Untouched snow covered the silent town. It looked a lot like one of those perfect moments captured by a skilled photographer in the early light of dawn.

Footsteps melted into the ground. They were left behind by a lone figure that trudged through the snow. Black hair escaped her hat. A scarf was wrapped around her neck and she wore gloves to protect her fingers against the biting cold. She wasn't armed. At least not that one could see.

Shai watched Asumi through the scope. Lake was behind him, but Roanna and Mav were nowhere in sight.

"This isn't going to work," Shai heard Lake mutter.

He didn't respond, eye glued to the scope. He and the other boy had taken cover in an alley way that had a clear view of the area before them. To go on the roof with the snow was not taken into consideration – it would also be beyond slippery.

Shai's eyes swept the area again. He wasn't happy at all with the amount of exposure Asumi was facing.

They hadn't come across any infected, and that in itself bothered him immensely. Something just felt...odd. Shifting, he turned the scope back on Asumi. She came to a standstill and turned, as though searching.

Other than her, there was no movement.

Is it even here? Shai questioned. Most likely, he answered himself. There was no real way to explain it, but the moment the teens had come out from covering the feeling had been there. The feeling that they were being watched.

Shai adjusted his grip. The rifle was resting on a trash can he had turned over. The surface helped him steady the weapon when his hands were beginning to already shake from the cold.

Asumi stomped her feet and the sound echoed all around. The infector had to have spotted her by now.

"Come on," Shai murmured.

Asumi turned in a circle. "Hello?" The silence was broken by her yell.

Acting like a prey that got separated from the heard. Shai's grip on the cold gun tightened.

"She's crazy," Lake whispered.

Shai agreed mentally, but he didn't utter a word as he adjusted the scope again. He didn't want to miss a thing. If he did, that could mean death for Asumi. Then again, with the way they had set things up, they should hear the infector if it made any attempt to approach. If thing worked out the way they should. And somehow Shai had a feeling that nothing was going to go as planned.

"Is this going to work?" It looked like Lake was having the same doubts. The boy was holding on to one of the flares.

"If the other two set up right." Shai's attention darted to an alley on the opposite end. They had three corners covered. Three corners, three flares. That left one opening. One place for the infector to enter through...if it hadn't already deemed the flares as none threatening.

"I thin–"

"Shhh!" Shai cut his friend off. He held a hand in the air as he did so.

The two went silent, straining their ears. The wind whistled and the sound of Asumi stomping her feet echoed again.

Shai's eyes narrowed. Did I hear wrong?

The familiar groans hit his ears moments later.

"It's here," Lake breathed.

"No, that's not the infector," Shai replied. Shoot, it's sending in its hounds first. The gun swiveled to the direction of the moans. Is it coming with them?

Having noticed the approaching danger, Asumi was staring intently in the direction of it.

If a hoard comes, cover me, her words ran through Shai's mind. It'll most likely be with them.

Shai steadied his shaking hand. Behind him he heard Lake draw his weapon.

But I can't cover her too long if it's a big... The thought trailed off as the hoard appeared.

"Holy smokes," Lake's voice shook.

Shai took a moment to move from behind the scope and look with his naked eye, needing to confirm what he saw. His mouth went dry. Coming toward Asumi was a hoard larger than anything he had seen in a long time.

When did it manage to gather so many? The question popped up. It disappeared a second later as his eyes returned to Asumi.

"We don't have enough ammo for this," Lake reasoned. "We need to abort."

Shai was ready to do just that. He was about to call out when the girl with black hair turned. She shook her head and lifted her hand.

"Has she lost her mind?" Lake asked. "We need to move."

"A little longer," Shai replied as he regarded the crowd of undead making their way over.

"A little longer and we'll get torn to shreds and chomped on."

Shai pressed his eye back to the scope.

"Let them come closer. I'll take down any that make it ahead of the others."

"Dude, that thing has sent its minions ahead for a reason. It's letting them do the dirty work first."

"Just hold on."

The hoard ploughed through the snow which did little to slow down their stumbling progress.

"Shai!"

He didn't reply, watching as Asumi calmly stood and faced the crowd. The girl was eyeing them, ever searching for her target even though none of them knew what it looked like.

Come on, Shai thought as he scanned the area. They were running out of time too quickly. Just show up!

The first infected descended upon the waiting girl.

Shai's finger squeezed on the trigger. The infected fell.

"Get out of there!" Lake couldn't take it anymore. "It's not going to come!"

BANG.

Shai made another infected fall.

Asumi had taken several steps back, hesitating as she continued to wait.

More and more infected appeared around the corner making the hoard grow by the moment.

"Shai!" Lake protested.

BANG.

Another infected that had gotten too close to the girl fell.

CRASH.

Lake jumped as a window shattered somewhere.

Shai shot a glance in the direction to see more infected pouring from the broken window. They were making their way right through a house and coming from behind Asumi. If she didn't move she was going to be completely surrounded, cut off on either side from the others.

Eyes narrowed as Shai eyed the window. Is it...?

"Move!" Roanna's voice gave away her position in another alley.

Shai had to agree with her. The plan wasn't going to work.

"Asumi!" he called before squeezing the trigger twice in succession.

The girl's fingers clenched into fists but she turned toward the two boys. Shai covered her as she ran.

CRASH!

Another glass window shattered and more of the hoard poured from another house, moaning and snapping their teeth as they inched forward. Asumi stopped dead in her tracks. Her path to Shai was blocked.

For Shai, his vision was obscured by the hoard and he was barely able to make out the girl through it. Some of the infected turned and, spotting the two boys, dragged themselves toward them.

"I'll meet up with you!" Asumi yelled before turning and lunging in her one direction of escape.

"Dude, we have to run," Lake warned as he stuffed the flare he had been holding into a pocket.

Shai didn't need to be told twice. He slung the rifle over a shoulder and followed Lake along the alley and away from the oncoming hoard. They were about to reach the end when from around the corner a disfigured infected appeared.

Both boys skidded to a halt and whirled. There were infected approaching from both sides.

Lake raised his gun and aimed at one that seemed stronger than the others and was almost running as it hungrily came. He was about to shoot when he paused. We're low on ammo.

"This way!" Lake's voice made him turn.

The boy pointed at a window.

Though the humans didn't know if there would be more of the hoard on the other side, it was their only way of escape. They sprinted for the window as the infected closed in. A pause was made only to smash their guns against the glass and break it before they clambered through, not taking time to clear away glass. A cut would be nothing compared to the fate faced if one of the infected bit them.

As they charged through the house they found themselves painfully aware of the groaning and scraping sounds. The hoard was clumsily following.

Stairs? Shai's eyes darted around. None.

The first infected were in the room.

"Outside!" Lake took the lead, sprinting to the other end of the building.

They passed through what was once a living room and reached the kitchen. Seeing that there was no door out, the boys turned. It was already too late as the hoard was close behind.

Shai whirled, eyes landing on a small window. It would be a tight squeeze, but he was sure it was doable.

"Lake!" He called the other boy's attention at the same time as he grabbed an old microwave from a shelf. Not even pausing he threw the appliance right through the window. Glass shattered as the two infected entered the room.

"Don't mind me," Lake called. He jumped on a counter and crawled through the window. Shai followed. He hesitated only a smash the butt of the riffle into the face of an infected that reached for him.

It stumbled back with a screech and Shai scrambled after his friend back to the cold outside. He barely jumped to his feet when a dismayed cry from Lake drew his attention. More infected were coming from their right. The left side was wide open and the boys immediately turned and sprinted for it.

Shai didn't even have time to wonder how the others were doing as he and Lake ran for their own lives with no chance to catch their breathes. As they went on Shai's mind began to blare in warning. Every time they tried to make a turn infected would appear from one side, forcing them to choose another.

A feeling was settling in the boy's stomach. A feeling that they were being directed toward a certain location. Herded like cattle. Though he was beginning to see it, he had no choice but to take the one opening provided every time new infected appeared to block the boys' path.

Finally, the two found themselves at a warehouse. With infected coming on either side of the path, they had no choice but to rush through the open doors.

No sooner did he enter than Shai skidded to a stop, resulting in Lake almost crashing into him.

The other boy didn't ask as he immediately saw the reason.

The place was filled with infected.

"Did it...did it set up a trap?" Lake whispered.

Shai didn't reply as he took a step back. How did the situation turn on us like this?

The infected in the warehouse turned. Growls were emitted before they charged.

"Grenade?" Lake asked.

"Asumi has it." Shai's eyes darted around the room. He took another step back only to hear the groans from behind.

Lake let out a desperate yell. He raised his gun and began to shoot wildly into the approaching hoard. In response, Shai grabbed the boy's arm. "Stairs!"

The gunfire stopped.

Turning, the two boys scrambled towards a metal staircase on their right. They charged up it, the hoard close on their heels. On the way Shai smashed his gun into an infected that was in their way. He sent it over the rail and it screeched as it went.

The escapees reached the second floor while infected climbed over each other as they tried to follow up the stairs. There were only three waiting for them above and Shai and his friend took quick care of them without using another bullet. They sprinted to the other end of the floor only to find more infected already climbing up the other stairs.

Lake whirled. "I'm not going to be turned." He checked his gun. "Three shots for the hideous ones. One for me."

"No one's shooting themselves." Shai was scanning the area. "Or getting bit." His eyes latched on to the metal chain hanging from a beam above. His mind worked as he tried to calculate its path. His gaze landed on the large window on the other side. "What do you think of crashing through glass?" He tried to ignore the fact that a fall would mean being dumped right into the middle of the hungry flesh eating crowd.

"Does it end with me becoming infected?"

"No. It might cut you good though."

"Beats getting bit."

The first of the hoard had reached the second floor and began to hurriedly limp over, teeth snapping.

"What's the...." Lake saw the chain. "You sure that'll hold both of us?"

"One way to find out." Shai snatched the end of the chain, unhooking it from the railing. He slung the rifle over his shoulder and then held out a hand. "Want a lift?"

The infected were almost upon them.

"So...do I get to be the damsel in distress?" Lake tucked his gun away and grabbed Shai's hand.

"Distress, yeah." Shai pulled him close and Lake clung close. "Damsel?" The boys stepped on to the railing. "Not so sure about how I feel about that one."

"Just don't let go."

"Right on."

Disfigured hands reached out as they came within proximity.

"Go!" Lake yelled.

"Hold on." Shai clutched the chain with both arms while Lake held on tightly to him.

Without another second of hesitation, the boys pushed off. Rotting fingers closed briefly on Lake's shirt but it was torn from their grasp as the boys swung forward.

"Whoa!" Lake yelled as they were airborne.

They swung down and the yell turned to a scream. Shai couldn't hold back shout that made it past his lips.

His boots brushed hands and heads below. Shai wanted to lift his feet and yet with Lake attached to him it was impossible. They were about half way across the room when he felt his friend slipping.

Without thinking of the consequences, Shai let go with one hand and firmly grabbed Lake's arm. Having both of the boy's weight suddenly straining on one arm he felt the burning pain. It was as though his arm would slip out of its socket at any moment.

Gritting his teeth, Shai held on for a moment longer. Then, seeing the window approaching, he released his grip.

The boys flew forward.

Glass shattered once again and Shai was aware of the stinging from cuts all over. The collision with the ground was painful and both boys rolled. Then they were still.

"Owe," the groan made Shai stir.

A growl was all it took for the boy to spring to his feet. He whirled to see the infected pouring toward the window. However, there were none on the outside...yet.

"Come on!" Lake pulled his friend to his feet.

Whirling, the two boys stumbled down another alley.

They ran with all their might, away from the hoard and further into the village. Though they were being pursued, they didn't find any more infected waiting for them. It made Shai wonder if the infector had gathered all the infected in the town in one location just to try and corner the teens.

Soon, when it felt as though their lungs would burst, Shai and Lake came to a halt.

They leaned against a wall of building, panting.

"You think we lost them?" Lake wheezed. A boarded up window was next to him.

Shai gasped for air. "For now. But who knows for how long."

Lake nodded.

"So much for the plan." Shai shifted. "Let's hope the infector isn't close."

That made Lake straighten. "Shoot. I totally forgot." He licked his lips. "If that thing comes we don't stand a chance."

Shai didn't reply.

A sudden buzzing sounded in his ears. He shook his head, wondering if it was an after effect. Then, a flash caught his eyes. Snapping his gaze to the sky his eyes narrowed. "It that–?"

"Shh!" Lake cut him off.

Shai's gaze turned to the boy when he heard the growl. It was close. He turned his head but saw nothing.

"Where...?" Lake's question was cut off as there was a crash. The boards in the window next to him were smashed as arms reached through and grabbed the boy.

Lake yelled as Shai sprang into motion. Time slowed down to Shai as he lunged to his friend's aid. He saw the hands pull the other boy close, saw the gaping mouth filled with teeth. And a realization hit him as he moved. There was no way out of this one. Someone was getting bit.

Just stick with me and I'll get you home. His own words echoed in his mind as he crashed into his friend in an attempt to get him out of the way.

A split second was all it took. A split second and teeth sunk into flesh.