AN HOUR AWAY

"Toby, up and at em' buddy"

"What?"

'Look, sign of a town' He pointed at a abandoned Washington Volunteer Fire and rescue. The two smiled nervously as they'll face maybe another army of dead. They turned left from Warren avenue to Avon lane. They stopped at a house beside Avon lane. Across the pond parallel to the house, they spotted part of the town of Washington. Randall stripped into his underwear and checked the deepness of the water, Toby tied a rope around his waist. Just in case.

"Okay...hold on to that, tighlty"

"Yeah..yeah gotcha"

He taped magazines on his foot and shin with duct tape. He dipped his feet into the water, and he starts his descent. He took every step care fully as to not trip, he slipped. Toby panicked but Randall raised his hands.

'Its fine' He said with a smile, he told him what happened. He continued to walk in the lake, until something grabbed his feet. He got dragged deeper into the pond by something. He is in a disadvantage because he is floating, something grabbed both of his feet. They all panicked, then Craig and Amanda came to help Toby pull Randall into land. They easily pulled him in with two other.

"Biters!?"

Two biters were holding on him, and only their top half. 'Craig, gun' Toby asked Craig. He grabbed the nearest rifle but as soon as he came to help, two hooded figures appeared and shot the biters dead with makeshift arrows. The two figures stared at them and after a while they took of their hoods.

Under the hood are twins, they aimed their rifle to them instead of their bows. They raised their hands, 'come with us' one of the twins asked.

'Do we any other choice?' Toby asked with a mocking tone.

"I already hate you"

"Sure"

One of the twin sat in front on the passenger sit and aimed the gun at Randall who is still in his underwear and t-shirt. The other twin is sitting at the farthest row and is aiming their gun. They have a short drive to the intersection of Warren avenue and Gay street. Like the past communities they encountered, it has walls.

'Are your walls strong?' Toby asked, the twin behind them aimed her gun at him and replied.

"Why? Planning to attack?"

"No, we're near Washington DC...Its a shithole filled with biters"

"Biters?"

"The zombies"

"Yeah, who cares their dead"

"So you're question, what about our walls?"

"Is it strong?"

"Yeah, so far its holding"

"Good"

"Step out, we'll check you"

They all stepped out, they checked the 3 of them except for Zachary and Sam. They checked all of them from feet up to their arms, then one of twins asked their names.

"Randall"

"You boy?"

"Craig"

"Ma'am?"

"Amanda"

"finally?"

'Toby' She looked at him directly in the eye and it made him uncomfortable, 'what?' he asked. The twin asked her 'whole' he replied with his real name.

'I'm guessing you know Harrison?' She declared to him. His face grew a scowl upon hearing his older brother's name.

"Yeah?"

"Cramer?"

His face turned to a relief.

"Where are they?"

"We moved them to a different place that we are taking over"

"Where?"

"South.. Woodville"

"You seem to trust me already"

"Should I not?"

"That depends"

"I'm Kayla and that's Matilda"

"Nice to meet you"

They got into the small town. They explained that they must go on foot instead of cars in order to save gas, and so they complied. They settled in to a house, there is only water running.

"So Kayla"

"What's up?"

"Can I go to Woodville?"

"I actually have a run to Luray, I'll hit Woodville to bring some people on the trip"

"Ya willing to go there?"

"Over the hill?"

"Yeah, you scared"

"No, but what's a run?"

"Run, we go to a city and take supplies on a weekly basis, the role is given to those who are fit"

"Well, I don't mean to toot my how horn but I can free run"

"Much better, go settle in now and I'll come pick you up"

"Okay, see ya I guess"

They waved goodbye and Toby got in the house, he changed clothes into something fitting and comfortable to run in, he emptied his back pack and saw the book. He gave it to Amanda who is about to walk past her.

"To the kids... if you see them"

"Sure"

After preparation, Tobias met Randall behind the house with Craig"

"What are you two doing?"

"Helpin' out...you?"

"Helping out, We're going on a run.. do you know where Zach and Samantha are?"

"Yeah on the porch, Amanda is reading them the book"

"Thank you"

"See ya"

Tobias explored a bit of the area where they are in. He saw two people carrying two biters bisected to the pond, apparently it was a trap. Seeing how Randall earlier was caught in it, it was a good one. Still the purpose of that specific trap is unknown. He explored and talked a bit to the people in the town, they are all friendly and contributing to the stability of the town.

He stopped by the infirmary and talked to everyone on how they are doing, they all replied with a smile. The children affected and now a victim of time and possibly humanities crimes.

Among the people he sees a familiar face. They are all wearing a hospital gown, the kids who has visible marks of injuries. Some are missing a part of their limb or the whole limb itself. Kayla saw Toby and called him, but he ignored her. Toby approached the familiar face and as soon as he grabbed his shoulder, he looked up and started to tear.

"Hey man, took you long enough"

"Hey Corey, what happened?"

"Washington, I tried to save that lady Dalia, but.... no I failed"

"Oh"

Sadness washed upon his head and teared up, Corey didn't know the late woman but he knew her long enough to know she was a good woman.

"Its fine... well where is Harry and the others?"

"They didn't tell ya?"

"Must be true then... Woodville?"

"Yeah...Guess I'll stay here and enjoy the town's company"

"See ya"

"Sure"

Kayla came and picked Toby. She gave her a rifle, pistol, and an army knife. They have arrived at the very edge of the town's gates. They checked everything on them, from their boots to their back packs. They got on bicycles, as soon the gates opened they started to ride. Tobias started to talk about their mode of transportation, Kayla replied with 'safer and much easier to use'.

"Well...much more tiring"

"It will help increase your stamina"

They arrived at Woodville under 40 minutes. Kayla raised her hands and so did Tobias.

"Open it... its Kayla"

"Oh yeah, new guy here"

"Yeah, hurry we've got a situation"

The man stepped down and the two entered the town. The man briefed them of the situation.

"Yeah, the guy Harry, that girl Lee, Troy and Mei is stuck in some shithole"

"Oh no"

"here"

"Elkton?"

"Yeah, apparently they attracted some of those running kinds"

"Just call it runners, much simpler"

Toby told them what he knows about how the different kinds of biters acts, and looking back with their near death experiences they all noticed it and acknowledged Toby's terminology.

"How far is Elkton again?"

"An hour away, an we only have an hour until the sun sinks...so you better hurry with the other two"

"Who are they?"

"A doctor and a soldier.... there they are at their truck"

The man pointed at Bryce and Dylan. Toby approached them and shook their hands, Bryce feels guilty upon seeing Toby. The two felt bad that they have to abandon him, but Toby understood.

"You two ready to go?"

"Yeah.. lets go"

They got into the truck and drove to Elkton. They arrived at the outskirts and they started to prepare everything, Dylan explained what is happening to Harry and Lee. Tobias is focused on saving the four people who are stuck.

"Do you think they'll be here?"

"Yeah, don't worry.. They'll save us"

"How about you guys?"

"Fuck you"

"What?"

"I said Fuc-"

Harry kicked a wounded Troy.

"You're mad? This is your fucking fault...trying to save that.. and now look at us.. we're in deep shit"

Harry seems to be slipping, a darken eye and he seems to be loosing it.