Every shadow seemed to stretch endlessly, hiding both zombies and other threats they couldn’t see. Kelly’s heart was still pounding from their encounter with the gang. She could feel the adrenaline slowly draining away, leaving behind exhaustion and the dull ache of fear that had become all too familiar.
Sam led the way, her steps cautious but steady. Kelly followed behind, glancing over her shoulder every now and then to make sure they weren’t being followed.
“I can’t believe we made it through that,” Kelly whispered, her voice hushed, though the street was empty.
Sam gave her a sidelong glance. “You’re tougher than you think.”
“I just did what I had to,” Kelly muttered, running a hand through her hair. She felt sick remembering the fight, but there was a strange kind of clarity that came with it, like she was slowly accepting that this was the new normal.
Sam stopped suddenly, holding up a hand. “Hold on.”
Kelly froze, straining her ears. At first, there was nothing, just the faint rustling of the wind and the distant groans of the undead. But then she heard it—a low rumble, like an engine.
“Someone’s coming,” Sam said, her voice tense.
They ducked behind an old, rusted car as a pair of headlights cut through the gloom. A large truck rolled down the street, moving slowly as if it were searching for something. Kelly could make out the silhouettes of men in the back, armed and on alert.
“More of them?” Kelly whispered, her hands gripping the edge of the car.
“Looks like it,” Sam replied, her voice tight. “But they’re not the same group. Different uniforms.”
Kelly’s heart sank. She had hoped the encounter with the gang was a one-time thing, but it seemed that the city had more dangers than she’d realized.
“What do we do?” Kelly asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Sam didn’t answer right away, her eyes locked on the truck. “We wait. Stay low and hope they don’t spot us.”
They crouched in silence as the truck passed by, the sound of the engine rumbling in Kelly’s ears. She held her breath, praying that they would remain unseen. The men in the truck were talking, though she couldn’t make out the words. Their voices were rough, laced with an edge of cruelty.
As the truck moved farther down the street, Kelly let out a slow breath of relief.
“That was close,” she murmured, wiping a bead of sweat from her forehead.
Sam stood up slowly, her eyes still on the truck as it disappeared around a corner. “Too close. We need to be more careful. These groups are getting bolder.”
“Do you think they’re all like that?” Kelly asked, standing up beside her.
Sam shook her head. “I don’t know. Some might be scavengers like us, just trying to survive. But others… others are worse than the zombies.”
Kelly shuddered at the thought. The idea that people could be more dangerous than the monsters outside was something she wasn’t sure she could fully wrap her head around.
“We should keep moving,” Sam said, adjusting her backpack. “There’s a safe house not far from here. We can rest there for a while, figure out our next move.”
Kelly nodded, though the thought of continuing on filled her with dread. She was exhausted—mentally, physically, emotionally. All she wanted was a moment to stop and breathe, to process everything that had happened. But in this world, there was no time for that.
They continued down the street, staying close to the shadows. The city, once alive with the hustle and bustle of daily life, was now a desolate wasteland. Broken windows, overturned cars, and debris littered the roads, a constant reminder of how quickly everything had fallen apart.
As they rounded another corner, the distant sound of gunfire echoed through the streets.
“Great,” Kelly muttered under her breath. “More fighting.”
Sam grimaced. “It’s probably another group, or maybe even the military. Whoever it is, we need to steer clear.”
They ducked into an alley, moving away from the sound of the gunfire. The deeper they went into the city, the more dangerous it felt. Every corner they turned seemed to bring them closer to something worse than zombies—people who had lost all sense of humanity.
As they moved farther into the alley, Kelly’s foot hit something, and she stumbled, nearly falling to the ground.
“Watch it,” Sam said, catching her by the arm.
Kelly looked down and her stomach lurched. It was a body—a man, lying face down in the dirt. His clothes were torn, blood soaking through the fabric. He wasn’t moving.
“God…” Kelly whispered, stepping back.
Sam crouched down, checking the man’s pulse. After a moment, she shook her head. “He’s gone.”
Kelly swallowed hard, trying to push down the rising nausea. She had seen death before—zombies, other survivors—but there was something about seeing a fresh body, someone who had likely been alive just moments ago, that made her feel sick.
“We need to go,” Sam said, standing up and looking around. “Whoever did this could still be nearby.”
Kelly nodded, her legs feeling shaky as they continued down the alley. The city was a graveyard now, filled with the dead and those who preyed on the living. Every step felt heavier, every shadow more menacing.
After what felt like hours, they finally reached the safe house—a small, nondescript building tucked away in a quiet part of the city. Sam led the way inside, carefully locking the door behind them.
The interior was dark, but surprisingly well-kept. The windows were boarded up, and there were supplies stacked neatly against the walls. It wasn’t much, but it was safe.
“We’ll rest here for the night,” Sam said, dropping her backpack onto the floor. “Tomorrow, we’ll figure out our next move.”
Kelly nodded, though she wasn’t sure what the next move even was. She was tired of running, tired of fighting. All she wanted was for this nightmare to end, but she knew that was a distant hope.
As they settled down for the night, Kelly couldn’t shake the feeling that things were only going to get worse. The world outside was falling apart, and with every passing day, the line between the living and the dead seemed to blur.
“Hey,” Sam said, breaking the silence. “You did good out there today. You’re tougher than you think.”
Kelly smiled weakly. “Thanks. I just… I don’t know how much more of this I can take.”
Sam nodded, her expression softening. “None of us do. But we don’t have a choice. We keep going, or we die.”
Kelly lay back, staring up at the ceiling. The world had changed so much in such a short time. And yet, despite everything, she was still here. Still fighting.
Maybe that was enough.
As the night wore on, the sounds of the city drifted through the cracks in the walls—distant gunfire, the moans of zombies, and the occasional scream. But inside the safe house, it was quiet. For now.
And that was all Kelly could ask for.