Still kneeling, Hope reach for Evelyn's hand who help her getting up.
All along, Evelyn never stopped glaring at her, eye-to-eye, which was quite terrifying as Evelyn's expressions clearly showed that she could kill Hope at any time.
"D-do I have something on my face?" Hope muttered once again, almost blushing.
"I'm just curious, don't mind my attitude," Evelyn turned her head a bit, now avoiding Hope's azure shaking eyes.
Hope was surprised by her answer but it did not matter to her as she had finally someone real to talk to even if she did not dislike Amy and considered it a friend.
Evelyn started walking into the small forest of the park, already disappearing. "This fire was a bait but I didn't expect to trap a human. We can't stay here. You can come with me before the sun set if you want."
"You can make her an ally Hope! Take this opportunity, it is always relevant in an apocalypse like this one," Amy suggested.
"If you say so, I will listen to your advice," Hope caught up with Evelyn in the forest.
As they were walking in the forest, through the tall grass, Hope was having doubts about her potential new ally.
"Where are we heading to?" She asked.
"To my campment, outside of New Kroy"
Hope looked at Amy walking in front of her. "We're in New Kroy?"
Amy replied. "More in its ruins, but yes, we are in New Kroy."
However, Hope was the only to see and hear Amy, so Evelyn thought that she was the one being addressed.
She stopped and then returned herself to face Hope, still with her strange revolver, which look like it worked with electricity, in her hand.
"How could you have survived that long with such information and equipment?! Like, seriously, it really is a mystery Hope, care to explain?"
Hope looked down. "I've always been alone, living on a secluded island all these years. So, I know nothing about the outside world..."
Evelyn did not say a single word and they remained here, both staring at the ground until the teenage girl eventually continued walking.
"How old are you Hope?" She asked.
"I guess I'm 18 years old. What about you Evelyn, how old are you?"
The girl could not contain her joy and smiled. "Almost the same age as you, I'm 17."
But their discussion was interrupted when they reached the edge of the park. Evelyn then began to check their surroundings very carefully.
"Why are you so—" Hope murmured, almost crossing the street but was pulled back by Evelyn.
"Shh," Evelyn put her index in front of her mouth before checking again.
As the silence reigned, the duo took the opportunity to finally cross the damaged street filled with abandoned cars to reach a small alley on the other side.
At a certain point, the alley was block by a wire mesh and the gate was locked by a large chain attached by a padlock.
However, Evelyn pushed a big waste bin revealing a hole in the wire mesh which was large enough to let them both pass to the other side.
"You go first," Evelyn said.
"Me?"
"I can't trust you."
"But—"
"We don't have the day, hurry up," Evelyn pointed her revolver at her.
Hope tried to protect herself with her forearms."Aaah! No need to aim that towards me, I'll go first."
The hole was made near the ground. Therefore, in order to pass through it, you have to walk on your knees.
Hope kneeled and began crawling without issues nor hesitation.
Only the girl did not know that Hope was not fully dressed under her blouse which is why she was watching at her butts and even a bit more.
Evelyn could not help but blush and immediately avoided looking at her privates. "Are you done crossing?"
"Yeah, why are you looking away?" Hope waved at her.
Evelyn hesitated. "Huh, nothing, now take a few steps back as I go through."
Once on the other side, Hope and Evelyn walked for few hours to reach the end of the city's streets.
The sun was setting and the sky was now of a light shade of orange with little to no clouds.
Outside New Kroy, there were many houses scattered around it forming patios.
Hope looked at every house asking Evelyn if it was her campment but she answered negatively every time until she was just bored of even listening to her.
While Evelyn was lost in her thoughts, Hope stopped talking to her as Amy suddenly showed up in front of her as they were still walking.
'You know Hope, if you want to speak to me without being noticed you just have to speak internally like when you are reading a book for example. It is easy, try it,' Amy's voice resonated in her head.
'Like this,' Hope thought.
'Exactly, you see, easy,' Amy winked and smiled.
'Why didn't you tell me earlier that we could communicate like this.'
'I imagined that you preferred talking over thinking but I was wrong. My apologies Hope.'
'You don't have to excuse yourself Amy, I just wonder what you could still hide to me.'
'Nothing that can be harmful to you if you are referring to that.'
After few turns between the houses, Evelyn stopped in front of a house.
"Here we finally are Hope, to my lair," Evelyn chuckled.
Evelyn's house was not particularly different from the other houses in the neighbourhood. It was a two-storey house with a couple of windows.
"I love it! Can I go inside?" Hope hopped on the spot, a large smile on her face.
"Of course, follow me," Evelyn went to the backyard, grabbing a key from her backpack.
Evelyn's backyard was not that big and was surrounded by fences to separate every other garden from one another.
It seemed well maintained as the grass was short and green compared to those in the park.
Evelyn opened a door leading to a barricaded living room. The whole house was plunged into darkness.
However, the door shed some light upon it illuminating both the living room and an open kitchen on the side.
"Wait here for an instant please," Evelyn entered the open kitchen within the living room.
Hope heard something being scratched from the outside and she then saw Evelyn coming back to her with a candle and a match in her hands.
"Come in, feel free to sit on the couch over there," Evelyn smiled.
Before entering, Hope removed her moccasins and sat on the sofa, Amy on her lap.
Evelyn light up few more candles with her burning match and then proceeded to place them around the house.
She then joined Hope on the living room after closing the door and locking it again, sitting on the sofa in front of her.
"Why did you bring me here?" Hope joined her hands playing with her thumbs.
"I, too, am alone and I felt lonely... Moreover, leaving you on your own would have made me feel guilty knowing your total lack of awareness," Evelyn glared at her making Hope shivered as she was only lighted by a candle in her hands.
"I can stand for myself you know!" Hope got up, "I'm not a weak as you might think..." Hope sat down again.
Evelyn laughed out loud. "Allow me to doubt that given the way you behave, but since 3 years have passed since Zero-day and you're still alive, I think you've mostly been lucky so far."
Evelyn calmed herself as Hope was frowning. "Have you ever met a sentinel or a runner until now?" Evelyn put the candle under her chin to appear scarier.
"A sentinel? A runner? What are those?"
"See, you've been lucky so far," Evelyn chuckled again, "Those are robots designed by AIs to track and eliminate humans. For my part, I would say that sentinels are scarier than runners even if runners are deadlier on their own."
"Why sentinels?"
"As they can easily crush an entire and well-organised team of fighters. And to fight runners, which are better on one versus one, you have to form a team."
"Oh, I see! So, you want us to form a team?"
Evelyn's eyes were shaking. "I wasn't trying to mention it. This is a pure coincidence. You already know why you are here. I also cannot trust someone that unfamiliar with the outside world."
"But do you wish to form a team with me?" Hope badly imitated Amy's cute tactic.
"I'll think about it if you were to have proper clothes on you, I can almost see through that smock outfit you have," Evelyn avoided looking at the holes in her blouse.
Hope's face became so red that it was almost the colour of Evelyn's eyes. "Sadly, that's everything I have..." Hope hid her face.
"Well, let's change that. Follow me."
Evelyn grabbed Hope by the arm and dragged her upstairs, still a candle in her hand.
"You even have a second floor, so cool," Hope smiled.
Evelyn raised an eyebrow. "What kind of house were you living in?"
"A one-floored house. As simple it sounds."
Once upstairs, Evelyn entered the room in front of the stairs followed by Hope who was absorbed in her wonderment.
Evelyn gave Hope her candle as she went for the dressing built in the wall.
"This is my mother's room. She was about your size so I think that you will find something that suits you well here."
The room was rather classic. A double bet with other furniture and a large dressing, probably used by both Evelyn's mother and father.
"Where is your family, Evelyn?"
Evelyn remained silent for a few second then she continued to search for suitable clothes in the dressing. Hope sat on the bed and stared at the candle.
"What kind of mother it was?"
"First, her name was Holly, a perfect name for a perfect mother who sacrificed everything she had, including her own life, to make mine a little bit better. She is the type of mother who is remembered for saving her family. She is kind of a hero if I can say so... I miss her," Evelyn sobbed.
"I wish my mother was like yours, Evelyn," Hope stroked her head.
"I only know you for a few hours and you managed to both make laugh and cry, I don't what to say or do any more right now. Here, take this and see if you can wear it," Evelyn handed some clothes and underwear to Hope.
"Call me when you have finished changing, I'm waiting behind the door," She added before leaving, slowly closing the door.
As the door shut, Hope could no longer contain her tears and let them fall as she changed.
The outfit Evelyn gave her was a short and white skirt, as well as black tights, underwear and a large white sweatshirt with a hood and a silhouette of a dove at the back of it.
As she was done, Hope knocked 3 times on the door before opening it. Evelyn who was leaning against the door almost fell over.
"So, how is it? I'm not sure if it fits me," Hope caught Evelyn before she could be hurt.
"Thanks," She recovered and then eyed Hope, "Let me see... I like it. As I expected it to be," Evelyn smiled.
"If you like it then I like it too," Hope smiled as well.
"Anyway Hope, I've been wondering. What is your goal by forming a group with me?"
"I'm a bit like you except that I wish to find my family. I have no idea of where they could be and I don't know if they are even alive to begin with but I'm not going to let me down. I'm going to find them," Hope clenched her fist.
"And you think that I'm going to help you, right?"
"Yes!" Hope answered without any hesitation.
Evelyn sighed. "Since you know nothing, how I am supposed to help?"
Hope kneeled and begged. "Just let me accompany you, I'll search alone. I'm not forcing you to help. I thought that we could be friend that's all..."
"Alright, alright. Stop making me look I'm mean to you, that's unfair."
However, as they were discussing, the ground started to tremble slowly, almost vibrating.
One can also hear the sound of crushing tiles getting closer and closer until the whole house suddenly shook.
'Amy, I think something is on the rooftop. Do you know what it is?'
'I cannot know what it is as I'm only capable to use your senses to determine what it may be. However, if I have to guess, it has to be massive and heavy.'
'What should we do?'
'You have the choice. You either let me download combat skills on your memory or I shut you down your brain activity to prevent you getting in a hazardous situation.'
'I will take the first option; I don't want Evelyn to be on her own.'
'Downloading Close-combat Tactics, Downloading Firearms Skills, Downloading Martial Arts Techniques...'
During the download, the thing on the rooftop wasn't moving any more. Evelyn was not moving at all, her eyes widely opened and a hand on her revolver.
Once the download finished, Hope felt different but especially competent.
"Do you know what it is?" Hope murmured.
Evelyn turned her head staring at Hope, her body shaking on its own. "It's a sentinel."