POV: Sean

"There it is, there you are you, Ben. It's over buddy. It's over," I snapped myself out of my medical - trance, and realized that I just cut off my friend's arm off. His eyes were still clenched tightly shut as Dream finished her song to him. Once she sang the final chords, he finally opened his eyes. The tourniquet had stopped all the bleeding, and the stitches will keep everything in place, but there's no way that it can stop the rate of bacteria getting in. Let's just hope that we stopped the bite's effects.

"It's, over?" Ben's slurred speech made me feel better. He was still alive. He was doing fine.

"Yeah, buddy. It's over." I sighed, wiping my blood stained hands on my jeans, seeing their marks make perfect handprints on them. I was a little nauseous, but I know that this is what we had to do.

"Oh, good. Can I look?" Ben asked as Dream finished the wrap around his arm. We looked at each other. I mean, it's his arm, he's going to look eventually.

"Uh, sure. It's, not pretty, but it's done," I said, scratching the back of my neck, feeling some residue of Ben's blood wipe off.

His emerald eyes slowly looked over to what was left of his arm. He showed nearly no emotion through this. Dream and I looked nervously to one another.

"Hmm. I guess it's kind of hard to put it back on, so I just gotta live with it. Gotta keep that Positive Mental Attitude. Can we eat something? I'm starving," Ben said, looking away from his arm, and up to my eyes. I know this happy go lucky attitude won't stay long. Just wait until he's sober.

"Sure. Dream, will you grab my bag? I think there's still some cans of corn left there," I asked.

"Sure. Wait, there's a rabbit den over there," She said, spotting the grey and black rabbits going in and out. I squinted and eventually did see them.

"Well, we can't be too loud -" By the time I had turned, and grabbed my bag, with the can of corn, Dream's arrow had soared through the sky, and into the eye of the fattest black rabbit. It was dead without suffering.

Ben and I stayed quiet, as Dream loaded another arrow, and aimed for another one, then another. Three rabbits later, Dream went to the den and grabbed out three rabbits.

"I thought this would be better. You know, for Ben?" She seemed really nervous to not have asked.

"This is better. Thank you." I smiled at her.

The crackling of the fire as we sobered up was calming. I raked my fingers through my damp hair, as Dream slowly turned the three rabbits on the stick. The smell made me want to tear through the flames to get to it.

"It feels like I haven't had meat in such a long time," Ben said, leaning on a fallen tree log, that was next to the fire. He was in a substantial amount of pain, but he seemed to be handling it well; wanting to show off for Dream.

"Ha, tell me about it," Dream rolled her eyes, making another crude joke. I laughed out my nose and looked back down at my cut, clasped hands.

"Alright, I think they're done," Dream said, peeling off a thin, charred line of the rabbit's skin. She popped it into her mouth, eyes rolling back into her head.

"How do you know?"

"Well Gee Ben, if you just whip out your meat thermometer, I'll be sure to check the correct internal temp." She laughed and rolled her eyes. I laughed out my nose again.

"I'm just saying," He grimaced a little as he sat back against the log. I'm sure he's going to be okay. I mean, if he would have turned into a zombie, he would have already done it.

"Alright, Sean, could you throw me my backpack? I think I have some plates in there," Dream asked. I nodded and looked around me. I grabbed the brown and pink backpack and went to hand it to her. My eye was still adjusting, thus causing me to throw down the bag, and its contents by mistake.

"Oh, I'm sorry," I said, trying to pick up everything. I picked up a crumpled, folded polaroid picture. As everything was put back into the bag, I looked at the picture. It was gentle. One little girl with burning hair, a preteen with braces, and a mother standing over the two of them. They all were smiling, besides the mother. 

"Is, this you?" I asked Dream. She knew what I was holding before I showed her the picture. A small, sad smile spread across her face. 

"Yeah. Im the older one, the little one is Scarlet, and momma, well, is the mom." She said, raking her hair out of her eyes with her slender, piano playing fingers. 

"You, have a very lovely family," I said, handing her back the photograph. She showed Ben too. His Emerald eyes scavenged the photograph as a smile spilled onto his cheeks. 

"Had, but thank you," She said, shoving the picture into her backpack. As she and Ben continued the short conversation, I looked down to my cut, cracked hands, and really thought. Someone actually has someone that means something to them, and theres a possibility they're still alive. I know that Kenelm has a "program" for kids. I, hope there is still some hope 

I looked back up to them. They really were just kids. Dream's pubescent beauty had been washed by years of torment, and hell with the apocalypse. But it brought a new sense of grace, and loveliness.

Ben's muscles had faded from his years in hockey, but there were still distinct features of his athleticism, but they were actual muscles now. Not from training, but having to lift heavy things in real life. They had grown up so much, with out a reason why. 

I stood up, and looked at both of them. Their conversation stopped, as they looked to my sudden upbringing. 

"We need to go," I said, throwing stuff back into the bag; feeling my muscles contract as I threw the ninety pound weapon bag back over my shoulders. Confused looks littered their faces. 

"What? Why?" Dream asked, helping Ben up. 

"What's wrong, Sean?" Ben questioned, feeling dizzy as he stood up. Dream let him fall onto her shoulder. She rubbed his back. If i knew better, I would think they're a couple. 

"Its, about your sister. Kenelm has a program for kids, and it's not what we want to her to have be in. Who knows what we've already done. Come on, we're only about an hour away," I said, throwing Dream her bag. Her sapphire eyes flickering back and forth, trying to scan for an answer on my face. She eventually just nodded. Ben struggled to get the backpack over his shoulders, but he refused help. 

A mile from Kenelm

"Holy shit." Dream said in awe of the gigantic, Fort Knox resembling sanctuary. More of a hell, but they will find that out soon enough.

"Thats, thats Kenelm? That looks like, Guantanamo Bay!" Ben said. He was considerably weaker than he was before we started, but he was ready to fight. 

"Feels like it too. They keep a moat of walkers down there to scare off people." I said, pointing down to the decaying crowd embracing the walls of Kenelm. It's not too hard to get through them. You just have to be quiet. 

"Okay, let's go." Dream's eyes were burning. She was here for her sister, and her sister alone. I can respect that. 

We all started down. There were about four people on top of the gate. They saw us as soon as we started walking down. We were about thirty feet from the gate, and about two away from the walkers. 

"What are you doing here?" A bulky man with an eye patch asked, straddling a mounted crossbow. 

"I need to talk to Lewis," I replied coldly. A hearty laugh erupted from his tree-trunk neck. 

"And what makes you think he will want to talk to you?" He snickered. 

I let out a quiet sigh. Here we go. 

"I'm Sean McLoughlin." I said firmly. A hush ricocheted over the people standing on top of the wall. They commerced, and decided what to do. It felt like forever, but I never looked away. I could feel Dream and Ben behind me shaking, trembling like leaves in a fall breeze, but not moving from their rooted position. 

"Beurnson doesn't want to talk to you. You aren't welcome here." The lady on top said, in an angry voice. She was surprised to see me in such a rough state. She had known me as the traumatized little scientist that I used to be. A few years, minus twenty pounds, and added a foot later; here I am. 

I felt the back of my neck burn. I can't do this. Ben and Dream know too much about everything. They can't be apart of this any longer.

"At least take these two. They need your help! Please! I'll fuck off, as long as I know they're behind gated walls!" I demanded. Voices behind me were quick to disagree, but I they are not winning this one. 

"What? Kenelm has no use for these two." Another guy barked. 

"Theres a use for everyone. Just give them a break!" I screamed, and urged the ones behind me to take a few steps back.

"What is this fighting all about?" Like a dark cloud in a perfect beautiful day, there he stood. Hair cut to his shoulders, a middle part, which left his amber eyes exposed, and burning. His dark, brown leather jacket looked like it had been purchased two days before. Black pants perfectly trimmed, and fitted. Always looking out for himself. 

"Holy shit. If it isn't Mr. Sean William McLoughlin. What made you come crawling back?" His muscular forearms leaning on the brick siding, pushing the one who was standing there behind him. 

"I have people." I said, adjusting my eye patch by squinting. 

"So do I. Your point is?" His sarcastic attitude showed how easy he had it. 

"They are here to help you. They are extremely useful. Not to me, but they can service you. I found them walking around alone, useless to themselves, but they will do anything to service you. I can't keep them with me, so here." I was spewing harsh lies in order for him to believe me more. I put both hands behind my back. I put on hand inside the other, and closed the outer one  around it, then pointed to my self. I'm trusting Ben will translate to Dream. Trust me.

"Hmm. Not like you to walk around on your own! Why don't you keep them in your group? Or better yet, join ours! We would love to have you!" He asked, leaning his face in his hands, his sincerity being more worrying than it should be.

"I travel alone. Take or leave them." I demanded, lying through my clenched teeth. 

"You know, I think we can find a use for them! Bring them to the gate," Lewis said, polishing his shotgun with a yellow rag. 

I looked to them behind me. They had tears in their eyes. I could feel my heart hurt. I don't want to leave them, but Lewis will kill us all if I get any closer. I pushed them both in front of me, and walked behind them. 

"Thank you two for everything. I'm doing this because I need to know you're safe." I whispered to the back of them. I never want them to think I abandoned them.

We were all at the entrance to the gate, Dream and Ben playing the part perfectly. 

"Louise is going to be lowering the drawbridge." Someone shouted from above. We all moved back, we were basically in the heard by now. 

A bone chilling crack lingered in the air long after it was shot. We all ducked, and covered our now ringing ears. 

"LET'S SEE HOW USEFUL THEY REALLY ARE!!" Lewis's maniacal laughter boomed over the shot. The heard let out a congregated groan as they stumbled through the crowd to get to the noise. 

"Fuck!" I screamed. The drawbridge wasn't coming down fast enough. It wasn't coming down at all! They stopped it!

"Dream! Come here!" I screamed. Her fast feet stumbled over theirselves, but she made it to me. I intertwined my fingers, as she stepped into my hand. I faced her towards the bridge. I took in a deep breath, and basically threw her up to the door. Her long fingers gripped it, and I shoved her higher into the door. She made it. 

I whipped around for Ben, but my feet were no longer on the ground. Ben's long arms wrapped around my legs. I was in the air about six feet. I stayed stiff, as Ben threw me into the door. I actually made it on the door. I stopped myself from falling down the slide, and looked back to Ben. A smile disrupted the stream of tears cascading down his face. The horde embraced him as he lifted his hands into peace signs, and hit his right hand on top of his left.

A tear drifted down my cheek, as I extended my left pointer finger, pink, and thumb.

"Take care."

"I love you."