Other Under Shadow - An Apocalyptic Fic [chapter 80 added] Complete

Badass Jodi xD
I've never thought about Jodi as someone who'd know anything about weapons, but it does make a lot of sense considering she's married to a soldier.

 

"To girl's weekend!" Sandy raised her wine glass. Emily followed suit happily, but Haley lifted hers begrudgingly.



"Stop being a grump," Emily said to her sister, shooting her a glare.



"C'mon, Haley," Sandy said, nudging her in the side. "Loosen up. We're going to have fun."



Haley shrugged. "I guess."



"So you're not with that stupid boyfriend of yours," Emily said. "Who cares? He's a tool, anyway."



"I know you don't like him," Haley snarled at her sister. "But I do."



"How can you like that?" Emily argued. "He's a jerk to you."



Haley shrugged and looked into her wine glass, sipping slowly.



"Stop bickering," Sandy said to them as she adjusted her sun hat. "No guys. No jerks. Just us having fun at the beach, yeah?"



Emily rolled her eyes. "Tell that to Haley."



Sandy looked passed Emily and smiled at Haley. "Girl's weekend. It's going to be fun."



Haley nodded and forced a smile, but inside she was nervous to return home. She didn't exactly tell her boyfriend she would be having girl's weekend.



Sandy scanned the beach. "We need to find a good looking guy for Emily."



Emily made a sound of disgust. "Why?"



"Why not? You're single. Put yourself out there, girl."



Emily met Sandy's enthusiastic gaze with a hesitant glance and shrugged.



"I bet she'll find Mr. Perfect," Haley muttered. "Unlike me."



"At least I don't go for the assholes," Emily snarled.



Haley opened her mouth to fire back, but Sandy stood and put herself between them.



"Quit it," she shouted at them. "Or I'm sending you both home and having a vacation from the two of you."



"How about that guy?" Haley said, pointing to a blond man who dragged a large row boat into the water. He straightened and flipped his long hair over his shoulder.



Emily rolled her eyes. "Ugh. No, thank you. Not my type."



The man looked in their direction and smiled at the three women watching him.



"He looks like he's more into his hair than you are," Sandy muttered to Haley.



Haley got to her feet and brushed the sand off her dress.



"Where the hell are you going?" Emily called after her as Haley approached the man.



"Hey there," she said flirtatiously. "My sister over there has been eying you."



The man looked passed Haley towards Emily and Sandy. "Oh yeah? And which one is your sister?"



"The one with the blue hair."



He smiled. "Is that so?"



"Oh yeah," Haley said, nodding. "Way into you."



He cocked his head to the side. "I don't get that impression," he said casually. "Your other friend, though..."



Emily hurried to Haley's side, pulling at her wrist. "Don't listen to whatever she's saying," she said to the man, then, to her sister, "Let's go. No guys, remember?"



"No guys, huh?" he said.



"Not interested, buddy," Emily said, narrowing her eyes.



The man raised his hands in defense. "What makes you think I'm not already spoken for?"



Emily looked him up and down and laughed.



"Don't be rude, Emily," Haley said, pulling her wrist out of her sister's grasp.



"So now we're into this guy?" Sandy said as she approached.



"Haley's just being a bitch," Emily said.



"At least I have a boyfriend," Haley shot back. "You need to get laid."



"Life isn't about men, Haley."



"I'm sensing a lot of tension here," the man said carefully.



"This was a bad idea," Sandy mumbled. "Girl's weekend is a total bust."



"Could I interest the three of you in a boat ride?" The man gestured to his boat.



"Disgusting," Emily spat at him. "Do you really think we're those kind of girls?"



"He means his boat, you idiot," Haley said.



Emily rolled her eyes. "Please. I'll tell you what he really means."



"Ladies! Give me a break. You don't even know me."



"Exactly," Emily said. "Thank you, but we'll be on our way now."



Sandy sighed. "Come on, get in the boat."



"Are you insane?"



"Listen, I want to be far away from the public when one of you kills the other, and at least there's a whole ocean to hide the evidence." Sandy climbed into the boat and crossed her arms. "You guys are ruining everything. We're going on a boat ride. Or I'm going without you."



Emily and Haley exchanged a glance before hesitantly following Sandy into the boat. The man pushed the boat into the ocean and jumped in after it.



"Good choice," he said to them as he navigated away from the shore. "We're gonna fix this relationship here."



"He's gonna murder us," Haley muttered.



The man smiled. "I'm Elliott." He bowed to them.



"Sandy," Sandy said. "Emily, Haley."



"Girl's weekend doesn't seem to be going too well," he commented.



"Blame that on them," Sandy said. "They've never gotten along."



"Why's that?"



"Because Emily thinks she's the perfect child," Haley hissed. "I'm always the one that does something wrong."



"You are!" Emily shouted at her sister. "All you care about it yourself and being the perfect trophy wife for your stupid asshole boyfriend."



"She just hates that I have someone and she doesn't."



"He just uses you," Emily hissed. "He doesn't give a rat's ass about you."



All right," Elliott said slowly. "There's no anger in my boat."



Emily and Haley crossed their arms and turned away from each other.



"Emily, why don't you like her boyfriend?"



"Because he doesn't treat her right."



"You're just saying that," Haley said.



"Haley, give Emily a chance to talk," Elliott said. "Why doesn't he treat her right?"



Emily turned to her sister, her face sad. "You call me all the time in tears because of something stupid he did. He's always out late. He never takes your feelings into consideration. He's cheated on you. Why can't you see that he's no good for you?"



Haley swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat. "I love him," she mumbled.



"How can you love someone like that?"



"We've been together for so long. I can't just throw that away. We can work these things out."



"Are you insane?"



"Emily," Elliott cut in in warning.



"You just can't handle being alone."



"Like you?"



"What's so bad about being single? You don't need to depend on any man. You go from guy to guy and for what? You have this need to be with someone, every minute of your life. You need to learn to be on your own. To love yourself. Because someday, there's going to be no one left, and you'll just be stuck with yourself. And I don't think you'll be able to handle that."



The boat was quiet as Emily finished.



"Well," Haley muttered. "I'm sorry I'm not perfect like you."



Emily rolled her eyes. "Will you just stop it with the petty crap? You are perfect, Haley, and you deserve to be treated like a queen. Don't be with anyone who treats you as less, okay?"



Haley looked to her feet. Emily sat beside her and pulled her into a hug.



"I don't want to fight with you."



Haley nodded as she blinked back tears. She leaned into her sister and let her head rest on her shoulder.



"The boat makes everything better," Elliott said, happy with himself.



"I'm just glad we didn't have to toss a body overboard," Sandy muttered. "Can we get on with our weekend now?"



Elliott turned the boat around as the sky began to darken.



"Homeward bound, then," he said happily. "A lovely voyage, if I do say so myself."



"Do you really think you can smooth talk women like that?" Sandy said to him.



Elliott shrugged. "I only smooth talk women who appreciate a gentleman."



"Just what Haley needs," Sandy said with a wink.



"Haley seems to have a good head on her shoulders, and a good support system. I think she'll find Mr. Right soon enough."



Haley looked to the sky in hopes of getting lost in the beauty of the night sky, but there was only darkness. No twinkling stars, no moon to light their way back to the beach.



"Why is it so dark?" she asked, still peering at the sky. The others followed suit, turning their faces upward, curiously.



"Strange," Elliott muttered. "This is no night sky I am accustomed to seeing."



"Where are all the stars?" Sandy asked.



"It's just cloudy," Emily pointed out. "See?"



"Those don't seem like ordinary clouds," Sandy said.



The sky seemed to swirl in a deep, purple-grey color, blocking all light from reaching them.



"It's not even twilight," Elliott remarked, checking his watch. "The sun should still be out."



They continued to watch the sky as Elliott brought them back to shore, but the beach was dark and empty.



"What happened to everyone?" Haley asked. It was too quiet. Only the water lapping on the shore could be heard.



"Something's wrong," Elliott said softly. He pulled the boat back onto the beach where the three women got out quickly.



"Can't see a thing out here," Emily said.



"Come," Elliott's voice said. "I live just up here."



They followed him quickly on his heels until the stumbled into a dark building. A small hut, just on the edge of the beach.



"Don't you have any lights?" Haley complained. Elliott hissed in the darkness, quieting them.



"Get down," he instructed. "Away from the windows."



Confused, they did as he instructed, keeping close to the wall, huddled together.



"What's going on?" Sandy asked.



Elliott peered out the window before ducking down with them.



"Shadow People," he said quietly.



"Shadow People?" Emily repeated.



"Here," Elliott said. "On the beach."



"What are they doing here?" Haley asked.



"I don't know," Elliott said. "But I have a feeling we don't want to be caught, or we'll end up wherever everyone else ended up."



Sandy swallowed. "Are they dead?"



"Who knows," Elliott said. "But I don't want to find out."



"What do we do?" Emily asked.



"Stay here, hidden, and keep quiet, and hopefully they'll overlook us."



They each held their breath and waited.



*****



It was near midnight when the Shadow People disappeared from the beach. Their eyes no longer glowed along the shores. They seemed to have give up their search for any left over survivors, ignoring the run down shack just as Elliott had expected. Elliott fumbled with the radio, searching through static, but They ventured out of the house and back onto the beach, flashlights in hand guiding their way. They were alone.



"What the hell..." Emily muttered.



"I don't understand," Haley whispered.



"We need to get home," Sandy said quickly.



Elliott shook his head. "I have a feeling there's no home left," he muttered. "The Shadow People wouldn't be here if the war was going well."



"Wonderful," Sandy muttered. "We're captives in our own home."



"The Shadow People aren't creatures we want to be facing alone. We don't stand a chance. Who knows what's going on out there, but I have a feeling our best bet is to stay where we are and remain in hiding."



"Perfect," Sandy said. "Just what the creepy man wants. Three women at his disposal."



Elliott narrowed his eyes at her. "We're going to need to learn to trust each other." He paused. "Of course, you're free to leave if you so choose. I won't stop you."



"I'm not going out there," Haley said crossing her arms. "We'll be walking right into our deaths."



Emily nodded. "Doesn't look like we have a choice."



Sandy sighed. "So much for girl's weekend."

 

Ooh nice. Elliot bein the mediator between the two sisters. And the two sisters goin at it was fun too. This was a good chapter, I liked that you had Sandy here too.

But I have one question: "Because someday, there's going to be no one left, and you'll just be stuck with yourself. And I don't think you'll be able to handle that." Foreshadowing??? I think it may be.

 

“Can you stop with this moving out thing?” Maru snarled. Sebastian did not look up from his computer screen.

“Can you get out?” he said simply.

“You’re making Mom upset.”

“She’ll get over it.”

Maru leaned over the computer in an attempt to block her brother’s view. “Why are you being like this?”

“I’m not being like anything,” he muttered, pushing her head aside with his palm.

“Ugh,” Maru groaned as she backed away. “Get your nasty hands off of me.”

“Get out of my room.”

“Why do you have to be such an outcast?”

Sebastian narrowed his eyes at her. “What’s your problem?”

“My problem is that all you do is sit down here in your room.”

“I’m working.”

“You never talk to Mom or Dad-”

“Demetrius is not my father,” Sebastian snapped at her.

“Get. Over. It,” Maru shouted at him.

Sebastian stood abruptly. “That guy hates me. And you wonder why I stay down here. I’m not the one with a problem. It’s the two of you.”

“You’re right,” Maru said, her hands on her hips. “We have a problem with you. We all bust our asses off working and being together and you just sit here doing nothing all day.”

“I’m working!”

“Maybe you should work on your relationship with Mom instead of just deciding to leave.”

“Well, clearly no one wants me around here. Especially Demetrius.”

“You’re such an idiot,” Maru hissed at him.

“And you’re clueless and naive.”

“Me? Naive?”

“You think we’re some perfect little family.”

“Well we could be if you weren’t such an ass.”

“We’re not a family,” Sebastian hissed. “We never were and we never will be. Now get the hell out of my room.”

Maru started blankly at her brother. “Well,” she said quietly. “The truth comes out, doesn’t it?”

Sebastian made no effort to apologize for his remark, though the pit of his stomach twisted in a pang of guilt. He never meant to hurt Maru like that, despite how different they were. He moved his eyes back to his computer and sat back down in his chair.

“I guess it’s better for all of us that you move out,” Maru muttered under her breath before leaving him alone in his dimly lit bedroom.

Sebastian stared at the computer screen blankly. Maru would never understand. He didn’t expect her to. She was the one with the family. A mother and a father. She was the favorite child. She always was and always would be. He was just a part of his mother’s life that she wanted to forget about. The man she left. And he was just a reminder of that life. She would never admit it, but Sebastian knew it. They were a family - Robin, Demetrius, and Maru. He was just the left over from a failed marriage that no one wanted to talk about. He didn’t fit in with their picture perfect family. He never would. Demetrius made sure of that.

The computer screen flickered, catching his attention for a moment before it went black. Sebastian sat in the darkness for a moment, taking in the silence, and sighed. Of course the power would go out. He blinked in the darkness as his eyes adjusted, jumping when he heard Maru scream from downstairs.

Sebastian opened the door and peered down the hallway. “Maru?” The house was quiet. He called for her again, but there was no answer. He closed the door behind him and moved to the top of the stairs.

“This isn’t funny,” he called into the darkness. “Grow up.”

There was a loud thud as something went crashing onto the floor. Glass shattered and Maru shrieked again. Sebastian held his breath as his heartbeat quickened. He stood frozen at the top of the steps, listening. When he didn’t hear anything, he moved down the staircase slowly, taking one step at a time.

“Maru?”

A pair of glowing eyes illuminated the darkness and Sebastian stumbled backwards on the steps. A beam of light split the darkness in a warm, yellow glow, and the creature shrieked and fled.

Sebastian followed the light to its source, a shaking flashlight in Demetrius’s hands. The light bounced around the room until it landed on Maru, huddled in a panic in the corner of the kitchen.

“What the fuck was that?” she said, her voice shaking.

The light fell onto Sebastian. He shielded his eyes as Demetrius brought the light back to his daughter.

“Are you okay?”

Maru nodded quickly, her eyes still wide with fear.

“They’re all over the place,” Demetrius said as he went to her side. He pulled her up off the floor. “All over the city.”

“Where’s Mom?” Maru asked. “We need to find her. We need to get out of here.”

At that moment, Demetrius’s cell phone rang in his pocket. He fumbled with the screen, answering it as quickly as it could.

“Robin… No… I’ve got them… They’re okay… I’ll get you…”

Sebastian watched as his face fell and seemed to whiten in the glow of the flashlight. He and Maru listened closely to the muffled voice on the other line. There was a sound of panic. Screams.

“Robin!” Demetrius was still as the phone fell from his face. The line was dead.

“What’s going on?” Maru shouted in panic.

“We’ve been invaded,” Demetrius said quickly. “We need to get out of here.”

“Is Mom okay?” Sebastian asked quietly.

Demetrius nodded, but his expression did not show the same certainty. “We’ll find her,” he said. “She’s going to meet us outside of the city.”

“Where will we go?” Maru asked.

“I don’t know,” her father said with a defeated tone. “We’ll figure that out later. We need to get out of here first.”

“How are we supposed to get out of here if those things are in the city?” Sebastian asked angrily.

“We fight our way out,” his step-father said simply. “We don’t have a choice right now.”

Maru and Sebastian followed Demetrius out into the dark city. They quickly got into the car and the headlights illuminated their path. They navigated through the streets which started to fill quickly with more and more cars trying to escape the city. Demetrius slammed on the breaks as more of the creatures took over the intersection and cars collided.

Maru watched in terror out the window as a girl with purple hair ran towards a man and a woman. But they disappeared quickly as Demetrius sped the car around the corner.

“We need to help them!” Maru shouted at her father.

“If you want to get out of this alive,” he father hissed, “we need to worry about ourselves.”

“The bridge is packed,” Sebastian said as they made their way over the top of a hill, bringing the bridge out of the city into sight. “We’ll never make it through.”

“Shit,” Demetrius muttered as he spun the wheel quickly, turning the vehicle around abruptly. He sped through the streets in a desperate attempt to find an alternate way out.

“The graveyard!” Sebastian leaned from the back seat.

“We can’t go through there,” Maru scolded.

“Looks like someone already did,” Sebastian said as they neared. The fencing was torn down as if someone had sped through with a large car.

“Hang on,” Demetrius said as he stepped on the gas. The car lurched forward, following the torn up path out of the city.

Maru buried her face in her hands, muttering to herself. “This isn’t happening.”

The car sped through the opening on the far side of the cemetery, bounding across the field, down the hill, and onto the high way which had started to glow with headlights.

“What about Mom?” Maru shouted as Demetrius turned the car to follow the pavement. He quickly weaved in and out of cars.

Demetrius bit his lower lip as he focused on the road. “She’ll find us,” he said. He had to get them to safety before he broke the news.

 

“Miss Penny! Chantelle licked the crayon!”

Penny groaned. “Chantelle, that’s yucky. Take that out of your mouth. Josephine, don’t cut your hair! Lucas, I swear to Yoba…”

The children in Penny’s preschool class ran about the room wildly. It had been a long day of coloring and songs and she was only just starting to realize how exhausted she was. But at least it was Friday. She would have a whole weekend away from the chaos. A whole weekend stuck in her tiny one bedroom apartment with her mother. She would have rather worked through the whole weekend and clean up vomit then be stuck in that apartment.

She reminded herself that she loved her job. She loved the kids and their eager faces, so willing to learn and explore. But it had been a long week. Between field trips and picture day, their schedule was upside down and backwards, which only excited the children to be out of their usual routine. It made for a very,very long week.

But soon, their buses would be coming, their parents waiting outside to pick them up, and the room would be empty. And Penny would have to make her way, ever so slowly, back home for the night. Of course, she would stop at the library first. Pick up her favorite book. Sit in her favorite corner. Simply enjoy the peace and quiet. She was excited just thinking about it. Three o’clock was just twenty minutes away, but it couldn’t come soon enough.

She leaned back in her chair behind her desk and watched helplessly as they chased each other around the room, yelling and laughing. They quieted only for a moment as the lights cut out, shrouding them in darkness, and just as quickly they erupted once more.

“The lights!”

“I don’t like the dark!”

“Boo!”

Yoba did not want her to get out of this easily. Penny sighed and stood. It was pitch black in the room. Unusually dark. Something wasn’t quite right.

“What happened to the sun?”

Penny flicked on a flashlight she kept in her desk and shone it across the room. The children stood on their tip toes, peering out the window into the eerie darkness.

“Where did the sun go?” Their curious eyes turned to her as Penny joined them at the windows.

Penny searched the world beyond their window. The entire city was shrouded in an eerie, purple-gray dark haze. No lights lined the roads or marked the buildings.

“Look!” Chantelle shrieked, pointing at the window.

“What’s that?”

Penny followed their gaze to four sets of glowing eyes in the distance. They bobbed up and down in the darkness, nearing the school. The children started to scream and cry.

Penny’s heart quickened as she lowered the flashlight. Something wasn’t right. She needed to hide the children.

She spun on her heels as she heard quick footsteps coming down the empty hallway. Voices echoed off the walls. She hurried to the door, opening it slightly, watching as beams of light bounced off the walls and over the floor.

“What’s happening?” she asked the two men running down the hall. Principle Jones stopped at her side, grabbing her wrist and pulling her towards him. She met his panicked gaze as his eyes darted across the hall.

“Shadow People,” he muttered, his breath on her cheek. “We’re in a lock down. Hide those kids. Not a sound, Penny. Do you understand me?”

Penny swallowed and nodded quickly as he took off down the hall. She watched as the flashlight paused and turned, flashing over her face.

“Don’t get caught, Penny,” his voice, just barely audible, begged her. “I will come back. I will protect you.”

Her heart sank as the light disappeared around the corner. She hurried back into her classroom where her children waited for her, their eyes anxious and afraid. She forced herself to smile, reassuring them that they were okay.

“Okay, boys and girls,” she said quietly. “Everything is okay, but you need to listen to me and be very quiet. We’re going to hide in the closet, just like we practiced. Do you remember?”

Their little heads nodded quietly.

Penny’s gaze shifted uneasily to the window, then back to the children. The glowing eyes were gone. The Shadow People could be anywhere. She needed to act quickly. She forced her smile and held out her hand to them.

“All right,” she breathed. “Let’s get into the closet. Quickly and quietly.”

The children obeyed and quickly piled into the closet, just as they were taught at the beginning of the school year. They sat with their knees to their chests in the darkness, hidden behind jackets and brooms, books and pillows. With no windows outside, they would be safe, if at least for a little while longer.

Penny closed the door quietly behind her and let out the breath she had been holding. Her heart thudded loudly and her hands shook, but she fought to keep her composure. She forced another smile, though it was unlikely they could even see her.

“Good job,” she said quietly. “Nice and quiet now, okay?”

She sat on the floor with them, their little hands reaching to her. She held their hands as they sat in the closet, listening and waiting.

She lost track of time quickly as they sat there in uneasy silence. She didn’t dare turn her flashlight back on. Maybe they had drifted off to sleep. The darkness had a way of fooling the body and Penny could feel herself fighting to stay awake and aware of her surroundings. She jumped at every sound, though most of them she had probably imagined.

The one sound she didn’t imagine were the screams from the classroom next door. And her children had heard it, too. They started to whimper and cry. Penny pulled them closer to her, trying desperately to keep them calm and quiet.

“Listen to me,” she urged them. “Don’t listen to anything else. I’m right here, okay? We need to be very quiet. Shh.”

They quieted and waited. The muffled screams did not last long. They seemed to quiet, one by one. Penny’s stomach knotted and tears stung her eyes. She could only imagine the worst. One by one, children dropping, silenced forever.

Penny blinked through her tears as their world fell silent once more. The Shadow People were here, in the school, and it was likely they would come to her room next. She couldn’t let them win. She couldn’t stand by and watch these children die. And she didn’t want to die. Not yet. She still had hope - hope that her life would get better. That Principle Smith would pull through for her. That they could be together.

Penny stood abruptly. She had to do something. The children whimpered and called to her.

“I will be right back,” she assured them. “I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise. By Yoba, I promise.”

She squeezed through the closet door, closing it quickly behind her. “Lock the door, children,” she said to them. She listened with her hand on the door until she heard the familiar click of the knob being locked. She closed her eyes and prayed to Yoba that their lives would be spared.

“Keep those children safe,” she whispered into the door. She turned around and leaned on the door, letting her eyes scan the room. She could just barely make out the edges of the tables and chairs. But only one thing stood out: there were no glowing eyes. They had not come in yet. It was only a matter of time.

She sucked in a breath and pushed herself off the door. With nothing at her back, she felt exposed. Her body begged her to run, to hide, but she stood and waited, listening.

She saw their eyes first. Then she heard the door knob jiggle and turn. The door swung open silently as two pairs of eyes entered the room.

“Where are the children?” a voice like smoke hissed at her.

“G-gym,” she stuttered. “They’re in the gym waiting for their buses.”

The eyes seemed to exchange a look and scanned the room quickly before settling on her once more. Penny froze as an icy hand wrapped around her arm. She pulled back, but the hand was stronger than she expected. The grip tightened around her as the creatures murmured and hissed.

“Take her,” a voice said.

She twisted and shrieked as she felt material cover her mouth and nose. She blinked as the glowing eyes blurred and quickly disappeared.

 

Potential trigger warning? I opted to make his mother alive and bring his father into this, so there’s some abuse, heavy swearing, etc. Also a bit longer.

Dusty was barking erratically as Alex pulled into the driveway. His heart raced as he recognized the other car in the driveway. He slammed his car door angrily as he marched up the front steps, ignoring the door barking at his heels.

The door swung open and a man stood before him, his face twisted in an all too familiar rage.

“What are you doing here?” Alex snapped.

“I don’t need to tell you why I’m here,” his father hissed at him, pushing his son aside as he left the house.

“You don’t live here.” Alex followed his father into the driveway. “What are you doing here?”

“Piss off, Alex.”

Alex stared blankly as the man before him opened the car door. Dusty barked loudly at his feet, and the man kicked at the dog angrily.

“Leave him alone,” Alex shouted.

“Control your damn dog.”

“Dusty!” his mother’s voice shouted. “In!”

Alex spun on his heels to see his mother’s tired, torn expression hiding from behind the door. There was a fresh cut on her cheek and her eye was swollen shut. She met her son’s gaze briefly before turning away and shutting the door behind her and Dusty.


“What the fuck did you do?” Alex shouted at the man, his blood boiling. “You stay the fuck away from her.”

“Fuck off, Alex. This is none of your business.”

“It is my fucking business when you beat the shit out of my mother.”

His father ignored him as he sat in the car, but Alex held the door tight in his grasp, preventing his father from closing the door.

“Let go you fucking bitch,” he shouted.

“Get the fuck out of the car you asshole.” Alex grabbed his shirt and pulled him out of the car, but his father’s hands were quickly around his neck.

“Get your hands off of him!”

Dusty flew through the open doorway and launched himself onto the man, his teeth locking on his arm. His grip loosened around Alex’s neck as he fought off the dog.

Alex choked on the fresh air that entered his lungs once more and, when he regained himself, threw himself into his father, knocking both of them onto the ground as Dusty continued to growl and cling to the man’s arm. Alex let his fist fly into the man’s face over and over again in a blind rage, unaware of the cops that had arrived on the scene. Their hands pulled at Alex, pulling him off of his father. He stumbled backwards, breathing heavy as his arms were pinned against his back. His heart stopped as he felt cool metal cinch his wrists.

He fell to his knees and waited for his breathing to slow before he was able to see clearly once more. He looked around anxiously. His mother was shouting to him from the front steps, a cop at her side, pulling at her arm to keep her from running to him. A paramedic inspected the cut on her face.

He turned and watched as his father was pushed into the back of a police cruiser. The man spat at the ground, his fierce eyes like daggers on his son. Alex stared at his bloodied and beaten face. His eyes had started to swell and purple, and his nose was clearly broken. The door closed, obstructing Alex’s view, but he was certain his father was cursing at him from behind the tinted window.

“On your feet.” A hard, rough hand pulled at his elbow. Alex stood up and met the eyes of the officer behind him. He pulled his arms, but they were still secured behind him. His heart raced in his chest.

“No,” he muttered, panicked. “Get off me.”

“In the car,” the officer instructed sternly.

“No.” Alex pulled away. “No! He beat her! Don’t!”

“Get in the car, son.”

“I am NOT your son!” Alex hissed. “Don’t take me away from her!”

“She’s going to be fine.”

“That fucking maniac beat her! You don’t know what you’re doing!”

The officer pushed him toward the cruiser and into the backseat, slamming the door. Alex stared helplessly out the window at his mother who continued to shout, tears streaming down her face. The engine to the cruiser came to life and the car backed out of the driveway. Alex watched as the house disappeared around the corner.

*****

Alex didn’t have to wait long before someone bailed him out, but it felt like an eternity of sitting on the hard bench in the city’s jail cell.

“Let’s go, Mullner,” the cop said, opening the door and letting him out.

Alex pushed passed the cop without a word and followed the guard through the station and into the main lobby where his mother waited. She stood eagerly as he turned the corner, but Alex pushed passed her and out the door. She chased him out into the parking lot as he strode to the car.

“Alex!”

Alex stood in front of the car and waited for her to catch up. She unlocked the car door and Alex slid in to the passenger seat. He waited for his mother to get into the driver’s seat, but she did not start the engine.

“I’ll kill him,” Alex muttered. “I will spend forever in that jail cell to see him dead.”

“Alex,” his mother hissed at him. “You don’t mean that.”

Alex met her gaze. “How can you stick up for him?”

Clara hesitated. “I’m not,” she said, breaking her gaze and looking out the windshield. She turned the key in the ignition but did not pull out of the parking spot.

“He better pray he never leaves that jail. Because the moment he does, he’s dead.”

“That’s enough, Alex.” His mother put the car into drive and navigated out of the parking lot.

Alex stared at his mother, dumbfounded. His mouth opened, but he was at a loss for words.

“I’m not bailing you out of jail again. If you keep this up, you’ll never make that team.”

Alex stared at his feet. “I’d rather be in jail than on that team if it meant he were dead.”

“Alex, that’s the only thing keeping your scholarship right now. Don’t be stupid.”

“Right,” he muttered. “Because I’m stupid. I’ve always been stupid. Too stupid to do anything in life. Too stupid to get into college.”

“That’s why you’re good at sports, baby.” His mother patted his knee. “At least you’ve got that going for you.”

“Do you really think that’s funny?”

Clara did not smile. She didn’t say anything for a long moment. “You do whatever it takes to hold on to that scholarship, Alex. I won’t see you drop out of college because you got yourself thrown in jail. At least one of us has a chance at a good future.”

Alex slunk back in his seat and stared out his window, guilt twisting in his chest. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” he mumbled.

Dusty waited for them outside and ran to the car as they pulled into the driveway. He put his paws on Alex’s thighs as he got out of the car and licked his face.

“Hey, boy,” Alex said, scratching his dog behind the ears. “Good boy.”

The dog returned to all four and whimpered up at his master. His ears pinned back and the fur on his back stood.

“Easy, boy,” Alex said softly to him. “He’s not here any more. He’s gone.”

Dusty growled long and low and stared into the trees across the street.

“C’mon, crazy dog,” Alex said as he walked up the driveway. He looked up at the darkening sky curiously at the dark haze that quickly covered the sun.

Dusty’s growls turned to ferocious barks. He trotted to the end of the driveway and barked at the trees across the road. Alex peered into the darkness and a pair of glowing eyes peered back. Alex stumbled backwards in surprise as three more pairs of eyes illuminated the darkness. Dusty whimpered as the dark creatures moved forward, across the street towards Alex.

“What the fuck...”

A hand pulled him backwards suddenly and his mother stepped in front him, her arm raised. Alex gawked at the weapon in her hand as she fired off two rounds. The creatures shrieked and scattered.

“Mom!”

Dusty bolted through the yard on the trail of one of the creatures. His fierce growling moved around them, fading and growing louder as the dog ran around the house. Another shriek pierced the night as Dusty caught his prey. Alex listened as the world quieted, breathing a sigh of relief as the dog trotted up to his side after a moment.

“In the house,” Clara hissed at her son. “There’s another gun in my closet.”

Alex didn’t dare to question her. He hurried into the dark house and fumbled around in the darkness until he felt the cool metal of a gun. His fingers found the trigger, then moved to flick the safety off. Further down, he found the release for the magazine and it slid into his palm. Loaded. He traced each bullet before pushing the magazine back into place. He gripped it tightly in his hand and sucked in a breath before returning outside, grabbing a flashlight in the process, but his mother was gone. In the distance, Dusty barked angrily. Another shot went off and another creature shrieked.

Alex sprinted through the night, following the sounds until he reached Dusty. He followed the sounds of the dog’s tags through the woods, stumbling over uprooted roots, fallen branches, and small holes in the ground. His eyes moved quickly, but there was only darkness around him. He flicked on the flashlight which provided just enough light to see where he was running.

Dusty ran ahead of him, panting as he darted through the trees, leading his master out of harm’s way. Alex continued to follow the dog blindly, hoping he would reunite him with his mother, but as the forest thinned, he realized they had made it out of the city.

“No,” Alex panted, turning on his heels. “Dusty! Where’s Mom? Find Mom!”

The dog sat on his haunches and whimpered. Alex let his flashlight move over the trees. She had to be in there, somewhere. But it was so quiet. Too quiet.

“Mom!”

Dusty barked at his master.

Alex ran back into the woods. The dog followed him and pulled at his pant leg.

“Stop it, Dusty!” Alex pulled forward, but the dog clung tightly. Alex hesitated and the dog barked at him once more.

“Dusty,” Alex sobbed. “What happened, Dusty?” His eyes followed the beam of light as it fell on trees and stumps. “Mom!”

But there was no answer.

Alex sprinted back into the woods, Dusty hot on his heels. He ran and ran and ran until he reached his road once more. He paused when his light hit a figure in the yard. He hurried over to inspect the body of the creature that Dusty had killed earlier.

Dusty’s frantic barking caused him to turn just in time to see the familiar glowing eyes, just yards away from him. There was a click in the darkness. An empty magazine.

The creature turned and lunged toward the sound. Alex’s light flashed through the night just in time to see the creature lunge at his mother. Alex dropped the light in a panic and he fumbled for the gun. Dusty’s continued barking drowned out the sounds of the struggle between his mother and the creature. The beam of light shined across the street, away from the struggle.

His mother shouted in pain. Alex needed to act quickly. He ran towards the flashlight, but a strong force knocked him to the ground. He struggled to his feet as another pair of eyes showed themselves before him. Cold hands gripped his neck, but this time he was stronger, knocking the being to the ground.

Clara’s shouts were distorted. Alex gripped the gun once more, searching, listening. The creature got up and he shot once. It shrieked into the night as the other continued to fight his mother. But she was no longer shouting.

Alex strained to hear as Dusty barked and moved towards the struggle in an attempt to fight off the creature. The dog whimpered in pain and the creature hissed in the night. Frantic, Alex focused on a dark figure before him and pulled the trigger. Dusty yelped and the creature’s shriek hissed through the night.

Alex let off another shot and the world fell silent.

Alex stood frozen to the ground, his gun still raised, his pulse racing in his head. He strained to listen, but there was no familiar sounds.

He jumped when he felt Dusty’s fur against his leg. The dog whimpered at his master’s side. Alex quickly pocketed the gun and found the flashlight. He inspected Dusty. Except for a few cuts on the dog’s body, he was fine. Alex let the light search the yard until it fell onto a figure. The first creature he shot. He moved the light further until it revealed two more figures.

Alex hurried over to his mother, pulling her out from under the second creature. Her body fell into his lap as the light moved across her face.

“Mom,” Alex choked out. “Wake up,” he begged. “Get up.”

He moved the light down her body, stopping at the place where his bullet had entered. The light dropped from his hand as he sobbed loudly.

“No, no, no,” he whimpered. He moved backwards and her body fell away from him and onto the ground.

Dusty sat at his master’s side and moved his nose under Alex’s arm.

“I did this,” Alex sobbed. “I did this.”

Eerie shrieks filled the air around them as Alex continued to sob. Dusty moved at his side, agitated. He whimpered and licked Alex’s face. When Alex did not move, the dog barked.

“Go,” Alex mumbled, pushing the dog. “Go. Get out of here. Go!”

The dog growled and pulled at his master’s sleeve.

“Let them come for me. I’ll go down fighting. I won’t make it easy, I swear to you.”

His hands rubbed at his eyes and he blinked in the darkness as more glowing eyes showed themselves.

“This is it, Dusty,” Alex said. “I won’t go down being worthless any longer.”

Alex stood as the eyes neared, but before he could make a move, a pair of headlights rounded the corner, lighting the street. The creatures shrieked and scattered into the darkness. The car stopped before Alex and the window rolled down.

“Get in,” a familiar voice said. His father leaned out the window.

“Bust out of jail already?” Alex snarled.

His father shrugged. “Easy when the cops are running for their lives.”

“And you wanted to make amends before they get you next?”

He hesitated but held his gaze on his son. “Go to Stardew Valley. You will be safe there.”

Alex spat at the ground. “Are you fucking serious? Is this a joke?”

“Alex, listen to me.”

“No, it’s time you start listening to me,” Alex shouted. “I’ve put up with your shit for way too long. If I’m going to die, I’m taking you with me.”

Alex raised his gun.

“Alex, don’t-”

He pulled the trigger and his father fell limp in the car.

Alex hesitated. He lowered his arm and pocketed the gun.

“We’re not done, Dusty,” he said. “Not by a long shot. If I’m going down, I’m taking all these bastards with me.”

 

Najia lifted the bag to her nose and inhaled deeply. She was a child again, the rich, chocolate chips melting in her mouth. The cookie was soft and gooey, just the way she liked it, as if it were fresh out of the oven, despite the hours of driving it took her grandparents to get to the city. These cookies, however, were hard, prepackaged, and probably stale. But they were cookies nonetheless, and the smell was just the same. She grabbed the bags of cookies by the handful, zipping them carefully in her backpack, stopping only when she heard the eerie sound of a gun being cocked behind her. She froze, not daring to move, her heart racing as the fear tore through her body. This was it. Months on the run, all for nothing.

“Stand up,” a gruff voice said. A human voice. This was no one to be afraid of. Her heart flew; she hadn’t seen another human in months, since she first left the city. Najia obeyed, placing her hands on her head in hopes to show that she was friendly.

“Turn around.”

She turned slowly, meeting the gaze of the human that stood before her.

“I know it’s dark,” she muttered. “But give me a break. I’m human.”

The man held his aim on her. He didn’t budge. His arm didn’t shake or sway. Najia was impressed; he knew what he was doing to make it this far.

“Can’t be too sure these days,” he said.

“Fortunately for you,” Najia said. “You’d already be dead if I wanted you to be.”

The man smirked, amused, then lowered his gun. His eyes made their way down her body, resting on the gun on her hip.

“I’m not the one that let my guard down,” he said as he pocketed the pistol.

“My guard’s never down.”

He met her gaze one last time before turning away. Najia threw her bag over her shoulder and hurried behind him. The light of her flashlight bounced around the house as she ran.

“Wait,” she said as she ran to his side. “I haven’t seen another human in months. How’d you get this far?”

“Same as you, I’d presume.”

“Where you headed?”

He studied her from the corner of his eye but did not slow his brisk pace. “Looking for people.”

“I think we’re all looking for people,” Najia muttered. “You’d be lucky if they’re not dead.”

The man tried to remain composed, but Najia could see the pain that flashed briefly across his face.

“Family?” she asked.

The man stopped walking and turned to her.

“Listen. We’re not doing this. I don’t care about you, and you don’t care about me. You go your way, and I’ll go mine, okay?” He continued walking, quickening his pace.

“Why does it have to be like that?” Najia continued to follow him. “We’re at a war here. We could go together. Look for your people. Maybe find more survivors.”

“I don’t want to be slowed down.”

“I have a car.”

The man stopped suddenly and faced her. “You have a car? How?”

Najia hesitated. “I hot wired it.”

“You know how to hot wire a car?”

“Yes.”

He looked her up and down quickly, studying her.

“You can have it if I can come with you.”

“Forget it,” he said, turning abruptly once more and continuing down the road.

Najia watched the last human she had seen fade into the darkness. Determined to win his trust, she hurried to the car, waiting in the darkness behind the house, right where she left it, still purring quietly. She threw it into gear, making sure to keep the headlights off, and navigated around the disheveled building. She found him still walking and pulled up beside him.

“Have the car,” she said through the open window. “I can get another.”

The man stopped and peered at her carefully.

“Look,” she said. “I just filled it up with gas. There’s two empty tanks in the trunk. Stay away from the cities. It’s a wasteland out here, but there are a few stations with gas left where you can fill up. The Shadow People don’t venture out here often.”

“What do you want in return?” he asked skeptically.

Najia shook her head. “I just want our world back.” She shrugged. “Maybe you’re people will be able to help us do that, if you ever find them. Never know who turns out to be a hero around here.”

“Heroes don’t exist.”

“Guess we can agree to disagree.”

An eerie shadow flickered at the corner of Najia’s eye in the rear view mirror. She turned quickly.

“We have company,” she muttered, looking through the rear view window. Shots fired, hitting the bumper of the vehicle.

“Get in!”

The man dove into the passenger seat, slamming a new magazine into his gun and leaning out the window, taking fire as the Shadow People closed in around them.

Najia slammed down on the accelerator. The tires spun for a moment before lurching them forward into the darkness. They continued their attack as bullets hit the steel of the car. Najia pulled abruptly on the emergency break, spinning the wheel until the car faced their opponents head on. Najia flicked on the high beams and the Shadow People shrieked and scattered into the safety of the darkness. She threw the car into reverse and navigated down the road as the man reloaded and took aim once more.

When it grew quiet, Najia flicked off the lights and turned the wheel abruptly, spinning them around and throwing the vehicle into drive. She sped off the road, dust billowing around them. The man pocketed his weapon and leaned back against the seat, letting out a heavy sigh.

“That was exciting,” Najia said as the rush of moment left her system.

The man grunted.

“So, we’re doing this?”

“Doing what?”

“Traveling the world? Seeing the sights?”

“I told you,” he said, his voice hard. “I’m looking for people.”

“Fine, fine. I’ll help you look for your people. Okay?”

He didn’t say anything.

“Sorry,” Najia muttered. “I just don’t want to never see another human ever again.”

“Whatever.”

They drove in silence for a moment.

“So, where are you headed?” Najia asked.

He shrugged. “The coast.”

“Oh yeah? I’m heading in that general area, too.” She paused. “What’s there?”

“The end of the country.”

She raised an eyebrow but kept her gaze focused ahead as she attempted to navigate the dark world. “And you think they’ll be there?”

“Maybe.”

“So, who are they? What’s your story?”

“No,” he grunted. “We’re not doing that.”

“All right,” she said slowly. “I’m Najia, by the way.”

The man did not respond.

“What? We can’t even do names?”

He sighed. “Shane.”

 

“Looks like as good a place as any,” Najia said, her hands on her hips.

Shane shook his head. “No. We’re not stopping. I’ll drive.”

Najia narrowed her eyes at him. “I disagree. We’re stopping. It’s late. I’m tired. You’re tired.”

“Stopping will only make us more vulnerable,” Shane hissed. “We can take turns driving.”

“I don’t think so. I don’t trust you that much to let you drive while I’m passed out.”

“Then you’re staying here alone and I’m taking the car.”

“That wasn’t in the agreement.”

“There was no agreement.”

Najia huffed, exasperated. Her voice softened. “We shouldn’t split up. We can do more damage together. Alone, we’re easier targets.”

“Being alone means I don’t have to pretend I care about anyone else’s worthless life.”

“You are a cruel, bitter man.”

“I’m honest and realistic.”

“You’re a jerk.”

“Big words from Miss Smarty-pants.”

“Smart enough to know how to hot wire a car.”

“I’m sorry. Not all of us lead some thug life before this.”

“I’m not a thug,” Najia hissed. “My father was a mechanic.”

Shane rolled his eyes.

“Of all the damned people in the world,” Najia muttered.

“Should have let me walk away, huh?”

Najia crossed her arms. Shane smiled, feeling as if he had won, and turned away from her.

“Keep the car,” he said over his shoulder. “I don’t need it.”

Najia dropped her arms as she watched the only other possible survivor walk away from her.

“Please don’t leave me alone out here,” she said softly.

Shane hesitated. He turned around and met her fearful gaze.

“I’m not as tough as I pretend to me.”

“Well, you’re not a good pretender apparently.”

“I want a chance,” she said. “A chance to survive.”

Shane narrowed his eyes at her. “I see what this is. You’re pulling the damsel in distress card.”

Najia smiled. “Is it working?”

Shane sighed. “Just a little bit. I really like the fact that you have a car, mostly.”

Her smile widened. “Then it’s settled. Build the damsel a fire.”

“Are you insane? That will draw attention to us.”

Najia rolled her eyes. “We have protection from these boulders. We’re way out in the desert. The Shadow People won’t dare to come out this far. And it’s going to get cold.”

Shane bit his lip, defeated. “Fine. But I’m not sleeping. Someone’s gotta keep watch.”

“Whatever, dude.”

Shane helped Najia bring some wood from the trunk of the car. He admired her provisions. It was as if she prepared her whole life for the end of the world. She had packed food, flashlights, candles, matches, water, wood, and even kindling.

“Someone’s prepared,” he muttered.

Najia smiled as she stacked wood in her arms. “Isn’t that the boy scout motto?”

“I wouldn’t know.”

“Clearly.”

They stacked the wood carefully and before long, a fire was crackling in the night. The thick, dark, gray-purple haze continued to hide every bit of the sky. The sun could not cut through, and the stars did not guide their travels. The desert was eerily quiet. No crickets or critters scuttled over the dusty land. Najia wasn’t sure what was worse; the darkness, or the silence. It felt suffocating.

But the fire was bright and warm. A reminder that they were survivors; they were life. They still had something, even if it was rather unpleasant company in each other. They had, by some sheer chance, found each other, and it was enough to give Najia hope.

She stared into the flickering flames as her mind wandered. It drifted to images of her grandfather, or what she remembered him to look like when she was a child. It had been years since she had seen him, but she could distinctly remember his voice when he called her just months ago, before the invasion.

“Come to the valley, my little Naj. When the darkness clouds the land, come to the valley. I will be waiting for you there.”

Crazy, her father had said. The man was crazy, ever since her mother had died.

But it was all Najia had left. Hope that her grandfather was there, in the valley, waiting for her.

“There’s this place where my grandfather lives,” Najia started. “Stardew Valley. He lived there with this crazy conspiracy theorist. Some guy Linus. He would tell me all about it when he came to visit me as a kid. When the Shadow People started taking over, just before they came to the city, he contacted me. Told me to come to Stardew. Said it was safe there. The Shadow People couldn’t take it over. He said there’s still light. Darkness would never claim Stardew.” She looked up, but Shane did not meet her gaze. He continued to stare into the fire. Najia continued. “That’s where I’m headed. Just north up the coast.”

“A place with light doesn’t exist anymore,” Shane said simply.

“Maybe there’s some hope in Stardew.”

Shane finally met her gaze. “I wouldn’t get your hopes up. Your grandfather sounds crazy.”

Najia pinched her lips together and turned back to the fire. Of all the survivors in the world, why did she have to be stuck with Negative Nancy?

“You’re awfully pessimistic,” she commented dryly.

“You’re way too optimistic.”

Najia sighed. “At least I have something left in my life. What do you have? Some half assed idea that your people are out there, somewhere? If you ask me, you have nothing left, so you’re just wandering around until you die. Waiting to die.”

Shane didn’t answer. He crossed his arms.

“I’m sorry,” Najia said softly. “That was douchey.”

Shane shrugged. “Probably the most honest thing you’ve said since I met you. I prefer that over bubbly optimism.”

Najia didn’t bother to argue with him. It was clear that there was no getting through to Shane. She didn’t care; she was still hopeful.

 

Najia’s body ached from sleeping on the hard ground. When she was alone, she preferred to stop somewhere where she could make a decent bed for herself. The desert ground was less than ideal, but she knew she was already on thin ice with Shane. She figured, in the circumstances, she could learn to sleep on the ground. After a month on the run, it wasn’t the first time she had done so. But she still missed the luxuries of her life in the city. She adapted only because she had to, but made every effort to make things as easy as possible for her. Including packing the car with every single useful thing she could find during her travels, and moving those items from one trunk to the next when she needed to seek out a new vehicle. She supposed she learned that from her father. Always be prepared - it was the boy scout motto, after all.

Shane, on the other hand, did not care for such luxuries. Of course, having luxuries were much harder when all you had was what you could carry. And Shane carried the bare minimum.

As Najia wired the car, she started to realize that she would likely need to adjust further still if she wanted to make it to Stardew Valley. While it seemed foolish to give up her supplies, they wouldn’t last forever. Shane had obviously made it with the bare minimum; perhaps she would be wise to learn to do the same. But then again, the time hadn’t come for such drastic measures. Why not enjoy what supplies she had for as long as she could?

Najia dusted her hands together and smiled as the engine purred. She let Shane climb into the driver’s side and she slid in beside him. She pulled out the map from the glove compartment and found their estimated location.

“There’s probably an old gas station up the main road, somewhere,” she said. She traced the line on the map with her finger. “We could fill up a couple more tanks there it be set for a while longer. Assuming it hasn’t run dry yet.”

Shane shrugged. “Yeah, okay.”

They drove in silence. Najia focused her attention out the window, trying to imagine the desert scenery passing in the daylight. It was likely just as boring a view as it was in the dark. She sighed loudly, but Shane did not acknowledge her.

“We need some music in here,” she muttered.

“Too bad radio stations don’t exist anymore,” Shane remarked snidely.

“What if one did exist, though? Someone in some abandoned station trying to deliver an S.O.S.”

Shane peered at her in his peripheral vision. “Don’t you think the Shadow People would notice and capture them?”

Najia slunk back in her seat and crossed her arms. “You have absolutely zero sense of adventure.”

Shane tensed. “You think this is an adventure?” His voice raised. “You think this is some game?”

Najia hesitated. “No.”

Shane narrowed his eyes at the road before him as he continued driving in silence. Najia shifted uncomfortably before opening the glove compartment. She fished through the odds and ends she had secured in there, pulling out an old, tattered CD case. She smiled to herself as she zipped it open and flipped through the contents she had collected.

“What are you doing,” Shane said quickly.

Najia selected a CD with the word ‘mixz’ scribbled in sharpie on the front and pushed it carefully into place inside the radio. It hummed quietly as it read the disk and the first track began to play. Shane groaned loudly as the song started, and Najia did not miss a beat as she belted out the song.

“I stay out too late!” she sang. “Got nothing in my brain! That’s what people say!”

Shane rolled his eyes.

“I go on too many dates, but I can’t make them stay,” she continued.

“I can see why,” Shane muttered.

Najia ignored him as she continued singing. She turned the knob on the radio and the music got louder.

“But I keep cruising. Can’t stop, won’t stop moving. It’s like I got this music in my mind saying it’s gonna be alright.” Najia danced in her seat as she sang out the chorus.

Shane winced and, having enough, ejected the disk from the radio. Najia stopped dancing and stared at the disk as it popped back out.

“What did you do that for?”

“You’re singing is as terrible as Taylor Swift.”

Najia crossed her arms. “It’s a fun, upbeat song. We could use a little fun in here.”

Shane pinched his lips together but didn’t respond.

“Do you have some beef with my girl T. Swift?”

“Please stop,” he muttered.

“Fine,” she said sharply. “What do you want to listen to?”

“Nothing,” he said quickly. “No music. It will only draw attention to us.”

Najia watched him closely for a moment before returning the disk to its case. She shoved it back into the glove compartment, humming to herself. She focused her attention on the dark road, leaning back in her seat with a sigh.

“Wanna play a game?”

“No.” His voice was stern.

“Were you always this much fun?”

“Yup.”

Najia rolled her eyes and turned back to the road. “I see. I bet the women flocked to you.”

Shane said nothing. Najia turned back to him, eye brow raised. “Men?”

Shane shot her another angry glance.

“Both?”

He sighed loudly.

“I bet you had tons of friends with that charming personality of yours,” she muttered.

Shane shrugged. “Maybe I did.”

Najia scoffed.

“Can you really blame me for being Mr. Brightside?”

“You could at least make an effort to be happy at the fact that you’re not the only survivor.”

“Of all the people in the world to get stuck with,” he muttered.

“Funny, I was just thinking the same thing.”

“What does it matter?” he muttered. “We won’t survive much longer. Might as well not get attached.”

Najia sighed. “You’re right,” she said. “Might as well make this as miserable as possible for ourselves.”

“Might as well.”

“I don’t buy it,” she said. “There’s some hope left in you. You wouldn’t have made it this far if you didn’t have some kind of hope. You’re going after something; that’s hope. Hope that something’s still out there.”

Shane was quiet. His knuckles whitened as he tightened his grip on the wheel.

“Fine,” Najia said, sensing his tension. “I’m sorry. I’ll leave it alone.”

They drove in silence once more. Najia let her mind wandered as she stared into the darkness before them. It was still early in the day. Najia couldn’t imagine another six hours in the car with Shane. She didn’t know what was worse; the silence, or his bubbly optimism. She rolled her eyes to herself at the thought. She only hoped they would reach the coast soon. Maybe then they could part ways and she could make her way to Stardew Valley. If Stardew Valley even existed.

“Jas,” Shane said, breaking the silence.

Najia turned to him, but he continued to focus on the dark road ahead.

“My goddaughter. And Marnie, my aunt.” He hesitated. “We were separated when the attack happened.”

Najia looked at her feet. “I’m sure you’ll find them,” she said quietly.

Shane shrugged. “I hope so.”

 

Despite his objections, Shane was able to find sleep in the passenger seat as Najia took her turn driving through the night. She was willing to give up a night on the hard ground, giving Shane a little peace of mind. They had stocked up on gas earlier in the day, which meant she could save the fire wood and take advantage of the heat the car provided them in the dark desert. Najia cracked the window just enough to give her fresh air. Music played softly as she hummed to herself. She licked her lips at the thought of fresh coffee; she would have given anything for just a small cup to get her through the night.

Except for Shane’s occasional snoring, the night proved to be uneventful, and for that Najia was relieved. It was just after six in the morning when her stomach began to growl, reminding her that she hadn’t eaten in several hours. Najia imagined the sun would have been rising over the distant horizon. She missed the feeling of its warm rays on her face.

Shane shifted and groaned beside her. He turned over groggily and his eyes opened. He peered at Najia for a moment before letting out a yawn and letting his seat lurch into it’s upright position. He rubbed his face with his palms and sighed.

“Good,” Najia said cheerfully. “Get some food. I’m starving.”

Shane nodded quietly, yawning once more before turning to face the back seat. He fished through their bags until he pulled out two prepackaged bags of pretzels.

Najia tore into her bag eagerly. The salt stung slightly at her chapped lips, but the stale pretzels could not have tasted better in that moment.

“Breakfast of champions,” she muttered between handfuls.

“Bar,” Shane said suddenly. And then, as the excitement grew, he pointed out the window. “Bar! Pull over!”

“Huh?” Najia said with her mouthful of food. She followed his gaze to the side of the road where their headlights illuminated an old, wooden sign. “Route 99 Bar and Grill,” it read. She pulled over and parked in front of the door, peering through the dirtied windows.

“Jackpot,” Shane muttered as he hurried out of the car. The door to the bar was unlocked and Shane made his way inside like a kid in the candy store.

Najia quickly finished off her pretzels as she followed behind him. Her flashlight swung around the room until it found Shane behind the bar.

“There’s still beer!” he shouted enthusiastically.

“It’s not even seven in the morning,” Najia said.

Shane stared at her blankly. “You’re kidding, right?”

Najia shrugged. “I guess you’re right,” she said. She sat on one of the stools as Shane helped himself to the tap, filling the largest glass he could find to the brim. He leaned against the counter and sighed into the glass as the beer trickled down his throat.

“I don’t think shitty beer has ever tasted so good,” he said with a smile.

Najia tapped on the counter. “Let’s go, barkeep. Don’t keep me waiting.”

Shane finished his glass quickly and grabbed another off the shelf. He filled both glasses until they flowed over and together, he and Najia drank.

“Oh yeah,” Shane said. He set his empty glass on the counter with a loud clang. “That’s what the doctor called for.”

“I can’t remember the last time I had a drink,” Najia said.

Shane shook his head. “Me neither.”

Najia lifted her glass. “To us,” she said. “The last two survivors.”

Shane filled his glass once more and lifted it to hers. “We’re taking all of this.”

“We are?”

“If I’m dying any time soon, I’m doing it drunk as fuck.”

Najia looked into her glass and shrugged. “Sounds better than any alternative.”

Shane smirked at her. “I’ve brought you to the dark side.”

“The dark side?”

“The dark, hopeless side.”

“Well,” she said softly. “It helps to have a back up plan.”

*****

Najia lost track of time and their beer intake as they sat together in the abandoned bar. They finally stopped drinking when they were simply too drunk to hold their glasses up right any longer. Shattered pieces of glass lay around them from earlier spills and soon, they were hunched together in a booth in a fit of giggles.

“I had this friend,” Najia said, her speech slurred. “Always got so drunk. We’d go to these clubs together. She peed in her own car!”

Shane wrinkled his nose and laughed. “I wouldn’t have picked you as a party girl,” he said between a burp.

Najia shrugged and leaned her head against her fist, elbow on the table. “Not as much as her.” She was quiet for a moment. “Um sure she’s dead,” she muttered. “But I wish I coulda seen her, yanno, before it all happened. Work had us too busy ta hang out.”

“Hmm.” Shane nodded and leaned back against the seat. “Prolly betta that way.”

“I didn’t get ta see anyone, yanno?” Najia sighed. “I wez jest mindin’ my own business when it all happened. Closin’ up Dad’s shop.” She hesitated. “I didn’t even go home, yanno? I just left. Didn’t even look for him.”

“At least you didn’t have ta watch him die,” Shane muttered.

Najia fingered the deep scratches in the table. She traced over the initials carved into the wood. She wondered what kind of person JS was.

“What do ya think happened?” she asked. “I mean. What happened to our army? Why didn’t they stop this?”

Shane shrugged. “Overpowered us?” he suggested. “We lost.”

“Yeah,” Najia muttered. “I guess we did.” She watched as Shane subconsciously fingered the necklace in his palm. “Wa’s that?”

Shane pocketed the necklace. “Jas’s.”

Najia smiled. “Pretty.”

Shane shrugged. “She wore it all the time.”

“Wa’s she like?”

“I dunno.” He shrugged again. “Cute kid, I guess.” He smiled at some memory. “We used to play soccer a lot.”

“Oh yeah?” Najia let her head rest on the table. It felt cool on her face. “Kids are pretty cute I guess.” She met Shane’s gaze and peered at him. “Not if she looks like you, though.”

“I was an adorable child,” Shane said, crossing his arms. “She’s not related to me, anyway.”

“That’s fortunate for her. I’d hate to see her grow up into a sour puss like you.”

Shane’s gaze drifted toward the window. “She looked like her mother.”

“Ex girl friend?” Najia asked.

Shane narrowed his eyes at her. “No,” he said sharply. “My best friend’s wife.”

“Oh,” Najia said with a hiccup. “So, you were the other guy?”

“You’re a rude drunk.”

Najia shrugged and smiled. “You’re not a very interesting person,” she said. “So, in my mind, you two were lovers who could never be together. You were in too deep with the city’s mafia. She was from the other side. East side.”

“You’re ridiculous.”

“Jas was your love child. Her husband never knew.”

“Stop it.”

“How fitting that you were chosen as the godfather. Or, was it too obvious? Would her husband ever find out? Stay tuned for the next exciting episode.”

“Stop,” Shane hissed.

Najia met his gaze. “So, it’s true?”

“It’s not true.”

“You’re awfully defensive about it.”

“The last time I saw them, they were lying in their own blood,” Shane snapped. “Excuse me for not wanting to talk about them.”

Najia was quiet. She pushed herself off the table and slunk back into the seat. She pinched her lips and met his gaze. “Sorry,” she said simply.

Shane turned back to the window and sighed. “Forget it,” he muttered.

Najia pushed herself away from the booth.

“Where are you going?” Shane called after her.

“Jest gonna lie down,” Najia said quietly. “Right here maybe, on the floor.” Najia stumbled toward the trash barrel beside the bar, leaned over to vomit, then made herself comfortable on the cold, wood floor and sighed.

She awoke to Shane pulling her by the arm. She groaned angrily and tried to ignore the pain in her head.

“Go away,” she muttered.

“Get up,” Shane hissed. “We’ve been here way too long.”

“Five more minutes.”

“You’ve been out for hours.”

Najia groaned again and sat up on the floor. Shane’s flashlight swept across her face and she winced. “I have?”

Shane pulled her to her feet and waited as Najia steadied herself. When she was stable, he shook a bottle of pills at her and smiled.

“Oh, yes, please,” she said, reaching for the bottle. “Gimme.”

Najia sat at the bar as Shane handed her a glass of water and she downed the two pills quickly. She leaned her head against her fist and sighed.

“Don’t be surprised if you see a keg in the back seat,” Shane said casually.

Najia rolled her eyes and emptied her glass. “What time is it?”

“Around five,” Shane said. “We drank the morning away.”

“And you let me sleep all afternoon? How thoughtful.”

“I didn’t last much longer,” he admitted. “I’m just better at keeping the hangovers at bay.”

“We can’t all be pros at drinking,” Najia muttered.

“Come on,” Shane said, pulling at her arm. “It’s gonna get cold in here.”

“Fine,” she said, getting to her feet. “But I’m not driving.”

“Just get the car running,” Shane instructed.

Najia groaned. “Can you give me an hour?”

Shane’s gaze shifted uneasily out the windows, but he nodded. “Yeah, okay, fine. But we’ll need a fire and food before we get moving.”

“I like that plan,” Najia said.

Before long, they were sitting by the warmth of the fire and finishing another bag of pretzels for dinner with a side of Twinkies. Najia stretched out on the ground, her headache just starting to fade.

“Drugs working yet?” Shane asked.

Najia nodded and closed her eyes. “Starting to.” She sighed.

“Don’t fall asleep on me,” Shane warned. “I’ll leave you here.”

Najia nodded. “Mhm. Okay. Just a few minutes and I’ll be good.”

 

Shane could feel his eyes getting heavy as he stared into the fire. He was anxious to get moving, but he knew Najia would be useless until she was feeling better, and he needed her to get the car hot wired. Or, at least awake enough to show him how to do it himself.

He tried to let her rest as long as he could, but he has guessed it had been close to an hour already, and he wasn’t about to wait any longer. But it was then when he heard the all too familiar hiss of the Shadow People.

Shane’s fingers wrapped around the grip of the gun, ready at his side. He peered into the darkness, but even the light of the dying flames wouldn’t reveal the Shadow People that were lurking.

He crawled over to Najia, his gun in one hand, as he let his other hand caress her shoulder softly.

“Don’t move,” he whispered as she moved under his hand.

Najia held her breath, staring into the darkness, waiting, as Shane stood and stepped over her, blocking her from their predators.

Shane lifted his gun as the shadowy shapes slowly came into sight, circling around them, just outside the light of the fire. Najia stood, her gun in her hand, back to back with Shane as the creatures moved in.

“Looks like we sobered up too soon,” Najia muttered.

The low growl of an engine split the silence, growing quickly louder and louder, until headlights shown from over the hill. A Hummer flew over the crest of the hill, it’s headlights scattering the Shadow People, their agonizing screams drowning out the loud engine. The vehicle skidded around, coming to a stop, as a bearded man with an eye patch and a sword jumped out.

“It’s play time, Gil!” he yelled, a grin splitting his face.

“Does that man have a sword?” Najia muttered from behind Shane’s shoulder.

They watched, stunned, as the man called Gil stood out of the moon roof, rifle snug in the crest between his arm and chest.

“Leave me a few, Marlon, would ya?” Gil shouted as he cocked the weapon.

Shrieks erupted from the Shadow People as the two men began their attacks. Marlon disappeared into the darkness, swinging his sword at the creatures and pushing them closer to the headlights. As the creatures came into view, Gil took aim and fired, hitting them perfectly, one by one while Marlon battled the others. He swung his sword with precise ease and the creatures dropped around him until finally, their world was silent once more.

Gil jumped down from the roof of the hummer, throwing the rifle over his shoulder where it hung on his back. Marlon returned his sword to its sheath at his waist as Gil approached him.

“Thanks for letting me play this time ‘round,” Gil said.

“Well, I hate to have all the fun,” Marlon said. “And I know how you hate to lose to a guy with a sword.”

Gil tipped an imaginary hat towards Najia. “Miss,” he said in greeting. “We’re right surprised to see some more survivors ‘sides us.”

Marlon eyed the hand guns they carried and smiled. “I hope we didn’t take the fun away from ya.”

Najia pocketed her gun, but she felt Shane stiffen at her side. He kept his gun in hand, lowering it just slightly.

“Put it away, Son,” Gil said. “Why would we want to hurt you?”

Shane pinched his lips together, narrowing his eyes at them.

“He’s an unnecessarily suspicious person,” Najia said, stepping forward. “He probably would have killed me, too, if I didn’t have a vehicle.”

“Using a lady for her car,” Marlon said. “Classy.”

Najia smirked at Shane. “I’m Najia,” she said to the two men. “That’s Shane.”

“Well, it is a damn pleasure to see another human,” Marlon said. “I’m Marlon, and this is Gil.”

Gil nodded toward them.

“Where you guys from?” Najia asked.

“Up north of the city,” Gil said. “You know, until we were attacked.”

“They really don’t leave any stone unturned,” Marlon said. “We were way out in the middle of no where before we had to leave.”

“Where you headed?”

The two men exchanged a glance.

“No where, really,” Gil said. “Figuring we were the only folks left, we thought we’d do everything we could to take these guys down until they got us first.”

“What about you two?” Marlon asked.

Shane remained silent, so Najia continued. “We’re heading to the coast. Hoping to find some friends that we were separated from.”

“More survivors?” Gil said. “I’ll be damned.”

“It seems like you both have a good handle on things,” Marlon said.

“We do,” Shane said suddenly.

Najia narrowed her eyes at him. “Yes,” she said slowly. “I thought so, too.” She turned back to Marlon and Gil. “But I wouldn’t be opposed to having a couple more hands on our side.”

“Well, four is definitely better than two, and we wouldn’t want to leave any survivors behind.”

“Good,” Najia said. “Then it’s settled. You’re coming with us?”

Gil shrugged. “Seems a good a plan as any.”

“Great,” Shane muttered. “We should get moving.” He brushed passed Najia and towards the car. He waited at the door, his arms crossed.

Najia smiled at the two men before making her way to the car. “Come on,” she muttered to Shane. “I’ll show you how to do it.”

“Fine,” Shane said. “It will be good to know when I leave your ass on the side of the road.”

“Rude.”

“We don’t need to be hanging around with them,” Shane hissed.

“What is your problem?” Najia barked at him. “We’re not the only damn people out here. Why can’t you be happy about that? There’s hope!”

“I don’t trust them.”

“You don’t trust them?” Najia repeated. “Them? Two human beings? In this world, where we are being attacked by Shadow People, you don’t trust them? Do you hear yourself?”

“Are you done?”

“Are you?”

Shane sighed, exasperated.

“We’re all we have left in this world,” Najia reminded him. “If we can find any survivors, why would we give up on that? You wouldn’t leave Jas behind.”

“That’s different,” Shane hissed.

“We could use all the help we can get,” Najia said. “We’re in a war. If we have a chance to fight back, I’m doing it.”

“Just show me how to hot wire the damn car,” Shane muttered.

After a few attempts, Shane managed to get the car running. He slid into the driver’s seat, waited until Najia closed the door, and peeled out into the road where Marlon and Gil waited.

“After you,” Gil called from out the window.

Shane watched in the rear view mirror as the Hummer moved forward, close behind them, and followed them into the darkness. He glanced at Najia who’s attention was focused outside her window, leaning back in her seat quietly.

“So,” Shane said after a moment of silence. “What else is there for music?”

Najia turned to him, studying the blank expression on his face as he focused on the road ahead. She grabbed the CDs from the compartment and flipped through them.

“A couple of mixes,” she said. “Some country. Ugh, Eminem.” She continued to flip through. “Rusted Root.”

“That one.”

Najia looked at him skeptically. “Rusted Root?”

Shane met her gaze. “What?”

“You like Rusted Root?”

Shane shrugged and looked back out towards the road. “You know, that one song.”

Najia smiled as she put the disk in and the music started.

“I’ve always wondered what they were saying,” she said as she listened to the voices.

“I would like to reach out my hand,” Shane sang along with the music. “I may see you, I may tell you to run.”

“I don’t know what’s worse; you’re singing, or the fact that you know the lyrics.”

Shane met her gaze and smiled. “You know what they say about the young.”

Najia waited for the chorus and then joined in.

 

Shane drove through the night while Najia slept, stopping briefly for the four of them to eat. Gil and Marlon set up a fire and brewed coffee over the flames, which Najia waited for eagerly. Marlon filled a mug and handed it to her.

“Oh my Yoba,” she said, taking the mug in her hands. “I can’t remember the last time I had coffee.”

Marlon leaned back in his wood chair, pressed his mug to his lips and smiled. “Can’t go without coffee, even if it’s the end of the world.”

“We have out priorities straight,” Gil said with a smirk.

“Can’t slay those beasts without a cup in me.”

A distant sound caught Shane’s attention. He stood and peered up at the sky.

“What’s up, Lassie?” Gil joked to him, but Shane shushed him immediately. The four of them strained to listen for any sound. After a moment, they heard it. An engine. But no ordinary engine.

“Is that a plane?” Najia said, her voice barely a whisper as she held her breath.

“Oh, Yoba, don’t tell me they fly now,” Marlon muttered.

Their eyes caught the blinking lights of the plan in the distance. It was moving quickly and getting lower. As it neared, the engine grew louder and louder until after a few minutes, it flew over them loudly.

“It’s landing,” Gil muttered.

“Shadow People?” Najia asked, panicked.

“Let’s get it,” Marlon said, swinging his sword around his hip.

Gil jumped up and followed suit, grabbing his rifle and running towards the Hummer. “You two coming?”

Najia met Shane’s gaze. “I don’t want to be here alone and find out they have back up,” she said and followed Marlon and Gil, climbing into the Hummer behind them. Shane pulled the gun out of his back pocket and followed suit.

Gil slammed on the accelerator, following the plane as it got lower and lower down the stretch of high way until its wheels touched down. Gil slowed and they watched, stunned, as the plane turned off the high way and into the desert before coming to a stop. They stopped and watched the still plane until its engine died out. The cockpit door lifted up and a human head popped out, staring at them.

“Human,” Marlon said quietly, and then louder, “Human!”

The four of them jumped out of the vehicle, their hands in the air, weapons at their feet as the pilot jumped out of the plane and hurried towards them.

“I can’t believe this,” he said as he neared them. “You’re real? You’re human?”

“About as human as you are, I’d say,” Gil said. He took the man’s hand in his and shook it enthusiastically.

“Nice plane you got there,” Marlon said.

The man looked over his shoulder and laughed quickly. “Not mine. Stole it. Unfortunately, there’s not much fuel in it.” He paused and looked them over and smiled. “Or perhaps fortunately, since I wouldn’t have been looking for a place to land and have found you. I’m Harvey.” He looked to Najia and smiled.

“Well, Harvey, I’m Marlon. This is my good friend Gil, and that’s Najia and Shane. We just came across them yesterday.”

“Amazing,” Harvey said. “In this hell hole, I never would have thought I’d bump into any survivors.”

Marlon put his hand on Harvey’s shoulder. “You just interrupted out breakfast. Would you like some hot coffee?”

Harvey practically melted. “I would so love that.”

“Please,” Marlon said. The five survivors climbed into the large Hummer and made the short drive back to their camp where the fire was still burning strong. They settled in around it’s warmth and protective light as coffee was served and passed around.

“So,” Harvey began after a few sips of coffee. “What are your stories?”

“Marlon and I worked together up north of the city,” Gil said. “Middle of the no where, really. It’s amazing those bastards even found us.”

“What did you do?”

“I used to work in the mines,” Marlon said, pointing to his eye patch. “That’s how I got this beaute. After a while, it was too much for me, so I moved away and started working with Gil.”

“We traveled around doing pest control,” Gil said. “You know, your slimes, golems, that sorta thing.”

“Slimes?” Najia repeated.

“Golems?” Harvey said.

“The things you city folk don’t hafta worry ‘bout, thanks to us,” Marlon said with a wink.

“And I thought the Shadow People were our biggest concerns.”

“They are,” Gil said casually, stirring his coffee. “For now.”

“Oh.” Harvey cleared his throat and sipped his coffee.

“What about you, Mr. Pilot? Is that what you did before all this?” Gil asked.

Harvey shook his head. “No, actually, I was a doctor. A surgeon.”

Marlon and Gil exchanged excited glances.

“Well, I’ll be,” Gil said. “What are the chances we get a doctor on our team?”

“We gotta protect this one,” Marlon said. “He’ll be useful.”

“Yes, well,” Harvey hesitated. “I’ve never exactly had to work in the field.”

“Ah, I’m sure you’ll be fine.”

“But we’ll try not to lose any more eyes,” Marlon said.

“That’s very considerate,” Harvey said cautiously. “I don’t exactly have supplies with me, anyway.” He turned to Najia and smiled again. “What about you?”

“Oh, we’re not very exciting,” Najia said quickly. “I bumped into Shane a few days ago. Shane doesn’t do backstory.” She turned to him and smiled. Shane rolled his eyes.

“Ah,” Harvey said with a nod. “Where were you heading?”

Najia shrugged. “The coast. I had a feeling my grandfather might be there.”

“Well,” Harvey began. “At least you have a plan. I wish I had thought my plan through a little better. I left the city and high tailed it for the airport. When I found it deserted, it seemed like a decent idea to hijack one of the planes. Once I got into the sky, I had to clue what to do from there.” He paused and shrugged. “Never been very good under pressure.”

“You’re a doctor,” Shane said.

Harvey smiled. “Well, I’m used to being under medical pressures and saving lives. Never exactly had to run for my life before.”

“Well, we sure have,” Marlon said, getting to his feet. “And I suggest we get a move on shortly. These kids are headin’ to the coast, so we figured we’d head there, too. You tagging along, Doc?”

Harvey finished his coffee and nodded. “Well, I sure as hell don’t want to be alone out here.”

“You never know if we find any more survivors,” Gil said. “And one o’ them’s needin’ your help.”

“I’ll do everything I can to be useful.” Harvey hesitated. “But please don’t make me fight those things.”

“Then it’s settled,” Marlon said. “I’m assuming you won’t be takin’ that plane, so you can hop on in with us.”

They packed up quickly and readied themselves for another long drive. Najia closed the trunk of the car as Harvey approached her carefully.

“Najia, right?” he said to her.

Najia smiled and nodded.

Harvey hesitated. “Are you… okay?”

Najia knit her brows together. “Yes,” she said slowly.

Harvey’s eyes darted around and he leaned in. “I mean, are you really okay? These men… they’re not… you’re not…”

Najia’s eyes widened. “Oh, no, no,” she said quickly. “No. Gosh, no.” She shook her head. “I am totally here on my own will. No kidnapping, nothing bad at all.”

Harvey straightened. “Okay, good. I just wanted to make sure. I mean, you never know who the real enemy is around here.” He hesitated. “And you never know what kind of person someone really is. End of the world, pretty girl like you… I mean, you know.”

Najia smiled. “No, it’s fine. I’m fine. They’re good people.”

“Good.”

Harvey paused as Shane approached. Shane held his gaze on Harvey as he opened the car door and slid in to the passenger seat.

“Can I tell you something?” Harvey said, turning to Najia. “That Shane kind of freaks me out.”

Najia laughed. “He’ll warm up to you eventually. He’s a stubborn grump that doesn’t exactly like change. Hell, he only joined up with me because I had a car and he didn’t.”

“He seems pretty protective of you.”

“What?” Najia raised an eyebrow. “No way. I’m pretty sure he hates me. Tolerates me only for the car.”

Harvey smiled. “Well, you let me know if he tries anything. I’ll kick his ass.” He paused. “And then, you know, fix him up, because that’s what I do.” He shrugged. “I’m a lover, not a fighter.”

“Let’s go, Doc Man!” Marlon called from the Hummer.

Najia smiled her goodbye to Harvey before sliding into the driver’s seat.

“That old doctor guy wants your shit,” Shane muttered.

Najia hesitated, her hand on the shifter. She turned to Shane, but he peered out the window at the Hummer in front of them. They started to move and Najia put the car into gear.

“No,” she said. “He was just making sure you guys weren’t taking advantage of a pretty girl like me.”

Shane scoffed but said nothing.

“You sure are pretty,” Najia said in a mocking voice.

Shane turned to her and met her gaze. “You two need a minute alone?”

Najia rolled her eyes. “I am the last woman left, you know.”

“As far as you know,” Shane said, turning back to look out the window.

“And as far as you know, I could be it.”

“Wait,” Shane turned to her again. “Are you upset that we haven’t jumped your bones?”

Najia shrugged. “I mean, you’re kinda stuck with me if we want to repopulate.”

“Repopulate?”

“Well, we can’t just let the human race die out.”

Shane laughed and turned away again. “Yes, we can.”

“I wouldn’t want to repopulate with you, anyway,” Najia muttered.

“Good,” Shane said simply, crossing his arms.

“Good.” Najia shifted uncomfortably and cleared her throat. “You’re weird.”

“You’re weird,” Shane said.

“Good.”

“Good.”

“Well,” Najia said. “Now that that’s settled. Pick a CD.”

Shane smiled to himself and fished through the glove compartment. He flipped through the disks and pulled one out. “T. Swift?”

 

“Michael Cera was not in Zombieland!” Shane yelled at Najia.

“Yes he was!” Najia yelled back.

“That’s the guy in Juno,” he said. “You’re thinking of Jesse Eisenberg.”

“No,” Najia said stubbornly. “He was in both.”

“No he wasn’t!”

“Yes he was!”

Shane groaned loudly. They had been driving non-stop for the last two days and he was growing irritated with her. “Why you gotta be so stubborn, woman.”

Najia burst into tears. Shane jumped up in his seat and stared at her in disbelief.

“What the hell?”

“I can’t even look it up on my phone!” Najia cried.

“Seriously?”

Najia sobbed and let her head rest on the steering wheel. “Do you know how long it’s been?”

“Huh?”

“I need a god damn tampon,” Najia yelled. She slammed on the breaks and sobbed.

Shane pushed himself as far as he could get into the door. “That’s way too much information.”

“And drugs,” Najia muttered, leaning back in her seat. “And chocolate. And god damn internet so I can prove to you that you’re wrong!”

Shane pushed the door open quickly and stumbled out. The Hummer pulled up behind them and Gil leaned out his window.

“Everything okay?” he called to Shane.

Shane turned and shielded his eyes from their headlights. “No!”

“What’s wrong?”

Shane hesitated. “The problem is, I’m stuck in the only car with the woman driver.”

“Aw, Shane,” Marlon said, leaning out of the window. “She ain’t that bad. She can hot wire a car for cris’sake.”

“The woman thinks Jesse Eisenberg is Michael Cera!”

Marlon and Gil stared at him blankly. They both turned as Harvey uttered something from the back seat and they burst into laughter.

“This isn’t funny,” Shane hissed. “Tell Harvey to get out here.”

“What do you want with him?” Gil asked.

“He’s a doctor.”

Harvey leaned out his back window. “Is she okay?”

“Let’s just say, she’s definitely not pregnant.”

Harvey stared at him for a moment. “That’s good to know.”

“She needs a tampon!” Shane yelled.

Marlon and Gil slunk back into the car.

Harvey blushed. “Oh.” He hesitated. “Can’t help her there.”

Shane groaned and leaned against the trunk as Najia stumbled out of the car, clutching at her side.

“Move, dumbass,” she muttered as she made her way to the back side of the car. She pushed Shane away and popped the trunk open, muttering to herself. “Of all the people… all damned men… where are the women… can’t do nothing…” She fished through bags, pulling out the Advil and dug deeper still. “Yes,” she sung as she found what she was looking for. She held the tampon in the air in victory.

“Oh, hell,” Shane said, turning away.

“I might have just a couple left,” Najia said. “We need to stop soon for supplies.”

“That’s not my problem,” he said as he slammed the car door shut with him inside.

Najia looked around her quickly before hurrying into the darkness. After a few minutes, she returned to the car and made her way to the driver’s side where Shane was sitting. He crossed his arms and shook his head at her. Najia sighed and made her way around the car, sliding in beside him.

“Better?” he asked, stepping on the gas.

“Yes, much.” Najia settled into her seat. “Now, where were we?”

“We were talking about why I damned to be stuck in a car with you.”

“No, no,” she said, shaking her head. “I was about to tell you how wrong you - SHANE!”

Shane slammed on the breaks as a dog bolted out into the road. They stared at the dog who stood in the glow of their head lights, barking loudly.

“What the hell?”

“Dog!” Najia fidgeted with the door handle and hurried out of the car.

“Najia! Stop!” Shane followed quickly, pulling at her hand. “It could be rabid.”

Najia pulled her hand out of his grasp. “It’s a dog, Shane. It’s not rabid.”

The dog continued barking at them, but Najia did not move toward the dog, suddenly cautious.

“Get in the car,” Shane hissed at her.

“He needs help,” Najia said, turning to him.

“Leave the damn dog alone,” Shane growled.

Marlon, Gil, and Harvey stood at their side, watching the barking dog uneasily. The dog spun around, barked once more, and turned and ran off the road. After a moment, the dog returned, barking some more and hurrying to the edge of road, waiting for them.

“Maybe we should follow it,” Gil said. “Dogs are pretty smart, yanno.”

“C’mon,” Marlon said, his hand on the butt on his sword. “Let’s see what he’s got for us.”

Marlon and Gil moved into the darkness and the dog took off. Najia followed immediately. Shane groaned and he and Harvey followed suit, bringing up the rear.

They followed the dog for almost an hour into the desert before the dog finally stopped by an overhang of rocks. Marlon approached carefully, shining his flashlight in the darkness. His light showed them the body of a man likely in his early twenties. The figure groaned.

“Looks like you’re up, Harvs,” Marlon called over his shoulder.

Harvey hurried to Marlon’s side and followed his gaze. He got to his knees and inspected the body carefully.

“Something beat the shit outta this kid,” Gil said.

“I don’t know what to do for him,” Harvey said, feeling helpless. “He’s beat up pretty good. Needs drugs. Maybe some broken bones. Head trauma. I can’t be sure.”

The dog barked loudly at Harvey jumped.

“We can’t just leave him out here,” Najia said.

“We don’t need anyone slowing us down,” Shane reminded her.

“I can’t leave him here,” Harvey muttered.

“All right, all right,” Gil said, stepping forward. He sat by the man and cradled his rifle in his lap. “Go get the car. I’ll stay here with Doc.”

Harvey pinched his lips together, hesitant, but nodded.

“Sounds like a plan,” Marlon said with approval. “Let’s move.”

Shane and Najia followed Marlon through the desert quickly until they reached the cars, still purring in the middle of the road. Shane took the wheel and followed Marlon in the Hummer back through the desert until they reached Harvey and Gil. Harvey quickly began barking orders as the familiar feeling of being in the hospital environment washed over him.

“I need water. Clean, bottled water. Towels, clothing, some kind of cloth. Najia, get me those advil. He’s gonna need a lot.”

They worked quickly, getting the supplies Harvey requested. Marlon and Gil stood above him with their flashlights, giving him as much light as they could as Harvey began cleaning and bandaging the wounds.

“Really need some stitches here,” Harvey muttered to himself.

“Next supply stop, we’ll find what we can,” Marlon assured him.

The man groaned quietly as Harvey worked over him. When he finished, he poured water over his face and into his mouth until he came to. Harvey leaned back on his heels, pleased with himself.

The young man’s eyes squinted in the light and darted between the faces peering down at him. “What happened?”

“Tha’s a good question,” Gil muttered. “Ya dog brought us out here and we found ya. Yer lucky we’ve got a doctor here.”

“Wasn’t as bad as I thought,” Harvey said, looking over his work once more. “You’ll need to rest, though. Think you got yourself a pretty good concussion.”

He groaned again and rubbed his temples. “I was attacked by those things,” he muttered. “Came outta no where.”

“They do that,” Marlon said. “Let’s get you out of here before they track you down.”

Marlon and Gil lifted him into the back of the Hummer as Harvey slid in next to him.

“What’s our name, Son?” Marlon asked.

“Alex,” he said. “Don’t leave Dusty behind.”

 

“That’s a good boy, Dusty,” Najia cooed to the dog who was crammed in the back seat. His tongue lolled out happily and his ears flapped in the wind as he leaned his head out the window.

“It smells,” Shane muttered.

Najia turned back around in her seat and shot a glare at him. “You smell, too.”

“Yeah, well, so do you.”

Najia crossed her arms. “He’s a good dog,” she said. “Dogs make excellent companions.”

“You mean, I could have stopped at the pet store instead of being stuck with you?”

“I guess,” Najia said with a shrug. “But at least I talk.”

“Yeah,” Shane muttered. “The dog wouldn’t argue with me about actors or talk about tampons.”

Najia sighed. “I guess we’re doomed to never find out who’s right.”

“It’s me,” Shane said. “I’m right.”

Najia rolled her eyes. They had made it back onto the interstate and were heading to the nearest store they could find. Despite Shane’s objections, they had planned to take the next exit they could, bringing them into the closest town for them to raid.

Shane shifted uneasily as the exit neared. He preferred to stay away from any civilized area where the Shadow People could have inhabited. Marlon and Gil were not unreasonable; Shane had a point, after all. But their supplies were low, and Harvey was anxious to get his hands on anything he could use for medical equipment.

They pulled off the interstate and made their way around the exit and into the next deserted city. They stopped first at a large department store, pulling right up to the front doors, which had already been busted open.

“More survivors?” Gil eyed the broken glass carefully.

“Either that,” Marlon started, “or those shadow bastards really wanted in.”

A chill went up Najia’s spine as they inspected the rubble.

“Well,” Gil said, his hand on his rifle. “Let’s get to work before we find out.”

Najia and Shane followed Gil in, Harvey in tow as Marlon waited outside with the vehicles.

The store was in shambles. It was clear that a battle had taken place. Shelvings were broken and carts were over turned. Products were scattered over the floor. But, for the most part, they were relative to their appropriate aisles, making their search a little easier.

Gil moved into the store first, stepping over a body as he did so. Najia, Shane, and Harvey stared at the body on the ground, covered in dust, broken pieces of wood, and torn bits of clothing.

“Oh,” Najia said quietly.

“You better get used to it,” Gil called over his shoulder. “This won’t be the last time you see something like this.”

Harvey swallowed, closed his eyes, and stepped quickly over the body. Shane turned to Najia, his eyes soft.

“You should stay outside,” he said quietly.

Najia hesitated. “But... I need stuff...”

“I’ll get everything, okay?”

Najia shook her head. “You don’t know what to get.”

“Tampons?”

Najia smiled sheepishly. “You don’t have to do that.”

Shane rolled his eyes. “Just wait outside.” He held his breath as he stepped over the body, wincing slightly, and hurried forward to catch up with Harvey and Gil.

Najia pinched her lips and turned away from the sight, making her way back outside. Marlon leaned against the Hummer, whistling to himself. He smiled at her when she approached.

“What’s up, Buttercup?”

“There’s, uh, bodies in there.”

“Ah,” Marlon said. He patted the hood of the vehicle and Najia leaned against it beside him.

“Marlon,” Najia began. “Do slimes really exist?”

Marlon met her gaze. “Well, yes. But never in populated cities.”

Najia looked at her feet. “So, they could be around here?”

“Yes, I s’pose so. But they’re not nearly as bad as the Shadow People.”

“Do you think they’re working with the Shadow People?”

“Well, that’s certainly a possibility. But I wouldn’t worry about it. We haven’t seen any, right?”

“Not yet,” Najia muttered.

“You’re awfully afraid of some little green jellies for someone who’s shot at those shadow creatures.”

Najia shrugged. “To be completely honest, I’m terrified of the Shadow People. I shoot when I have to, but I’d much rather run and hide. How do you think I got this far?”

Marlon smiled at her. “I don’t think you give yourself enough credit.”

“The adrenaline helps.”

Marlon nodded. “That it does.”

Dusty whimpered from the back seat and Marlon and Najia peered inside. Alex was sitting up, leaning his head back. He eyed them carefully as they approached.

“How ya feelin’, kid?”

“I’ve had better days,” he said.

“We’ll be able to rest up once we get our supplies and get back on the interstate,” Marlon said to him.

Najia scratched Dusty behind the ears. The dog leaned into her and sighed.

“That’s a good boy,” she cooed to the dog.

“I know that guy isn’t a vet,” Alex started, “but do you think he could look over Dusty? He’s been through hell and back with me. I want to make sure he’s okay.”

“I’m sure he could do that,” Marlon said. “You’ve got a pretty good dog, there.”

“I didn’t think there were any other humans left,” Alex said.

“We keep thinking that, and then we run into more survivors,” Marlon said. “Gil and I were on our own for a while until we found Najia here, and Shane.”

Alex looked to Najia and smiled. “That guy your boy friend or somethin’?”

“Yoba, no,” Najia said quickly. “He’s just some ass I bumped into.”

“Usin’ her for her car,” Marlon said with a smirk.

Najia shrugged and returned his smile.

After a few more minutes passed, Harvey, Gil, and Shane made their way out of the dark store. Plastic bags hung on Harvey’s arms as he trotted eagerly up to them, practically glowing from his finds.

“This is great,” he said quickly. “Needles, thread, alcohol, bandages, splints. Only thing that would be better is if I had my needles and IV.” He sighed. “But I can make do with this. Better than nothing.”

Shane made his way to them and shoved a plastic bag into Najia’s arms. “Here,” he said simply.

“Thanks,” she mumbled, avoiding his gaze.

“Oh,” Shane said, turning back to her. He fished through his pockets and pulled out two chocolate bars. He shrugged as he handed them to her. “Hopefully they’re not too stale.”

Najia’s eyes lit up as she immediately tore the wrapper off one of the bars. She took a bite and sighed. It was better than she remembered it.

“Thank you,” she said between bites, meeting his gaze.

“Okay,” he said and made his way back to the car.

Najia rolled his eyes as she finished the bar, licking what was left on her fingers.

“Let’s get out of here,” Harvey muttered. “This place gives me the creeps. You know, more than the rest of this dark, damned world does.”

Najia got into the car beside Shane who was waiting behind the wheel. He followed the Hummer out of the parking lot, through the little city, and back onto the interstate where he finally relaxed.

Najia hummed “On the Road Again” to herself as they drove. It would be a while before they would stop again, so she settled into the comfort of the seat, stretched out her legs, and sighed.

 

It was late when they finally stopped. Najia’s stomach had been growling for hours. She got out of the car eagerly and stretched her arms as far as she could above her head. They worked quickly building a fire, then settled in as they waited for their cans of soups to boil in their brand new pots.

Alex was in much better shape at that point, and Dusty lay loyally across his master’s lap, enjoying the warmth of the fire before him. Najia sat beside them and scratched the dog’s ear.

“How long have you had him?” she asked Alex.

“Eight years.”

“I always wanted a dog,” she said. “It’s nice that he’s here with you, through all this.”

Alex shrugged. “We’ve been through a lot together,” he said softly.

Najia met his gaze and smiled. “Are you looking for anyone?”

Alex shook his head. “My parents are both dead.”

“Oh.” Najia shifted uncomfortably. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.”

She hesitated. “Oh. Okay.” Najia cleared her throat. “So, what have you been doing?”

Alex shrugged again. “Not much of anything,” he said. “Thought I could take these bastards all on myself. Figured I was the only one left and that I could at least go down fighting.”

“Well,” Najia started. “Now you have us.”

Alex met her gaze but did not return her smile. “I guess so.”

Najia turned to the fire. “I just hope that if we run into any more people, they’re female.”

Shane snorted from across the fire. Najia narrowed her eyes at him.

“I’m way out numbered over here,” she said. “You guys are great and all, but you just don’t understand women.”

“And I’ll never try to,” Gil said, raising his flask in the air.

The wind picked up around them, slowly at first and then getting stronger, blowing their hair around their faces as they continued to eat and drink.

“Storm’s comin’ in,” Marlon muttered.

Gil nodded. “Don’t wanna be caught in one of them dust storms,” he said. “We best get packin’ up and spend the night in the cars.”

“Good ‘scuse to get some sleep,” Marlon said with a yawn.

Gil stood. “Yessir. Who’s bunkin’ with us? Lot’s’a room in the Hummer.”

“Doc and Alex with us,” Marlon said, pointing to the Hummer behind him with a thumb. “Yanno, in case the kid’s got some brain damage in that thick head’a his.”

Alex rolled his eyes. “Great,” he muttered. “Sausage sleep over.”

“You mean I’m gonna miss out on the pillow fight?” Shane teased him.

“Why can’t I bunk with Najia?” Alex whined. “I don’t wanna be stuck with the old guys.”

“Ouch,” Harvey muttered, getting to his feet.

“Yeah,” Shane spat. “That’s why you wanna bunk with Najia.”

“What’s that supposed to mean, asshole?”

“Oh my Yoba,” Najia groaned. “You’re both manly men, now take the testosterone down a few notches.”

“Well, since we’re all actin’ like a bunch of children,” Marlon grumbled. “The old guys are callin’ the shots here. Najia gets the car to herself.”

Najia smiled and got to her feet. “That’s more like it.”

“Najia can’t be alone,” Shane protested. “What if something happens?”

“What? She gets a little sand on her car?” Gil smirked.

“All right,” Marlon warned. “Gil, you’re with Najia.”

Shane started to protest, but Marlon cut him off.

“Poor girl needs a break from you kids.”

Gil bowed and held his hand out to Najia. “M’lady,” he began. “May I escort you to your quarters?”

Najia smiled and shot a teasing glance at Shane, his arms crossed stubbornly across his chest.

Gil climbed into the driver’s side as Najia stretched out in the backseat, fluffing a pillow she grabbed from the trunk.

“If I start snorin’,” Gil said, settling in, “jest gimme a kick. Marlon complains all the time ‘bout my snorin’.”

“You got it,” Najia said with a yawn. She stared into the darkness for a moment before shutting her eyes. Not a moment after she did so, there was a knock on the window.

Gil groaned as he pushed the door open. “What, dammit?”

“Marlon kicked me out,” Shane’s voice said in the darkness as the wind howled.

“Fine, fine,” Gil said, closing the door. After a few seconds, the passenger door opened and Shane slid in with a sigh.

“You don’t get to kick me if I snore,” Gil said before turning over onto his side.

Shane pushed the seat back and turned away from Gil, facing his window and crossed his arms.

Najia listened in the darkness until Gil started to snore lightly. The wind grew louder still and before long, it drowned out the sound of Gil’s snoring. The sand picked up and blew violently around them. Najia sighed and adjusted her position. She almost preferred to be sleeping on the ground.

“Go to sleep,” Shane whispered.

“I am.”

“Hmp.”

Najia listened to their breaths in the front seats. “Why don’t you like Alex?”

“Because he’s an arrogant ass.”

“You’re an arrogant ass,” Najia pointed out.

“Nah, just an ass.”

“Do you think we’ll find more survivors?”

Shane didn’t answer.

Najia shifted again. “I’d like to think so,” she muttered.

She heard Shane move in front of her. He rolled over and peered at her, just making the outline of her body in the darkness.

“Maybe,” he said.

“Maybe?” Najia echoed.

Shane shrugged. “If you want to think so, then sure.”

“Oh.”

It was quiet for another moment. Najia held her breath, waiting for Shane to say something more. When he said nothing, she turned over on to her side.

“I never did thank you,” Shane’s voice said from behind her.

“For?”

“For giving me the car.”

“I didn’t give you the car.”

“Yes you did.”

She turned back around. “I don’t think so.”

“I know so. You were so desperate for my company that you gave me the car so I’d stick around.”

“That is not how it went down.”

“Yes it is.”

“Then why didn’t you just take the car and leave, Mr. Loner?”

Shane was quiet for a moment. “You probably would have hunted me down,” he finally said. “You’re stubborn like that.”

“I think you like my company,” Najia said. “You’re just too stubborn to admit it.”

“I’m still trying to figure out what exactly makes you good company,” he said. “So far, I got bad singing, clueless on actors, bad song taste, plus you make my dig tampons out of abandoned department stores.”

“And yet here you are.”

Shane shifted, turning back around. “Like I said, you’d find a way to hunt me down. I can’t escape you. I’m your prisoner.”

“I torture my prisoners before I kill them.”

“Sounds about right. I’m already praying for death.”

“Is this how kids flirt nowadays?” Gil muttered.

“No one’s flirting,” Shane shot at him.

“Then for crissake, shut up!”

Shane huffed an angry sigh and turned back toward his window, arms crossed once more.

 

“Sleep well?” Alex asked Najia over their morning’s coffee. The sand storm had dissipated over night and they had gathered around their little fire pit once more before heading out on the road again.

“Like a baby,” Shane said with a false sense of cheerfulness as he sat across from them with coffee in hand.

“Wasn’t asking you,” Alex said snidely.

“Rude.”

“I slept well, too,” Gil chimed in sarcastically. “Thanks to those two.”

“Sorry, Gil,” Shane said. “I guess we were a little too loud.” He shot a glance toward Alex and smiled.

“Seriously?” Najia muttered.

“It sounds like someone’s neediness kept you up, Najia,” Alex said, his gaze on Shane’s. He turned to her, his eyes softer. “Next time you can bunk with me.”

Najia stood abruptly and stormed away from the fire towards the car.

“Oh, good,” Shane said. “You pissed her off. Real good with the ladies, aren’t ya?”

“Some ego from a dirtbag like you,” Alex said.

Shane stood. “That ego of yours is so big, that giant fucking head of yours has its own orbit.”

“Well,” Alex started. “I’m Shane. I’m brighter than the sun. The fucking universe revolves around me.”

The engine to the car started and the head lights flicked on. The five men turned toward the car and watched as it sped down the high way.

Marlon stood, his hands in his pockets, and sighed. “Good job, you fuckin’ dweebs,” he hissed at them. “Neither of you know how to properly woo a lady.” He turned toward the road, pointing. “Look at that. There she goes. The last women left and you drove her away.” He nodded to himself approvingly. “Good for her. Wastin’ her time with the lot of you shitheads.”

“For the record,” Harvey spoke up. “I think she liked me.”

“Shut it, Harvey,” Alex spat.

“That’s enough,” Gil growled. “Both of you.”

Shane moved toward the Hummer, but Marlon’s hand was tight on his arm.

“I don’t think so, cowboy,” Marlon muttered.

“We can’t just let her leave,” Shane said. “She can’t be alone out there.”

“She was alone for a long time before she had the unfortunate luck of bumping into you. I think she’ll manage.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Shane pulled his arm out of Marlon’s grip.

“I’m the one with the keys, boy. What I say, goes.”

Shane smiled. “Fortunately you don’t need keys to start an engine.”

Gil’s rifle cocked from behind him. Marlon smiled at Shane.

“You better watch yourself, son. The world could use one less survivor.” Marlon stretched his arms and cracked his knuckles. “Now, how about we clean up here and get a move on?”

*****

Najia fumed to herself as she sped down the highway. How dare they treat her like some piece of meat? She knew Shane was an ass, but she never expected him to act that way. But then again, maybe she was being stupid for trusting a guy she had only known for a couple of weeks. She cursed under her breath. Stupid. Stupid, trusting, Najia. Always trying to find the best in people. Always trying to look at the bright side of the darkest situation. Shane was right; she was being stupid. She couldn’t trust any of them. She had no reason to. Any of them could have turned around and taken advantage of her. Hell, they had been alone for so long, it was a surprise no one had done that already. It was a good thing she left when she did. A good thing she had the courage to be on her own again. Alone. Out in the big, dark world, with enemies lurking in the shadows, alone.

Najia swallowed and looked back in the rear view mirror. Was it too late to turn around? What if they were gone? What if she lost them? What if they were the only survivors left, and she’d never see them again? Cursed to spend the rest of her life in this dark, cruel world, alone. Cursed to die, scared and alone.

She bit her lip and looked forward once more. No, she didn’t need them. She had gotten so far without them; without anyone. She could do it again.

But she had a taste. A taste of companionship. A being to talk to; to laugh with. Even if it was kind of an ass. She couldn’t imagine going on without that again.

But it was as if Yoba heard her fears and granted her one wish. Her headlights flashed over the body of a car on the side of the road, and there was a light flashing in her face, as if someone were trying to flag her down.

Her heart raced as she neared the car and pulled up beside it. She opened the window and peered into the darkness.

“Oh my Yoba,” a voice said. “Another person.”

Najia fumbled for her flashlight and shown it on the two women in the car. Their light swept over her face. She smiled to them.

“I can’t believe we found someone,” the other voice - a girl with purple hair - said.

“She doesn’t seem as excited to see us.”

“You’re not exactly the first people I’ve come across,” Najia said.

Their eyes widened. “There’s more?” the driver said.

Najia nodded.

“Where?”

She hesitated. “I kind of ditched them,” she said. “Quite a few miles back.”

The two women exchanged a glance.

“Why?” the girl with the purple hair asked.

“I don’t really know,” Najia said slowly. “They pissed me off.”

“Where are you heading?” the driver asked.

“The coast. You?”

They turned to each other once more.

“Don’t know,” the driver said. “We’ve just been driving aimlessly without much of a plan.”

“We had a plan,” the other girl pointed out. “It just kinda fell through.”

“What’s at the coast?”

Najia hesitated. “Hopefully my grandfather.”

“At least she has someone left,” the girl muttered.

“Do you think we could join you?” the driver asked carefully. “We actually kind of broke down and have been stuck here for a while.”

“Yes,” Najia said quickly, then hesitated once more. “I mean. Yeah. I don’t know. Sure.”

They didn’t wait for Naia to make up her mind. They hurried out of the car, grabbing their things, and piled in with Najia.

“I’m Leah, by the way,” the driver said, sliding into the passenger seat.

“Abigail,” the other girl said as she closed the back door.

“I’m Najia.”

“So,” Abigail started. “What happens when you get to the coast? If you’re grandfather’s there?”

“I’m not really sure,” Najia said as she stepped on the gas. “I guess he’s kind of crazy. He called me before this all happened. Told me to meet him there. He would be able to protect me. I’m starting to doubt him, though.”

“Well, that’s a chance I’d be willing to take,” Leah said. “You can always worry about it after you see for yourself.”

Najia pinched her lips. “Maybe.”

 

“So, you’re really never going to go back?” Abigail asked.

Najia shrugged. “It’s probably too late to change my mind now,”

“You’re a strong woman,” Leah said. “And you have a point - you don’t really know what kind of people they are.”

“She doesn’t know who we are, either,” Abigail pointed out.

“Well,” Leah started. “If we ever start fighting over her, she’ll probably just get up and drive away.” She winked at Najia. “I think she’s capable of taking care of herself.”

“I still think a doctor would be nice to have with us.”

“I think he was genuinely a good guy,” Najia said. “He always looked out for me, even the first day we met him.” Najia hesitated. “Marlon and Gil, too.” She missed them already.

“Got it,” Leah said. “Stay away from Shane and Alex.”

She kind of missed Shane, too. There was still a chocolate bar in her bag. Najia sighed. “What about you guys?” Najia asked in an attempt to change the subject.

“I was on my way home to the city when it happened,” Leah said. “Just turned around and went the other way.”

“You didn’t have family?”

“I had an abusive ex who I really had no intention of returning to, anyway.”

“Oh. I’m sorry.”

Leah shook her head. “I see this as my second chance. Sometimes I wonder if I would have gone home to him, if this hadn’t happened.”

“I don’t think so,” Abigail said. “I think you would have turned right around, anyway.”

Leah smiled and looked at her feet. “Thanks, Abby.”

“You guys found each other after that?”

“Leah picked me up on the side of the road. My car broke down just outside the city as I was trying to escape.”

“I thought she was going to throw herself into the river,” Leah said.

Abigail did not respond. She looked out the window into the darkness.

“Her parents both died in the city,” Leah whispered to Najia.

“I threw out my favorite sword,” Abigail muttered. “Didn’t you say Marlon had a sword?”

Najia nodded.

“I think we should team up with him.”

“Well,” Najia said. “Sorry to disappoint you.”

Abigail crossed her arms.

“This is fun,” Leah said sarcastically. “Do you have any CDs? I brought some of mine.”

“No,” Najia said quickly. “No music.”

Leah’s hand stopped in mid air, hovering over her bag. “Okay,” she said slowly, leaning back in her seat. “Someone hate’s music.”

Najia bit her lower lip. “Sorry,” she said quietly. “Do whatever you want.”

Leah shook her head. “Nope, we don’t have to. No music.” She smiled reassuringly at Najia.

“How much longer are we gonna drive?” Abigail said, her voice on the verge of a whine.

“She gets cranky,” Leah said quietly.

“I don’t get cranky,” Abigail hissed.

“I don’t know,” Najia said with a shrug. “Until dinner.” She checked the fuel gage. She would need to find a station soon. The cans in the back were already empty.

“What about a stop at the next city?” Najia suggested. “I could use some more gas.”

“The city?” Abigail repeated. “Won’t they find us?”

Najia hesitated. “Maybe. But we won’t make it much further out here, and I don’t think we’ll find a station any time soon, either.”

“There’s a little town a few exits up,” Leah said. “May be a safer option.”

They continued to drive for another hour until they reached the exit. The headlights flashed around the exit ramp and lit their way through the empty town. The passengers were stiff as they drove through the town, uneasy, in search of a gas station. Najia pulled into the first one they found and Abigail and Leah ransacked the mart for anything they could get their hands on. She fueled up the tank, then proceeded to fill the two gas cans when an all too familiar hiss caught her attention.

Najia straightened, releasing her hold on the gas nozzle to immediately reach for her gun. She froze as she listened. The hissing wasn’t very close, but close enough to send her in a panic. The Shadow People were literally hiding in the shadows, right under her nose, and they were ready to attack.

She backed away slowly from the gas can and near the light from the headlights, but the Shadow People were quick to anticipate her movement. They swooped in around her, preventing her from reaching the safety of the light and knocking her to the ground. Najia let her arms swing desperately as they closed in around her. She shot off a couple rounds into the air and they scattered for a moment, giving her just enough time to roll away and get to her feet.

Alerted by her gun shots, Leah and Abigail ran out of the store. Leah held a pistol in her hand, ready to fend of the creatures. The Shadow People circled the three women, pushing in closer and closer, hissing loudly before bombarding them with attacks once more.

Abigail tried desperately to fend them off with her flashlight as Leah took aim, hitting two of the creatures squarely. Najia ran towards the car, but she wasn’t quick enough as another creature swooped in. She stumbled backwards, knocking the gas can over, gas spilling all around her and the car. She cursed loudly as she scrambled to her feet, flailing her arms as the creatures pressed in around her.

Abigail’s light found Najia, offering her a moment of protection as the Shadow People scattered away from the light, screeching. Najia ran to their side and the three stood back to back as the Shadow People began to close in once more, careful to avoid Abigail’s erratic light.

“Don’t shoot,” Najia muttered.

“I’m shooting,” Leah said.

“The place will blow,” Najia hissed.

“Then we better start running.”

“Oh, hell,” Abigail mumbled.

The three of them sprinted into the night, the Shadow People hissing loudly behind them. As they made their way out of the gas station, Leah took aim at the car and the spilled gas, firing off three rounds quickly. The gas ignited and flames engulfed the station quickly behind them. They could feel the heat on their backs as they just narrowly escaped. The shrieks of the Shadow People filled the silent air eerily.

“We’re not out of the woods,” Najia reminded them as they continued to run down the road. “We’ve just attracted a whole hell of a lot of attention.”

“And Leah just blew up our fucking car,” Abigail hissed.

“We’ve got plenty of cars around,” Najia said. “We can get another car.”

“Where do you expect to find a car?” Abigail shouted. “This place is a ghost town.”

“Used car dealership?” Leah pulled their wrists across the road. They ran through back yards, hopping fences, towards the old dealership sign that Leah had spotted.

“Great,” Abigail muttered. “Let’s sign the paperwork and get the keys.”

“No need,” Najia said as she quickly picked out a small SUV. The first was locked, but she moved to the next one at the end of the row, which proved to be unlocked and at their disposal. Najia slid into the seat and set to work hot wiring the vehicle.

“What a fortunate skill to have during the apocalypse,” Abigail muttered.

“I was fortunate to be with a doctor, too,” Najia reminded them.

“Well, then, please don’t leave us.”

“Keep up your sarcastic shit and I just might.”

“Enough,” Leah growled at them. “We don’t have time.”

In the distance, the familiar shrieks of the Shadow People rose through the darkness. They were drawn to the explosion at the gas station, alerted now to the human presence, and they were ready for vengeance.

Najia’s hands shook as she worked. The SUV sputtered, but did not turn over.

“Why aren’t you good at this,” Abigail yelled to her.

“I am good at this!”

“Najia,” Leah warned.

Abigail swung her flashlight across the parking lot. The cries grew louder, closer. The engine continued to sputter a few more times before it finally turned over and Najia breathed a sigh of relief. Leah and Abigail climbed in quickly and Najia floored it out of the parking lot, down the road and back toward the high way.

Najia peered through the night, catching sight of their glowing eyes as they made their way off the ramp and onto the highway. The Shadow People had found a short cut, beating the three women to the high way and cutting them off.

Najia pressed harder on the accelerator and the needle climbed up the speedometer. Leah rolled down her window, leaned out, and slid a new magazine into the gun.

“Take the wheel,” Najia yelled to Abigail. She hit the button for the moon roof and pulled herself through, taking aim with her gun as Abigail crawled over the console and into the driver’s seat.

The Shadow People scattered as the vehicle neared, escaping it’s head lights, but swarmed in quickly as Abigail attempted to spin the car around to catch them in the headlights once more. Najia gripped the side of the roof as she struggled to take aim at the dark creatures. She shot blindly into the darkness but did not seem to make contact.

“Just go,” she shouted down to Abigail. “Get us out of here.”

Abigail spun the car around once more. The tires skidded dangerously on the pavement and she lost control. The SUV careened off the road and into the desert before coming to a stop.

“Go!” Leah shouted.

Abigail slammed on the pedal once more and the SUV jolted forward, kicking dust up in their wake as they sped through. Leah and Najia continued to fire at the creatures until all they could hear was the roar of the engine.

Najia slid back into the car and fell into the back seat with a heavy sigh. Leah climbed back in, closing the window, and glared at Abigail.

“Who in the hell taught you to drive?”

“Uh, normal people who live in normal cities,” Abigail hissed.

“Just keep driving,” Najia said, suddenly exhausted from the excitement. “Drive and don’t stop.”

 

Abigail drove them through the rest of the night and into the dark morning before they finally stopped. They huddled close together around the fire as they nibbled on what scraps they found at the station. Najia started to miss Marlon’s hot coffee. She would have given anything for a mug of it.

They didn’t bother to wait for their little fire to die out. They quickly got back into the car, this time with Leah at the wheel as Abigail stretched out to sleep in the back seat. They drove in silence for a while before Leah spoke.

“We can look for them, you know.”

“No,” Najia said quickly. “They’re complete strangers. I don’t know them. It doesn’t matter.”

“It does matter, though,” she started. “They’re survivors, just like us. And whether you know them well enough or not, they’ve traveled with you, saved you, fought with you. You’ve talked and laughed. You’ve bonded with them. There’s no shame in that.”

“Can’t trust anyone in this world,” Najia muttered.

“You’re trusting me,” Leah reminded her. “We could just as easily be worse than Alex and Shane.”

Najia hesitated. “They weren’t that bad,” she said softly.

“See? You miss them.”

Najia crossed her arms. “No, I don’t.”

Leah smiled. “Okay, tough guy.”

Najia uncrossed her arms. It seemed too much like a Shane thing to do. She sighed.

“It doesn’t matter,” she said. “We’re long gone, now.”

Leah turned off the road and sped through the desert.

Najia turned to her, puzzled. “What are you doing?”

“I know a quicker way to the coast,” she said. “A more direct route this way. I’m just avoiding the exit which is still miles up.”

Najia shifted uncomfortably. “I think we should stick to the road,” she said.

“What’s it matter?”

“I guess it doesn’t,” she said quietly. She looked in the side view mirror as the road disappeared from sight behind them, along with any chance she had of the guys catching up to her.

But Leah was right. Her short cut through the desert brought them to the next interstate, which brought them in a slightly more northern direction, which meant closer north on the coast, and closer to Stardew Valley, should it exist.

And further away from the guys.

“If we follow this route,” Leah said. “We could make it to the coast in a week or two, depending on how often we stop.”

A week or two. It seemed so close. After all her traveling, she would soon reach her destination, but it made her stomach twist uneasily. She didn’t know what she would find, or not find, at the coast. She didn’t know what to expect, and it made her less excited to get there any quicker.

They drove a few hours more through the rest of the day and into the night. Leah began to yawn at the wheel.

“We can take a break,” Najia said. “Or I can drive.”

“The less we stop, the better.”

“There’s no rush to get there.”

“There could be,” Leah said. “You never know.”

Najia peered through the windshield as a pair of lights dotted the horizon in front of them.

“What is that?” Leah asked, squinting through the darkness.

Najia’s pulse quickened. Headlights. Had they come across more survivors?

“Pull over,” Najia instructed as the headlights grew brighter.

Leah steered the car to the side of the road and they waited, watching as the headlights came closer. Leah flashed the high beams as the vehicle neared and slowed. And Najia recognized the silhouette of the Hummer.

“That’s them,” Najia said quickly. “It’s them!”

She stumbled out of the car as the Hummer came to a stop. The back door opened and Dusty bounded out of the car, jumping on Najia’s legs, licking her face.

“Najia!” Shane stood outside the Hummer. “Oh, thank Yoba. I cannot be stuck in this car with these asshats any longer.”

Another vehicle pulled up beside the Hummer, but no one stepped out.

Abigail and Leah stepped out of the SUV, standing in the Hummer’s headlights as Marlon, Gil, Harvey, and Alex climbed out of the Hummer.

“Well, look at that,” Gil said. “She found herself some women friends.”

“You don’t have to go with them,” Leah reminded her.

“What are you talking about?” Shane said. “She’s with us.”

Abigail crossed her arms. “She doesn’t belong to anyone, you damn, filthy dogs.”

Marlon smiled and pulled open the door. “That’s fer damn sher,” he said with a wave. “See ya around, Najia.”

“We’re not leaving her,” Shane hissed.

“Girl can do what she wants, Shane,” Marlon said.

Leah’s, Abigail’s, and Shane’s eyes were on her, waiting.

“This is ridiculous,” Najia muttered. “Let’s go.”

Leah and Abigail followed her to the car. Shane stared at them, dumbfounded.

“Are you serious?”

“Who’s leading?” Najia asked, her hand on the door.

“Well, that depends,” Gil said. “Are you planning on going back thataway?” He threw his thumb over his shoulder.

“That’s the plan,” Leah said.

“Then you’re on your own, ladies.”

“What do you mean?” Najia asked.

“We kind of stumbled on some secret head quarters,” Marlon said.

“Head quarters?” Abigail echoed.

“Maybe we should get caught up and make a plan,” Gil said. “Coffee, anyone?”

 

Eleven surviving humans sat around the fire that night. Marlon introduced Najia, Leah, and Abigail to the three other survivors they had picked up earlier; Demetrius, Sebastian, and Maru - a family group.

“We were hopin’ to catch up with ya,” Gil said. “You know, after you had cooled down some.”

“Not like we were gonna chase you all over the country,” Alex muttered. “I mean, Yoba forbid we don’t have a chick to fuck.”

“And we thought we’d give the guys a chance to put their dicks away,” Marlon said, narrowing his eyes.

“No one’s dick was out,” Alex hissed.

Shane smirked and drank from his flask. “No one’s fucking anyone.”

“There was this huge blaze, just off the high way,” Harvey said, bringing them back on topic anxiously.

“Right, fire,” Gil said. “So, of course, we had to check it out.”

“Bombarded by Shadow People,” Marlon said.

“Our fault,” Abigail said with a smirk. “Figured we’d make a scene.”

“Of course,” Alex said, rolling his eyes. “We should have known.”

“Yes, well,” Gil continued. “That brought up some excitement for sure.”

“Almost died,” Alex said.

“One of us should have,” Shane muttered.

“Quite a few of ‘em,” Marlon said.

“We ran like girls,” Gil continued. “Wanted to get back onto the interstate, but they were every where, so we made our way through the town and onto this hear road. Continued our way up north when we bumped into these three, just escaping from their own lives. Right by their big, nasty headquarters.”

“The Shadow People?” Najia asked.

“Looked about like it,” Gil confirmed. “All kinds of ‘em wanderin’ ‘round, keepin’ guard. Thought we heard some human voices, too.”

“Prisoners?” Leah asked.

Marlon shrugged. “Could be.”

“We have to do something,” Abigail said. “We need to save them.”

“Now, look,” Gil said, his hand in the air as if to stop her. “I’m all for helpin’ you guys out if our paths cross, but I ain’t ‘bout to go raidin’ some Shadow Bastard HQ.”

“There’s more to this war than we realize,” Leah said. “They have headquarters. They have prisoners. And there are survivors. There’s something bigger at work here, and we need to stop it if we can.”

“Lil’ lady,” Gil started. “That’s right brave of ya, but yer a fool. This is above all of us, whatever it is. We don’t stand a chance against ‘em. We can fight ‘em off by the hoards, but that’ll only get us so far.”

“Don’t you think it’s at least worth a look?”

“It’s suicide,” Alex said.

“You know,” Maru chimed in. “They’re using an old warehouse for their headquarters. In fact, the government used to test weapons and bombs way out here. The floor plans for all those warehouses are essentially the same. We could easily sneak in if we wanted to.”

“This one’s a brainiac,” Alex said.

Maru narrowed her eyes at him. “You’ll thank me later when we can get in, rescue a bunch of people, and get out in less than twenty minutes.”

“I can hack the alarm system and any computer systems they have in there, too,” Sebastian said.

“Brainiac’s brother,” Alex muttered.

Sebastian ignored his comment. “They’ll never know we were in there.”

“Unless they see us,” Demetrius muttered.

“Dad’s a chicken shit.”

“That’s enough from the Peanut Gallery,” Demetrius hissed at Alex.

“So, it’s settled,” Abigail said. “We’re saving some people.”

“We could bring down the entire building while we’re at it,” Maru said.

“I didn’t go approvin’ no plan, here,” Gil warned.

“Good thing we don’t need your permission,” Najia said.

“Gil doesn’t like it when he’s not the one to come up with the good plans,” Marlon said with a smirk.

“Can I weigh in on this plan?” Harvey spoke up. “Where do I come in? Preferably hiding in the car?”

“Take my dad with you,” Maru said, rolling her eyes.

“You brought your dad to the party,” Alex said. “You gotta deal with it.”

“Demetrius and Harvey stay with the car,” Gil said.

“Alone?” they stammered.

Gil and Marlon turned to each other.

“Rock, paper, scissors?” Gil suggested.

Their hands bounced in the air. Marlon sent out paper. Gil had rock. Gil grinned. Marlon rolled his eyes and climbed into the Hummer.

“Let’s do this,” Gil said enthusiastically.

“Oh,” Harvey said. “Okay. We’re doing this. This is happening.”

“C’mon, Doc,” Marlon shouted.

Harvey, Gil, and Alex climbed into the Hummer. Demetrius, Sebastian, and Maru piled into their car while Najia, Leah, Abigail, and Shane took to the SUV. Najia slid into the driver’s seat and Abigail in the back. Shane reached for the passenger door, but Leah pushed him out of the way and slid quickly in.

“I don’t think so, stud,” she said to him.

Shane rolled his eyes and took the seat in the back besides Abigail.

“Nice ride,” he muttered.

“Thanks,” Najia said. “I thought it was time for a change.”

“You blew up my car.”

“It was my car.”

“I’m gonna miss her. We had some good times in that car.”

Leah turned in her seat and narrowed her eyes at Shane. “I’m watching you.”

“Jeez, what the hell did you tell them?”

“That you’re a serial rapist.”

“Ah,” Shane said, leaning back in his seat. “I was hoping that secret would never get out.”

“You were right,” Leah said, turning back around. “He is an ass.”

Najia smiled. “You get used to it.”

“So, you talked about me?”

“Don’t flatter yourself,” Abigail said.

“There’s way too many hormones in this car,” Najia muttered.

“Don’t worry,” Leah said. “I won’t jump your bones.”

Najia gripped the steering wheel as they drove towards the warehouse. Leah, Abigail, and Shane continued to argue relentlessly with each other, but Najia tuned them out until they arrived just outside the warehouse.

Despite the relatively flat desert, the road rose and fell and rose once more, bringing them to the top of a small mountain that homed a mini city. Various buildings lined the road ways, and just on the outskirt, sitting on the edge of a cliff, the warehouse that marked the headquarters of the Shadow People.

They turned off their headlights as they climbed the mountain, the road twisting this way and that until they found cover along a piling of rocks, acting as a man made rock wall. The eleven survivors gathered between their cars and peered over the wall as their plan began to take shape.

“This is suicide,” Demetrius said.

“Once Sebastian disarms the building, we follow Maru through,” Gil instructed.

“These warehouses are all one floor,” Maru said. “Our best bet will be to find a way in behind the building. I’m going in blind, here, but I think if we can get around, I’ll be able to pick out the best way in quickly.”

“I shouldn’t have let them watch so much tv,” Demetrius muttered.

“This isn’t our first break in,” Sebastian said.

“But Dad is definitely the guy that trips and breaks something loud,” Maru said.

“They don’t tell you that you lose control of your kids when it’s the end of the world,” Demetrius said. “I can’t even ground them.”

“Get in and get out,” Marlon said. “I don’t care if you come out with no one. Do what you can, but for crissake, don’t get caught.”

Gil through his rifle over his shoulder. “Let’s go.”

 

They followed Gil quickly and quietly behind the buildings until they reached the warehouse. They then followed Maru quickly around the building as she scouted the best way for them to get in. They kept their weapons ready as she inspected the building and settled on an old bulkhead door that was chained and locked.

“I can pick it,” Najia said quietly as they inspected the lock.

“Of corse you can,” Shane muttered.

“We can’t touch anything until Sebastian finds the alarm system and disarms it.”

“Chances are, it’s at the front of the building,” Sebastian muttered.

“I don’t think we can just waltz up to the front door and fuck with the system,” Alex said.

“This is an old government building,” Maru said. “If we so much as touch a window from the outside, the alarm will go off.”

“So,” Alex started. “We’re screwed?”

“Maybe not,” Shane said as a plan came to mind. “We just need someone to get in there, right? It doesn’t matter how they get in.”

“He’s kidding, right?” Leah said, turning to Najia.

Najia pinched her lips and shook her head.

“What?” Alex said, looking between them.

“He’s gonna get himself captured,” Abigail said, aggravated.

“And what if he gets shot, first?” Gil asked. “What if they don’t want any more prisoners?”

“Then run for the hills and hope they don’t follow?” Shane suggested.

“This is stupid,” Najia mumbled. “We’re not these bad ass FBI agents or anything. We’re a bunch of clueless humans trying to go up against the creatures that took over our world.”

“I think that’s why they call it a suicide mission,” Abigail hissed.

“We’re wasting time,” Shane growled. “What are we gonna do?”

“I vote to send Asshat to get captured,” Alex said.

“Fine,” Shane said. He tossed Najia his gun and began walking around the building.

“Shane, stop,” Najia hissed, chasing after him. She grabbed his wrist and pulled at his arm, but he pulled away.

“Stop being stupid,” Najia urged him.

Shane stopped and faced her. “What’s the matter? Gonna miss me if I get shot?”

“Can you stop being an ass for two seconds?” she hissed at him.

Shane pushed her against the wall with his arm, his body almost on top of her. “Shh,” he hissed.

Najia’s heart raced as she strained to listen. Faint, hissing voices came from the front of the building. Before she had a chance to say anything, Shane had pushed himself off the wall and rounded the corner of the building.

Najia cursed under her breath. She turned to see the others poking their heads around the corner.

“Idiot,” Alex muttered.

Najia froze as the hissing grew louder. There was a grunt and after a moment, she could faintly hear the doors open and close. She stood still, waiting, gasping as Shane’s head appeared from around the corner. He smiled and disappeared once more.

They hurried around the building, following Shane as the door was propped open by three bodies of the Shadow People. They stepped over quickly and into the darkness, keeping close to the wall as Sebastian hurried to disarm the system. Shane and Alex worked quickly to move the bodies and let the door shut behind them.

“This was stupid,” Maru hissed. “Walking through the damn front door.”

The alarm pad beeped and Sebastian let out a breath. “We’re clear.”

“Now what?” Abigail hissed.

“We’re not good at making these plans,” Leah said.

“Everyone shut it,” Gil said. They listened as human voices drifted to them from somewhere in the building.

Abigail followed the sound, pointing at a grate in the floor. “Basement,” she whispered.

Gil cocked his gun. “Down we go, I s’pose.”

“It’s dark as hell in here, you remember that, right?” Alex said. “They have the advantage. They’ll see us coming.”

“Then don’t miss your shot,” Gil hissed at him. He lead the way through the building with Maru close behind as she made her best guess on how to get to the basement level.

Najia pulled at Shane’s gun. His fingers brushed hers as he took it from her.

“Were you worried?”

Najia shoved the gun into his chest. “I was hoping I wouldn’t have to see your dumb face again.”

“Oooh,” Shane teased. “Big dumby.”

“I swear to Yoba I’ll shoot you both right here, right now,” Gil hissed.

Shane pushed Najia ahead of him as they followed the others through the building. They made their way carefully down the steps Maru found and into a dimly lit basement. Along the stone walls, temporary cells were put into place. Most of the gates were open, the cells empty. The two voices came from the back of the room, where they found two prisoners talking amongst themselves.

They scurried quickly back to the corners of their cells as the human tactical team approached, still covered by the shadows. But as they stepped into the light, they pressed eagerly against their cells.

“It can’t be,” the man in the cell to the right of them muttered. “How did you get in here?”

“Get out,” the woman in the other cell hissed at them. “Get out while you still can.”

“Where are all the prisoners?” Gil asked.

“Gone,” the man said. “They took them. One by one. And they never came back.”

“We’re next,” the woman sobbed.

“We’ll get you out of here,” Gil assured them. He motioned for Najia who stepped forward and inspected the locks. She pulled two bobby pins out of her hair and began to work at the locks, biting the corner of her lip as she did so. Within moments, they heard a faint click, and the door slid open. Najia continued her work on the next cell, and just as quickly, it opened.

The two prisoners stumbled out. The woman threw her arms around Gil and sobbed into his shoulder. He stiffened, but patted her back lightly.

“There, there, Sweetheart,” he said awkwardly. “But we’re not safe yet.”

In the distance, they could hear the faint sounds of shuffling and hissing. The woman froze in Gil’s arms.

“They’re coming,” she stuttered, frightened.

“We’re all gonna die,” Alex muttered.

Gil cocked his rifle. “Get yourselves together,” he hissed. “We’ve only got one chance. Don’t fuck up.”