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Warning: This is a rather long chapter. I didn't notice how long I had made it until I was mostly done. I did wonder if I should split it into two but I really wanted to have this section as one chapter. So, have a pee, grab your drinks or snacks and buckle down for a long read.  Word count: 7516 

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We reached the base rather quickly compared to such monsters running all over the roads and cars left crashed blocking certain routes. But we made it and just as the soldier said, the base had been mild overran somehow. The command building was surrounded by a wire fence, keeping any and all undead out, along with those who had recently gotten themselves infected and wasn't allowed inside. 

But the sad true was even those who stood without being infected was still left on the outside of the fence, refused access over entering. Promises over them being allowed in by the morning if they still stood as human instead of a monster .. but the chances of that was happening low. 

Most took the hint early on, leaving the base grounds quickly as the area held the highest chances of getting infected right now. 

Armin grandpa drove us to the check point, passing once he passed on Eren and I names and the soldier by the driver window typed in our names to the tablet before looking at our uploaded photos before nodding. We were shown where to drive too, entering through a sliding gate and parking the jeep in the small car park area that was still half filled with the remaining busses the base was using to evacuate people in and a few military jeeps and bokes that'd be standing as their military escort. 

Seems Eren and I missed the bus we were meant to be on, our seats given to another family or VIPs that stood awaiting their own evacuation. But the good news is that we'd be sent out in the next bus heading out. 

Of course, Eren and I were taken to the side. We were covered in still drying blood and had to be checked over for bites or scratches. Eren still left in shock over the events and that left me with explaining it wasn't our own blood. His blood being from the half eaten soldier that crawled around in the living room, Eren stabbing it's head over and over out of fear as it crawled towards his feet before. For her, it was his mother blood .. she ran straight towards her once she slowly slipped the jeep keys out of the male soldier lower half that was left where it was first ripped off from his top half. 

The soldiers nodding in understanding, still having to strip them and give them a quick spray down with a shower that barely lasted half a minute. Having a set of training gear passed over to them, the simply trousers and work out polo tops. Seems the base was low on clothes to supply, using the clothing tucked in soldiers bags that should have taken leave that day or taking from the bags that were due to be sent over to the laundry room in the morning. 

Eren was the one unlucky enough to get from the laundry pile, the polo top and trousers smelling awful with all the sweat and dirt. But he didn't flinch, his shock had yet to settle and he was left as a lifeless doll, his face left stained by tears that no longer fell. 

I gave my thanks to the soldiers before pulling him back over to Armin and his grandpa. Giving a happy nod when the two will be able to join them on the same bus ride. Armin Grandpa mentioned it due to him and Armin being the ones to bring the two to the camp safely and gained being evacuated to safety as their award. But I and Armin knew the truth, it was because Eren mother spot was now left empty. And if the two of them were being left on, someone else's spot was being filled due to someone not showing up as well. 

We were soon led inside, being led to where my parents stood worrying over me. I did sneak off, pretending to need the toilet before slipping to the cleaning cupboard instead. Taking out the dog tags and hanging them over the metal frame self as best as I could.

I didn't even know the two soldiers name and I wasn't going to try to remember them now as I read over their dog tags. I owed them for trying to protect me and that debt was now given as I left their souls to rest in the one place filled with many happy memories for them. They could find peace now. 

I quickly caught up, stepping into the main command room and finding my parent's already fussing over both Eren and Armin. Checking they were both safe and okay before hurrying over towards me and bringing me into a tight hug. I couldn't help but tighten my own grip on them, clinging to them and knowing I needed this right now after everything else that had happened. 

"Where's Furlan?" I finally asked as we broke away, glancing around for my brother and knowing he should be here with us. 

"He went on the bus that should have been our own evacuate. He wanted to stay with us, to make sure you arrived here safely or go out searching for you instead. But we decided that one of us should be waiting for you at the triage set up outside the city. To welcome you and find a bed for us to share over. He voted to stay and send one of us but we're your parents, we can't head out to safety and leave our children trapped here" My father had calmly stated, giving me a reassuring smile while placing a comforting hand on my shoulder, knowing I was as scared as everyone else but trying to hide it. 

I lowered my head, relief feeling me as I wasn't sure if I could cope losing anyone else today. Not my brother who had always took care of me, always drying my tears and making me smile instead. He was the one to cheer me on, to support me and always stand on my side throughout life. He was my own guardian angel. 

"W-Where is my dad?" Eren voice broke the small moment of silence and I noticed both of my brothers tense ever so slighter. 

"Eren, you need to listen to me very carefully. Grisha is missing. When the virus broke out in the labs, he disappeared. I assumed he rushed out to warn others or to hurry home to check on you and your mother. But-" Randall started to say with a deep frown, sadness and worry in his eyes as he wasn't sure how to break the news gently and decided to simply try ripping the bandage off. 

"Dad wasn't home when I returned from school. Mum was already .. already-" Eren started to argue back before remembering what happened to his mother and tearing up. My father already giving him a sad look, already understanding what had happened while he knelt before my friend.

"It's okay, Eren. I'm sure he's close by and he'll be sent to the triage with us soon" Armin perked up with a force smile, hurrying over and hugging Eren from the side in hopes to comfort his friend even just a little. 

"The soldiers reported entering your home and reported in that no signs over Grisha ever being inside at all. They kept an eye out for him on their drive to your home but never once saw him. Due with all this mess going on, we can't send out a search party anymore. All we can do is hope that he's somewhere safe or already waiting at the triage for you" Yumi stated the truth as she placed a hand on my father shoulder, giving a sad smile towards Eren as she knew he was old enough to hear the truth. 

The three of us might have been teens but we were old enough to understand that everything was a mess. We knew that happy endings never happened, not like the movies. Instead, you gained a content life that one could accept.

Lying to us and giving false hope could simple break us as we're left waiting for it to be true. 

"It's okay. I'm sure he's already at the triage and just wasn't noted down on entering the bus or maybe he took his own car to the triage. He could have gone early to help set up. Everyone on the base already understands the different steps during this time of emergency after all. He must have wanted to help set up the safest spot where people can head towards" I spoke up softly, stepping around my parents and joining the hug. Feeling both Armin and Eren shaking a little, making me swallow down my fear and try standing without seeming spooked in hopes to give them both more confidence over our survival. 

"I don't think a zombie emergency was a planned out idea for the base to have" Armin grandpa commented with a slight chuckle, trying to light up the mood a little but failing. 

"No but an attack or devastating events do hold their own plans. This is kinda like an terrorist attack in some way.  The city needs to be evacuated now the hit has happened"  Armin awkwardly tried to reply with, wondering what a zombie attack would fall over. 

Soon, an alarm had gone off and showing there was a breach in the fence. Seemed all in the base knew the fence wouldn't hold back such monsters forever but prayed that it would at least have held out much longer than a few hours. 

I remember my parents yelling something towards Armin grandpa who soon held both Armin and Eren arms in an unbreaking grip. I watched as he pulled them out of the room, heading back towards the bus we should be leaving on. I turned to my parents, grabbing at my father hand and feeling him give our joint hands a squeeze as we hurried after my friends. 

My mother had hurried away somewhere, mentioning something over her handbag that my father yelled out for her to leave. But she never did listen to him on most good days and still ran off on her own. My father was ready to chase after her but the weight on his hand, me, had stopped him. 

He chose to trust in mother survival skills and take me to safety instead. We left through locked doors, taking a different route compared to the main one as he used his identity card. He kept muttering a form of apologizes as we speed walk, knowing better than to try running while everyone else was in such a panic. 

"Dad?" I had questioned as he finally came to a slow stop, giving me the most heart breaking look I have ever seen. 

"I think I know why Grisha had ran. This is all my own fault, I just wanted to give you that better future like promised. I wanted you to be happy and free, to never have to fear over your born instincts ever again. I wanted to protect your heart but instead, I brought the end of the world instead. Grisha knew, he was helping me with the virus that was meant to stand as a cure for all Omegas. It was meant to save you, bring control over your own pheromones so you never fell victim to an Alpha. But something went wrong, we must have done something incredibly stupid by mistake. Our test subject was showing such promising signs, we thought we had finally succeed in the drug" He replied, a heavy look in his eyes as he kneeled down before me and placed his arms on my upper arms. Making sure I faced him, actually looked at him. 

"I-I don't understand. W-Why would Grisha run away? W-What happened?" I stuttered back, my mind not absorbing everything thrown towards me. My head shaking from side to side, not wanting to accept any of it. 

"The test subject, my patient who willing volunteered and wanted to be apart of the future I had dreamed for you .. died. When I arrived to work early, they were perfectly healthy and playing with a pack of cards like normal. We were going to release them by tonight and work on making more of the drug, to give it to all Omegas who wish to control their pheromones like Alphas can. But they fell ill, they collapsed and we all rushed in. They had died, choking on their own black blood ... it was failure. I wasted an innocent life. Grisha wasn't going to accept defeat, he returned to the lab to find where we could have gone wrong. But a few hours later, my patient was alive and attacked others in the base. At first, we locked the base down. Keeping them trap along with all those who turned so much quicker after being bitten. We tried to end it all here. But a soldier had foolishly used their key card to open an locked door .. to escape after they had gotten bitten. They were the ones released onto the city .. they doomed us all" He explained as best as he could, knowing she'd understand it all and passing on the burden over the truth to her as he needed her to understand. He knew her to know it all, to know what sins he had committed by simply trying to be a good father towards her. Wanting to give her the better world, to make the world more fair for her. 

"M-Maybe Grisha planned to make a cure? Find where you both made the mistake and correct it somehow. He might have taken the labs result somewhere safe" She blurted back, trying to think over another option on why her uncle figure had run. She didn't understand the pained look on her father face, not knowing why he was blaming himself so much when he was only trying to keep his promise to her. He was loving her, cherishing her and simply trying to protect her .. she saw no sin in that. 

"He left the lab first .. before we had finished locking it all down. He simply vanished, clearly didn't want to be found. I blame myself, I know I have to live with the guilt my selfish actions have caused. But I've got to live with the guilt that my friend has to live with this as well just because he was being a good friend and helped me try making a better future for you" he sighed, releasing her arms and running a shaky hand through his hair before giving a sad smile towards her. He already accepted the burden of guilt he'd have to carry and he simply wished he could have taken it away from his friend who was simply being a good mate to him at the time. 

"I don't hate you. If you need forgiveness, you have it" I admitted, giving a rare but true smile to my father and stepping forward before wrapping my arms around him. No matter what or how many might curse his name for starting all this .. he's always be nothing more than my loving father who cared for me deeply. 

"I know you'd forgive me but I simply can't forgive myself. So many innocent lives will be lost because I was too rash and tried the drug on the patient when I should have doubled checked everything once more. I should have waited .. maybe I could have stopped this from ever happening" She hears him whisper into her hair as his grip tightens around her like this would be the last time they would ever hug. 

"Let's just reach the bus. Mother must be worried over us since we did have the head start" I muttered back, breaking the hug and knowing we didn't have time to play happy family right now. 

One Year Later...

"Where are we going?" Isabel asked as she filled the rear of the small group, slowing down and mostly crawling behind them as she was completely board out of her mind and feeling completely drained from all joy.

"To my parents house" Furlan simply answered as he kept his eyes fixed ahead, his hand gripping the crowbar in his right hand and he listened out for any groans. 

"Why?" Isabel asked, standing a little straighter and trying to catch up to the two males ahead of her who's pace had quicken since entering the city. Her kitchen knife loosely tucked into a slip made into her backpack strap. 

"I need to search for a note. A clue" Furlan stated, seeming a little more urgent and desperate than he has for the past two months she's known him. They've travelled as much as they could each day, using daylight greedily before finding a spot to make camp that'd be safe enough to survive through the whole night. 

"Over what?" Isabel asked next, glancing towards the second male over the group who .. as always, mostly stayed silent and kept his eyes glancing around for any sudden movements close by. His grip was lose but holding a cross wheel rim spanner, not the best weapon but both she and Furlan knew he held a survival knife strapped to his ankle. 

"You ask a lot of questions" Furlan sighed tiredly as he looked over his shoulder towards her, starting to get fed up with the question game. He knew she was a bit childish but she was twenty years old while he and his friend was twenty one years old. He knew she was also very curious and normally preferred to run around wild, but with times being as they are .. she was stuck playing safe. 

"You told me that I wouldn't learn if I don't ask" Isabel shot back smugly, giving a toothy grin towards him as she had cosy up to him more than his friend. 

"He's searching for his someone" Levi explained quietly, keeping his eyes focused on the area ahead and keeping an eye out for dangers. He knew the women would simply keep annoying them until she was satisfied with an answer or if they gave in and helped distract her from being so worn out. She was still a child at mind while an adult in body, they had to help keep her entertain otherwise they'd both be close to strangling her with their own hands. 

"Who?" Isabel asked like a child, skipping a little and swinging her arms happily.

"My sister" Furlan finally admitted, knowing the women didn't really know over his background nor did she know much over Levi but the cold faced man preferred keeping his matters to himself anyway. Furlan was happy to talk, he was  always friendly and looked out for others without noticing it. But .. during such times, he knew he kept more of himself locked away. He was driven by a drive of finding his sister right now, showing a side he never thought he had and knowing he's mostly kept Isabel in the dark because he didn't want to face her many, many questions that were sometimes insensitive. 

"You've got a sister? Huh, I just assumed you were a single child. I mean, you are overly kind and look out for us like an older sibling but still .. you've never mentioned her" Isabel muttered back surprised, tripping a little before catching her balance with the help of Furlan holding her arm to steady her. 

"It's a sore spot for him" Levi admitted without a second thought, standing to a two as he looked to the two.

"Says the one who threatens me with a knife whenever the words "your" and "family" is mentioned in the same sentence" Furlan scoffed back as he rolled his eyes, knowing Levi was even wore than he was when it came to family or talking over certain topics involving their past. Levi was one dark horse that Furlan had no clue over. 

"I like my privacy" Levi honestly answered as if it that's all what needed to say. 

"And I honour that" Furlan sighed as he released Isabel arm before the three got walking again. 

"Why don't you two ever talk about family? I'm always happy to mention my parents .. well, before I ended up in the church orphanages at least. Doesn't family make you feel all warm and loved when you think over them" Isabel blurted out her nagging question as she's always talked about her family, her fun in the orphanage along with the trouble she sometimes got herself into. She told them her whole life story and whined over what she missed doing or what she'd hate over missing out now the world had ended. 

"We're not a chatter box like you" Levi commented, rolling his eyes as he's surprised he's allowed her to stick with them for this long when she was so irritating. 

"So mean!" Isabel squeaked back, puffing out her cheeks and trying to show how upset she was but neither took notice. Her moods were always jumping all over the place and normally sticking to being excited, hyper and overly happy while always being loud. It's like she was a newly bought puppy but at least they tire out after awhile. 

"My sister, she's somewhere out here. She may be alone or she may still be with her friends but I have to find her. She's scared, I know she is because I'm ready to break down and sob my eyes out at any moment. But she's different from me, I keep a smile on my face and try to think on the bright side of a situation" Furlan decided to shine some light over his need to find his sister, while they've been travelling this long and his reasoning to be so .. closed off at moments. 

Furlan remembered getting on the bus within the base, his parents mostly forcing him on. Shoving up in the open doors and nodding to the driver who closed them as soon as his legs were out of the way. Seems he was the last one to enter the bus and they were all waiting on him to leave. 

He found his seat, looking towards his parents who gave their best smiles even during such times and waved him off. All their bags were packed and with him for now, they would be ready to start anew somewhere else once they all stood at the triage. 

But a car was heading straight towards them, driving like a mad man and the bus swerved, trying to miss the impact. Breaking hard and jolting them all forward, the military jeep that held three soldiers inside and stood as their escort ended up crashing into the car. 

The bus driver waited a few moments, watching towards the crashed sight as the only soldier on the bus, having to sit on the steps as he wasn't given a seat as a civilian. He used the radio, reporting it in. Orders passed through over them to carry on, no help being sent and they'd simply warn other bus drivers over the crash instead. 

So, the driver started going forward. Furlan had hit his head but held no wound luckily. He glanced back to the crashed cars, spotting one of the soldiers limping out, not even trying to wave towards the bus for help since he would have heard the same orders over the shared radio chancel.

Next thing Furlan remembered was crawling away from the bus that had rolled into a ditch on the side of the road. It had a huge dent to it's side and the lorry had carried on driving onwards, never stopping to help. Parts of the lorry was left on the road, showing it took as much damage as the bus did and Furlan saw an explosion in the distanced not long after he somehow crawled out. 

His head was bleeding, his cheek grazed and his body bruised. But nothing felt broken, he's always had bad knees and knew the familiar pain they gave. In all of his twenty years of life, he was clueless over what was happening in his life. 

He couldn't think straight, couldn't focus and blindly moved forward. He had to reach the triage, to wait for his family and welcome his scared sister. To be the pair of strong and protective arms she needed to cry in .. he had to make sure she reached the triage safely. 

He blacked out at some point, hours after the accident .. he made some decent distance, he could feel it. But when he woke up, he was in an old hut within the woods. With Levi sipping a freshly made cup of tea. 

The hut belonged to neither of them, it wasn't really a haunting hut and it didn't hold much inside. Just a basic tea spot for some and whoever used it  .. wasn't around anymore by the drag marks outside.

Levi had found him, walking through the large woods and leaving the destroyed city behind him. He noticed the hut close by, having to past it a few minutes before and decided to help Furlan out. More so when there was nothing but trees around them for miles. He held no clue where Furlan had dragged himself from but it was have been rather far since the closest road was hours away by foot. 

Furlan talking like an insane person once he did wake up, remembering about his sister and needing to reach the Triage. Promising Levi safety with whatever his base power still held and Levi silently followed along with him. Neither seeing any infected and ended up reaching a small town in the middle of nowhere. 

Seems Furlan had ended up leaving in the opposite end of the Triage and while they walked for almost a whole week .. they simply assumed it was because they had a whole area to search. But an old couple, left behind in their small town while others took to fleeing after watching the news, had showed them a map over where they ended up. 

They stayed with the old couple for a couple days, regaining their energy and strength while it was safe. Listening to the old couple warnings and learning over what routes to take since military check points were formed to try and stop the infection spreading any further. More Triages were set up and small safe pointes were added between, making it an all you can eat buffet for the undead. 

It took them just under a week to reach the old couple and yet, it had taken them a whole year in returning to their home city. A lot had happened and advoiding the undead was best but also very time consuming. 

"How will she react? If you smile all the time but still admit to your fears. What does she do instead if she's so different?" Isabel curiously asked, snapping Furlan from his drifting thoughts and bringing him back to reality again. 

"She hides behind a cold, stone wall within herself. She'll stand strong, act brave and act as if she's the last defence to stop all those around her from giving up. She'll look calm, hide her fears and help them to survive while shoving her own emotions deep down inside. She's scared, I know she is but she won't act on it. She won't show it .. not until she's in safe arms that she cry into" Furlan answered softly, a fond but concerned look in his eyes as he knew over his sister. He still remembered the days she'd cry over her bullies, being open over her emotions before she turned unreadable to protect herself .. wearing her heart in her sock since she knew someone could still easily find it on her sleeve. She'd still cry to him, cuddled up and sobbing into his chest after a hard day and he'd silently let her get rid of all the pain she held. 

"Seems the birdy is smart. Would return home to leave a note or clue over her whereabouts after the triage fell. She wold have left some form of a hint that her family members would see and understand what direction she'd be heading in" Levi explained over why they'd have been trying to make their way back to the city.

Levi nicknaming his friend younger sister since he knew how important she was to him and well, sometimes Furlan can't even bring himself to speak her name without crying. Overthinking the worse and wondering if he'd simply return to find her already turned into a monster. Levi, who wasn't best at comforting people decided to help in his own way by randomly calling her as "birdy" since she sounded so set to spread her wings and fly. She was going to see the world, take flight and hold control over her final destination in life. She's travel at her own pace, life a life she was proud over and happy with. She wasn't going to be caged and kept as a pet, she was going to fly, gain her freedom. So, birdy seemed fitting at the time as he listened to Furlan proud talks over his sister, listening to the shared memories he talked about and what she was like. 

"Triage? The one we passed" Isabel replied with a raised eyebrow, looking over her shoulder since they walked through the fallen and murdered scene triage just two weeks ago. The triage had clearly fallen and was left a bloody mess, a few limbs left rotting away on the ground along with a few guts. The tents ripped and stained in blood covered handprints. Most of the supply boxes knocked over and stolen from. It didn't seem like anyone who was at the scene met a happy ending. 

"Yeah, it wasn't as shitty looking when it was first set up. People from the city was taken there, it was a safe point for them .. until it wasn't. Some were taken to the next city or towns over, evacuating them to where it was safe. Furlan was meant to be one of those people but he never made it to the triage until after it was overran" Levi mumbled back, sending a warning look over his shoulder over her attitude towards all this since Furlan was lowering his own guard enough to open up a little to her. If she messed this up than the two would clearly dump her somewhere and walk away. 

"I got lost. Levi saved me, more than once. He's helping me to find my sister and we picked you up in that old gas station on our way here" Furlan sighed as he ran a hand through his hair, glancing up to the sky as he noticed a few dark clouds heaving towards them. A clear sign it was going to rain making them have to find camp much sooner than he'd like. 

"What will you do if there isn't a clue?" Isabel quickly asked without being very subtle over taking notice over Levi warning looks as she was standing on very thin ice with her questions direction. 

"There will be one" Levi answered stiffly, slowing down to walk beside her and give her a few hinting nods over being carefully with her conversation. 

"But-" Isabel started to argue back making Levi feel a tick grow on his forehead, reaching his hand out to cover her mouth before she said something stupid but was stopped by Furlan silencing her instead. 

"She must have left one. I need there to be one. Because if there wasn't .. it shows she was mixed up in the one-sided slaughter at the triage" Furlan snapped back, a desperate but fearful look in his eyes as he spun round, looking at her. 

"Oh" Isabel breathed out, finally understanding and feeling guilty over pushing so much before. 

"She could have reached another town or city. She was young, like we were and someone must have took all the children out of the triage first. Taking them to safety" Levi reminded the taller male, trying to give some form of hope towards him in case the family home was left .. empty of clues. A lot of people were moved and she could been taken to safety straight away after arriving to the triage. 

"Don't tell me false hope. We've both searched for her name on those clipboards. She was marked as arrival to the triage but she was never marked out .. she were there when the triage was finally breached. It held no defences like the base did. They had hoped it'd be safely tucked out of the way if it was outside the city limits .. they didn't expect the dead to reach them so quickly" Furlan grumbled back, a warning glare in his eyes as he could trust Levi to be the one person to stay honest with him. To stick with him and not push false hope towards him, to let him face the truth even if it'd kill him. 

Levi gave a silent nod, quickening his pace and walking beside his friend as they carried on walking. A silence taking over all three of them, one that not even Isabel felt brave enough to try and break. 

Family was clearly a sensitive spot for the two and she understood that much better now. 

As the dark clouds came closer, Furlan started to run as they finally reached the end of his street. Levi and Isabel running after him as he headed to his family home, not caring if Levi or Isabel sent any side comments over him still living with his parents even as an young adult. 

Rent and bills were never cheap and while Furlan was working at the base, he was still mostly new and in training over a lot of things. He might have passed high school and passed the base private classes but he was still seen as young and inexperience even by nineteen and a half years old. 

He didn't earn enough to move out of his parents house and live in a single flat somewhere. He did think over a shared house, but than he'd remember over his sister and knew she wouldn't be confident over visiting if he lived with others. Sure, she'd learnt over them and slowly trust them but .. that would take years and he knew she'd still need her big brother around on the tough days. 

Frowning as he found the front door locked before making his way round the back. He knew it'd be left unlocked if his sister had used it. They've both use to play the "what if" game over the world ending in different ways. Keeping the backdoor unlocked was always a sign that one of them had hidden inside their home beforehand and left a way for any other family member to enter. 

Levi and Isabel following along behind without a word, knowing this was an important moment for him. He was going to find out if his sister had lived or not, to find out if she sent a clue over where to find her if he was still alive himself. 

And a dead corpse in the kitchen did not help the growing fears he already held. Leaping over the body and running throughout the house, searching for her and any clues she might have left. Isabel startled yelp filling his ears before he hurried back, finding her stumbling back in front of the bathroom, the door wide open from where she went to check what was inside after spelling something bad. 

He slowly stumbled forward, his legs feeling weak as he couldn't see whose body was inside. His heart hammering in his ears and he was about to finally look inside when Levi cleared his throat behind him.

"It was left on the counter that held the kettle" Levi announced as he held up the note he was holding and Furlan sprinted towards him without a second thought. 

Snatching it from his hand and quickly reading over every single word written. Levi, who had already read it to check it wasn't going to be a simple shopping list or bad news that Furlan might not be ready to accept, walked over to the bathroom and closed the door. Nodding for Isabel to go explore the house to distract herself while Furlan read the note. 

Dear Furlan, 

I'm alive .. for now. 

I've got Eren and Armin with me.

Eren lost his family and Armin .. we lost his grandpa on our way here. 

Dad and Mum, they're gone. Turned, I'm sorry .. it's all my fault. 

Also, sorry about the dead soldiers in the house. Don't enter the bathroom, it won't smell nice due to the second soldier being dead inside. They got infected, they were the ones sent to collect me. 

I'm not sure where we're heading, we're going to camp at Armin house since it's free from any dead bodies for now. It'd be safe, long enough for us to get a hold over what's happening and think straight. 

Love, Mikasa xx

Ps, I stole your bat.

Furlan chuckled over the added part, forgetting he use to keep a wooden bat in his room. He never once used it, never even played baseball in his life. He simply begged his parents for a bat when he was nine years old and they gave him one. He was always a good boy and didn't really do anything violent anyway. But he secretly wanted the bat as protection, he had peaked into the living room when his parents were watching one of the horror films showing on Film 4 and it gave him nightmares for months. 

He couldn't tell them, scared over being told off for secretly watching the film behind the door instead of returning to bed after grabbing his cup of milk. He told his sister, not the details of the dreams since he knew she'd get scared and well, the bat was protection. 

It became left fallen under his bat as years passed and he grew up. It use to stand behind the headrest of his bed, a small gap between his bed and wall. It had fallen somewhere down there and he never thought over it anymore. He was surprised she even still remembered it but he was glad she did, she had a bit of protection now. 

"Can we make another sprint to another house? My sister held up in a family friend home, it should be body free. Safe for us to spend the night or even a few days here while we rest up" Furlan spoke up, turning towards Levi who sat on the stairs simply watching Furlan many reactions when he was reading the note.

"Sure thing. I'd prefer not to sleep with dead bodies close by" Levi admitted, giving a disgusted look as he glanced back towards the bathroom door. 

"Thanks" Furlan smiled back, knowing he was lucky to have gained a friend like Levi. Even if the guy was a bit ruthless, cold hearted, a bit of a scary bastard and didn't have a filter stopping his mouth from saying every rude thought that pops into his head. He was still a good guy in the end. 

The three soon hurried over to Armin place, sneaking into the backdoor and heading inside. Looking around for any more notes or signs over his sister and her friends. It was clear someone had been living inside, surviving but whoever it was were nowhere in sight now. 

Levi heading to find the kitchen, noticing the bathroom door was left opened and did check for any dead soldiers before closing the door. He looked for anymore notes before searching for any food afterwards. 

While Isabel making herself comfortable on the sofa, Furlan shaking his head as Armin grandpa would have her head for still wearing her shoes. He hated shoes on his furniture and would clearly be rolling in his grave right now.

Grave?

He was dead now but .. they wouldn't have been able to burry him.

Just like his parents .. they were gone.

He didn't even .. he didn't even feel sad or pain when he read over their deaths in his sister note. He was only focused on finding where she was now.

Furlan sat down, his breaths rapid and he was having one of his attacks all over again.  

A few minutes passed and he calmed himself down again, glancing around and filling with relief that the other two didn't notice what had happened. He always felt worse, struggled to cope if he had someone else trying to help him through them. 

Even as a child, he'd try running off to somewhere no one would find him to have his attacks. He couldn't handle other's being close by, watching him as he went through one. Even if his parents, he felt guilty but he couldn't have them close by. They didn't even learn over him having attacks until later in his childhood when he got caught one day at school and came clean to everyone later on. 

None of them explained how being alone through it all could help him and kept pushing for him to warn them if one was coming. But he never did, always hiding away and once he was older. Had mostly grown out of them and rarely had any, his sister would help hide him if he did have one. Closing the door of his bedroom and standing guard to send their parents away if needed or simply hiding him in a bathroom stall if they were out. 

Pretending to be the little sister who couldn't got to a public toilet alone and needed someone to go with her, to hold her hand and help. She ended up walking into the men pubic toilets so much that he feared she'd unconsciously use them even when she was alone. Thankfully, she never did and use the women toilets instead. Of course, as she grew older, she couldn't simply drag him to a male toilet stall anymore since she couldn't play her baby sister act anymore. But, she'd help him find somewhere to hide up, keeping watch for him. 

He smiled, wondering who looked out for who during their childhood. 

Shaking his head and looking around, stepping upstairs and looking inside both bedrooms. It was only a small two bedroom house after all. He didn't find anything jump out before heading downstairs and finding Levi scolding Isabel. 

"You should have mentioned if you found a note. It's what he's been searching for"

Furlan heard the last bit of Levi scolding, his head perking up with hope and Levi turned to him before hinting towards the paper left in front of the tv. He hurried over and quickly picked it up, reading it to himself and ignoring Isabel whines and reasoning over why she didn't check the bit of paper out. 

UPDATE: We're heading to the old country town north. The one where Eren mother's friend lives. Seems the dead went onwards, heading to where most of us had gathered. We spotted a few fellow survivors who were able to call someone in the town. They're infected free, untouched. 

Eren doesn't remember what road he lives on but he knows how to walk to the door by heart once arriving in the town. I'll try leaving a clue on the door or .. something. 

Please be alive .. please. 

Ps. Hey Furlan, it's Eren. We left some canned soup in Armin bedroom wardrobe. Thought no one would try looking there if they came breaking into the house to steal any food left behind. We knew Mikasa was worried over you not eating, so .. we left as much as we could spare.

Pss. Hello, it's Armin. Don't forget to eat at least one of the canned of soups all to yourself. We all know you'll let other's eat half your share if they sat hungry or even still hungry after having their own share. Look after yourself, stop caring for others needs before your own. Someone got to act as our big brother .. more so when Eren has been left with a knife. We need some mature minds to look out for us. Hope to see you soon, I'll come up with an obvious way for you all to find us in the town.