Heloise was curled up, asleep, in what she considered was a safe place. In an abandoned cellar, between a now non-functioning water heater, and a wall. It was uncomfortable, horribly so, but at least it enabled her to sleep without one of the infected getting to her. She didn't sleep long now-a-days, she didn't think anyone did anymore, at least any of the survivors. She worried about that, worried how long she could go on a few hours sleep here and there. She worried constantly about food and water, the cooling weather, her supply of ammo, her first aid supplies. Her mother. She curled in tight in her sleep, and let out a little whimper. 

In her dreams, like always since she had been surviving, she dreamed about what she considered the worst times in her life. [i]"Mama! mama!" She screamed at the top of her lungs, sobbing, as she tried to scramble away, to get away from Father, as he came at her with the knife, the biting, horrible, silver knife, slashing at her, trying to grab her, trying to hold her down so he could kill her. She fell over something, she never knew what, and he slashed down, eyes crazed, a manic expression on his face that terrified her to her very soul. In the corner, some dark corner, she heard her mother cry, her screams, and then all she knew was pain, as he slashed at her face. She flinched back, the knife biting at her forehead, her eye, leaving pain and a horrible sticky, watery sensation down her face. She screamed as a loud thud echoed, and that was all she remembered, before finding herself in her mothers lap, being rocked, her mothers tears falling down onto her face. Blood, red sticky and warm, was all over her mothers hands, and from her one good eye, Heloise saw the mutilated body of her father.[/i] it morphed into another dream, one all too recent. [i]she was 17, and she was in love. She was excited, and for once, she felt like she was the most beautiful person in the world, thrilled with the knowledge something special was growing in her, her own little baby. She knew what her mother would say, but to Heloise, this felt good. It felt right. Some positivity in her life. So she'd have to take a year or two off, that didn't matter to her. She would have a child. And that's what mattered. 

She had thought it would be the best thing in the world, for herself, and for her partner. It wasn't. Time fast forward to barely two weeks later, Heloise curled on the floor of her bathroom, pain, fear and misery her companions, as her precious little baby died, and her body ejected it from her body. Her one eye was blackened, her cheeks raw from backhanded slaps, her wrist was saw, her chest, her ribs but all that was secondary to the fear, the pain and the horror, all resting in her stomach. 

Once more, her mother found her, held her and rocked her, crying along with Heloise, for what was, what should have been, and the future without it. She bundled Heloise up, and took her to the hospital, where she was given the news that she could be barren, from the trauma. Unwilling to believe it, Heloise fled.[/i]

And the last one, the one that she was living now, every day, played through her head, again and again. She just had to find her mother, had to find her, and help her, like she had helped Heloise so many times. To hold her, and rock her. That was all Heloise new she had to do, beyond survive. In dark times, Heloise became bitter, hoping that somewhere out there, the murderer of her unborn hold, because she wouldn't think of that monster as the father, dead, or a ghoul. She hoped he was suffering. 

Mostly though, Heloise just hoped she would live, that her mother lived, and that she could find somewhere safe. Now, as faint gunshots woke her, Heloise jerked with a start, slamming her head into the hot water service, bashing ber feet against a wall, and various other body parts took a hit as well. Cursing lightly under her breath, she extracted herself from her hole, rubbing her head and grimace, wondering how long she had been asleep. Long enough to get stiff, she thought as she stretched out her body, doing some lunges, knee stretches, arm stretches, to loosen her body up. Almost fearfully, she took a tentative sniff at herself, decided she didn't smell half bad, and grabbed her backpack making sure they had all her gear, and climbed out of the cellar, listening for any sound of movement. 

Nothing gave her any suspicion that anyone, anything was in here with her. Still, she moved as silently as she could, beginning to rummage through the house, the kitchen mainly to retrieve any more supplies, finding two more tins of food, and another granola bar that was worth keeping. She shoved them in her bag, and with a pleasant surprise, found some more batteries, taking them for her torch. More importantly, she found another roll of toilet paper when she took a quick look in the bathroom. More pleased then she should be about toilet paper, she grabbed it gleefully, continuing through the house. She didn't find much more that could be of use, but did snag a scarf which she wrapped around her neck. Satisfied she had looted what she could, she left the house.

The shouts and gun shots that she had faintly heard in the house were louder out here, and Heloise hesitated. She had survived this far by staying to herself, occasionally helping someone whether it was giving them some food or water, or simply directing them to a new location. She didn't know if she could get involved, but...the sound of her own voice was tiring her.!someone else's, even for a moment, would be amazing. It would tell her that she wasn't the only one alive. She blinked at the sun, pondering her options. Since this had began, she had, it seemed, been following riots among other things, but it seemed like the only option. If her mother was alive, she be there somewhere. Or so Heloise hoped. 

So, taking out her gun, checking there was ammo in it and the safety was off, she also loosened her sword in its scabbard, and started towards the noise. As she walked, looking about her constantly, she couldn't help but think how quickly nature took over when humans weren't around to combat it. Already, lawns were overgrown, vines creeping in close were previously footsteps would have trampled them to dust before they could even form. Animals skittered about, as if they sensed the danger at any turn. Heloise watched them too. If they fled, she was fleeing too. 

Looking about, she briefly considered trying to steal a car, but realized that would be risky and then she'd just have to find fuel for it all the time. Her own two feet were okay for now, unless she found a push bike. As she walked, she wondered what she was going to do. How the hell could she survive? She didn't know how to hunt. Didn't know how to build anything more complicated then a fire. Yes, she could shoot a gun. She could fight. But what if she got injuried? What if something terrible happened? She thought back to how long she could survive on a few hours sleep here and there, and she knew she would have to find people to pair up with. Who could she trust.

That was the question wasn't it? In this messed up, upside down, freaking world, who the bloody hell could she trust? Her mother, but her mother didn't know how to shoot, much less throw a punch. She'd be a liability, even if she could make a meal out of nothing. They would need someone else, maybe more then one person. As she walked, half paying attention to her surrounds, half paying attention to her thoughts, she didn't notice the girl doing the same thing she was, walking, until she heard the footsteps. 

Was this an answer to unspoken prays? Heloise had long ago stopped believing in any sort of higher power. Right around the time her father seemed intent on carving her up. She just didn't believe that any God would let a child go through that. The first thing Heloise noticed was that the girl didn't have a coat on. Didn't the girl know anything? The most likely cause of death in survival was exposure. Watching the girl walk for a moment, it was also clear she had some sort of impairment. Heloise had nothing against that, but the girl seemed clueless about what was happening here. Again, Heloise hesitated. Did she want someone she had to make sure wasn't getting themselves killed every five minutes? 

She closed her eyes, closing in the darkness she always lived with fully, and sighed. Heloise wasn't a cruel person, and this girl needed help, that was obvious. And Heloise had a weakness for those that had impairments. So, Heloise opened her eyes, and quickened her pace, not wanting to risk calling out, just in case. A quick look about showed, for now, that everything seemed alright, but a slight itch between her shoulder blades made her feel like things weren't alright. Turning her fast walk into a jog, she quickly shortened the gap between her and the girl. As she reached the girl, she said [color=f6989d]"Hey! You! Without the coat, stop!"[/color] as Heloise finally caught up, she darted in front, stopping and letting out a breath, drawing in a deeper one. 

[b][i]could she trust this girl?[/i][/b]