Still Breathing

Chapter 10

The Prisoner

The sun beat down mercilessly on the cracked asphalt of the abandoned town, glinting off the rusted husks of cars and the shattered windows of looted storefronts. Rose wiped the sweat from her brow with the back of her hand, squinting against the glare as she scanned the empty streets for any sign of movement.

Beside her, Sebastian was a solid, reassuring presence, his eyes sharp and his grip steady on his rifle. Max and Tobias brought up the rear, their faces grim and their steps cautious as they picked their way through the debris.

It had been three days since the horrors of Camp Stillwater, three days of licking their wounds and fortifying their defenses against the undead hordes. But supplies were running low, and they all knew they couldn't stay hidden away forever. So when the idea of a scavenging run was proposed, Rose had been the first to volunteer, eager to feel useful, to do something other than sit and wait for the next disaster to strike.

Now, picking her way through the silent, sun-bleached streets, she felt a prickle of unease skitter down her spine. It was too quiet, too still. Like the whole world was holding its breath, waiting for the next blow to fall.

"There," Max said suddenly, pointing to a small grocery store on the corner. "That looks promising."

They approached cautiously, weapons at the ready, senses straining for any hint of danger. The storefront was barricaded with plywood and sandbags, but Rose could see a flicker of movement behind the dirty glass.

"Someone's in there," she murmured, tightening her grip on her makeshift spear.

Sebastian nodded grimly. "We approach slow and easy," he said, his voice low and even. "No sudden movements. We don't know if they're friendly or-"

A gunshot cracked the air, making them all flinch. A bullet pinged off the asphalt at their feet, sending up a puff of dust and pulverized concrete.

"That's far enough!" a ragged voice shouted from inside the store. "I've got plenty more where that came from, so just turn around and keep walking!"

Rose's heart was in her throat, adrenaline singing through her veins. But Sebastian just raised his hands slowly, his rifle dangling from its strap.

"We don't want any trouble," he called out, his voice calm and clear. "We're just looking for supplies. Maybe we can make a trade?"

There was a tense pause, then the sound of a bolt being drawn back. The door creaked open a crack, revealing a haggard, wild-eyed man in a filthy lab coat. He glared at them suspiciously over the barrel of a shotgun.

"I don't want anything from you," he spat. "I just want to be left alone."

Rose stepped forward, keeping her movements slow and deliberate. "Please," she said softly. "We've been through hell. We're just trying to survive, same as you."

The man's bloodshot eyes darted between them, his finger twitching on the trigger. But then Sebastian spoke again, his words cutting through the taut silence like a blade.

"We know about Project Lazarus," he said quietly. "We know what happened at the camp."

The man went still, his face draining of color. The shotgun wavered, then lowered a fraction.

"How do you know about that?" he whispered hoarsely.

Sebastian's gaze was steady, unflinching. "Because we were there," he said simply. "We saw the labs, the experiments. We know this outbreak started there. And we need to know why."

For a long, breathless moment, the man just stared at them, his expression unreadable. Then, slowly, he lowered the shotgun, his shoulders slumping in defeat.