I follow this beautiful girl into an alleyway. I shouldn't be following a stranger into an alleyway. This was crazy of me. I knew better than this but something told me to follow her and so I did. I follow this woman into several different alleyways and down one street to one more alleyway. She brought me to a small hole in the wall. It looks like the one I first hide I with Jake when this first started for me. This brought back memories of me killing that kid, it brought back something I didn't want to remember. It brought back a feeling I thought I let go, but I didn't let it go. And it was killing that kid was something I never wanted to remember, I never wanted to hurt a kid again. I haven't thought about that day in a long time, inherently it was also the day I first spoke to Jackie even if it was for twenty-odd minutes or so. Without her help, I wouldn't be here today.

I shook off the feeling of killing a kid. I knew I had to do it then just like I have to do it now for anyone who was bitten or kill in some other way. If they were breathing they were gone and it was up to us living to put them down.

Looking around I notice that this girl seems familiar to me. The way she carried herself, the look in her eyes telling me she saw some shit she wishes she'd never seen. Or the way she first looks at me while pointing her gun at me. It was like she knew me but I didn't know her. She walks around the room grabbing stuff and then she walked over to me. "Take your shirt off," she said to me. "Wha-what," I said. "I am not taking my shirt off," I told her. "You will if you want to stay the night officer," she said to me. "Wait what how did you know I was an officer," I ask her. "I saw you on your first day on the job rookie, you ask me for directions to getting to the briefing room," she said to me. "no way you're the front desk working!" I said. I look at her in awe. "now take your shirt off," she said to me once more. This time I complied and removed my shirt. She looked over my body, checking to see if I had any wounds.

Then I felt her hand touch my back, her touch was soft. I grasp in slight pain. "You have a bruised on your back," she said to me. "Yeah, that was from falling off my bike when I ran into a growler," I told her. "A what?" she asked me. "A growler, you know a zombie the undead," I told her. She still didn't seem to understand why I was calling them that. "I call them that because it's their name, it was a girl is experiencing right now in New York City is facing everything, it's what we are facing right now, and this place is the second hell on earth because the first place was taken by the big dead apple now," I told her. And that when I started to explain everything I knew and how I spoke to a girl named Jackie Rivero and listen to her story.

I told her about how it was there when the dead came back and how I killed my family and save two little girls that I so desperately needed to get back to them. But I knew I had to wait until the sun came up and how I needed to rest but my body wouldn't let me until I got back to my girls.

"You need to relax before you get yourself killed, " she said to me. "What's your name," I ask her. "Tt's Gabby nice to meet you, rookie," she said to me. "It's Haley," I told her. "Sleep before I make you sleep, you need rest you can look after your girls right," she said to me. I look at her and thought about it, she was right and I needed to keep my strength up. She handed me some food and water and I ate.

After eating I wanted to ask Gabby more questions about how she survive this long on her own but my body started to grow weak from the last three or so days of pushing myself beyond my limits. My body felt heavy, I lean on the wall to support myself. I couldn't keep my body upright any longer. Gabby came rushing towards me, "I told you to rest dumbass," she said to me. I just laughed at her and I closed my eyes feeling her support me.

I woke up on the floor of the small room that I was lead to by Gabby. I push myself to get up and groan in pain. My back was killing me and my body screamed at me as my muscles ache. I wanted to get up and go to my girls but I couldn't. I felt the weight of something on me. That's when I notice that Gabby was on my right side with her arm draped over my waist and her head in the crook of my neck. I blush at the time of cuddling with her all night but stop the thought and told myself that this was to keep warm on what was a hot summer night. There was no need for us to cuddle last night but here we are. She was sleeping peacefully by my side and for some reason, I like the sight of it. No this was the time to think about such things. I needed her to wake up and I needed her to get out of here and go to my girls.

Soon Gabby woke up and push herself away from me. I just looked at her. I wonder what was going through her head. Her dark brown eyes fall upon me with a questioning look in her eyes. But she turns away from me before I could ask her anything. I got up and groan in pain again as my legs strain to push me upright. I use the walk as support but I got myself standing. I wanted to leave but trying to move hurt. Gabby looks towards me and saw me struggling to stay upright but I wasn't going to ask her for help, I didn't know her and she didn't know me. She came towards me offending her hand to support me. I didn't know her game and I wasn't going to play it. The only person I trust is Josh and that's it. He and I were going to leave this hell hole of a city behind and start over so we don't have to worry about families. He had his sister and I had my girls and dog. That all I needed I didn't need this beautiful girl with eyes so dark and skin so pale distracting me. I wasn't going to accept her help, I could do this on my own.

I took one step and I felt my leg buckle beneath me but I didn't touch the floor. Gabby was at my side holding me up. "Stop acting tough dumbass," and she pulled me up. She helps me stand up. "I don't need your help I'm fine let me go," I told her. And that she did, she let me go and I went crashing to the ground. I groan in pain and just lay there for a moment. I started to push myself up and I felt my body protest this and I grunted through the pain and got up. I wasn't going to let pain stop me from reaching my girls. I was standing on my own two feet and I was in screaming pain but I didn't show it. I held in. I wasn't going to rely on someone I just met let alone pointed a gun in my face. But she was so beautiful when she took down those tickers and she still looks beautiful when she turned her weapon on me. God, why did I think that? Why was this happening now of all time? Why couldn't some guy save me so I wouldn't find them attractive? No, I will not find her attractive whatsoever! I will just get her to take me to my girls and not speak to her.

She put me up against the wall so I could lean on it as she gathers our things. She had one bag and I had my own. She handed me my bag and then she grabs me to support me. I tried to push her off but she held on. "I can walk by myself," I told her. "and watch her fall and slow us down I think not," she said to me. I was not slow I was tired as fuck but that wasn't going to slow me down. I wasn't going to let it slow me down but she wouldn't let me go.

She asks for the address of Josh's building and I told her. We started making our way there. She was holding onto me and I was struggling to keep up but I wasn't going to say anything about it. She wanted to do this and I wanted to be by myself. And yet she still held on to me. We walked for about three and a half hours before we stopped. I wanted to ask her why we stopped but then she held up a finger and put it on her lips. My eyes were drawn to them and I notice how pink they were. I ripped my eyes away from them and looked around our surroundings to see what was going on for us to stop. All I saw were burnt-out cars. I turned to her and I wanted to ask her what was going on and that's when I heard yelling. I wanted to know how she knew this, how she heard them.

I didn't ask her about it. I just went with it. We waited until they passed and then continue our walk. We walked for another hour or so until we were close to Josh's place. I told her that and she pulled me closer to her. We started moving faster until I saw the building. We were a few blocks away. Soon I would be with my girls. That's all I wanted. That's all I needed. I needed to see them and keep them safe.

We finally reach the building and I told her we had to climb the gate in order to enter it. I push her off and I started to climb. My muscles scream at me to stop but I kept pushing. I reach the top of the gate and just threw myself over. I fell six feet to the ground and landed on my back. I didn't care I was home now and the pain was worth it. Then Gabby landed on her feet next to me. She just laughs at me while I groan in pain. She picked me up and we started walking towards the building door.

As we walked up to it I saw Josh and he ran to us. "Where the fuck have you been!" he said to me. "Well hello to you too," I said back. I started to feel light-headed and my body started to feel heavy. "Hey what's wrong?" I heard Gabby say. I was going to say nothing but nothing came out but a struggle moan. My body went numb and my world went black but I could still hear what was going on around me. "Haley wake up!" I heard a frantic Josh say. "Calm down and help me carry her," I heard Gabby say. I couldn't feel anything but I knew that Josh picked me up, I felt his breath on my face. "What happens to her?" He asks her. "Well, a lot but I only just met her yesterday saving her ass from those things, she called them tickers. "All I know is that she was on a bike and coming from San Diego that's over hundred and twenty miles and she did that," was all Gabby said. "We have to wait for her to get up and talk to her," said Josh. "Yeah well, that's your problem I'm leaving," I heard Gabby say. Wait what, she was leaving I didn't want her to leave yet. Wait yes, I did, I need her to leave so these feelings can go away. Yes, I find her beautiful and I wanted to feel her lips on mine to see how soft they were but I couldn't let that happen. But still, a part of me didn't want her to go.

I didn't know what was going on around me anymore. I couldn't hear anything. my mind was growing tired and I needed to rest but I couldn't. "Rest Haley me and Carmen need you to wake up." I heard Casey's voice and the sadness she felt. I let my mind relax. I was going to rest up for the girls. In the darkness, I felt something. In the darkness, I saw something. In the darkness, I felt what I needed to felt and then came the light. I saw my family. I saw what life would have been like. Casey going to saw with her real family, Carmen with her real family. I saw my brother wearing his black tux marrying the man he was so in love with. I saw my parents crying with joy. I saw my career as a cop and something I didn't know I needed to see, I saw myself getting married to the women of my life and having a child.

When I open my eyes, the sun was out. I felt something light against my chest. I look to see what it was. Casey. She was laying on my chest. I wanted to move but my body wouldn't let me. I move my arm and pull her closer to me. I grunted in pain but I did it anyway. Casey stirs a little bit and woke up. "You awake!' she said and hug me. I groan in pain and she let me go and said sorry. I just smile at her and pull her to me again. "I'm sorry it took me so long to get back to you," I said. She just hugged me tighter.

I told her to get Josh and Gabby. I told her I needed to talk to them about something important. It was what I discover out on the water and in San Diego, I also wanted to explain why I was so late coming back home to Casey.

She left to get them and I struggle to sit it. I was finally sitting up when they walked into the room. Josh had food on a tray for me and Gabby look pissed off to still be here. I took the food from Josh and ate. After I was done I started to tell them what I saw and what I've been through.

"After I left you guys here I was walking along trying to find shit out and then I thought about looking on the water trying to see the city from a different viewpoint and when I couldn't I try went further out and I saw a liner on fire. It was crazy, the dead in the water just being drag down and then that's when I saw it, a gray wall on the water and all of a sudden around was fire off and hit ten feet away from me and I just got out of there, I just ran and when I the engine stopped I was in San Diego. That was set ablaze, nothing but smoke and fire. And I find my way out, I find a bike and just pedaling away from the city of smoke and fire. And for three days and very little rest, I push myself until I made it back to the city and when I made it I was attacked by a growler then some tickers, and I meet Gabby and now I'm here." I said to them. Josh look scare out of this mind and Gabby had a look of hatred on her face.

They asked me more questions and I answer to the best of my ability. After questioning me for about an hour I was feeling tired again. They left me to rest. This time I dreamt of nothing but what could have been but I know that was something that was taken from me from us and I know nothing will bring it back. I dreamt of what was now and how I saved my friend and these girls.

A few hours later I woke up and got out of bed, my body ache and my joints popped. My back was killing me but I didn't want to stay in bed any longer, I needed to move. I walked out of the room and I saw Casey and Carmen. Carmen was softly crying and Casey was trying to calm her down. I went up to them and smile down at Carmen. She stopped when she saw me and started reaching out to me. I smile at her and reach to hold her hand. She smiles at me. I looked up and saw Josh and Gabby, "We need to leave the city and find someplace open and safe," I said to them. "where would we go?" asks Josh. "we can go up north, their miles of farmland," I said. "Good idea but I'm not going," said Gabby.