They made it out of the town without any more incidences. Somehow it was as though the infector simply didn't want to stop them. Perhaps it was too amused watching the unfolding events, perhaps it simply wasn't sure where they were. They teens didn't know.

What they did was that there wasn't one of them who wasn't glad to be out of that place and leave all the infected behind. The scrambled through the snow, as far away from the town as possible. Shai trailed somewhat behind the others.

The first stage after getting infected... Memories of his father surfaced. Uncontrollable shivering and sweating. Your body temperature becomes a mess. However, with the cold the entire group was shaking so no one was taking note of those symptoms.

Shai's eyes latched on to where Lake stumbled along. The boy had his head down, not looking away from Mav's footsteps. Asumi patted a hand on his shoulder before going on ahead. When she passed Roanna, the other girl eyed her.

Puffs of their breath was visible in the bitter cold. Soon, they got hungry, and still they kept going. It was Roanna who called for the break some time later.

The teens collapsed under a clump of trees. The snow wasn't deep here. Shai dropped his rifle and joined the small circle the others had formed. The only one who remained standing was Mav. The boy was gazing intently at the sky.

"How are you feeling?" Roanna's voice brought Shai's attention to her.

His hand went to the scarf wrapped around his neck. "It's bearable," he said through chattering teeth.

The girl raised an eyebrow at that.

"Your body temperature is the first thing," Shai began to explain. He was aware of Lake's eyes on him, however, he didn't shoot his shivering friend a glance. "Not being able to sleep or eat. Nausea. It all hits like clockwork..." he trailed off.

"Oh?" Roanna leaned forward. "And you know because...?"

"Watched it happen." Shai pulled his coat closer.

"Ah."

"Where are you going?" Asumi called.

The teens turned to see Mav had begun to trudge away.

The boy turned. "Taking a leak," he called from where he already stood a good distance from the group.

"Is it wise to go anywhere?" Asumi asked.

"What?" Mav cocked his head. "Want me to go here?"

The girl shrugged.

"Be right back." With that Mav hurried away.

"If he gets eaten we're leaving," Roanna commented as she watched his retreating back. A visible shiver went through her. "You think the infector is still tracking us?"

"You can count on it," Asumi had no doubt in her voice.

Shai's hand went to the rifle.

"You know..." Roanna was watching him. "It might be best to take all weapons away from you before you become delirious and shoot one of us."

"Doesn't hit till the last stage," was Shai's reply.

"Can we not talk about that?" Lake murmured. The boy was shivering uncontrollably.

Asumi scrambled to her feet. "I say we should get moving."

Picking up his rifle, Shai followed her lead.

"Guess you have a point there." Letting out a long sigh, Roanna followed. She stomped her feet and some snow fell off her coat. Turning, she reached a hand out to Lake. The boy looked at it in surprise. "What?" Roanna asked.

Not commenting, Lake took the hand and let the girl pull him to his feet. He nodded is thanks, teeth chattering.

Roanna turned away, eyes scanning the area. "Mav?" she called.

There was no reply.

"Think he's alive?" there was no concern at all in her voice.

Asumi shrugged while Shai adjusted the rifle. His eyes scanned the white area where Mavs footsteps trailed along. A moment later the boy's outline appeared at the end. He waved before hurrying back to the group.

"Looks fine to me." Asumi turned and began to continue in the way they had been heading before their break. Roanna paused for a moment before following. She seemed just as eager to more distance between them and the village.

Shai adjusted the strap once more before he shuffled up beside Lake. His friend turned his eyes on him and Shai saw the worry knowing behind them. He put a reassuring hand on the other boy's shoulder. "We'll make it," he told him. With that he began on the path that lay ahead, trying not to let his mind dwell on anything but moving forward.

"Wait!" Mav's voice called.

The two paused while the girls did so somewhat more hesitantly.

Mav jogged up to the group. "You're going the wrong way," he began as he reached them. Lifting a hand he pointed slightly to the North.

Asumi narrowed her eyes. "You said this way before." She turned to Shai. "It's this way, right?" She nodded straight ahead.

Shai nodded, yet his eyes stayed on Mav as he tried to understand why the sudden change in direction.

"It was," Mav agreed. "But I've been thinking." He shifted his weight. "If we cut across slightly north we could make it through to a closer outpost."

"Closer?" Roanna stepped forward. "You said this was the closest." Her hands crossed over her chest. "Why change the direction now?"

"Trust me. It's faster," Mav replied. He shot a meaningful look in Shai's direction. "We don't have much time."

"Since when is there an outpost there?" Roanna wasn't ready to be convinced. She turned to Shai. "You know anything about this?"

Shai was running through the image of the map in his head. "No..." he began slowly. "As far as I know it's just an empty coast."

Both girls turned back to Mav in question.

"It wasn't on the map," the boy admitted. "It's an unmarked area. They use it pick up and drop off things for island 3.1."

"3 point what?" Roanna wrinkled her nose.

"That's classified," Lake spoke up for the first time. Arms wrapped around himself and with a very pale face, the boy tuned into the conversation. "How would you even know where the location is?"

Mav shrugged. "I was on delivery duty a few times. Forces regularly use it as well for transportation, so they could take us to the islands...besides, correct me if I'm wrong, but if there really is a cure then it probably has something to do with island 3.0. Right?"

No one replied for a moment.

"He has a point," it was Lake who spoke.

"Ok. Hold it." Roanna glanced back and forth. "First. What is island 3.0?"

"Not sure. It's kept under wraps," Lake murmured as he shivered.

"Oh that explains it." The girl rolled her eyes. "OK. Fine. Then," she waved a hand in the direction that Mav had pointed, "if it's there, why didn't we just head there in the first place?"

"The terrain's rougher," There was no hesitation in Mav's reply. "With the snow it could be even more dangerous..."

"We're in as dangerous as it gets," Roanna interrupted. Her eyes darted to Shai. "But I agree that we really don't have a lot of time if we want any chance of all of us making it." She nodded in the direction. "How long?"

"Two days if we stop to rest some," Mav replied without hesitation.

Asumi shifted.

"Hear that?" Roanna turned to shoot another look at Shai. "Sounds like we'd have a whole day to spare to try save your life. I think that sounds like a deal."

"Anyone else object?" Mav asked. He let his eyes roam over the group while Roanna did the same. The other three didn't comment.

"Alright. Closer treacherous path it is." Roanna nodded at Mav. "Lead the way."

The boy nodded before turned and doing just that.

Roanna fell into step behind him and Lake hurried after. The boy looked more than eager to take a shorter path.

Asumi shifted as she and Shai were momentarily left standing alone. "I don't like this," the girl murmured.

"We don't have time," Shai replied as he watched Mav's back.

"I know." Asumi let out a sigh. "There's just..." she trailed off. "Never mind." With a shale of her head she began to follow the others.

Shai paused before doing the same.

The group walked for a while before the ground grew steeper. Soon they were pushing harder to keep up the same pace.

Lake began to trail. The boy paused, bending over as coughs wracked his body.

"You okay?" Shai dropped back to stop beside him.

"Hmm?" His friend turned and Shai saw his bloodshot eyes. "Yeah...I think I could use some rest."

Shai nodded, trying not to take note of the cold that seeped into his bones and made him wish for nothing more than a warm fire. The group ended up taking several short rests. At one point, Roanna pulled out an energy bar she had somehow stowed away in her cloths.

She generously broke a piece for everyone. When Shai was offered one he shook his head.

Stage two. Appetite is affected, the information flashed through his mind.

Lake was about to refuse his piece too, but Asumi snatched it and shoved it into his hands. "Eat," she demanded. "You need your energy and we can't keep stopping." Her eyes rose to meet Shai's.

Not long after, they were on their way once again. The climb was getting steeper as they made their way up the side of a hill. With the snow the group slipped several times and their energy was being sapped away with every step.

The sun took its spot at the highest point in the sky, and then it began its descent. Still the group climbed. They reached the top with Shai being the last one up. He noticed Roanna had frozen. Straightening, he saw why.

Before them hills stretched out, each higher than the last. They were dotted with trees topped by snow. The area lay, untouched by humans. A bird soared over, seeming not in the least bothered by the winter air.

"There is no way this only takes two days," Roanna breathed.

"We're not going that way." Mav pointed along the top of the hill they were on. "This way." It merged into a second hill, higher than the first. A particular cold breeze washed over the group.

"You sure this is quicker?" Asumi shivered as she eyed the path and its sheer edges.

"Ninety nine percent," came the reply.

"It's the one that has me worried," Asumi muttered.

"I said it was rougher," Mav defended himself.

Lake pushed past the group. "Let's just keep moving." He began on the path.

"At least we won't run into any infected here," Roanna decided as she followed. "Though you never know," she added as an afterthought.

Asumi gazed at the other mountains before setting off after the other two.

"You coming?" Mav asked Shai.

The boy didn't reply for a moment as he drank in the gaze. "You don't see this on the islands," he murmured.

Mav turned to look at the view. "No...you don't." He agreed. For a moment the two boys stood together. "It's almost as though they're not here," Mav ventured. "The infected."

Shai nodded.

Clearing his throat, the other boy turned and walked away. Shai followed after a moment.

The path went up for a while, the edges becoming steeper. Then, Mav lead them down the side somewhat. The sun began to set and soon sleep tugged at the group...or most of them.

After your appetite comes the sleep, Shai's mind echoed. The dead don't sleep...neither do the infected. He was well aware of the other's dropping eyes as they stumbled along in the dark. His own stayed wide open. Lake was the only other one as wide awake, seeming eager to keep going.

Only a few breaks were taken throughout the night. Near dawn they finally collapsed on a larger flat area. Deciding they had made good headway, they agreed on a few hours of sleep.

"You hanging in there?" Mav asked as he plopped down next to Shai.

Shai nodded. "Not too bad."

"I heard the whole process is beyond painful." The other boy leaned back. "You're doing a pretty good job keeping that pain under wraps."

"I know what to expect," Shai replied calmly.

Mav nodded as he closed his eyes.

Lake and Asumi sat a bit further. The girl took off the hat Shai had previously given her. She pulled it on the Lake's head. The boy barely acknowledged her presence as he stared into the thin air. Sweat trickled down the side of his face. Shai's eyes wandered to Roanna who was already nodding off.

Within moments, Asumi had drifted off too.

Shai took note of Mav who was watching Lake closely. Lake still had his somewhat bloodshot eyes open.

When the boy looked up, Shai motioned with his hand. Lake by stared blankly. With a sigh, Shai rushed a hand down the front of his face, briefly closing his eyes. "Sleep," he mouthed.

Lake nodded. Eyes closing moments later. Mav followed soon after, leaving Shai to keep watch. He sat back and stared at the horizon. Stars flickered peacefully, winking at the teenagers below. Shai gazed back at them. For a while he sat like that before his eyes began to droop.

A cold, dark presence brought him back. Shai's eyes shot open. To his surprise the horizon had exploded into colors as the sun began to rise once again. To his side, Lake sat with his eyes wide open. The boy was breathing somewhat heavily as he stared into space.

However, it wasn't what had woken Shai up. His eyes scanned the horizon and he thought he saw something glimmer. His hand went for his gun. Then the reason he had come to came to him.

The feeling of death, a suffocating presence. His hand closed on the weapon and he rolled not a second too late. The ground where he had been exploded and it was quickly followed by an angry growl. Shai was on his knees, rifle raised while the others jerked from their sleep.

"It's here!" Shai yelled in warning as his eyes scanned the area. He backed up, getting closer to the others. They had already jumped into action, grabbing their weapons. All except Lake who was in the same spot as before, seeming to not realize what was going on.

"Where is it?" Roanna asked, panic lacing her voice.

Shai continued to scan the area.

A moment later he saw the blur out of the corner of his eyes. He whirled the rifle in the direction but it was already gone. Getting to his feet, he managed to make it so that he stood back to back with the other three. All except for Lake now stood in a circle.

Calm down, he tried to tell himself as his heart raced.

"Roanna!" Mav yelled. "Light that thing."

Shai was only partly aware of the girl with the flare. She had dropped her weapon in exchange for it.

"Trying." The girl fumbled with the flare only to drop it. She was left utterly defenseless. She seemed to realize this at the same time. Her eyes widened. "Oh...shi –" she never got to finish as the blur grabbed her. The girl let out a scream as she was flung through the air.