Chapter 42: Blue

"Oh, there you are, Five. Time to head out of Abel," Sam says, and I rub my eyes in annoyance. "Yeah, sorry for the early wake up call, but you'll never guess what happened."

"It's too early for me to be guessing right now," I reply in a groggy voice. I turn to Paula, an eyebrow raised. "What happened?"

"The seeds Veronica McShell gave you at the Treetop labs have finally sprouted. Cameras of the planting grounds seem to show they've grown up overnight."

"Yeah," Sam says. "It's freaky, but good. Freaky and good, if we can find a way to refine the zombie calming formula. Could come in very handy now that we know where the Comansys ship is. Hands up for who doesn't think Comansys will have a whole army of mind controlled zombies guarding our people."

I hear the door to the coms shack suddenly swing open.

"I'm so sorry I'm late!"

"Ah... Dr. Lobatse." There's bitterness on his tongue, seeping into his words. "Didn't think you were joining us today."

I purse my lips. I don't like his tone of voice very much.

"I'm so, so sorry," She says again. "I didn't realize the flowers had germinated."

"Yeah, don't worry about that. It's so early, we didn't want to wake you up."

"Nonsense," She scoffs. "Of course, you must wake me up when there are important experiments to conduct-experiments that may lead to the rescue of Dr. Meyers and Mr. Shelly. I wouldn't want you to think this didn't matter to me."

"No, wouldn't want that," He murmurs, and I growl warningly.

You're walking on thin ice, Sam.

'You promised me,' I tap out on my mic.

He sighs. "Yes, yes. I know."

"Sam, we'd better set out for the flower patch," Paula says. "Who knows what effect daylight will have on them?"

"Yeah. Uh, raise the gates."

The alarms go off as the gates go up. There's no need for any bullets to fly this morning, since there are no zombies around the township. Lucky for me, I guess. I feel completely drained this morning, and the sound of gunshots and growls would only put a bigger damper on my day.

With the nightmares I keep having, I'm not surprised I feel so tired. They've been happening a lot lately-nightmares, voices in my head, flashbacks. Just last night, I had a dream about Sarah, and the night before that, I dreamt about Archie-when me and Jaime had to go rescue her... and we failed. I haven't thought about Archie in weeks. I haven't... heard her in weeks.

I thought I might actually be getting past all this, but now I'm not so sure. These nightmares, along with the weird vision I had a few days ago, make me wonder if this is all somehow connected.

Not Archie-no, she was innocent, good. She was only an access point to the memory. I miss her. I miss Sarah. They both have something in common-Van Ark killed them both. Those blue plants, the formula I think that unknown lady was yelling at me to put on-it belonged to Comansys first, before the Treetop Base was created.

So... what if Van Ark and Comansys are somehow connected? I mean, he was certain the apocalypse was the company's fault, but why? There has to be a reason. The man was crazy, no doubt, but that doesn't mean he just threw out accusations on a whim, or a guess.

There's a reason. Now if only I could figure it out.

Although, I suppose right now I should be thinking about these plants. I don't seem to want to put any of it on in my vision, but there must be a reason on it. There were some Comansys notes saying a sort of warning on it, but I can't remember exactly why. But, I at least know we'll be able to get something from the plants and use it. That's progress, I believe.

I snap out my thoughts just long enough to hear Sam and Paula talking to each other. I think they're taking about Demons and Darkness. They really do like that game, and Sam always seems to convince me to play it with them on Friday nights. I never really pay attention though. I'm more of a board game person. Monopoly and Sorry and Chutes and Ladders-that's my type of fun.

"And like that, it explodes completely out of nowhere," Paula says, and I raise a brow curiously.

"Oh, no. That's horrible," Sam says. "Uh, guys, turn left past the playground. Uh, any sign of zom activity?"

"Not a sausage. So, there's blood and guts everywhere-the walls, the ceiling, and we're covered head to toe, but Maxine-she just looks up from the goat demon entrails with that expression of hers."

"Oh, yeah. That 'I'm a serious doctor' face where she pinches her lips together?"

"Right, and she wipes it off her face, deadly serious, raises her staff and says, 'We have to go to the upper realms.'

Both of them burst out laughing at that, but I'm left in the dark, totally confused. That's another reason I never got into the game: it's so complicated. I can't understand how you can have fun when there's so many rules.

"Goodness gracious," Kefilwe gasps. "That seems like a very serious matter."

"It's a-it's a game," Sam says after his laughter has died down. "Oh, God. I hate that module so much."

Paula nods. "I know. It's Demons and Darkness, not bloody Kafka."

"What?" I question, but I'm ignored.

"All those creatures with like, seven wings and diamond tails and eighty billion life points, and you can't beat them." He scoffs. "Everything just ends in a draw after you've used up your last potion."

"Did she make you do the storyline with the giant wolf?"

"God, that wolf. Why does a wolf even need a giant, cursed ruby?"

"This sounds like a very silly game," Kefilwe states, and I can't help but find myself agreeing. But Paula shakes her head.

"No, actually it needed the ruby to open a portal to the human world." She pauses. "Did you not get that far?"

"Um, we were up to the bit with that waterfall that shows random bubblements of flashbacks from everyone's childhood," Sam answers. "Yours was really creepy, Five."

I nod, actually remembering what happened that night. "Yeah, I had nightmares for weeks. I had to keep telling myself it was dumb because I already knew that, you know, I had a pretty good childhood before the apocalypse began."

"You've told me at least nine stories of you nearly dying that say otherwise."

I half-shrug. "Eh. Live and learn."

"Anyway, we'd got that far, then Maxine sort of got... distracted with that whole zombie killing spray thing."

"Oh." Paula bites the inside of her cheek. "Sorry for the spoiler."

"Hey. Come on," He says cheerily. "We've heard her voice now. We'll get her back soon, and when we do, she's gonna make you help us finish up that campaign. After, you know, we foil that attack on Abel she was talking about."

"Just a few more minutes 'til we get to the flower patch, right?" I ask. I don't want to talk about the attack, mostly because I haven't been able to see anything on it. I've had no dreams of it, unfortunately. That's the one thing I wish I knew about, more than anything, and yet I get nothing.

It's odd. I just get small little pieces of the puzzle, but not enough to make a picture. I don't know what more I can do, but I have to keep Abel safe.

"Do you think... do you think you could play that recording of her voice one more time?" Paula stammers.

"Yeah. Yeah, of course." There's the 'click' sound when he presses the button.

"I have to talk to her! You have to let me warn her that they're targeting Abel!" Maxine yells.

"Play that again," I request.

"I have to talk to her! You have to let me warn her that they're targeting Abel!"

I let out a small whine at hearing her voice, my chest suddenly feeling tight. Something just... I don't like this. Maxine said 'they're', not 'you're'.

That means Comansys isn't targeting Abel.

So if they aren't going to attack the township, then who is?

I mean, Van Ark is dead, and those who worked for him are either dead, now the walking dead, or scattered off in hiding. None of them are smart enough to try and hurt Abel after I gave their boss a little gift-that gift being a rocket launcher to the face.

So what enemy could we possibly have that's terrifying enough that Maxine would fight and try to warn Amelia over the Comansys radio?

I mean, we're no longer enemies with New Canton. I think Janine's had to restrain herself from strangling Jonathan and Bernard from the P.A.C. over their last few conversations, but they wouldn't plan an attack on us. And, well, like I said before, Van Ark is dead and gone. So what other enemy do we have besides Comansys and the walking dead?

I'll need to think about that, possibly bring it up to Janine. Later though. The poor woman already has enough on her plate. Even now, she's still trying to pull the town back together after all the damage Amelia caused, and she's trying to work out a plan to save our people, and she has to worry about an attack on the township as well.

We're lucky she's the leader. I'm sure anyone else would've cracked under the pressure. I know I would've.

"We're nearly there, Sam," Paula says. She wipes away the sweat on her forehead. "Why didn't they put the flower patch closer to Abel?"

"They need the right trees to grow under," Kefilwe answers quickly, "to be in sight of the cameras, but not to be on New Canton's favorite running routes, and also, of course, out of Deadlock territory. We know the thorns can be dangerous so we brought them away."

Paula rolls her eyes, while mine narrow at her in annoyance at her disrespect. "I was just having a moan. I have actually been here before-good God!"

My gaze snaps ahead, and I gasp at the sight where the seeds were planted. The plants haven't just sprouted. They've grown up nearly three feet tall!

"What the hell?" I murmur, eyes so wide they look like they just might pop out of my head.

"Do you see that amongst the leaves?" Kefilwe points out, and when I look, I see pretty blue flowers.

Paula grabs my arm and pulls me back a bit. "Watch out, Five. We've got company."

I look up, and my eyebrows raise in surprise at the sight of a zombie standing around near the fence that guards the flowers. I hadn't even noticed it until she pointed it out to me.

The zom lets out a low moan, but it doesn't sound hostile, more like... maybe slightly agitated? Annoyed, but not really angry.

"How interesting. I've heard of the calming effect of the flowers, but to actually see it..." Kefilwe's voice trails off in her amazement. "That zombie is displaying no interest in you at all, and listen to the tone of those moans. Do you then it's attempting to communicate?"

"That's a... theory," Sam replies, and I purse my lips, trying to figure out whether his tone is mocking or neutral. "Paula, I'm gonna have Runner Five draw the zom off."

The redhead scoffs. "Right, like this zombie is a danger to us. Look at its diamond shaped tail. Ha."

He forces out a nervous laugh. "Yeah. Yeah, but if the zombie's moans start attracting any zoms that have not been exposed to the calming effect, it could get dicey. And before Five asks why she can't just kill it-yeah, I see you reaching back to grab that axe-we don't want any corpses lying around since it could mess with the plants. I mean, you never know."

My hands drop back down to my sides. "Fine."

"Anyway, you don't need to get near the flowers to inspect them. Runner Sixteen and Seventeen built that observation platform so you can take a look at them from up there. Might as well water them while you're at it. Uh, Runner Five, you've got your noisemaker, right?"

I sigh and pull said object out of my backpack. "Unfortunately."

"What? Those repetitive beeping sounds aren't your cup of tea?"

"You're trying to be funny now, aren't you?"

"Me? Never."

I scoff, trying to keep from smiling as I turn on the noisemaker. "And you say I'm terrible with sarcasm."

"You are. And great stuff. You've already caught that zom's attention. Paula, good to go?"

"I'll be up top if you need me," She answers. "Five, give it a good run."

"When do I not?" I grin, sprinting off, the doped up zombie starts stumbling after me. It doesn't seem all that intent of catching me, more like, mildly interested. Still, if I can pull it away from the plants, then we'll be fine. Well, Paula will be. I'll still be running from this zombie and... the two that seemed to have heard the first one's moaning.

No problem. I have my axe. Once Sam gives me the okay that I'm a good ways away from the flower patch, I can kill them and head back to Paula. Easy enough, I should guess.

A faint laugh leaves my mouth. It's funny how leading the undead away from someone and then killing them is what I consider 'easy enough' now. When I was little, easy enough was gathering up the trash upstairs while Katelyn gathered it downstairs, and my dad would take it outside. Or me loading the dishwasher or putting up the laundry after my mom folded it.

I miss that... I miss them, even Katelyn sometimes.

I blink, snapping myself out of my thoughts and into reality. I can miss them later. I don't have time to worry about that now. Even with this being a fairly easy task, I can't allow myself to get distracted. That's how people get killed.

And I can't die just yet.

Another three zombies have joined the group, and I hum in discomfort. Six against one is a bit much for me to try to take on by myself. With them all grouped together, I won't have time to take them all down. I might have to just try to outrun them, which won't be all that hard. Too bad. I was actually looking forward to putting them out of their misery.

"Nice work, Runner Five," Sam says. "Looks like you've picked up all the other zoms loitering about. Well, I think the last two about are shuffling towards you and... yeah, they're joining with the group chasing you. They're only shamblers, so you should be able to ditch them no problem once you turn off your noisemaker."

"Are you telling me I can turn it off?"

"Be my guest."

I sigh with relief once the noise stops, and I shove the thing into my backpack. "Finally. How's it going with the plants?"

"The plants in the far corner are losing their leaves. I think they're getting too much direct sunlight," Paula answers, and I hear a loud creaking noise. That sound is what stops me from asking how these plants get too much sunlight when it's November, in England. "See how the branches aren't as close together?"

"Oh, Runner Twenty-three, I don't think that platform's stable," Kefilwe says, worry in her voice. "Maybe you should finish your work on the ground."

"I'm almost done here."

"Look at the way those boards are wobbling. It isn't safe."

"All I have to do is sprinkle some water. I'll be done in no time," She argues. "Whoa, nearly dropped the whole bag."

"Sam, I'm really worried about that platform."

Paula lets out an annoyed sigh. "There's nothing to worry about. It's f-ah!"

There's a loud crash-boards splintering, wood cracking, and my eyes go wide. "What just happened?"

"The platform's collapses," Kefilwe replies.

"Paula!" Sam yells. "Crap. Runner Five, get back to the plants now. You have to get her out of there."

•

"Ow!" Paula shouts as she stumbles around the plants.

"Paula. Paula, are you alright?" Sam asks.

"Sorry, Sam, I can't seem to get these thorns unstuck from my skin."

She's stumbling around, picking and pulling at the thorns like she's drunk or something. She looks absolutely delirious with her hair sticking up everywhere, cuts and scrapes covering her arms and legs and face.

"Never mind that. Get out of the flowerbed as fast as you can. Don't worry if you uproot a few of the plants. Runner Five, there's a gate at the end of the fence. Open it up, but don't go in. The scientists at Veronica's base kept clear of those plants for a reason."

Paula laughs as she stumbles towards me, and I quickly open the gate and hold out my hand to grab ahold of her.

"There isn't anything to worry about. I feel fine, Sam." She takes my arm and smiles widely. It's too happy of a smile for someone who has that many thorns in her skin. "Thank you, Runner Five. There's barely a scratch on me. Well, actually, there are lots of scratches. Those thorns aren't messing around, but I'm not hurt."

"Well, that's good," I say, "but we probably don't want any zoms smelling the..." I trail off she lets go of my arm and starts wondering off. "Uh... where are you going?"

"Hmm? Oh, just running it off."

"Yeah, but I think Runner Five is asking why you're running in the opposite direction of the township," Sam says.

"I think we should bring her back to Abel for a checkup," Kefilwe states as I run after her. I see Paula's face darken.

"You think it's that easy to replace her, don't you?" She spats. "As if you'll ever be half as good a doctor as Maxine."

"Paula," Sam scolds.

"Janine's making us be friendly to you. Don't you know that. 'Either play nice or it's nothing but spam rations for the next month.' That's what she's threatened us with. Neither of us can stand you. Sam told you this mission was happening two hours later so you'd miss it. Why can't you get the hint we don't want you around?"

What?

I freeze where I stand, hands balling up into fists. "You didn't."

"Well-"

"Sam, tell me you didn't."

"Th-that's not.... I-I mean, she's just... um, it's just, people get used to working together and-and..." He trails off, and I grit my teeth together, feeling my blood begin to boil under my skin. "Paula, are you sure you're feeling alright?"

"Never better," She says, just as she runs into the fence, toppling over into the plants again. "Ow!"

Oh, my God.

"Oh, God. Can you get her on her feet? We need to get her back her as quickly as possible. Plus, those shamblers are starting to look interested."

I don't say anything to him as I march around to the gate, going inside and grabbing Paula. I make sure I don't touch any of the flowers or get any of Paula's blood on me as I drag her out, my grip on her wrist just a little too tight.

My eyes look straight ahead, my mind screaming in fury and rage. He promised! He promised me he'd be nicer to her and then he lies on when an important mission is supposed to start! He lied to Kefilwe! He lied to me.

Looks like he doesn't care about you as much as you thought, The little voice in my head taunts.

My jaw is clenched so hard it's beginning to ache, and my throat burns. God, I want to strangle Sam right now. How could he? He promised me! I trusted him that he would keep his promise and he lied! I wasn't asking much. How hard is it to be nice to someone?

Especially when that someone is a genuinely good person and has done nothing wrong towards you?

I keep pulling Paula along, trying my best to go at a decent speed. We can basically out-walk the shamblers, but we need to get her back into her right mind. Those plants obviously did something to her.

Although, when she is brought back to normal, I'm going to punch her in her stupid face (with gloves on so I don't get any of her blood on me) for saying such mean things to Kefilwe-someone who has done nothing wrong towards her!

"I can feel my fingers," The redhead giggles. "All ten of them."

"I bet you can," Sam says.

"You always know what to say, don't you, Sam? Unlike Dr. 'I'm always sticking my nose into where it's not wanted' Lobatse."

Don't punch her. Don't punch her. Don't punch her, I remind myself. I'll turn in seconds if a drop of her blood touches my skin.

"So, it appears the plants' toxins have similar disinhibiting effects on humans and zombies, though I worry," Kefilwe says, seemingly unaffected by Paula's nasty words. Or at least, that's the front she's putting up. "In the undead, the risk of permanent neurological damage is not a concern, but it is a significant possibility in humans."

"I feel..." Paula hums. "It reminds me of the time I decided to swap out Maxine's... what's the stuff? CeretinPlus? That focus-your-brain energy drink. She used to chug it down during her residency. Oh, you'd think I'd remember."

"You mean this might be permanent?" Sam asks in horror.

"I replaced it with Irn Bru. Siphoned it into the bottles. Found my poor girl trying to do her laundry in the dishwasher three hours later." She snorts. "Turns out it wasn't just the placebo effect."

"It might be permanent, unless we treat her now," She answers.

"No, uh, yeah... Permanent brain damage doesn't work for me. What's our other option?" Sam questions.

"I could think of a few options," Paula says, but I shake my head.

"No, don't. Hey, look, a tree. Look at the nice tree," I say, surprised that actually grasps her attention for a few moments.

"You're such a sweet girl. You always seem to find beauty in the small things, Five. I think that's why Sam likes you so much."

Well, he won't like me much after I give him a peace of my mind.

"New Canton has stores of poison controls. If she's injected with those while they clean her blood during plasmapheresis, we must hope it will counteract the effect," Kefilwe suggests.

"Right. Raise the gates!"

"What are you doing?"

"Runner Five, head for New Canton with Paula on the double. I'll meet you on the way there. Paula, I'm coming to you. Be quick, Five. We have to get that treatment for her now."

"I know that," I snap. "I'm not an idiot, even though you've certainly made me feel like one."

I mutter out the second part of that sentence.

"What?"

"Nothing. Just get out here, and hurry. The quicker you get here, the less I have to think about you coming, so I won't be as inclined to kick you in the throat when you meet up with us."

I receive no answer, and I can only guess that's because he left the shack already and didn't bother to grab a headset. Good. If he had grabbed one, I'd yell at him until he got here, then I'd yell at him after that too.

I want to scream. I want to yell and break things and generally throw a tantrum, because he promised. It was a simple task-just be nice.

But he couldn't do that. He couldn't do that for me.

I think that hurts more than the fact that he was mean to Kefilwe. It's selfish, but it's true. It hurts more that he broke his promise to me, than that fact that he hurt my friend.

I grab at my backpack strap, angry-furious. I'm sure there's steam puffing out from my ears. My blood burns, my veins feel like they're on fire. I'm so angry it literally hurts. I hurt. Every part of me is hot, burning with rage.

I can't believe he did this to her-to me. I can't believe they did this to her.

To me.

"You're going to be okay, Paula," Kefilwe says assuringly. "New Canton is waiting to treat you, and Sam's on his way."

She rolls her eyes, making my anger spike. "Trying too hard."

"I'm sorry," She says, and my teeth grind together.

You have nothing to be sorry for!

"Ugh," Paula groans, but then a small smile spreads across her face. "Oh, it's sweet of Sam to come all the way out here, isn't it? He and Maxine are so alike in someways-sense of humor, loyalty, those gorgeous smiles. I see why you're in love with him."

"I'm feeling a lot of things for Sam right now, but love definitely isn't one of them," I say through clenched teeth.

"You say that, but I can see it. You'll never stop caring for him."

I look ahead, ignoring those words while telling myself my face is hot only because I'm angry.

"Paula, Runner Five," Kefilwe says, and the redhead rolls her eyes again.

"Oh, good. Here we go again."

She ignores her. "You've picked up a pair of zombies. Five, you have to keep Paula moving. If you waste time hiding, you risk her brain."

•

"Hey, Paula! Five! Over here! Over here!"

The frown on my face deepens when I spot Sam raising his hands up, waving over toward us. He's actually wearing a headset, I see. I wonder how much he heard of my conversation with Paula. I guess I'll find out later.

For now I just scowl, and he sees it. But he doesn't keep his eyes on me for long. Whether it's concern for Paula or fear that my stare might kill him is a toss up question.

"Sam, there are still zombies headed towards the three of you," Kefilwe says.

"How far out?"

"About a mile. They've made good time."

"Wow. Well done, Five," He praises, flinching slightly at the huff/growl that leaves my lips. "Paula, how're you holding up?"

"Sam!" She exclaims happily. "I think I might understand what the Demons and Darkness writers were getting with the giant wolf, symbolically speaking."

He laughs halfheartedly. "Wow, you'd better come out of this alright, because I never wanna let you live this down."

"The wolf is a symbol for how he won't let anyone in, and the ruby is the heart-the open heart, the way you feel inside. Reminds you of someone, doesn't it?" She asks, but doesn't give either of us time to answer. "Do you know that song? 'A woman of worth, her price is above rubies?'"

"Uh, yeah. Why don't you come run with me for a little while instead of Runner Five?" He extends his arm out to her, and she takes a few steps toward him, putting her arm around his shoulders in effort to stay upright.

"You really are a sweetheart," She says. "I'm sure Five will forgive you in no time. She acts like she's so angry, but we all know she can't stay mad at you."

He looks up at me, wincing at the glare I give him. "Five-"

"Save it. Just-just get Paula out of here. Get her to New Canton. We'll... we'll talk some other time, when you radio in to tell us her prognosis or something. I'll run back towards Abel. It should lead the zombies off your tail."

"Right." He starts leading Paula away, and I turn and start heading back towards Abel. "I've got you. We're gonna be fine. I'm gonna switch over to New Canton coms."

There's a soft click, signifying he's done just that.

"I wonder..." Kefilwe hums. "Runner Five, Do you think Sam understands what Paula was saying to him? Or that he'll allow himself to believe it? Do you think he realizes how much his face shows his own feelings?"

"I don't know, and honestly, right now, I don't care. I just... I just want to come home."

"I know you do. There are some zombies following you, but the snipers should be able to deal with them when you get close enough to the township. It's time to come home, Five."

A/N: Here you go, guys! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. So, what do you think of Paula and Sam now? Do you think Runner Five has a right to be angry? Tell me in the comments, and don't forget to vote! Thank you and have a blessed day!