(Unedited) Stage One: Hope in Darkness

Getting out of the City (Annabelle)

The sun was still rising, my watch said it was six am. Early but still it was the best night of sleep I had gotten since the Rippers first showed up. Allen, the crazy trap setting survivalist, walked in front. Leading me through a sewer. We had entered it a couple blocks back, he said it was the safest way through the city. Not sure if I believed him, could be my trust issues talking, or my fear of the dark. Even with flashlights it still seemed like the dark was closing in on us. I hated it down here, even if it had been as bright as daylight down here I would still hate it. The smell alone was enough to make my eyes water. My poor Hannibal must be in hell.

Allen and I had started using sign language ever since we left the tower. Quiet was safer. It had been such a long time since anyone had been able to communicate with me so well, it felt good. He paused at an intersection in the tunnels.

Two blocks left, six blocks right. I nodded in acknowledgement. He started moving again. quicker now than he had been. Must mean less traps in this area. The knowledge made the hair on my arms stand up. This was the edge of his territory as he called it. We were moving into more dangerous parts of the city. I breathed shallowly, counting my breaths. Minutes passed but the feeling didn't go away. It was hard to breathe through the stench down here and it was only getting worse. Must be something rotting close. Allen realized it too, slowing down again. He stopped at another intersection. Six blocks right. Just six more blocks.

He shut off his light so I did the same. He had night vision goggles around his neck, he pulled them up over his eyes. Then he looked around the corner.

Eight walk. He signaled to me. No guns. The bullets could ricochet off the walls and hit us. You only make that mistake once.

I pulled out my bow and nodded, ready as I'll ever be. He pulled out a machete. One quick motion to Hannibal and we sprung around the corner. I had switched my light back on before we rounded the corner. It cast a circle of light down the tunnel. The walkers immediately turned to us. I loosed my first arrow, sending it through one of their skulls. One down seven to go. Allen charged at them, weapon raised. The closest one to him fell like a stone, his blade had cut clean through its neck. I shuddered as the head rolled away.

Hannibal was right behind Allen, ripping off the arm of one of the walkers. I let loose another arrow, finishing off Hannibal walker. Three down. The other four walkers were still coming at us, sprinting. Two were at the front, nearly neck and neck. The other two were staggered behind them. Another arrow found its way to them, shit! I had missed the head. The arrow stuck into the flesh at its throat.

Allen swung his machete with deadly accuracy. Another one down. The one I had maimed lunged for Allen, claws first. I saw red, as its claws caught him in the leg. Shit! I notched an arrow, but Hannibal got there first. Sharp canines grabbed the thing by the throat and ripped, it was dead. Two more. I shot one then the other in quick succession. Both went down.

Allen! I rushed over to him, pulling the scraps of cloth away from his leg. Just claws, no bite marks. He wouldn't turn but the wound was bad. He needs stitches. I pulled his arm over my shoulders. Tugging him down the tunnel.

"That bad huh? There's a safe house down that way." He paused, breathing heavily, "An old service tunnel that leads to the subway, I barricaded one of the train cars a while back." I didn't say anything (not that I could) just continued to pull him towards the way he ahd gestured to. I saw the door, neat letters told me this was the service tunnel. I dragged him through it and pushed into the station.

Immediately I could tell which of the cars he had meant. Metal plating had been welded over the windows.

"Key's on my belt" I had the door opened in no time, there was a cot in the corner that I laid him on. I locked the door again, this time from the inside. Hannibal sat next to the bed, a sentinel watching over Allen. I still have the med kit. I practically threw my bag off my back onto the floor. The med kit had alcohol, needle and thread, some pain meds and some gauze. Perfect. I could really give Allen any warning. I sat next to him, grabbed the edges of the torn pants and pulled. They ripped easily. I didn't waste any time, next came the alcohol. I poured it over the wounds. Allen yelled out,

"God damn!"

I grabbed a cloth from nearby and wiped the wound clean. I was threading the needle when Allen spoke, "Give me one of those pain meds before you start will ya?" I smiled. Tough old goat. I pulled one out and he downed it dry.

"Alright, start the torture."

I was meticulous as I pulled the needle through his skin, careful not to pull the stitches too tight or make them too far apart. At some point I noticed Allen had stopped clenching the sheets on the cot. I paused my work, his chest was still rising. Passed out, not dead. I turned on a lamp and turned off my flashlight. Didn't want it to die.

When I was done I grabbed some water from a stash in the corner and cleaned my hands and everything else that had gotten blood on it. I couldn't leave him. Not passed out and defenseless. So I pulled a notebook and pencil from my bag. My hand floated over the paper.

Lines turned into shapes. I didn't think as I drew, just let the pencil take me where it wanted to go. I got lost in it. Until I heard Allen stirring.

"Whatcha drawing?" I looked down at the paper and for the first time actually paid attention to it. Lara. I had drawn Lara, standing by a tree. A long forgotten memory of a camping trip we went on. I smiled as I initialed the page, A.G.C. I tore the page out and handed it to him.

"A friend of yours?" a small nod. "Well let's get you on your way then." He probably shouldn't be on his feet yet but he wasn't going to listen to me.

Slow steps had the three of us out of the subway car and moving down the tunnel. He stopped in front of a door.

"Now this will take you into the woods to the north of the city. There is a camp about twenty miles from there," he held up a hand at my protesting look, "now I figure you don't like people much but those ones aren't bad. You can at least stop there and resupply. They will want trade but I figure you can handle that. Now get going. You and the mutt have invaded my space long enough." He held out his hand, the drawing clutched in it. I shook my head, and signed you keep it. I had enough reminders of the past. No need to carry around any more. Allen smiled and put the paper in one of his pockets.

Goodbye, thank you for the help. With those last hand motions I pulled open the door, and Hannibal and I went through.

"Good luck kid."