Four silhouettes run in a dark alley, their ragged breathing echoes in the darkness, senses and weapons are guarded to use in circumstances.

 

Karina gripped the baseball bat in hand tighter as screams ripped through the now seemingly thin air, the chilling blows of wind sent shivers down her spine as they carefully took a path of who knows where they could rest a bit with safety.

 

It's been weeks since the break through of undefined curse.

 

It's been weeks since the symphony of the lively city was replaced by siren-like screams. Weeks where buildings crumble one by one each day. Weeks since the sky that would be illuminated by beautiful hues turned dark that bled in crimson dead. And weeks since it started to feel like the sun never rose from its sleep.

 

The friendly streets cast no laughter. Rather, it superseded eerie shadows with citizens cautious with their surroundings, the endless panic accompanying them as they tried to save themselves from the creatures that erupted from unbeknownst one midnight without a warning.

 

The dark alleyways have silhouettes stumbling from anxiety, each hurtling through the chaos as they look for safety albeit the swarmed streets of the unknown curse.

 

The moonlight watches the city below experience the unimaginable horror, the terrified faces of everyone scattered in each part of the city—fighting for their lives desperately.

 

It was nonstop.

 

Every groan silenced, more would rise from the shadows. The rage of the apocalypse seems to not end that completely devours the once peaceful and lively city in its cold grip.

 

Ningning hardly shut her eyes closed, clinging onto her senses to run when guttural moans were heard with a sickening thud of teeth clashing to someone's flesh. 

 

She clutched on her dirty shirt, feeling her heart throb rapidly when a scream blared from another alley, helplessly crying for help.

 

“Ning!” 

 

It made the woman open her eyes, snapping her out in thoughts as a flash of a shadow passed by in front of her that left her body frozen in the ground. Ningning watched her friend pin a sneaking infected behind her down to the cold floor with wide eyes.

 

With gritted teeth and a stronghold on the piece of metal in between its mouth, Winter struggled to take out the gun she got from the police station they came across. Her burning gaze locked on the one below wriggling out of her hold, keeping a foot at end of the metal stick while her unoccupied hand grips the other. 

 

The infected made another muffled roar, while the brunette finally got to steady her hand and pointed the gun in its head.  Karina on the side took a hold of Ningning’s trembling ones, tugging her softly.

 

“Cover your ears.” She commands, voice low but stern with authority as Winter pulls the trigger. “Let’s  get out of here.” 

 

And as soon as she finished her sentence, the ground suddenly pulsed with heavy footsteps, the hungry snarls grew closer to where they stood. Winter pants heavily whilst standing, eyes locked in the dark.

 

“Let’s go!” Giselle, who was in the front and watching the whole commotion, growled in frustration, her piercing glare struck at Winter's while attending to Ningning and Karina. “Winter!” 

 

Winter turns around to face her friends, tiredness greeted them as she grip the gun in hand tighter. Giselle’s brows meet, confusion paints her features when her best friend loads her weapon instead, pointing it in the alleyway.

 

“I'll buy you time.” Winter announced in monotone.

 

It made them blinked, their heavy breathing and the guttural moans occupied the silence is what filled the suffocating air. The frontliner scoff, thinking how ridiculous those words from her are. 

 

“The hell are you on, Winter Kim?” Giselle grabbed a fish off her collar, the anger visible on her face. Winter, on the contrary, gently removes her hands before grabbing the backpack in her back  that contains their supplies, handling it to the frontliner with unwavering irises.

 

“We don't have time.” She said firmly, glancing at a pipe she saw in the corner. “There's a nearby convenience store when you turn to the left. Make sure to lock the front entrance and keep the back door open for m-”

 

“No.” Karina immediately cuts her off, “You're coming with us.” 

 

The woman looks at her, “I'll meet  you guys there.” she said, giving them her charming smile. “Now, keep moving. I'll keep them distracted for a while.” 

 

“No. Listen to me, Winter!” Karina tries again more firmer, her objection can be heard in her voice as her hand gently nestled in the brunette's wrist. “Come with us, you don't need to do this.”

 

The desperation and pleading tone made Winter's heart ache. Oh gosh, she never thought she'd hear something like that from the taller. And hell, she never wants to hear that again.

 

“Giselle.” Giselle inhaled sharply at her best friend's voice, the objection to her plan was already on the tip of her tongue and ready to help Karina in pleading to make her come with them. “Please..”

 

Giselle hates it very much. 

 

She hates to hear that tone coming from her.

 

She hates hearing her beg. 

 

“Kari, let's go…” Surrendering, Giselle weakly whispered as she tried to drag Karina who was still protesting in each step they took.

 

“You'll come home to me?” Karina added not long after of silence, her voice laced with hope and eyes shining helplessly with threatening tears at the corner.

 

Winter smiles lovingly, walking towards her way to plant a soft kiss in the forehead. “I'll come home to you, I promise.” 

 

So with last assuring nod from her girlfriend, Karina slowly follows Giselle sprinting form, their ragged breaths rasping down their throats echoes as they leave behind the chilling moans of the infecteds as it grows fainter yet gnawing at the corner of their minds.

 

Suddenly, the sound of consecutive gunshots blasting in the air made them stop, sending shivers down their spine as fear slowly confronts their faces.

 and fear quickly taking over their tired features. 

Ningning steps forward, voice almost inaudible over her pounding heart as she calls for the brunette's name, eyes never leaving the shadow as she wishes for Winter's figure to appear away from the dark.

 

Giselle gripped tightly on the bag handed by Winter. She can feel her body slowly giving up, her voice already wavering in exhaustion when she asks them to keep moving too.

 

Karina only  flinched upon hearing another shot, gaze fixed on the direction where they left with the distant groans of the undead. “Winter…”

 

They  stood there for a tense moment, frozen with a glint of fear and hope in their eyes for Winter’s silhouette to appear so they could all finally breathe away the terror of the thought of possibly losing her with those creatures.

 

Giselle soon collapses on her knees while trying to regain her uneven breathing, eyes not leaving the alley in hope to see her best friend jogging away from the alley. Ningning on the other side, leans against the icy wall for balance. And Karina..

 

“Let's go.” 

 

Karina is determined.

 

The frontliner stares at her quite surprised, but still forces herself to stand up with Ningning's help.

 

She's right, they should not get faltered by that noise. This is not the right time to feel laid back and take a breather in the middle of nonstop danger. They need to get themselves in safety first as soon as possible, just like what was instructed to them to do and wait for their other friend’s arrival. 

 

Sparing one last look at the empty black alley, Karina turns around to confidently face them and picks up the baseball bat that slipped away from her hold—the determination burning in her hazelnut orbs.

 

She trusts Winter.

 

So if Winter said she'll come back to them breathing, unscratch, alive, and back to her arms. Then that's enough reason for them to keep moving forward. That's enough reason for them to fear none in whatever situation they’ll face as they take the path to their destination.

 

“And we will wait for Winter at the nearby store.”

 

As soon as footsteps started moving in a pace Winter was very familiar with, she prepared the gun in her right hand and held tightly the rusty pipe from the other. 

 

The night stretched before her, the once lively city was now replaced by the lingering fear along with the screams of the citizens that echoed in her head. Her eyes scan the black surroundings as she waits for them to get farther, her senses are highly alert from any danger that may come her way any second.

 

They're here.

 

The wind howled, a chilly breeze whipping against her skin that reminded her that she's all alone now. But Winter's mind flew somewhere else and away from her current state. Her mind is empty and all she can think of is the other's safety.

 

A guttural moan snapped Winter out from daze, making her step back a bit. Loading her weapon, she fired it immediately, creating a loud thud from the undead's body that fell from the ground. 

 

One down.

Winter's grin is quickly wiped out from her face when another appears under the dim glow of the lamp post, releasing a low shriek with arms reaching for her warm body. Running, her heart hammers against her chest, and it honestly hurts, but Winter reminds herself to just run and keep her petite figure away from the greedy creatures that want to turn her into their snack.

 

She needs to keep running. 

 

She needs to go back to them like what she promised them she'd do.

 

Breathing, alive, unscratch, and back to her arms.

 

Slowly getting lost with her own thoughts, Winter almost missed the chance to swerve and nearly got herself caught with the grasping claws of an undead that suddenly lurched from the shadow.

 

“!” She feels the frantic panic that rouse from within when her eyes lays on a wall that offers her no more escape route. 

 

No, this is not the right time to panic, Winter! 

 

Shaking her head, Winter wanders her eyes around only to spot a fire escape clinging onto an old brick wall. With the tiny bit of energy she had, she climbed upwards fast, faster, without daring to feel any hesitation in protest at every step.

 

As she climbed up on the roof, the gust of wind was fiercer, howling in despair for the sight before her. It sent chills all over her tired body as she breathed in the air, the strong smell of blood from the bodies scattered around welcoming her like a nightmare reminder. 

 

Winter puffed, eyes restless as she looked for another route to take. But in less than no time of her relief, fear once started taking a hold of her, the zombies below slowly turned into a bigger crowd. Their growls rise in frustrated unison, as if they are begging for their owner to be fed. 

 

Her breath hitched, the hammering in her chest grew stronger and it started to hurt really bad. Winter winces, clutching her polo tight when one infected lumbered towards the fire escape, its movement seemingly a perfect copy from a human. She immediately backed away from the edge with her heart threatening to burst out from her chest as she tried to focus. 

 

Just when the zombie was about to reach the ladder of the building she's at, a deafening sound erupted from the distance that momentarily distracted them. It's a car that crashed into a building not too far away from where she stood, shattering the window of the first floor that made the creatures turn their attention away from her.

 

Winter wasted no time processing things and just quickly got on her feet to jump across the rooftop, ignoring the dizzying height after mentally measuring the length of athwart. 

 

Leaping over the gap to the next building, the brunette unfortunately landed hard, her head safely covered with her arms when a piercing ache throbs in her sides. 

 

Multiple cusses escape her trembling lips, back hardly hitting a concrete when she messily rolls over. Winter gasps desperately for air, her hand covering the bleeding wound that accidentally caught on the metal fence in hope of taking the agonizing pain away.

 

Her chest heaved heavily as she watched the moon and peaceful clouds moved in sync above her. And at some point, Winter thought that the madness just started taking toll on her system for suddenly seeing the bright moon waves back, as if it's mocking her current state.

 

She closed her eyes, wincing again and chuckling after realizing how dumb her plan of jumping from another roof is even when she knows to herself that the chance of her landing perfectly—or at least landing in an acceptable one—is basically zero. 

 

Maybe curse the hesitation for tapping her shoulder too, and making her jump quite short and inadequate. But hey! At least the only thing she earned from it are the bruises and a deep wound that will heal in no time. 

 

Winter’s irises slowly shot open after a good quiet while, her unoccupied hand hastily searching for something inside her jean’s pocket with much struggle. Once in her hand, a sheepish grin paints her lips as she recalls who is the owner of the pink handkerchief. The memories she got from it echoes at the back of her head like an addicting music. 

 

“Ahh, I can already hear her nagging voice from here.” She whispered, lips curling into an apologetic smile when the piece of cloth meets her warm yet wounded waist. “I'm sorry I need to use you this way.”

 

With one last deep breath, Winter pushed herself up from the floor, reaching her weapons that fell not too far and taking the fire escape again to descend. Making a careful hop away from the ladder with heavy pants, she cautiously scans her surroundings once more and hides in the shadows towards the path of safety. 

 

She looked back and bit her lower lip to prevent any noise, walking slowly as the pain in her flesh stings in every move as she continues the journey under the glowing moon and dim light of the lamp post. A relief sigh finally escaped her parted lips, the cold wind comforting her as she took the dark alleyway till she reached the other girl's destination.

 

The night falls deeper as the time goes by. The silence accompanying them as Giselle and Ningning busied themselves packing up edible foods and necessary things that might come handy in their journey. 

 

Karina is the one who sits by the corner, playing with a box in her hand, a shaky sigh leaving her lips that briefly earns the other two's attention. 

 

It was dark, yet Karina's trembling hands were visible with the help of the light that broke through the smoky glass of the store.

 

It has been an hour…or perhaps more than already that Karina loses track. Her girlfriend's strong and petite frame flashes at the back of her head with the brunette's blinding smiles that never fail to put her at ease. It was there, even now despite the unbearable tingling strung in her stomach. 

 

The box in her hand swirls again with gentleness, as if she's afraid for it to fall. Their shared moments together plays like a movie. It's lovely so much that a small smile made its way on her lips albeit the circumstances they're in.

 

But then a scream outside immediately wiped it out away, fear once again crawled back in her skin in a horrible way. 

 

It hurts to not have Winter's presence in each passing seconds. It's starting to hurt too much that the woman is taking way too long.

 

Karina no longer knows whether it is because she misses her that's why it hurts. Or is it because she's feeling cold and Winter is not there beside her to give her the warmth she'd feel from her. Or maybe it is because of plainly not having Winter in every corner of her sight and is in fact outside, facing the undead alone on her own that it is starting to hurt very much.

 

She doesn't know.

 

Because all she wants right now is for Winter to come home to her safe and sound. To once again see those adorable captivating smiles of her that she's certain will put her at ease in an instant.

 

Ningning taps Giselle, pointing a finger at the taller direction. It's a kind of sight that she's not capable of looking at.

 

Karina had always been strong, bubbly, and positive. And she understands how Winter’s lack of presence is making her think of negative things that her tired face can no longer hide.

 

Giselle felt the guilt slowly creeping up in her neck. 

 

It guilts her how Karina falls into the void. And god, this is even more frustrating than those times Winter will recklessly act on her own way back in college just so she can sneak out and meet Karina past their dormitory’s curfew.

 

Ningning can read her, as it is written all over her face how much Giselle regrets leaving the brunette all alone to face the undead and once again risk herself for their own sake.

 

She knows by now that Giselle is probably thinking about how she should've stayed back, be stubborn with Winter, and duel with those sickening creatures just like how they would always stick together—side by side in any situation—and fight together.

 

It's frustrating in every kind of way.

 

Because today is just any other day of their journey where death will come their way. Another day where Winter voluntarily stands her ground firmly, and faces the undead all by herself.  

 

It is just another day of fear that would hunt them with any possibilities clinging into their minds and all they can do is breathe and hope desperately for Winter to go back to them in one piece. 

 

Ningning watches them both, recalling the smile the other one gave them before they sprint away from the scene.

 

With a sigh, Ningning gives Giselle a reassuring smile and pats in the shoulders as she tugs at her, letting her know that everything will be fine. After all, Winter promised that she'll be back and they should trust her with that. 

 

“Will you give that to her later?” Ningning softly asked when she and Giselle crouch down to have the same level height with the taller. “You've been planning to do so for a long time.”

 

Karina looks down, staring at the blue box she had in hand that she's been holding for a quite while now to gain some comfort and away from her thoughts.

 

She smiled timidly, swiping a finger on top of it. “I want to.”

 

Giselle knows that.

 

It's been half of the year since Karina asked them to come with her and choose a ring. She can even recall how nervous the taller one is by simply choosing after asking for Winter's finger size. She was adorable. A great match for her friend who thinks she is all strong but actually just a cutie behind that facade.

 

“Do it whenever you're ready, Kari.” She reminded her before ruffling her hair in an act of adoration. Ningning soon engulfs them three in a hug, bringing Karina more comfort that makes her snuggle to her girlfriend’s friends.

 

“Can I join?” A soft voice spoke from behind, the fading light coming from the outside peaking through the smoky glass and revealing Winter's smiling face. 

 

Giselle got up and marched towards her best friend's limping figure, immediately wrapping her in a tight embrace. Winter softens, her own circling around the slightly shorter one.

 

“I'm sorry,” She started, voice breaking when Winter rested her chin on her shoulders. “I shouldn't have left you alone in there.” 

 

And Winter knows already where their conversation is going. She knows very well too how much guilt her long disappearance made her best friend feel. So before Giselle could utter another word, she reached out and took her best friend's hand in hers, giving her an assuring soothing circle at the back of her hand.

 

“Hey, I get it. But don't blame yourself, okay? I'm safe, and that's all that matters now. Right?” It didn't take long for Giselle's sniffs to echo in the silence, nodding with her eyes already shimmering with tears when their gazes met. 

 

“I just don't want to lose you too. Win.”

 

“And you won't, I promise you that.” She gave her a small smile and a squeeze in the shoulders before making her way to Ningning who's also now on the verge of crying, making Winter's lips curled in a mischievous grin. “Hold on, I need to take a video of you crying as a souvenir.”

 

“You really are crazy as , Kim.” A glare was thrown her way, Winter playing along by dramatically holding her chest and showing her college friend an offended face thereafter. Ningning rolls an eye with a faint smile before pointing in a direction, the tension and fear crawling in their wintry skin finally fades in silent air.

 

“Go before me and Giselle smack you in the head.” She threatened, but nonetheless gave her a brief hug and a shoulder pat. It made her chuckle in relief, knowing that they're safe just like how she wanted them to be.

 

The other two decided to leave them, walking in another aisle to give them the privacy they needed. Winter breath, trying to tone down the aching throb in her chest that she can no longer ignore.

 

Of course, she saw her. 

 

She lay her eyes on her first thing when she entered. She saw how her friends tightly hugged her for assurance. And she is more than thankful for those two for doing the thing that she's supposed to be the one to do.

 

But it wrecks her.

 

No, her wobbling sore legs don't hurt. The bruises painting her skin don't hurt no matter how hard she pressed a thumb. And no, even with the critical wound in her sides did not hurt her at all.  

 

Because even when she's struggling to stand up with her sore legs, when the bruises started to make it hard for her to make a move, when her waist started to ache by the previous commotion, nothing can still beat the anguish her heart is yelling with the sight in front of her. 

 

It hurts in every way possible that can hurt her.

 

It hurts in every corner of her aching heart.

 

So no, the damage her body received is nothing compared to the agony of tears she's shredding. And it's torturous in every existing way to witness it all when she swore to the heavens that the last thing she would do is to make her cry. 

 

Winter's eyes met Karina’s, both trembling under the dazzling moonlight with longing. The brunette choked on her own as she took a step forward, a bit hesitant in fear that the other would break down as soon as possible even before she could touch her.

 

“Karina..” She called softly.

 

“Winter..” Her girlfriend, Karina, manages to utter with a voice barely audible, her tears still falling continuously in her cheeks. Winter moved in a flash to catch her falling frame, her wounded self had long forgotten as she safely tucked Karina in her arms, her cries muffled as she huddled closer to her lover's chest. 

 

“I'm here, baby. Please stop crying,Winty's already here. I'm home.”

 

She is.

 

But it's still scary.

 

It's scary how fast a one wrong move can make her world crumble in ashes, how the fright keeps creeping back and choking with no mercy to spare to remind her about the things she doesn't even want to be reminded of herself. 

 

It's just so scary to even think that there will be no certainty of survival laid for them to hold onto the more risk they take for their own. It was so tiny, and it burdens her knowing that one moment, they're just living their lives and fulfilling their works, but then by another, they all need to survive in the chaos brought by the apocalypse. 

 

Everything suddenly depends on them. 

 

The faith of their future clung to their shoulders heavily. 

 

Winter and Karina—two souls bound by an invisible string take their time to calm down as they huddled together in the corner. Winter whispers nothing but all the sweetest things that Karina is made of. 

 

She is tall, sweet, lovable, protective, dinosaur and shark lover, and nothing more but a big crybaby that Winter loves very much and would protect at all cost from anything this cruel world of theirs will throw at them.

 

Always and together.

 

She was all Winter had wished to have in her life. She was the one Winter is certain about to spend her forever with until her hair turns white and her breath is taken away from her. 

 

And she is all but Winter's warm and strong sanctuary. 

 

Life is definitely cruel. Mayhaps more than everyone thinks it could get. But it doesn't matter at all as long as Winter has her girlfriend side by side with her as they overcome this madness together with the others.

 

“Winter, will you marry me?”

 

The wind seems to abruptly hold its breath, and so does Winter's when her eyes meet Karina’s swollen but lovely ones. They're shining, projecting a different kind of hope that made the brunette think that maybe, just maybe, life isn't that cruel like what her thoughts would always voiced out to her.

 

Karina sat up straight, a silent whine at the tip of her tongue when her Winter's warmth was put in a safe distance. Her tone was rasp when she cleared , and Winter's eyes never leaving hers somehow made her a little bit small, but still warm.

 

She breathes, and once again looks at the latter's shock features, “I love you so much, Winter Kim.”

 

Winter, her once tired and sleepy eyes are replaced by amusement and confusion when another pair of warm hands envelops her own. She looks at her partner, there's a silent question lingering in her soft orbs that the taller one immediately got.

 

Still sniffling, Karina started again by asking her the question, her lovely eyes piercing at the brunette's doe ones in a very good way while telling her the things she wanted her to know. Telling her things that Winter already knew but still wanted to tell her again and again more.

 

“I know you might somehow find it weird that I'm proposing to you when we're literally in this kind of situation,” a sniff, whilst Winter shakes her head in disapproval, assuring the love of her life and telling her to go on, and she's attentively listening to everything she wants to say.

 

“This might be the wrong time to do this. But also, I've thought that if I wouldn't do it tonight, then when would be the right timing to do so?” Karina pulls her closer, and then pulls out the box she's playing in her hands a while ago. “I've been wanting to do this, and it's actually a shame that all I can offer to you now is the dirty floor.” She tried to crack a joke, earning a small smile from Winter too.

 

It brings the brunette another explosion in the heart, the beat of her heart is now probably trying to be freed behind her chest just to show Karina how happy she is. To show her that she doesn't find her proposal here, as they sit on the dirty floor of the convenience store, weird at all. 

 

“I love you so much.” She confessed, placing her hand on Karina's cheeks as she drew soothing circles against her skin.

 

The night fell into its deeper slumber. And honestly, Winter just finds everything the taller one does for her so romantic. 

 

As stupid as it sounds, she knows she'll still find it romantic even if it had taken place in a dirty bathroom. Or even in the midst of their maze with the undead. It surely wouldn't matter to her and she can bet all of her favorite toys for that. 

 

Because in her life, all she'll ask for is Karina and Karina Yu herself. 

 

Nothing in between, period.

 

It doesn't matter where, when, or in what situation they're in. What actually matters above all is the fact that it's her. It's Karina Yu proposing and no one else. It's Karina who wanted to spend her life with her just like how she loves to spend hers with her too.

 

“Winter, say someth-” Her voice left insecure, maybe too much that all Winter did to shut the hell out of her is to cut her off by simply sealing their lips together in a slow and passionate kiss.

 

It lasted for a good minute before both breaks free to catch their breath. Winter has this idiotic grin in her face when she starts planting kisses all over her lover's face. Karina giggled in front of her while putting the ring she bought in the brunette's finger, not forgetting to give it a tender kiss before facing her fiancé.

 

Her fiance.

 

Oh how much Winter wants to roll her body on the floor.

 

“I love you.” Winter said, taking the fear away from Karina’s beautiful eyes as she rested her forehead on Karina's, her thumb gently caressing a specific spot that she'd come to love just as much as her.

 

“I love you more, Winter.”

 

Winter and Karina forgets and leaves everything behind with their worries. Even if it's only for tonight, they forget about the screams and uncertainty away from the unrecognizable world they are in. 

 

The wind whistles again, this time, as if cheering and giving the two of them a proud pat. The harshness of the world momentarily celebrates with them.

 

Karina smiled, another wave of tears glistening at the corner of her eyes as she looked at the ring in Winter's hand in her waist that's keeping her secured, safe, and at ease. 

 

She held the brunette closer, murmuring. “We are our own priest, and our love is the only witness that matters.”

 

Two hearts swell with love that also beats in sync. 

 

Their vows—a silent promise, whispered against the roar of oblivion, and a testament to their love's enduring flame amidst the world turning into ashes. 

 

Winter's voice cracked as she tucked a hair behind her lover's ears, planting another soft kiss on top of her head, on her ears, on her cheeks, on her nose, to her eyes, and a brief tender kiss on her lips.

 

“Kari, I will love and marry you a thousand more times if it means that I'll get to spend an eternity full of love with you and you alone with each life of mine.”

 

Smiles made their way across their faces, the loud thump of each heart echoed in the silence like a melody that Karina loved humming to for numerous times, like an addictive song that made Winter listen to in her sleep.

 

At least, at this moment, the world decided to stop its cruelty and just let them enjoy their own warmth that blankets their happy heart.

 

“And Winter, I want to let you know that you're all that I will ever want in each life I will exist in.”