The group continued moving through the city as the hours seemed to slip by faster than they had anticipated. What they thought would be a quick escape ended up becoming an exhausting and tense journey.
The streets were becoming increasingly blocked.
Abandoned cars, fires that had been out for days, and piles of debris made the path difficult. Added to that were the infected, who appeared constantly, forcing them to detour or hide to avoid unnecessary confrontations.
On several occasions, they had to hold their breath as entire groups passed close by.
Once, they even remained hidden inside a destroyed store for several long minutes while a small horde slowly advanced down the main avenue. Hoarse growls and shuffling footsteps echoed from the other side of the shattered windows.
Reize clutched the knife Ethan had given her tightly.
Koen, leaning against a wall, peered through a crack.
—They keep coming… how many the hell are out there?
—Too many —Elion replied in a low voice—. And if we make a sound, more will come.
No one spoke again.
Until finally the last infected person disappeared down the street.
Only then did they continue moving forward.
Exhaustion was starting to show on everyone's faces when they finally spotted the huge auto parts store building.
The windows were still intact, and the main gate remained closed.
Koen frowned.
—I don't like that.
—That it's intact? —Reize asked.
—Yes, I feel like it's hiding something.
Ethan looked around the area carefully.
—Or maybe no one ever made it back.
Elion raised a hand to signal silence, and everyone obeyed immediately.
They moved slowly around the perimeter, alert to the slightest sound. The wind made some metal signs creak while old papers rolled across the empty parking lot. Finally, they found a back entrance partially blocked by metal boxes and abandoned tools.
—Help me with this —Elion whispered.
The four of them moved the boxes, making as little noise as possible. Elion grabbed the handle. The door was stuck.
With some effort, they managed to pry the door open.
The screech of metal made everyone tense up immediately.
They waited a few seconds.
Nothing.
Elion finally opened the door.
—Go in. Quickly.
The interior was dark and cold. Rows of new vehicles stood motionless under thin layers of dust, and the smell of oil, metal, and dampness filled the place. The silence was so deep that they could clearly hear the echo of their own footsteps.
Reize scanned the room with his eyes.
—It's scary how empty it is…
—I'd rather have it this way than find it full of infected people —Koen muttered.
They moved forward, carefully checking every corner.
But, to everyone's relief, the building seemed completely abandoned.
They went up to the second floor and began searching offices and small storage rooms. There they found some food left behind by former employees: cookies, energy drinks, a few cans, and several first-aid kits.
Ethan smiled slightly when he found some energy bars.
—Look at us… surviving on old snacks.
—Don't complain —Reize replied, putting medicine into a backpack—. This will be quite useful to us.
Meanwhile, Koen and Elion were checking the available vehicles.
They finally chose two off-road trucks. They were spacious, sturdy, and capable of traversing destroyed streets if necessary.
—These will do —said Elion, tapping lightly on one of the vehicle's doors.
For several minutes, they loaded fuel, tools, supplies, and weapons into the trucks. When they were done, Elion went back to the second floor to watch the outside from a window.
The street was still empty; too empty.
There were no infected. There was no movement. Not even a breeze.
And that was precisely what unsettled him.
His eyes slowly scanned the nearby buildings. Something wasn't right. He couldn't explain it, but he could feel it.
He hurried downstairs.
—We're leaving right now.
Reize zipped up a backpack.
—Is it that urgent?
—It's getting dark faster than I expected. And this place is too open.
Koen noticed Elion's serious expression.
—Did you see something?
Elion hesitated for a few seconds.
—No. And that worries me even more.
No one argued.
The engines roared softly as they started both vehicles. Koen took the wheel of the first truck while Elion took the passenger seat. In the second vehicle, Ethan drove and Reize settled in next to him, looking nervously out the window.
Elion held the remote control for the massive metal gate and picked up the radio.
—Everyone ready?
—Ready —Ethan replied immediately.
Ethan tapped the steering wheel.
—Let's go before something horrible shows up.
—Don't jinx it —Reize muttered.
Elion pressed the button.
The gate began to rise slowly with a deafening metallic clang. The sound echoed down the empty street as everyone watched the outside with bated breath. Every second seemed to last an eternity.
Elion clenched his jaw.
Koen kept his foot poised over the accelerator.
Reize scanned the buildings, expecting to see something move at any moment.
Then there was enough space.
—Now! —Elion ordered.
The trucks accelerated violently and sped out of the lot. As soon as they were out, Elion closed the gate behind them.
They drove for several minutes through empty, ruined streets. Little by little, the tension began to ease. Even Reize let out a small sigh.
—Looks like we really did get lucky this time…
But then, as they turned into a narrow alley between two buildings…
A vehicle suddenly appeared, blocking their path.
Koen slammed on the brakes.
The tires screeched violently against the pavement.
Behind them, Ethan reacted just in time to avoid crashing into them.
—What's going on?! —he asked over the radio, his voice immediately tense.
Elion narrowed his eyes as he studied the car in front of them. The windows were completely dark and the engine was off, but the vehicle's position was too perfect. Too deliberate.
Like a barricade.
Like a trap.
Elion slowly drew his weapon.
—I don't like this…
Koen swallowed hard.
—Tell me you're not thinking the same thing I am.
Then, a silhouette appeared behind the vehicle. Slowly. Calmly. Human.
Elion's expression hardened completely; he grabbed the radio without taking his eyes off the front.
—Get ready… we've got company.
Inside both trucks, the atmosphere turned icy, because for the first time in a long time… the infected weren't the most dangerous thing out there.