After Hugo had left, Carmen leaned against a tree and faced Chris. “You stay there. Do not try me,” she said to Chris.

“Fine, whatever,” said Chris. He sat and leaned against his own tree.

Jacob sat at the base of another tree and spread out his legs.

“What’s going on with you?” said Jacob. He was looking away from Carmen, observing the pitch black road where Gunman’s body rested.

Carmen furrowed her brow. “What do you mean?” she said.

“You just do what he says? Not even-”

“Again? Really?” Carmen interrupted.

Chris spoke, “He’s got a point you know.” He turned his head to Carmen.

“Shut up,” Carmen snapped back.

Chris shook his head as if to say ‘nevermind’.

“And you,” Carmen turned to Jacob. “You don't get to judge me. You don't get a say.”

“Jeez what is he, like your boyfriend?” said Jacob smugly.

Carmen raised her gun at Jacob.

“Oh yeah, go ahead. You’re the one he trusts, right?” Jacob continued. “Oh I know, it’s because he got you out of Six Flags. I know what they did to you in there.”

Carmen’s eyes narrowed at the memory of Six Flags. Her lip curled into a disgusted frown.

“So all I gotta do is save you, then you’re all mine,” said Jacob, looking up at Carmen.

Carmen stepped forward and swung her right foot at Jacob’s face. He moved his arms in defense and the foot hit his right humerus.

“Ah!” Jacob yelled. He held the arm in pain. Carmen put her foot on Jacob’s shoulder and pushed him to the ground. “Nrgh!” he said through the pain. He looked up at Carmen and she punched him across the face. THUMP went Jacob’s head against the dirt. Three more times she bashed Jacob’s face. THUMP THUMP THUMP. He was motionless, but breathing.

Chris watched and a smile crept on his face. “Alright, Carmen!” he praised.

Carmen jerked her head at Chris. Strands of her hair fell over her face, and her eyes glowed scarlet with the light from the fire. She breathed like a hungry beast, who had just had her first kill.

She got up and walked over to Chris. He shivered as Carmen towered over him. She swung her fist, knocking Chris to the ground. “Lady! Stop!”

THWAK THUNK WAM

Chris was alive but motionless.

Carmen stood up again. She turned around to see Lila still sleeping in the middle of the road. Carmen took the dry clothes from Mordecai, Genesis and Gunman’s bodies and placed them on a nearby patch of dirt, where she then placed Lila and covered her with a couple shirts.

Carmen stepped closer to the fire, where the warmth engulfed her body. The roaring crackles drowned out her violent sobs.

—

Hugo glared at the judge through his eyebrows. Through his teeth he said, “fine.”

The judge smiled, “Very well,” she said. She looked to some officers beside her, “Give him a suit and an extra for Chris.”

Some of the officers started walking to Hugo. Hugo reached for his knife but realized it was gone. He quickly glanced around and saw it was in the hands of one of the camouflaged people. They swung it around their finger like it was theirs.

Hugo exhaled through his nose and kept his mouth shut. The officers came up behind him. They grabbed his wrists and handcuffed him. He was walked out of the building to a nearby bench outside of the courthouse. Two officers stood to his left and right while the rest went to fetch the suits.

The sun began shining brightly through the trees. Hugo enjoyed the smell of fresh air and in the distance he could see kids playing in a patch of grass.

‘Lila would love it here’ Hugo thought.

He waited in silence for the suits to come. Squirrels would scamper by, and birds chirped even more vibrantly than before the outbreak.

When the suits came, Hugo was escorted to the fires where they helped him put on the suit and watched as he walked up the mountain and into the flames.

This time, the heat wasn't as bad, and Hugo trusted that they put on his suit properly. Over the hills and rocks, Hugo kept onward. He kept his breath in check, as to not make the same mistakes as before.

—

Carmen had been watching Chris all night, taking shifts. Lila was still asleep on a patch of soft grass within view.

Chris was still on the ground, his face was bruised severely. Jacob was in a similar condition.

Carmen struggled to keep her eyes open as her eyelids got heavier and heavier. Each blink felt slower and slower until her eyes finally shut.

The crackling roar of the fire filled her ears. Her dreams were visions of fire and warmth.

‘NO!’ she said in her dream.

Carmen awoke, perking up her head at Chris, who was still asleep. She moved her eyes, looking for any danger. As her pupils moved from one sight to another, she caught a glance of a man in the fire, but she drifted to sleep once more.

The fires of her dream were now engulfing a man. She saw the suit in the fire walking towards her, it looked real. The man reached out and grabbed her on the shoulder. Where the hand touched her it grew warmer.

“Carmen?” said the man in the suit.

She was shaken awake and opened her eyes to see the man in the suit, and he was shaking her by her shoulder.

“Ah!” Carmen screamed. She snatched her gun from beside her and BAM right at the chest. They stumbled back, looking down at the hole. After observing it, they looked back at Carmen. She was waiting for them to collapse, still holding the gun pointed straight at them.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“Carmen it’s me! Hugo!” said the suit. They waved their hands and turned around. They pointed toward the zipper, waving at Carmen to help.

“Hugo?” said Carmen.

The suit nodded.

“Hugo!” said Carmen. She got up and helped him get out. The noise woke up Jacob, who then laid there and watched. They unzipped each layer until finally Hugo was out and he was sweating like crazy. He reached back into the suit and felt around for something. After a second, Hugo pulled out one of the layers, revealing a bullet-proof vest.

“Huh, makes sense,” said Hugo. He let go, dropping the suit to the ground. “Any update on Oakhurst?” He looked at Carmen who was staring blankly at the suit. “Carmen?”

“Oh, sorry. No. I dont know what’s happened in Oakhurst. I’ve been here all night,” she answered.

Hugo caught a glimpse of Jacob and his bruised face. “Oh, dam, what happened?” Hugo asked.

Jacob nodded his head to Carmen.

Hugo turned to Carmen, expecting an answer.

“He was getting out of line,” said Carmen coldly.

Hugo nodded to process the comment. He turned his head looking for Chris, who was also awake and was watching them.

“Him too?” Hugo asked.

“Yup,” Carmen answered.

Hugo turned slightly to Carmen, giving her a clear side glance. “Okay. And Lila?”

“Right there,” Carmen pointed past some trees to the patch of dirt. Lila was starting to move around, messing up the clothes that Carmen placed for her.

“Why are there clothes?” Hugo asked. He looked over to the dead bodies and found Mordecai, Genesis and Gunman missing some of their clothes. “Oh…Alright. We got stuff to do, everyone get up.” Hugo waved his arms in an upward position. Jacob and Chris started getting on their feet; they were weak from the beatings. Hugo walked over to Lila.

“Hey, how’d you sleep?” Hugo asked. He kneeled down beside Lila who was rubbing her eyes. They were baggy like usual, but it looked more like she had a deep sleep. Her hair was all over the place as well. “Come on, it’s time to go,” Hugo said. He pulled up Lila by the hand and walked her over to the street.

“What are we doing?” Carmen asked. She had her gun pointed at Chris.

Hugo started walking the group to Oakhurst.

“Well, I found Chris’s people. They want me to bring Chris back so they can kill him…and then kill me,” Hugo said.

“That’s dumb, why didn't they just kill you and send someone else?” said Carmen.

Chris spoke up, “Sending Hugo makes it look like he’s just a crazy murderer. If they send one of their own, people have reason to believe that there’s another side to the fire.”

Hugo and Carmen looked at Chris with a suspicious glare.

“Look, they want me dead and you haven't killed me so it’s worth being honest,” Chris said.

“Sure,” said Hugo.

“But they wouldn't have let you go unless they knew you’d come back…” Chris said.

“They threatened my family,” Hugo answered. He faced forward with a cold stare.

“So…what?” said Chris.

“I’m gonna come back. Not now though. I want what they have but I can't take it alone,” said Hugo.

Carmen, Jacob and Chris slightly looked at Hugo who was walking in the center of them.

“There’s a tunnel that goes under the fire. I’m going to bring all of Oakhurst and we’re going to take the valley,” said Hugo.

Chris chuckled. “Does Oakhurst have that kind of fire power?”

“No,” said Hugo. “But neither do your people,” he said. “They had a gun to my head that turned out to be empty. I also didn't see many guns when I was down there. It’s just tents and some buildings. And obviously you people don't want people to discover your secret so you refrain from loud noises. Guns seem to be a major factor there. We go in guns blazing, your people don't have a chance,” said Hugo to Chris.

Jacob side eyed Carmen and Chris’s amused expression turned to a grim worry.

They approached the gates of Oakhurst to find the fence repaired and bodies stacked along the outside.

“Seems like they survived,” said Hugo.

“Who’s there?” said a sheriff. He came from around a corner and walked to the fence. “You people! Where’s Gunman?” He had his gun in his hand.

“He’s dead,” said Hugo.

Carmen shook the gun in her hand and pointed it to Chris. The sheriff glanced from Carmen’s gun to Hugo.

“So what, you want a reward?” said the sheriff.

“Sir, isn't there a tunnel that goes into the valley?” said Hugo, stepping forward.

“Yeah,” the sheriff answered.

“I found it,” said Hugo.

“What do you mean you found it? It’s in the fire,” the sheriff asked.

“No,” Hugo shook his head, “I found it, and it goes all the way to the Valley.”

“Kid, what am I supposed to do with that information?” the sheriff asked. He put his hands to his sides.

“We can take Yosemite Valley for ourselves, Oakhurst can be safe from the outbreak,” said Hugo, he put his hands on the fence and leaned on it.

“Kid you’re crazy,” the sheriff shook his head and raised his gun at Hugo.

BAM

The sheriff collapsed. His brain matter scattered over the concrete. Hugo looked back to find Carmen pointing the gun where the sheriff used to be. “Thank you,” Hugo said to Carmen. “Alright, climb.”

Jacob’s eyes were wide open, staring at the corpse. The sun glimmered in the freshly spilled blood, “What the hell,” he whispered to himself.

Hugo climbed over the fence. On the other side he took the sheriff’s gun and pointed it ahead of him. The building around them seemed mostly abandoned, the busy streets were a free blocks down.

Carmen helped Lila over the fence and Hugo helped her down. She hid behind Hugo as the rest of them climbed over.

As Chris climbed down, Hugo pointed the gun to Chris’s head and whispered into his ear. “You’re not off the hook yet, I have no reason to keep you alive.”

“That’s fine,” said Chris.

Jacob was the last one over. As he followed the group down the street, he got shivers passing by the sheriff’s corpse.

Hugo continued onward’s until people started to peak from around a building up ahead.

“Freeze!” said another sheriff. He pointed a gun at the group.

BAM

Hugo shot the sheriff from several yards away in the gut. The bullet hit his stomach and the man collapsed. He writhed in pain holding his wound. “Ah!” he screamed. Hugo ran up to him, aiming for his head.

BAM

Fearful screams echoed in the distance.

“Jacob, take his gun,” Hugo said. Jacob took the gun and kept it. He and the group followed Hugo to the main roads, where people were scattering about in fear. The rest of the sheriffs were helping people get to safety.

Hugo climbed onto a fence where he could stand to overlook the crowd. He aimed the gun in the air.

BAM

The crowd went silent and looked to Hugo.

“Everyone! It’s okay! There's something you need to know! I found a way into Yosemite Valley, and we could all live there if we want to!” said Hugo. His voice echoed across Oakhurst.

“Kid, get down from there!” said one of the sheriffs. They stepped forward to Hugo and noticed how Carmen seemed to be holding Chris hostage. “Woah! What’s with you two?” he said, putting his hand on his gun.

“Wait, wait, wait!” said Hugo, waving his hands to the sheriff.

The sheriff took his walkie-talkie and spoke into it, muttering words Hugo couldn't make out. The sheriff waited a second, then spoke into it again. “Alfred? You there?” he asked. When there was no response, his eyes darted to Hugo.

“No, no,” said Hugo to the sheriff.

The sheriff aimed his gun at Hugo, “What happened to Sheriff Alfred?!” he shouted.

“No!” said Hugo.

BAM

Carmen shot the sheriff in the head.

The crowd gasped. Screams ensued and they began to scatter.

“Stop! Don't run!” Hugo said, but his voice was drowned out by the screaming. The citizens started disappearing from Oakhurst. They scattered into the forest, running for their lives.

“No,” Hugo said under his breath, defeatedly. He climbed down from the fence and met with the others. He observed Carmen, Jacob and Chris, and he took Lila by the hand.

“What?” said Jacob, almost annoyed.

Hugo looked to the side, pondering. He turned to Chris. “Are you with us?” Hugo asked.

“Yeah,” Chris answered with a nod.

“Okay. Answer me this, which house do your leaders live in?” Hugo asked.

“Ive never seen it. It's like hidden deep in the forest,” Chris answered.

Hugo scratched his chin, “I have a plan.”