[center]-Little before the Asylum- [/center]

A fenced in backyard like any other yet something was obviously wrong. Grass had grown wildly and tall, the blades shielded by the wooden boards. Scattered throughout the isolated area were plastic, overturned chairs. Some broken, bloodied and even untouched while hidden by the overgrowth. A rustic grill tossed to the side and forgotten, the embers long since extinguished. The tell tale signs of mayhem slowly led up the porch where the glass door was shattered from the outside, covered in weeks of grime and blood. 

All was silent save for the sounds of splitting wood. The creaking and crackling had shattered the graveyard like aura as one of the fence's board had began to shift to the side creating a gap.

In the alley between two houses, three figures were standing just outside the noise's source and gently had worked their way through. One of the males were ready to open the gap, his form was the thinnest and lankest of the three with a greying goat tee. One of his trade mark items were his hunting cap upon his short, black hair as his head turned to the only woman in their group. Also the smallest. 

Crunched down on one knee, his voice was laced in deep southern origins when he spoke. "If you see any of them da-gum walkers about, Bel, then haul your ass back. Got it?"

"I know the drill. Just make sure nothing's nipping my ass from this direction alright?" Isabel said, her eyes hovered warily over the gap before her body pulled to all fours. Shortly she pulled out her hand made machete and braced to defend herself, her eyes darted for a moment to the alley's end. There she spotted Ted, an African American man around her age and just as edgy watching her with a worried expression. Unable to pause she took a deep breath then nodded to Burt who then jerked the gap wide with a grunt. 

Gingerly, she first stuck her machete into the cover of grass and hacked a small peek hole. She scanned the scene from her low view point, her heart thumped hard inside her chest until it seemed her ears were drowned in the beat. Slowly and in utmost caution, Isabel edged her shoulder though and afterwards the rest of her was a breeze. Her hands scrambled along the dirt and flattened the grass blades as she squeezed into the yard. Isabel's eyes whipped about the once innocent scene which had been ravaged by the infection's touch and time's decay. If she hadn't seen this scenario over and over in just under two month's span the world went to hell, then her horror would've been immeasurable. Now she was just numb to it. 

She turned behind her, suppressed a giggle at a nervous Burt. The man's shoulder had propped up the board and looked like he was about to join her shortly, causing Isabel to calm his paranoia. "Seems all clear, you can start coming through. Quickly." 

When Burt motioned for Ted to go through, he widened the gap and finally Ted crawled in. Mean while Isabel stood watch for any biters to appear or pull up like snakes in the grass. Last thing any of them wanted was to put down one of their own again. Once the last man was inside, Burt jammed up the opening to prevent any unwanted surprises from shambling in their wake letting Isabel and Ted waded out ahead. Isabel was the first to step upon the porch. Her hands upon the lawn mower machete and raised high to right during her approach up the porch. Shoes crunched over the glass covering the dirty floor when she entered the building. Light filtered into the gloomy kitchen through the window remains, grimly illuminated the interior. Dried blood was pooled upon the floor and dragged off to somewhere Isabel didn't want to think about. She pushed down a shiver then walked farther in.

The sounds of a feeble gait caused her head to snap up, her sight spied the image of a fresh corpse staring with dull, murky eyes. At first glance it had once been a sixteen year old boy.The face had been wounded and half eaten, a gaping hole where it's cheek should've been, the evidence had killed off any mistake of life. For several seconds it stood there, tilted it's head eerily as if it noticed her for the first time. There was a handle of some sort of knife stuck out of the center, dried blood surrounded it where it was repetitively stabbed in the chest cavity. It seemed some amateur's last attempt to survive gone wrong.

[i]Shit![/i] Isabel inwardly curse then tightened her grip. Seconds seemed like hours while adrenaline poured through her veins, her breath slow and steady. 

Time was rushed back into the present when the biter rushed forward. Without hesitation, Isabel's blade came down at an angle where it stuck fast and deep. Blood splattered from the force, the red specks dotted across her tensed face. 

It shuddered once. Then her momentum brought it to crumble into a heap near her feet, her body followed through with the motion. Isabel exhaled in relief when it stilled. Immediately her shoe pressed down upon the downed walker's head half eaten side, her hands straightened her grip before she mentally counted in preparation.

1...2...3... 

She abruptly jerked her weapon free with a sickening crack. Coagulated blood stained her blade as Isabel stepped back then scrapped it clean against a wall edge. Out of the corner of her eye, she spied her companions crouch behind her and glanced around. Knowing she was wasting time, Isabel returned to the corpse and started to work the knife out of the chest. The putrid smell filled her nose enough to wrinkle causing her stomach to churn with flips. One last hard tug and the folding pocket knife came free in its gory glory. Her hand held to her mouth, mostly to stop the sourness from vomiting out, while she wiped the knife clean on the walker's shredded flannel. Her hands then started to frisk the body and soon was rewarded. A package of Jolly Rancher hard candies, completely untouched, in the right pant pocket. It might not be the healthiest choice but was better then an empty stomach. 

Isabel smirked then hastily unzipped one of her belt pockets. Her attention shifted upon the walker's teeth and noticed the blood smeared there was recent. Curious, her hand gradual stuck the recently acquired pocket knife into the maw where she pulled it apart to look in the hazy light. Thick and stringy chunks showed it had recently fed however she couldn't tell what sort of meal had been unfortunate enough to been it's last. She pushed the possibilities out of her head before the sounds of crunching caught her attention. It was very soft, little surprise she missed it at first while she pressed her back against the hallway door then edged towards the corner. Isabel's eyes caught what she suspected: a biter gnawing upon a fresh kill. From the blue uniform and handgun loosely in hand, Isabel knew the victim had once been a cop. It would only be a matter of time until he was up and walking again. Not in a pleasant way. 

Again, Isabel took a deep breath as her head darted to the pair. She signed for the two to cover her and received a nod from Burt in return, his impressive rifle, the only one he was able to save from his collect, repositioned over his shoulder when he drew his crowbar. His fingers gripped tightly, he followed behind Isabel's lead. Slowly she crept towards the slurping undead, distracted by its current meal, her machete ready to bury itself into the soft neck. Her right foot lead to prod for creaky boards in her path. Sure enough, one gave a loud creak from her weight and caused the walker to pause. It's head pulled up, sniffed the air like a coyote, before it rested it's sunken sight upon Isabel. Then it weakly scrambled upright. 

Acting quickly, she cut the distance between them. Her steps no longer careful as she swung her machete horizontally at the neck. The muscles gave way easily, spliced from the sharpened blade, severed from the body. A heavy thump echoed in the house when the head hit the floor followed by her deep breathing. When the body slumped into the floor did her vision the rest onto the torn up carcass in the room's corner. The victim was a white male, his belly and thighs down had been chewed to a mess of guts, stringy meat and blood. 

Isabel averted her eyes and settled on the other. Her body hunched over, hands started to scavenge through the corpse's tool belt where this time, she only found an unopened sardine can. It seemed this poor fellow had come in here to scavenge for supplies only to be bitten, his arm covered in a distinct mark she had seen on her cousin. Isabel had been about to pull up she she spotted something black wrapped about the corpse's wrist: a diver's watch. 

It's little hand ticked and seemed unaware that the world had ended. Isabel smirked at the irony then unlatched the item, adding it to her other wrist, a faint belief she could at least use it for something even if it stopped. 

"Watch it Bel, that other corpse is moving." Came Burt's warning, his knuckles tighten and thumped it into the severed head. Bits of skull and brain was smeared in the process. 

Isabel caught the half eaten's hand stir. It followed up with a raspy moan causing her to rise to her feet fast. Slowly it fell to its side then tried to crawl toward her, the ragged leg stumps and entrails dragged in its wake. Included the woody scraping of the nightstick at its side, skin and gory covered the end. It's arms pulled itself along as it ate up the distance until it was only a bit away. The hand reached out and tried to take hold of her shoe. 

Crack! 

Isabel sank her weapon into the head, split it wide and exposed the brain to daylight from barricaded windows. Once more she lowered herself to search the fresher walker. Unlike the prior two, this one had a distinct lot in life and used it to survive when she turned him over. First she went to the belt where she found a 9mm handgun, handcuffs, a nightstick and finally a badge pinned upon the chest. Isabel's expression took on a look of pity at the fallen survivor. To live so long and she guessed he died when the poor sap had tried to salvage alone. 

She loosened the nightstick's string then attached it to her belt, the badge and finally the handcuffs placed in the same pocket she put the hard candy. It was a tight fit but she managed it. While she checked the handgun's clip, Burt had noticed Isabel stash away the cuffs drawing a smug comment. "Got something kinky in mind for those I reckon?"

She rolled her eyes at the smirking man. "No, I figured if I can find some keys then maybe we can use it for when I sleep walk. Last thing I want to do is wander about in the middle of the night right into a crowd of walkers." Counting about seven rounds left in the gun and placed it, with the safety on, in the back of her pants. She added playfully she she rose to her feet. "Besides, I would have to find someone to use them on me first if I did. Most those in our group are more family to me then friends with benefits." 

"Right." Burt replied, his capped head shook in mirth at her words then followed her out the door.

[center]-Present-[/center]

Isabel, Burt and Ted had made their way into the Asylum a short time ago. Isabel had found a broken window where they had made their way inside and edged from room to room. They had only made it into two rooms when they thought they heard a muffled gunshot followed by voices in the vents. Isabel knew voices meant life. She only hoped whomever they belonged to had found her sister and had kept close to her. The idea of Reyes becoming like Miguel sickened Isabel, her hands hardened her grasp on her weapon for comfort against the worst possible scenario. 

"Keep your eyes open and alert. Walkers could be anywhere in here." Ted cautioned, his hand cracked his glow rod.

 It casted a sickly but bright yellow light over the three. Barely reached a foot outwards, it was better then scrambling about in utter darkness. He pulled out in front to lead the way being slightly more armored with thin phone book pads on his arms and shin, complete with work boots. They were tied with Xbox cords salvaged weeks ago. 

While they scanned the hallway, Isabel's nerves were jittery. Not only was her machete held ready to hack any walker which came across their path, Burt's crowbar and Ted's pickaxe had mimicked her example. Isabel only paused once to glance back. She calmed when she spotted Burt was still close behind before they opened the door to another room, unable to see more then a little ways in front of them. It was bad as being blind and completely helpless.

Her senses tried to make up for what her sight lacked. The newly gotten nightstick tapped softly against her thigh, each step brought it into a slight swinging motion, during her attempt to keep their formation close knitted. She was almost riding Ted's ass the whole search. Every new sound suddenly became a threat despite it being made by their very steps, her head swiveled in habit into the shadows and had no luck in seeing any hidden danger. 

It was a large room from what little she could tell. Ted kept close to the wall, gently prodded it with his pick's head flat side to ensure he didn't hit a gap or make any loud sounds. Every moment was painfully slow to Isabel. Her heart felt like it hindered her hearing, weakening her chances to survive, until they reached another door after they quietly closed a double set. They huddled together filled by uncertainty at what possibly could lurk in the area they were trapped in. However, shuffling steps after their stop declared they were not alone. 

"Hurry up and open the door. Something's in here." Isabel whispered the obvious, her knuckles were now whitened by her fright. This was a bad idea, she could easily tell when Ted reached for the door and tugged it down. It jingled but didn't open. Her heart leapt into her throat as the sounds drew closer, drawn by the noise it seemed. 

"Fuck..." Ted cursed her own thoughts. He unloaded his tot bag from his shoulder then tossed it down and gestured for Burt to open the door. "Isabel, you and I will cover Burt while he opens this. They cluster together and get too close then pop them with your shotgun."

Isabel nodded and backed as close to them as possible. Ted tossed his glow stick to her and her hand caught it easily. She tossed it to the ground in front of her while she glimpsed Ted reach into Burt's bag then brought a camping lantern. He set down and turned it on, filling the other side of the room with pale blue light. Burt had already started his duty to work on the door, likely locked from the other side, open while Isabel and Ted held them off. None of them had counted on being close to the voices they had heard so they didn't bother shouting. Isabel, alongside her companions, had learned that a long time ago help was never coming. 

Ted let off a shot with his handgun into the first walker to emerge into the light. Unaware the sound would alert others to their presence.