"It's happening."

      A voice so familiar almost as my own. A voice I grew up with. Someone I cared so much about like family.

     We are a family. Brothers. Siblings. Siblings by heart, by circumstances.

     He lets go of me.

     "Sorry," he says sheepishly before fully looking at me, seeing more skin than I'd ever shown.

      "Carson Rose!" I croak out his full name, not caring of my state nor my sore throat as I tackled him in a hug. Ahh, how much I missed him! 

    "Y-you have," I stop and try to swallow away the hoarseness, "no i-idea how th-thrilled I am to see y--"

     "Shh. Don't strain yourself." he rubs his hand over his legs, "You sure know how to fight."

     "Sorry." I say honestly. 

     He nods in understanding.

     He and Alyssa look like twins, even though he's one year older than her. except for the clear distinction between theirs hair and eyes. Alyssa has light brown hair and bright green eyes, whereas Carson has dark hair and light brown eyes. Apart from that they share the same facial features: straight nose, round eyes, dimpled cheeks, and a birthmark on the side of their nose. 

     "You k-know anything of what's gg-going on?" I urge, wanting anything, to clear my confused mind and my throat that feels like it's closing in on me.

     He looks away for a moment, "Sky, I think this was intentional. Every undead I've come across belongs to the haven. They're not the outsider ones."

     I suck in a breath.

     Now that I think of it, when it all happened I was at the Hendrix's place. The first undead I encountered was Erick. And before Axel left my side he cursed under this breathe and left me there. Alone. Maybe he knows something? He has too!

     He didn't even care about me as he just ran away without saying goodbye or an explanation. Why do I even care? For all he knows I'm dead.

     I should be dead. I jumped off a window in a mansion. A pretty high one. I should be dead. Why am I not dead?

     "Dead."

     "What?" Carson's eyebrows knit together in confusion. 

     "I should b-be dd-dead." I repeat above a whisper. "I was attacked by someone and-" I stop as my eyes swell. My eyes brimming with unshed tears.

     I let them fall.

      Huge fat tears stream down my face and I can't control the hiccups that rage over my body. 

    "I had to jump off my w-window and then I killed my friend and it all happened so fast. I had to kill so many of those things. Those zombies. Then I was touched. I had to let them touch me. I'm so d-disgusted and repulsed. I can still fell the sensation, their sick twisted v-voices. Demented people!" I cry out in frustration and the pain of relieving the moment.

    "But I had no choice. I-I had too. I-I-I should be d-dead Carson, why am I not?!" I continue through sobs.

     "Sky," he starts then stops. He pulls me into his arms and holds me so tight. I lay my head on his shoulder and cry out.

     I tried to control myself, but I needed someone. I needed this. I needed someone's touch. Pure and undefiled. He's the only human I've encountered all night. And I was fucking glad it was Carson.

     I felt bad for him though. I was coated in blood, more like plunged into a lake full of it. Sticky substance and foul-smelling too. It was all rotten flesh drying up. Sticking to my exposed body like a second layer of skin, soaking into my pores. 

     I really need a shower. A bath sounds even better so refreshing and cleansing. But this night isn't over yet and I don't have time for luxury. Not when my life depends on surviving.

     Carson caresses my hair softly while humming a lullaby we used to sing as children.

      The melody calms me and soothes my thoughts until my trembling and shaking come to an end. 

     As my last tear slips from my cheeks into his shirt, I know I'm going to be okay. But first I must pull myself together for the long night ahead. For it still hadn't ended. Not completely.