The group moved carefully through the dimly lit mall, their newly acquired airsoft gear giving them a small but comforting sense of readiness. As they rounded a corner, the familiar neon sign of “The Book Nook” came into view, its letters flickering faintly. It looked just as abandoned as the rest of the mall, but Lex hoped it might offer some kind of shelter, even if just for a little while.
"Looks quiet," Damien said, scanning the area. "But then again, it always does."
"Let’s check it out," Lex said. "Maybe we can find something useful. Books, maps… even just a place to sit and think for a bit."
They approached the entrance, pushing open the glass doors. The inside was dark, rows of shelves casting long, thin shadows across the floor. The air was heavy with the scent of old paper, a strange contrast to the stale, cold air of the rest of the mall. For a moment, it felt almost normal, like they were stepping into a cozy bookstore on any other day. But the eerie silence reminded them that this was anything but normal.
"Anyone else getting a weird feeling?" Maya whispered, glancing around nervously. "Like we’re being watched?"
"Always," Brandon said, his voice low. "But I don’t see anything. Let’s stick together, just in case."
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The group staring moving around and explored the aisles, picking through the shelves. Lex grabbed a couple of travel guides and maps, hoping they might find a more detailed layout of the mall. Damien, ever the pragmatist, was rifling through a stack of survival guides, while Sophie scanned through a few books on first aid and emergency preparedness.
"Look at this," Damien said, holding up a book. "‘The Art of War.’ Think it’ll help us?"
"Not unless you plan on quoting Sun Tzu to the infected," Brandon said, smiling slightly. "But hey, take it if you think it’ll make you feel more tactical."
Maya’s eyes wandered, her gaze drawn to a corner of the bookstore where a row of plush chairs had been set up for reading. She could barely make out a figure sitting in one of the chairs, slumped over, their face hidden by a hood. Her heart skipped a beat, and she took a step back, raising her flashlight.
"Guys," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "We’re not alone."
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The others quickly gathered around her, their airsoft guns raised, flashlights cutting through the darkness. The figure didn’t move, remaining completely still. Lex slowly approached, her spear ready, and gently nudged the person’s shoulder with the tip of the blade.
The figure flinched, letting out a soft, startled gasp. As the hood fell back, they saw a young woman’s face, pale and wide-eyed, with dark hair cascading around her shoulders. She blinked, looking up at them, her expression a mix of fear and confusion.
"Please… don’t hurt me," she said, her voice barely a whisper. "I… I didn’t think anyone else was still alive."
"Who are you?" Lex asked, her tone cautious but gentle. "What are you doing here?"
The girl hesitated, as if trying to find the right words. "I… my name is Lila. I’ve been hiding here. I didn’t know where else to go. I thought… I thought I was the only one left."
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
Maya’s heart softened a little. "You’ve been hiding all alone? How long?"
"I don’t know," Lila said, her eyes darting nervously. "Days? Weeks? It’s hard to tell… I’ve been too scared to go out. The infected… they’re everywhere. I thought they were going to find me…"
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"Well, you’re not alone anymore," Sophie said, her voice warm. "We’ve been fighting our way through this place, trying to find a way out. Maybe you can come with us."
"I-I don’t want to be a burden," Lila said, shaking her head. "You all look so… prepared. I don’t even have a weapon…"
"We can handle ourselves," Damien said, though his tone was more guarded. "But if you’re with us, you follow our lead. Got it?"
Lila nodded quickly, her eyes wide with gratitude. "Thank you. I just… I can’t be alone anymore."
"What were you doing in here?" Brandon asked, his curiosity piqued. "You must have found some way to survive this long."
"I was just… hiding," Lila said, her voice soft. "Reading, mostly. It helped me forget what was happening outside. I found some food in the staff room, and I’ve just been waiting, hoping someone would come… and then you did."
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The group exchanged glances, trying to gauge if they could trust her. She seemed harmless, scared, and genuinely relieved to see them, but there was something about her story that didn’t quite add up.
"Alright, Lila," Lex said finally. "You can come with us. But stay close, and don’t wander off. Things can get dangerous very quickly in here."
"I understand," Lila said, her voice barely more than a whisper. "Thank you."
As they gathered their things, Lila gravitated toward Brandon, her eyes flicking up to him every so often, as if seeking reassurance. Brandon noticed but didn’t think much of it, giving her a small, encouraging smile.
"So, you’re a reader, huh?" Brandon said, trying to make conversation. "What kind of books were you reading?"
"All kinds," Lila said, her smile shy. "Mostly fiction… stories that let me escape. It felt safer than facing reality."
"I get that," Brandon said, nodding. "We could all use a little escape right now."
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As the group prepared to leave the bookstore, Lila suddenly reached out and grabbed Brandon’s arm, her grip surprisingly tight. "Wait," she said, her eyes wide. "There’s something you should know…"
Everyone turned to look at her, the air suddenly thick with tension.
"I… I heard things," Lila said, her voice trembling. "When I was hiding. Voices. People moving through the mall. They weren’t infected, but… they weren’t like you either. They sounded… wrong."
"What do you mean, ‘wrong’?" Lex asked, her eyes narrowing.
"I don’t know how to explain it," Lila said, her voice barely audible. "It was like they were… laughing, but not in a normal way. Like they were enjoying it… enjoying the chaos."**
Damien’s eyes darkened. "Sounds like we’ve got more psychos on our hands."
"Great," Sophie muttered. "Just what we needed."
"Do you know where they were?" Lex asked, trying to stay calm.
Lila shook her head. "No, I just… heard them, sometimes, when it was quiet. But I never went to look. I was too scared."
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"Thanks for telling us," Lex said. "We’ll keep an eye out. But for now, we need to keep moving. The longer we stay in one place, the more vulnerable we are."
Lila nodded, still clutching Brandon’s arm. "I understand. I’ll… I’ll follow you."
As they left the bookstore, the group moved with more caution, their senses heightened. Lila stayed close to Brandon, her presence quiet but noticeable, and though she seemed scared, there was a calmness about her that didn’t quite match the fear she had shown before.
Maya noticed this, and for a moment, she felt a pang of suspicion. She didn’t say anything, but as she watched Lila, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.
"You okay?" Brandon asked, noticing Lila’s distant expression.
She looked up at him, her eyes soft and sincere. "Yes, I’m okay," she said, a small smile playing at her lips. "I’m just… happy I’m not alone anymore."
Brandon returned the smile, but Maya’s eyes lingered on Lila, watching her closely. She didn’t know what it was, but there was something about Lila that didn’t sit right with her, and she was determined to figure out what it was.