One bite.

"I saw what happened on the news. Are you alright?" Dakota Marshall questioned her brother nervously as he came barreling through the door of their shared apartment, slamming it behind him. He was sweaty, out of breath, and covered in blood. He had been on his way home from work when people started turning rabid, attacking one another in the streets and ripping each other apart.

Nick Marshall shook his head vigorously and swiftly moved to the kitchen. Once Dakota registered all the blood, it took her less than a second before she was racing down the hall and to the bathroom, grabbing the first-aid kit from under the sink.

Her brother sat at the kitchen counter with a rag over his arm, his bright red blood seeping through the cloth. Nick glanced up and gave his sister a nervous smile, one that she attempted to return but it came out as more of a grimace. She sat opposite of him and grabbed his arm, peeling away the blood-stained rag. The sight of the gruesome bite was enough to make anyone want to hurl, but Dakota kept herself together. She had seen plenty of blood in her day and a little more wouldn't hurt. As she started to pull out the alcohol, she noticed her brother's skin start to get clammy while his eyes were beginning to become unfocussed. "Nick?"

"I'm fine," He murmured, though he was far from it. He had already seen the outcome of one of these bites, and he knew it wasn't pretty. "I need you to listen to me, 'Kota." His sister nodded as she started to pull out the alcohol, pouring a hefty amount onto the bite. "What's happening out there isn't something to be taken lightly, okay?"

"Obviously," Dakota muttered, continuing to clean her brother's wound. Nick felt a small smile come to the corner of his lips at his sister's sarcastic mouth. He was going to miss that.

One promise.

"What are you saying, Nick?" Dakota asked fearfully, sending a pang of sadness through her older brother's heart. All those promises that he made to their parents to watch over Dakota were now being broken, all because he didn't stay inside his damn car. Guilt weighed heavily in his stomach, and he squeezed his baby sister's hand tightly. "Nick?" Her voice was small and weak, unlike its usually chipper tone.

Nick shook his head. He could literally feel the organs in his body start to shut down. He knew it was time. "Dakota, I want you to listen to me. You take my car, you take the guns, and you take all the food, water, and ammunition that you can find, okay?" Dakota nodded so he continued. "Then you need to get the hell outta dodge. You find a safe place to stay and—"

"But what about you?" She whispered.

"—You need to keep off the main roads. Stick to the woods. If anyone tries to stop you or talk to you, you ignore them. Do not trust anyone, Dakota."

"Nick, I'm not leaving you—"

"After you find a safe place, you stay there, okay? You stay there and you stay safe," His voice started to crack, a mixture of sadness and pain washing over him. "Tell me you'll stay safe, Dakota."

"Nick, please," Dakota was already crying, her tears falling onto Nick's shirt, leaving small, dark splotches in the blue fabric. "I can't do this without you."

"Just tell me you'll stay safe!" He shouted, his own tears now freely flowing.

Dakota sobbed but nodded, promising her brother. "Good," He replied, squeezing his sister's hand once more. "Now, there's just one last thing I need you to do, okay?"

One bullet.

Dakota's finger shook against the trigger. "Dakota," Nick pleaded. "You have to do this now. If you don't then I'll turn into one of those things and I'll try to kill you."

"But what if you don't," She whispered. "I mean, what if it only infects certain people?"

"Dakota," Nick tried to persuade her until another surge of pain hit his body. He groaned and grabbed his stomach, doubling over in anguish. He was down to his last minutes and he wanted to go on his own terms. "Please, sis."

"I…" Dakota noticed the pained look in her brother's expression. She knew it had to be done. Taking a deep breath, Dakota dried her tears and set herself right. It was time to face the truth. If her brother was going to die, then they were going to do it his way. "Okay," She said. "Okay, I can do it."

Nick couldn't help but smile. "You're so brave, Kota. You can survive this," He whispered to her. "I love you, sis. Please stay safe."

"I love you, too," She replied quietly, pointing the gun in between her brother's eyes. "Say hi to Mom and Dad for me."

One broken heart.