back the same way we came from."

Right back into the lion's den.

I disagreed, standing up. I felt flustered, frustrated, but most of all I felt scared. "We can't just hope they're gone."

"That's exactly what we're going to do."

"Sun will be up in a couple of hours," I reminded him, trying to make him realize this plan would never work one way or another. "Commander will realize we were gone and -"

"And you're going to leave the talking to me," he finished. His hands flew to my shoulder as he tried for me to focus on his eyes. They were serious, commanding; no wonder they put him in charge of the trainers. "I mean it, Aliana. You're not going to say a word. You're just going to agree with what I say."

I nodded, knowing it was best for me to listen. He cared about getting out of this alive as much as I did.

"But, we have to find another way of getting back to the car."

"There is no other way," Chase answered, unbothered as he sprawled across the couch and closed his eyes.

I kept silent, thinking about only one thing.

One person.

Jake. His dirty blonde locks falling across his gray eyes as he looked at me with feelings no one looked at me before. I didn't just like him because he reminded me of the human, normal life before the pandemic but also because he made me feel things I never felt once in my 17 years.

I savored all the moments he and I spent together. Even though it all happened in the place I least wanted to be at, I was grateful I met him. He changed my already messed up life.

I decided to close my eyes, thinking, maybe I should've been more like Chase. Carefree, going with the flow, barely overthinking when I would die. Maybe it surely was better like that.

As my thoughts drifted from one point of my life to the other, I realized how tired I was. I let my body relax, steadying my breathing.

If I closed my eyes just for one moment...

A crash caused me to jump, standing away from the window. My eyes instantly glanced at Chase's. It woke him up too.

My heart did small jumps in my chest, nervous butterflies dancing in my stomach. He put his finger on his lips, indicating to me to stay quiet. Subconsciously, I moved towards Chase, seeking safety in the proximity of him.

He took his knife out, his hand tightly placed on the gun by his side. I followed his movements as we, together, moved to the front of the cabin.

I stopped the moment I noticed a pale, yellowish hand trying to creep open the wooden door further. It was jammed by a single chair. I guessed Chase put it there once we finalized our stay there.

I looked over to the window, my eyes gluing at the group of them advancing towards the only protection keeping us away from them. My hand touched his and I shakily pointed to the horrifying sight.

I felt like I was dreaming. Was it the same group of the Infected we stumbled before? Or were these completely new ones? I tried recalling how the other ones looked, what they wore but much to my dismay I couldn't remember. Fear clouded my vision, my capacity of clarity.

"Go to the back and wait for me," Chase shouted, knowing the silence won't save us anymore.

"You can't fight them alone," I pointed out, keeping my shaky arms on the trigger of the gun.

"Just like you said, you can't fight," he reminded me, moving the empty cabinet used for books to the door. "It'll be easier for me to focus on killing them when I know you're safe."

Safe as in not being in your way and sabotaging your life.

"This is not up for debate Aliana." His voice practically begged for me to listen and even though I wanted to stay there and help, I knew it was no use.

I was useful.

I moved back, walking to the exit of the house. The backyard was empty, and the back gate was open, the door singing back and forth due to the increasing wind.

It was practically calling me to escape.

I kept looking back, knowing the front door won't last much longer. "Chase, there is no point in killing them. It's empty here, we can leave."

He ignored my shouts as the door swung open and the first Infected stumbled inside. He shot it, mercilessly and it fell on the floor as others fought for entering as quickly as they could. Each one of them charged at Chase, but he stood his ground. It felt like he was out of this world, in his element.

His eyes glared at each one of them with such hatred and disgust I wondered if it was personal. What did Chase lose for him to choose to fight them more than to run away and save his life?

His motions were quick, smooth, and powerful. I memorized his every movement. Twist of the knife dodged in one's skull, as he pulled the trigger, shooting the other. Then the order switched, and it went like that over and over again.

His clothes were soaked in blood of the dead, and I stood there contemplating if there was anything to say, to convince him it wasn't worth it. There was more coming each second. His anger was what controlled him, what took over him and it terrified me. The Chase I knew before was long gone.

"Chase, you need to listen to me," my eyes were glued to the herd of them advancing towards the house. Will they ever stop? "I know you are angry, but we need to leave."

I stepped my foot over the doorstep, getting inside again. I slowly ascended to the bloody front of the cabin, noticing him moving backwards, losing the fight he could've never won.

He kept moving back until his foot gave out under the pile of open books. It all occurred too fast for me to grasp what was happening. He gave out a yell as his ankle twisted in an uncomfortable and painful shape. Slamming into the wall, he fell on the floor, his hand moving up to his ankle. Knowing he couldn't stand up, he started crawling, desperate to get away from the hungry, and sharp teeth.

I instinctively ran towards him, my heart slamming against my rib cage. His eyes were wide as he realized I didn't listen to him. "Aliana for god's sake, leave."

"Are you crazy?" With all my strength, I tried to pull his weight up. "I'm not leaving you here to die."

He stayed silent, trying to help me out by standing up. Somehow, it ended up working and we stumbled towards the exit. I felt something tug me back and I looked to see the woman's hands gripping my bag I carried on my shoulders.

My heart stopped beating. I felt faint ticking in my wrist, spreading across my body, inflaming my senses. I gripped on Chase as tightly as I could manage, taking my backpack off. I pushed it towards her, not realizing with what amount of force until she wobbled, adding the distance between us.

It felt like decades but we finally got out of the house, hopping to the gate. Relief washed over me even though I knew it was barely from over.

My arm was burning as I helped steady Chase. His face was contorted, trying to hide the pain.
I kept looking at him then back at the Infecteds that seemed to be closer to us each second.

He squeezed my shoulder, giving me a knowing look. "Don't look back, Aliana. Just don't look back."

_________

It seems to be far from over for Aliana and Chase. I loved writing this chapter and I hope you liked reading it!

Don't forget to comment, vote and share this book. More chapters on the way <33