Chapter 26: Carry Me Home

"Okay. Okay, I'm back," Sam says, and I groan as I open my eyes. How long have I been out? "Sorry. Took a bit longer than expected. Got a bit complicated... wait, no. That sounds wrong. It was-it was just complicated because Janine wanted help carrying concrete slates for some reason, not because I had complicated toilet requirements."

I giggle as he audibly winces. My head is still spinning, but I push myself up into standing.

"Oh, God," He groans. "I sound exactly as confused as I was back then. Like, talking about it has brought that old Sam back to mind; It's weird. But in fact, I am a little bit less confused then that I was now... Now than I was then. Damn it..."

I giggle again. "Yeah, sure you are."

"Hey... have you-have you moved at all since I left?"

"No, I uh, I was feelin' kinda drained so I decided to rest for a minute."

There's a long moment of silence. "Five, are you okay? Your speech is slurred."

"It's just my accent."

"No, it's not."

"I'm fine," I lie, forcing myself to start running.

"You're lying."

"I'm not."

"You are." His words are low, threatening almost. He's irritated, that's for sure. "What's wrong?"

"I'm just... not feeling well."

"Were... you weren't bitten while I was gone, were you?" He asks, voice trembling. "Please tell me you weren't..."

"If I was bitten, I would've killed myself before you came back here," I reply, and give a half smile when he sighs with relief. "I'm just feeling a bit under the weather. Probably from lack of sleep. Can you get back the story? I want to know how it ends."

"I... yeah," He says skeptically. "Are you sure you're-"

"Sam."

"Okay. Okay. Um, where were we?" He hums for a second. "Oh, yeah, facing certain death, someone going gray inside the barn, crowd of zombies outside the barn. Okay, here we go. Rest of the story."

I'm falling. I'm expecting it this time though, so I don't slam into the ground when I suddenly become Sargent Ellis. Instead I'm standing here with a ton of panicking people, feeling much better than I was a few moments ago when I was in my own body.

"Everyone, back away from that woman," The Major commands as the infected lady bends over, coughing violently.

"It was only a graze," A man says tearfully. "I thought maybe she'd-maybe they could cure her in New Canton."

The older woman scoffs. "No one is getting cured; There is no cure."

"We don't know that." He pulls the hacking woman into his arms, tears starting to run down his face.

"Back away from her," I command. I send the man a glare when he shakes his head.

"I-I won't leave her."

"Reckley, if he doesn't move, shoot him," Major De Santa says.

"Yes, Ma'am."

"The zombies have heard you," Janine says over coms. "They know something is going on. They're outside, all around."

I sigh, almost rolling my eyes at her stating the obvious. It's not exactly like we don't know that, seeing as we can hear the zoms outside, growling, groaning. Some of them are even scratching and clawing at the outside walls of the barn, trying to get in.

"We might still make it if we keep quiet," She replies. "You all have to keep quiet."

As soon as the words leave her lips, another person begins to cough, then another. People around them gasp, and I nearly facepalm.

Jesus on a boat.

"For God's sake, how many of you have been bitten?"

"Look. Look," Sam says. "The zoms are massing toward the back of the barn."

"They're going to eat them all, all of them," Janine murmurs. I've never heard her sound so panicked before. "It's my fault. I should have insisted they run on. They could've stayed ahead."

The coughing is getting louder. The first woman who showed signs has collapsed from the fever. With the adrenaline from the fear and running, she has maybe fifteen minutes before she turns. The others will shortly follow.

We have to get out of here, now.

"Major, if you can hear me, I've got cameras on three sides of that barn," Sam says, sounding surprisingly calm. "There's a way out if you can take it and if you're fast. The other door to the um, to the north side of the barn-only three zoms there, and one's missing both arms. And there's high ground where you can take a stand if you need to. You can do it if you go now."

"What are you doing?" Janine hisses, but he ignores her.

"Major, I'm repeating-there's a way out in the north side. There's high ground and if you take it..."

The Major nods, turning to the group. They all watch her, afraid and waiting.

"If you can run, follow me."

Teague and Reckley head towards the exit first, pushing the doors open so the uninfected can run out. I grab my pistol, knowing I'm going to have to use it.

I shoot the three zoms standing at the door with great accuracy. I myself am a pretty good shot, but never this good; This is Ellis's skill showing through.

I run out once half of the people have left the barn, since the zombies have now spotted us and heard the gunshots. They're staggering around towards us, but some of the other soldiers are leading the people away while the Major and I stay back a few feet, guns in hand and ready to kill.

Teague and Reckley split off as well, trying to lead the zoms off and away from the civilians. It's kind of hard though, since they won't stop screaming in fear. The sound makes it hard for us to get the zombies' attention. Some follow us, of course, but there are still many that go after the group.

And they catch hold of some of the people in the group as well, inviting more screams to echo into the air.

I run, twisting around and pulling the trigger twice. Two zombies drop, then two more when the Major fires her weapon. The sounds of the gunshots mix with the screams and growls. It's a chorus of death in a symphony of chaos.

I look to the right, where the group is. A little girl trips, and a zombie is right behind her. It reaches for her leg, but I raise my gun, shooting it in the head before it can grab her. Blood spatters on the girl's dress and hair, but she won't be infected. The zombie isn't old enough to spread infection by contact alone. None of these zombies are. Unless the girl gets the blood in her mouth, eyes, or an open wound, she should be fine.

How is there this many of them?

It seems like every zombie we kill, another appears. The sounds must be attracting more. But, I do believe that we've lowered the numbers, even if more are arriving.

"Can you see what's happening?" Janine asks and the Major and I head over to the group, shooting zombies while we do so.

"Oh, yeah," Sam answers. "Look, this camera's lens is shattered, but that blur there, that's the Major and Sargent Ellis." He lets out a cheer when I slide off my backpack and swing it around, slamming a zom in the face to keep it from getting too close. "Get 'em! Yes! They've taken down about twenty now."

"How can you tell?"

"I did a specialism in ultrasonic engineering. Must've been because I'd thought they'd have more to do with sound systems. Anyway, we did some practice interpreting ultrasound images. This is a lot easier.

"Look, here's the corner of the barn, there are the children running ahead of the Major and Ellis, and there are the dead zoms and-oh. Oh, look out!"

He's not talking to me, but another soldier. A zom grabs his arm, then it pulls him back and clamps down on the area between his neck and shoulder. He screams, falling to the ground as more zombies grab ahold of him, biting, clawing, ripping him apart.

Another soldier cries out in agony.

"They've got Adrio," Major De Santa says. "Run! Run! We've got to get out of here!"

Reckley grabs ahold of the mourning soldier, trying to pull him along. "Come with me. He's dead now. You can't save him."

"But I can't leave him. I can't. It's our anniversary next week."

"Come now." Her eyes widen, and she pushes him out of the way as a zombie lunges for the both of them. It grabs Reckley, tackling her the ground. I can't see if it's teeth get to her skin, but she screams, and shoots it. She stands, shakily, her eyes wide at the fact that death was inches away from her. "With me! Now!"

"Oi, Zeke Chan Chu," Sam says, "you still on the line?"

"Yes," He answers after a moment of static.

"Well, your advice got them all into this mess, pal, so you're gettin' 'em out. We need New Canton soldiers now to help rescue our people."

"We... I'm sorry. We can't do that."

I grit my teeth. You've gotta be kidding me.

"Get moving!" Major De Santa barks. "We've lost too many people. Straight back to Abel, right now!"

"What do you mean you can't do that?" Sam asks. I can hear it in his voice; He's seething. "You can and you will."

"We... our people in the field... we think something's drawing zombies to this location," He explains. "Our people are pinned down, or are on other missions. There are... other people who need us."

He scoffs angrily. "Fat lot of use you are then. Major, Ellis, turn your earpieces to Channel Seven. I'll follow you straight over."

"No, you can't do that. We can't let you-"

Click.

That's all it takes. Just a click of my earpiece, and that annoying voice is gone. Maybe it's the rebellious nature I have, but I find it quite nice to not hear any 'I outrank you' voices telling me what to do. Sam seems to agree.

"Much better now that we don't have New Canton in our bleedin' ears," He sighs. "Right. Now, you've got a straight road north. If you keep going, you'll be mostly clear."

"That was a breech in the chain of command," Janine says through what sounds like clenched teeth. "New Canton's the only Democracy around here."

"Well, if they turned up and threw ballot boxes at the zoms, I'd be more impressed," He sasses, and I bite my lip to keep from laughing. "Alright, looks like there are twelve survivors, four-no, five of them being children. Keep moving."

"This way," The Major commands. "All of you."

"Ma'am, bad news," Reckley says, her face drained of color. She moves her hand away from her upper arm, revealing blood and teeth marks. "I've been bitten."

•

"Okay," Sam says. "You're doing well, out of immediate danger. No zoms within half a mile or so, apart from..."

His voice trails off as Reckley coughs hoarsely. "I feel weak," She says, "as if I were getting the flu."

"You know that's not what's happening though, don't you, Reckley?" The Major asks.

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Some people seem to think it's possible there's a cure."

"That's not what I've seen, Ma'am."

Major De Santa nods, a sad look in her eyes. "How would you like it?"

"Single bullet, Ma'am. Clean as you can make it."

She nods again. "Good choice. What I'd pick if it were my time-single bullet to someone I trust. You've been a good soldier."

We slow down, Reckley coming to a stop. She straightens her back, hands lowering at her side, her eyes closed.

"Ready?" She raises the gun, pointing it straight at Reckley's forehead. The woman lets out a deep breath.

"Yes."

She pulls the trigger; Reckley drops to the ground, her eyes still closed, never to open again.

"Brave woman," The Major sighs. She then looks at us with a stone cold face. "Let's not make her sacrifice worthless. Up to, all of you. We can make it back to Abel."

None of them argue. The adults are too busy trying to distract the children from the death they just saw; They're too busy trying to distract themselves from the death they just saw.

So we keep going. The pace isn't leisurely, but because of the survivors being so exhausted, the pace isn't that quick of one either.

"What's that?" Janine questions, and I internally groan because that question almost always mean trouble is ahead. "Smudge on the monitor?"

"No," Sam answers. "Too far away to tell. It-it looks like a person... running. Intercept course to our guys."

"Zombie?"

"No, can't be. Zombies don't run, do they?"

Oh, how I want to laugh. I wish I could tell them. I wish I could tell them what will come. This is the past, not just a vision-but the actual past. Or at least, I think it is. That's how it was when I was Chrysalis. Everything I did in those dreams were exactly what happened before.

I had Chrys's emotions urging me to do certain things, but I said things that were my thoughts only-things she never would've said or did, and that's exactly what happened. She still said them, did them.

I could tell them everything, right here, right now, and ultimately change the course of time... I have the power to change everything. I could do it...

But I won't.

Because Ellis is not supposed to know this. Ellis is supposed to die not knowing about Van Ark, or mind control or how the zombie plague started.

Just because I have the power to do something doesn't mean I should do it.

So I stay quiet, and I keep running.

"That figure's approaching faster than you think, really," Sam says. "Must be important."

"Major! It's me! McShell!"

Chris is flushed when he reaches us, and panting heavily. I honestly am surprised to see him again, although I guess I should have expected it since he does come to live at Abel in the long run.

"Missed quite the bloodbath back there, McShell," The Major says cooly, and his face scrunches up in a grimace.

"Yes, I'm... I'm sorry."

"I'd rather like to talk to you about what you said just before you left at some point. This is neither the place nor the time. Head back to New Canton. We'll be in touch."

Chris shakes his head as he keeps running along beside us. "No, I-I... I'm not going back. We both know how things have been between Abel and New Canton. It won't be long now until it goes wrong. I uh, I want to defect."

"Defect?" She laughs. "Shouldn't you have brought a poison tipped umbrella, McShell? We're not at war here, at least not with each other."

"That's what you think. I've brought something better than a poison tipped umbrella; I've brought information. Here, in my backpack-all of my research, everything. And I've managed to swipe two-way headsets for you."

He unzips his backpack and pulls two out, handing one to me and the other to the Major. He's wearing one himself, I now notice.

"I'm impressed. Thank you, Chris," I say, giving him a thankful smile while the Major nods.

"Solid piece of kit. I still don't see why you think there's a need to defect."

"We'll need to talk in private. Mostly amounts to... Dunbar numbers," He replies. There's a nervous flicker in his eyes, and I tip my head to the side, interested. I would like to know just what made Abel and New Canton hate each other. I remember the little story Sam told me about some people sassing the Major, but this seems to be going into much more detail.

I'm interested, especially since New Canton people seem to be a bunch of jerks.

How did Archie live with these people? She was always so nice....

My eyes go wide.

Is always so nice.

She's still alive here.

I gasp at that realization, my heart clenching.

"Rings a faint bell-Dunbar numbers," Major De Santa says. "Something about group sizes."

"I'll tell you about it later. We have to go. They will be coming after me."

Suddenly static comes through my headset, and I can hear a scream of terror, and what sounds like fists beating on metal. I flinch.

What the hell?

"Help! Can anyone hear me? Anyone? I'm stuck inside this van! There are zombies all around! I think they're going to get in! Please! Please! Anyone! Help me, please!"

I gasp. I know that voice! I know that voice!

"I heard about New Canton. Used the last of the petrol to head down here... only for my van to break down in the middle of a horde of zoms."

That's Nadia.

"Major, did you hear that?" I ask, panicked. "Did you hear that woman?"

"Yes, I did." She taps the mic of her headset. "Is this working? Can you hear us, Yao?"

"Yes!" He shouts with joy, and I know I would smile if I hadn't just heard Nadia screaming in fear. "Yes, I can hear you! It's working! Oh, you sound great... I-I mean, you sound great, Sir-Ma'am."

She rolls her eyes. "Don't get your knickers in a twist, Yao. Tell us about that transmission."

"Well, it's a woman-"

"Yeah, we kinda figured that one out ourselves, Sam," I snap, ignoring the surprised look I get from the Major, mostly because Sam hasn't actually said his name was Sam. Like Chris, so far the Major and I were only given his last name... Oops. "Where is she?"

"Uh, uh, she-she's about two miles from your position," He stammers. "New Canton is saying you need to send your parties away to Abel, and then you and Major De Santa are to divert to pick her up."

"Done."

"Hold up there, Ellis," The Major says, giving me a pointed look. "Number of zombies surrounding the vehicle?"

"Um, about thirty, Ma'am," He answers.

"That's too many," Chris says. "Critical mass. Their moans will attract more."

She nods. "Tell New Canton we can't do it."

Sam audibly gulps. "I... They're-they're saying it's an order."

"Afraid we aren't accepting their orders anymore. McShell here is rather persuasive on the subject of Dunbar numbers."

I look at Chris expectantly, more than slightly agitated at the fact that he's okay with leaving Nadia to die in that van.

"It's just that um, you have to work in groups small enough to trust each other-to know each other. You have to be able to look into someone's eyes and know they'd tell you if they'd been bitten. That's the only way we're going to get through this."

"How big's a small group?" Sam asks.

"About 150. New Canton's too big. They've already had outbreaks there-people lying about being bitten." He sighs. "They insist on this weird form of Democracy. That's not what we need right now. There's no real authority there. It's-It's going to... I can't see how it won't get worse."

"Please!" Nadia cries. "Help me! Someone, please!"

"Can't save everyone-" The Major starts.

I look at her desperately. "Major, please, We can't just leave an innocent woman to die."

She looks surprised at my outburst. I'm guessing Ellis has never been one to argue. "We cannot do it. Don't argue with me on this, Sargent."

"We can. A life is still a life. If we don't get those zombies away, they'll tear through the metal and eat her alive. We've already lost enough lives today. The least we can do is save her."

Her face hardens, her eyes boring into my soul. "I don't know what's gotten into you, Ellis, but just like New Canton, you need to learn that not everyone can be saved."

"If you don't want to go save her, fine, but that doesn't mean I won't. Sam, where exactly is she? I'll go there, lead the zoms away from the van so she can escape and find shelter at either New Canton or Abel."

"You will do no such thing," The Major snaps. "You will stay here with the group. That's an order."

My jaw clenches. I want to tell her her orders can suck my big toe; I want to tell her she can take that order and shove it up her ass. What gives her the right to choose who lives and who dies?  What gives her the right to choose who is important enough to live and who isn't?

"No one was going to rescue me, were they? It would be suicide to try. Didn't stop Lem."

My eyes widen. Lem. Of course. Lem saved her. Lem-a New Canton runner-saved her when Abel wouldn't.

Well, know I understand why she hated us so much-why she hated me so much.

"Yes, Ma'am," I answer angrily.

"Good. Now, there's a small pack approaching from the northwest. Everyone, move."

"Um, Major, Sargent Ellis," Chris says nervously. "Could we run ahead of the group? There's something I need to tell you. It's about why so many zombies were drawn to this area."

•

The Major hums, and I rub my temples in annoyance. "I see. That's why we were attacked."

Chris nods. "Yes-well, some of it."

"This is ears only, Ellis. Not to be spread around, not to a single soul. Wouldn't do for morale."

Neither is leaving someone for dead, but you didn't mind doing that.

"It's very interesting research really," He says, sounding almost like an excited child. "I mean, scientifically. I've been experimenting with various chemicals. Today was just a-a bucket of warm blood and a fan to direct the scent."

"Certainly attracted a large zombie crowd."

"I wouldn't have done it I thought there'd be any danger of the transport breaking down there," He says quickly, and I can't help but wonder how someone so smart could not think of all the options. This guy's I.Q. is at Einstein level. How did he not think of that possibility?

"You're still welcome at Abel."

"Actually, I have a question about Abel." Chris rubs the back of his neck sheepishly. "I mean, it's a bit embarrassing really."

"Spit it out," She says impatiently.

"I know it sounds crazy. A few weeks ago, I met someone in New Canton-a woman. She just went by Diana. She said she'd heard a rumor of some kind of underground military laboratory in the area and did I know where it was, and I said no, obviously... But then I started to think about Abel's position-high on a hill, easy to defend, but conspicuous. That concrete bunker, there'd be room in that hill for miles of tunnels."

"Nonsense. There's no such place."

He nods, looking like he wants to smack himself. "Right."

My heart jumps in my chest. She was there. Diana was in New Canton before I even arrived in England. She's been looking... she's been looking for the underground labs in Abel, just like Van Ark was.

Is that why she took our people? Because she thought they would know how to get in the labs? That... it makes sense.

It actually makes sense.

I want to tell them. Oh, I want to so badly, but I can't. I don't even know how that would work, or what the consequences might be. I mean, I nearly died because I tried to avoid following through with a dream I had. Changing the course of time... what if because of me saying something, I'm not chosen for Project Greenshoot in the first place?

What if I say something and never come to Abel?

I shudder at the thought of staying in Mullins-never meeting Sam, or Milo or Willis or Penelope. Never knowing Archie or Sarah or Janine, even Simon.

God, that would be terrible.

So I keep my mouth shut. It's best that way. My mouth always seems to get me into trouble anyway.

"Bobby, can you like, raise the gates?" Sam questions, and I grin. This is the first time he's ever said that. He sounds so nervous. It's cute. "Thank you!"

"All of you, into quarantine," The Major commands as we all head inside the township. "You'll spend a night and day in that fenced area. If you don't turn, we'll have you in. And if you stay, you'll have to earn your keep."

"That's a bit rough, isn't it?" He questions. "They've just been rescued."

"Ever read the Bible, Mr. Yao?"

"Some, yeah. Not so much anymore."

"I grew up Presbyterian. Had to learn large parts by heart. Cain and Abel, for example. Take them-brothers. Cain killed Abel. Do you know why Cain hated Abel, Mr. Yao?"

"I do," I say quickly, but am ignored.

"It's uh, been a while," He murmurs.

"It's because of sacrifice," She explains. "They both made sacrifices to God. One sacrificed meat, the other vegetables, and their vengeful God only liked one of the offerings. Abel was the meat eater; He sacrificed the lambs. They were worth more. Abel was the one who understood sacrifices have to be made."

"He understood blood has to be shed for our wrongdoings," I murmur.

"Yes. Sacrifices have to be made, perhaps more than we wish to give. We have to give up things we think we cannot give."

"Like New Canton?" Sam questions.

"The war is going to continue, even in their projections. We're going to have to be willing to lose everything, Yao. We want to survive, so we'll have to make large sacrifices."

"That's... cheerful."

"Staying alive isn't always cheerful," I say, although really it doesn't feel as if I'm the one talking. It feels more like Ellis. "Our God is a merciful one, but that doesn't mean He'll let us get away with our sin. This is our punishment. This is the wrath of God, and we can only pray that He'll be kind enough to let us live through it."

The ground disappears from beneath my feet, and as I fall, nausea hits me like a truck. It's worse than before, so much worse. My hands reach forward, grabbing onto something to keep me from slamming into the ground.

"She was always a bit like that-the Major, and Ellis. They were like, good at their jobs and focused, but serious," Sam says, not noticing that I've come to a stop. I can barely see straight, so attempting to jog or run would be nearly impossible. "Anyway, things kind of went from bad to worse from there. We stopped obeying New Canton's instructions. The Major tried to explain the Dunbar numbers to them, but it didn't help.

"They stopped helping us. We stopped helping them. There was a whole thing where a bunch of their radio operators went gray because they let someone in without proper quarantine procedures. And they thought we'd somehow nicked Chris McShell, like we'd made him come on purpose. They were convinced we were playing something." He scoffs. "Not like there's much time to play in a zombie apocalypse, you know."

"Yeah, but everything's better now. We're all friends, or at least we act like we are," I say, feeling so happy to hear my own American accent again. Although I notice the drowsiness in it. Sam does as well.

"Are you alright, Five? You don't sound very... well, you don't sound great."

"I'm fine. I'm fine. I'm just-" I pause to cough, and suddenly I notice how my mouth tastes like metal. I look down at my hand that I coughed in, and gasp.

Blood. My hand is covered in blood.

"Oh, my God," Sam murmurs, seeing my bloody hand through my head cam. "Five, what's going on? What did you do?"

"I don't know. I don't-oh, God." I reach up, my blood sticking into my hair as I clutch my pounding head. I try to breath in a deep breath, but I nearly choke as liquid goes straight up my nose. Looks like that's bleeding again as well.

I'm so dizzy, and tired.

Sam freaks when I tell him that.

"Don't you dare go to sleep on me," He says in panic. "I'm going to contact Nadia and Veronica. I don't know what's going on, but I know you'd say if you'd been bitten, so it's not that. Um, did you-did you prick yourself on any thorns or anything while running?"

"I don't... I don't know," I say, sitting down. I wince at the pain in my head.

"No, Five, get up. Five? Get up, Five, right-right now. You have to stay awake, please," He begs, but it's so hard to keep my eyes open. It hurts so bad. I just want to sleep the pain away. "Veronica? Veronica, come in, please."

"What is it, Sam?" She answers over comes. Her voice sounds so... far away. It's like it's fading. I close my eyes.

"You need to come get Five. Something's wrong with her. She's coughing up blood and I'm really worried, and... Five? Five, can you hear me? Say something, Five, anything, please.... Five? Five..."

A/N: Here you go! Hoped you all enjoyed this chapter. Please be sure to vote and comment. Thank you and have a blessed day!