The first pale light of dawn was creeping over the horizon when Jack, Sam, and Lila set out. The trio moved in silence, their breaths puffing little clouds into the chill morning air. Jack took the lead, his eyes sweeping the landscape for any sign of movement. It had been his idea to leave the diner at first light; he knew from experience that dawn was one of the few times the raiders were likely to be inactive, either sleeping off a long night or hiding from the brightness of day.
“Just so we’re clear,” Jack muttered as he led the way, “this isn’t some happy family outing. I don’t do long-term partnerships. You stick around as long as it’s safe, and the second things get rough, I’m gone.”
Sam gave a nod, his grizzled face betraying no surprise. “Wouldn’t expect anything less. No one sticks around for long these days.”
Lila, however, wasn’t so convinced. She was just a kid, though old enough to know how the world worked now. She scowled at Jack’s back, her eyes narrowing. “Then why’d you help us?” she demanded, her voice sharper than her father’s. “If you don’t want to be stuck with anyone?”
Jack glanced over his shoulder, shrugging. “It’s a matter of practicality, kid. Three pairs of eyes are better than one, at least while we’re moving through this part of town. And besides,” he added, his lips twitching up in a smirk, “I could always use a couple extra bait if things get ugly.”
Lila’s glare intensified, but Jack was already turning away, his eyes scanning the street ahead. He hadn’t been serious about the bait comment, but there was no sense in sugar-coating things. Out here, kindness was a luxury none of them could afford.
They kept walking, weaving between the rusted remains of cars and through alleys choked with debris. Jack’s machete swung lightly at his side, and he kept a knife ready in his other hand. The silence weighed on them, broken only by the distant calls of carrion birds and the crunch of their boots on the pavement. It was the kind of quiet that set Jack’s nerves on edge.
“Watch your step,” he muttered as they passed a twisted section of metal rebar jutting from a concrete block. “No one’s gonna carry you if you get yourself impaled.”
Sam chuckled, a dry sound that was almost a cough. “Good advice, Grizzly. Although some of us are a little better at minding our step than others.”
Jack ignored the jab, though a small smile played on his lips. It had been a long time since anyone had managed to make him smirk. He pushed the feeling aside, though. The last thing he needed was to get attached.
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They made it to the edge of the city by mid-morning. Beyond them, the land opened up, a desolate stretch of twisted trees and scattered buildings that dotted the horizon like distant scars. An old factory loomed nearby, its metal framework looming against the sky. Jack noted signs of recent activity—footprints in the dirt, a broken window that looked freshly smashed.
“Someone’s been here,” he muttered, crouching down to examine the prints.
Sam joined him, nodding. “Seen those before. They’re from a gang that’s been taking people lately. Hear they’ve been enslaving anyone they catch.”
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Lila tensed beside her father, but her eyes were wide with curiosity. “But they’ve got supplies, right? If they’re taking people, they’ve got food.”
Jack shot her a withering look. “You’re not serious, are you? They’d sooner take you than share anything they’ve got.”
She frowned but didn’t argue, and Jack turned back to the factory. “Stay close, keep quiet. We’re checking out the perimeter, and then we’re gone. I don’t care what you think they’ve got in there—it’s not worth the risk.”
They crept around the building, staying low and silent. Jack pointed out a few tripwires he spotted, old-fashioned traps likely set by other survivors. He showed Lila how to step over them without making a sound, not because he cared about teaching her, he told himself, but because he didn’t want to get caught in someone else’s mess.
“See that?” he whispered as they crouched by a corner. “People use this kind of trap for small game or intruders. You step on it, and a metal spike’ll come down faster than you can blink. Good way to lose a foot.”
Lila listened closely, her eyes darting between Jack and the trap. She nodded, the beginning of respect glinting in her eyes, though she kept it guarded.
As they rounded the corner, a noise caught Jack’s attention—a faint shuffle, too close to be safe. He raised a hand, signaling for Sam and Lila to freeze, and they all pressed back against the wall. Two men appeared from behind a pile of rubble, armed with rusted knives and makeshift clubs. They wore mismatched pieces of armor, scavenged from who knew where, but their eyes held a hardness that spoke of desperation and cruelty.
Jack cursed under his breath. “Stay here,” he hissed, stepping forward with his machete at the ready. “I’ll handle this.”
The two men spotted him immediately, their faces lighting up with predatory grins. One of them raised his club, stepping forward with a sneer. “Well, well. Look what we’ve got here—fresh meat wandering out in the open.”
Jack’s face remained impassive as he tightened his grip on his machete. “Funny,” he said, his voice cold, “I was just thinking the same thing.”
The men charged, but Jack moved with a practiced efficiency, sidestepping the first swing and driving his machete into the man’s side. The attacker let out a strangled gasp, collapsing as Jack yanked the blade free. The second man hesitated, but only for a moment. He swung his club, aiming for Jack’s head, but Jack ducked, twisting his body to bring the machete down on the man’s arm. He cried out, dropping the weapon, and stumbled back, clutching his bleeding arm.
Jack gave the man a hard look, his eyes cold. “Get out of here, before I change my mind.”
The man scrambled to his feet, dragging his wounded comrade away. Jack watched them go, his expression unreadable. When they were out of sight, he turned back to Sam and Lila, who were staring at him with wide eyes.
“You didn’t have to let them go,” Lila said, her voice barely a whisper.
Jack shrugged, wiping his blade on the grass. “Sometimes it’s better to let people live with the memory of losing. Keeps ‘em cautious. Besides,” he added, giving her a sardonic grin, “I’m not a complete monster.”
Sam nodded, a faint smile on his face. “Appreciate you stepping in back there, Grizzly. Not everyone’s got the guts to face those types head-on.”
Jack waved off the thanks, already turning to keep moving. “Don’t read too much into it. I just hate competition.”
They resumed their trek, the factory now safely behind them, though Jack couldn’t shake the feeling that their troubles were only just beginning. He didn’t trust Sam and Lila completely, but in a world this barren, maybe that didn’t matter.
As they walked, he glanced down at Lila, who was watching him with an expression he hadn’t seen in years—admiration, and maybe even a flicker of hope.
Jack sighed, muttering to himself, “Well, Jack, looks like you’ve got yourself a fan club. Let’s just hope it doesn’t get you killed.”
And with that, they pressed on into the wasteland, leaving the echoes of their encounter far behind.