Evan’s eyes snapped open, and his body jerked into an upright position. The ache in his neck was unbearable, his muscles stiff from the awkward position he'd spent the night in on the cold, unforgiving floor of the pharmacy. His head swam with confusion, his mind clouded by the strange events that had unfolded the night before—the lightning storm, the chaos, and the creatures that had attacked. It felt like a dream, but the harsh reality of his surroundings told him it was anything but.
He blinked and looked around. The room was dim, but through the broken windows, the light of dawn was creeping in, casting a sickly glow over the dusty, decrepit shelves of medicine. The world outside had been irrevocably changed, and he was part of it now—whether he wanted to be or not.
From the corner of the room, Evan heard the faintest movement. He turned, eyes narrowing as he focused on the lone figure standing by the window: Claire. She was scanning the street outside, her back straight, the crowbar gripped firmly in her hands, ready for any threat. Her demeanor was calm—eerily calm—but Evan knew better than to assume that meant everything was fine.
“You’re awake,” she said, her voice low but carrying the weight of someone who had long since abandoned any pretense of normalcy. There was a hint of relief in her voice, though she tried to hide it. “You sleep?”
“Barely,” Evan replied, pushing himself up to his feet. The ache in his body was still there, a reminder of the strain of the day before. His muscles felt tight, almost foreign to him, as if something was changing within him. He didn’t know what it was—what had happened—but the feeling of being out of sync with his own body was unsettling.
“Yeah, me neither,” Claire muttered as she took one last glance through the window, then turned back toward him. “We need to get moving soon. There’s no point staying here. The longer we sit still, the more likely we’ll attract unwanted attention. And I’m not in the mood to get torn apart by zombies today.”
Evan nodded absently, his mind still processing the night’s events. Zombies. It felt unreal to even think the word. Before everything fell apart, he had been living a normal life—working a desk job, spending weekends with friends, worrying about bills and deadlines. But now? Now he was in a nightmare, a world he didn’t recognize, and everything he thought he knew about reality had been turned upside down.
He took a slow breath, trying to steady his racing thoughts. “Where are we going?”
Claire looked at him for a moment, sizing him up. She was used to surviving, and her instincts had kept her alive longer than most. She could tell Evan wasn’t fully adjusted to the situation, and though she had no intention of babysitting him, she could see a glimmer of potential in him—something more than just the average survivor.
“There’s a building about a mile east of here,” she said, her voice cold and practical. “I think there’s a stash of supplies there. We’re low on food, and we need more weapons. We make it there, get what we need, and then figure out what to do next.”
Evan’s heart quickened. A mile wasn’t far by any means, but in this new world, every step outside could be your last. The thought of walking into an unknown building, surrounded by who knew what dangers, made him uneasy. But he knew he didn’t have a choice.
“Alright,” he said, his voice steadying as he wiped his palms on his pants. “Let’s get going.”
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Claire gave him a sharp look. “We move fast. Stay close. Don’t talk unless it’s necessary. And keep your eyes open. It’s dangerous out there.”
As they stepped outside, Evan was hit by the full weight of the apocalyptic world. The streets were a warzone, littered with abandoned cars, overturned trash bins, and debris. The sky was a dull gray, the air thick with the scent of smoke and rot. Buildings that once housed the bustling lives of everyday people were now nothing more than husks—empty, lifeless shells that seemed to be holding on to their former purpose by sheer willpower alone.
Evan felt a shiver run down his spine as he scanned their surroundings. The streets were unnervingly quiet, save for the occasional creaking of wood or metal as the buildings settled. But there was something unsettling about the silence—something that made every footstep echo in the stillness like a drumbeat of impending doom.
“We need to stay off the main roads,” Claire said, her voice low as she led the way. “Zombies like to roam in open areas. We’ll stick to the alleys, stay out of sight. If we’re lucky, we won’t run into any.”
Evan nodded, his mind racing as he tried to recall anything useful from his old life that might help in a situation like this. His experience with the undead? Zero. His survival skills? Practically nonexistent. He was out of his depth, but there was no going back. He had to adapt—or die trying.
They moved through the streets in silence, each step bringing them closer to the supply stash Claire had mentioned. The air felt thick, oppressive, and Evan could feel the weight of the world pressing down on him. Every shadow seemed to hold a threat. Every creaking door or shuffling footstep sent his heart pounding in his chest.
He hadn’t asked Claire about her past, about how long she had been surviving in this world. He hadn’t asked what she had done to get to this point. But it didn’t take a genius to figure it out—she was a survivor, plain and simple. Her every movement was deliberate, cautious, and measured. She had been through this hell before, and her focus was razor-sharp.
Evan tried to push the strange sensations he was feeling out of his mind. The heightened awareness, the instinctual reactions, the odd sense of power—he couldn’t explain it. His body felt… different. Like it was waiting for something. But what? And why was it happening to him? The more he tried to ignore it, the more it gnawed at him.
They turned down another alley, and Evan’s eyes darted back and forth, scanning for any signs of movement. His hand instinctively went to the pipe he had scavenged the day before, gripping it tightly. He had never been one for fighting, but here, it felt like the only thing that might keep him alive.
Suddenly, Claire’s voice broke through the tension. “Stay close. There’s movement up ahead. Zombies.”
Evan’s breath caught in his throat, and he immediately slowed his pace, staying a step behind Claire as she crouched down, moving like a shadow. Evan followed her example, crouching low and sticking close to the wall. He could hear them now—shuffling, groaning, the unmistakable sound of undead moving through the streets. There were at least three of them, maybe more.
They passed within a few feet of where Evan and Claire were hiding, their rotting faces twisted in eternal hunger. The stench of decay hit him like a slap in the face, and he fought the urge to gag.
“Hold your breath,” Claire whispered. “Don’t make a sound.”
Evan did his best to follow her instructions, but his heart pounded so loudly in his chest that he was sure the zombies would hear it. He held perfectly still, barely daring to breathe, until they finally shuffled past.
It felt like hours, though it was only a few minutes before the last zombie disappeared from view. Once they were sure the coast was clear, Claire straightened up, her face set in a mask of determination.
“We’re close,” she said, giving Evan a quick glance. “Just stay focused.”
Evan nodded, though he felt anything but focused. The adrenaline still buzzed through his system, and he couldn’t shake the unease that had settled in his chest. The zombies had been close, but it wasn’t just them that worried him—it was the world itself. Something was changing, and Evan could feel it in every fiber of his being.
They moved on, keeping to the shadows, each step bringing them closer to the supply stash that Claire had mentioned. But with every step, Evan couldn’t shake the feeling that he was being drawn deeper into something far bigger than a simple fight for survival. Something he wasn’t ready for. Something he didn’t yet understand.