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Amara peered around the corner of one of the buildings- a red brick one with a brown roof. “There’s two guards out there.” She whispered to her blonde ally.
Marigold nodded, “So what now? I don’t know at all where we are…”
“I dunno!” Amara snapped. “I’m just as lost as you!”
Marigold flinched to Amara’s snap, and took a small breath, “M-maybe we should try and get back to the others?” She quietly suggested, her voice cautious.
“I don’t know how to get back to them.” She stated, her voice strained.
“Th-then we should look in the buildings not guarded, and see if we can find the food or bullets,” Marigold said, looking around at all the different buildings surrounding them, the noon sun bearing down through the buildings.
“Yeah, yeah I like that idea.” She says, darting toward a boarded up window. “Think we can bust through this?”
Marigold bit her bottom lip, “I highly doubt that I can… and it seems you’re just a little bit stronger than me… I don’t know…”
Amara frowned. “Well we’re not gonna get anywhere whining and complaining, so let’s figure out something!” she said.
“I know, I know,” Marigold looked around, then silently walked over to a window that wasn’t boarded up and peeked. Only to slowly walk back over to Amara with a terrified look.
“What?” Amara asked, looking at the fear on her face. “What’s in there?”
The blonde shook her head, “I think it’s where the… poop of everyone goes…”
“Gross.” Amara said, but relief filled her face. “I thought there was an infected or something in there.”
“Well, that too…” Marigold shivered, “It was eating the poop.”
Amara nearly threw up. “Didn’t need to know that. Let’s never talk about that again. Ever.”
Marigold nodded, “Agreed…” she shivered again, and looked over at the other buildings.
“How do these people live here? It’s a damn maze…” Amara grumbled, darting across a road toward an open door. She peered inside. The room was devoid of people, and it looked to be a small storage room filled with food cans. “Jackpot.” she whispered.
Marigold cautiously walked in beside Amara, walking past her and scanning the dark room to make sure there was no one else there. “Should we wait for the others, or get what we can and leave?”
“Both?” Amara offers, stuffing a few cans in her purse.
Marigold shrugged, then removed her pack and began to do the same, when a familiar voice, only to Marigold spoke up from outside, “Come on Zoya, we’ve go’a ge’ the food and then ge’ ou’!”
Amara pulled out her knife, and hid inside a cabinet immediately, beckoning for Marigold to do the same.
She snuck over to Amara, “Those two are bandits, they have a dog, I think they’re here to do the same as us.”
Before Amara could respond, the woman’s voice could be heard again, “I jus’ wanna do this and go, I don’ wanna leave Cricke’ alone for too long.”
“Yeah yeah yeah,” another woman grumbled, obviously annoyed. The two stepped into the room and began to gather the cans and bags of food.
“S-should we kill them?” Amara whispers to Marigold.
Marigold shook her head, “I’m sure they’ll be gone soon enough, the darker skinned one, named Orla, she’s attached to her dog.”
“But they’re taking all the food!” Amara retorted.
“I can go talk to them if you’d like, I mean, Orla’s pretty nice, and Zoya won’t attack without Orla’s permission,” Marigold shrugged.
“But dad says people are unpredictable!” Amara hisses in return.
Marigold shrugged again, “I’m sure they’ll understand if we just explain what we’re trying to do.” Seeing that Amara was pretty adamant about not doing anything, Marigold looked ready to open the door of the closet.
“What are you doing?” Amara hissed, gripping her arm.
“I’m gonna go talk to them~” Marigold smiled.
“Don’t get yourself killed.” Amara warned. “I don’t think I can hairspray ourselves out of this one.”
Marigold shrugged, then stepped out of the cabinet, “Orla, Zoya?” she asked curiously.
In front of her stood the two women, looking surprised to see her, only Zoya’s eyes stayed wide with surprise, as Orla smiled brightly. “Oh my goodness~ Why if i’ isn’ li’l Marigold~” she cooed happily. “Wha’ you doin’ here~?”
Marigold smiled, “Seems like I’m here for the same reason you guys are,” the small girl shrugged.
“What were you doing hiding in that cabinet?” Zoya asked, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.
“In case it was a guard walking by,” the small blonde responded, her head tilting to the left slightly.
“Smart,” Zoya responded, then placed a bottle of water in her bag.
Orla then looked at the girl, “So, why are ya here?”
Marigold looked down at the ground, guiltily, “Well, Mink had asked me to steal some food, I tried to get out of it, but my dad said that I needed to do this for the better good.”
Orla nodded her head, “Ah, okay, well do ya need help carryin’ the stuff? Cause we could help ya if need be.”
The blonde shook her head, “Nah, I got a friend here, and hopefully the others coming soon…”
“Is Preacher here?” Zoya asked, raising an eyebrow.
Marigold quickly shook her head, “Oh god no - no no no - just some new friends,” she smiled brightly.
Amara tentatively crawled out of the cabinet, knife in hand. “Hello.” she said, staring at Zoya directly in the eye.
The black haired lady only looked back at her, while the african american cooed, “Oooo~ You’re so pre’y~”
Zoya proceeded to slap her forehead with a loud smack, “Orla… come on…” She groaned.
“Aww! Bu’ come on! She really is pre’y~” Orla cooed in response.
Zoya’s hand slowly ran down her face, as she slowly shook her head. Marigold looked at her temporary partner and smiled knowingly, “Told ya they were nice~”
Amara still looked skeptical. “Okay.” is all she said, taking another can of food into her bag.
“So you don’t mind if we take some as well, right?” Marigold made sure.
“Oh no, not at all~” Orla smiled brightly, “Right Zoya?”
Zoya grunted, not saying anything, as she stuffed some more cans into her bag.
--------------------------------------------------
    Meanwhile with the guys...

    “I think we should head out.” Jack said. “It’s been too long.”
    Mark nodded, “Yes, I agree, let’s go.” He then stood up, grabbing his hatchet from his belt.
    Jack checked his bullets. “Nine.” He said, before standing up. Kiev did the same. “I hope they’re alive…” Jack murmured.
    “Don’t even suggest that they’re not,” Mark growled, “We also want to try and not go in guns blazing, in case they’ve been captured or something. At least try.”
    “No shit sherlock.” Kiev growled. “Stealth is the primary route we want to go. Guns blazing if we have to.”
    Mark nodded, then started to lead the way down to the Remnants base.
    As they entered, they heard a conversation around the corner. “The little bitch burned me. She fucking BURNED me. You let her get away, you twat! Zeal will hear all about this.” one of the men growled.
    “Oh shut up, you dimwit.” the other man retorted.
    Mark looked back at Jack with a confused expression, “Does Amara have a flame thrower?”
“Sort of. She has hairspray and a lighter.” Jack responds. “I recognize the burned man’s voice, though…”
“How so?” Mark asked, his head tilting to the left slightly.
“Back at the police station, when we first went to join the factions, this one guy, Larry, wanted to go to the Remnants. I assumed he was dead.” Jack responded.
“I remember the guy. Big, arrogant asshole.” Kiev added.
Mark rolled his eyes, “Oh great.”
“They’re probably alerted to them now. We gotta be-” Jack started, but a group of remnants, one being Larry, turned the corner to find the trio.
“Hey! What the hell are you doing here!?” Larry screamed at Jack.
Mark looked at the other two, “Well shit…” he muttered.
“You’re all so-” Larry didn’t get to finish, before Jack grabbed him, spun him around, and placed his gun to Larry’s head. “Anyone move, I blow his brains out.” Jack growled.
“You’re bluffing!” Yelled one of the other remnants, drawing his own gun.
Mark then pulled out his gun and shot Larry in the leg, “Do you think we’re bluffing now?!” He growled angrily.
Jack fell with Larry, as Larry put all his weight on the other side, toppling the duo over.
Mark yanked up Larry himself, putting the gun to his head, a serious look on his face.
One of the remnants grabbed Jack, putting the gun just under his chin. “Let him go, and I’ll let him go,” a remnant female hissed.
“We’re only trying to find someone,” Mark said, his eyes narrowed.
“Who you trying to find?” Larry asked, his voice soft and mock-comforting.
Mark didn’t take his eyes off the woman as he answered, “That is of no concern to you, we’re just going to look for them, and go.”
“You mean goldilox? I saw her just before a fucking fire hit my face.” Larry said. “Oh, boy, do I have many people hunting for her. She’ll be dead soon. They’re on my orders to ‘shoot to kill.’” Larry said, laughing.
Mark looked at Jack, a piercing anger piercing his eyes, as Mark’s trigger finger tensed to blow Larry’s brains out.
“Tell us where they went, or I’ll have my friend here put a bullet in your skull.” Jack growled.
Mark chuckled lightly, then growled deeply, “she’s been gone from my life for over a year, and I’ve killed many others to get her back, I’m not about to lose her again.”
“I don’t know! I was sort of blinded! I-I…-” Larry started, but another remnant interjected.
    “Mason street! I saw them heading toward Mason Street!” she yelled.
    Mark looked over to the woman, “Fine I’ll let him go, if you do the same with my friend there.”
    The woman slowly released Jack, and Jack signaled to Mark to do the same. “Come, on, Mark. Let him go.”
    “Yeah yeah,” he said, releasing the man in his grasp, before walking backwards and away from the remnants, not letting his back be turned to them.
    “Should we ah, tie them up?” Kiev asked, his gun still raised to the male remnant.
    Mark shrugged, “Do what you want, but I’m going after her,” he said, then left to go find his daughter.
    Kiev tied the remnants up, while Jack followed Mark. “I’m right behind you.” Jack told him. “Kiev will take care of the remnants.”
    Mark didn’t respond, only nodded to the fellow father next to him. They soon found Mason Street and saw two women enter a building, one a caucasian with black hair, the other an african american with dreadlocks. “Those two… they look… familiar,” Mark tried to think of where he had seen them before.
Jack ran to the building behind the strangers, a few minutes after they entered. He heard voices on the other side, and he kicked the door down, his pistol aimed directly at the darker-skinned girl’s head. “Don’t fucking move!” he growled.
Orla looked at the man curiously, “Now tha’s no way ta gree’ someone~” She smiled.
Zoya had already pulled out her shotgun and had it aimed at Jack, “I could say the same to you.” She hissed, her gray-blue eyes narrowed.
Jack looked at Amara and Marigold, then back to Zoya and Orla. “You’re not remnants, or trying to kill my daughter?” Jack inquired, lowering his gun slightly.
Zoya did the same, but Orla noticed that the gun was now trained on his balls, just in case. That sight made her giggle, while Marigold laughed a little, “Oh no, they’re not either… wait, where’s my dad?”
“You have a dad?!” Orla exclaimed.
“Yes, yes she does,” Mark then peered around Jack, in which Marigold ran over to him with a small happy cry.
Jack holstered his gun. “Bandits? I don’t believe we’ve been acquainted. Sorry for the bad introduction. Name’s Jack.” He said, holding out his hand to the duo in front of him.
Orla smiled brightly and shook his hand with great ferocity, practically making his whole body move with the hand shake. While Zoya put away her shotgun on her back, the strap going across her chest.
“Well, yeah. Anyway, let’s grab the shit and get out of here. Remnants will be looking for us soon.” Jack ordered.
Orla spoke up, “We’ve go’ all we need, righ’ Zoya?” In which the other bandit nodded her confirmation.
Jack grabbed the supplies he needed, and walked outside. Kiev wasn’t there, he was supposed to meet them. “You guys seen Kiev?” he asked.
“Thought he was gonna follow us after he was done with those remnants?” Mark asked.
“Jeez, did you guys lose someone? Tha’s no’ very good, considering this is a dangerous place ta be righ’ now,” Orla stated, matter of factly.
Zoya piped in, “And that’s why we’re leaving, good luck with your missing colleague.” The black haired woman grabbed her partner and dragged the girl away, with her saying, “Bye!”
Jack nodded. “Still with us, Mark?” he asked.
“Yeah, now that I got Marigold back,” he nodded.
Marigold put her hands on her hips, looking up at her father, “I hope that you would help them regardless,” emerald eyes pierced into Mark’s own green eyes, in which he gave a small smile to.
“I don’t think we would. Besides, that Zoya girl looked pretty mean.” Amara stated.
Marigold shrugged, “Just… don’t get her angry… she… uh… likes to kill, like, a lot…”
“So, she’s a psychopath? Eh, what should I have expected?” Amara says, shrugging in turn.
“Well, we moving on or what?” Jack asked. “Kiev is still out there, you know.”
Mark nodded, and began to head out, sweeping his head from side to side, trying to find the other man.
A few minutes passed, before they saw Kiev, standing over three dead bodies, but he had two lacerations on his arm and back. He turned to the group, who was staring at him in the alleyway. “Bit late to the party.” he panted.
Marigold’s eyes went wide, “W-what happened?!” Her voice went higher pitched due to shock at the dead bodies.
“Got caught in an alleyway, I killed them though.” Kiev explained, between breaths.
“Not bad.” Jack commented.
Mark nodded his agreement, while the horrified Marigold just stood there, not responding. Mark then spoke up, “Alright, now let’s get out of here.”
“Agreed.” Jack said. A raindrop hit his nose. “What the…?” he said, looking up at the dark sky. “I think we best move pretty fast.”
Marigold glanced up, and gave a small cry as a raindrop landed directly on her eye, “Ah!”
“You okay?” Mark asked, looking down at his daughter with concern, as she held her left eye.
“I-I’m fine,” She answered, rubbing the water out of her eye.
Within seconds, the storm began to cascade upon the group, soaking them all to their skin. Visibility was extremely low. “I’m starting to think a camp might need to be made!” Kiev shouted over the storm. Searchlights shone through the thick downfall, illuminating small patches of land, as the Remnants tried to search for the murderers and thieves.
“Not sure where a good spot would be, considering there’s a literal army after us right now!” Jack yelled back.
“Let’s try and get out of here!” Mark shouted, grabbing Marigold’s hand, making sure they wouldn’t lose each other again.
Jack followed closely behind, taking Amara’s hand as well, and dragging her onward behind Mark, Kiev, and Marigold. “I think I saw a gas station up ahead, out of their territory!” Jack shouted to Mark.
“Then let’s go there!” Mark shouted back, as Marigold grabbed his arm with her other hand, and letting her father lead her through the blinding deluge.
After a few moments, the decrepit gas station came into view. It looked damaged, but was structurally sound and mostly dry. “Think that’ll do, Mark?” Jack shouted. The rain was only getting worse.
“It’ll have to!” He shouted back, but had to suddenly stop as a searchlight flashed directly in front of him, then moved on. After it was gone, he lead the group into the abandoned gas station.
Inside, the shelves had been ransacked, and a few of them were knocked over. Two dead infected lay on the ground, their vines dead and unmoving. “Think it’s safe?” Jack whispered to Kiev and Mark.
Mark pulled out his hatchet, pushing Marigold behind him, and shouted out, “Hey!”
Five vine infected rushed out of a back office, their vines dragging along by their feet, and their eyes blackened with decay. One ran at Jack, only to have its head chopped off by his machete, and Kiev smashed another’s spine in, then its skull. Mark cleaved off a vined arm, then the head as one darted at him as well. “Look out!” Jack shouted at Marigold, an infected sprinting behind her.
Marigold looked behind her, the glint of her blade shining in the dull light as she stabbed the blade into the head and jumped back, narrowly avoiding the vines that seemed to jump at her.
Amara ran away from another infected, her knife in hand, but the infected was making a noise that sounded like a gurgling screech, as it tried to sink its thorns into her. Kiev kicked the infected down, though, only to smash its skull on the side of a shelf.
Marigold panted slightly, as the infected lay dead below her. Very carefully she walked around and managed to yank the knife out of the skull. She walked over to her dad, and began to shiver.
“I think it’s clear now.” Jack said, sitting down on the counter, Amara joining him.
“Too close.” she breathed.
Mark nodded, as he held his shivering daughter close, and under his hunter’s jacket. “Indeed, but at least it should be safe now,” he shrugged.
“As soon as this rain ends, we should leave.” Kiev said. “Those Remnants will be hunting us.”
“That sounds good, let’s-” Marigold sneezed, “get warm for now.” He looked down at the small girl with concern.
“She’s probably fine.” Jack said to Mark. “Sneezing can be just from the cold.”
Marigold had her head buried in her father’s chest, while Mark’s concern didn’t dissipate. He chuckled lightly, as he rubbed her soaked arms, “Doesn’t stop me from worryin’.”
“If you worry too much, it’s gonna make her feel codependant. She won’t be able to survive on her own. You won’t always be here to protect her, you know.” Jack said, staring Mark directly in his eyes.
Mark’s eyes narrowed angrily, “I’ve lost her over a year, I will worry when worry is needed,” he growled.
“Better you hear the truth now rather than later.” Jack retorted.
“W-would you both s-stop!” Marigold said, still shivering underneath Mark’s grip.
“Fine.” Jack said. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you though.”
“Should we eat one of the food cans?” Amara suggests, changing the subject.
Mark looked over to the 17 year old and nodded, “Yeah, I think we should.”
Amara tossed a can of peaches to Marigold & Mark, and opened up a can of refried beans for herself, Jack, and Kiev.
Mark deftly caught the can, and proceeded to open it. The group ate in an awkward silence.
After they finished, the rain still hadn’t let up. Water was now dripping from the ceiling. “Should we call it a night?” Amara asked.
Mark looked over to the girl, “Sure, I’ll take first watch.” Marigold had finally stopped shivering, but would sniffle and sneeze every now and again.
“You sure Mark? I can do it.” Jack offers.
“I’m sure,” He nodded, as he sat on a dry spot on the floor, pulling out his hatchet. He gently pulled Marigold to him, and had her lay her head on his chest.
Jack nods, and lays down next to Amara. Kiev laid on the floor nearby. They let darkness take them.
The full moon rays of light streamed through the window, when Kiev’s shoulder was shook.
Kiev opened his eyes, adjusting to the moonlit room. “Hmm?” he asked.
Mark whispered, “It’s your shift now.”
“Ah.” Kiev responded, sitting up, and stared into the moonlight. The rain had lessened significantly. The wet grass glistened with the reflection of the moonlight, and the air was still and crisp. The silence was broken by a feint gunshot, and a yell from Kiev, as a bullet pierced his right shoulder. Blood splattered onto Mark and Marigold’s faces, as Kiev flew backward.
The duo were instantly woken, “Wake up!” Mark shouted loudly, as he stood up, and ran behind a shelf, dragging his daughter behind him.
Jack shot up immediately, pulling out his pistol, and aiming it out the window, his back on the wall next to the glass. “You get a sight on him?” Jack hissed to Mark.
“No, I bet it’s that bastard Larry though,” Mark growled in return.
“Fucking Larry…” Jack growled.
“Dad, what’s going on?” Marigold asked quietly.
Mark glanced down at her, as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. She was more pale and was shivering again, “We’re under attack, I need you to stay down.” He put the back of his hand on her forehead to find she was burning up. “Shit…” He muttered under his breath.
“What? What’s shit?” Jack asked, now tending to Kiev. He was putting pressure on the wound.
“Marigold has a fever,” Mark responded, glaring over at Jack.
“Guess it’s not just cold sneezes.” Jack replied. “Whatever, we have a bigger problem to deal with right now, so I need you focused, Mark!”
Mark looked ready to punch him in the face, but shook his head and cautiously looked over the shelf, trying to spot the shooter.
Jack saw the flash of another bullet fly toward him, and ducked just in time as the round smashed into the cash register, sending cash flying.
“Where the fuck is he?!” Mark growled, then ducked back down behind the shelf, looked at the sick Marigold, sighed, then darted out from cover, as he pulled out his pistol.
Amara crawled next to Marigold. “You good?” she asked, her dark eyes reflecting the pale moonlight.
Marigold gave a small nod, but was still shivering, with her knees up by her chest and her chin resting on her knees. “I-I’ll be o-okay,” she stuttered, as she then sneezed again.
“Yeah… you don’t look good. How did you even get this sick anyway? It’s been literally a few hours!” Amara inquired.
“Got him! On the rocks over there!” Jack yelled to Mark. “I’ll draw his fire, you pop him!”
“Got it!” Mark shouted back, as he spotted the shooter.
Marigold shrugged, “I guess it doesn’t help that only a week and a half ago, I healed from a lot of torture, so my immune system isn’t the best…” She whispered, as she looked at the ground.
Jack stood up, the bullet barely missing his neck, and it slammed only centimeters away from Amara’s right foot.
“Ah!” she yelled in surprise, pulling her legs farther toward her.
Mark took aim at the shooter, let out his breath slowly, then squeezed the trigger. Knicking the man in the shoulder, causing him to fly back behind the rocks.
Silence was all that was heard for several moments, before the sound of an engine could be heard in the distance. Bright lights reflected off the dew, and it illuminated a dark figure of a humvee. “We need to move, now.” Jack ordered, hoisting Amara up, and helping Kiev to his feet.
Mark ran back to Marigold, and hoisted her up on his back, her body burning through his jacket.
The group ran toward the City, but it was toward the infected-ridden part of town. “We’re going to have to make a… ah, detour.” Jack comments.
Mark nodded and shouted, “Fine, let’s just get out of here!”
“Do you see an entrance?” Jack yells to Mark.
“I’m behind you! I can’t really see shit!” Mark shouted back, as he adjusted Marigold slightly on his back. Her head resting on his shoulder, as she breathed quickly and shallowly.
“There!” Shouted Amara, who was just alongside her father. She pointed to an open door in one of the buildings, which they could cut through to get into the city.
“Lead the way!” Mark shouted up to Amara.
Amara nodded back, leading into the dark, decrepit house. There was no infected inside, but it definitely smelled like decaying corpses. As she turned on her flashlight, it illuminated almost twenty people’s corpses who hung themselves. “Oh god.” she whispered.
Mark peered inside, his eyes going wide, “Holy shit…” Marigold began to cough, putting her mouth behind Mark’s shoulder.
“Well, not what I expected, to say the least.” Jack said, wiping water from his rain-soaked hair. “We shouldn’t stay.”
“I agree.” Mark nodded, and carefully began to walk around the hanging bodies.
“Left or right?” Kiev asks, peering down the main street, both sides covered in soggy infected, dragging along their white, saturated, decaying skin behind them.
“Let’s head left, it’ll keep us on the outskirts of the town, and hopefully away from most of the infected,” Mark suggested.
“I like the idea.” Jack responded, leading the way into the city.
“So ah, there’s a shitton of infected out there.” Amara comments. “Marigold! Any ideas?”
Her eyes opened slowly, as she looked around, “W-where are we?” She asked, her voice hoarse, before she went into a coughing fit.
    Mark glanced back at her worriedly, but didn’t answer her question, “Just rest.” He said softly.
    “There is almost no way she’s that sick that quick. She’s still got juice in her, and face it, she’s smart.” Jack said to Mark.
    “Fine,” he growled, and then described quickly and quietly where they had went to the sick girl on his back.
    Marigold thought for a bit, “I think… we should go straight through the city… get about… half way, then break for the nearest exit.” She managed to say, before beginning to cough again.
    “Not bad of an idea, but where the hell are the exits? The military blocked off all the roads long ago.” Amara pointed out.
    After her coughing fit, Marigold blinked, “Um, w-well, there are roofs, if we can f-find… a building n-near the edge of town… with a f-fire escape… that c-could work.” After that statement she rested her head back on her father’s shoulder, body still shivering on his back.
    “That’s just crazy enough to work.” Jack responds, nodding. “Good idea, blondie! Now, we just have to find an intact building with a fire escape.”
    Marigold only gave a small nod, and suddenly sneezed, “Alright, now rest.” Mark told her, as the group began running through the city.
    “Look, that hotel seems alive.” Kiev says, jokingly. The hotel was lopsided, swaying inward toward the road, but the fire escape on the side led downward to safety.
    “Looks safe.” Amara commented, sarcastically.
    Marigold opened her eyes again, and looked behind them, seeing they’ve only barely made it into the city. “We n-need to t-try and go d-deeper into the city…”
    “How deep, Marigold?” Kiev asked. “‘Cause I think we can get out through there, personally.”
    “Maybe just a bit more… i-if we exit too early… the R-Remnants will s-see us,” she pointed out quietly.
    “Yeah, but we can’t stay in the city too long either. These infected are going to start climbing out of their hiding places.” Jack pointed out.
    Marigold looked at the older man, “J-just a bit further…”
    The group walked for another half hour, until they came to an intersection next to a crumbled building blocking three of the ways out, with just an apartment complex in front, twenty infected behind.
    “Only one way left to go.” Jack sighed. “What’dya think, Mari, Mark?”
    “I think that we’re far enough in now, do you?” Mark said, and turned his attention to his daughter.
    She now had a runny nose, and her shivering had increased a bit now, she also looked more pale. All she could do was nod her agreement.
    The trio walked upward into the building, and were about six stories high when the first room with a fire escape entrance was still intact. The building was beginning to sway with the wind, and the sound of cracking stone could be heard. “MOVE!” Jack yelled, pushing his daughter first.
    “Amara, can you take Marigold?” Mark asked, desperation in his voice, as he felt the floor shift under his feet.
    Amara grabbed for her, catching her arm as Jack leapt onto the fire escape, pulling Mark in. Kiev took a step forward, and the floor fell beneath his feet, his screams echoing into the darkness below. The top three floors fell from the escape, but the metal stairway remained upright… for the most part.
    “KIEV!” Jack shouted, staring in horror as the building crumbled around him.
    Mark pulled Jack, “We gotta get off this thing before it collapses, we’ll find him after we get off!”
    “I-I’m s-sorry…” Marigold sniffled, as she felt Mark yank her back onto his back, “I-I d-didn’t mean f-for this t-to happen…” Her voice was hoarse and sounded genuinely sorry.
    “Kiev!” Jack shouted. “Kiev! Kiev!” he repeated it several times, before slumping to his knees. “Fuck, Kiev, why? Shit!”
    Mark gently placed Marigold on the ground after getting off of the fire escape, and tried to get into the ruined innards of the destroyed building, “Kiev!”
    Jack rushed forward, stumbling into the rubble. “Kiev!” he shouted, lifting slabs of concrete, and pushing them over, trying to find a gap. Silence was his answer.
    “For fucks sake Kiev! Say something!” Mark bellowed, as he followed Jack’s lead, and began to move slabs as well.
    “I don’t think he’s gonna say anything.” Amara said. The groups search effort was interrupted by ninety infected converging on the area of the loud noise. “Um.”
    Mark looked behind him, towards the weak and sick Marigold, “Shit!” He screamed out, as one of the infected darted at her. He pulled out his pistol as he ran to defend his daughter.
    A gunshot rang out, as the infected after Marigold dropped to the ground, its brain matter splattering to the ground. “Got it!” Jack yelled out.
    “Thanks,” Mark grumbled, then grabbed the small girl, putting her on his back once again.
    “We need to get the hell out of here!” Jack yelled, taking Amara’s arm, and running toward a field. The sun was just beginning to rise, sending rays of orange and red streaking across the sky. “At least it’s a beautiful time to die…” he whispered to himself.
    Mark was close behind the duo, as he glanced back, trying to see if Kiev would make an entrance or not. After a second of nothing, he shook his head and focused on running away from the horde after them.
    Soon enough, the Survivors camp came into view from the top of a hill. “There it is.” Amara breathed. “So close.”
    “Just a bit farther.” Jack added. “Let’s go. You good, Mark?”
    Mark nodded, and glanced back at his still shivering daughter, the grip around his neck had slackened to the point where her arms weren’t even interlocked anymore. “I am, but Marigold on the other hand,” he shook his head worriedly.
    “I think she’ll be fine.” Jack said, trying to be optimistic. “She’s survived this long, I don’t think a bad cold will kill her.”
    Mark shook his head, “It’s just… when we left the sick bay, the doctor warned me to keep her from getting sick…” He gently adjusted her, “Said her immune system is almost nonexistent, that was about three days ago though…”
    “She. Will. Be. Fine. Mark.” Jack growled. “If you’re always depressed and fucking worried all the time, she’ll never get better. Have some damn hope!”
    Mark’s eyes narrowed with anger, but he didn’t give Jack the pleasure of a response, and walked past Jack and Amara, heading towards the Survivor’s encampment.
    “Maybe you shouldn’t have yelled at him…” Amara murmurs.
    “Stay out of this, Amara.” Jack grumbled, and walked toward the camp. Soon enough, they arrived, to be greeted by Mink.
    “Welcome back, turns out something happened to where Mark is pissed and Marigold is on the brink of death due to a cold.” She placed her hands on her hips, “At least tell me you got the supplies I asked for.”
    “Yeah, we got the supplies.” Jack said, handing Mink the bag of supplies he collected. “You might want to get goldilox to the sick bay.”
    “She’s already there, Mark went right there when they got back…” She then looked around, “You’re missing someone.”
    “Kiev… didn’t make it.” Jack said, looking at the ground.
    Mink’s face softened with sympathy, “I’m sorry for your loss.”
    “He sort of ah, fell. WIth a building.” Amara explained.
    Mink nodded, “Okay, would you like me to dispatch a small squad to try and find him?”
    “He’s probably dead.” Amara stated.
    “We could still try and find the body, that is, if you want,” Mink looked between the two.
    “If you’d like. The area is crawling with infected, though. Tell the team, if you send one, to be careful.” Jack said.
    She gave a small nod, “Well, get some rest, we don’t know what will happen next.” Mink walked away, bag of supplies in hand.
Jack looked to Amara, and she stared back. “I think it’s time to call it a day.” Jack said. She nodded in return, and the duo went back to their apartment room.

Description

Amara peered around the corner of one of the buildings- a red brick one with a brown roof. “There’s two guards out there.” She whispered to her blonde ally.
Marigold nodded, “So what now? I don’t know at all where we are…”
“I dunno!” Amara snapped. “I’m just as lost as you!”
Marigold flinched to Amara’s snap, and took a small breath, “M-maybe we should try and get back to the others?” She quietly suggested, her voice cautious.
“I don’t know how to get back to them.” She stated, her voice strained.
“Th-then we should look in the buildings not guarded, and see if we can find the food or bullets,” Marigold said, looking around at all the different buildings surrounding them, the noon sun bearing down through the buildings.
“Yeah, yeah I like that idea.” She says, darting toward a boarded up window. “Think we can bust through this?”
Marigold bit her bottom lip, “I highly doubt that I can… and it seems you’re just a little bit stronger than me… I don’t know…”
Amara frowned. “Well we’re not gonna get anywhere whining and complaining, so let’s figure out something!” she said.
“I know, I know,” Marigold looked around, then silently walked over to a window that wasn’t boarded up and peeked. Only to slowly walk back over to Amara with a terrified look.
“What?” Amara asked, looking at the fear on her face. “What’s in there?”
The blonde shook her head, “I think it’s where the… poop of everyone goes…”
“Gross.” Amara said, but relief filled her face. “I thought there was an infected or something in there.”
“Well, that too…” Marigold shivered, “It was eating the poop.”
Amara nearly threw up. “Didn’t need to know that. Let’s never talk about that again. Ever.”
Marigold nodded, “Agreed…” she shivered again, and looked over at the other buildings.
“How do these people live here? It’s a damn maze…” Amara grumbled, darting across a road toward an open door. She peered inside. The room was devoid of people, and it looked to be a small storage room filled with food cans. “Jackpot.” she whispered.
Marigold cautiously walked in beside Amara, walking past her and scanning the dark room to make sure there was no one else there. “Should we wait for the others, or get what we can and leave?”
“Both?” Amara offers, stuffing a few cans in her purse.
Marigold shrugged, then removed her pack and began to do the same, when a familiar voice, only to Marigold spoke up from outside, “Come on Zoya, we’ve go’a ge’ the food and then ge’ ou’!”
Amara pulled out her knife, and hid inside a cabinet immediately, beckoning for Marigold to do the same.
She snuck over to Amara, “Those two are bandits, they have a dog, I think they’re here to do the same as us.”
Before Amara could respond, the woman’s voice could be heard again, “I jus’ wanna do this and go, I don’ wanna leave Cricke’ alone for too long.”
“Yeah yeah yeah,” another woman grumbled, obviously annoyed. The two stepped into the room and began to gather the cans and bags of food.
“S-should we kill them?” Amara whispers to Marigold.
Marigold shook her head, “I’m sure they’ll be gone soon enough, the darker skinned one, named Orla, she’s attached to her dog.”
“But they’re taking all the food!” Amara retorted.
“I can go talk to them if you’d like, I mean, Orla’s pretty nice, and Zoya won’t attack without Orla’s permission,” Marigold shrugged.
“But dad says people are unpredictable!” Amara hisses in return.
Marigold shrugged again, “I’m sure they’ll understand if we just explain what we’re trying to do.” Seeing that Amara was pretty adamant about not doing anything, Marigold looked ready to open the door of the closet.
“What are you doing?” Amara hissed, gripping her arm.
“I’m gonna go talk to them~” Marigold smiled.
“Don’t get yourself killed.” Amara warned. “I don’t think I can hairspray ourselves out of this one.”
Marigold shrugged, then stepped out of the cabinet, “Orla, Zoya?” she asked curiously.
In front of her stood the two women, looking surprised to see her, only Zoya’s eyes stayed wide with surprise, as Orla smiled brightly. “Oh my goodness~ Why if i’ isn’ li’l Marigold~” she cooed happily. “Wha’ you doin’ here~?”
Marigold smiled, “Seems like I’m here for the same reason you guys are,” the small girl shrugged.
“What were you doing hiding in that cabinet?” Zoya asked, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.
“In case it was a guard walking by,” the small blonde responded, her head tilting to the left slightly.
“Smart,” Zoya responded, then placed a bottle of water in her bag.
Orla then looked at the girl, “So, why are ya here?”
Marigold looked down at the ground, guiltily, “Well, Mink had asked me to steal some food, I tried to get out of it, but my dad said that I needed to do this for the better good.”
Orla nodded her head, “Ah, okay, well do ya need help carryin’ the stuff? Cause we could help ya if need be.”
The blonde shook her head, “Nah, I got a friend here, and hopefully the others coming soon…”
“Is Preacher here?” Zoya asked, raising an eyebrow.
Marigold quickly shook her head, “Oh god no - no no no - just some new friends,” she smiled brightly.
Amara tentatively crawled out of the cabinet, knife in hand. “Hello.” she said, staring at Zoya directly in the eye.
The black haired lady only looked back at her, while the african american cooed, “Oooo~ You’re so pre’y~”
Zoya proceeded to slap her forehead with a loud smack, “Orla… come on…” She groaned.
“Aww! Bu’ come on! She really is pre’y~” Orla cooed in response.
Zoya’s hand slowly ran down her face, as she slowly shook her head. Marigold looked at her temporary partner and smiled knowingly, “Told ya they were nice~”
Amara still looked skeptical. “Okay.” is all she said, taking another can of food into her bag.
“So you don’t mind if we take some as well, right?” Marigold made sure.
“Oh no, not at all~” Orla smiled brightly, “Right Zoya?”
Zoya grunted, not saying anything, as she stuffed some more cans into her bag.
--------------------------------------------------
    Meanwhile with the guys...

    “I think we should head out.” Jack said. “It’s been too long.”
    Mark nodded, “Yes, I agree, let’s go.” He then stood up, grabbing his hatchet from his belt.
    Jack checked his bullets. “Nine.” He said, before standing up. Kiev did the same. “I hope they’re alive…” Jack murmured.
    “Don’t even suggest that they’re not,” Mark growled, “We also want to try and not go in guns blazing, in case they’ve been captured or something. At least try.”
    “No shit sherlock.” Kiev growled. “Stealth is the primary route we want to go. Guns blazing if we have to.”
    Mark nodded, then started to lead the way down to the Remnants base.
    As they entered, they heard a conversation around the corner. “The little bitch burned me. She fucking BURNED me. You let her get away, you twat! Zeal will hear all about this.” one of the men growled.
    “Oh shut up, you dimwit.” the other man retorted.
    Mark looked back at Jack with a confused expression, “Does Amara have a flame thrower?”
“Sort of. She has hairspray and a lighter.” Jack responds. “I recognize the burned man’s voice, though…”
“How so?” Mark asked, his head tilting to the left slightly.
“Back at the police station, when we first went to join the factions, this one guy, Larry, wanted to go to the Remnants. I assumed he was dead.” Jack responded.
“I remember the guy. Big, arrogant asshole.” Kiev added.
Mark rolled his eyes, “Oh great.”
“They’re probably alerted to them now. We gotta be-” Jack started, but a group of remnants, one being Larry, turned the corner to find the trio.
“Hey! What the hell are you doing here!?” Larry screamed at Jack.
Mark looked at the other two, “Well shit…” he muttered.
“You’re all so-” Larry didn’t get to finish, before Jack grabbed him, spun him around, and placed his gun to Larry’s head. “Anyone move, I blow his brains out.” Jack growled.
“You’re bluffing!” Yelled one of the other remnants, drawing his own gun.
Mark then pulled out his gun and shot Larry in the leg, “Do you think we’re bluffing now?!” He growled angrily.
Jack fell with Larry, as Larry put all his weight on the other side, toppling the duo over.
Mark yanked up Larry himself, putting the gun to his head, a serious look on his face.
One of the remnants grabbed Jack, putting the gun just under his chin. “Let him go, and I’ll let him go,” a remnant female hissed.
“We’re only trying to find someone,” Mark said, his eyes narrowed.
“Who you trying to find?” Larry asked, his voice soft and mock-comforting.
Mark didn’t take his eyes off the woman as he answered, “That is of no concern to you, we’re just going to look for them, and go.”
“You mean goldilox? I saw her just before a fucking fire hit my face.” Larry said. “Oh, boy, do I have many people hunting for her. She’ll be dead soon. They’re on my orders to ‘shoot to kill.’” Larry said, laughing.
Mark looked at Jack, a piercing anger piercing his eyes, as Mark’s trigger finger tensed to blow Larry’s brains out.
“Tell us where they went, or I’ll have my friend here put a bullet in your skull.” Jack growled.
Mark chuckled lightly, then growled deeply, “she’s been gone from my life for over a year, and I’ve killed many others to get her back, I’m not about to lose her again.”
“I don’t know! I was sort of blinded! I-I…-” Larry started, but another remnant interjected.
    “Mason street! I saw them heading toward Mason Street!” she yelled.
    Mark looked over to the woman, “Fine I’ll let him go, if you do the same with my friend there.”
    The woman slowly released Jack, and Jack signaled to Mark to do the same. “Come, on, Mark. Let him go.”
    “Yeah yeah,” he said, releasing the man in his grasp, before walking backwards and away from the remnants, not letting his back be turned to them.
    “Should we ah, tie them up?” Kiev asked, his gun still raised to the male remnant.
    Mark shrugged, “Do what you want, but I’m going after her,” he said, then left to go find his daughter.
    Kiev tied the remnants up, while Jack followed Mark. “I’m right behind you.” Jack told him. “Kiev will take care of the remnants.”
    Mark didn’t respond, only nodded to the fellow father next to him. They soon found Mason Street and saw two women enter a building, one a caucasian with black hair, the other an african american with dreadlocks. “Those two… they look… familiar,” Mark tried to think of where he had seen them before.
Jack ran to the building behind the strangers, a few minutes after they entered. He heard voices on the other side, and he kicked the door down, his pistol aimed directly at the darker-skinned girl’s head. “Don’t fucking move!” he growled.
Orla looked at the man curiously, “Now tha’s no way ta gree’ someone~” She smiled.
Zoya had already pulled out her shotgun and had it aimed at Jack, “I could say the same to you.” She hissed, her gray-blue eyes narrowed.
Jack looked at Amara and Marigold, then back to Zoya and Orla. “You’re not remnants, or trying to kill my daughter?” Jack inquired, lowering his gun slightly.
Zoya did the same, but Orla noticed that the gun was now trained on his balls, just in case. That sight made her giggle, while Marigold laughed a little, “Oh no, they’re not either… wait, where’s my dad?”
“You have a dad?!” Orla exclaimed.
“Yes, yes she does,” Mark then peered around Jack, in which Marigold ran over to him with a small happy cry.
Jack holstered his gun. “Bandits? I don’t believe we’ve been acquainted. Sorry for the bad introduction. Name’s Jack.” He said, holding out his hand to the duo in front of him.
Orla smiled brightly and shook his hand with great ferocity, practically making his whole body move with the hand shake. While Zoya put away her shotgun on her back, the strap going across her chest.
“Well, yeah. Anyway, let’s grab the shit and get out of here. Remnants will be looking for us soon.” Jack ordered.
Orla spoke up, “We’ve go’ all we need, righ’ Zoya?” In which the other bandit nodded her confirmation.
Jack grabbed the supplies he needed, and walked outside. Kiev wasn’t there, he was supposed to meet them. “You guys seen Kiev?” he asked.
“Thought he was gonna follow us after he was done with those remnants?” Mark asked.
“Jeez, did you guys lose someone? Tha’s no’ very good, considering this is a dangerous place ta be righ’ now,” Orla stated, matter of factly.
Zoya piped in, “And that’s why we’re leaving, good luck with your missing colleague.” The black haired woman grabbed her partner and dragged the girl away, with her saying, “Bye!”
Jack nodded. “Still with us, Mark?” he asked.
“Yeah, now that I got Marigold back,” he nodded.
Marigold put her hands on her hips, looking up at her father, “I hope that you would help them regardless,” emerald eyes pierced into Mark’s own green eyes, in which he gave a small smile to.
“I don’t think we would. Besides, that Zoya girl looked pretty mean.” Amara stated.
Marigold shrugged, “Just… don’t get her angry… she… uh… likes to kill, like, a lot…”
“So, she’s a psychopath? Eh, what should I have expected?” Amara says, shrugging in turn.
“Well, we moving on or what?” Jack asked. “Kiev is still out there, you know.”
Mark nodded, and began to head out, sweeping his head from side to side, trying to find the other man.
A few minutes passed, before they saw Kiev, standing over three dead bodies, but he had two lacerations on his arm and back. He turned to the group, who was staring at him in the alleyway. “Bit late to the party.” he panted.
Marigold’s eyes went wide, “W-what happened?!” Her voice went higher pitched due to shock at the dead bodies.
“Got caught in an alleyway, I killed them though.” Kiev explained, between breaths.
“Not bad.” Jack commented.
Mark nodded his agreement, while the horrified Marigold just stood there, not responding. Mark then spoke up, “Alright, now let’s get out of here.”
“Agreed.” Jack said. A raindrop hit his nose. “What the…?” he said, looking up at the dark sky. “I think we best move pretty fast.”
Marigold glanced up, and gave a small cry as a raindrop landed directly on her eye, “Ah!”
“You okay?” Mark asked, looking down at his daughter with concern, as she held her left eye.
“I-I’m fine,” She answered, rubbing the water out of her eye.
Within seconds, the storm began to cascade upon the group, soaking them all to their skin. Visibility was extremely low. “I’m starting to think a camp might need to be made!” Kiev shouted over the storm. Searchlights shone through the thick downfall, illuminating small patches of land, as the Remnants tried to search for the murderers and thieves.
“Not sure where a good spot would be, considering there’s a literal army after us right now!” Jack yelled back.
“Let’s try and get out of here!” Mark shouted, grabbing Marigold’s hand, making sure they wouldn’t lose each other again.
Jack followed closely behind, taking Amara’s hand as well, and dragging her onward behind Mark, Kiev, and Marigold. “I think I saw a gas station up ahead, out of their territory!” Jack shouted to Mark.
“Then let’s go there!” Mark shouted back, as Marigold grabbed his arm with her other hand, and letting her father lead her through the blinding deluge.
After a few moments, the decrepit gas station came into view. It looked damaged, but was structurally sound and mostly dry. “Think that’ll do, Mark?” Jack shouted. The rain was only getting worse.
“It’ll have to!” He shouted back, but had to suddenly stop as a searchlight flashed directly in front of him, then moved on. After it was gone, he lead the group into the abandoned gas station.
Inside, the shelves had been ransacked, and a few of them were knocked over. Two dead infected lay on the ground, their vines dead and unmoving. “Think it’s safe?” Jack whispered to Kiev and Mark.
Mark pulled out his hatchet, pushing Marigold behind him, and shouted out, “Hey!”
Five vine infected rushed out of a back office, their vines dragging along by their feet, and their eyes blackened with decay. One ran at Jack, only to have its head chopped off by his machete, and Kiev smashed another’s spine in, then its skull. Mark cleaved off a vined arm, then the head as one darted at him as well. “Look out!” Jack shouted at Marigold, an infected sprinting behind her.
Marigold looked behind her, the glint of her blade shining in the dull light as she stabbed the blade into the head and jumped back, narrowly avoiding the vines that seemed to jump at her.
Amara ran away from another infected, her knife in hand, but the infected was making a noise that sounded like a gurgling screech, as it tried to sink its thorns into her. Kiev kicked the infected down, though, only to smash its skull on the side of a shelf.
Marigold panted slightly, as the infected lay dead below her. Very carefully she walked around and managed to yank the knife out of the skull. She walked over to her dad, and began to shiver.
“I think it’s clear now.” Jack said, sitting down on the counter, Amara joining him.
“Too close.” she breathed.
Mark nodded, as he held his shivering daughter close, and under his hunter’s jacket. “Indeed, but at least it should be safe now,” he shrugged.
“As soon as this rain ends, we should leave.” Kiev said. “Those Remnants will be hunting us.”
“That sounds good, let’s-” Marigold sneezed, “get warm for now.” He looked down at the small girl with concern.
“She’s probably fine.” Jack said to Mark. “Sneezing can be just from the cold.”
Marigold had her head buried in her father’s chest, while Mark’s concern didn’t dissipate. He chuckled lightly, as he rubbed her soaked arms, “Doesn’t stop me from worryin’.”
“If you worry too much, it’s gonna make her feel codependant. She won’t be able to survive on her own. You won’t always be here to protect her, you know.” Jack said, staring Mark directly in his eyes.
Mark’s eyes narrowed angrily, “I’ve lost her over a year, I will worry when worry is needed,” he growled.
“Better you hear the truth now rather than later.” Jack retorted.
“W-would you both s-stop!” Marigold said, still shivering underneath Mark’s grip.
“Fine.” Jack said. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you though.”
“Should we eat one of the food cans?” Amara suggests, changing the subject.
Mark looked over to the 17 year old and nodded, “Yeah, I think we should.”
Amara tossed a can of peaches to Marigold & Mark, and opened up a can of refried beans for herself, Jack, and Kiev.
Mark deftly caught the can, and proceeded to open it. The group ate in an awkward silence.
After they finished, the rain still hadn’t let up. Water was now dripping from the ceiling. “Should we call it a night?” Amara asked.
Mark looked over to the girl, “Sure, I’ll take first watch.” Marigold had finally stopped shivering, but would sniffle and sneeze every now and again.
“You sure Mark? I can do it.” Jack offers.
“I’m sure,” He nodded, as he sat on a dry spot on the floor, pulling out his hatchet. He gently pulled Marigold to him, and had her lay her head on his chest.
Jack nods, and lays down next to Amara. Kiev laid on the floor nearby. They let darkness take them.
The full moon rays of light streamed through the window, when Kiev’s shoulder was shook.
Kiev opened his eyes, adjusting to the moonlit room. “Hmm?” he asked.
Mark whispered, “It’s your shift now.”
“Ah.” Kiev responded, sitting up, and stared into the moonlight. The rain had lessened significantly. The wet grass glistened with the reflection of the moonlight, and the air was still and crisp. The silence was broken by a feint gunshot, and a yell from Kiev, as a bullet pierced his right shoulder. Blood splattered onto Mark and Marigold’s faces, as Kiev flew backward.
The duo were instantly woken, “Wake up!” Mark shouted loudly, as he stood up, and ran behind a shelf, dragging his daughter behind him.
Jack shot up immediately, pulling out his pistol, and aiming it out the window, his back on the wall next to the glass. “You get a sight on him?” Jack hissed to Mark.
“No, I bet it’s that bastard Larry though,” Mark growled in return.
“Fucking Larry…” Jack growled.
“Dad, what’s going on?” Marigold asked quietly.
Mark glanced down at her, as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. She was more pale and was shivering again, “We’re under attack, I need you to stay down.” He put the back of his hand on her forehead to find she was burning up. “Shit…” He muttered under his breath.
“What? What’s shit?” Jack asked, now tending to Kiev. He was putting pressure on the wound.
“Marigold has a fever,” Mark responded, glaring over at Jack.
“Guess it’s not just cold sneezes.” Jack replied. “Whatever, we have a bigger problem to deal with right now, so I need you focused, Mark!”
Mark looked ready to punch him in the face, but shook his head and cautiously looked over the shelf, trying to spot the shooter.
Jack saw the flash of another bullet fly toward him, and ducked just in time as the round smashed into the cash register, sending cash flying.
“Where the fuck is he?!” Mark growled, then ducked back down behind the shelf, looked at the sick Marigold, sighed, then darted out from cover, as he pulled out his pistol.
Amara crawled next to Marigold. “You good?” she asked, her dark eyes reflecting the pale moonlight.
Marigold gave a small nod, but was still shivering, with her knees up by her chest and her chin resting on her knees. “I-I’ll be o-okay,” she stuttered, as she then sneezed again.
“Yeah… you don’t look good. How did you even get this sick anyway? It’s been literally a few hours!” Amara inquired.
“Got him! On the rocks over there!” Jack yelled to Mark. “I’ll draw his fire, you pop him!”
“Got it!” Mark shouted back, as he spotted the shooter.
Marigold shrugged, “I guess it doesn’t help that only a week and a half ago, I healed from a lot of torture, so my immune system isn’t the best…” She whispered, as she looked at the ground.
Jack stood up, the bullet barely missing his neck, and it slammed only centimeters away from Amara’s right foot.
“Ah!” she yelled in surprise, pulling her legs farther toward her.
Mark took aim at the shooter, let out his breath slowly, then squeezed the trigger. Knicking the man in the shoulder, causing him to fly back behind the rocks.
Silence was all that was heard for several moments, before the sound of an engine could be heard in the distance. Bright lights reflected off the dew, and it illuminated a dark figure of a humvee. “We need to move, now.” Jack ordered, hoisting Amara up, and helping Kiev to his feet.
Mark ran back to Marigold, and hoisted her up on his back, her body burning through his jacket.
The group ran toward the City, but it was toward the infected-ridden part of town. “We’re going to have to make a… ah, detour.” Jack comments.
Mark nodded and shouted, “Fine, let’s just get out of here!”
“Do you see an entrance?” Jack yells to Mark.
“I’m behind you! I can’t really see shit!” Mark shouted back, as he adjusted Marigold slightly on his back. Her head resting on his shoulder, as she breathed quickly and shallowly.
“There!” Shouted Amara, who was just alongside her father. She pointed to an open door in one of the buildings, which they could cut through to get into the city.
“Lead the way!” Mark shouted up to Amara.
Amara nodded back, leading into the dark, decrepit house. There was no infected inside, but it definitely smelled like decaying corpses. As she turned on her flashlight, it illuminated almost twenty people’s corpses who hung themselves. “Oh god.” she whispered.
Mark peered inside, his eyes going wide, “Holy shit…” Marigold began to cough, putting her mouth behind Mark’s shoulder.
“Well, not what I expected, to say the least.” Jack said, wiping water from his rain-soaked hair. “We shouldn’t stay.”
“I agree.” Mark nodded, and carefully began to walk around the hanging bodies.
“Left or right?” Kiev asks, peering down the main street, both sides covered in soggy infected, dragging along their white, saturated, decaying skin behind them.
“Let’s head left, it’ll keep us on the outskirts of the town, and hopefully away from most of the infected,” Mark suggested.
“I like the idea.” Jack responded, leading the way into the city.
“So ah, there’s a shitton of infected out there.” Amara comments. “Marigold! Any ideas?”
Her eyes opened slowly, as she looked around, “W-where are we?” She asked, her voice hoarse, before she went into a coughing fit.
    Mark glanced back at her worriedly, but didn’t answer her question, “Just rest.” He said softly.
    “There is almost no way she’s that sick that quick. She’s still got juice in her, and face it, she’s smart.” Jack said to Mark.
    “Fine,” he growled, and then described quickly and quietly where they had went to the sick girl on his back.
    Marigold thought for a bit, “I think… we should go straight through the city… get about… half way, then break for the nearest exit.” She managed to say, before beginning to cough again.
    “Not bad of an idea, but where the hell are the exits? The military blocked off all the roads long ago.” Amara pointed out.
    After her coughing fit, Marigold blinked, “Um, w-well, there are roofs, if we can f-find… a building n-near the edge of town… with a f-fire escape… that c-could work.” After that statement she rested her head back on her father’s shoulder, body still shivering on his back.
    “That’s just crazy enough to work.” Jack responds, nodding. “Good idea, blondie! Now, we just have to find an intact building with a fire escape.”
    Marigold only gave a small nod, and suddenly sneezed, “Alright, now rest.” Mark told her, as the group began running through the city.
    “Look, that hotel seems alive.” Kiev says, jokingly. The hotel was lopsided, swaying inward toward the road, but the fire escape on the side led downward to safety.
    “Looks safe.” Amara commented, sarcastically.
    Marigold opened her eyes again, and looked behind them, seeing they’ve only barely made it into the city. “We n-need to t-try and go d-deeper into the city…”
    “How deep, Marigold?” Kiev asked. “‘Cause I think we can get out through there, personally.”
    “Maybe just a bit more… i-if we exit too early… the R-Remnants will s-see us,” she pointed out quietly.
    “Yeah, but we can’t stay in the city too long either. These infected are going to start climbing out of their hiding places.” Jack pointed out.
    Marigold looked at the older man, “J-just a bit further…”
    The group walked for another half hour, until they came to an intersection next to a crumbled building blocking three of the ways out, with just an apartment complex in front, twenty infected behind.
    “Only one way left to go.” Jack sighed. “What’dya think, Mari, Mark?”
    “I think that we’re far enough in now, do you?” Mark said, and turned his attention to his daughter.
    She now had a runny nose, and her shivering had increased a bit now, she also looked more pale. All she could do was nod her agreement.
    The trio walked upward into the building, and were about six stories high when the first room with a fire escape entrance was still intact. The building was beginning to sway with the wind, and the sound of cracking stone could be heard. “MOVE!” Jack yelled, pushing his daughter first.
    “Amara, can you take Marigold?” Mark asked, desperation in his voice, as he felt the floor shift under his feet.
    Amara grabbed for her, catching her arm as Jack leapt onto the fire escape, pulling Mark in. Kiev took a step forward, and the floor fell beneath his feet, his screams echoing into the darkness below. The top three floors fell from the escape, but the metal stairway remained upright… for the most part.
    “KIEV!” Jack shouted, staring in horror as the building crumbled around him.
    Mark pulled Jack, “We gotta get off this thing before it collapses, we’ll find him after we get off!”
    “I-I’m s-sorry…” Marigold sniffled, as she felt Mark yank her back onto his back, “I-I d-didn’t mean f-for this t-to happen…” Her voice was hoarse and sounded genuinely sorry.
    “Kiev!” Jack shouted. “Kiev! Kiev!” he repeated it several times, before slumping to his knees. “Fuck, Kiev, why? Shit!”
    Mark gently placed Marigold on the ground after getting off of the fire escape, and tried to get into the ruined innards of the destroyed building, “Kiev!”
    Jack rushed forward, stumbling into the rubble. “Kiev!” he shouted, lifting slabs of concrete, and pushing them over, trying to find a gap. Silence was his answer.
    “For fucks sake Kiev! Say something!” Mark bellowed, as he followed Jack’s lead, and began to move slabs as well.
    “I don’t think he’s gonna say anything.” Amara said. The groups search effort was interrupted by ninety infected converging on the area of the loud noise. “Um.”
    Mark looked behind him, towards the weak and sick Marigold, “Shit!” He screamed out, as one of the infected darted at her. He pulled out his pistol as he ran to defend his daughter.
    A gunshot rang out, as the infected after Marigold dropped to the ground, its brain matter splattering to the ground. “Got it!” Jack yelled out.
    “Thanks,” Mark grumbled, then grabbed the small girl, putting her on his back once again.
    “We need to get the hell out of here!” Jack yelled, taking Amara’s arm, and running toward a field. The sun was just beginning to rise, sending rays of orange and red streaking across the sky. “At least it’s a beautiful time to die…” he whispered to himself.
    Mark was close behind the duo, as he glanced back, trying to see if Kiev would make an entrance or not. After a second of nothing, he shook his head and focused on running away from the horde after them.
    Soon enough, the Survivors camp came into view from the top of a hill. “There it is.” Amara breathed. “So close.”
    “Just a bit farther.” Jack added. “Let’s go. You good, Mark?”
    Mark nodded, and glanced back at his still shivering daughter, the grip around his neck had slackened to the point where her arms weren’t even interlocked anymore. “I am, but Marigold on the other hand,” he shook his head worriedly.
    “I think she’ll be fine.” Jack said, trying to be optimistic. “She’s survived this long, I don’t think a bad cold will kill her.”
    Mark shook his head, “It’s just… when we left the sick bay, the doctor warned me to keep her from getting sick…” He gently adjusted her, “Said her immune system is almost nonexistent, that was about three days ago though…”
    “She. Will. Be. Fine. Mark.” Jack growled. “If you’re always depressed and fucking worried all the time, she’ll never get better. Have some damn hope!”
    Mark’s eyes narrowed with anger, but he didn’t give Jack the pleasure of a response, and walked past Jack and Amara, heading towards the Survivor’s encampment.
    “Maybe you shouldn’t have yelled at him…” Amara murmurs.
    “Stay out of this, Amara.” Jack grumbled, and walked toward the camp. Soon enough, they arrived, to be greeted by Mink.
    “Welcome back, turns out something happened to where Mark is pissed and Marigold is on the brink of death due to a cold.” She placed her hands on her hips, “At least tell me you got the supplies I asked for.”
    “Yeah, we got the supplies.” Jack said, handing Mink the bag of supplies he collected. “You might want to get goldilox to the sick bay.”
    “She’s already there, Mark went right there when they got back…” She then looked around, “You’re missing someone.”
    “Kiev… didn’t make it.” Jack said, looking at the ground.
    Mink’s face softened with sympathy, “I’m sorry for your loss.”
    “He sort of ah, fell. WIth a building.” Amara explained.
    Mink nodded, “Okay, would you like me to dispatch a small squad to try and find him?”
    “He’s probably dead.” Amara stated.
    “We could still try and find the body, that is, if you want,” Mink looked between the two.
    “If you’d like. The area is crawling with infected, though. Tell the team, if you send one, to be careful.” Jack said.
    She gave a small nod, “Well, get some rest, we don’t know what will happen next.” Mink walked away, bag of supplies in hand.
Jack looked to Amara, and she stared back. “I think it’s time to call it a day.” Jack said. She nodded in return, and the duo went back to their apartment room.