Shai's world spun. He heard a yell, perhaps several, followed by gunfire. There was scream and more firing, all the while his world was spinning. The spinning stopped but the firing continued. There was a bright flash. A flare? The thought drifted through the confusion. He suddenly realized that it was cold. It wasn't supposed to be cold inside the car.

Have to get out. Shai's hands fumbled around as he tried to find the seatbelt. Only when he reached it and clicked down did he realize his mistake.

The belt was released and Shai fell hard. He groaned as a sharp pain shot up his palm. Gunfire continued. Gun! Shai felt around for the rifle. In the process he somehow turned. With the bright light from outside he could momentarily see the driver next to him.

Blood covered the side of Fabian's face.

"Hey," Shai croaked. He reached out a hand and shook the boy's shoulder. At the same time he shot a glance back. Asumi had already worked on her seatbelt and was climbing out.

Fabian didn't react and so Shai shook harder.

Outside, the gunfire carried on.

There was a groan and Fabian stirred.

Relief flooded through Shai. He felt the car shake and yet ignored it.

The other boy's eyes flickered.

"You okay?" Shai asked.

"Ouch." Fabian lifted a hand to his head. "Who hit me?"

"Steering wheel." Shai resumed his search for the rifle.

Another groan. "Oh, I think a whole lot more than that got me. Next time, you're driving."

"Sure thing." Shai's hand finally found the smooth barrel he was looking for.

"Sounds like a battle outside."

"How about we join and make sure we win?" Holding the gun with one hand, Shai's other searched for Fabian's seatbelt. The car shook again and a creaking sounded. Something told Shai that time was against him.

Finding the belt, the boy's hand moved along the edge to find the release. A grip on his arm stopped him. He looked up to see Fabian shake his head. The next moment he pushed his head back against the headrest and groaned.

"Dude...I think I broke something." Pain was etched into his voice.

"Then let's get you out of here and check."

A scream.

Fabian's hand tightened. "Go help them first."

Shai shook his head. He fumbled with the belt and pressed the release. Nothing happened. The car shook again.

"Seriously, man." Fabian murmured. "Even if you get that thing off. I'm not going out there with all that commotion."

Shai tugged at the belt but still nothing happened.

"Shai."

He tugged again.

"Shai!"

His friend's tone made him stop and look up.

Fabian's eyes had a calm mixed in with the pain. "Go help the others first. Come back later."

Shai hesitated.

"Before they all die."

Shai's grip tightened on the gun as there was a yell. "I'll be back with a knife."

"I'll try not to go too far."

With a nod, Shai turned and sought an exit. He scrambled from the vehicle and almost instantly regretted it. The feeling that hung in the air overpowered the cold. There was definitely one here – an infector.

"Don't let one of those things bite me!" Fabian's voice weakly called after him.

Shai turned his head. "I won–" He trailed off as he saw the situation of the car. It was by the far side of the bridge. A wheel dangled over the edge where part of the railing had broken off. The rest of the railing looked as though it would give way at any moment.

"Grab the flares!" a familiar voice yelled.

Shai whirled. He took in the scene.

One, he counted when he caught sight of Mav standing with a flare lit up in one hand and a revolver in the other. Two, Roanna had her back to Mav. There was no weapon in her hands. Though there was a gun not far away on the ground, Shai knew why she wasn't going for it.

Three. Lake was crouching between the two with a shotgun in a hand as he frantically searched for the target.

Shai didn't have time to wonder how they had made it off the truck in one piece, or how they were still alive. Right now two thoughts were at the forefront of his mind. One was that the fourth person was missing and the other that somewhere in the area there was an infector and Shai was currently standing with only a car to protect his back.

He raised the rifle yet didn't bother with the scope. The range was too close. This time his eyes scanned the area lit up by the flare.

"The bag!" Mav called.

Shai's saw the black bag that lay not too far away from him. A flare poked out from where it had been unzipped. Should I make a run?

"There!" Lake released a volley of fire.

The railing creaked with the weight of the car.

Shai didn't take another moment to consider. He lurched, sprinting for the bag. The gun was dropped as he needed both hands for his target. Almost instantly he realized that was the end. He felt the presence closing in as all of a sudden he became a target. There was no way to describe how his breath suddenly froze or his legs threatened to give up. How he could feel the path of death approaching. How he knew that he was at the end.

His eyes stayed glued on his target, refusing to look up and meet the eyes of thing that would turn either to kill him with a swipe or take away his humanity with a bite.

He was about to reach the bag, so close that it was almost taunting, when he saw it out of the corner of his eyes. A blur and then...

"Eyes!"

Shai reacted to the voice in and instant.

FLASH!

Even though he had closed his eyes, his vison exploded.

He heard a snarl and felt the presence of death retreat. Shai stumbled a few feet but an arm grabbed his elbow and steadied him. He couldn't help the breath of relief that escaped.

"You okay?"

Nodding, Shai's eyelids opened. Dots danced before him but he was able to make up the figure holding a flare. How Asumi had made it before him he didn't know.

"How long will this keep it away?" the girl called while she handed Shai another flare.

He fumbled with it before turning it on.

"Depends on how many times it's been exposed to one...and also how hungry it is," came Mav's reply.

"Let's hope not too much." Shai straightened and held his own flare out.

Mav and the others made their way over.

"Fabian?" Lake asked.

Shai nodded to the car.

"Grab him and let's get out of here," Roanna urged. She had picked up a gun on the way.

"We won't get far on foot," Lake protested.

"We have no choice," came the reply.

A familiar groan interrupted the moment.

Infected! Shai grabbed the gun from where he had dropped it.

"Hoard," Lake warned.

"Great. It gets scared and so decides to send in something else?" Roanna growled.

Asumi held the flare up higher as they all turned. "This work against the slow ones?"

"Nope." Mav took a step back. "Unfortunately."

Shai was by the car in moments. He dropped to his knees and peered in, placing the flare on the ground near him.

"How are you holding up?" he called.

Fabian turned his head slightly. "Oh, you know. Just sitting here and contemplating the meaning of life." Despite the humor, the agony wasn't hard to detect in his voice.

The car shuddered and the railing creaked.

"Mav, you got that knife?" Shai called.

"Sure. It's right..." The other boy trailed off.

The groans increased in number as they drew closer.

"Um...guys," Roanna warned.

"Mav!" Shai turned.

The boy was patting his belt and pockets. "I swear I had it."

"Guys." It was Roanna again.

"Just hold them off." Shai's eyes darted to the belt. "Mav, give me a revolver."

Fabian's eyes widened. "Hey man. I don't think bringing a gun near me..."

"I'm a good shot, remember?" Shai felt something rubber-like placed in his outstretched hand. He shot a glance back to see that Asumi had handed him a knife.

Behind him there was a shot that was quickly followed by another. The car shuddered again. The railing was about to give.

"Alright." Knife in hand, Shai was about to crawl in but the vehicle tipping stopped him in his tracks.

"Hurry up!" Roanna called as the shots continued to fire. Mav had picked up Shai's rifle and joined in trying to keep the hoard at bay while the flares lit up the area in defense of the infector.

As shots fire Shai's mind raced. If he moved forward, the railing would most likely give way. If he waited too long, the same outcome would occur. His hand tightened on the blade's handle.

"Hurry up, man!" Lake's shaking voice gave away how close the infected had to be.

Shai and Fabian's eyes met.

"That won't work." Fabian winced. His face was getting red with all the blood rushing to it at being seated upside down. "I think my legs are broken."

"We'll carry you."

"Not if you can't get me out of here."

"I'm working on th–"

"Shai. I'm not getting out of here."

Shai caught on. His eyes darted up to Fabian's legs. The sight that greeted him made his mouth go dry. The dashboard of the car had gotten so bent in that Fabian's legs were now pinned beneath it. There was no wiggle room.

"Nice night for a swim?"

The comment made Shai's eyes meet with the other boy's.

"Shai!" Roanna yelled.

There was no reply as Shai held his friend's gaze. The car creaked and there was a warning crack.

"Sorry to ask this of you." Fabian murmured. He squeezed his eyes shut momentarily and took a shuddering breath. His head pressed into the headrest and his hands shook as he clenched then unclenched his fingers. Slowly, his eyes opened.

The guns were now firing in rapid succession.

"Guess I'll be leaving the party early." The boy pinned in the doomed car didn't look at Shai this time. "Go."

Shai didn't move.

"Headshots! Make it count!" Mav's voice yelled from outside.

Fabian turned to Shai. "Go!"

Wordlessly, while trying to keep the raging emotions from his face, Shai held out the knife.

Fabian shook his head. "You'll need all the weapons you have. Besides," he began to chuckle. "I've always wondered how long I can keep my breath..." He trailed off with a gasp of pain.

"Not funny, man," Shai informed him in a voice that he tried to keep from shaking.

"No?" Fabian took another breath.

"Whatever you're doing, I hope it gets done in the next twenty seconds!" Lake called.

Fabian groaned. "How did I ever become friends with that spoiled kid?" A grin spread across his face while Shai still didn't move. "Shai...don't let those things get me. I want to go as human."

Shai nodded. Emotions raged through him and yet he didn't show them. A warning yell sounded from outside and he instantly knew he was out of time. "Hold your breath," he murmured.

Fabian chuckled. "Sure thing. I'll hold it longer than anyone you've ever known." He winked before raising a hand to salute. "Bonne nuit my friend."

Shai nodded, unable to get any words out. He crawled back, the entire car creaking as he did so. He reached the opening and stood, turning briefly to see the disfigured hoard was upon them.

"Let's go!" Roanna began to flee across the bridge. The others turned, but Asumi stayed to fire another shot.

Shai was barely aware as he turned to the car that balanced on the railing. He reached both hands out. All it needed was a push.

"Bonne nuit my friend," he murmured. His hands gave the final shove. The vehicle broke through the dangling railing. There was a creak and a groan as the car shuddered. And then it toppled free, falling from the bridge.

By the time it hit the water, Shai had already turned – just in time to escape the clutches of the hoard. Asumi ran with him, turning to shoot an infected that got too close.

The loud splash made the group ahead pause. Lake whirled. The boy watched as Shai and Asumi approached, eyes immediately catching what was off.

"Where's Fabian?" he called.

Shai reached him and would have run past had Lake not stuck out an arm and stopped him.

Behind, the hoard advanced, tripping over each other as they tried to increase their pace and reach their food source that had stopped fleeing.

"Where's Fabian?" Lake repeated.

Shai didn't reply. The situation was all too familiar.

Asumi placed a hand on Lake's shoulder. "Let's go."

Lake didn't move, eyes searching Shai's. "Shai...?" The widening of his eyes revealed that he guessed it. "Fabian!"

Shai saw what was coming. He stepped in his friend's path, blocking the way.

"Move!"

Shai grabbed the other boy's shoulders. "Lake!" He stared right at him. "There was no other way."

Lake didn't struggle as he returned the stare.

"This was..." Shai trailed off.

"That's it. I'm not waiting anymore." Roanna was off.

Mav lifted his gun and aimed it before deciding otherwise. Instead, he opted to save the bullet and turned to follow the fleeing girl. "Don't get bit," he called back.

Asumi placed a hand on Lake's shoulder. It seemed to break the spell that was holding him. The boy nodded curtly before heading after the others.

Shai turned to see the infected were closer than he wanted. Asumi stood beside him, gazing at the spot the car had been moments before.

"We have to run," Shai murmured, eyes avoiding to look at the spot where he had said goodnight to his friend.

Asumi nodded. "We won't be coming back."

"Not this time."

Another nod. The girl's hand snaked out. It felt warm as it grabbed Shai's. Whirling, the girl pulled the boy along after the others and into the dark of night.

In the river below the last part of the truck slowly submerged. It sank deep into the peaceful depths of the river, sealing the fate of the boy within.