Methys' P.O.V.

Emeline looks weird when she enters the kitchen to help us pack the food, like she has seen a ghost. Still, she gives me a heartwarming grin and starts to work immediately.

No one seems to notice that she is acting weird. Maybe they are keeping a secret from me. Or maybe it is just me being nosy. Emeline is Emeline, what was I-

I stop myself from finishing that thought. Pictures of Erin from my earliest memory fills my mind with a wave of nostalgia. I have thought the exact same thing before I...

Before I killed her.

I will not let the same fate befall Emeline. Or at least I will try to.

And that's only if you can accomplish it. But it's impossible for you to do so. And-stop it.

You can do it, Methys.

"Let's go." Arin hefts a small bag that he found earlier in a cupboard over his shoulder.

Roseline and Emerine nod while I merely walk towards the living room. I hear Roseline whisper something that sends Emerine and Arin into fits of laughter and my cheeks redden instantly. I can almost guess what they are saying - it's obviously something about my current temper or a joke about me. It is just that I tend to get more... grumpy without enough sleep, especially with nightmares filled with Erin.

I walk back into the kitchen, and everyone stops, turning to look at me. Emeline comes over and links her arm with mine, making Arin double over with laughter again.

"What?" I ask, irritated with whatever attitude they have for me.

"N... Nothing." Arin grabs his stomach.

"Oh just shut it, Arin, won't you." Emeline squeezes my arm in comfort.

"What happened?" I'm really annoyed now.

"Oh, nothing. Rose just cracked some jokes and the usual, you know how she is..." He scratches his head, trailing off.

I unlink my arm from Emeline's, and glare daggers at Roseline, showing my annoyance for her through that single glare. Arin stares at me, perfectly serious now.

"What did I do? Why do you have to always-" I'm cut off by Arin, who grabs me by my shoulders.

"Look, Methys, I'm in no mood now to deal with you fighting with Roseline, okay? Pleas-"

"No! I want to clear this right now. From day one, I've let you 'control' her, but look where it's going." I pause to spread my arms out and continue, "Nowhere, Arin! She's still looking at me like I'm worthless, like I'm an obstacle in her path." I turn to stare at Roseline and say, "Is that it, Roseline? I'm just some useless piece of-"

"I never said that, Methys! Look what has happened ever since we met you! You've done nothing but burden us, introduce more fights, flirt with Arin, yell at everyone, and endanger our lives! If I could, I would want you to-"

"Stop, guys! Please! Can't you see that-" Emeline tries to speak and voice out her opinion, but agitated Roseline yells over her.

"Emeline! Can't you see that it's because you always because keep on defending her, that's why she thinks she belongs with us. It's all your fault!"

I blink. No one has been able to form any full sentences, until... the room's so silent you could literally hear a pin drop. I turn, and see Arin standing in a corner, arms crossed and perfectly quiet.

"Fight! Go on, fight for all I care and get us killed! Do it now!" he throws his hands up in the air in frustration, and I suddenly feel like a little child.

Emeline walks towards him, but he shakes his head. "You too, Em."

Emeline grits her teeth. "Don't you dare say that to me, Arin. You know I'm the peacemaker." Emma- wow, am I liking her already?- says. Roseline and I glare at each other, still enemies, no doubt.

"Emeline. Look. I really don't want to go through this. If they would stop fighting, I wouldn't need to go through this. If only they would just listen."

"Okay, okay! I'm sorry, okay, whatever!" I yell, throwing my hands up in the air in exasperation.

Roseline raises an eyebrow, along with Arin and Emeline. Apparently, I am not the person they thought that would apologise. Who can blame them? That's all I've been showing them. But I'm pretty sure that person Shiism be Roseline, not me.

"Can we just leave now?" I sigh dramatically, just wanting all the drama to end.

Arin smirks, then nods to himself, walking over to me, and he places his hands on my shoulders from behind me, making me jump in shock. He then continues to steer me out of the door, looking over his shoulder once and signaling for Roseline and Emeline to follow us.

My face burns as I peel Arin's hands off my shoulders, and smack him lightly on his side, earning me a light chuckle.

Then we hear a gunshot.

We all whip our heads around. Roseline curses under her breath, and I cannot help but grimace at her colourful language.

Three infected are tottering towards us on wobbly legs. And there's still one more.

Sliding towards us without his legs.

Emeline's eyes are bigger than the plates Dad and I use on Thanksgiving to present the giant turkey we cook. I can feel all the blood drain from my face just as a hand clamps down over my eyes, and Emeline squeals in fright. I try to pry off the hand, but it won't budge no matter how much I try.

"Oh come on, Methys. You don't want to see that." I can hear the fear in Arin's voice, though he is trying to play it light.

I gulp, all the memories of Erin and that man, and... blood flashing through my mind, making me straighten and my muscles tighten.

Then a gun goes off, and Arin pulls me to the ground. I feel another body hit mine, Emeline's, I suppose. Tears fill my eyes. Am I going to die? We do not have guns, except mine.

And that won't last long.

I am dragged away again, my feet scraping against the floor. I whimper, and Arin's hand tightens. "Em," he growls, "watch her."

Then his hand is gone, and I rub my eyes, blinking fast. "Where's..." Emerine shakes her head. We are in an alleyway, but I can hear the battle raging outside.

"Is it Roseline?" I whisper as loud as I dare. Emeline frowns and shrugs. "I don't know, Arin was obscuring my vision."

I slide to the corner of the alley, and sneak a peek. I can't see anything, everyone's a blur of colour. I can spot Roseline's dark green shirt and Arin's navy blue one, but the rest of the bodies are a mess of gray and black. I stifle a scream, and scoot backwards.

The man without his legs is staring at me, his eyes wide open, but he's not blinking or breathing anymore. I resist the tempting urge to burst into tears, or...

Call for Arin.