Death and Rebirth

Pan stood between Mikey and K-mart as Carlos, Claire, and Alice stood before the convoy that morning. “We have a decision to make.” Carlos called over the group, the members of the convoy exchanged nervous glances and whispered amongst themselves. Most wondering if it had anything to do with the strange new visitors. K-mart leered at a woman who watched Pan cautiously “what are you looking at?” she barked crossing her arms “See a bug or something?” she added sharply, the woman shook her head and turned her attention back to what Carlos was saying.

Mikey smiled and nudged Pan “See what’d I tell ya, it just takes her a while to warm up” He whispered. Pan nodded and smiled over to K-mart. “What?” K-mart asked confused, Pan shook her head and continued to listen. “And it's too big, it's too important for us to make for you this time.” He sighed, but he was clearly stalling, the truth was he wasn’t sure about this. Claire glanced at him in annoyance “There's a chance there are survivors.” She spoke up, the convoys murmured became louder. “Where?” Chase asked, “Alaska” Alice breathed. Pan froze a tingle rushed up her spine. “Alaska” she murmured and the clips came back, those fragmented memories. Pan held her head “ow” she whimpered. “Hey you ok?” Mikey asked examining her. Pan managed a smile and nodded.

“There is a chance... ...that the infection hasn't reached that far.” Claire added, her voice full of hope and it was catching as the Convoy’s spirits seemed to lift. The Virus symbol flickered on and off in Pan’s eyes, Alice watched her through the crowd intently, she could feel something wasn’t right. She turned her eyes back to Claire “But we don't know for sure.” Alice said speaking up, Claire sent her a subtle glare. “So we have a choice. We stay as we are...” Carlos spoke “...or we try for Alaska.” Claire jumped in with a smile. It didn’t take long to receive an answer “For Alaska” someone said quickly “Alaska!” the rest cheered in unison. Pan looked over everyone’s faces, all the people seemed to build up right there in that moment. But even with their hopeful faces, something didn’t feel right. Pan looked up and Locked eyes with Alice. In turn Alice closed her eyes and sighed “I hope you’re right” She said looking Claire dead in the eyes before turning to walk away.

Pan helped Mikey pack up his truck. “how’s you’re headache?” He asked taking the chance to reach out and feel through her hair, examining her head. “Ok” she said with a smile “are you a doctor?” she asked Mikey laughed drawing his hand away “No, why do you ask?” He questioned. Pan beamed “because you’re always checking on me for if something is wrong, like a doctor” she said so simply. Mikey blushed “heh no but I probably could be if that’s the case huh?” He asked lightheartedly trying to mask his tenting face. Pan nodded. “Hey” Carlos called from behind them, Pan jumped and squealed sending Carlos into a fit of laughter. “It’s not funny!” Pan called puffin gout her cheeks. Carlos calmed himself down and sighed “No, but I needed that” He ruffled her hair “thanks Kiddo” He said softly. Pan nodded and smiled. “We’re headed out soon, you can ride with me and Claire in the Humvee, Alice is” He said, Pan brushed his hand off of her head and beamed “Aussie said I can ride with him and K-mart!” she cheered, Carlos drew his hand back and looked to be caught off guard, he eyed Mikey “is that so?” he asked slowly. Pan nodded her head vigorously and beamed up at Mikey “yeah, figured it’d be kinda cramped shoving four grown bodies into the front of the Humvee you know?” Mikey spoke apprehensively feeling the hint of tension that had formed. “Alright” Carlos exhaled “makes sense” He muttered. “You keep an eye out on her” He instructed before walking away.

“What was that all about?” Mikey asked looking down at Pan, She shrugged “I dunno, he’s just like that is what Alice says, Alice says he’s always been like that…but, I think it’s new” Pan said Mikey bit his lip to hold back a smile, failing to do so it turned into a short laugh “huh?” Pan asked looking up at him He laid a hand on her shoulder “that voice you’re like a little chipmunk, you’re so cute it isn’t even fair!” He chuckled. Pan smiled sheepishly and then frowned “no I’m not, you haven’t seen it yet” she muttered it was meant to only be a thought, but the thought had formed words “seen what?” Mikey asked, Pan looked up at him with clouded eyes realizing she had in fact said something. “N-nothing” Pan stammered quickly, she hopped in the truck and side over to the middle as she did so K-mart got into the truck next to her. “Come on Mikey Carlos is already pulling out!” K-mart called. Mikey brushed off what Pan had said and got in the Truck firing it up.

Pan, K-mart, and Mikey were talking happily, when the Truck started to make a strange noise. Mikey looked at the dash and groaned. “What’s wrong?” K-mart asked Mikey turned to her “Gas light is on” He said. K-mart nodded and leaned out the window waving her arms.

“Hey Carlos” Claire called glancing into the side mirror of the Humvee she could see K-mart waving “something wrong pull over” Carlos looked out of his side view as well to see Mikey pulling his truck over to the side, the Jeep and Buss behind him following suit.

Pan hopped out of the truck after K-mart and darted to Alice the moment she exited the Humvee. “Everyone Break!” Claire called out to everyone. Chase, Mikey, and LJ gathered around Carlos, Claire, and Alice. “God we’re screwed” Mikey said chewing on his bottom lip. “The food's virtually gone and the truck's running on empty.” Chase stated whipping the sweat from his brow and adjusting his hat. “I've got half a tank of gas. That's it.” LJ added in glancing back at the Bus with a bit of worry. “Mikey?” Claire asked He smiled bitterly “hell, I don't even have empty. That’s why we flagged ya and pulled over” He said. “I got enough for a hundred miles, tops.” Carlos sighed rubbing his temples in frustration Alice looked between them all, she wanted to say I told you so, but that’s not what these people needed right now “If we're gonna make this trip, we'll need to resupply.” Claire stated pulling a Map out of her belts. She rolled it out on top of the hood go Mikey’s truck.

“These are our options” She sighed her eyes canning the paper, Carlos leaned over the truck “The nearest, safest bet is right there.” He said pointing to a red circle on the map. Alice shook her head “No, it's empty. I tried that.” She said. “Well then” Chase said pausing as he looked over the station “maybe…here?” He asked resting is hand on another circle. Pan looked at it, flashing back to when she awoke in the dark. “No” she said quickly looking up at all of them from her hiding spot under Alice’s arm “Its dry, it looked dry, that’s where I was before I found you guys” she said never taking her eyes off of the map. “It’s too far back the other way as well” Claire mumbled. Alice’s eyes were glued to the map, she picked up on the silence and pointed to a spot on the paper. “We could try this...” She said Carlos followed her finger, it went quiet again. “Vegas?” Claire asked, surely this woman had to be insane.

“It is the only place we're sure to find gas and supplies.” Carlos declared looking over to Claire. “There's reasons for that. Vegas is too risky.” Chase stated LJ nodded “It's crawling with them sons of bitches. It’s be stupid as hell to stroll up in there on E” LJ ranted “so that if we need to hightail our asses out we’d be stuck” He added. “But… We've drained every small town dry over the last six months.” Mikey hesitated looking up into Alice’s eyes as she nodded firmly “we have to hit a big city, it’s our only option” She held “She's right.” Claire sighed as she folded up the map, she wasn’t happy having to side with Alice, but there was nothing else she could do. “Vegas, it's our only bet.” She added turning to look Alice in the eye.

It was a long drive, but eventually the Convoy made it stopping at the top of a large hill to overlooking the city. Pan unwrapped her bandages on her arms, looking around she made sure that Mikey and K-mart had gone off. She looked to the large gashes and started to lick at them, much like an animal would clean a wound. “What the hell?” K-mart called Pan jumped and sucked her tongue back into her mouth, wide eyed, unsure of what K-mart was going to do or say. K-mart looked at Pan dully “I’m not even surprised, and I don’t even want to know” she muttered walking back off “Hey Mikey your pet girlfriends doing weird things again!” K-mart called.

Mikey jogged back passing K-mart “she’s not my girlfriend or my pet” he called blush profusely “sure she’s not” K-mart muttered waving him off.

Pan cleaned out arm and moved to the next, looking up she spotted Mikey gawking at her. Once again she pulled her tongue back in her mouth and looked off awkwardly “um” she hummed. Mikey shook his head “you know back before all of this, I read an article once online, it said that you’re supposed to lick your wounds, caus’ saliva has healing properties” He spoke quickly rubbing the back of his neck. Pan looked up at him timidly and smiled “Mines better” Pan said proudly turning to show him the arm she had previously cleaned. Very slowly it appeared as though the skin was healing grafting itself back together. “Holy” Mikey gasped reaching out to touch her arm Pan grinned “I’ve seen it all” Mikey added laughing. “Come on there is something you gotta see” He called taking Pan’s hand he led her out of the truck.

At the top of the hills Pan ran to Alice, pushing through her and Carlos as they looked down at the city below. Pan gasped “Ah!” she leaned forward narrowing her eyes was it real “It’s all gone!” she called. “What happened to it?” Claire asked “Desert took it back” Alice stated “It’s been five years” She added, Pan looked up at her wide eyed, it had been five years since the outbreak, it didn’t feel like it’d been that long. Then again, as far back as pan could remember, she’d always been on the run either with Alice or…

“Leon!” “Ada!” “Take her and go!”

Pan shut her eyes tightly, trembling a bit. “I’m sorry” she thought. “Pan” Alice called within her, “who are they?” She asked Pan shut her eyes tightly “my friends” she answered “but” Pan paused opening her eyes she looked up at Alice whose eyes were fixed on her “they’re gone” Pan thought tears slipping over her cheeks.

Carlos watched Alice and Pan, it seemed as though they were having a conversation but neither uttered a word.

“It's empty. No undead. No nothing.” Chase muttered his eyes scanning what few buildings popped out of the sand. “Those birds must have moved through the city block by block. Picked it clean.” Carlos said turning too looked at Chase, “I can’t see any truck stops” Claire observed. “Where are they?” She asked LJ pushed ahead of everyone and pointed “down there, right over there” He called he turned back and gave everyone a smile. Pan watched him having finally tore her eyes away from Alice. She narrowed her eyes at him. He looked different, really different. His Dark skin was losing its luster, almost as if greying, pasty.

“Valet parking at the casino up ahead. There's gas pumps in there.” He stated, Mikey arched a brow at him “now, how do you know” he asked LJ gave a silly grin “I dropped two G's back in the day here.” He laughed, Pan didn’t know much about money but that didn’t sound like a good thing at all. “You lost $2000?” Chase asked baffled, He then shook his head “you gotta know when to fold ‘em” He muttered.

It was nearly impossible to get into the valet parking because of the sand. “Damn it” Carlos cursed kicking the sand, he sighed heavily as he watched the others looking hopelessly around. “Those semi-grates.” Claire said pointing to large metal boxes in front of the Valet. “Spread out the Trucks” Carlos called. “We’re going to have to move it” Claire said pointing at a large Crate that was mildly stuck in the sand. “All right, Chase, I need a lookout!” Carlos called out, Chase grabbed his riffle and nodded, “up there” Carlos pointed, Chase deflated a bit. “great” Chase muttered. Alice nudged Pan and gave her a firm nod. Pan smiled and ran over to Chase and Carlos. “I can go to!” she called “It’s not safe” Mikey called moving his truck into place, Pan looked back at him briefly and then up to Chase and Carlos “I can do, I’m a real good climber!” she stated with pride.

“It’s true” Alice cut in. “well then little lady show me what you got!” Chase said chuckling, Pan nodded with a running start she kicked herself off the ground leaping up she landed at least 25 to 30 feet high up onto a bar of the Eiffel tower replica. Crouching like a feline she grinned down at Carlos and Chase, “see!” she called “well that wasn’t climbing that was jumping!” Carlos called up to her laughing. “Jumping? Hell that was flying! We’re you find this girl?” Chase asked turning to Alice and Carlos

“Climb the Eiffel Tower with a high-powered rifle. A few years ago, that would've caused a stir.” Chase said to himself as he got situated on the top. Pan watched him set up his rifle before sending her gaze down the ground. She watched the group intently. “Well, let the good times roll.” Chase said smirking as he kept an eye out.

“Are you sure she’s going to be ok up there?” Mikey asked walking over to Carlos and Alice. “She’s right at home trust me” Alice said smiling up to Pan, who waved “You guys look tinny!” Pan called down to them. Alice chuckled. “That’s nice for a change” Carlos said turning to Alice, “what?” she asked raising a brow her smile fell. “A smile” He added. Alice looked away “there’s not a lot to smile for now, anyway” Alice paused and looked back up to Pan “we should hurry”

“Let's get this done. Get the hell out of here. Mikey, get the wrench.” Claire called a firm grip on her firearm as she kept an eye out for anything suspect. “yeah” Mikey said jogging back to the truck, Carlos eyed a large crate, scratching noises came from the inside of it “Carlos” Alice said slowly, now that she realized it, something wasn’t right, what were three large Semi-truck Crates doing in the middle of his desert wasteland, why hadn’t they been taken by the sand? “Wait!” Alice cried out grabbing Carlos by the shoulders she ripped him away as the door to the Crate burst open and Infected rushed out.

Pan gasped from atop the tower “Chase!” she called “I already got it” He murmured taking aim she shot at one of the infected. “You got him!” Pan cheered Chase smiled at her briefly and went back to take aim. Both drew back and glanced at each other as one of the Infect turned and snarled directly at them. “Did it just?” He asked. Pan’s eyes danced and her nail gripped at the metal beam she crouched on, scratching the metal. “Not good” she whispered hurriedly “what?” Chase asked “Not good” she whimpered shaking her head “wait, you gotta tell me, what’s not good?” Chase asked.

“Get back!” Claire called

“Carlos, cover me!” Called Alice

“Go! Move!” Carlos ordered.

Their voices burned in Pan’s ears as her eyes darted across the scene. “K-mart get into the back of the bus!” Mikey called running with her to the school bus. “I’m not leaving I can help!” K-mart insisted “Just get to the back and stay quiet. Go! Now! Go!” He called K-mart rolled her eyes but did as she was told. Mikey reached into his truck and grabbed his gun, firing at the onslaught of Infected “these things aren’t normal!” Carlos growled “there Enhanced, Dr. Isaacs must be near!” Alice called out “who is Dr. Isaacs?” Claire stammered blasting the brains out of a zombie’s head. “Mikey!” K-mart called from the bus as she went to climb in. An Infected female grabbed him and took him to the ground, Claire turned swiftly and fired at her while he struggled. Pushing the Infected woman off, he crawled under the Truck. “Mikey come on!” K-mart called waving for him to crawl over to the Bus, but as he got going another infected grabbed his foot.

“Hey!” Pan called from the tower, “what are you doing?” Chase asked as she walked closer to the edge “Don’t!” He called but Pan had already kicked off, legs aimed for the ground below. “Aussie!” she called, Carlos looked up “Pan!” he called Alice sliced through the neck of an Infected with her two machetes she looked up and bit her lip “rotate, Pan you need to-” Alice smiled and let out a sigh of relief as Pan rotated her body like a cats and landed on her hands and feet. Carlos let out a shocked breath and turned to Alice who smiled and continued to fight off the Infected.

“Aussie!” Pan called darting over to the truck, Mikey struggled kicking away the zombies clawing at his feet. “Pan! Run!” He called, Pan drove her claws into the neck of the infected, holding up her other arm it began to mutate, her arm bone elongated bursting out of the palm on her hand, her flesh wrapping around it, her arm extending, at the end of her newly grown out arm was no hand but a point like a wooden stake. Mikey screamed at the site of it. Pan drove this arm spear into the head of the Infected and ripped it back out, she grabbed the second infected and repeated it. Pan’s arms returned back to normal and she grimaced reaching out her other hand she pulled Mikey from under the Truck “come on!” she called darting for the bus “y-your arm!” Mikey called “it’s ok!” I just haven’t done that in a long time, Leon doesn’t let me to!” She called “L-Leon? Who’s that?” Mikey asked as she shoved him into the Bus.

Pan ignored his questions are searched for Alice, she was climbing a building. Pan went to run for her when screaming stopped her. Casting her eyes up to the Eiffel tower her heart dropped and she screamed but no sound formed. Closing her eyes she looked away and felt blood splatter across her face. She yelped whipping it off of her eyes she looked up into the dead eyes of Chase, whom had jumped form the tower two infected holding onto him. Pan started to hyperventilate. “C-cowboy” she whimpered. “Pan!” Carlos called as man in black riot gear ran for her. Carlos took aim however as he did so, the door to the Humvee opened. LJ, Infected fought with Carlos trying to take a bite out of him.

“Go away!” Pan yelled at the man in the riot gear as she back up against the Eiffel tower. “Doctor, I found it” He called into a walkie-talkie “the late model, Project T.515, Over” Pan’s eyes darted for an escape as he held his automatic to her. “Bring her to me” a voice replied and the Man nodded. “Pan!” Carlos called for her, Pan looked up as the man in the riot gear’s body jerked around being hit with rapid gun fire. He fell dead, and Pan’s eyes fell on Carlos. He held out his arms to her and she went to him, running. “It’s ok I’ve got you” He murmured into her hair as he curled his body over hears. Pan turned her head and saw the gash in his forearm “Carlos!” she yelped pulling away, but he held her to him, holding her tightly. “LJ turned” was all he said, Pan nuzzled her face into Carlos and gripped tightly at his shirt, weeping.

The infected had been handled. Alice stood on top of a building watching as Dr. Isaacs got away but she was satisfied he had been bitten, and more so she knew where to find him. She scaled the building, and stood looking over everyone, Claire caught her breath kicking a dead Infected away from her. “Mikey! K-Mart!” she called panicked. The two stepped out of the buss with the few surviving kids “We’re ok!” K-mart called. Alice turned to look at Pan who was shaking in Carlos’ arms. Her sobs had become loud. “Pan?” Alice called slowly advancing towards her, with their bond, each sob seemed to crack her heart. She couldn’t take it, getting closer made it hurt more. “Pan” Alice called softly. Carlos used his bitten arm to rub Pan’s back comfortingly, subtly showing Alice.

Alice froze and shook her head, she walked over to Pan with quick steps pulling her from Carlos she whirled her around looking into her eyes, they were blank and the Virus symbol was fixed on them as tears streamed down her face. “Pan” Alice said shaking her, but she never blinked, her sobbing had stopped. “Pan!” Alice called shaking her again, still nothing. “Pan!” Alice cried louder, shaking her over and over franticly tears welling into her own eyes. “What’s wrong?” Mikey called running over to the group. “Pan” Alice said sternly this time bending over to her eye level she searched Pan’s eyes. “Pan, you’ve got to come out!” she demanded “Pan!” she said shaking her one last time, standing back up Alice pulled Pan into a hug, resting her head on top of her she looked up at Carlos. “She’s shut down” Alice whispered, stroking Pan’s hair.