Nero was on his guard, the gun was in his hand as he looked around the rest station, he had heard something and the bad thing was it had come from near him inside the rest station itself. It had only been mere minute since he had heard it, Nero had been dozing off again when he heard the distinctive noises of a Walker, an from the volume it was close to him. But that was not possible was it, this place was empty and there was no second floor, not even an attic, yet it sounded as if it was in here with him. Slowly moving forward Nero moved silently re-checking his corners and even the broken toilet for any sign of Walkers, but to his surprise it was empty and completely silent, Nero shook his head walking back to the couch near the now dieing fire. Sitting back down he placed the gun beside him as he leaned back, was he hearing things now, was he going insane like the many who have already lost their minds? This had not been the first time that Nero thought he was losing his mind, the last time being months ago when he watched a young boy get eaten alive, he had tried to save him but it had been too late and himself too far away. It effected him beyond words to see that young boy die, and for a couple days he could hardly eat anything, hell he didn't even want to smoke which was a big thing. Nero was no lightweight when it came to people dieing adult or child a like, his short time in the Italian Military was no walk in the Vienna woods by any means.

But he could deny that seeing that boy die, that he was human and that even he the man who lives by logic, can not weather this death and decay forever. Hell he could be thirty again, a time when nothing bothered him and his emotions were non-existent from day to day, and he would probably still be where he is now. It was funny how some believed that they could survive something like this and still keep their sanity, but the truth was he used to be one of those people, and now he was teetering on the edge of not knowing if he was losing his mind or not. There was a truth to face here, and that is simply that no one is indestructible, no one is immortal or so strong they can forever walk this valley of shadow and death and not feel fear, for the first time in life Nero felt vulnerable and the feeling was frightening. Sighing Nero raised his leg and stretched it before placing it back on the ground with a thump. In the next moment there was a loud cracking of wood, in front of Nero the floor had been broken from underneath and a grey bloody hand reached through and grabbed his ankle. Nero out of instinct let out a yell of surprise as he yanked his leg away, flinging back the couch tipped with him and he for a second watched the world spin before his head smacked the ground behind him. Nero was seeing nothing but blackness for a split second before his sight returned to him, blinking twice all he saw was a big blur, when his eyes adjusted a Walker was on the prowl crawling towards him.

[b]"Shit!"[/b]

Nero quickly backed away back but smacked the wall behind him, the Walker lunged and grabbed onto Nero's leg with the intent to chomp onto it, with his other foot he kicked the walker straight in the face breaking its nose clean, not that it cared or felt the impact. Nero kicked out again and caught the walker straight in the jaw this time, there was a sickening crack before Nero kicked again, this time knocking the walker back a peg, Nero quickly bolted sideways but felt the hand grab his ankle before he fully got to his feet, falling forward he smacked the ground again this time on his stomach. Feeling the Walker trying to climb up to him Nero quickly turned freeing his ankle from the Walkers grip, now on his back the walker came forward with a lunge, Nero caught it by the head as it's milky eye's were not set on his neck. With both hands on either side of the walkers head he kept it from advancing, bloody drool was drizzling onto Nero's arm, it was time to end this once and for all. Changing the position of his hands on the Walkers head Nero quickly in an opposite motion with each hand pulled the walkers head, there was a loud crack as the Walkers neck was broken in two, feeling its weight on top of him now limp, Nero let the head go as he pushed the body off of top of himself. Slowly getting to his feet Nero felt dizzy again, reaching his hand to the back of his head he checked for blood, but there was none, he had just been knocked for a loop.

Slowly making way back to the couch Nero tripped over his own feet, but caught himself on the arm of the sofa, slowly reaching forward he grabbed his machete by the handle. Gripping it he pulled it forward and unclasped the strap on it and pulled it out of the nylon sheath. Turning he gripped the blade tightly as he glared at the Walker, in an angry swipe he brought the machete down and slammed it into the Walkers head, deep enough that it got stuck, tugging hard Nero brought the machete out of the skull, seeing the brain matter and blade on the machete Nero felt a surge of instant hatred and anger towards the obviously dead Walker. Bringing the blade down again he slammed into the Walkers head again and ripped it out, after that Nero kept bringing the machete down on the Walker as blood was going everywhere, keeping at it was for a minute straight the Walkers head was a bloody mess, in one last swipe Nero sliced the neck clean and decapitated the head. Picking it up Nero threw it as hard as he could, the head broke straight through the window near him disappearing to the snowy landscape outside. Nero exhausted fell backwards his back hitting the wall, sliding down to the ground he let the machete fall beside him. Putting his hands to his face Nero let out a loud scream as he shook his head closing his eye's so tight it hurt, he didn't care who could hear him Walkers or not.

Keeping his eye's closed he grit his teeth as the tears, the frustration, and the hopelessness he had kept in for so long came pouring out of him. It was like a volcano erupting as Nero let it all seep out, after a few moments he was sitting silently again the wall of the rest station, he was breathing hard now his eye's still closed. After a couple more minutes passed Nero slowly got to his feet as he let his eye's open. Slowly reaching back into his pocket he pulled out the picture of his son, and looked at it, swallowing hard he spoke lowly and shakily.

[youtube]y_0lO3LA9GM[/youtube]

[b]"I'm so sorry my son, I am sorry that I never gave the time that you deserved, and now at the end of all things you are gone from me. I've run so far to escape my guilt, but I can't keep running anymore, I have to face my guilt and my fears. We all have a price to pay to God, an if I find you I hope that you alive, but if you are not... then I don't deserve to live anymore. It took all this hell to show me that I left you alone, I did not protect you like a father should, I didn't love you like I should have, like I should have loved your mother. I swear I will find you so I can tell you all these things, because the world maybe over, but I will tell you the things you deserved to hear from me. I hope you can forgive me, wherever you are."[/b]

Looking up from the picture, the interior of the rest station was now coated in droplets of dark maroon blood, the hacked carcass of the Walker was nearby, in a puddle of its own blood. Avoiding the mess of a Walker Nero collected his items including his Beretta near the far wall, his sheath and his pack, attaching his personal affects back to his body he secured his items. He started to walk away towards the entrance to the rest station but then turned around, walking back to the fire place he grabbed a piece of burning wood and walked to the remains of the wool carpet, bending down he placed the log on the carpet and set it ablaze almost immediately. Tossing the burning log to the ground he turned as the wood of the floor started to catch with the carpet, walking to the door Nero brought his leg down and broke the weak wooden chair into pieces before exiting the rest station. An as the entire place started to set ablaze old dry wood starting to smolder and crack, Nero turned with the picture of his son, sighing he threw the picture into the flames that were now licking the interior of the rest station. Turning away the flames burned the picture and the last words Nero spoke were:

[b]"I'll find you my son"[/b]