[align=center][size=small][font=Courier]I regret that I had to lie to everyone.  It tore me up inside to do that to people I cared about but it was the only way I could keep them safe.

I had to fake my death and escape but I also had to have Breuggermann killed.  I heard my fellow soldiers had built a small outpost at Pik Kozlova, I travelled there at night, making sure not to be seen.  I wore a hood, kept my face covered and only moved at night.  My soldiers would believe any word I said, so I had to convince them I was dead without actually showing them a body.  They knew if I was infected that I would do the right thing and end myself.  So I made that known in the letter, I left it there and ran off into the night to travel.

I packed my bags to the brim with enough supplies to last me for months.  I moved along the the Black mountains along the border of Russia, my destination being Belozersk.  One night I came across a small lake with a small waterfall and a clearing in the trees.  I felt this was a pretty safe place to camp for the night, I began to forage some loose wood for a small fire.

Fire made, Hammock set up and food warming.  I wedged a small pan into the side of the fire to boil some water for tea.  The waterfall was loud but all of a sudden I heard a large stick snap behind me.  Within seconds I un-holstered my USP and snapped one Hundred Eighty Degrees to face the forest behind me.[/font][/size]

[i][b][color=#1E90FF]"Who goes there!  Show yourself now!"[/color][/b][/i]
[size=small][font=Courier]I flicked the small switch on the side of the USP and illuminated the forest.  I scanned the tree line left and right until I spotted a small white face cowering behind a nearby tree.
[/font][/size]
[i][b][color=#1E90FF]"Come out now! Nice and slowly so I can see you."[/color][/b][/i]
[size=small][font=Courier]The figure didn't move an inch, frozen in fear.[/font][/size]
[i][b][color=#1E90FF]"NOW!"[/color][/b][/i]
[size=small][font=Courier]The figure didn't move once again so I slowly stood up and inched my way towards the tree, gun raised and at the ready.  As I got closer I illuminated the figure and it was a small thin woman.  Bruised, cut and almost naked.[/font][/size]
[i][b][color=#1E90FF]"Miss?"[/color][/b][/i]
[size=small][font=Courier]I holstered my USP once again, lowered my body towards the ground and held out my hand[/font][/size]
[i][b][color=#1E90FF]"I'm not going to hurt you.  Please come, sit by the fire and get warm."[/color][/b][/i]
[size=small][font=Courier]Once again she refused to move or acknowledge me.[/font][/size]
[i][b][color=#1E90FF]"Right... That's fine.  I'm going to go back to the fire because its cold.  I'm not going to force you to join me but you are welcome to come."[/color][/b][/i]
[size=small][font=Courier]I went back to the fire and sat down, added the boiling water to my metal cup, added some tea and began to stir my soup.[/font][/size]
[size=x-small][i][b][color=#FF1493]"Is that... chicken?"[/color][/b][/i][/size]
[size=small][font=Courier]I turned my head back towards the forest, nodded and held my hand out to the spot next to me for her to sit.  She slowly approached the fire keeping her gaze on me at all times but never directly looking at me eye to eye.  I offered her a small bowl of soup and a packet of Crackers.  She wouldn't take it from me so I left it at her feet.

I took my bowl, took a quick sip and let out a sigh of relief.  As soon as I tasted mine, the woman instantly took the bowl and began to lap up the soup.  She sat there in a tattered ripped skirt, holey stockings and a shirt that barely covered her body.  I took off my jacket and offered it to her.  She was too engrossed in the soup to care so I just left it beside her.[/font][/size]
[i][b][color=#1E90FF]"My name is... Joseph,  What is your name?"[/color][/b][/i]
[size=small][font=Courier]She hesitated for a little while, out of breath from eating the hot soup incredibly quickly.[/font][/size]
[size=x-small][i][b][color=#FF1493]"A...Al...Alice."[/color][/b][/i][/size]
[i][b][color=#1E90FF]"It is a pleasure to meet you Alice.  Please... put on that jacket, you will catch something"[/color][/b][/i]
[size=small][font=Courier]She slowly picked up the jacket and wrapped herself up in it.  I kept trying to ask her questions about where she came from, what she was doing out her but she didn't want to answer me.  She was covered in muck, looks like she hadn't washed in a long time, or perhaps just a few rough nights in the woods.  I went into my backpack and pulled out two small rags and offered them to her.[/font][/size]
[i][b][color=#1E90FF]"The water is cool and refreshing.  You should wash and clean those wounds. "[/color][/b][/i]
[size=small][font=Courier]She looked at me with eyebrow raised..[/font][/size]
[i][b][color=#1E90FF]"I wont look I promise.  Here, I'll sit with my back away from you.  I have some spare clothes for you, they're not flattering but at least they are warm and clean."[/color][/b][/i]
[size=small][font=Courier]I turned my back to the lake and leaned against a tree.  She hesitated at first but eventually slipped down to the lake, took off what was left of her clothes and began to wash herself.  I told her I wouldn't look but lets face it, I am a man and its been a long time.  She was very thin, ribs showing ever so slightly and her arms were bruised and cut.[/font][/size]
[i][b][color=#FF1493]"I'm done, you can look now."[/color][/b][/i]
[size=small][font=Courier]I turned around and she was standing there, still naked and dripping wet.  Being the gentleman I am, I naturally turned around and let out a small cough of discomfort. [/font][/size]
[i][b][color=#FF1493]"I don't mind if you look."[/color][/b][/i]
[size=small][font=Courier]She let out a small giggle but ultimately seemed slightly dissapointed.  After she got dressed, she rejoined my at the camp fire, I poured her some tea and we conversed for hours exchanging stories.  I asked her where she came from before the outbreak, if she had any family and if she knew anyone around these areas.  It all abruptly stopped when I asked her what she was doing alone in the woods in such a state.[/font][/size]
[i][b][color=#1E90FF]"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend.  Look, let me pour some more tea and let us forget about it... please"[/color][/b][/i]
[size=small][font=Courier]I reached for the tea but it was bone dry.  I grabbed my backpack, put it on my lap and slowly began to dig through trying to find some more leftovers when I suddenly found a small bottle of cheap vodka laying hidden at the bottom.  I don't know when I got it but its must've been there for a long while.  I offered some to Alice and we agree'd to forget about my question and carry on like usual.

The next few hours were a blur.

The next morning I awoke with the sunrays blaring through the canopy.  I rubbed my eyes with the ball of my fist and attempted to get up, I didn't quite notice the naked woman sprawled across my chest.  I slowly and gently rolled her off my chest and laid her onto the ground again, withdrew a small rolled up blanket from within my bag, unravelled it and placed it around her.  I gathered my clothes, put them back on while trying to make as little noise as possible then gathered Alice's new clothes and placed them beside her as well as my AK74 along with three full magazines.  I glanced at my map for a second to attempt to work out my journey.  Once I had figured that out, I gently placed the map under the rifle with a compass, rough directions to Chernarus and a small pouch with Food, water and some medical supplies.[/font][/size]
[size=x-small][i][b][color=#1E90FF]"Good luck Alice."[/color][/b][/i][/size]

[size=small][font=Courier]I travelled the next few weeks through the country side, starving.  Perhaps I shouldn't have given Alice the Majority of my supplies.  I had gone 5 days without a single morsel of food and rationed my water very very carefully.  It appeared my luck had just about ran out when on the Horizon the skyline of a city came into view, this must've been Belozersk.  I withdrew my USP, checked the magazine and the spares.  I didn't have much left but enough to quickly scavenge some food supplies.

I eventually made it to the outskirts of the city and entered carefully, always keeping my eyes out for bandits and infected.  I scavenged for the majority of the day and found scraps.  I began to climb a nearby apartment block to make camp in one of the rooms or perhaps on the roof.  I didn't use a fire or any lights, using them inside a city was just pure suicide.  I curled up in my jacket and tried to get some sleep.  I slept uneasy for hours, wondering what had become of Alice and whether she was still alive.  Until...[/font][/size]
[color=#FF0000][i][b]"Mornin' beautiful"[/b][/i][/color]
[size=small][font=Courier]I was awoken abruptly by three angry men.  Naturally I went to grab my USP but I was smacked in the face by the butt of his rifle before I had gotten close.  The next thing I remember was sitting in the back of a knackered old Ural, hands bound behind my back and a burlap sack covering my face.  We eventually stopped in the quietest place I had ever heard.  I was pushed from the ural and escorted forcefully into a compound of sorts.  When they unbound my hands and uncovered my head, I could see where I was.  It was a fenced compound, covered in rubbish, crap and old metal.  There was 6 wonky old rotten sheds with crude sleeping apparatus inside.

I was beaten for months, cut, burned, bruised and starved.  They knew I was important of some sort but I refused to reveal and information to them.  Men came and dropped people off, all of which were raggedy old men and children, they bound them to their own individual sheds and kept us separated.  We were slaves now.  Buyers came and went, children and women always sold first, the old men were usually left to starve or shot.  Until one day, a middle aged man was brought to the camp. 

I always glanced through the small gap in my door to see who came and went, any human contact no matter how little was comforting.  This man, I recognised his voice and a small badge on his arm.  I looked round, small and red.  Somewhat of a cross-hair was visible, it couldn't be could it?  Every week we were brought out into the courtyard for washing.  This man with the badge, I recognised him.  It was Daniel Weber.  We learnt not to talk to the other slaved during washing, it just lead to worse things.  However Daniel didn't know this.  He called out one day asking where he was and the guard didn't take too lightly in this, and tackled Daniel to the ground, most likely breaking a few ribs, spat on him and walked away.  Daniel knew to keep quiet now.

Whenever new buys came to this little compound, they would drag all the slaves out one by one, chain them to a fence to parade them about.  They never ever brought me out.  Perhaps they knew who I was and I wasn't worth selling, or perhaps to important to sell?  I didn't know but I was smart enough not to question these men.[/font][/size]

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