Chapter 4: The Night That Never Ends

April 29, 20XX

12:25 a.m.

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The night dragged on, the hours blending together in a haze of tension and fear. Blake had volunteered for the first watch, standing guard at one of the gym’s entrances with his kendo stick in hand. The darkness outside was oppressive, the distant sounds of the infected a constant reminder of the danger lurking just beyond the walls.

As he stood there, his thoughts drifted to his family back in the States. His mom, his younger sister—they were safe, right? He had to believe they were, even though he had no way of knowing what was happening over there. He clenched his fists, frustration bubbling up inside him. Damn it, I should be there with them…

But he wasn’t. He was here, in a foreign country, fighting for his life alongside people he barely knew. The weight of it all was overwhelming, and for a moment, Blake felt like he was drowning in it.

“Fuck…” he muttered, rubbing his temples. Get it together, Blake. You can’t afford to lose it now.

He forced himself to focus, to push the fear and doubt aside. His dad had always told him that the most dangerous enemy was the one in your head—the one that made you hesitate, made you second-guess yourself. And right now, that enemy was whispering all kinds of bullshit in his ear.

You’re not gonna make it. You’re gonna die here. Alone.

Blake shook his head, trying to drown out the voice. He wasn’t alone. He had Takashi, Rei, Saya, Kohta… they were all in this together. And that meant something. It meant everything.

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The door behind him creaked open, and Blake turned to see Takashi stepping out, his expression tired but determined. “Hey, man. How’s it going?”

Blake shrugged, trying to sound casual. “Same old shit. Just trying not to think too much, you know?”

Takashi chuckled softly. “Yeah, I get that. Mind if I join you?”

Blake nodded, grateful for the company. “Sure. Misery loves company, right?”

They stood in silence for a while, listening to the distant moans of the infected. Blake’s mind was still racing, but the presence of his friend helped to calm the storm a little.

“Blake,” Takashi said after a while, his voice quiet. “Do you think we’re gonna make it?”

Blake hesitated, choosing his words carefully. “Honestly? I don’t know. But we’ve got a better shot if we stick together. And if we keep our heads on straight.”

Takashi nodded, but Blake could see the uncertainty in his eyes. “Yeah… it’s just hard, you know? Everything happened so fast. One minute, we were living our lives, and the next… this.”

Blake sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Tell me about it. I keep thinking this is all just some fucked up dream, and any minute now I’m gonna wake up in my bed, back in the States, and everything will be normal again.”

“But it’s not a dream,” Takashi said, his voice tinged with sadness. “This is real.”

“Yeah,” Blake agreed, his voice low. “This is real.”

They fell into another silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Blake felt the weight of the situation pressing down on him again, but this time, it didn’t feel as suffocating. He wasn’t alone in this. That made all the difference.

“Thanks, man,” Blake said after a while, surprising even himself.

Takashi looked at him, puzzled. “For what?”

“For being here,” Blake replied, his voice sincere. “For not losing your shit, for sticking around. It helps.”

Takashi smiled, a small, genuine smile that was rare in these dark times. “You too, Blake. We’ve got each other’s backs, right?”

Blake returned the smile, feeling a little bit of the weight lift off his shoulders. “Yeah. We do.”

The night was far from over, and the road ahead was long and dangerous. But as Blake stood there with Takashi, he felt a spark of hope. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to keep going.

And for now, that was all they needed.