"I've never liked close spaces"

I say to myself right before the alarms start going off. Sitting on a stool next too 10K. I reach out to shake him awake when suddenly his eyes open and he starts to look around.

"Hey, they were able to stitch you up. Just getting ready to wake you. We need to get going." I grabbed his shirt while he rips the IV out. He takes his shirt and stands up leaning against the wall and looks around the corner. Deciding to go in the opposite direction, I follow right behind him.

"Tommy… Tommy" I whisper as we are walking.

"Shhh! you know that's not my name anymore."

The rest of the time was a blur. Don't remember much, but I do remember trying to find our way out. The rest is blank. All I remember is waking up on a boat that had just stopped at the shoreline. Looking up I see Murphy.

"Murphy you son of a bitch! I outta!" I say while sitting up in the boat and reaching for my gun.

Before I could do anything else 10K is grabbing my arm while looking at his wound. When he looks up and ask Murphy what happened.

"What happened is this jackass almost got all of us killed!"I scream

10K cups my face in his hands.
"Shhh, calm down you weren't the one who got shot. We will figure this out and get back to the group.

"Come on kids let's go," Murphy says

Grabbing the bag, 10K takes my hand and we get off the boat

"What about Warren, Addy, and the rest? We've gotta get back to them. He says while he and I start walking towards Murphy.

"I already said thanks, no need to go back. We are going our own way now." Murphy says.

"I'm not going anywhere with you Murphy," 10K says as he throws the bag into the back of the vehicle and we sit down.

Putting my head on 10K's shoulder I let out a sigh.

"You two just need to get it over with already," Murphy says as we are speeding down the road.

"Mind your business" was all 10K says before he grabs my right hand and holds it. Pushing the hair out of my face, he places a small kiss on my forehead. I close my eyes and start to fall asleep from the motion of the vehicle.

I'm suddenly woken up by a hard stop. Grabbing my gun and knife I look around.

"Calm down," 10K says while jumping out and taking a quick look at the area around us. Spotting a Z he goes for the kill shot.

*fast forward* Murphy is stopping again in the middle of the road. "This is our chance," I whisper to 10K. Jumping off and making a run for it we don't get too far when suddenly we realize we're back in front of Murphy

"Get back in the vehicle," Murphy says.

"I don't understand," 10K says while we walk towards Murphy.

When all of a sudden a cluster of Z's come rolling through the trees. "They're eating each other, but why?" I say more to myself than to anyone.

"Because they are starving, not enough humans," Murphy says, before he gives 10K the order to kill the two that were left behind.
Without thinking twice 10k pulls the trigger, giving both Z's mercy.

"Hmmm, you've stopped counting," Murphy says before heading back to the vehicle.

"You have," I tell him as we both climb back into the vehicle. We both look at each other both in complete shock.

"I don't see a bite mark. What has he done to us?" I whisper into 10k's ear.

"I don't know." He whispers while pulling me closer towards him.
Not much later we are stopping again when Murphy orders 10K to go off on his own.

"Rachel, you stay put and be quiet."

*fast forward*
10K gets back into the SUV after killing the enders. We both look at each other knowing the truth, but not wanting to say it out loud. Murphy had bitten us, but we can't find the proof. Putting my feet underneath me, I place my head on 10K's lap and close my eyes. 10K proceeds to massage my head.

10K shakes me awake and has me follow him out of the SUV.
"Why are we stopping?" He asks as we follow Murphy to a ledge

"This is our new home, Spokane!" Murphy says while spreading his arms out.

10K looks as if he is going to pass out, he is paler than normal.

"10K...10K.," I say while standing in front of him and grabbing his face.

"Look at me, breath... Please." I say while pulling his face close to mine. Our foreheads touching each other. Staring at me he places a kiss on my lips.

"Follow me!" As Murphy leads us to a bridge

"What are we doing here?" 10K asks him.

"This is a new beginning. We have been doing the same thing over and over again for the past two years. It will all make sense in due time and you will thank me." Murphy says while staring at the water

A couple Z's are getting closer and both 10K and I start to react.

"Relax you two are with me now, no need to worry." He says while turning his attention back to the water.

"Haha, I'm not with you Murphy." I pipe up.

"Yeah, neither am I, Murphy," 10K says.

"Then why are you both standing here?" Murphy says with a grin on his face.

Murphy starts to ramble on about what needs to be done next. Something about his fortress, I'm too focused on the water and how I would much rather jump to my death than be a part of his plan. When I look over and see 10K thinking the same thing. We both grab onto the railing and contemplate our next moves. Before we can do anything Murphy is behind us telling us to come along. We do what we are told.

Grabbing one of my hands, we start to follow Murphy.

"This is it. My fortress!" Murphy says as he goes into detail about what the building used to be. Walking in we go through each level and room, while he decides what it will be used for.
Stopping in the main area of the second floor we hear a noise. Murphy has the two military men go investigate it. They come back out in a fight with an ender. One of the men goes to kill the ender but ends up killing the other guy. Finally, the guy has the ender on the ground and kicks him in the face. They tie him up to a chair. Sometime during this moment I had walked over to a window and zoned out. The next thing I hear is 10K and Murphy yelling at each other, while 10K has a gun to the enders head and is repeatedly pulling the trigger.

"See this is why kids shouldn't be allowed to play with guns," Murphy says while taking the gun back, but he ends up shooting it and killing the ender during the process.

"What is going on?!"I ask, looking at 10K who looks like he is about to cry from the shock.

"None of your concern, someone clean that up" Said Murphy as he walks away.

A little while later, 10K and I are sweeping the floor while Murphy is sitting on his throne.

"This is a nice sight." He says while watching as we sweep the floor. We both look up and stare at him before going back to our chore. It seemed like forever, but night had finally fallen upon us.10K and I sat on the floor in silence. Not knowing what to say to one another. It had been a long day and I was tired, but not tired at the same time.

"You two go rest up, we have a busy day tomorrow lots to be done," Murphy says as he points towards a door.

We both get up at the same time and make our way to the room.
Laying on the makeshift bed I let out a sigh. 10K crawls beside me and pulls me to where I'm halfway on top of him. "I'm so confused, what is happening to us? I'm fighting it, but I don't know for how much longer." I say looking up at him.

"Am I going to have to make you two do it or are you both capable of that on your own?" Murphy says leaning against our door frame.

"Seriously." We both say at once.

"Fine, but don't come crawling to me when you both don't have the guts to do it on your own,"Murphy says before shutting the door and leaving us in silence. 10K starts to rub one of my shoulders and we kiss. First, it was soft and slow, but then it becomes deep and fast. Both of us hungry for the other. Slowly we both sit up and help one another remove clothing.

"Are you sure?" 10K ask cupping my face with his hands

"Yes." Is all I could say before pulling him in for a deep kiss.

The next day was the same thing all over again. Cleaning up and doing whatever Murphy said too. It had been a long day and 10K and I were walking into the lab, waiting for Murphy to be done.

"We need the vaccine! Right now!" He says while walking towards the door

"But we need to do human trials to make sure." Dr. Merch tries to explain to him but is interrupted.

"10,000 vaccines and now!" Murphy says before heading back to his throne room.

The next thing I know Dr. Merch has stabbed 10K with something and he has fallen to the ground. Before I could even realize what was happening, I'm passed out next to him.

Waking up we both feel our necks, where she had injected us.
"What was that?" I ask her before we both stand back up

"It's a booster vaccine, will reverse the effects of Murphys bite. So you will no longer be under his control. It is not a complete cure but lasts long. Take this bag and find us a vehicle." She says as she hands the bag to 10K

"How will we know when to take it again?" 10K ask while scratching his head.

"You'll know, I have to destroy this vaccine. Now go and get a vehicle." She says before going back to her work.

10K and I went and grabbed our bags and to our best efforts nonchalantly walked them out of the fortress area and into the back of a truck. Before heading back to get 10K turns and pulls me into him. Placing a kiss on my forehead.

"Go find a good lookout spot and watch for my signal. If things go south start running to that building." 10K says while pointing to a certain one. "I'll meet you there." we share one last kiss before he heads back in. A few minutes have gone by and the next thing I hear is glass shattering. I feel like everything is going in slow motion, as I watch 10K fall into the bed of the truck. I know something is up and start to head towards the building. It seems like an eternity waiting for him to show up, but he does. We rush to climb over the fence and onto the roof running but having to stop quickly because there is a hole. We look back and see Murphy's goonies right behind us. Looking at each other we both know what has to happen. Stepping back we back a run for it and brace for the landing on the other side.
Standing back up, we make a break for it.