"It's not about sticking around, it's about sticking together," Ethan told her. "Everyone's scared, everyone's lost someone. I see that now. You look hungry, and I'm not sure how you've survived out here through the night, but its only getting colder. You need warm clothes, food. I have a place that can provide that for you." The revving of engines suddenly took his attention, somewhere just beyond the trees to the west. He instinctfully ducked down as if bullets were flying by, but quickly realized they were not yet noticed, and actually had the upper advantage of the situation. He grabbed Liz's arm and yanked her down to his level. "Shhh," he spat. He slowly moved toward the sounds, staying low and hesitant. Unintentionally, he dragged Liz along with him. Just a few steps beyond the shrubs, then he saw what created the sound. There were three trucks on the other side, and numerous men about. They all were circled around one another as if a meeting were to take place. "If we stay out here, we're all going to die," Ernie spoke. "They took over our homes, but I have a solution. There's a farm at the top of the hill, a safehaven if you will. The only problem, is there are people still there. Quite a few, actually. Nothing we can't handle. I say we go up there tonight when its dark, and take it for ourselves." The others seemed to agree. They continued discussing the situation as Ethan slowly backed away with Liz. He brought her back through the brush to where they were before. "They're talking about the place I'm from," Ethan told Liz. "I have to warn them. You have to come with me. Or...go back to being alone. See how long you last. I promise you, if you help me now, my group will take you in. Otherwise, those guys might get ahold of you, and who knows what they want..." ---------------------------------------------------- "He's not in his room?" Raven shouted down from the barn. The look on the boy's face told her no. "Haven't seen him. Maybe he just wandered off somewhere, wanting to be alone?" Dallen snored in his sleep, making Raven winch. ----------------------------------------------------- Johnny was under the bed, seeing where Reena had hid, all they could do was wait. There were muffled voices, seemingly drunk, but after awhile they calmed down to a singular voice. "Check the house again, who knows if those creepers got in or not," it spoke. "Check every crack and cranny." Moments later, johnny saw the door to the room he was in open. A man's feet walked in, though the stumbling and the slurs of speech told him he was drunk. The group of men were talking to one another as they searched the house, all seemingly drunk and uncaring. The one in the room went over to the area Reena was hiding. Johnny slowly pulled out his pocket knife. He waited until the conversation throughout the household continued. A few of them, in a room not to far away, started getting into a heated conversation about survivalism. As the voices grew louder, Johnny got more prepared. He slowly eased out from the bed, behind the man in the room. As the man began to open the closets, Johnny rushed behind him and pulled his blade to his neck. The unsuspecting man instinctfully raised his arms in defense, which gave Johnny enough means to swipe the blade and tear his flesh from his throat out. It was quick, and quiet. Johnny held the lifeless body and laid it down gently. He then dragged the corpse into the space with Reena. "I have a feeling they would kill us withought a thought,"Johnny said. "Are you ready?" He wasn't sure if she was. All he knew was that, at least in his mind, they were going to have to kill every single one of them. It would only be moments now until they figured out one of their own was missing. Until they found them.