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"jane…. jane I cant do it anymore." My voice no longer held a shake, instead it rang clear as day, but was credenced ,yet exhausted. I had shed my last tear. "yes you can. We can do it together. Just you and me. We will get through this. All of this." she looked up through her watering eyes, they held so much promise. So much hope. My barriar lay in shambles around me, I was vunrable and exspoed, naked under her eye. If it had remained intact it would have told me not to follow this false hope. I had no choice but to take her hand and follow her as she preached ways of light. Wove tales of a new beginning. My reclusive barriar wasn't protecting me from others, it delved through lies, and showed me the raw over turned truth. And left the choice of my fate for my dirty hands to grasp. "Zach. Listen to me. If you wont do this for me, then do it for them. Natalie…smith they all need you. And if nothing else. Do it for Tom. Don't let him die in vain." Jane began to rise to her feet, her mind wavering on wether or not her words were worming into my head.  Conflicting emotions of sarrow and rage began to collide/ Butting head like romancing rams. Luckily the decision of what do next was not my own. "you to get out here. NOW." It was the voice of Smith, broiling with a livid edge. The teenage instinct in my body that 100% opposed being told what to do instructed my mind to become aggressive and agitated. Anamialistic. That's what everyones were actions theses days, driven into effect by raw instinct and imotion. Jane dragged my out with her, I didn't meet one eyes as they all demanded mine. All of them where there, excpect for tom, whos empty place seemed like a scapl being dragged across my wrist. Forcing a permant reminder to surface later.
Jennifer was fuming, wether it was because we had seen the rare moment when she was weak, or was it because we had kept a liable secret that could have doomed us all. "did you know." Smiths questions seemed more of a demand than that. "know what?" I pressed with insolent stupidity. I knew exactly what he was asking. I wanted to hear them say it. "DID YOU KNOW HE WAS BITTEN!" Smiths bellow seemed more fitting to his rough exterior than he get up of being all nice and polite. It was too late for me. But not for jane. I could only imagine the things that phyco path, Ash, would do to her if he knew she was in on it. "I knew. Jane didn't." wow, being a hero was never so easy. I heard jane intake a tiny breath, like a beat of a months wing. Suddenly the others just threw her aside, she didn't matter anymore. I took their beating glares with open arms. "why didn't you tell us?" Natalie was sobbing, her voice was lachrymose and fleeting. "lots of reasons I guess." my voice held no sway, it only whistles like a breeze through an empty cage. She narrowed her eyes against the pooling tears and shook her head. "why…do you know what he could have done to us." "I kept tabs on him. He wouldn't have gotten far." I was begging to scare myself, I wasn't talking like a normal teenager. I was vividly reminded of those bleary eyed freaks behind the bars of a mental society. It frightened my of how possible it was that I had cracked. I just didn't care anymore. Maybe it would have been best if jane had let me carve my head out with a bullet. But I feel that I was spared for a reason, suicide was temporarily out of the question now. I have a job to do, but the path isnt so clear. I know it isnt here. I just know. So that's it. Ill take their punishements, pack up and leave. Turn over a new leaf, and shed the bruised and scared one I cling to now.
"What do we do now?" Natalie turned to ask smith. "we vote." such grim words stirred something inside me. Worry. Like a leak in a damn I found myself drowing in rushing emotions. Rage, fear, regret. My new leaf starts here, as I watch if my life is fiddled with in the hands of madmen.
"please don't hurt red. He meant well." jane was pleading. I solemly wished I had drug her down with me, as more of the old feeling of hurt caused by her hands filled the spaces inside me. "shutup." Ash snapped at jane. I retrained from planting my fist in his jaw, by my restraints where loose. He just had to keep testing.
"we vote on wether we kick him out or not." Natalie decided for the group on a less harsh punishment. "them." jennifer corrected, her arms folded to her chest. The vunrable jane that had emerged since we got here quickly vanished. The kick ass Jane Ridding I knew since I had met her took the reins. "Oh so now I have to leave just because I know red is that it?" hers fingers curled into a iron fist. "yeah. That is it." "that doesn't even make sense!" I yelped finnaly coming back to my humane senses. "EVERYONE SHUT UP! Those in favor of kicking them out raise hands." smith directed. Jennifer, Duncan, Ash and joise rose their hands. Natalie gave a disgusted look at Josie, "what? I cant have people like him around my baby. Hes not safe. Just look at that look his eyes." "he just had to shoot a child Josie! I would have kept you a secret if you were bitten." Natalie was pleading, trying to persuade. I had settled on the fact that I wished to leave, but if I was cast out the way they all so sorely sought I would die. Now it seems I fear death. Death not by my own hand, my own conditions. "doesn't matter. Majority rules. You leave…or we make you." Ash snarled between bared teeth. "now wait just a minute here." my voice was high pitched with alarm as I took a step forward. "enough! Get your stuff and leave. NOW!" ash held a pistol to my fprehead, I froze. Only moments ago I was gritting my teeth around the barrel, eager for salvation. But now as the cool smooth metal of the pistol casing bit into my skin, I began to inhale my own fear. A shout of alarm passed through everyone. Smith was making a subtle move twords ash, hopely to restrain, but all I could grasp was the image of ash splattering my brain over the wall. He could end it all, here and now. "you don't have to tell me twice guys. Ill leave. Trust me." I was half laughing the words now, it was almost funny that that rightesly belived I wanted to stay here. I had to, for jane and tom. But now given the chance, I not only need to leave but I want to. They just need to give me time to plan it out. I rose my hands out of innocence and backed off. "all I ask if a little supplies and time. Then I will gladly be out of your hair." I sucessfuly hide my hurt under a viel of apathy and mockery.
"now hold on a second. We need their help. We wont last another month." Smiths change of pace caught me off guard. Physically they had all picked sides, jane and I where caged in the middle of the crowding circle. Smith Natalie Duncan and Dirt where on one side while Josie Anna ash and Jennifer where on the other. The tension between the two groups drew a static pressure in the air. "atleast he has to leave. What makes you think they can help, plus if all else fails we cant support another mouth. Let another our own. Oh and not to mention the possibility of two more."
"are you willing to risk all of our survival on a gut feelin? What would you have done if you knew that little fella. Were not all a cold hearted bitch like you after all." Dirts southern tone made me apperar more light hearted than maybe he had intended. "shut the fuck up you dumbass red neck hillbilly. Ill say what I want." Jennifers voice icly reminded me of a girl from my high school who snapped at her boyfriend for cheating on her. She was hidding something, buried down and watched under the careful eye of her conciounse. Something grim. Something dark. If fate took a liking to me I would leave before I ever found out. "I say let him leave but hes not taking our supplies." Josie fericly reminded me of a mother bear, looming over her blundering cub. Prejudice against any form of predator, she would protect her young no matter what the cost. "agreed." Duncan piped, his broad arms crossed to his chest. "we vote. Since majority has it that Red must leave we vote on wether jane goes with him and wether he takes some supplies." Smith ushered the group. Everyone seemed satifyed with this outcome. "all in favor of jane leaving as well." Jennifer and ash rose hands, the others 'knew' to the best of their ability jane was innocent and they needed her help. "Jane stays. Now…red leaves with supplies." "please I have nothing I wont last more than a few da-" smith silenced my plea with a risen hand. Natalie, smith, joise and Dirt rose hands. Majority vote. I silent weight rolled of my shoulders. Destiny had a way of unfolding its self in a right direction acfter all. "take what you need. But just what you need." smith waved me over to the kitchen area I had woken up in when I first visted here. A heap of food was piled in the corner. I lit up like a child in a candy store, a stock of food was a blessing. One couldn't help but feel giddy all over. It just was one of those things that once you've gone without it for long enough it changes you.
I plucked a plastic grovery bag, double bagged it and filled it with a box od presumably stale, wheat things, a can of homestyle chicken noodle soup, baked beans, a single serving tub of spam and two water bottles. A generous helping but that left them with about 20 items left. Revenge is a bitch aint it.
ill just go get my guns and ill go then. I dully noted  as I walced over t the sleeping courters to collect my two pistols, m16 pocket full of ammo for both, machete and shotgun with my last 2 shells in the chamber. I couldn't place why such a bitnerss and sense of betrayl lingered in me, but I couldn't fight it either.
as I was leaving I noticed the surplus of guns left lying on cots. I was surly tempted. Sin was bred into man, it was not something one could pray away. I knelt down on ash's mattress. The sleek handle of his glock 23 peeking out from under the spread. I dug it out and popped out the clip. To my approval it was brimming with gold bullets that caught the suns eye.
A wicked smile on my lips, I put the one that nearly claimed my life; which ash will sadly acknowledge as nearly taking my life; in its place.
"no times for goodbyes. Theres the door." jennifers smug voice crawled out as I entered the room again, poiting to the roof acsess. "fine with me." I retorted flippantly. I was oddly at ease with the fatal severity of the situation.
As I trotted up the stairs, shoes clinking with every contact of the grate, I heard footsteps behind me. Walking further out onto the rooftop I turned on heel to gegt an eyeful of my last visitor. "jane?" I dipped my head slightly, as if this were a breif meeting. "listen red I just wanted to say goodbye." she bit her lip, as if holding in what was so eager to spil out. Truth was I didn't want to say goodbye, I wanted to make her adore me. Love me. "jane you could come with me. We could make it on our own." I had found my voice, my confidence. It seemed to have been coaxed out to take the place of my shattered trust. Self presevation at its finest, if I no longer had the emotional stability to take in disapointment I would deflect it with power.
It died in my throat when she began to shake her head, the smile dropped from my lips. "red I cant. I cant leave david and stretch behind. Plus these people. They need me." Need. That was smthing that all strived for. To be wanted, the thing of paradise. How could I argue with something so beautiful.
  Regejection never sat well with me. I could feel it, churning in my gut, stuck like tar in my lonely crevaces, posioning me. Excitement turned to woe, woe turned to resentment and fury. She was making up excuses not to be with me. She knew that the chances of finding rich and david alive where slim to none. She despised me. "theyre dead, we found them half eaten…but we didn't have the heart to tell you. Theres no one left to wait for." I narrowed my eyes aginst the buzzing hollowing out my ears, she stepped back shaking her head heavily. "no…no your lying." "so are you." I turned before she could spread her decite any further. I gripped the peeling rust of the handle of the ladder and slid around so my feet planted on the first step. I watched from the corner of my eye as she disapered back inside.
Despite the ridgid fear of hanging on a rickety latter hovering 50 stories high, I clambered down at record pace. Anger made me blind, I slipped on a foot hold and found myself dangling by my arms above dozens of undead.
I recoveed inward and awkwardly, by twisting my feet around to a higher step,  but began to judge what height I should leap from. They had sawed off the first 10 ft of railing and I needed height leverage to propel myself over the crowd. I finnaly picked the third scaffold and summoned my muscles until a burning tension coiled in the fibers.  The bag of goods that where hanging from the crook in my elbow began to weigh. The off blance was fatal. Thanful the knot would hold so none of the contents would drop out, I pushed off the ladder, bursting over the mob and tumbling to the ground.
A small grunt escaped me as the ground rushed forward to embrace me. Not dwelling on a single though I shot forward, like a sprinter at the start and the hunt began.
At the first undead where disoriented and dazed, but soon their instinct sent them jarring after me.
Mankind truly cannot understand the concept of being hunted, unless he has outrun the maw of a lion whos teeth are arched twords him like prying fingers or something of the same. Sure, weve all had those nightmares where we simply cant run fast enough, but have you ever felt the heat of infected breath dripping down your back, or the rippling agony as it sears through your tissue.
The one thing in common in the animal fear imbedded in your loins. That's the thing the doctors first said about the outbreak. The undead were primal again, but the earth had rejected all technology now and we ran free like dogs through the streets. Its as if god grew bored of civilization and found amusement in reverting back to the things he enstilled in us since the begining. Instinct, emotion, hunger and lust. Maybe he thought his work was being overlooked. I sure as hell wasn't over looking it then.

I ran. Ran until the pavement peeled away to grass under my feet then back again. The undead fell out behind me, their small burst of adranilne wearing their bones thin. It seemed almost human, the way they readily quit, grew spent and winded. My own body was gnawing at its seams, threating to consume itself.
I slowed to a dragging trot, the swollen sun was dipping down twords the horizon. A alabaster warning of the nightmares that would soon arise from the falling night. I quickly turned into the first house I saaw on the block, the door was left ajar, gently swaying on its hinges filing the air with erie squeaking. Like the crack of a whip my insticts reared to full alert.

I was a artisan in the art of self preseveration, perphahs that's why Jane thought so lowly of me. My mind never thought twice about choosing a loved one over myself. Selfish? Maybe. But it worked. A near fool proof philosophy.
As I entered the house the feeling of carpet underfoot unnerved me slightly. It was a remidner that the open area of the world was now boxed down to a tiny house. Colstrophobia tightened its noose around my throat. With two hands on my shotgun I was prepared for close qutered combat.  The chances no undead hunkered down here for shelter and a trap were close to none. From my time alone on the road I established this rule through my mistakes. Countless times I would dump my supplies in the floor and collapse in the safety of a home, only to be woken up by the gurtal screechs of an attacking undead. Ive not only amazed myself that I havent died yet but im pretty sure Death felt cheated as well.

Description
"jane…. jane I cant do it anymore." My voice no longer held a shake, instead it rang clear as day, but was credenced ,yet exhausted. I had shed my last tear. "yes you can. We can do it together. Just you and me. We will get through this. All of this." she looked up through her watering eyes, they held so much promise. So much hope. My barriar lay in shambles around me, I was vunrable and exspoed, naked under her eye. If it had remained intact it would have told me not to follow this false hope. I had no choice but to take her hand and follow her as she preached ways of light. Wove tales of a new beginning. My reclusive barriar wasn't protecting me from others, it delved through lies, and showed me the raw over turned truth. And left the choice of my fate for my dirty hands to grasp. "Zach. Listen to me. If you wont do this for me, then do it for them. Natalie…smith they all need you. And if nothing else. Do it for Tom. Don't let him die in vain." Jane began to rise to her feet, her mind wavering on wether or not her words were worming into my head.  Conflicting emotions of sarrow and rage began to collide/ Butting head like romancing rams. Luckily the decision of what do next was not my own. "you to get out here. NOW." It was the voice of Smith, broiling with a livid edge. The teenage instinct in my body that 100% opposed being told what to do instructed my mind to become aggressive and agitated. Anamialistic. That's what everyones were actions theses days, driven into effect by raw instinct and imotion. Jane dragged my out with her, I didn't meet one eyes as they all demanded mine. All of them where there, excpect for tom, whos empty place seemed like a scapl being dragged across my wrist. Forcing a permant reminder to surface later.
Jennifer was fuming, wether it was because we had seen the rare moment when she was weak, or was it because we had kept a liable secret that could have doomed us all. "did you know." Smiths questions seemed more of a demand than that. "know what?" I pressed with insolent stupidity. I knew exactly what he was asking. I wanted to hear them say it. "DID YOU KNOW HE WAS BITTEN!" Smiths bellow seemed more fitting to his rough exterior than he get up of being all nice and polite. It was too late for me. But not for jane. I could only imagine the things that phyco path, Ash, would do to her if he knew she was in on it. "I knew. Jane didn't." wow, being a hero was never so easy. I heard jane intake a tiny breath, like a beat of a months wing. Suddenly the others just threw her aside, she didn't matter anymore. I took their beating glares with open arms. "why didn't you tell us?" Natalie was sobbing, her voice was lachrymose and fleeting. "lots of reasons I guess." my voice held no sway, it only whistles like a breeze through an empty cage. She narrowed her eyes against the pooling tears and shook her head. "why…do you know what he could have done to us." "I kept tabs on him. He wouldn't have gotten far." I was begging to scare myself, I wasn't talking like a normal teenager. I was vividly reminded of those bleary eyed freaks behind the bars of a mental society. It frightened my of how possible it was that I had cracked. I just didn't care anymore. Maybe it would have been best if jane had let me carve my head out with a bullet. But I feel that I was spared for a reason, suicide was temporarily out of the question now. I have a job to do, but the path isnt so clear. I know it isnt here. I just know. So that's it. Ill take their punishements, pack up and leave. Turn over a new leaf, and shed the bruised and scared one I cling to now.
"What do we do now?" Natalie turned to ask smith. "we vote." such grim words stirred something inside me. Worry. Like a leak in a damn I found myself drowing in rushing emotions. Rage, fear, regret. My new leaf starts here, as I watch if my life is fiddled with in the hands of madmen.
"please don't hurt red. He meant well." jane was pleading. I solemly wished I had drug her down with me, as more of the old feeling of hurt caused by her hands filled the spaces inside me. "shutup." Ash snapped at jane. I retrained from planting my fist in his jaw, by my restraints where loose. He just had to keep testing.
"we vote on wether we kick him out or not." Natalie decided for the group on a less harsh punishment. "them." jennifer corrected, her arms folded to her chest. The vunrable jane that had emerged since we got here quickly vanished. The kick ass Jane Ridding I knew since I had met her took the reins. "Oh so now I have to leave just because I know red is that it?" hers fingers curled into a iron fist. "yeah. That is it." "that doesn't even make sense!" I yelped finnaly coming back to my humane senses. "EVERYONE SHUT UP! Those in favor of kicking them out raise hands." smith directed. Jennifer, Duncan, Ash and joise rose their hands. Natalie gave a disgusted look at Josie, "what? I cant have people like him around my baby. Hes not safe. Just look at that look his eyes." "he just had to shoot a child Josie! I would have kept you a secret if you were bitten." Natalie was pleading, trying to persuade. I had settled on the fact that I wished to leave, but if I was cast out the way they all so sorely sought I would die. Now it seems I fear death. Death not by my own hand, my own conditions. "doesn't matter. Majority rules. You leave…or we make you." Ash snarled between bared teeth. "now wait just a minute here." my voice was high pitched with alarm as I took a step forward. "enough! Get your stuff and leave. NOW!" ash held a pistol to my fprehead, I froze. Only moments ago I was gritting my teeth around the barrel, eager for salvation. But now as the cool smooth metal of the pistol casing bit into my skin, I began to inhale my own fear. A shout of alarm passed through everyone. Smith was making a subtle move twords ash, hopely to restrain, but all I could grasp was the image of ash splattering my brain over the wall. He could end it all, here and now. "you don't have to tell me twice guys. Ill leave. Trust me." I was half laughing the words now, it was almost funny that that rightesly belived I wanted to stay here. I had to, for jane and tom. But now given the chance, I not only need to leave but I want to. They just need to give me time to plan it out. I rose my hands out of innocence and backed off. "all I ask if a little supplies and time. Then I will gladly be out of your hair." I sucessfuly hide my hurt under a viel of apathy and mockery.
"now hold on a second. We need their help. We wont last another month." Smiths change of pace caught me off guard. Physically they had all picked sides, jane and I where caged in the middle of the crowding circle. Smith Natalie Duncan and Dirt where on one side while Josie Anna ash and Jennifer where on the other. The tension between the two groups drew a static pressure in the air. "atleast he has to leave. What makes you think they can help, plus if all else fails we cant support another mouth. Let another our own. Oh and not to mention the possibility of two more."
"are you willing to risk all of our survival on a gut feelin? What would you have done if you knew that little fella. Were not all a cold hearted bitch like you after all." Dirts southern tone made me apperar more light hearted than maybe he had intended. "shut the fuck up you dumbass red neck hillbilly. Ill say what I want." Jennifers voice icly reminded me of a girl from my high school who snapped at her boyfriend for cheating on her. She was hidding something, buried down and watched under the careful eye of her conciounse. Something grim. Something dark. If fate took a liking to me I would leave before I ever found out. "I say let him leave but hes not taking our supplies." Josie fericly reminded me of a mother bear, looming over her blundering cub. Prejudice against any form of predator, she would protect her young no matter what the cost. "agreed." Duncan piped, his broad arms crossed to his chest. "we vote. Since majority has it that Red must leave we vote on wether jane goes with him and wether he takes some supplies." Smith ushered the group. Everyone seemed satifyed with this outcome. "all in favor of jane leaving as well." Jennifer and ash rose hands, the others 'knew' to the best of their ability jane was innocent and they needed her help. "Jane stays. Now…red leaves with supplies." "please I have nothing I wont last more than a few da-" smith silenced my plea with a risen hand. Natalie, smith, joise and Dirt rose hands. Majority vote. I silent weight rolled of my shoulders. Destiny had a way of unfolding its self in a right direction acfter all. "take what you need. But just what you need." smith waved me over to the kitchen area I had woken up in when I first visted here. A heap of food was piled in the corner. I lit up like a child in a candy store, a stock of food was a blessing. One couldn't help but feel giddy all over. It just was one of those things that once you've gone without it for long enough it changes you.
I plucked a plastic grovery bag, double bagged it and filled it with a box od presumably stale, wheat things, a can of homestyle chicken noodle soup, baked beans, a single serving tub of spam and two water bottles. A generous helping but that left them with about 20 items left. Revenge is a bitch aint it.
ill just go get my guns and ill go then. I dully noted  as I walced over t the sleeping courters to collect my two pistols, m16 pocket full of ammo for both, machete and shotgun with my last 2 shells in the chamber. I couldn't place why such a bitnerss and sense of betrayl lingered in me, but I couldn't fight it either.
as I was leaving I noticed the surplus of guns left lying on cots. I was surly tempted. Sin was bred into man, it was not something one could pray away. I knelt down on ash's mattress. The sleek handle of his glock 23 peeking out from under the spread. I dug it out and popped out the clip. To my approval it was brimming with gold bullets that caught the suns eye.
A wicked smile on my lips, I put the one that nearly claimed my life; which ash will sadly acknowledge as nearly taking my life; in its place.
"no times for goodbyes. Theres the door." jennifers smug voice crawled out as I entered the room again, poiting to the roof acsess. "fine with me." I retorted flippantly. I was oddly at ease with the fatal severity of the situation.
As I trotted up the stairs, shoes clinking with every contact of the grate, I heard footsteps behind me. Walking further out onto the rooftop I turned on heel to gegt an eyeful of my last visitor. "jane?" I dipped my head slightly, as if this were a breif meeting. "listen red I just wanted to say goodbye." she bit her lip, as if holding in what was so eager to spil out. Truth was I didn't want to say goodbye, I wanted to make her adore me. Love me. "jane you could come with me. We could make it on our own." I had found my voice, my confidence. It seemed to have been coaxed out to take the place of my shattered trust. Self presevation at its finest, if I no longer had the emotional stability to take in disapointment I would deflect it with power.
It died in my throat when she began to shake her head, the smile dropped from my lips. "red I cant. I cant leave david and stretch behind. Plus these people. They need me." Need. That was smthing that all strived for. To be wanted, the thing of paradise. How could I argue with something so beautiful.
  Regejection never sat well with me. I could feel it, churning in my gut, stuck like tar in my lonely crevaces, posioning me. Excitement turned to woe, woe turned to resentment and fury. She was making up excuses not to be with me. She knew that the chances of finding rich and david alive where slim to none. She despised me. "theyre dead, we found them half eaten…but we didn't have the heart to tell you. Theres no one left to wait for." I narrowed my eyes aginst the buzzing hollowing out my ears, she stepped back shaking her head heavily. "no…no your lying." "so are you." I turned before she could spread her decite any further. I gripped the peeling rust of the handle of the ladder and slid around so my feet planted on the first step. I watched from the corner of my eye as she disapered back inside.
Despite the ridgid fear of hanging on a rickety latter hovering 50 stories high, I clambered down at record pace. Anger made me blind, I slipped on a foot hold and found myself dangling by my arms above dozens of undead.
I recoveed inward and awkwardly, by twisting my feet around to a higher step,  but began to judge what height I should leap from. They had sawed off the first 10 ft of railing and I needed height leverage to propel myself over the crowd. I finnaly picked the third scaffold and summoned my muscles until a burning tension coiled in the fibers.  The bag of goods that where hanging from the crook in my elbow began to weigh. The off blance was fatal. Thanful the knot would hold so none of the contents would drop out, I pushed off the ladder, bursting over the mob and tumbling to the ground.
A small grunt escaped me as the ground rushed forward to embrace me. Not dwelling on a single though I shot forward, like a sprinter at the start and the hunt began.
At the first undead where disoriented and dazed, but soon their instinct sent them jarring after me.
Mankind truly cannot understand the concept of being hunted, unless he has outrun the maw of a lion whos teeth are arched twords him like prying fingers or something of the same. Sure, weve all had those nightmares where we simply cant run fast enough, but have you ever felt the heat of infected breath dripping down your back, or the rippling agony as it sears through your tissue.
The one thing in common in the animal fear imbedded in your loins. That's the thing the doctors first said about the outbreak. The undead were primal again, but the earth had rejected all technology now and we ran free like dogs through the streets. Its as if god grew bored of civilization and found amusement in reverting back to the things he enstilled in us since the begining. Instinct, emotion, hunger and lust. Maybe he thought his work was being overlooked. I sure as hell wasn't over looking it then.

I ran. Ran until the pavement peeled away to grass under my feet then back again. The undead fell out behind me, their small burst of adranilne wearing their bones thin. It seemed almost human, the way they readily quit, grew spent and winded. My own body was gnawing at its seams, threating to consume itself.
I slowed to a dragging trot, the swollen sun was dipping down twords the horizon. A alabaster warning of the nightmares that would soon arise from the falling night. I quickly turned into the first house I saaw on the block, the door was left ajar, gently swaying on its hinges filing the air with erie squeaking. Like the crack of a whip my insticts reared to full alert.

I was a artisan in the art of self preseveration, perphahs that's why Jane thought so lowly of me. My mind never thought twice about choosing a loved one over myself. Selfish? Maybe. But it worked. A near fool proof philosophy.
As I entered the house the feeling of carpet underfoot unnerved me slightly. It was a remidner that the open area of the world was now boxed down to a tiny house. Colstrophobia tightened its noose around my throat. With two hands on my shotgun I was prepared for close qutered combat.  The chances no undead hunkered down here for shelter and a trap were close to none. From my time alone on the road I established this rule through my mistakes. Countless times I would dump my supplies in the floor and collapse in the safety of a home, only to be woken up by the gurtal screechs of an attacking undead. Ive not only amazed myself that I havent died yet but im pretty sure Death felt cheated as well.