Sleep Walker

Previously on Between The Dead

Zero blinks, dark eyes focusing on One. On Serenity.

"I wanted to bring this up earlier, but now seems like a better time." Lizzie clears her throat. "Can we talk about her landing in a freaking spaceship?"

"It did look like a spaceship, didn't it?" Zero chuckles softly. He sits forward and digs in his backpack, pulling out his canteen. He drinks from it, his gloved hand squeaking against the metal. "She's probably an alien, huh?" He tilts his head to glance at the three of them. He raises a dark brow.

"Alien?" Calvin murmurs, eyes narrowing on Serenity from where she lays unconscious on the cramped floor. "That would explain why she hadn't died after that injury."

Jay squeaks and presses back against a wall, "Ha, y-your both joking right?" He stares at Serenity with wide eyes. "Th-there's no way."

Zero glances at Jay from the corner of his eyes. His hands are shaking, fingers curled into fists as he takes deep breaths.

"You think she's immortal?" Lizzie asks, ignoring him. The question hangs heavy in the stale air. Calvins eyes narrow on the girl in question.

Zero snorts, breaking the tense silence between them, "No one is immortal."

"Hey," Lizzy glares at him, "Zombies, out of all things, became real. Why not live forever?" She returns her gaze back to the unconscious Serenity, "Unkillable, basically a fucking god." She ends with a mutter.

"It would make sense." Calvin hums. He rubs his chin, "That injury on her shoulder. If it had been on someone else, someone human, they would have died long ago."

"No." Zero shakes his head with a dark chuckle, " You've got it wrong. Being immortal doesn't mean you can't die." He blinks and turns his gaze to Lizzy and Calvin. "It just means your body has stopped ageing. If someone cuts your head off," He drags his thumb across the base of his neck, "You're still dead. She is very well capable of dying."

"Jeez," Jay murmurs, "It sounds like you're plotting her death."

It's silent as the three of them stare at him.

"Does it?" Zero laughed. He leans his head back and sighs, "I'm not. Only yours."

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that." Calvin mutters as Jay scoots away from Zero.

It falls silent once more, only the sound of their breathing and the groans from the dead outside fill the air.

"Why would she help us?" Calvin murmurs into the dark.

Lizzy glances at Zero through her lashes.

He hums, turning his gaze to the sleeping girl on the shed floor. Then he shrugs, "You'll have to ask her yourself." His stomach growls. "You wouldn't happen to have more food still?"

Jay flushes red and turns away. "No, we uh, ate it all."

"He did. He ate it all." Lizzie directs her glare to him. "He's going to get us all killed because he can't plan ahead for the life of him, much less others."

Zero snorts. "Alright. Well," He glances down at One, no, Serenity and runs his hand through his dark hair. "Well, we can't go anywhere. Between Serenity passing out and the hoard out there, we'll have to stay put."

"Ugh, it's so cramped though." Lizzie groans as she shifts in her spot.

"Is she always like this?" Zero asks Calvin, eyebrow raising.

Lizzy pauses and narrows his eyes on Zero, "Like what?" She asks with a frown.

The two guys ignore her.

"Always." Calvin sighs as if he's disappointed.

Lizzy squawks in disbelief.

"Whatever." Zero chuckles, "I'm going to take a nap." He points at the three of them individually, "If I find anything that belongs to me missing," He paused "-and that includes her," He nods his head at Serenity, "I'll hunt you down. And I'll do you worse than the dead ever could." Zero smiles, "Okay?"

The three shiver at the sudden dark aura emitting from him. Calvin gives a sharp nod and Zero leans back against the wall and closes his eyes.

***

"That's so fucking creepy." The mumble wakes Zero up from his sleep. There's the sound of shuffling, of wear soles dragging against cement.

"What is she doing?" Lizzie whispers, her voice shaking.

Zero clenches his jaw, keeping him from snapping at the annoying bunch, and sits up enough to see what's happening.

Serenity stands over Calvin and Jay, in the center of the small shed they escaped too. Her body leans back, her head tilted up as her black hair hangs down her back. She stares up at the banged up metal ceiling, her red eyes scanning the area as if she could see something the others couldn't.

Zero's eyes widened, was it happening already?

"Is she sleep walking?" Jay whispers. "Someone wake her up."

Lizzie stands up and reaches out. She stops when a hand grabs her wrist in a firm grip.

"Don't." Zero's voice is sharp, his dark eyes glaring at her. "Never touch her when she's like this."

Lizzie narrows her eyes, "Why?"

Zero clenches his jaw and redirects his stare to an oblivious Serenity.

"It's always been advised to never wake up someone sleepwalking." Calvin answers her. "There's a high possibility of her hurting you or herself."

"Then what do we do?" Lizzie mutters.

"Just leave her-" Zero is cut off when Serenity suddenly snaps her gaze towards the shed door, black hair wisping around her. She steps over Jay and Calvin and shoves the flimsy door of the shed open. It bangs against the metal wall.

"No, wait!" Lizzie exclaims. "She'll bring every zombie over here!"

Zero doesn't hesitate. He jumps to his feet in one swift movement. "Stay here. I'll bring her back." It takes him one step to peer out and watch Serenity walk down the alley. He glances over his shoulder at them. "My threat still stands." He glares. Then he runs out.

The three of them blink at the shed door.

"So, like, are we gonna steal their things and book it or are we sticking with them?" Jay whispers.

"We're staying." Calvins voice is firm and full of conviction.

"I don't know if that girl is stupid or just too nice for her own good." Lizzie says. She sighs and leans back. "We stole from them and she risked her life to save us."

"I think staying would be a good idea." Calvin agrees. "Plus, she's a fucking alien dude."

"That's what I'm worried about." Jay murmurs softly enough that the other two don't hear him.