[October 2]

We’re all in danger.

I should have written this down earlier, just in case anything happened to me, but my head has been somewhere else lately.

Julien and his people are planning something terrible.

I’m too scared to tell anyone about this. I don’t know who’s with him and who isn’t. I’m not sure I can trust anyone anymore. If someone realizes I know the truth, I might be in serious trouble. I have nowhere to run in this building.

I… I talked with Nora. She’s the only person I know for sure is also a victim. At first, she tried to act like she didn’t know what I was talking about, but she eventually gave in when I told her the things I had overheard.

She broke down in tears while we talked. It’s so much worse than I thought.

Her little sister, Lilian… is infected. She’s a shambler. But she seems to resist the disease. Julien is planning to use her as a ticket out of the city, thanks to the military; they want her. And he plans to get rid of almost everyone else, in order to guarantee his own rescue instead of someone else’s.

_________________

Nora has been under abuse for a long time. There’s this guy, his name is Logan… She’s been in an abusive relationship with him for several years, and she can’t get out of it because of her sister. He’s threatening Nora with hurting her little sister if she does anything.

Also, Lilian has some other medical condition that requires her to take medication. They’ve taken the pills from Nora, and they are using them as a blackmailing tool as well.

Julien and Logan are working together, supporting themselves on all this abuse as a means to control both Nora and Lilian. And since Nora is staying on Liam’s side, they’ve been making her do dirty work for them.

Remember when I told you about some stolen supplies being found on Liam’s storage? Well, I suppose you can imagine who the culprit was. She had no choice. And that wasn’t the only thing she’s had to do, it’s horrible.

I’m both terrified and angry. I have to do something. I promised Nora I’d find a way to help her, to help both her and her sister. She doesn’t believe there’s much to be done, I feel like she’s just resigning to her fate. I’m starting to understand her a bit better, I just wish I had noticed her suffering before.

I think I have an idea of what to do. I just need to wait for the right moment…

[October 13]

These people are insane. Everyone has lost their minds.

I think the Army is about to make their move. Julien has assured us that rescue is imminent. Everyone is flocking to him, even Liam. Hostilities have ceased almost entirely; he’s capitalizing on the situation to paint himself as some kind of savior. And it’s working, I don’t get it. Everyone is starting to praise his leadership, and every time I see that smug look on his face, I…

I took the risk and talked to Liam about what I know, about Julien’s true intentions. He didn’t believe me. He said I must be imagining things because of the pressure, that I should rest and take it easy. Easy my ass!

I’m sorry, Nora. We’re probably on our own. But don’t worry… I’ll make it work.

I promise.

[October 15]

I saw red smoke rising up from the city, a good distance away, at sunset. I think everyone saw it. There was also this insanely loud siren sound, coming from somewhere in that direction.

Julien disregarded it, he said it doesn’t have anything to do with our “rescue”. I don’t think he’d lie about something like this. It’d be a missed chance to make everyone love him even more.

Other people, perhaps? Maybe there’s someone else out there, after all.

I’ll keep it in mind.

[October 16]

This will be my last entry. Thank you, diary, for letting me share things with you all this time.

We’re getting out of this cursed place. Nora, Lilian and me.

We’ll be heading south, towards the place where the red smoke came from. It looks like some big multi-story building from up here.

I’ll leave this diary somewhere outside the building. If you happen to find it, whoever you are, don’t go inside. It’s probably infested with shamblers.

Beware of Julien and his people.

Good luck.

######

Claire gulped. Her mouth felt dry, and her voice was hoarse. She hadn’t disclosed every single detail, she tried to leave her own emotions out of the story, but she was pretty sure she went over everything she considered relevant. William didn’t interrupt her even once, he let her speak.

“I think you know the rest…”

She couldn’t see anything in the pitch darkness, but somehow, she felt William’s eyes piercing her from the other side of the room.

“I see…” he replied.

An uncomfortable period of silence ensued. She wasn’t sure how long it was, but it felt like an eternity. She heard a subtle ringing in her ears, she found it difficult to focus on anything.

“So…?”

“Perhaps… we should cooperate with them for now.” he said.

“What…!?” her voice sounded almost squeaky. “Have you lost your mind too!? After hearing what I just told you, that’s what you suggest…!?”

“Do you have a better idea?”

“W-Well…”

“As long as we remain locked up in here, we won’t be able to find a chance to turn this mess around.”

“That’s true, but…”

William sighed. He didn’t say anything else, though. She couldn’t see his face, but just by the sound of his voice, he seemed tired. Tired, and distant. Like his mind was busy with something in particular.

Another period of silence.

“Can I ask you something…?” she said.

“Yes…?”

“Did it help…? What I just told you…? Any of it…?”

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

“…Perhaps…”

What kind of answer was that? Claire didn’t know what to make of it. William was hard to read. But at the very least, it wasn’t a direct negative. And if it meant he was willing to keep going even a little more, in her eyes, it was worth it.

******

Sympathy? Maybe. Their story made sense. William understood, a background of abuse and constant threats could justify their behavior. The circumstances surrounding Lilian were a fair reason for their secrecy. All in all, it made sense. However, it didn’t make it more acceptable for him. It didn’t matter how valid their reasons were, it still felt like they were dragging him into their own issues. Issues that had nothing to do with him.

He was tired. And yet… he saw something in Claire’s story. It was a small detail, something the girl probably didn’t give much consideration or thought. But he did. Hope, perhaps? He didn’t know how to describe it. He didn’t even know if it was a tangible or logical possibility. What he did know for sure, was that he had no time to think about it. There were other issues at hand.

He stared at the closed double doors in front of him, secured with a metal bar. The glass windows granted them view of the other side, but it was nothing but a black void. He stood side by side with Claire and with other two people from Marcus’ group. They were told their names, but he didn’t bother remembering them.

He and one of the men were holding long wooden poles with a U-shaped metal head at the end. Claire and the other man had metal bats. The goons guarding the door got ready to lift the safety bar and open it.

It might have been a nice chance to plan an escape, if it weren’t for the armed guards standing a safe distance away, holding the weapons they confiscated from them a while ago.

‘Tch… Damn it…’

William remembered their conversation with Marcus some minutes before.

######

“So, you decided to cooperate? Just like that? Seems like a fairly sudden change of heart.”

William didn’t respond.

“Well, it’s fine. I’ll put you two to work.” Marcus turned around to face the men behind him. “Make sure you keep them under surveillance. You don’t have to be a genius to realize they aren’t at good terms with us.” he looked at William and Claire again. “As I said before, I hope we can eventually reach a mutual understanding. Now, follow me.”

Once their restraints were undone, they walked out of the restroom, with armed guards following them a couple of meters behind. They were taking risks by letting them walk around physically unrestrained, but it would definitely be a bad idea to try something while so heavily surrounded. William’s eyes zipped from side to side, from corner to corner. He didn’t do anything. He moved on.

Marcus seemed adamant on gaining their trust. William was confused, that man puzzled him as much as he annoyed him.

“As I told you before, an outbreak destroyed a good part of our community about a week ago before we managed to contain it. That section of the subway has been blocked off, and the shamblers sealed within. They should be pretty starved and tame by now. I want you to go in there and recover some essential supplies that were left behind.”

“What..!? You’re going to send us into a shambler nest!?” replied William. He wasn’t exactly happy about this proposition.

“A n-nest…?” asked Claire.

“Whenever a big group of shamblers became stuck inside a building, we used to mark it as a nest… It’s basically a death trap…! You fucker… If you want to kill us, do it right here!”

“All the entrances to that section are closed, there’s no way in or out.” Marcus didn’t seem fazed by William’s angry remarks. “It’s almost guaranteed that they’ll all be famished and exhausted. Besides, you won’t go in there alone. It’s two of you, so I’ll also send two of my men with you. I believe it’s only fair.”

“Tch…!” William lowered his eyes away from Marcus. He’d rather not look at his face. It felt like he wanted to punch it every time he did.

“You’ll be looking for anything that could be of use, especially food and water. But the one thing you need to bring back is… a certain briefcase.”

“Huh…!?”

“I won’t go into details. But the briefcase is important. Of course, my people need other, more immediate resources. Which is why I’m also requesting that you recover food and drinks. Just… make sure you find the briefcase.”

Suspicious. Why would a briefcase matter in such a situation? What could the contents possibly be, for them to be the main focus? William looked at the men surrounding Marcus. They looked just as confused as he was. Tightened lips, raised eyebrows, nervous stares. He had the feeling that the briefcase was important for Marcus, and for Marcus alone.

Still, they were in no position to negotiate. The guns pointing at them were a pretty strong form of diplomacy. And none of the men looked like they were against it, as long as food and beverages were involved.

######

The door made a slight creak as it swung open, revealing a deep darkness within. The flashlights flared up, bathing the empty hallway in light.

“Alright, remember what we talked about. Don’t engage them if we encounter them. Just push them aside and keep going.” said one of the men accompanying them.

“Um… E-Excuse me… Why can’t we just kill them…? Aren’t they supposed to be really weak and slow right now?” asked Claire.

“Killing them would be a really bad idea, kid. Unless you want unnecessary attention.”

“What…?”

“Actually, he might be right…” added William. “They don’t seem to like it when other shamblers die…”

“Exactly. Now focus and let’s move on. We have work to do.”

Those two men looked big and strong. Still, the occasional sweat drop falling from their faces, the restless looks, the tight grip on their weapons and tools… All of them signs of stress. Everyone was on edge. And the gaping dark maw opening in front of them appeared to feed on that tension.

William stayed aware of his surroundings. A sealed nest of shamblers in front, no possible escape routes, armed people watching the entrance… That wouldn’t be a good moment to try anything funny either. They’d just have to play along and try their best to stay alive. Who knows, if they brought back enough food, they might even get their share as well. Although somehow, he doubted it.

The group stepped into the depths of the subway, and soon turned a corner, leaving the apparent safety of the shelter far behind. William despised Marcus and his people, but he still preferred their company rather than wandering into a shambler infestation.

“Fucking hell…” he whispered.

One of the men threw him a quick gaze.

“Between you and me… There’re better and safer options to find food. Whatever is in that briefcase, Marcus wants it. It’s the only thing he wants from this.”

“I-I thought he wanted to help you all… Doesn’t he care if you die…?” asked Claire with barely audible voice.

“When he came here and he founded our community, he was some kind of doctor. I think he was researching something. And he had that briefcase with him already. Listen, his leadership has been bright so far, and I think he really wants to help people… But whatever is in that briefcase, it must be important.”

“Hey, are you sure you should be telling them this stuff…?” asked the other man.

“I’m tired of this shit, man. I don’t want to be enemies with anybody. All I know is that Marcus really values that briefcase, and we might get an extra ration or two if we manage to bring it back. That’s why we volunteered for this job, right? Come on, Owen. I have a family to feed back there, and you do too. You should know it well, man. We need to leave differences aside and work together, at least until we’re out of this shithole.”

Owen said nothing in response. Neither did William or Claire. To be honest, William didn’t ask for a goddamn lecture, but any information he could get on Marcus was welcome anyway. And as a matter of fact, that little piece of information was particularly welcome.

‘A doctor, huh…?’

…

They advanced further into the subway, eyes on all directions, their flashlights swaying with their every step. Then, they heard something, as several silhouettes stood out in front of the light.

“Watch out… We’ve got company…” said one of the men.

Three shamblers, completely still, staring at the group of intruders. Like the ones they spotted in the sewers, their bones creaked and their teeth seemed to chatter as they attempted to drag themselves in their direction.

William noticed how they looked much “fresher” than the ones he was used to seeing on the outside. The color of their skin felt warmer under the light, their muscles still clinging to their bones. The blood dripping from their wounds and drenching their bodies shined eerily, still not fully congealed or dry.

However, unlike the ones in the sewers, these were inching in their direction, albeit at an almost laughable pace. Still, it was enough to make the group aware of the threat.

“Alright… Let’s do this…” said the man at the front, pointing the U-shaped tool at the nearest shambler’s body.

With a decisive and strong shove, the shambler lost his balance and fell back. It squirmed and struggled on the floor, but judging by the weakness of its movements, it was unlikely to be able to get back up.

“That’s how you do it. Come on, our objective is deeper within. And watch your step, stay away from them.”

After shoving down the remaining two shamblers, William followed the two men onwards, with Claire trembling and sticking unusually close behind him.

******

[Food. Food. Food. Food? Food. Food???]

[No.]

[Pain. Pain. Pain. It hurts. It hurts. Pain? Pain. Danger.]

[Danger.]

[Help. Help. Helphelphelphelphelp—]

The shambler contorted on the ground, a dribble of blood emerging from its mouth as it tried to drag itself back up. Its eyes suddenly lit up in the darkness with a sinister blue bioluminescence. And there, laying on the floor, its jaws opened wide. No sound came out of its throat.

There, in complete silence, the shambler screamed.