***

February 18, 2029

The room was dimly lit, and a sense of unease hung heavy in the air. Three teenagers huddled together, their faces etched with worry and doubt. Their shelter, once a place of refuge from the chaos outside, now felt like a prison, and uncertainty clawed at their hearts.

“No one is coming,” Bella said, her voice trembling as she glanced towards the barricaded door.

Jeremiah, his eyes scanning the room for any signs of danger, replied, trying to sound composed, “Do you want them to come?”

“Not really,” Bella admitted, “but I spent so much time closing all the doors and windows. I feel like I've wasted precious time for nothing.”

Kristian, the usually stoic member of the group, chimed in, his expression reflecting a mixture of frustration and uncertainty. “What did you expect to do if you didn't secure the place? We're in the middle of a zombie apocalypse, Bella.”

Bella sighed deeply; her anxiety was palpable. “I don't know. I just felt like I'm currently wasting my life away in this dark, closed-up room.”

It had been three days since they discovered that two of their group members, Matthew and Zaina, were dead. Lucas, the so-called enemy that they were told to look out for, had vanished without a trace. His absence weighed heavily on their minds, and questions swirled in their thoughts, like riddles with no answers.

As the days went by without any sign of Lucas, the survivors began to doubt their previous assumptions about him. Perhaps he hadn't killed Matthew and Zaina after all. Maybe Jim and Julia had lied about everything.

The doubts festered among the group, and soon, there was no one who could say for sure what had happened. Was Lucas really a murderer? Or had he been framed? The truth was lost to time, but the questions would never go away.

“Don't you think Uncle Jim is lying?” Jeremiah whispered, his voice carrying the weight of suspicion.

Kristian frowned, his brows furrowing in thought. “Why would he lie? Uncle Matthew and Aunt Zaina were his friends.”

“Yeah, that's true,” Jeremiah conceded, his eyes narrowing in contemplation. “But don't you think it's strange that if Lucas had ambushed Uncle Jim and the others, he might have had other intentions? Yet, it's been days, and there's no sign of him. It's either that or he was genuinely only looking for that woman Uncle Jim told us about.”

Bella joined the conversation, her voice a hushed murmur. “Well, even if it's about the woman, the fact that Lucas isn't here is suspicious in itself. Maybe Uncle Jim really did lie about something.”

***

At the gym's highest point, atop the rooftop, three figures emerged into view. Two men and a woman were distinct against the backdrop, while one of the men lay on the rooftop, his wounded arm prominently wrapped in a bandage.

“No, Julia, listen to me,” Jim pleaded, his voice strained. He gestured to his injuries. “These are from the attack. Why would I lie about him almost killing me?”

Julia fixed her gaze on Jim, her eyes brimming with doubt. “It's not that I'm unwilling to trust you, Jim, but it's been days,” she remarked with a touch of cynicism. “I'm starting to doubt if he even acknowledges our existence.”

Jim leaned in closer, his tone urgent. “Julia, listen to me. He killed Zaina and Matthew in cold blood. Of course, we were chasing the woman, but we didn't kill her. Lucas suddenly appeared out of nowhere when we were looking for the woman and ambushed us.”

Julia's skepticism remained. “Are you sure he planned to kill you guys?”

Jim locked eyes with Julia, the weight of his words hanging heavily between them. “Look at me, Julia. I'm the only one who survived.”

Julia's resolve wavered as she absorbed Jim's chilling account. The waiting had taken its toll, their nerves stretched thin like a taut wire, but the absence of Lucas and his potential threat had shattered their unity and trust.

It was ironic how the presence of one person outside their group had managed to destabilize their unity, making them barricade themselves within the gym rather than consider confronting him. Their collective fear had paralyzed them, leaving them trapped in a cycle of mistrust and apprehension.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

The woman in the sage green dress and emerald earrings, Julia, finally sighed in resignation. She had watched their group slowly unravel over the past few days, and it was clear that action was needed.

“John,” she said, addressing the man beside her, “call everyone to the meeting. I have something to tell them.”

As John nodded in response, he couldn't help but reflect on how Julia had changed. The once naïve receptionist had evolved into someone different, a reflection of the challenging times they lived in. He hoped that Julia had arrived at the best possible solution, for the fate of their group hung in the balance.

It didn't take long for the group to gather at the meeting location, their faces etched with a mixture of concern and anticipation. Julia stood at the forefront, flanked by Jim, who appeared pale and fatigued from the ordeal.

To her right, Jeremiah, Kristian, and Belle had just descended the staircase, their faces reflecting the shared unease in the room. On her left were Rosa, Everly, and John, who had hastily arrived from the kitchen. Directly before her, Jim bore the visible traces of the earlier assault.

Without waiting for everyone to catch their breath, especially John, who had tirelessly called every one, Julia began, her voice determined yet tinged with a hint of frustration.

“I'm sure you've all been worried and anxious about our lone adversary, who hasn't directly confronted us yet. It might seem like we're being cowardly by hiding here in our safe haven instead of facing them head-on.”

She continued, “Considering our situation and the fact that our enemy hasn't shown up here, I believe it's time for us to take the initiative.”

As Julia's words hung in the air, a collective gasp filled the room, the mood taking a sharp downturn. Concerns began to surface.

Rosa, one of the adults in the group, voiced her reservations. “Should we really? We can't be certain if he intends to attack us. It might be wiser to remain defensive.”

Everly chimed in, her voice expressing doubt. “Julia, it feels like we're rushing into this. Why add fuel to the fire when there's no sign of him coming for us the way he did with Matthew and Zaina?”

Julia's determined look held steady. “Everly, we can't just wait around. We shouldn't be easy targets. If he doesn't make a move today, it's only a matter of time before one of us is ambushed while we're out there, waiting for something to happen. We should take control of the situation.”

“I suppose...” Everly replied, her expression torn. Julia then shifted her attention to John, who had remained silent the whole time.

“John, do you have anything to add?”

John met Julia's gaze, a hint of disappointment in his eyes. “Not at the moment, Julia. I'll stand by your decision.”

Julia smiled, relieved by John's support. “Very well, then. We've made our choice. Tomorrow morning, we'll launch our preemptive strike. Keep in mind, he might not be alone, so we need to be prepared for his allies as well.”

As Julia's words settled in, murmurs of concern and worry filled the room.

Rosa, the seasoned member of the group, stepped forward once more. “Julia, while I understand the need for self-defense, should we really be taking another human life?”

Julia nodded; her expression heavy with the weight of their circumstances. “We know where their base is, and they know ours. If we don't act, it might just be a matter of time before they take the initiative and do away with us.”

“How about this,” Julia proposed, her voice brimming with determination, “we'll position ourselves near the barrier and wait for it to break. From what I observed in that ominous black building, the barrier has its limits. It's been several days already, so it won't be long before it breaks. From what I saw, I think it'll crumble soon. When it finally does, that's when we make our move.”

Jim watched the group debate what to do about Lucas. He had seen firsthand what Lucas was capable of, and he knew that underestimating him would be a mistake.

“I'm with Julia on this,” he said. “We need to be careful. Lucas is a dangerous man, and we need to make sure we're prepared. We need to come up with a plan, gather as much information as we can, and strike when he's least expecting it.”

Everly, who had previously voiced her uncertainties, posed another question. “I'm on board with the plan, but Julia, what if he doesn't intend to harm us? What if Jim has misled you, all of us, with his account? Shouldn't we take both sides of the story into account?”

Julia paused, taking a moment to contemplate Everly's concerns. “Everly, it's evident that you've become more compassionate,” she began. “But even if he's innocent, as you suggest, he still poses a potential threat to us. We can't risk leaving ourselves vulnerable, especially considering our proximity to another base. We can't simply rely on the hope that they'll be friendly.”

Continuing with her train of thought, she inquired,

Julia turned to the group. “We need to decide who will stay behind and defend this place while the rest of us go after Lucas and his group.”

John raised his hand. “I'll stay,” he said. “I'm the most experienced with weapons, and I know the layout of the place better than anyone else.”

Julia nodded. “Thank you, John. That's a big help. The rest of us will set out at dawn tomorrow.”

She turned to the others. “Anyone else wants to stay behind?”

No one else spoke up.

“Okay,” Julia said. “That's settled. John, I'll leave you in charge. We'll be back as soon as we can.”

The group slowly dispersed, each member making preparations for the risky mission ahead. John, however, stood there, watching as Julia's figure disappeared. Under his breath, he muttered, “I won't be sacrificed because of someone else's mistakes.” his hand clutching the pendant around his neck, a heavy sigh escaping his lips.