The path to the park was steep and difficult to pursue. Rocks had been overturned, scuff marks evident in the fertile soil as if someone had been struggling.

Morgana tried to ignore the small footprints in the dirt. She didn't want to think about a child being present in the dangerous outside world, nor did she want to consider the child being a killer.

The park was illuminated dimly with solar lights, casting distorted shadows over the abandoned play equipment. A swing set creaked eerily, swinging in the soft breeze as if a child had been playing there moments before.

Morgana shivered. She pulled her jacket closer, hoping that Katherin's trail led them elsewhere. The park gave her the creeps.

"Wait. Is that blood?" Gwynth spoke softly, her voice laced with uncertainty.

Morgana followed her gaze.

There was a tree at the edge of the park. It was smeared with blood, which was slowly pooling on the dirt. Morgana realised in horror that it was still fresh.

Were they too late?

Gwynth clutched at her stomach, dry retching into a nearby bush.

Morgana stood frozen. She'd already lost Ttod and Rebeka. It was too much to consider the possibility of Katherin's death.

Jaxx sprang into action, running towards the tree. He fumbled in the bushes around the tree, searching for clues. There were a few footprints amongst the dirt, but Jaxx couldn't distinguish who it belonged to.

Then, Jaxx found something. A screwdriver.

He pulled it from the bushes, grimacing at the light revealed chunks of human flesh. Katherin's flesh. Jaxx couldn't mistake it. The edges of Katherin's tattoo could be seen.

Jaxx swallowed the lump in his throat. This was his fault.

"They stabbed her. I don't think they killed her, though. Her body would still be here," Jaxx murmured, trying to calm his two friends.

Gwynth paled; the skin around her mouth turning white. Jaxx's statement didn't put her at ease. In fact, it made things worse. Katherin was being tortured.

"We need to hurry then," Morgana spoke up suddenly. "She's in danger. We have to find her!"

Jaxx didn't argue.

The group followed the footprints to a nearby neighbourhood. Quaint houses stood in small clusters, surrounded by lavish expanses of land. It would have been a rich neighbourhood, before the lockdown.

Morgana had wanted to live in one of these neighbourhoods. She'd been saving her money, hoping that Ttod would change his mind about living beside the sea and move in with her instead.

"The path ends here," Jaxx murmured. He looked out towards the houses, suddenly overwhelmed by the scale of the search.

"We need to split up," Gwynth said with conviction.

"That's too dangerous," Jaxx replied.

"I agree," Morgana murmured. "We can't risk getting overpowered by them too."

Gwynth nodded, hesitantly. She clutched her weapon tighter to her chest, hoping that they found Katherin soon.

They arrived at the first house. Jaxx opened the door, wincing as it creaked.

No one was inside.

A woman's body lay on the ground. Her arm had been torn from her body, her fingers chewed completely off.

Morgana winced. This had been Rebeka's fate. She'd been eaten alive.

They moved through the houses, sifting through dead bodies and empty rooms.

Morgana was beginning to lose hope. They'd moved through the entire neighbourhood without any clues as to where Katherin had gone.

Gwynth had suggested that the follow the blood trails, but it was no use. They'd just let to dead bodies, dragged through the neighbourhood by hungry zombies.

They reached the end of the neighbourhood.

Jaxx frowned; turning in a circle in frustration.

"She's here. She's supposed to be here!" He mumbled.

Morgana closed her eyes. They were missing something, they had to be. Katherin was here.

There was a scream in the distance.

Morgana opened her eyes.

That had to be Katherin.

Morgana set off running, followed by Jaxx and Gwynth. They didn't try to sneak around or keep silent, too fuelled with their ambition to save their friend.

Morgana stopped at a small cottage. It was hidden from outside view, shrouded by bushes.

A boy stood outside the cottage. He was no older than ten, with a pouty frown and a knife in his shaky hands. Morgana wondered if he had made those footprints in the park.

If he had, he'd been a participant in the assault on Katherin.

Morgana didn't want to think about that.

"You go around the back. I'll get the boy," Jaxx murmured.

"Don't hurt him," Morgana replied.

Jaxx didn't answer. He crept towards the unassuming boy, before pressing a knife to the boy's throat.

The stench of urine filled the air.

Morgana pitied the boy, but she knew she couldn't intervene. She and Gwynth needed to find Katherin.

The back door was shut, but the window was open. Morgana climbed throw first, twisting her body through the small gap. Then, she unlocked the door to let Gwynth inside.

The house was quiet. Morgana's footsteps seemed to echo through the room, and she winced when Gwynth tripped over a children's toy. The toy bear began singing a tune, distorted from age.

Morgana recognised the song. It was a children's lullaby. Her mother had sung it to her.

"Who's there?" A voice demanded.

Morgana stiffened. She gestured to Gwynth, who stood next to the door, weapon held in anticipation.

"If you're coming for your friend, you're too late," the voice continued.

Morgana shook her head adamantly. It wasn't true. She'd heard Katherin a moment ago. The voice was just trying to mess with her so that they could overpower her easily.

The footsteps were coming closer. Morgana tensed her muscles, holding her ground.

A shadow filled the doorway.

Gwynth held her breath.

"There you ar-" the voice began, a boy no older than twenty.

Gwynth struck him across the jaw, sending him flying to the ground. He fumbled for the knife in his back pocket, narrowly avoiding Morgana's metal bat. The weight of the swing sent Morgana flying to the ground, the metal bat tumbling out of her hands.

The boy lunged for the weapon.

Gwynth kicked him to the ground.

The boy changed his mind, lunging at Gwynth instead. They went clattering to the floor, locked in an intense fight.

Morgana grabbed her bat, but she didn't dare swing at the boy. It was too dangerous. If she missed, she could kill Gwynth. 

"Let go of her, or I'll kill your brother," Jaxx demanded.

The boy stopped, his hand loosening on Gwynth's throat.

Morgana rushed to Gwynth's aid, forcing the boy's hands behind his back. The boy struggled, but it was futile. He'd been overcome.

"Don't touch him. He's just a kid," the boy spat.

Jaxx didn't respond. He knelt down, his head only centimetres from the boy.

"Where's Katherin?"