Erin sat in front of the gate of her home colony, waiting as they opened it from the inside. She glances back at the crate of injections strapped to the back of her bike, knowing she’d need to find a place to hide them. They’re too valuable not to be hidden.
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“Erin.” Millie, one of the women on guard duty, calls her over as the gate finally opens.
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“Need something?” Erin rides into the colony before stopping next to Millie.
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“You need to go see Skye.” She states quietly, breaking eye contact.
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“Did she do something?”
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“She-” Millie is cut off by Scout running down the street towards Erin. “Scout’ll tell you.” She nods, walking off towards her post.
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Scout has been watching the gates practically nonstop since Erin first left, just waiting for her to return.
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“What’s happening, Scout?” Erin asks, dismounting the motorcycle, and starts to walk it up towards the house. She can tell something is wrong by Millie approaching her but isn’t sure what.
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“She’s--she’s sick.” Scout quietly answers, looking down at the ground before looking back up at Erin. “You said she’d be okay, but she’s not.”
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“Scout. I’m sure she’ll be fine.” Erin tries to reassure her but to no avail.
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The both of them arrived at the house. Erin puts the kickstand down before walking inside and into Skye’s room after not finding her elsewhere. Skye is in her bed, covered in various blankets; some Erin's sure aren’t even theirs. Frank, the closest thing they have to a doctor, as he was once a vet, is by her side.
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“What’s going on?” Erin tentatively asks, walking over to the side of the bed and kneeling down next to her sister.
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“Skye’s sick, Erin.” Frank gently answers. “Very sick.”
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Skye lifts her head to look at Erin, watching her with watery eyes. She holds her weak and shaky hand out to Erin, who takes it in hers.
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“I--I don’t understand.” Erin looks towards Frank with a confused expression. “What happened?”
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“She’s been sick since you left. We’ve done all that we can.”
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Erin looks over at her baby sister and cringes before standing up and walking out of the room. She looks to Scout, who is sitting with the kids on the floor. Her face is gloomy as she looks up at Erin.
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“Give me the bus’ keys.” Erin demands, holding her hand out.
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A now confused Scout stands up, digging them out of her pocket, before handing them to Erin. Scout follows Erin outside and to the converted bus, standing on the stairs as Erin sits in the driver’s seat. Erin puts the keys in the ignition and turns it. The bus cranks but fails to turn over. Erin lets out a frustrated noise as she hits the wheel.
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“Needs fucking fuel.” She gets up, causing Scout to move out of her way so she can get out of the bus. Scout follows her towards her bike before speaking up.
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“What’re you going to do?”
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“Go get some fuel. Find a gas station that still has diesel. One that hasn’t been drained.” Erin pulls her helmet back on, not looking over at Scout, her anger all too obvious.
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“But what about after that.”
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“We’re going to Haven. To find someone who can help her.” Erin looks down, closing her eyes for a long moment. She knows she’s going to have to make a deal with the devil to save her sister: Biotech.
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“Can--can I come with you?”
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“You need to stay here and keep Skye hanging on, Scout.” Erin finally opens her eyes and looks over at her. “Please keep her going, Scout. I can’t lose her too.”
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“I--I’ll try.” Scout nods unsurely. A lot of pressure has just been put on her — things out of her control, to boot.
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Erin turns the bike on and heads down the road to the gate, not hearing Scout whisper a request for her to stay safe.
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Erin pulls into another gas station, shutting off her bike and putting the kickstand down. She notes a handful of infected shambling about near the pumps. She knows she needs to make it quick, considering she doesn’t know how long her sister will make it. Erin sticks to the wall, the infected not noticing her as she steps into the convenience store, broken glass crunching under her boots. Most of the store is picked over, but thankfully there’s a gas canister still here. She picks it up and makes it back outside, seeing that the infected had wandered farther off, leaving her to see if there’s any fuel in peace.
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She thanks whatever god may be listening as she fills the container up, thankful something has gone right today. She finishes up and straps the canister to the bike before taking off again.
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Erin clutches the handles tightly as she goes over today’s events in her head. She’s pissed her sister is sick. She feels like she’s already gone through so much and doesn’t deserve this too. What will they do if she ends up dying? Erin can’t stop her jobs that support them, but she also can’t put all that weight on Scout alone.
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She’s pissed at Biotech, pissed that the N.C.R. is helping them, pissed that everyone in Biotech lives in their own little bubble, not caring about the pain and suffering going on outside their walls. That Biotech doesn’t do enough to help those stuck in No Man’s Land.
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Within a moment, Erin realizes she’s going too fast, flying down the road. She tries to slow down, but when she realizes there’s an infected in the road, she goes to turn but does too sharply, causing the bike to come out from under her. She rolls away from the bike, landing a few paces away. She cries out in pain, lifting her heavy head to look at the damage. Her jeans and jacket have been torn, leaving bits of exposed flesh that are bleeding. She drops her head back down, the helmet hitting the pavement with a thud.
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Before she can catch her breath, the infected wanders over, seeing the exposed flesh and attacking, throwing itself on her. Erin tries to hold it back with her injured forearm the best she can, but she’s shaky and weak from the pain. She tries to reach across her body for the knife, but she can’t reach it, allowing the infected time to scratch her chest, ripping her tank top. Erin yells out, backhanding to infected, but that doesn’t stop it from clawing and snapping at her. She reaches over to the other side as she searches for something, anything to grab onto, finally finding a chunk of the asphalt. She smashes it into the infected’s head, resulting in a sickening crunch. The infected limply falls to the side, its fluids leaking onto Erin.
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Erin pants, the pain taking over her. She tries to calm her racing heart and steady her breathing, fighting through the pain. She whimpers and closes her eyes.
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The day is sunny and comfortable, though that’s rather ordinary for the region during Spring. Erin tries to keep pace with Lance, but his longer legs lead him to being a few steps ahead at all times. She sighs, pushing herself up another rock. So much for a hiking trail.
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“How much longer?”
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“Only a little bit more.” Lance glances back at her with his usual charming smile, which, more often than not, convinces her to do more than she would normally. “I promise it will be worth it.” Lance holds his hand out to her, pulling her up next to him after she takes it. They are now chest to chest, looking into each other else.
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“I love you.” She utters, staring into his mossy green eyes.
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“Love you too.” Erin can’t help but laugh at his lopsided smile. He leans in to kiss her, brushing a piece of hair out of her face. “Come on.” Lance parts from her, walking forward. He leads her into a clearing, pushing a few branching out of the way.
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Erin gasps, looking around. There’s a large waterfall on the other side of the pool of water. From there, they have the perfect view of it. Erin leans into him, and Lance puts his arm around her.
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They find a place to sit on the bank, taking off their shoes and dipping their toes into the frigid water.
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“You know, Scout loves you.” Lance looks over at Erin with a small smile. “She’s always talking about you, asking when she’ll get to spend more time with you.”
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“I love her too. She reminds me of Skye before she became a teenager. Back when we used to get along.” She pauses a moment before speaking again. “I promise to take care of her like my own sister, no matter what.”
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Lance reaches over and squeezes her hand gently. “I know you will.”
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They sit there in silence for some time before Lance speaks again.
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“We should get back.” He stands up and holds a hand out to Erin to help her up. “I promised to give Scout some more driving lessons, and she’ll lecture me all day if I’m late.”
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Erin chuckles, putting her hand in his. “I can imagine.”
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Erin’s eyes shoot open as she comes back to reality. The sky is blue above her, and a flock of birds is flying overhead. She slowly pulls herself to her feet, limping to the bike and picking it back up. She checks that the gas can is unharmed before mounting the bike.
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“I won’t quit until they’re safe, Lance. I promise.”
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Erin puts her arms under an all too warm Skye, lifting her out of the bed. Frank tries to stop her, telling her she’s not well enough to be moved, but Erin doesn’t stop, carrying her sleeping form outside.
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“Where are you going, Erin?!” He follows after her towards the bus.
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“To Haven. To get the help she needs.” The gravel under her boots crunches as she walks.
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“You’re wounded, Erin. You’re in no shape to go anywhere right now. I need to tend to them. You’re limping, and your leg looks badly wounded.
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Erin doesn’t stop, arriving at the bus and going inside to put Skye down on one of the bunks in the back of the bus. She delicately tucks her sister in under the blankets. When she exits, there’s a crowd of people around the bus now, asking what’s going on.
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“I’m going to Haven.” She answers simply, not directing the answer to anyone specific.
“Didn’t you hear, Erin?” One of them gently asks.
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“Hear what?”
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“There was another outbreak. In Haven this time.”
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Fear and panic wash over her as she clenches her fist. “Fine.” She whispers. “I’ll go to the N.C.R.”
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“You know they won’t help.” Another person adds. “No matter how much you beg or how long you’ve worked for them. They don’t care about folks like us.”
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“Your sister can’t last a ride like that, Erin.” Frank gently places his hand on her shoulder. “Much less the ride back here if it doesn’t work out.”
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“Fine.” She barely whispers, turning back to the bus and walking in, picking her sister up once again.
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Erin spoons the soup, blowing on it, before holding it out for her sister, who sips it up. Erin places the spoon back in the soup, repeating this action.
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“Erin.” Skye speaks up between bites. “I’m sorry for what I said about you leaving.”
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“You were right to.” She shrugged slightly, holding another spoonful out.
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Skye doesn’t say anything for a while until Erin sets the mostly empty bowl to the side. “Aren’t you going to apologize for yelling at me?”
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Erin smiles slightly. “No. You deserved it.”
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Skye smiles slightly, shifting in the bed. “I’m going to get some more sleep. Can you stay with me until I fall asleep?”
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“Sure.” Erin nods, pulling the blankets up to fulling cover Skye’s body. It doesn’t take long for her to drift off to sleep, but her breathing is shaky. Erin runs her fingers through her hair, taking a deep breath, before looking up to see Scout walk into the room, a mug of tea in hand. She sets it on the dresser next to Erin. “Thanks, Scout.”
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Scout nods before taking a seat in front of Erin, who is on a chair. Erin begins lovingly playing with Scout’s hair, combing her fingers through it. “The kids are asleep.”
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“Thanks, Scout.”
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“Erin.” She pauses for a few moments. “What are we going to do?”
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Erin takes another deep breath. “I’m going to do whatever it takes for Skye to get better. And there’s only one place I know to go to. Only place that can help Skye, that will help. Only one person.” The answer hangs in the air.
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“Oh.” Erin reaches into her pocket. “I have something for you, Scout.” She pulls out the moon necklace, holding it out in front of her.
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Scout gasps before standing up on her knees and moving her hair out of the way so Erin can put it on her.
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“Thank you.” She turns to face Erin before wrapping her arms around her. “Thank you so much.”
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