Episode 22: Night 1 - Run

"I'm gonna attack them!" David said running towards the shadowy figures with his cleaver. Vankelia and Helena waited behind. They saw him running with the cleaver above his head but he stopped a few feet away from the shadows. They also stopped...then hugged David.

Vankelia and Helena ran to catch up with him and realized that the two figures were Becca and Ashleigh. After a quick reunion they decided that they needed to get to Friendship Heights and find help and fast.

***

"Keep your head down!" Elizabeth whispered. She peered over the small wall that separated them from the chaos that was ensuing in front of them. People were running all over as zombies attacked. A few tried to escape with their cars only to get dragged out. Even children were being ripped apart by the limbs. A small girl, probably no older than four, was standing alone crying by her dead mom's body.

"We have to help her!" Sami said.

"Are you kidding?" Kelly started. "We'll just die like the rest of them."

"We can't just leave her there."

"She's zombie food."

"You are horrible." Sami yelled at Kelly and tried to stand up but winced when she felt the pain from her ankle radiate all the way up her leg. They all looked again. The little girl tried to run for her life when a zombie ran after her. She made it only 5 ft before the zombie knocked her down and ripped her head off. The three girls looked away, Sami crying.

"Look, we have to get over there!" Elizabeth pointed to the Chanel store. It was dark inside and none of the windows had been smashed unlike the other stores around it. They crept behind a few cars passing people who were running in all directions and quickly stumbled their way into the store.

"It's quiet in here..." Kelly said locking the door behind them. "Too quiet."

"Grab something." Elizabeth instructed. She grabbed a coat rack while Kelly ripped off a mannequin's arm off and held it like a bat. Sami sat on a bench by the cash register while the other two girls slowly walked towards the back. Elizabeth could hear a faint rustling in one of the dressing rooms in the back. Her heart began pounding rapidly and sweat formed on her brow.

"Who's there?" She called out. A large bang on the door caused both girls to jump. The sound of a zombie screeching came from behind the door.

"What was that?! Are you guys okay?" Sami said holding a metal rod that held the mannequins up.

Suddenly the dressing room door swung open and a zombie, distinctly male, came out and looked at Elizabeth and Kelly with beady dark eyes. Blood was dripping from its mouth and Elizabeth could see a woman's dead body on the floor of the dressing room in a pool of blood.

The zombie turned its head side to side, bearing its teeth at them and slowly approached.

"Stay away!" Elizabeth yelled at it. It didn't stop. The zombie took two more steps and then lunged at Elizabeth. She shuffled back and tripped over her feet falling down. She closed her eyes expecting to be attacked any second but nothing happened. She opened her eyes and realized she was holding the coat rack out. The zombie had impaled itself. It was still alive but seemed paralyzed for a minute. Elizabeth let go of the coat rack and got up next to Kelly who was still holding the mannequin's arm. The zombie pulled the coat rack out of its body and tossed it to the side.

"What the fuck!" Kelly said. "Why isn't it dead?" Sami joined the two and realized the zombie was still approaching them, its mouth even wider and its face even more distorted...angry. The zombie lunged at Elizabeth again. Kelly swung the arm and smashed the zombie across the head causing it to fall to the ground and wince in pain.

"That seemed to work!" Elizabeth said. "Quick Sami! Before it gets up!" Sami knew what Elizabeth meant and stabbed the zombie through the head with the metal rod she was holding. The zombie screeched and its body twitched for a moment before it too became lifeless. Sami got up, breathing heavily and wiped blood off of her hands.

"That was close..." Kelly said.

"Yeah, but we have to hurry and secure the front windows. Cover it up with anything you can find!" The three girls quickly grabbed things, not realizing the lifeless woman in the dressing room was starting to come alive.

***

The five of them ran down a street close by Friendship Heights. There were dead bodies all over. They passed a man shooting a small child in the head with a shot gun but taken down by other small children that jumped him from behind.

"What are those kids doing!?" Helena asked.

"They're zombies! They're not humans any more. Just keep running!" David yelled. They sprinted down the street. They were only a hundred yards away from the main road when a group of six zombies turned onto their street, blocking their path.

"What do we do now!?" Becca said. She looked behind her and screamed. Everyone stopped and realized there were also a few zombies approaching them from behind.

"Everyone, behind me!" David said holding up his cleaver.

"Oh my God, this is it...we're going to die." Helena said.

"OVER HERE!" A female's voice called to them. The group turned around to see Elizabeth Kingdom calling to them from her front lawn. Without questioning, they ran towards her house. Her father and mother came out, both holding hunting shotguns.

"Children, get inside now!" Elizabeth's father yelled. The group ran inside and were greeted by Elizabeth's twin sister Anna who was holding a hammer in her hand. "Quick!" She said. "Grab some hammer and nails! We need to board this house up."

Outside Elizabeth's parents called out to the zombies.

"Honey." Her father said.

"Yes dear?"

"Let's do this for England."

"I agree. God Save the Queen." Their bullets illuminated the darkening sky. Soon they too ran into the house and rejoined the kids. Putting away the shotgun Mr. Kingdom instructed the kids into the kitchen.

"Children, we might not all be the same religion...but let's pray."

No one bothered to raise an argument and they all closed their eyes and bowed their heads.

"Lord, please protect us from what the devil has unleashed onto our home. Let these children see another sunny day. Let them grow up to marry, to have children, to live life. Please Lord, we ask you this...in our darkest hour...that we survive."

A bang on the boarded door from outside startled everyone.

"PLEASE SOMEONE HELP ME!" A male's voice pleaded. Becca got out of her chair realizing she recognized the voice.

"Stay away from the door!" Mrs. Kingdom instructed.

"PLEASE!!!" The voice begged.

"We have to open it!" Becca yelled.

"Why?" Mr. Kingdom asked.

"Because...I think it's Sean..."

Episode 21: Day 1 - Regroup

"Honey?"

"Yes mom?" Elizabeth Puglisi looked up from her homework.

"I was just talking to Mrs. LaPlante and she said that Claire is going to a small little party tonight after your meeting. Why don't you go out with her? It'll be good for you."

Elizabeth bolted up in her bed. "Party? Mom, really...I need to do my homework tonight. I have volunteering tomorrow and I still need to work on that extra credit assignment."

Her mother sighed. "I'm just worried that you're studying too much. The next thing you know, you'll blink your youth away."

Elizabeth scoffed and went back to her books.

***

"Vannette, give me back my phone." Vankelia punched her in the arm.

"Ow, you brat!" She hit back. "You're lucky I was asked to drive you to your meeting. I really need to get ready for my date tonight." Vannette said looking into the rear view mirror to check her mascara.

"Keep your eyes on the road! Sheesh...I wonder sometimes who the younger one is here."

***

The outbreak came out of no where. The zombies entered the store suddenly killing Rachel and Joelle immediately. Elizabeth panicked and saw Kelly Riley stuck in the corner frozen in her spot.

"Let's go!" She said trying to pull her. They both saw JC fruitlessly trying to save Abhi from being mauled and Libby on the ground, after tripping over a chair, crying profusely as a zombie ate away at her legs.

"LET'S GO!" She ripped Kelly from her spot and they ran through the kitchen. A huge group bottle necked the door into the hallway and they pushed, suffocating Andrew on the side.

Vankelia ran behind them and quickly grabbed a knife from the kitchen counter. She had no idea what was going on but it was the first thing that came to her mind. She passed the office as Lauren H. and Courtney tried helplessly to climb into the attic. She could hear a zombie coming from behind her as more people pushed to get out of the door way.

Vankelia followed a large group of people that turned left towards the front of the store.

"This way guys!" Claire screamed at the large group. "Our cars are this way!"

Suddenly a large group of zombies blocked their path. It looked hopeless for them. Mel G. was being ripped apart and two zombies began tearing away at Claire's flesh. Kelly and Elizabeth were on the ground crying.

"You got a knife too?" Vankelia turned around and saw David with a butcher's cleaver. "They're fucking zombies!"

"Zombies?" Vankelia said shaking.

"Yeah, you gotta attack the head. We gotta hurry." He rushed towards the group.

"Wait, what! Oh my god, oh my god." She followed.

David slashed one in the head as more were approaching. Vankelia saw Catie's lifeless body on the ground and Eric being dragged towards a bush by Sean. She was so confused and wanted to follow a group that was heading out into the forest. She looked back and saw David kill another zombie but he didn't notice the two that were creeping up behind him.

"Fuck." She ran towards them and stabbed one in the head from behind. David turned around to a zombie falling on top of him and he went down with it.

"Get it off me!" He yelled. Vankelia went to help him.

Elizabeth and Kelly attracted the other zombie and they hurried to get up. As it got closer, Helena's incessant screaming distracted it enough for them to run into the woods after her.

"What's going on?!" Kelly screamed.

"I don't know! I've never studied anything like this before."

Vankelia looked back and saw Sean trying again to help Ashleigh who had also fallen. A zombie was getting close and Vankelia didn't want to believe it but she was convinced she saw Ashleigh pull Sean down as he went to get her up causing him to fall into the arms of an awaiting zombie. Ashleigh, too, ran into the woods and disappeared into the night.

"Hurry!" David said. "We have to get away!" More zombies were approaching and they ran into the woods in an attempt to flee them. The two ran hysterically and bumped into Helena causing both parties to scream.

"Oh my god! You guys are alive!" Helena said.

"Dude, we gotta get out of here." David said and they continued to run through the woods. Vankelia could see other shadowy figures running beside them a few yards away. One looked like Luana and another of Maddie. She looked back to see if any zombies were chasing them and saw nothing. "Wait! I think we can stop." She said slowing to a weak jog. David and Helena also slowed down and realized that things were quiet except of the running of those ahead of them.

"What do we do?" Helena asked.

"We can fight." David said still holding his butcher's cleaver.

"Are you an idiot?" Vankelia began. "We don't even know how many of them there are out there."

"We can hide!" Helena suggested. There was no place to hide. The trees weren't big enough to climb and Vankelia didn't want to risk lying in wait while the zombies chased them.

***

"I think your ankle's twisted." Elizabeth said to Sami as she and Kelly helped her walk.

"I fell pretty bad back there over a rock. What were those things."

"I don't know but that group of people that ran towards the right saw us being ambushed and they didn't stop to help us." Elizabeth said. "Shows you what kind of friends THEY are..."

The three girls were in a clearing past the woods. They sat Sami down on a large boulder and examined her ankle.

"It's pretty swollen." Elizabeth noted. "You think you can move all right?"

"We can't stay with her." Kelly said.

"Excuse me?" Sami glared.

"I'm sorry, but I can't be slowed down by someone."

Sami hopped up and grabbed Kelly by the shirt. "If you leave me here to die, I will come back to haunt you and kill you in your sleep, so help me God."

"No one is leaving anyone!" Elizabeth broke the two apart. "I think we're safe for now. It looks like we're a bit away to Friendship Heights. I'm sure there are plenty of people there that can help us. Kelly help me get her up." Sami pulled down on Kelly hard as she helped her get up causing Kelly to fall.

"You did that on purpose you bitch!" Kelly said getting up wiping debris from her backside.

"I'm not sure what you're talking about." Sami said with a wink.

"Stop fighting you two. We're being chased down like rabbits...we don't need to be at each other's throats." Elizabeth said to both of them.

"We'll be all right, won't we?" Sami asked.

"I don't know. I wasn't prepared for this..."

***

"I'd slice them and dice them if they got close to the Demoralizer." David said swinging his cleaver through the air.

"Quit it." Vankelia said. Helena couldn't help but constantly look behind her back.

"What...we're in the clear."

"You really think that was it?" Vankelia asked.

"I don't know. How it works in TV is, a virus spreads and cities fall within weeks, if not days."

"This ISN'T TV." Vankelia raised her voice.

"I know! I'm just saying...it could be something similar."

"I'm sure they don't have this problem in Canada." Helena said looking back. "We could go to New FOUNDland..." She continued.

"It's pronounced FINland..." Vankelia shook her head.

"Whatever...but the next store we get to, I'm calling my mom to pick me up. My cell phone isn't working."

"Mine neither." David said.

"Neither is mine, now that you mention it." Vankelia added.

Helena turned to look behind them again. She began furiously tapping on Vankelia's shoulder.

"AH, you guys?"

"What is it?" Vankelia turned around. Her eyes grew wide. Two shadowy figures were running towards them menacingly.

"Should we fight?" David asked holding up his cleaver.

Vankelia gulped. "If we have to..."

Episode 20: Day 5.2 - Unrequited

The sun had risen and Nuria sat on a sidewalk curb trying to soak in the warmth the morning light emitted. She was still in a daze as to what had happened the night before. She couldn't get the images out of her head but she didn't understand how things unfolded the way they did.

Nuria decided to replay the memory in her mind. It all seemed a blur, but somehow she got out of a situation she thought was impossible.

They had all started running out of the room. The soldiers and scientists had run out of the building to confront the zombie horde that had surrounded them. Adrienne turned down a corner and saw a set of stairs. She made a dash for them.

"Where are you going?!" Nuria asked.

"To the roof! I have to see the zombies."

"What? WHY?"

"They have to be from Poolesville...I need to know if my family is down there. Take care of the others?" She asked Nuria.

"Come on." Lauren H. pulled Nuria and helped lead the other women to the room where the little girl was strapped into a chair. "You go help her out, I'm going to see if they left any weapons lying around." Lauren ran down the hall with two other women while Nuria helped out the little girl. They found her clearly distraught and crying profusely. Her mom lashed at the straps in a rage to remove them off of her little girl. Lauren stuck in head into the room. "We gotta go!"

"Go where?! We're surrounded." Nuria yelled. Lauren tossed her a shot gun.

"Let's go."

The group ran down the hall towards a back door. "We have to get Adrienne!" Nuria remembered.

"We don't have time!"

"Are you SERIOUS? You're willing to leave her behind? Who are you?"

Lauren looked toward the exit and then back at Nuria. "Fine. Let's go."

"Ah, we're getting out of here." A few of the women said.

"We'll stay with you though." The mother said holding onto her daughter's hand. The four women ran back and up the stairs.

They found Adrienne standing close to the edge of the roof. The night was calm, the stars were bright and it was exceptionally beautiful out. "Adrienne, we have to go!" Nuria pleaded from the doorway to the roof. She didn't turn around. Nuria looked back at Lauren nervous about their window of opportunity dwindling.

"You have to get her..." The mother said. Nuria ran to Adrienne and tapped her on the shoulder.

"Adrienne..." Nuria began. Adrienne turned around with tears falling from her eyes. "Honey, we have to go..."

Adrienne shook her head. "I'm not leaving."

"What?"

"WE HAVE TO GO!" Lauren yelled from the doorway.

"SHUT UP!" Nuria yelled. She turned back to Adrienne. "What do you mean?"

"I see them..." Adrienne said looking down. Nuria looked over and saw the guards struggling to fend off the horde that had begun to break down the fence climb up the walls. Nuria ran to the other side and noticed a few of the women escaping through the woods noticing only a few zombies blocking their way.

"Who's down there?" Nuria walking back to Adrienne, nervous.

"My family...my dad, my mom, my sister..." She pointed to a group of zombies by one of the guard posts. One of them looked oddly like Adrienne and Nuria figured that was her sister.

"I'm home..." Adrienne said. "I can't leave them."

"No Adrienne! This isn't home any more. You have a chance to live!"

"My family is here. I don't need anything else!"

The zombies broke through the fence killing off the last of the guards and began making their way towards the building. Nuria's vision became a blur as she was caught between pleading for Adrienne to follow and Lauren grabbing her arm, yelling for her to follow. The daughter was crying with her mother. Nuria's memory became tunneled as Lauren shot their way through the building one zombie at a time.

"Mommy!" Nuria remembered the daughter yelling after a few close calls. Nuria looked all around her seeing zombies everywhere and remembered Lauren yelling at her to run faster. Before she knew it, Nuria had blacked out.

Nuria came to in a car right outside of Poolesville. The sun was just coming up and she noticed that Lauren was driving. "You're awake." She jerked awake noticing the mother and daughter sitting next to her.

"What happened?" She realized. Lauren looked back at her through the rear view mirror.

The mother explained how that when Nuria passed out a few of the other women helped them out of the building with the shot guns they had found. A few were killed by the zombies but 3 cars were acquired from the lot and they headed out towards Poolesville. Two of the cars eventually split with them and headed north towards the country. Nuria fell back asleep out of exhaustion.

Now she sat on that curb as Lauren approached her and sat next to her.

"And Adrienne?" Nuria looked at Lauren, the mother and daughter sitting on a bench behind them, the daughter sleeping on her mother's lap.

"I'm sure she's with her family now..." Lauren said. "Once you collapsed and we barely dragged you out, there were already zombies heading up the stairs towards her."

Nuria fell silent. A tear fell down her eye. She wiped it off with her sleeve. "Where now?"

"One of the women said that there was a safety zone in Arlington. They were headed to one they heard about in Harper's Ferry because they didn't want to take the risk of going towards DC again. I just know that if our friend's are still alive, they'll be heading over there."

"Okay, what are we waiting for?" Nuria got up and offered Lauren her hand to get up as well.

"I'll drive?" Lauren asked.

"Sure." And the three women and the small girl made their way towards the car.

***

The group of girls pushed through the rubble of the abandoned metro station exit.

"I can see light." Caroline said removing another piece of debris.

"We have to hurry!" LeAndria said holding up a gun towards the darkness behind them. She shot another round and the groan of a zombie falling to the ground echoed through the tunnel. The light of the gunshot revealed a group of zombies coming towards them.

"Okay, I think we're through!" The group of girls climbed out and realized where they were.

"Friendship Heights?" Devin asked realizing how much fog covered the ground. They heard the zombies behind them and scattered to find cover behind abandoned cars. They saw the zombies climb a huge pile of debris that looked like a giant barricade.

Suddenly they heard muffled noises and a gun shot.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO." Someone screamed. The group of girls suddenly realized they weren't alone and drew out their weapons.

Episode 19: Day 5.1 - Undead

The group quietly walked into the house, making sure not to make any noise and alarm any zombies that might be hiding.
“You two go over there, we’ll check it out this side.” JC said to Owen and Jiko. It was still a bit dark...dawn was nearly approaching.

Owen opened the swing door to the kitchen slowly and noticed nothing out of the ordinary. Jiko quickly ran in, flung the pantry open and began filling up his rucksack. He opened one of the kitchen drawers and was elated to find a knife sharpening stone. He pocketed the stone and quickly flung open the other drawers in the kitchen.
“Keep quiet, Jiko.” Owen said, inspecting the cork board. On it he noticed a picture of the Kingdom family smiling and a set of keys. “Maybe we can take their car…” He said to Jiko.

In the other room JC led the group through the foyer and into the living room. “Oh God.”
Nina gasped and covered her mouth at the site. Sitting in the chairs were the bodies of the Kingdom family, bloody and dead. They saw blood splatter across the wall. Von walked over to Mr. Kingdom who had a shot gun in one hand and a bloody crumpled up piece of paper in the other. He quickly snatched the paper and read the note out loud.

“Forgive me for what I’ve done. It was the only way for me and my family to go to heaven on our own accord and not by what are clearly the creations of the devil. My family is now in peace.”
Susie cried seeing them there. She was really close to the family and couldn’t bear to see their faces almost unrecognizable from the shotgun wound to the head.

“Hey guys!” Owen walked into the living room. “Oh God!” He stopped.
“Keep it down.” JC said. “What is it?”
“We can take their car.” He said holding up the keys, still looking at the blood bath of a scene.
“And go where?” Von asked. Owen looked to JC. He thought for a minute.
“The Pentagon.” JC said. All of their eyes opened widely at the thought. They knew that there must have been some protection over there. “It’s all I can come up with.”
“I agree…what other options do we have?” Nina said. “And now that we have a car, it’ll be easier to get there.”

The group packed the car up. Dawn was breaking but a thick fog coated the pavement and the few zombies on the street didn't pose too much of a threat. Jiko ran up to one and slashed its head off with his hunting knife just to see how well the sharpening block worked. "Sweet." He said, wiping the blood off and placing the knife back in his pocket.

"Jiko, quit playing around. We have to go while there's daylight." Susie said.

They drove out onto Wisconsin Avenue and towards Friendship Heights. They only got about a half mile away when they noticed a barricade made up of abandoned cars, cinder block, debris and anything else that could be moved to make a wall.

"What is that..." JC said looking at the giant wall. He stopped the car and everyone got out, weapons in hand. Von was still holding his newly acquired gun, shaking, worried that his first shot was only beginner's luck. "Please no zombie horde, please no zombie horde." He prayed.

The group walked up to the barricade, camouflaged in the mist and assessed how they could remove it quickly enough so the car could drive through.

"Who do you think put this here? And why? I'm pretty sure zombies can climb this..." Nina said pulling a garbage can off the pile.

"There's no way we can move all of this stuff." Owen said. "We'll just have to try and drive around it...the sidewalk is clear." He pointed out.

Everyone got back in the car and as JC was about to start the ignition Nina shouted, "Look!"

They all noticed someone standing on top of the barricade. "Zombie?" Jiko said, brandishing his knife. He had one hand on the door ready to spring up the pile and cut the zombie's neck off.

He stopped. Suddenly a large number of bodies appeared through the mist standing next to the first person. Even in the fog, the group could tell they were dressed in black, faces hidden behind masks. The first person pointed a metal rod at the car and all the other bodies dashed forward carrying bats, chains, knives and even a wooden board.

"Fuck." JC said. He turned around to everyone in the car. "Get your weapons out! They don't look too friendly!!" Jiko immediately ran out wielding two hunting knives. The masked figure that confronted him made sure to stay a safe distance.

Owen jumped out with a bat. "Come at me! I'll fucking knock your head off."

JC and Susie jumped out, both having metal rods. Nina jumped out of the car brandishing a small pocket knife.

Von was the last to jump out. His hands shook as he took the safety off of his gun. A masked figure ran at him. Shocked he pointed the gun and fired, blasting a bullet straight into the person's chest instantly knocking them dead.

"They have guns!!" A female voice yelled and all of them retreated. The mist was too thick to count how many there were but Von approached the person he shot down. Owen and Nina joined him as JC, Jiko and Susie kept watch from the others. The masked figures all regrouped on top of the hill staring down at them, probably unable to see clearly as well.

Von could tell it was a female he had killed...but who was it? He pulled the mask off and realized he had killed Becca. Von felt nauseous and immediately ran to throw up.

"You guys!" Owen shouted. "It's Becca! The masked person was Becca!!"

"Are you kidding me?" JC said and looked back at the group of people on the pile. He began to yell.

"WE JUST KILLED BECCA!! WE KNOW HER. WHO ARE YOU?! IT'S US...JC, Susie, Owen, Nina, Jiko and Von!"

The masked figures looked at each and walked down towards the group. The leader walked up to JC and slapped him in the face. She took off her mask revealing that it was Elizabeth Puglisi.

There were 4 others. They too took off their masks: Vankelia, Kelly Riley, Ashleigh and David Morrel. They didn't look like the happy kids they were only 5 days ago. Each of them holding a different make shift weapon and their faces looked drained of sleep.

"Fuck, what was that for?" JC asked.

"You fucking killed one of us!" Elizabeth said.

"It was an accident!" Von said whimpering on the ground next to Becca's body. "She came at me and I panicked."

Elizabeth looked blankly at JC's face. "So now what...are you here to save the day?"

"What do you mean?" He asked.

She laughed. "All of you." She addressed the group. "All of you left us for dead."

"What are you talking about?" Susie asked.

"You saw us getting surrounded by that horde of zombies...and you all just kept running..."

"What were we supposed to do?!" Susie interrupted.

"SHUT UP." Vankelia said holding crowbar in her hand. "Elizabeth is talking."

"Thank You...we all watched as we broke away from those that couldn't escape and we tried to catch up with you guys but you didn't give us a chance to live."

"How were we supposed to know?" Susie asked.

"Fuck you. And Fuck you all. We had to fend for ourselves...now with Becca gone, we've already lost three of us. Helena died on Day 2, we lost Sami yesterday to a zombie ambush and now Becca...because of you." Elizabeth broke through the group and put the metal rod in Von's face."I have half of my mind to just end your life right now." Von cowered in fear.

"I'm so sorry!" He said. "I didn't mean to."

"Got it!" David said and the group realized he had opened the hood of the car. Elizabeth smiled as she caught something small that David threw at her.

"What do you think you're doing?" JC yelled.

"We'll be taking your car." Elizabeth said.

"What? Why?"

"Don't you think we want to find safety too?"

"Can't we go as a group? Together?" JC asked.

"You are too fucking funny, JC. Do you REALLY think we trust our hands in your life when you basically threw away ours to the zombies?"

"I said we didn't know! We had no choice but to run...no one knew what was going on!" JC replied.

"No matter your excuse...we have this now for safe keeping." She held up a spark plug. "Either you give us your car nicely or we'll force you to give it to us." The others approached the group.

"Fuck guys!" Jiko said looking towards the barricade. A horde of zombies was making its way over the wall. "We have company!" At least twenty zombies were running towards the group. Elizabeth and her group immediately ran. "This is not over." She said before quickly dashing away into the mist.

"Dudes, we have no choice." Jiko said. JC nodded in agreement.

"This is it guys...get ready." He said. It was inevitable...they braced for their lives as the sounds of zombie's groans breached through the thick fog.

"FUCK...PLEASE..." Von squeezed the trigger.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO."

Episode 18: Night 1 - Unveiled

"Is everyone here?" She watched Laura say as she stood on her tip toes counting everyone's heads.

She made sure she situated herself close to the back door as she saw Jiko and Sean fight over a pizza slice. They are so magical She thought as she saw her friend that she came with nervously watching the door of the store. As more people showed up the store became crowded and people were chatting about school, homework and that awesome high school party that got busted and everyone was cited at.

"I'm so glad I didn't get cited...I just showed them my diplomat card." Helena said to someone.

Laura began the meeting and no one really paid attention because they have heard all of it before. Adrienne gave David a glare to get him to pay attention and Sarah smacked Eric in the arm to get him to stop talking to JC.

"Okay remember the honey stick in Chai Lattes." Laura explained.

"There are honey sticks in the Chai Lattes?" She overhead Christa whisper to Annie. Duh She thought.

She looked at her friend again who wouldn't stop fidgeting across the room. She gave her friend a death glare to stop drawing attention to herself.

Suddenly the lights began to flicker in the store. It's starting and she positioned herself right next to her friend who was standing by the back.

"It's happening isn't it?" Her friend asked.

"Yeah, just keep calm...the minute you see something run."

The lights went black. Jiko and Sean stopped raving.

"Just start moving back." She instructed her friend.

"Where are you two going?" Adrienne asked. She panicked a bit.

"We're...just a bit claustrophobic." Her friend said. She gave her friend a wink for the good save.

"All the lights are out on the street." Rachel said moving to the door to peer out the window. "That's strange..."

This is it... She held her breath.

"What is it?" Joelle said moving up behind her.

"There are a lot of abandoned cars out there...but there aren't any people."

"Excuse me?"

"Yeah look." Joelle took Rachel's spot.

They're going to die first... She looked away.

Instantly the chaos ensued. The zombies began to smash through the windows and the first few victims fell. She and her friend immediately ran towards the back through the kitchen since a mad dash already began through the hallway. They both saw Andrew being suffocated up against the kitchen sink as more bodies pushed through.

"Run!" She screamed at her friend. Helena was screaming for dear life as they made it out the door. Several people were running towards the left including her friend but she pulled her in time as a horde of zombies blocked that group's escape.

"God no!" They heard Claire scream as the zombies bit into her neck.

Helena ran through them separating them as more people ran towards the woods in the back.

"Let's go!" Christa said pulling her arm to follow. "We can't have you standing around here too long."

Fuck...fuck... She thought losing sight of her friend who was being pulled into the forest by someone else.

Across the way at an empty parking lot her cell phone began to ring.

"Oh my God, where are you? How are we supposed to go through with the plan if we're separated." Her friend said on the other end.

She knew she couldn't say too much. "Ashleigh don't worry...I'll think of something." She whispered. She took a deep breath and began yelling in the phone. "Mom, mom! What's going on? Are you and dad all right?" Caroline said pretending to cry, cursing that the situation didn't go as planned.

Episode 17: Night 4.2 - Untied

"Sarah! Mel!" Both Sarah Ahn and Mel Lok walked into the tunnel carrying a canvas bag that was full to its brim.

After a quick reunion Sarah dropped the bag and shared what they had found. "A few guns, some ammo and look at this." She pulled out a two red sticks. "Flares. Nice huh?"

"I really like these." Mel pulled out of her back pocket a small felt case full of throwing knives. "I don't really know how to use them but I'm sure they'll come in handy sometimes."

Sophia threw Annie a gun. "You can borrow this. I'll want it back though, okay?" Annie smiled and nodded.

"Everyone sit down." LeAndria instructed. "We have four friends that are being held by those annoying bastards from the NIH. We need to get them out...you know we don't have much time to do that before they're zombie food."

"And speaking of zombies, they've finally come down here." Sophia added.

"So what's the plan?" Sarah asked. They got to work devising a way to rescue the others.

***

"I'll be okay, I promise." Lauren N. said to the others who were handcuffed to a metal pipe in the same red dim lit room they were in. She was led out by a soldier leaving the three other girls in the room by themselves.

"What are we going to do?" Devin asked.

"I don't know but we need to figure this out." Christa said.

"I think I have a plan." Caroline suggested and she pulled a bobby pin out of her hair. "I saw this in a movie once. Do you think it'll work now?"

"Only one way to find out."

***

"Come in." A voice from the other side of the door called. The soldier led Lauren N. into the room, still dark and dripping water from one corner. She began to tear up as the giant man stood by an army cot that hugged the wall on the side.

"You can leave." He instructed the other soldier. Lauren shivered at the dampness of the room, her breath could be seen -- short and static.

"You look nervous." He said walking closer. She tried to shuffle back. He only laughed.

"Don't be...it'll be over soon enough."

A single thud could be heard from the other side of the door. The man pushed Lauren to the side, causing her to fall to the floor and went to open the door. "I said to give me privacy." He yelled as he opened the door. He looked down to see one of his soldiers slumped down against the door dead, a single bullet through his head.

"I can give you some privacy." Sophia held a gun up against his chin.

"Okay...okay....you win." He said throwing his hands in the air. Sophia kicked the door open still pointing the gun at the man. "Lauren, get up!" She called to her who quickly jumped up and ran out of the room.

Lauren ran down the hall and heard a few more voices.

"This way! This way!" A flare was thrown in the opposite direction and gun fire echoed through the hall. Mel Lok and LeAndria ran past her as they ducked and weaved from enemy fire. Lauren hugged the wall as soldiers soon ran past her as well, not noticing her there.

"Fuck! There's more of them down here!" A female's voice yelled.

"Shoot him quick!" Another one said. More gunfire ensued.

In the dimly lit room the three girls could hear the gunfire outside.

"I think I almost have..........got it." Christa said freeing the cuffs from her hands. "We have to be careful...something is going on outside." She opened the door quietly and was received by a gun to the face.

"Keep quiet or I'll shoot!" Sarah said not knowing who it was.

"Oh my God, Sarah it's us!" Christa said.

"Christa?! Let's get you out of here!" Sarah led the group down the hall making sure that no soldiers were around.

"STOP!" A soldier yelled from behind them.

"Run!" Sarah instructed. They all ran and were greeted with gunfire. They managed to turn a corner without being hit. "What the fuck. What the fuck." Caroline said catching her breath. "If I had known we were going to get caught in a cross fire, I would have worn my LuLuLemon cropped leggings."

***

"What are you going to do to me?" The man said facing the wall on his knees, a gun pointed to his head.

"Once I get all my girls out of here, I'll shoot you." Sophia said. The man just smiled.

"Please don't." He said as he pulled a knife from his sleeve without Sophia noticing.

"You would do the same thing to us if you had the chance."

"Well...I do have the chance." He turned around too quickly for her to react. He threw the knife with such accuracy at Sophia's throat.

Annie rounded the corner at the same moment as the knife lodged into her sister's neck. "SOPHIA!" She ran towards her sister as she fell, blood gushing from her neck. Within moments she was dead. Annie began firing from the gun she had borrowed from Sophia earlier. Bullets ricocheted off of the walls as Annie missed. The man rolled out of the gun fire and grabbed the gun from Sophia's dead body. He took aim at Annie.

Mel and LeAndria turned the corner as they saw Annie running towards the man shooting.

"Annie no!" Mel yelled.

The man fired a single shot that went through Annie's head and out the back. She fell right where she was as tears ran down the side of her face.

The man then aimed the gun at LeAndria who didn't have time to react. His finger was about to pull the trigger when a blade pierced through his head causing him to topple dead over Sophia's lifeless body. LeAndria turned to Mel who had a throwing knife in her hand.

"I guess I know how to use these..." She said.

The group united after realizing the two sister's dying.

"We need to get out of here." Christa said. "If the zombies are coming, we need to get somewhere safe before they find us."

"I know the tunnels well...I know a way out." Sarah said. "Gather the weapons you can...I can't promise we'll all make it out of here alive...but we will try."

The girls ran down a dark passage after they said their final goodbyes. At least they found each other... Christa thought. Only the sounds of their footsteps and of dripping water covered the noises of moaning zombies coming up behind them.

Episode 16: Night 4.1 - Unthinkable

Adrienne felt like she knew where they were going. Once they hit Route 270 and saw the sign, she knew that they were going to pass her home town, Poolesville. Her eyes widened as the transport van left the density of the city and the all the scenery became familiar. It looked untouched...perhaps Poolesville was still intact and everyone she knew was still alive.

"We're going to pass my home town." Adrienne whispered to Nuria who tried to pry a weak smile.

"You're...you're from Poolesville?" Adrienne looked in shocked realizing the mother with the young daughter was speaking to her.

"Yes...are you as well?" She said trying to scan this woman's face. Poolesville was a small knit country community and she knew she would have recognized the pair if they were from there.

"No, we're from right near there...Dickerson."

Adrienne smiled. The little girl reminded her of when she was little. Her golden blonde hair covered her delicate face and angel blue eyes. She hid it in her mother's jacket trying hard not to show that she had been crying the entire trip. The mother just held her tightly.

"How old is she?" Adrienne whispered.

"She's 7 today...we had a big birthday party planned for her. We were in Bethesda picking up supplies when the outbreak hit and they was no way back at that point.

"And that's when you heard about the NIH."

"We made it over there, my husband, my older son and us..." The mother just stared glazed a little trying hard not to remember something. Adrienne just waited to comfort her in the silence.

"My son died in the outbreak and my husband left us at Whitman when he was forced to make it to the NIH by himself." She said not realizing that her husband had perished in that futile trip to the destroyed government facility. He had yelled out their name as zombies savagely tore his body apart.

They did in fact pass her hometown. Every thing looked normal, the houses, the school, the billboard with the face of the local Realtor smiled down on them as they passed. They passed the old bank -- which used to be the old town hall -- and drove through the Central Business District of the town. She smiled and closed her eyes trying to keep the image of Poolesville intact in her mind as they left the town.

About half an hour later they finally stopped. Adrienne opened her eyes feeling Lauren H. pulling her arm. "Come on, we have to get off now." Where were they? She wasn't sure but they had stopped in front of a giant brown building that lacked any windows and was guarded by several soldier out front.

"Everyone in a single file line and move in." A soldier called out. All the women huddled together and they gathered their things and made their way into the building.

Once inside they realized how much of a sterile feeling the building had. Fluorescent lights lined a long white hallway with white doors, no windows and white tiled floors. The soldier led the group down the hall and through a small door at the end.

At first the women entered an empty dark room with a large glass window that peered into another empty room. In it, a single chair with straps. A young woman sat in the chair, her arms and legs strapped in, a look of fear embedded in her eyes. The group of woman looked on as a scientist walked into the room with the one chair. He administered an injection into the resisting woman's arms and hurried out of the room, closing a thick metal door behind him. The blunt thud of the door echoed through the room they were in.

"What was that..." Adrienne asked Nuria. The little girl pressed her face against the window intrigued. A few moments later the woman in the chair began convulsing, she screamed as black ooze fell from her mouth. Her shaking worsened like a seizure and after a minute, she fell silent.

All the women gasped as the woman came back to life, her skin beginning to decay instantly in front of their eyes, her eyes turning red and carnal screams were the only things coming out of her mouth besides the black ooze.

"She's a zombie!" Nuria gasped. The scientist came back in escorted by two soldiers. The woman tried to attack him as he got closer but could not break free from the straps. The scientist administered another shot and all of them ran out of the room.

The women looked on again, terrified now, and within seconds the zombie began to scream in pain. Her arms swelled, the ooze fell out like a waterfall from her mouth and her stomach expanded. An audible pop later and she fell silent, dead, the swelling and expanding ceasing to exist.

"Another failure." The women jumped. The scientist had stood behind them.

"What was that? What's going on?" Adrienne demanded.

"The moment the outbreak began we had been testing an anti-virus, a cure-all if you will...with, as you can see, no such luck yet." He walked around them.

"What are you going to do with us?" A woman in the group asked. The scientist smiled.

"Find a cure for the entire world...find a cure from this zombie state and we need women to do it. We tried with men but they resisted the anti-body...women seemed to take it more but still nothing...but now..." He said walking over to the little girl who still had her face pressed against the window.

"NO!" The mother cried. The little girl turned around to see the scientist standing over her. He touched her porcelain face with his hand.

"She is a precious one, isn't she?"

"Don't you dare touch her." Adrienne said. Nuria and Lauren were shocked by her sudden outburst. They haven't heard her this strong since the outbreak...they were sure that it had shocked her into a weakened state.

"Don't you want to save the world?" The scientist asked instructing a few soldiers to take the girl and restrain the group. "The life of one, could save the life of many....think of how many precious children you could save...on the other hand, if you try to stop me, think of all the children you'll end up killing."

"Give us a chance to live." Adrienne pleaded. The scientist said nothing. "Give us a chance to try and survive." She was ignored.

The scientist walked to the window. "Won't you all watch with me?"

The women cried as they were pushed up to the window by the soldiers behind them. Two soldiers entered the room carrying a kicking and screaming girl. Her mother cried hysterically as they strapped her into the chair. Another scientist walked in carrying a large needle filled with the same black ooze that dripped from the zombie's mouths. He drew the needle closer to her arm as the little girl cried pleading for her mother. "Please! Please no! Mommy, mommy! I just want to be 7 at least for one day!" The needle drew even closer, the women watched with bated breath. Suddenly a door slammed open behind them causing all of them to jump and scream.

"Sir!" A soldier yelled.

"What is it?"

"There are hundreds of them!"

"Hundreds of what!" The scientist demanded.

"Zombies, sir! We've been surrounded."

"Where are they coming from!"

"Poolesville, sir...God Help Us All." And the soldier ran out of the room.

"WAIT!" The scientist said and chased after the soldier. He turned around and addressed the group, "I guess you have your chance...although it doesn't seem to be a very good one." And he slammed the door behind them.

"What do we do now?" A woman asked. The little girl was still screaming from her chair, the scientist had stopped what he was doing when he was informed of the news.

"We have our chance to survive...what choice do we have? We need to take it." Adrienne said and the group of women ran out of the room.

Episode 15: Day 4.3 - Unaccounted

"Keep up Von!" Nina said holding back from the group just enough to keep him in her sight.

"I'm so tired and we haven't eaten anything in over a day." Von said breathing heavily. "Why do we have to keep running so fast?"

Up ahead the rest of the group stopped to wait for the two of them.

"I told him to keep up...it's not me." Nina said. Von got annoyed by this comment. Yeah he knew he was the slowest in the group but was it necessary for her to smear all over him too?

"We can't afford to slow down." JC said.

"Where are we going?" Von asked. JC looked around in all directions. "You've got to be fucking kidding me." Von stammered. JC only glared back.

"You have something to say Von?" He asked.

"Why don't you, for one second, just quit pretending like you know what you're doing right now."

"You know what I do know? I know that we wouldn't be slowed down as much if you weren't so..." JC stopped himself.

"So...what?" Von asked with questioning eyes.

"Okay let's just stop this." Susie got in between the two of them. "We have to figure out what we're doing."

"NO." Von pushed through her. "You were about to say something JC. SAY it."

"Don't push me." JC said not looking at him.

"SAY IT. JUST FUCKING SAY IT. If you're such a bad ass, such a leader, such a..."

"If you weren't so FAT." JC interrupted. The group fell silent. Jiko's mouth dropped.

A cold ball of ice formed in Von's throat and it became impossible for him to swallow. He could feel the tears welling up inside. He didn't want to cry in front of all them...he was perceived as the weakest already that he didn't want to add this to that list. So he ran.

"Why did you have to say that!" Susie slapped JC in the arm and ran after him.

"You guys! You can't just run off like. It's not safe." Owen said.

JC shook his head. "Now he runs." And he went to a nearby tree, dropped his bag and sat down.

Ahead Von kept running, unsure what the point was. He looked everywhere and saw a clearing up ahead. He got to the clearing and stopped running, gasping at what he saw.

"Von, wait up!" Susie said and she noticed him up ahead at the opening to a clearing. "Von, what is it....what do you...oh...my..." Susie couldn't finish her sentence. Von just looked at her and looked back at the mountain of dead bodies piled up one on top of the other. He walked ahead.

"Von stop!" Susie said but he didn't. Von went closer to the pile of bodies. She was now curious and joined him.

"Do you think zombies did this?" She asked.

"No....look at the bullet holes on all of these bodies. I don't see any bites or scratches."

Susie walked around the pile. There must have been at least 100 bodies on it, if not more. Who had done this? Why did they do this? And how have no zombies found these bodies for themselves to eat?

"I found a gun!" Von said from the other side of the pile. She couldn't see him by this point. "Oh and bullets!"

Susie kept looking around and noticed something moving back and forth through the bushes.

"Hey Susie! Do you know how to shoot this thing?" Von said coming around. Susie got him to quiet down as she approached the bushes. As she got closer she realized that it was a little girl rocking herself back and forth, her head tucked between her legs.

"Are you okay?" Susie called out the girl. The girl didn't notice and continued to rock. "Hey...we're here to help."

"Susie, I wouldn't..." Von said pointing the gun at the child, shaking.

"Von, it's a little girl, she needs help." Susie reached for the girl as she continued talking to Von.

"We're not going to just let her sit..."

"SUSIE!" Von screamed. The little girl's head shot up. Her eyes were completely black, blood dripping from her mouth. She jumped up and lunged at Susie.

BANG.

"What was that?" Owen said.

"SUSIE!" JC got up and started running towards the direction of the shot. Everyone else followed suit.

"Oh god." They found the pile of bodies and the other two standing over the body of a little girl. Von was holding the gun shaking.

"Susie!" JC ran to her and took her in his arms.

"He saved me....Von saved me." Susie said. The group looked at Von who tried to give a little smile as he shrugged his shoulders. "I guess I know how to shoot this thing..." He said. Everyone laughed.

A few hours later after walking through the dense forest they noticed the exit and Susie ran ahead realizing where they were.

"You guys! We're near Friendship Heights." Von's eyes grew realizing he too noticed where they were.

"And isn't that?" He pointed to a house. Susie nodded.

"That's Elizabeth Kingdom's house..."

The group walked to it as the door swung back and forth slightly in the stale breeze...

Episode 14: Day 4.2 - Uncharted

"Shut up...just shut up." A female's voice was telling Annie as she covered her mouth.

Annie struggled until she realized she recognized that voice. Her eyes widened and her captor let her go. "Sophia?" Annie said raising her flashlight into the other person's face.

"Ay yo, stop that. I can't see." Sophia snatched the flashlight out of Annie's hands. "What are you trying to do to me? Make me blind? Damn." Annie ran and gave her sister a hug.

"You're ALIVE?!" Annie said.

"Let's get out of here first, we'll talk when it's safe." Sophia led Annie through the tunnels in the darkness with just a small flashlight that Sophia carried in her pocket. Annie had no idea where they were going, but she was so thankful that it was Sophia that had captured her and not a zombie.

***

Lauren N. opened her eyes drowsily and gave herself a minute for her vision to adjust. The room was dimly lit by a few red lights that hung low from the ceiling. She could see two men in full black armored body suits standing in front of her with guns at their waist. She could tell she had duct tape on her mouth. She tried to reach up to remove it.

"What...what...is going on." She tried to say but was muffled by the tape. She realized she was tied to a chair by rope. She looked to both sides of her and realized that everyone else was also tied, but like her a few moments before, they were still passed out. Lauren desperately tried to scream but couldn't.

"No point trying." A third man appeared from a dark corner. He was a giant in Lauren's eyes. He had a bald head with a giant gash running down the side of his face. He leaned over and quickly ripped the tape off of her mouth causing her to wince. "You may speak."

"What are you doing. What's going on?"

"I could be asking you the same thing." The man said.

"What?"

"What were you doing in the tunnels? My tunnels."

Lauren finally realized how they got there. After being led away by the soldiers, Lauren remembered them knocking each of the girls out one by one with a black club, before they knocked her out too.

"We...we were trying to get to the NIH."

"Likely story. You're trying to infiltrate and steal our weapons weren't you?"

"No! No, we weren't. I promise." Lauren cried.

Two chairs down Devin opened her eyes and began to scream through her duct taped mouth. Immediately she began hyperventilating.

"Devin, calm down...please, calm down." Lauren pleaded. The man walked over behind Devin, pulled her by the hair and put a knife to her throat.

"No you tell me the truth...or I kill her." The man threatened. Devin was profusely crying trying to catch her breath.

"I AM telling you the truth!" Lauren yelled. The man looked at another soldier and gave him a nod. The soldier tossed the bag of guns into the middle of the room.

"THEN WHAT IS THAT?!" The man yelled. "These were clearly stolen from the police station. How am I to be sure you weren't coming in here to steal our things?"

"FOUR GIRLS?!" Lauren yelled. "FOUR GIRLS?! STEAL YOUR THINGS?!"

"Intel said there were four women in this tunnel for the last several days scavenging and stealing whatever they could from soldiers...even killing them to do so."

"That's not us. We just came down here today."

"And how can I be entirely sure..." The man made a small slit in Devin's throat just enough for a bit of blood to run down her neck. There was no way to calm her at this point.

"What do you want!" Lauren asked. The man gave a menacing smile and let go of Devin's hair. He was now behind Lauren and placed his face by her neck. His staggered breath on her neck made her jump in her skin. Tears fell down. Devin was still struggling on her own.

"We can put all of this behind us..." The man began, "If you..." He whispered the rest into Lauren's ear causing her to cry hysterically. The man kissed her neck and cut the rope that bound her hands.

***

"In here." Sophia said instructing Annie to climb a small ladder down yet another dark tunnel. Annie noticed a very faint glow at the end. "What is that down there?"

"It means it's safe. Let's go. Stop standing around like a damned fool." Annie turned around and gave her sister a glare but continued down the tunnel.

"Is that you Sophia?"

"Yeah, yeah. And I found someone!" At the end of the tunnel, Sophia made a left and was greeted by someone with a hug. Annie flashed her light at the two.

"What are you doing? Quit shining that thing in my eye."

"LeAndria?"

"Annie, it's great to see you." LeAndria gave Annie a hug. Annie now noticed in better light that both she and Sophia were in tattered clothing and covered in a black grease.

"We can do a bigger reunion later. There are two other people that will be happy to see you...but they're out scouting right now. I'll let them surprise you when they return."

Moments after the reunion, Sophia sat Annie down to explain what was going on.

"I was trailing you guys the minute you came into the tunnel. I tried to stop you as discretely as I could but I couldn't get to the rest of you in time to stop them."

"Who are those men?"

"Left over soldiers from the NIH...it was overrun by zombies after two days. After the breakout, the four of us figured out immediately that the NIH was the way to go. The streets were clogged with others trying to get there that we figured the tunnel between the metro stops might have been the best bet." Sophia explained.

"Boy were we wrong." LeAndria began. "NIH was already being attacked on the first night of the outbreak and the few military personnel that didn't go into DC were having a tough time fighting off the hordes. They came down into the tunnels to escape but there was no order. People killed each other for weapons and a way to survive. We found this secret tunnel and waited until it became quiet enough to sneak out and grab any weapons or food from the dead bodies that were just lying everywhere in the tunnels."

"So there haven't been any zombies down here? It wasn't what killed everyone?"

"Besides the ones your friends ran into, no...But now that they are down here, it means we don't have much time left. We need to rescue the others and get out of here." Sophia said with urgency. "Those men WILL kill them...nothing has stopped them in the last 3 days..."

"3 days." LeAndria shook her head. "It's only been 3 days and the world's gone to shit."

Footsteps were heard from the other end of the tunnel.

"Hey, we're back!" A voice echoed from the corner.

Annie's eyes widened when she realized who it was. "Oh my God!" She said smiling and ran to hug the other two girls.

Episode 13: Day 4.1 - Unlucky

"Huh?" Lauren H. felt someone vigorously shake her shoulder.

"Get up!"

She opened her eyes and realized that a fully suited soldier was standing over her. She bolted up and realized that everyone else around her was also in the middle of getting themselves together. She looked up at the sky, it was still dark...it couldn't have even been dawn yet.

"Come on Lauren, we have to get ready." Nuria said picking up their things, which included a bag Nuria took from the house they had hid in. In it were a few canned goods and a pocket knife in a hidden compartment if ever they needed such a thing.

Adrienne walked around holding herself trying to get rid of shivering. It was a cold night and even colder early morning.

The lab suited man with a limp entered the courtyard. "Everyone line up, we're going to load you one by one onto the Cargo Truck and we'll be off to the NIH.

"Isn't it still a bit dark for us to leave?" One woman asked. "Won't the zombies still be outside?"

"We're in for a long trip...we need as much daylight as possible." The man said.

A few of the women looked at each other with questioning eyes.

"Long trip?" Lauren whispered to Nuria. "Isn't the NIH only 4 miles away?"

"I don't know...but if it means getting us there, I don't care WHAT path they take."

They all walked to the Cargo Truck and were helped onto it by a few soldiers. The women all sat against the two long benches that ran on both sides of the vehicle. A mother clutched her young daughter, an elderly woman pulled her blanket tightly around herself and the woman at the rear just kept looking outside with a hardened face and weathered eyes. Adrienne couldn't help but to look at this woman. She seemed older than she probably was...the tanned, leathery skin and the deep set wrinkles made her look beyond her years. The woman caught Adrienne's stare. "What are you looking at blondie?" The mom pulled her daughter in tighter.

Adrienne said nothing but averted her eyes.

"I was talking to you." The woman's voice raised. Still Adrienne didn't say anything, scared. The woman jumped out of her seat and across to Adrienne, grabbing her by the shirt and preparing a blow to the face.

"When I talk to you, you speak!" The woman said. A soldier from the front came over and hit the woman in the back of the head with the butt of his gun. She fell unconscious onto the floor, letting a shocked Adrienne slump back in her seat to catch her breath.

"Are you okay?" Nuria scooted over to check on Adrienne. In the meanwhile, the soldier kicked the back hatch open and accompanied by another soldier, pushed the unconscious woman off the truck.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Lauren jumped up in protest.

"SIT DOWN." The soldier pointed his gun at her. "We need a distraction for the zombies. If you want, you can join her."

Nuria pulled Lauren down to hold her as tears fell down her eyes. Adrienne couldn't even look and just shut her eyes while hiding under a blanket.

Nuria noticed that they were traveling towards the NIH the way she knew how. If that was the case they should be there in no time. She began to feel worried that something was wrong.

"Why would we need all that time to travel? We're almost there..." Nuria said.

A few moments later the perimeter and grounds of the NIH was visible. Adrienne looked out the back and gasped. Nuria and Lauren followed suit. "Shit..." Nuria said. What were once beautiful rolling grasses and glass and bricked government buildings was now burning rubble and bloodied bodies littering the floor. The truck kept going and didn't stop even once they passed the NIH gates.

"WHERE ARE WE GOING?!" Nuria screamed at the soldiers in the front. The soldier gave a little grin. "Didn't we tell you we were going on a nice little trip?" He said.

They could only look in fear as the truck drove further away from the one place they thought they could find sanctuary. Nuria could hear nothing else but her heart jumping out of her chest and the little girl crying as the truck exited onto the Beltway.

Episode 12: Night 3.2 - Underground

Night was falling as the girls rushed out of the police station.

"It's too dangerous to be out in the open when the sun goes down!" Lauren said. Caroline thought about it for a second and realized how close they were to the metro. "We have to go underground!"

Annie paused for a second, "How is that safe?"

"It's the only option we have to getting to the NIH tonight. Knowing that the metro over there is right by the entrance, I'm SURE they have the passages secured."

"We have no time to think about another solution. We have guns and flashlights." Christa said.

"But we don't know how to use them." Devin added.

"Annie apparently did. Let's go! We're bait just standing around here." Annie shook her head in frustration. She couldn't admit to them that it was sheer luck that the gun even fired, let alone have the bullet go through that zombie's head.

They ran to the metro stop making sure that the few zombies around the corner didn't spot them. Annie looked up at the Hyatt, where she worked just a few days ago and couldn't imagine what it must have looked inside by now...or perhaps if there were survivors hiding in there.

They ran down the escalators, still holding their makeshift weapons and stood on the empty platform looking down the tunnel towards NIH. Only a few lights remained lit and it cast an eerie glow around them.

"Do you hear anything down there?" Lauren asked.

"Nothing." Christa said. "Let's go. Take your flashlights out. The more light, the better."

One by one they jumped onto the tracks and shined the beam down the tunnel. The dark was so thick that light barely dented 5ft in front of them.

"You still think this is a good idea?" Annie asked.

"Just keep quiet, we're only a mile from the next metro station." Christa said.

Within minutes the group was engulfed by darkness and silence. Only the sounds of dripping water could be heard besides their heavy breathing and scattered footsteps. Lauren tried to squint to adjust her eyes but the darkness overwhelmed any sight ahead of them.

Christa suddenly stopped when she realized she had stepped on something. "Guys...stop." Still looking ahead of her and not at what she was standing on. "Lauren flash your light by my feet."

Lauren gasped and covered her mouth, dropping her flashlight to the ground. Caroline flashed her light and followed up the severed arm to the body of a uniformed soldier.

"I think this is a bad idea." Annie said. "I think we should turn back...now!" She said taking a few steps back.

"No we have to keep going!" Christa said.

"No, I can't! I can't keep going! I'm sorry!" Annie made a run for it back towards the Bethesda Metro Station.

"Annie no!" Christa yelled as Annie disappeared into the dark. "We have to get her!" But Caroline pulled her by the arm. "We can't risk all of our lives, Christa! We have to keep going."

The group took two steps before they heard a distant scream from behind them. Christa closed her eyes as a tear fell down her face...

"We have to run!" Lauren said realizing that more zombies were probably coming their way.

The girls ran as fast as they could, not even thinking of the possibility that there were zombies waiting for them ahead.

"Keep going!" Christa yelled. As Devin ran she tripped over a rock and fell to the ground causing her flashlight to fall in front of the group. The light shone on two pairs of mangled feet, but unlike the soldier, these were standing up. They all froze. Lauren brought the flashlight up and caused the group of zombies to shield their eyes from the light.

"My God..." Lauren said. They all realized that this was the end for them. They may have lasted longer than Annie, but in the end they were about to get mauled by zombies.

"EVERYONE DUCK." A voice from behind the zombie group yelled. The girls had no other reaction but to lie flat on the ground. The tunnel was suddenly lit up with the flashes of gun fire and the sounds of bullets hitting the walls and decaying flesh. After a barrage of bullets, silence fell upon them and the sound of feet running towards them.

"Get up!" A man's voice yelled. Christa was the first to get up, shaking from the ordeal and noticed four soldiers pointing guns at them. Everyone else followed suit as they brushed debris off of themselves.

"Pat them down." The lead soldier said to the others.

"We need safety." Christa said as she was being patted down.

"There is no safety." The soldier said.

"What do you mean? Isn't there protection at the NIH?" Devin asked.

"The NIH fell in just two days. There were just too many of them. Besides splinter, underground groups, there isn't anything there."

"Then who are you guys?" Christa asked. No one answered her.

"Someone grab the guns." The lead soldier instructed.

"Those are ours!" Lauren said struggling to keep hold of the bag.

"We're taking them and taking you with us." The soldiers pointed their guns at the girls. "Now march!"

They had no idea where they were going, but Christa couldn't shake off the idea that the NIH was gone.

***

"Just sleep tight." Nuria said to the other two. "Tomorrow we'll be taken to the NIH and everything will be fine." They closed their eyes and went to bed.

The man in the lab coat watched the group of women sleeping in the courtyard through the glass window. A soldier came up to him and greeted him with a salute.

"At ease soldier."

"Sir, the transport vehicles are equipped and fueled to go."

"We will leave at first light."

"Sir, they look so peaceful."

"Give them this one last night." The man shook his head. "They deserve it considering what they'll have to go through starting tomorrow."

They both walked away, the single light in the hall way turning out.

Episode 11: Night 3.1 - Uncertainty

Night was approaching as the group drove their way to Whitman High School. The school wasn't as many of them remembered just mere days ago. The parking lot was filled with military Humvees, barricades and high fences surrounded the entire perimeter and guards were stationed every few feet on posts that loomed several feet into the air.

It was oddly quiet too. The group was surprised that there weren't any zombies around...this much flesh was sure to attract the hungry creatures.

"Do we just roll up to the gates and say hello?" Owen asked looking through the tinted windows.

"I'm not sure...this is a bit strange."

They slowly rolled up to the front gates where the car was engulfed by a spotlight. The gate was slowly opened and several guards ran out surrounding the vehicle.

"Everyone out!" Shouted one of the guards. "And hands in the air!" The group slowly exited the vehicle and put their hands in the air. Susie was still too weak to do it on her own. JC had to help her out.

"WAS SHE BITTEN?!" One of the soldiers prodded her in the stomach with a gun.

"No!" Nuria intervened. The other soldiers pointed their guns towards Susie. Adrienne gasped and clutched onto Nina's arm tightly. "She was shot! I've been nursing her back to health."

"Take off the bandage, we need to see it." The soldier instructed.

"Look, can you please let us in first?! It's dangerous out here. Zombies could attack us any minute." Nuria pleaded.

"No one is getting in until we make sure everyone is free of scratches and bites."

Soldiers were instructed to check on everyone. One soldier getting slapped by Lauren H. for inappropriately lifting up her shirt without permission.

Nuria slowly removed the bandage on Susie's shoulder, causing her to wince slightly. JC held her tight as Susie let out a small yell. The wound was visible, slightly infected around the edges but was clearly not a bite mark.

The soldier nodded to someone at the gates and they were let in. They all proceeded into the high school through the front door while their vehicle was confiscated due to the black ooze and blood that was splattered on the sides. They were led through the halls of Whitman by a man in a lab coat with salt and pepper hair and prominent limp.

"Why aren't there any zombies outside the gates? We saw dozens of them just a few miles down." Nuria asked the man.

"We've sent several units out to eradicate all zombies and potential bait within a half mile radius. Trip wire was also set around a perimeter a quarter mile away that would let us know if any horde was coming our way."

"Potential bait?"

"Yes."

"What do you mean by that?" She asked.

"I will say no more. Follow me." The group looked at each other and continued to follow the man without question. This was the first time in three days that they felt even an ounce of security.

The group was led to the open courtyard that was situated in the middle of the school.

"Please after you." The man indicated. Several other people were waiting in the courtyard. JC noticed a lack of men there, only women and small children.

"There's an issue." The man began. "We aren't transporting men to the NIH, only women and children."

"What!" Von said in shock. "What do you mean?!"

"Unfortunately that is the case and I am in no liberty to discuss the issue further. These women will be transported at first light, when zombie activity has been seen at its lowest."

"But we're a group, we need to stick together." JC insisted.

"These women had to struggle with that issue too. Husbands, brothers, fathers...were all denied transport. We do provide a route that was scouted as the safest possible option to get to the NIH. We will also provide rations for the trip."

Soldiers walked into the courtyard. "So gentleman, if you please...these soldiers will lead you to where you can grab a map and rations and lead you out. Ladies, please step out of the group and stand with the others."

No one moved for a minute. Even with the soldiers pointing guns, everyone in the group stood still. "Ladies, we can make this difficult or we can make it easy. You have a ride to the NIH where you will protected. We are providing your men a perfect opportunity to rejoin you as well."

Susie spoke up weakly. "I'm not leaving the group. I'll go with them, with or without a transport."

Nina also stepped forward. "I'm with Susie. I wouldn't be alive if these guys didn't help me out."

"Foolish decision, but I respect it none the less. And the rest of you?" The man looked at the other girls. Nuria looked at everyone's faces as they waited for her decision. She took a deep breath and stepped forward.

"I'm sorry guys. I have the will to survive. I'm not sure how much longer I can do it out there without real weapons."

Lauren H. stepped forward too. "I'm sorry too. I'm sure my family is over there by now. I need to find them." Adrienne was the last to make a decision. She looked at everyone. She also stepped forward.

"I can't bear to see any more people dying...I don't have the strength to do that. I'm so sorry." She cried. The group could have been hurt by their decisions but everyone ran towards each other for one final embrace. The men and the women who chose not to leave the group were led out of the courtyard. They were led back out towards the front of the school and to the gate.

"Wait, where are our rations?" Owen asked. The soldier laughed still pointing a gun at them.

"There are no rations. There is no map." He said.

"What are we supposed to do?! Just go out there and risk our lives even more getting there?"

"That's not our concern any more." The gate opened and the group was ordered out. The gate slowly closed back, fencing them outside. The soldier began to walk away but turned around suddenly.

"Oh one advice, don't go in that direction." He said pointing down the road where the man in a lab coat said the trip wire was. "If you do, you might be mistaken for zombie bait." The soldier said and began to laugh. "Now scram!" He yelled and he walked away.

"What do we do now?" Von asked.

"I don't know...but we will need to make our way to the NIH." JC said. He scanned the area. "Follow me." And he led them towards the woods in the back. The mist that covered the grounds now enveloped the group causing them to disappear into the woods. The spotlights turned off as the distant sky still illuminated in fire and explosions. A quarter mile away, the trip wire went off.

Episode 10: Day 3.2 - Sanctuary

Jet fighters flew over them towards the center of DC.

"It's like we're in a war zone." Jiko said, brandishing two sharp hunting knives, looking up at the sky as a five jet trails scratched the horizon. In the far distance they could hear the sounds of explosions and the group could only assume that the military was dropping bombs...on what though or on whom?

"Keep your eyes open." JC said as he scanned left and right. Von was wrapped tightly around Nina's arm as she held a shovel in her hand.

"Where is your weapon, Von?" She said shaking him off.

"In my satchel." He pulled out a Swiss Army knife.

"What! Where was that when I needed a can opener?" Jiko said grabbing the knife.

"This thing has a can opener?" Von said.

"Be quiet you two, I can hear footsteps from around that corner." They all slowed down and hid behind a car parked on the street. They peaked over the car to see a few zombies walking around the empty street. The houses were all abandoned as more zombies walked out of them.

"How are we going to get by them?" Owen asked. "That's the only way to Whitman."

JC sunk down with his back against the car.

"JC, what's wrong?" Owen asked.

"Dude, sometimes I just don't have the answer."

"No one is expecting you to have them all, bro...but now is not the time not to have an answer."

"Maybe..." They all turned around to Adrienne. Besides Nina, no one has heard her speak since Eric's death.

Adrienne laid out a plan to distract the zombies with Jiko, the fastest person in their party. Then in small groups, they would sneak around the zombies through the backyards. Jiko would bash on a few cars causing their alarms to go off attracting zombies up the road to that one spot, clearing a path towards Whitman.

"Why do I have to do this?" Jiko asked.

"You're the best one for the job." Adrienne said. He huffed and agreed to the plan.

"Are you ready?" JC asked. Nina and Von stood on the left side while JC, Owen and Adrienne were going to sneak down the road from the right. "We will all meet a mile down the road. It should be a quick run to Whitman from there."

Jiko gave a nod, took a bat they found in the shed and walked in front of the zombies.

"HEY!" He shouted. They all stopped and stared at him. "Oh shit." He turned around and ran as the zombies began to chase him. He bashed on a few cars during his run, only setting off the alarm of one or two.

"Let's go." JC, Owen and Adrienne climbed over a fence and ran through the first few sets of backyards. Nina and Von did the same on the other end, Nina having to give Von a boost at the first fence.

Jiko ran as fast as he could only looking back once to make sure that the zombies didn't suddenly gain the ability to run faster than he could. They didn't take into consideration of the possibility that more zombies were hiding in the houses as Jiko was met by zombies in all directions. Suddenly he was surrounded, out of breath and alone. He turned a complete 360.

"Fuck, this is how it ends, huh?" He said clutching onto his bat tightly.

***

The rest of the group recollected at the end of the street. Whitman High School was only half a mile away.

"We have to wait for Jiko. He should be here any minute." They kept a look out. Ten minutes passed.

"Where is he?" Nina asked, squinting her eyes to see if she could see further down the street.

***

"God dammit, I wish I had my knives." Jiko said as the zombies were closing in on him.

Rounding the corner, a car screeched and came to a halt.

"JIKO!?" Nuria exited the car. Jiko saw Nuria through the trove of zombies that surrounded him. "Hang on! We'll get you out." She climbed back into the car and Lauren Hewins revved up the motor.

"Are you sure we'll be all right?" Lauren asked.

"There has to be some good with Hummers."

"Hang on!" Lauren yelled. Nuria grabbed hold onto Susie. They drove the car through one side of the zombies, plowing them down. Nuria opened the door. "Hurry Jiko! Get in!"

Jiko ran for the open door, bashing two zombies that were getting close.

***

"I don't think he made it." Owen said with his head down. "He sacrificed his own life to give us a chance."

"We should get going. We're close to the safe spot." JC insisted. They began to run.

"Wait!" Adrienne said. "I hear a car coming." They paused. A large yellow hummer rounded the corner and stopped right in front of the group. Black ooze and blood covered the side doors.

"Who is that?" Von asked. Lauren stepped out first, followed by Nuria and Susie. Jiko was the last to come out, wiping black ooze off of his bat. The group ran towards each other feeling joy with their reunion. With a quick catch up, a hug shared by JC and Susie, they stuffed themselves in the Hummer and headed down the road towards Whitman.

***

"Gather what you can. We don't have much time. They'll be all around us soon."

"I've got a few fresh fruit here."

"Good, I hate the canned stuff." She took the fruit from the other person and took a bite of it. Maggots were wriggling in the center. She just looked at it and tossed it to the side. She wiped off her mouth with her sleeve and kept walking.

She passed a broken mirror and saw her reflection. What happened in the 3 short days after the chaotic outbreak at the store? She tried to smile but couldn't force it.

A boy came up behind her. "I found the book you were looking for."

The girl took the book and looked at it. "I don't think extra credit is going to do me any good now..." And like the piece of fruit, she tossed it to the side.