The wind howled through the mountain pass, biting at their skin as the group made their way back to the previous facility. The vials of the stabilising agent were safely tucked away in Dr. Moloi’s pack, but the weight of their mission hung heavily on everyone’s shoulders. They had the means to fight back now—a chance to turn the tide in this endless war against the virus. But the dangers were far from over.
Corey led the group through the dense, snow-covered forest, his machete strapped to his back and his senses on high alert. Every crack of a branch or shift in the wind made him tense, but the creatures hadn’t followed them from the other facility—at least not yet. Their immediate concern now was getting back to their base of operations and fortifying it.
“We’re close,” Dr. Moloi said, glancing up at the ridge that concealed the facility’s entrance. “Once we’re inside, we can use the refrigeration system to amplify the effects of the stabilising agent. If it works, we can not only secure the base, but potentially neutralise any of the enhanced creatures that come near it.”
D’Souza, always alert, nodded. “We need to make this place as secure as possible. It’ll be our only stronghold once the creatures realise what we’re doing.”
As they reached the entrance to the facility, Palesa moved quickly to unseal the door, her hands working deftly with the keypad they had rigged to function with the facility’s power system. The heavy metal doors slid open with a groan, and the familiar chill of the refrigerated air greeted them as they stepped inside.
“We’ll use the central control room to distribute the stabilising agent through the ventilation system,” Dr. Moloi explained, setting his pack down on a nearby table. “The refrigeration units will amplify the effect, keeping the base permanently secure.”
Corey exchanged a glance with Ntlentle, who stood nearby, her expression one of cautious optimism. For the first time in a long time, they had something to hope for—a chance to fight back.
“I’ll get to work,” Palesa said, already moving toward the control panel. “We’ll need to adjust the settings to maximize the coverage area, and once we release the agent, it’ll take a little while to see the full effects.”
D’Souza paced the room, his eyes scanning the facility. “We need other measures too—barriers, traps, anything we can use to keep the creatures at bay.”
Corey nodded in agreement. “I’ll work on reinforcing the entrances. We can set up some perimeter alarms and makeshift traps with whatever we have left.”
Ornelas, standing beside his brother, chimed in. “We still have some explosives, right? We could use those to create choke points.”
“Good idea,” Corey said, his mind already running through the logistics. “We’ll set them up in the tunnels leading to the main entrances. If anything tries to breach, we’ll take them out before they can get inside.”
While Palesa and Dr. Moloi worked on distributing the agent through the facility’s systems, Corey, D’Souza, Ornelas, and Ntlentle set to work reinforcing their defences. The facility had several access points, including the tunnel they had used to enter the first time, but they sealed most of those off, leaving only two primary entrances that they could control.
The explosives were rigged in strategic locations, designed to funnel any approaching creatures into narrow kill zones where they could be easily taken down. Ornelas set up alarms made from scraps of metal and old wiring, while Corey used what was left of their limited supplies to build barricades.
By the time the work was done, the facility was as fortified as they could make it. It wasn’t perfect, but it was better than the flimsy protections they had relied on before.
“Done,” Palesa said, wiping sweat from her forehead as she stepped back from the control panel. “The stabilising agent is circulating through the system. It’ll take a few hours for the full effect to take hold, but once it does, this place will be secure.”
Corey looked around at the others, feeling a rare sense of accomplishment. They had come a long way from the chaos of running from place to place, barely surviving. Now, they had something real—an actual stronghold where they could mount a defence, plan their next moves, and maybe, just maybe, find a way to turn the tide against the virus.
“We’ve done it,” Dr. Moloi said quietly, his voice filled with relief. “We’ve finally given ourselves a fighting chance.”
D’Souza crossed his arms, his expression still serious but tinged with satisfaction. “This is our first victory. But we can’t let our guard down. The creatures will keep coming, and we’ll need to be ready for them.”
Ntlentle stood by Corey’s side, her gaze sweeping over the facility. “We’re not just surviving anymore,” she said softly. “We’re fighting back.”
Corey smiled at her, feeling the same sense of resolve burning in his chest. They weren’t just running for their lives anymore. They had a home now—a base from which they could strike back at the virus that had torn the world apart.
As the hours passed, the cold in the facility grew more intense, but it was a welcome sign. The stabilising agent was doing its work, creating a protective shield around the base. Outside, the creatures—once relentless in their pursuit—seemed to hesitate as they neared the cold perimeter. Some prowled at the edges of the facility, testing the limits, but none dared breach the freezing boundary.
The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.
For the first time in what felt like an eternity, the group had a moment of peace.
The night passed without incident, and as the sun rose the next morning, the group gathered in the control room. The facility was secure, and for the first time, they could begin to plan a real resistance.
***
The chill of the facility’s air felt different now—less threatening, more comforting. It was no longer the cold of fear and uncertainty, but the cold of a fortress, a bastion where they could breathe and begin anew. For the first time in what felt like forever, the group allowed themselves a moment to relax.
The facility, though weathered by time and neglect, was in surprisingly good shape. Most of the structural damage had been limited to the upper levels, where debris and the elements had taken their toll. But below, on the living quarters floor, the layout was intact. Dr. Moloi led the group deeper into the facility, to a large set of reinforced doors that had managed to escape the ravages of the outbreak. He keyed in a code on the panel, and the doors slid open with a hiss, revealing a corridor lined with rooms.
“Welcome to what used to be the staff living quarters,” Dr. Moloi said, his voice echoing slightly in the spacious hallway. “If we’re going to stay here, we’ll need proper accommodations.”
Corey and the others followed him inside, their flashlights cutting through the dim light. The air here was still cold, but there was a different feel to this part of the facility—a sense that it had been spared from the destruction that had taken place above. The living quarters had been sealed off during the initial outbreak, and aside from a few layers of dust, everything was intact.
Palesa glanced around the corridor, her eyes wide with surprise. “It’s… almost untouched.”
Corey stepped through an open doorway, into what appeared to be a small, but fully furnished room. The bed, though old, looked clean enough, and there was a dresser and a desk against the wall. A small bathroom was tucked into the corner, complete with a sink and a shower.
“These rooms are still liveable,” Corey said, glancing back at the group. “We can make this work.”
“Liveable?” Ornelas said, stepping into another room. “This is luxury compared to what we’ve had for the last few months. Beds, running water—this is way better than sleeping in crumbling buildings.”
D’Souza nodded approvingly, examining one of the larger rooms down the hall. “It’s functional. We can all have our own space here, but it’s close enough to stay connected. We can set up communication systems and supplies in the common areas.”
Ntlentle wandered down the hallway, stopping to peer into each room. “This could be our home,” she said softly, her voice filled with a cautious optimism. “We can make it our own.”
Over the next few hours, the group began tidying up the living quarters. They dusted off the furniture, made the beds, and brought what few personal belongings they had to make the rooms feel like their own. Corey worked alongside Ornelas to clear out the common areas, setting up the old dining room as a place where they could gather and plan their next moves. Ntlentle and Palesa took stock of the kitchens, marvelling at the preserved supplies left behind by the facility staff.
“It’s not gourmet,” Palesa said, examining a few sealed cans, “but it’ll keep us alive.”
“We’ll need to ration carefully,” Ntlentle added, “but it’s enough to last for a while.”
Once their basic living arrangements were set, the group gathered in the dining room, the air filled with a rare sense of hope. They sat around the long table, their tired faces reflecting the mix of exhaustion and relief that came with knowing they had somewhere safe to sleep that night.
“We need a name,” Ornelas said suddenly, breaking the silence.
Corey raised an eyebrow. “A name?”
“For the base,” Ornelas clarified. “It’s our home now. We can’t just keep calling it ‘the facility.’ We should give it a name—something that means something to all of us.”
The group exchanged thoughtful glances, the idea settling in their minds. This wasn’t just a hideout anymore. It was where they would rebuild, where they would fight back against the virus. It deserved a name that would reflect that strength.
Ntlentle leaned forward, her eyes thoughtful. “What about Sanctuary?”
D’Souza frowned slightly. “We called our last place Sanctuary, and look what happened to it.”
Ntlentle nodded. “True, but it didn’t fail because of what it was. It was a place of safety, of hope, until everything went wrong. This place... it’s more secure. We’re more prepared.”
Corey rubbed his chin, thinking. “Sanctuary was important to all of us. It stood for something. So maybe we can call it something similar. How about Haven?”
“I like it,” Ornelas said, smiling faintly. “Haven. It feels right.”
Palesa nodded in agreement. “We’ll make this place what Sanctuary was meant to be—a true safe haven.”
With that decision, the group took a collective breath. This was the beginning of something new. The facility—Haven—would be their home, their base of operations, and their line of defence against the virus and the creatures outside.
Once they had settled on the name, the group began discussing their next steps.
“We’ve secured the base,” D’Souza said, laying out a map of the surrounding area on the table. “But we need to start thinking about resources—weapons, food, medical supplies. We’ll need to scout the nearby towns and cities for resources.”
“And survivors,” Corey added. “There are still people out there, running and hiding just like we were. If we can find them, bring them back here, we can start rebuilding.”
Ntlentle leaned over the map, her finger tracing the nearby locations. “We should prioritise places that haven’t been completely overrun. Smaller towns might still have untouched supplies, and the creatures tend to swarm the larger cities.”
Palesa nodded in agreement. “And we need to set up a communication system. If we’re going to send out scouting parties, we’ll need to stay in contact with the base.”
Dr. Moloi looked thoughtful. “There’s an old radio tower a few miles from here. If we can get it operational, we could boost the signal enough to reach other survivors—and maybe other groups that are still out there.”
“That’s our next goal, then,” D’Souza said, marking the location of the tower on the map. “We get the radio tower up and running, scout for supplies, and start looking for other survivors. From there, we plan our long-term strategy.”
Corey felt a surge of determination as he looked around the room.
“We’ll make it work,” Corey said firmly, his eyes meeting Ntlentle’s across the table. “We’ll make Haven a place where we can rebuild. A place where we can win.”
The group nodded in agreement, the sense of unity between them growing stronger. They had come a long way from the chaos and fear of the early days of the outbreak, and now, with the stabilising agent and the safety of the base, they were ready to take control of their future.