I wipe my hands across my eyes, grimacing at how dry my skin is. It's been non-stop sleeping outside and enduring the cold, miserable winter weather. My entire body feels like sandpaper. What I wouldn't give for some body moisturiser or a set of clean, fabric-softener infused clothes.

I groan, wrapping the scratchy blanket tighter around my shoulders as I stare across at the orange flames that are flickering in the moonlight.

We've moved further away from the ominous manor house that Gia resides in, attempting to remain unseen and hidden whilst we continue to camp out in the forest.

Zac's been watching me like a hawk ever since he got back from his journey. Being apart clearly worried him more than he'll ever let on. The Slayers, Gia, the house... all of it shook him up, I know it did. 

It sure as hell messed with my head anyway.

"Hey," Zac says softly, sitting down beside me. His sudden action makes the dead leaves below us rustle. I smile at him, grateful for the company. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Don't lie to me."

"I don't know what to say." I scoff.

"Em-"

"How long are we going to sit around here doing nothing?" I hiss, my mind overflowing with all the shit we have to deal with. I shake my head. "It's been over a week and we need to get back to the North!"

"I know," Zac replies. "But we also need to understand this house."

"I'm more worried about Kayla," I retort honestly. He sighs, looking down at his hands. "I mean it, Zac. If we don't get the go ahead in the next few days, I'm going on my own."

"I don't doubt it." He smirks. "But you know I'm not letting you do that."

"I swear-"

"I'll come with you."

"You will?" I exclaim and he smirks, clearly amused.

"You seriously think I'd let you go alone? Are you fucking stupid?"

"Shut up," I snap, shoving at his shoulder. "I just don't understand what's taking so long," I mutter and he shakes his head in agreement. The two of us look over at the other side of camp, Briony, Callum and a couple of others all talking around a separate fire, each of them eating from cans.

"Me neither," he replies. "I thought Callum had state of the art technology. Why hasn't he figured this shit out?"

"Not a clue. It's suspicious," I say and he nods before exhaling loudly. I reach over, intertwining my hands with his and squeezing them for reassurance.

"Alright," he says. "We'll wait until tomorrow and if nothing's happened by then, Jordan, you, Bridget, Poppy and I will go North."

I raise my eyebrows. "Poppy?"

"Yeah."

"Finally warmed to your sister then?" I tease, smiling at him. I'm happy to hear of his intentions, my heart warming at the idea of Zac officially reunifying with part of his family. I never doubted that Poppy was someone we can trust...

Well, apart from when we first met and she held me at knife point.

"Something like that," Zac answers, looking down at the ground. I lightly shove his shoulder and he turns back to face me, warmth in his eyes. He's happy.

"Good." I smile. "What I wouldn't give to have one more day with my brother."

"I know," Zac tells me, leaning across and looping his arm over my shoulder as I sigh, resting my head on him.

This world is unpredictable, complete and utter chaos. We've lost people, we've found people, and it's hard to determine how much of our time should be spent grieving or celebrating. I think I'm turning numb to it all.

Claudia, Rayden and Kieran still leave a gaping hole in my heart, my parents and brother residents alongside them. It doesn't get easier with time, no matter what people say. If you think of a memory or something you loved about them, suddenly you're right back there, laughing and joking until they're dead in front of you. Lost forever.

"Zac?" I say softly.

"Yeah?"

"When did you decide that you liked me?" I ask, desperate to remind myself of all the good times and block out the bad.

"Liked you?" Zac scoffs. "I'm still deciding."

"Liar," I exclaim, lifting my head and shoving his shoulder once more. He laughs, holding his hands up in surrender before curling his arms around my entire body and pulling me against him.

"It definitely wasn't when you said you preferred Superman to Batman," he says and I giggle, resting my head on his chest.

"I always liked you, Emi," he tells me. "I just didn't let myself admit it."

"You did not always like me," I argue and he sighs, resting his chin on the top of my head.

"I did. I still remember how fiery your attitude was on that very first day," he says. "It was fucking incredible. I didn't realise I'd met my match."

"You're right," I answer, shutting my eyes and letting a smile spread across my face. "I don't let you get away with anything."

"True," he mutters. "For that, I wish I hadn't met you."

"Hey!" I exclaim, sitting up and whirling around to face him.

Zac laughs once more. "I'm kidding," he promises, reaching forward and pushing a stray blonde hair out of my face. "Why don't you try and get some sleep?" he says and I shake my head.

"Because I've slept way more than you the last week," I answer. "You need to get some."

"Emi." He smirks. "You know I won't if you're awake. So just do it."

"No."

"Em."

"No!"

"I swear to God-"

"Fine," I snap, knowing that I'll never get anywhere with him in this mood. He's determined to keep watch, especially after what happened when he let me out of his sight the other night. 

I hesitantly lower my head, perching it on his jeans as his arm wraps around me once more. He moves the blanket to cover my entire body, and I shuffle in as close as I can to benefit from his body heat. Zac's hand then moves to rest on my arm, gently caressing it through the fabric, soothing me.

There's something so special about being comforted when you're on your way to sleep. It's something I always enjoyed with my mum. And with Zac, it somehow... feels like home.

I shut my eyes, completely relaxing into his touch. Every single movement excites me, yet it's a far calmer anticipation than usual as Zac's fingers ignite a new emotion inside me. Peace and tranquillity.

It's a feeling I never want to lose. 

*~*~*

I wake to the sound of shouts and yells as Zac shakes me fiercely. 

Shooting upright, I look around, eyes wide at the sight of incalculable Slayers attacking us. I notice the girl who Callum was talking with earlier, a spear stabbed straight through her heart as she attempts to run for the treeline.

My knives are suddenly in my hands, Zac shoving more into my belt before loading a gun in beside them. He's yelling numerous things at me before he aims his own gun behind us, shooting it twice before his attention is back on me.

He grips hold of the side of my face as I blink up at him, trying to snap back to reality. Am I dreaming?! Surely...

"Emilia!"

I wish I would dream of better things.

Maybe one night I could see Claudia or Rayden or Kieran, the four of us drinking in one of the bars in Nottingham. I always used to enjoy going out for a meal with my parents at Annie's Burger Shack.

God... please just let me dream of that!

"Emilia!" Zac shakes me and I furrow my eyebrows before noticing the menacing looking Slayer behind my husband. Out of pure instinct, my hand drops to the belt, lifting and hurling the blade through the air, watching as it imbeds itself in the Slayer's skull.

"Got him," I reply in a monotone, looking back up at Zac's face. He raises an eyebrow at me before I shrug, digging the gun out of my waistband and plastering a fake smile on my face. "Let's do this."

Just like every other day of my life, this isn't a dream. It's real fucking life.

I pull down on the trigger, effectively shooting two Slayers headed my way before Jordan dodges in front of me, his own gun in his hands as he takes out more of the attackers.

I whirl back around, spotting Callum fighting off an animalistic looking girl, another creeping up behind him. He doesn't seem to be aware of the double threat and I grit my teeth, raising the gun and shooting the stealthy attacker. Callum shoots me a look of surprise as he plunges something into the girl's stomach.

I merely nod at him, then turn to assess the rest of the battle. Deciding to go with what I know, I shove the gun back away, pulling two knives out and ducking down, hiding myself ever so slightly before launching into a full scale attack.

At this stage it's like I'm on autopilot, not even stopping to catch my breath as I efficiently make my way through each knife, Slayers dropping in front of me like flies. I pull the blades back out of the victims closest to me, quickly throwing them once more.

It's almost as though these idiots aren't human anymore. I simply see them as the enemy and I go for them. In this world it's kill or be killed. And I'm not hanging around to find out any different. They started it.

Within minutes the clearing falls silent and I quickly pull the knife out of the girl I've just killed. Slowly, I stand back up, my eyes scanning the treeline and coming up short. No-one else seems to be approaching, an apparent ceasefire upon us. Jordan curses out loud before turning and stomping away, Poppy looking wide-eyed at the scene behind me.

I step back, bloody knife still in hand as I turn around, back towards the carnage behind me. Bodies litter the ground, enemy and ally alike, glassy eyes staring up at me like they're waiting for me to react.

I just wish I knew how.

Briony's long brown hair spreads across the leaves like someone brushed it out for her nicely. However, her arm is twisted at a grotesque angle, blood pooling from her mouth. Her eyes are thankfully shut. She's been murdered.

I let my eyes scan the rest of the bodies, some of Callum's group having died in worse ways, numerous blades and other weapons sticking out of their chests and heads. If I hadn't seen it before I would vomit, but nowadays I am accustomed to death. 

I ignore the girl on the other side of the clearing who's crying into Callum's arms.

Instead, I turn back to Briony, stepping over a couple of bodies to get to her. I lift my T-Shirt, bending down and wiping the trickling blood away.

We were never friends, she was one of those silly bitches who crave drama and live for gossip, spreading it like there's no tomorrow. Nevertheless... she was travelling back North to help us. To try and make her wrongdoings right.

She wasn't able to, instead dying at the hands of the absolute monsters that roam the South. Savage, wild animals who hunt for no reason other than pleasure.

"Emilia!" I hear Zac call out for me and slowly stand up, unable to tear my eyes away from the young, dead girl. "Em!"

A sudden moan distracts me and I turn to the right to see one of the Slayers moving, writhing around on the floor before he makes a move to stand up. I don't hesitate, my mouth narrowing into a thin slit as I raise the knife, hurling it across the clearing with an ear-splitting shriek.

The Slayer falls to the floor and within seconds I'm swept into Zac's arms. He utters words into my ear but I hear nothing, instead just letting him lead me away from the massacre and over towards the survivors.

I glare across at Callum, the man raising an eyebrow at my threatening expression.

"We cannot stay here any longer," I tell him loudly, my voice masked with a darkness I never knew existed inside me.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Is Emilia losing it?!

More death, destruction and chaos... let's hope they get out of the South soon!