FOREST VILLAGE

Surprisingly they got by the remainder of the trip with not much, it seems the dead in this state are yet to adapt to the heat. They finally got out of the city and finds to abandoned rusting bikes. Zachary gets closer and checks on it.

"Still think this works?"

"Is the keys there at least?"

"Let's hope so"

Zachary checked around the ground to see if there is a key. Something bright shine on him and turns out its just part of the broken bike. Zach kicked the bike down in annoyance and they continued on the bike. Rodrick's endurance is much better than Zachary as he is a soldier, but Zachary carries his own. They passed by the remaining areas of the city and they can hear the screeches of the 'Bawlers'. After a while they finally see the outskirts of the city.

They followed the 17th interstate for the remainder of the trip and finally arrives at the hiking area. They got off their bikes and there's no time to let their guards down. They hear people talking by a campfire.

"You have your gun?"

"uh huh"

"Good"

Orlando and Nevada stayed closely behind the two, as they approached the opening area guns were pointed at them.

"Rodrick, Zach and the kids"

"You scared"

"We were about to say that.. come on you guys must have been tired"

They noticed that they also used bicycles to get where they are. They started sharing their things. What they thought was a big group was only with 3 people. The others sadly did not make it out as they did not have the stroke of luck that Zachary and Rodrick had to escape. Rodrick cries in disappointment and Zachary can only sit there quietly as he barely knew the people that he was with. They are all vigilant of their situation as they are completely not in the clear yet. After all it has been half a decade, the dead must have roamed out of the cities.

"So, seven of us?"

"Looks like it... who's the teen with ya?"

"A friend of my in-law... Zach, the 2 kids are Orlando and Nevada. you never met them"

"Hiya, I'm Bruce, that kid watching on the street is my son Seymour and my daughter Caiti"

"Nice to meet you guys"

Bruce then just like Kane asked Zachary about his past and how he is friends with Rodrick's in law. After almost an hour of story they all are in shock of how smart the biters are up north than down here with them. They thought of the possibility that on their way to Colorado more of those mutated things will face them.

"After Colorado when the Haven won't accept us... we're going up north"

"No I can't"

"Well, we believe"

"Sure you do"

"Of course we do, we're all betrayed as well"

Bruce then explained how their little community in Phoenix was created. The Haven took people that will be useful to them, inly those who can use their body of course. Children, PWD, older ones are cared for but those eligible they are asked to do the hard works. 15 people were kicked out from the Haven including Bruce and his kids, they stumbled upon the community when the outbreak first started. The surviving soldiers blocked out the areas using concrete walls, the same once that were used to defend Washington. They all started to live off of everyone and everything building a strong bonded community.

"How long will we be staying here?"

"A day, If we're going to travel to Colorado we will need a car at the least"

"Yeah, Kachina Village is up the road, maybe we can drive their.... we're a small group anyway"

"Its also a village in the woods, lets try and check"

"Tomorrow, we'll wait... maybe they are still people arriving?"

"Sure.. we need the rest anyway"

They all laid down on their bags and starts to drowse away into the warm ground. Those who cannot sleep kept watch and they killed the fire by stepping on it. As the hour passes only Seymour and his father were the ones who are still awake. Seymour looked through his scope and sees something horrible. He got down and his father were alerted.

"What was that boy?"

"Horde... and the mouth thing that Roddy and Zach met"

"Shit.. we need to wake them up"

The father-son woke the others up and they quickly packed everything as the dead moved in a alarming pace. They hopped on to their backs and they start to ride it up to the village. Their calves still hurting from the ride trying to get out of the city. Day break came and as they look back the dead is still visible. They see a gasoline station but everything has been ransacked. Even the vehicles were stripped clean. Everything seems to have been totally been reclaimed by mother nature in just 5 years.

They see an opening to the village and they all ride into but they quickly got separated as there is barely any road. Most of it is covered in green, they have a hard time trying to navigate it. They can still see the road and a opening to the neighboring village. Rodrick and Nevada got ahead with Seymour and the two realized they have been separated. The two stopped by there were biters there with them. They rushed to one of the houses but the overgrowth of leaves has made opening the door hard. Rodrick vigorously opens the door by using his whole body. With enough push and adrenaline they got into the house.

The dead were rushing to the door and the two men pushed their body on it.

'Look for.....some...thing.....heavy!' Seymour pulled away and starts to look inside the rooms. Nevada with her little strength helps Rodrick on the door. She exceeds as much effort as her body allows her to and it served as enough time for Seymour to find something. He pulls a heavy storage chest from one of the room, Nevada then rushed to the back and helps him push.

"1...2...3...PUSH"

Seymour kept repeating it and so did Rodrick. As the chest made contact to the door Rodrick kills the biters on the door and they successfully closed it. Seymour then rushed and pulls on another chest. Rodrick rushed to help him and successfully holds down the door. They sat on it and looks through the window and they see them swarm around the house. Thankfully they follow what they see, and they see their kind heading on one direction. Monkey see, Monkey do.