It only took another day for us to remember the way things could change, the flip from calmly keeping the path alongside the river to wading through the water to escape the sudden herd of undead that shuffled through the trees sudden and quick. They sank into the river after us and I imagined that we collectively smelled as enticing as the inside of a butcher's shop, fresh meat hanging in wait to be devoured.

Taking a plunge in the water the night before helped minimize the shock from the cold temperature, Jungkook and I the first to reach the slope to the other side as we fought against the current to keep a straight line. We turned back as soon as he helped hoist me over the small ledge, reaching out to grab onto the other's hands and watching the undead drift further downstream with the flow of water.

They were everywhere, drawing in even on the other side of the river from the commotion. A smaller herd of around forty started to surround us as we emerged from the water with heavy clothes and nearly drained of energy from fighting the stream.

I heaved Shelby out of the water, Taehyung pushing her forward by her hips so that she had an easier climb. I noticed Taehyung wince when we offered him our hands, his shoulder still aching from the movement and strain against his injury.

The others busied themselves taking care of the group of undead that were closest. It was hard to ignore the sounds of groaning and hacking behind us and when Taehyung spotted one approaching from the side. I barely noticed the pull of a knife from the band of his pants and swift flick of his wrist as he targeted the man larger than both of us combined.

He missed by a hair, aim and balance off since he was throwing from the arm where he'd been shot. The knife only grazed the side of the man's head and in another second he was on us, gnarly arms reaching out so that he grasped my backpack and jolted me forward into Taehyung.

Water splashed up around us as we slid down the embankment and into the water. Shelby cried out to us but was muffled by the sound of me sinking the few feet until Taehyung's back hit the river's floor with a thud.

I shifted my weight so that I wasn't on top of him and we quickly learned that without solid footing the flow of water was stronger, pulling us down the stream one after the other. The undead man still held on to my backpack, our weight creating distance from Taehyung as he kept his head above water, trying to reach out for any branches or rocks near the edge to hold onto.

More water was sucked into my nose as I struggled with the current and aggression the man attached to me showed, unfazed by the rush of water around us and only focused on tearing into me.

I gave up the weapons and canteen that were kept in my bag for my life, tugging the straps over my shoulders so that it floated away with the man. He released the sack upon realizing I was no longer kept by it, succumbing to the surge of water that continued to pummel him toward me.

My throat burned from swallowing water and my legs felt like noodles from trying to get leverage on the soft ground below. I switched between hearing the whoosh of water splashing into my ears and the faint call of my name.

Everything was a blur of water and failed attempts to reach out for anything attached to land. My knees scraped against rocks and dirt, chest getting tighter as I fought for steady breath.

I was only able to catch one when I suddenly halted, the water flushing from my eyes as I blinked to find Taehyung pulling me in with one arm, his handless one dangling loosely around the thick point of a fallen tree that protruded halfway across the river.

"Hold on to me." He rasped between his own heavy breaths, grunting as he helped me keep one arm around him with the other slung over the trunk.

My feet barely reached the ground at this part of the river and I stood on the tips of my toes, unable to maintain any traction and relying on my upper body to keep me in place. I let him go for a moment to get a better grip on the tree, damp bark scratching against my arms as I pulled myself up to straddle a branch.

Taehyung was completely out of it, taking all of my strength to help lift him out of the water and over the tree. It bent with our weight and I let out an exasperated sigh, letting myself fall backwards against wood until the shuffling of footsteps in the high grass pulled my attention.

Jimin and Jungkook were the first to reach us, able to see our exhaustion in the way Taehyung lay limp across the tree and my chest heaved with every huff of air. There was a crack as Jungkook attempted walking to us, the tree dipping so that my feet dropped further into the water. I looked over my shoulder, watching him retract and allow Jimin to test his weight against it since he was lighter.

"Just give us a minute." I leaned over, putting a hand on Taehyung's back to see if he'd respond to me. His head lifted slowly, hair hung over his face so that it was difficult to see his eyes. Through the curtain of black I could see them droop with tiredness, Jin next to beckon us to start moving again as the rest of the group caught up.

"We need to keep moving. More undead are headed this way." He panted, putting his hands on his knees to catch his breath after fighting and running.

"That river kicked my ass." Taehyung ignored them to speak to me, pushing up on the metal covering over his arm to sit up. "Did you get bit?"

I shook my head. "I just lost my bag." I placed my hand right over my heart, frowning at the small tear in my dress. "And the broach from Hoseok." I sighed, disappointed that the butterfly pin I kept tacked to the inside of my clothes was gone. It was the only thing I had of him, my eyes welling with tears at the absence of the gemstones against my skin.

I noticed that he winced as he reached out for my hand, the pain more intense with his efforts to save us from the raging water.

"Let's get back so we can look at your arm." I wrapped my fingers around his in gratitude, letting go only to start the crawl back to land.

It took another minute for Jin to rewrap Taehyung's shoulder, checking on its movement and shaking his head at the lack of mobility. Jungkook managed to maintain gentleness in his touch, a deep line etched between his eyebrows that showed his worry as he checked my back and shoulders to make sure I hadn't been scratched or bitten.

I trembled from the cold as he squeezed some of the water from my skirt and hair, Taehyung and I soaked from head to toe while the others remained dry above the waist.

"It'll be easier to get away from the pack if we go through the woods." Yoongi used his katana to slice through some of the thin branches that stuck out from the edge of the treeline for a better view. It would be harder to weave our way through on this side, trees bunched together so tightly that we needed to hold hands in a line to keep up with one another.

The sky grew darker with every crunch of old, browned pine beneath our feet. Tired and exhausted didn't feel like big enough words to describe the need for rest, the ache in my legs numbing so that my entire body was on the brink of giving out.

Yoongi let out a single whistle from the front of the line that captured all of our focus. I'd kept my eyes on Jungkook's heels that trudged in front of me, sticking my head out to look past the four bodies ahead me in line.

There was just enough clearing so that the small aluminum camper tucked perfectly between the thick of trees came into view. It looked abandoned, rust coating the few places the sun could reach and two wheels on either side completely flat.

"It's quiet." I observed, a whisper of wind the only sound as we stopped walking.

"Jin, Namjoon." Yoongi urged the two of them forward. They stepped out to flank his sides, Namjoon using the perimeter to sneak behind the camper for a view through the back window.

Yoongi was soundless as he approached the front door, pulling the handle with a small click and a gun crossed over his wrist to aim inside. The door jerked open and I waited for a noise, someone startled by the sudden intrusion, the groan of the undead, or gunshots fired without warning. There was nothing outside of the creak of metal as Yoongi got a better look inside, waving a hand to signal that it was all clear.

The air inside was dry and the floor groaned as the eight of us piled inside. It was nearly empty, the two kitchen cabinets filled with cobwebs and a tiny bed at one side, so small that it looked more like a bench. On the other was a table with booth style seating where two could sit.

Shelby was quick to spot a single pillow on the bed, handing it to Taehyung to tuck behind his shoulder as he took a spot at the head. He breathed slow and heavy, like he was already on the edge of sleep while Shelby looked wired, eyes wide with adrenaline and foot tapping incessantly against the floor as she took the spot next to him.

Jungkook reached beside her, nabbing a thin throw blanket to stretch around my shoulders. Yoongi's head rested against the wall and Jin's on the table from their seats at the booth while Namjoon and Jimin scrunched themselves on the floor with their backs against the stove.

I did the same, sliding down next to Shelby and putting a hand on her bouncing knee. She sat back with a long exhale, glancing over to Taehyung with a twinge of concern and longing.

Jungkook pulled his knees up as he sat in the space beside me, leaning fully against the cabinet behind us. I fought against the chatter of my teeth, the blanket over my shoulders providing little relief from the cold trapped inside my wet clothes. My hands quivered and I had to use the inside of my sleeve to wipe the dribble of mucus off my nose.

"Come here, let me help." Jungkook spoke just about a whisper.

I wasn't sure if I'd turn my head to find him offering a rag for me to clean my nose on or the thin t-shirt he still wore. Instead his arms were outstretched, balancing on his knees in an offer to act as a second blanket.

His body stiffened at the chill of my skin as I maneuvered myself over, nestling between his legs so that he practically covered me, his chest against my back and thighs pressed against mine. His warmth radiated through every spot our bodies met and we relaxed into each other at the same time.

"You scared me today." He sighed, his mouth as close to my ear as our lips were in the second before our first and only kiss.

His hands remained on his knees and I wanted to reach out, to hold on to one of them. I didn't, recalling that every time we got physically close there was a reason attached to survival, the kiss clouded with the belief that we were seconds from death and even the way he held me now, to keep me warm.