Life is the Apocalypse.

*A Compromise*

Kate finished up Victoria's night binding, then walked over to me.

"Victoria is doing alright,  Chloe, but unless we can get to a pharmacy soon, I'm not going to have the necessary materials to carry on her treatment." She warned me thoughtfully.

"Kate, I'm not sure we can stay here permanently. I haven't even talked to their group leader yet." I explained.

"I know, Chloe, but you have to soon, okay?" She questioned.

"I'll try my best. They could be useful." I told her truthfully. If we are going to get through a zombie apocalypse, we don't need to lie to each other.

"Okay. I'll tell Max. Let me know." With her last sentence, Kate took her leave and sat down against a stub of a dead tree.

I sighed. I wish the apocalypse would never have never happened. To be honest, I still wish dad hadn't died. Of course, that's something everyone who's dad got into a car wreck and died in would say, but still...

It had always been us.

Well, actually, technically, it had always been Max and I. Kate had been a pick-up, and a mistaken one at that.

Don't get me wrong, she's an excellent medical expert. I'm thankful we have her on our team.

But we had met her just before the attack hit at Blackwell.

And guess what we were doing there?

Warning her about the damn zombie apocalypse.

Max and I had always watched movies and shows about zombies,  like The Walking Dead, and Resident Evil. It actually cracked me up, really. She was terrified of sharks, but was always up for a zombie movie.

Thinking about the old days hurt, so... I tried not to think about them most.

Everything had went to hell. And not even in a hand basket.

We had gotten blocked in at Blackwell by Beefers and Bulls.

What's that? Have I not explained those two?

The Beefers' name had actually been given by Kate. They were stronger than the others, and often took role as leader, or second in command, depending on whether or not a Cutter was there. They were another type of zombie who only cared about killing.

As did the Bulls. Crazy from the start, the Bulls wore iron straight jackets, and now will charge anyone, or anything, that moves. They also have great smell and sight, and are crazy as shit. I gave them their nickname. We tried to stay away from them to the best of our abilities.

"Chloe?" Max layed her hand on my shoulder softly. She could always read my emotions, I mean, seven years of friendship would do that to two people.

"What?" I replied in a monotone. I was still partially in deep thought.

"Nathan says that we can stay, since Katie helped Victoria out." She explained. She didn't even look worried.

"Oh, you talked to him? Thanks, Max. That's my job as leader, to be honest. I'm sorry, I was going to do it, I swear, I just got lost in thought." I explained.

"I know, Chloe. I can read your body language, remember?" She said.

"I... thanks, Max." I said, and then, "How come you're never worried? Even when you had that Cutter on top of you, you weren't worried."

Max frowned, and narrowed her eyes softly. She wasn't worried, but she was tired.

She moved her hand off my shoulder gently. "Because I know you'll always get us through it, Chloe," and with her last sentence, she walked away towards Victoria.

Kate was over there, too, so I figured she was explaining the situation to her.

I sat against the stump of an old tree, listening for anything I could hear. Anything important, any hints to life before the apocalypse, etcedera.

Nathan, and the kid that was unknown before, Evan, he called him, were talking about us.

"They can't be trusted," Evan snapped. "They hated us before the outbreak, and now, you're just going to let them stay here and do NOTHING to help?!"

Nathan slowly whiped spit off his face.

"Evan, you better fucking chill. They helped Vic, they're staying. You have a problem with it? Than YOU fucking leave." Nathan whisper-shouted, keeping his voice down low. At least one was smart.

"Shut up, both of you." I snarled. "There's fucking hordes of them out of there, idiots. Remember, we are in a damn apocalypse!?"

"Make me, whore!" Evan lunged at me, but Nathan caught him.

"Best keep your mouth shut, Chloe. We have we no choice but to work together, so just please, use the brain I THINK you have? Please?" Nathan snapped.

I shot daggers at him, though my eyes were barely bright enough to see in the dark of the night.

A hand found its way around my elbow, and it couldn't have been Kate, because I was used to this feeling. It had rooted itself in my brain, to where I'd always remember.

Which means it could only be one person, because she had always been in my life until five years ago.

My junior-high girl crush.

Maxine Caulfield was keeping my anger down, because she knew what'd happen if she didn't.

"Chloe," She whispered soothingly. She rubbed my back with one hand, and cupped my face in her other hand.

"Thanks," I wrapped my arm around her waist. It wasn't intimate, just pulling her into a tight hug. I was so glad to have her.

"Chloe, you're squeezing me too tight," she coughed.

"Sorry," I released her. "I just... I'm glad you're still here."

"Gaywads," Evan scoffed, spitting and walking away in disgust.

"I'm not very fond of him," Max said softly.

"I'm not, either." I agreed.

I glanced out into the open part of the forest, only to see about sixteen pairs of glowing red eyes, and the only thing that had red eyes were...

Zombies!

There were sixteen unidentified zombies just waiting to ambush us.

And we weren't even near prepared for it.