The area surrounding the gates was a flurry of activity, it has been for days now. Runner 4, Jody, had brought a report that there was a child in no man's land; the open land between us, New Canton and the cities. Sam had gotten Jody to get me up and send me to the mess hall for breakfast while he sends out the other runners out for their missions while we wait on the conformation of me being sent out. Now with the confirmation that it is indeed a child that needs help, I'm standing in front of the gates waiting for Sam.

"Raise the gates! Runner Five ready… gates are open, covering fire, and… Go! We've had that report confirmed, Runner Five. There's a kid wandering in no man's land. You're heading right for it." I can hear the gates closing behind as the sound of the gate siren dying behind me while the sounds of the undead surround me.

"Sometimes happens that way, you know. Zom attacks, parent fights it off, gets bit, kills the zom, then abandons the kid and runs as far away as possible so they won't eat it when the turn; ugh. Kid zoms are the worst, though, aren't they?"

"Yeah, it's sad to see that they are left behind by the parents whether it's the parents or the child that get bitten," I reply back, thinking of the sound that my step-sister made over the phone when the outbreak hit Australia; Sam hums in agreement to my statement.

"Sometimes, in these scenarios, as you've said; the kid's been bitten too - watch yourself. But in this case, we think not. We've been monitoring for a few hours, and kids usually turn faster than adults - faster metabolism, everything works faster. I saw a kid once went zom in under five minutes - parents watching! That was grim." I hear the sound of the chair creaking as he shudders at the memory, he sighs once before changing the subject.

"So, hey, Runner Five - you've already made quite the name for yourself around here. Especially after leading those zoms past New Canton. We didn't expect to get a new runner so soon. Well, I knew someone would be coming in on that supply copter from the military base up north, but all they told me was that we'd be getting some more med kits, some extra shelters, with someone who knew how to put them up. Guess you were supposed to chopper in, show us how to build the shelters, chopper out, right? Guess your guys don't want to send another chopper for you, seeing what happened to the first one, eh? Bummer."

Sam laughs at his little joke, but I furrow my brows at the last part of the sentence. Doesn't Sam want me here? Did he wish that I would go back to Mullins? The thought hurt, I had hoped that after the all the training that I had to undertake, once with him training with me, we had become better friends. Well, friendly enough that he would consider me a friend. However, before I can question him on it, he continues on.

"We're still no nearer figuring out what happened there. Didn't come from New Canton, didn't come from us, obviously. Didn't come from the city. No one there but walking dead anyway, and the day they start to use rocket launchers, we'll all be in trouble. Seems like it might have come from the wilderness, kind of near where you're heading today? Anyway, you're doing great, yep, nice steady pace, all clear on the scanner up ahead, just… keep going." The thought of heading into an area where people had attempted to kill me before wasn't a pleasant idea, but was they trying to kill me? And if they were, why?

After running for some time, I could hear the faint sounds of a child crying. Sam, thankfully, let me know that I was indeed heading towards my destination.

"Alright… you're getting close to the kid now. I know the Major's always saying we haven't got enough space back at base, and every person has to pull their weight, and taking all comers is kinda how New Canton got into the trouble they're in now, but still - I'm glad everyone's on board with not letting children die from exposure. It's basic ground rules of human society, you know." Sam huffs out a quiet laugh.

"Hey… can you see that? There's some movement on the scanner, you should be able to see the kid any second now, I… I think they're heading towards you. A motorcycle was coming up behind me very quickly making me nervous that the person was going to hit me, the incoming vehicle was also making Sam nervous which wasn't helping.

"What's that? Aw, man, someone else incoming. Looks like they're coming up behind you, heading for the kid, too. If you don't hurry, they'll get there before you do! Run!"

As I started getting closer to the tree, the little girls crying became more hysterical and the bike was getting very close

"Go back where you came from! Give the kid to me!" the man on the bike shouted at me, I didn't turn to look at him as I needed to get the girl out of that tree and to safety.

"Okay, okay, I don't know what that guy wants, and he's practically on top of you, but you're still ahead, just… just put on a burst of speed now, and you'll find that kid, and then you grab it, and well, just keep running. I'll think of something."

"Ok, Sam!" I grabbed the little girl and did a sharp turn to try and slow the approaching bike and give me some more time to try and get away, and for Sam to come up with a brilliant idea; do note the sarcasm.

"Put that child down, leave her for me!"

"Uh… yeah? Keep running!"

"Put her down! Molly? Molly! It's okay, Daddy's here, don't worry, Molly, I'm going to take you home! Give her to me!" As the man calls out to the little girl I slow down and turn to look at him.

"Um… yeah… actually…" At Sam's hesitance, I stop completely, I turn slightly to the side to make it harder for the man to grab the girl. Noting my hesitation, the man raises his hands into the surrender position.

"My name's Ed. That's my daughter, Molly. I know you're just trying to help out, but if you pass her to me, we can go home. Come on, Molly, that's a good girl. See? I've got Mister Rabbit here for you. Here's Mister Rabbit!"

As the girl – Molly – calms down a bit and starts to laugh at the man, I relax a bit as I realise that he could be telling the truth. If the man is telling the truth, the little girl won't just be put in the nursery with the other orphans but will be with her dad. Sam thankfully was watching the monitors and gave us warning as the first zombies appeared

"Whatever heart-warming scene's going on there, guys, there, um… there are five zoms closing on you, better keep moving."

"I have been informed that there are zombies coming our way, don't know about you, but I would like to get home unbitten"

"Yeah, I see them. Alright, just pass her to me, then hop on the bike, and…" As I shift Molly around on my hip to make it easier to give her to Ed than the bike's motor stops, he turns the key multiple times before he turns to me and frowns. "Goddammit. Out of fuel. Okay, pass Molly to me and let's run!"

We run from the handful of shamblers that are following us for a few minutes. Molly is in Ed's arms babbling away oblivious to the fact that there were still zombies after us. Ed looks to me a few times hums and looks around mildly awkward, thinking of what to say.

"I've seen you guys before. Abel Township, huh?"

I nod, "Yeah that's us."

"Yeah… Becca always said we should join up with you guys. Hey, I don't want to abandon the bike, and I know a fuel dump is near here. If I take you there, will you help me carry some back? You can keep some for yourself. I guess like everyone else, you guys are interested in finding fuel?" again I nod remembering what Sam had told me before he had ever met me. As the saying goes, speak of the devil and he shall warn you of zombies approaching, he did.

"That's another three zoms on your tail. Keep up the pace!" I was about to reply to Sam to let him know that I had heard him, and was going to relay that information to Ed. Ed, however, had started to talk to me again.

"I guess you're wondering how Molly here… Aren't you a strong girl, Molly, eh? Strong and brave girl! I guess you're wondering how she ended up out here by herself. I can only guess myself. But me and Becca, we've been holed up in a farmhouse about eight miles from here. We… we've been okay, you know?" I nod to let him know that I was listening, as I didn't want to interrupt his story.

"I went out hunting, to bag us some birds, usually brought down two dozen pigeons in a day. Never stayed out overnight. But last week, damn, I got stupid. Made too much noise, didn't keep moving enough or something. Before I knew it, forty zoms were surrounding the farmhouse where I holed up to shoot. Not enough ammo - had to take each one down with a head shot! And then more came, and more, and more, like I'd stumbled into a nest. I was away for five nights, six days before I finally took down the last one and left." I nod again, this wasn't the first time I had heard a story like this. Although the person holed up usually isn't the one to survive, either bitten, starved or dehydration takes them.

"By the time I got back home, Becca must have thought I was already dead. She left a note for me saying… saying she was walking to Abel. And on the way I guess… well, she ran as far away from Molly as she could before she died. I guess that's the last thing she could do to protect our daughter." Ed strokes Molly's hair as he talks about Becca. Finally, he shakes his head and points to the ridge in front of us.

"Okay - fuel dump's just over the next ridge! We'll just pick up a couple of cans each, and head back to the bike. You know, the last time I was down here, I saw that some guys had set up camp not far away, new guys, hadn't seen 'em before, wearing some kind of blue uniform and… Just over here. They've left their rocket launcher!" I pale at the thought of finding the camp and rocket launcher that nearly killed me, and more than likely killed the pilot of the helicopter.

I pick up the rocket launcher and sling it across my back for safe keeping, making sure that it was on safety mode, of course, I'm not an idiot. Ed and I collect the fuel and start to return back to where we started, with Molly chatting the whole way back.

"Whoa! Yeah, I've got you on the cameras! You guys found fuel! You're just getting more and more popular around here, Five… uh… what the hell are you carrying there?

"Okay, Molly, it's all okay. We're nearly back at the bike. Guess those guys must have just dumped this launcher, huh? Weirdest thing. A thing like this is valuable! Even more so now than before. Can you take Molly? Just run with her while I fuel up the bike, just in case." I nod my head and hold my arms out to take Molly from Ed, and place her on my hip. Ed looks reluctant to hand her to me, but nods and continues on.

"Come back in a few, I'm sure I'll be fine."

It was a good time to leave as Zombies were coming towards us, I run a bit from Ed before whistling to draw them away from him.

After running for some minutes the zombies started gaining on Molly and me, the extra weight and bad positioning of her made it run. The downside to Molly being like two is that she is too small to ride piggy pack, even with my five-foot height. Thankfully, Ed decided that this would be a great time to appear on the motorbike wielding a tire iron.

"Hey, hey! Get away from that runner! I'll get them with the tire iron." I slow down as Ed pulls up beside me, "Got 'er working just fine. A Little drink was all she needed. So, um… I guess you guys at Abel Township will be using my fuel dump now, huh? And well, I'm not sure I want to go back home now that Becca's… well, we don't know what's happened. I guess she could be okay. I guess so. Anyhow, I expect you guys could use a decent mechanic over at Abel Township, yeah?"

"That guy just took out two zoms from the back of his motorbike! Tell him we'll take him in." Sam was more than enthusiastic to tell me that Ed was welcome in.

"Yeah, and Abel welcomes you," I smile, as I hand Molly back to Ed after he had removed the rocket launcher from my back and strapped it to the bike.

"Okay. I've got the launcher strapped on nice at the back, and the extra fuel cans, and Molly riding up front with me. Hey there, Miss Molly! But I don't think there's room for… well, I guess you're gonna have to run!" He gives me a sheepish smile before turning the bike back on and heads towards Abel.

When I finally make it back to Abel Ed, Molly, Sam and Janine meet me at the gates. Janine is wearing her famous scowl, with that look her face neither Ed or Sam are willing to look at her or even stand near her.

"Runner Five, come with me please."

A/N: Wow that took a long time to upload sorry guys. I've been busy with University and now with YouTube. Yeah, I have joined YouTube, my channels name is Kaerunningthroughlife if you want to check it out :D

Thank you for reading, big thank you to ZRtranscripts for saving my life on the larger missions. It's just so much to type! I swear that I know the first three missions like the back of my hand.