Mark's P.O.V

The normally busy streets we're completely empty. I slowly walked out first, my gun ready to fire. We moved down the streets, and no one said a word. Houses were boarded up, curtains were shut, and I doubted anyone else was coming out anytime soon.

A sound came from behind us in an alleyway. We all spun around and raised our weapons.

Normally, when I think of the dead getting up and trying to kill me, I think of slow moving dumb zombies.

These were nothing like that.

When I turned the corner, I saw a Plauger eating something. First thought; it's eating garbage. Then it's 'food' looks up and starts running towards us. Second thought;

"RUN!!" I screamed. The others bolted around the corner, and I shot something that used to be human.

As I turned to catch up with the others, I realized the other Plaguer was chasing us. I didn't dare look back. 'Keep running,
don't look back. Keep running, don't look back. Keep running, don't look back!!'

"MARK!" Jack screamed. Before I knew what was happening, Jack was running beside me. He turned around, aiming his pistol.
"JACK ARE YOU INSANE, RUN!!" I screamed at him.

Jack didn't pay any attention, and shot the Plaguer. He grabbed my wrist, and pulled me with him. "You can thank me later!"

"Later? I'm thanking you now!" I yelled back.

.o0O0o.

We caught up with the others, and we quickly ran in front an abandoned coffee shop. We were trying to catch our breath, when Ken started yelling at me.

"Christ Mark! You scared us half to death! Screaming 'run' but when we look back, you're still standing there?? And you!" He said pointing at Jack. "You nearly got yourself killed saving him! We've got to stick together or we'll all die!!"

"Sorry." I said, still trying to get my breathing back to normal.

"What did you expect, us to not kill the thing trying to kill us??" Jack yelled back at the same time.

"Guys, now is not the time to argue. Just be glad everyone's alright!" Marzia said, pushing between them.

"Everyone shut up!" Felix suddenly snapped. "We're still in the open, and we could still die, so shut up!"

We fell silent, and Felix looked around the corner. "Alright, all clear, but stay quiet!"

We walked in silence as we started to the highway. Felix fell back, letting me take the lead. I knew the way, I had been on this road plenty of times before. Jack came up to walk next to me.

"You doing ok Mark?" He whispered, clearly still shaken by Felix's sudden outburst.

"Yeah, yeah I'm just-I'm ok." I replied.

"Good, so um, where exactly are we going?"

I shot him an annoyed look. "If I had a dime for every time someone asked me that today-"

"You'd have two dimes Mark. Come on, where are we going?" Jack interrupted.

I sighed. "Ok, I don't know exactly, but at least we're getting out of the city right?"

"Mark!"

"Alright, alright, calm down! I was thinking we go into the desert and find a place to camp. Not permanent, just a place to lay our heads. And we'll find a new place if we get attacked or something."

Jack rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I guess that could work. You should run it by the others, too."

I nodded, and after that no one spoke. We just kept walking.

And it was super hot outside.

And we had to conserve water.

And it was hot.

And it was in the afternoon, making it even hotter outside.

But we kept walking.

AND I FELT LIKE I WAS DYING.

"Ken, I'm dying. Can I please have some water." I asked.

"You already had some five minutes ago, so no. What part of conserving don't you understand?"

"The conserving part." I shot back.

It felt like forever before we found a cave to spend the night in. Marzia and Jack built a fire and we all stared into the flames. I took a swig of water before passing it down.

Marzia and Felix were the first to go to sleep, Ken following soon after. Jack had volunteered to take the first watch, but I couldn't fall asleep. The crackling of the flames was the only sound echoing in the cave.

"Jack?"

"Yeah?"

"I just- I mean- just wanted to see if you were still here." I stammered.

"I'm still here, Markimoo." Jack replied with a smile.