Snow blew across the white hill, obscuring the footprints embedded in it. There wasn't a sign of life. A few trees swayed, snow falling from their frozen branches to join the pile below. It would be a peaceful scene if one was wrapped in warm clothes and had a hot drink at hand. However, it was upon this peaceful place that a dark atmosphere descended.

A figure shimmered into appearance. From a distance, one would almost mistake it for a human, for it walked in a similar manner down the hill. Then, as it drew closer one could see that it was certainly not the same as a human being.

Flaky grey skin looked like it was in desperate need of moister. Muscles rippled along the arms and legs that looked somewhat too long for this already tall creature. It was barely clad, a few tattered remains covering only some areas. The skin on the face looked to be too tightly pulled. There was no nose, not even a hole through which to breath. A large mouth stretched across from one cheek to the other, making it look as though there was a permanent creepy smile on its face. The eyes were small and beady, staring intently straight in front. There were no eyelids, for this creature did not blink. Instead of ears there were two small holes. As for hair, there was none.

It was going at a casual pace, as though it had all the time in the world. But, if one looked closely enough, its walk had a slight limp in it. This was the infector. This was the source of nightmares and the reason humanity had almost reached extinction.

The creature walked, smiling constantly as it stalked its prey. Today was a good day. Today it would finally see the end of its long game. Perhaps it was relishing the thought too much, or perhaps it had simply let down its guard due to the predictability of the prey so far. Whatever the reason, the infector did not immediately notice the two new bumps in the snow.

Below one lay Shai. He could hear nothing but his own breathing as he gazed upon a creature few humans had seen. The very sight made him want to either flee or curl up and die. Any way of escape was fine. However, he stayed, concentrating on his breaths as he tore his eyes from the creature to the area just before it where snow covered the first method of attack.

The creature got closer and walked between the two bumps.

PING.

A split second later a flare exploded to life.

The infector hissed, shrinking back and yet not fleeing. A hand was thrown up before its face as it bared its overlarge mouth, revealing the rows of sharp teeth within. The light hurt its eyes, but this time it would not turn away.

At the same time a mound of snow exploded on each side. From one side a human boy shook himself free and from the other came a girl. Shai was first, finger squeezing the trigger as he was still rising. The bullet hit the inhuman shape right in the head, causing it to snap to the side.

For a moment its hands hung limply. Then, with an angry hiss it turned, the bullet already being pushed from its brain. The head turned as it found the source of the insult. However, before it could move, another shot was fired from the other side.

Asumi stared from behind the barrel of her revolver, not an ounce of fear in her eyes. This in itself made the infector hesitate. There was none that didn't fear it. The pause was all it took for another bullet to slam into the exact same spot in its head.

Letting out a shriek, the creature seemed to vanish into air.

"Careful!" Asumi warned as she and Shai hurried to stand back to back. The girl grabbed the burning flare, holding it out in front as the teens turned in circles together. She took a moment to stick the other flare into the snow by her feet where it would be ready for use when they needed it.

Shai looked at the snow in particular. Though the creature could move faster than his eyes, the snow would warn him of anything approaching.

"Headshots don't work," Shai muttered what the two teens had just proved. He tried not to think about how he only had one bullet left.

There was a moment of silence with death lingering in the air. Then Shai saw it to his right. The snow was being kicked up as a blur dashed through.

"Duck!

He reacted to Asumi's voice instantly and dropped to his knees.

The girl threw the flare at the approaching shape.

There was another hiss and the blur changed course. It shot pass, making Shai's blood run cold as he felt his brush with death.

From where it lay in the snow, the flare spluttered a few times, threatening to give up its light. Shai scrambled to his feet and the two teens stood back to back once more.

"Think we'll go down in history for killing an infector?" Asumi asked. Her teeth were chattering. If it was from the cold or fear, Shai couldn't tell.

"I'll answer that after we succeed," came Shai's reply. His eyes were scanning the area. He knew it would attack. But from where?

He saw the saw the moving snow right in front of him a second later. His arms reacted on instinct, raising the rifle. Flaky long fingers wrapped around the weapon, pushing it against his chest and Shai suddenly found himself staring into two beady eyes. For a moment, boy and infector were eye to eye.

As brief as it was, making eye contact made Shai feel as though something inside him shriveled up and died. It shook him to the very core, making all thoughts save one flee from his mind.

Die! A voice screamed in his mind. Die! If it was the only way of escape he would take it. Yet, somehow, Shai fought back. He pushed against the gun as the infector's mouth drew close. Teeth snapped in the air, inches from his face and spit flew.

Asumi turned and raised her gun, but it all happened too fast for her to be able to offer assistance. The rifle was jerked with such a force that Shai was airborne. The world twisted, turning before his eyes and he saw the shape of the infector disappear once again.

"Shai!" he heard his name screamed a moment before there was a loud crack and the boy slammed into a tree.

Shai slid into the snow. His head felt as though it had been split open. The world was a blurred mess. And yet, somehow, the teen had maintained his grip on the rifle. It lay in the snow beside him. Shai's finger twitched.

"Shai!"

He slowly lifted his head, aware of something warm and sticky trickling into his eyes and down the side of his face. He thought he saw a blurred figure running toward him.

The air around him grew cold. He could feel it. That familiar presence.

"Get up!" A voice yelled.

Something was coming. Something other than the figure he could see running.

"Move!"

Asumi crashed into him, causing both of them to roll to the side. The tree by which Shai had been a split second before, seemed to explode.

From where he lay, Shai groaned.

"You can't sleep now," a familiar voice warned.

Shai blinked and the world swam back into focus. He shot upright, pulling the rifle with him. Asumi stood before him, gun raised as she turned, looking for the next direction of attack.

"The last flare," Shai wheezed as he grasped at a way to prolong death.

Asumi felt her pockets. Eyes widening she whirled. Shai's head turned with her. He caught sight of the object laying uphill in the clearing where the pair had stood earlier. It was still stuck in the snow – untouched.

Shai began to scramble to his feet, ready to make a dash.

"Don't." Asumi's voice stopped him. "I've got this." She tossed her gun to him. "Two left. Cover me!" And then she sprinted.

Two in the revolver, one in the rifle. Three total. The information flashed through his mind as Shai lay in the snow, propping the rifle up. He watched Asumi through the scope, eyeing the area, waiting for the blur.

His hands were shaking and his heart felt as though it was in his mouth. Time ceased to tick as Shai watched Asumi run for the flare. With each step she took he could hear his own heartbeat. The infector would come, it was too clever to not try and stop the girl from reaching a device it so despised.

Eight, Shai counted the steps remaining as Asumi's feet sunk into the snow. Seven... His heart thumped along. Si – there! It was coming from the right. Shai swiveled and pulled the trigger.

A screech split through the air and the infector stopped in its tracks, coming into clear view. It stumbled back a step, the bullet in its chest seeming to cause it pain. In the same moment, Shai tossed the rifle to the side and grabbed Asumi's revolver. He lifted it, squinting one eye as he took aim.

Three. The girl was now close to the target.

Shaking its head, the infector let out a hiss.

Shai took a step forward as he pulled the trigger.

BANG!

Again the infector stumbled back as a second bullet followed the first.

One. Asumi's hand reached for the flare.

Another screech and Shai watched the infector become a blur as it charged once more. One moment it was a blur, the next it was between him and Asumi. As soon as it came into focus, he released the last bullet.

BANG!

With its back to him. Obscuring Asumi from Shai's view, the creature stood frozen. In the back of its head was a fresh hole.

"Asumi?" Shai called as he took a shaky step forward.

Then, the infector moved. It turned toward Shai and with it, it dragged another figure.

Shai's heart stopped when he saw its long fingers wrapped around Asumi's neck, a triumphant glint in its eyes. The caught teen was clawing as she desperately tried to get air.

"No!" Shai pulled the trigger as he walked forward. There was nothing but empty clicks.

The creature's already wide mouth stretched even further in a seeming smile. There was a mocking glint as it stared at the approaching boy.

Asumi moved. In her hand she held not the flare, but a knife. She swung it in a split second, burying it in the side of the monster's head. With a cry of fury, the creature briefly released its grip, clawing at the blade stuck in a most uncomfortable of places, a place that was making its vision blurry.

"Run!" Shai yelled as he ran toward his friend in a desperate attempt to take her from harm's reach. However, Asumi stood where she was.

Shai had only taken three steps when the infector turned and, with a growl, sunk its teeth into the girl's neck.

"No!" Shai's feet stopped moving on their own. Nausea hit him as he dropped the useless weapon and watched the unfolding scene.

"Ha," he heard the gurgling laugh from Asumi. "Ha ha."

With the creature's teeth still in her flesh, her hands moved. Shai heard the ping and he caught sight of the source a second later. There, nestled in the girl's hand was nothing other than the last grenade. In her other hand, she held the pin. "The jokes on you," she gasped as she dropped the pin and grabbed hold of the infector's arm.

Surprised, it withdrew its teeth, tearing out a large chunk of flesh.

Shai felt as though he were a having a dream, as though reality was far away. He wanted to run forward, to save his friend, and yet his feet weighed him down. Familiar brown eyes turned to him and he could already see the effect of the virus taking place. Asumi's eyes were glazing over, her veins standing out.

"Run!" she yelled her last word as a human before the explosion ripped through the air.

Even as he was sent stumbling back by the force, even as his eyes watered with the effect, even as his ears rang painfully, Shai's body moved on its own, fulfilling his friend's last request. He turned and fled. Behind him. Snow loosened by the explosion began to slide, gathering more as it went. In mere seconds, an avalanche was following the fleeing teen.

Shai hurtled forward. Behind him, the avalanche gathered speed. The surface before him dipped sharply and the teen took a leap. He was monetarily flying through the air before his feet hit the ground and he continued. Behind him, the rushing flow of snow wasn't slowed down in the least.

A few paces later Shai saw a figure hurrying through the snow toward him. His disoriented mind told him he recognized this person. He drew closer, still running, only to see Roanna.

She saw him at the same moment.

Her mouth opened but she never got to speak as Shai reached her. Without pausing he snatched her hand and pulled her along.

The thundering of snow announced that it was closer.

Roanna caught on and the pair fled hand in hand. The oncoming snow was too close when Shai saw it. He veered to the right, dragging Roanna along. In the next second he dove behind the large rock, turning so that his back smashed against it while Roanna was safely wrapped in his arms.

The thunder became a roar as the avalanche overtook them. It flowed all around, splashing above the rock and spraying the teens in white. On it went, swallowing anything in its path. And then there was a sudden and painful silence.

"Shai?" The muffled voice seeped through to him.

The boy lay curled up against the rock, Roanna held firmly in his arms.

"Shai?"

He only became aware of how tightly he was hugging her then. Shai's arms relaxed. Roanna squirmed free. She turned to face the boy, yet he sat with his head hanging low.

Run! His friend's voice echoed in his ears as they rang.

"Asumi?" the question brought him back to reality.

Shai blinked. Something was threatening to stick his eyelids together. He lifted a hand and rubbed it across. A moment later he stared at a sticky red hand.

"She's gone," the words sounded hollow to even him.

Roanna fell back in the snow. "Ah."

Shai stared listlessly ahead.

"The infector?" the girl ventured another question.

"Also gone."

The girl stared in disbelief. The expression soften. "You look like hell." She reached out a hand to touch the side of Shai's face. The boy reacted by shoving her touch away before it could connect.

Roanna drew back. She bit her lip.

"Sorry," Shai muttered. Everything hurt. He was nauseous and felt as though he would pass out at any moment. Yet, none of it could compare to the giant hole he felt in his chest. Shakily the teen got up and brushed off the snow. He reached out a hand to Roanna. He wanted nothing more than to curl up and disappear from the world. However, he was a soldier and now was not the time to grieve. Not yet.

Roanna took the outstretched hand. Shai tugged, pulling her to her feet. "Let's catch up with the others," he told her. He turned and began to limp downhill, still holding Roanna's hand.

The two were clearly visible from above, their bodies a stark contrast to the fresh white snow the stretched out before them. Some distance behind, small drone hovered from where it had been recording everything.