Running with Liv was easier and harder than anything Charlie had ever done in his life. He hadn't dared to hold her hand. Instead, he'd wrapped his fingers around her wrist to anchor her to him while he raced as fast as his legs would carry him forward. He wasn't exceptionally tall, but he was fast. Charlie had always lived an active life---even after Sam. Liv was slight, yet she ran faster than a woman of her size. He thought it might be due to her condition. He couldn't think too much about it. All he could think was she seemed to be drifting the opposite direction.
They couldn't split up. "No, no, no," Charlie protested, "Any open area could be unsafe. We can't go to the park. We have to try for the apartments. We have to try. Even if we can't get there, we can get closer to shelter. They don't seem to be doing much with the doors. Anything with doors. I'm saying someplace with doors. It's the best plan I've got."
It was the only plan Charlie had. He heard sounds behind them. Screams. There was a scent in the air like copper. Blood? Charlie didn't want to think about blood being everywhere to the point even the air smelled of it. Tainted. His entire life had been tainted by death. He only wanted to get Liv somewhere safe so she didn't have to know more of death than she did already. They needed her, right? She was a doctor. This place would need her more than him. If it came down to it---
Pushing Liv ahead of him, he released her wrist, hoping he hadn't bruised her, "Go. You can probably run faster without me. Get to the apartments. If you can't get into your unit, just bang on the door of the first one you come to and I'll---I'll try to catch up."
He could be a distraction maybe. It was something.