Left to survive.

Silent Hunt...

Sophia drove for a long stretch, and soon they reached the mall. The once bustling area was eerily quiet, with no signs of life or movement. The road was deserted, and an unsettling silence hung in the air.

As they arrived, Avery turned to the group and said, "Okay, everyone, listen up. We'll split into four groups to cover everything efficiently. The Eagles will handle the food, the Ostriches will take care of the clothes, and a few more people will join the Wolves to gather weapons. The rest of us will form the Cats, and their task is to secure electronic devices so we can stay connected to the outside world."

The group nodded in understanding, each member mentally preparing for their assigned task. Avery continued, "Remember, stay alert and communicate if you run into any trouble. Let's make this quick and safe. We don't know what might be waiting for us inside."

With that, everyone began to organize themselves according to their assigned roles. The Eagles headed towards the food stores, the Ostriches made their way to the clothing sections, the Wolves geared up for the weapons, and the Cats focused on finding and gathering electronic devices.

As they moved through the deserted mall, the atmosphere was tense but purposeful. Each group set out with determination, knowing that their survival depended on how efficiently they could gather supplies and stay coordinated.

Grace, who was in the Cats, led her team to the second floor of the mall. They quickly scoured the area, finding numerous phones and collecting as many as they could. They also discovered hidden SIM cards, hoping that some data would still be available. Among their finds, Grace spotted a laptop, knowing Avery preferred using laptops over phones. She made sure to grab it, confident it would be useful for Avery.

Meanwhile, the Wolves were on the ground floor, where they encountered a few zombies. They quickly learned that a strong shot to the head was an instant kill, provided the shot was forceful enough. After dispatching the zombies, they gathered a variety of weapons, including bats and shields, adding them to their collection.

The Ostriches had split into two groups to tackle the boys' and girls' sections of the store. The girls faced a tough fight with zombies, but they managed to clear the area. With their mission complete, the Ostriches regrouped and made their way back to the bus with their haul of clothes.

The Eagles, tasked with gathering food, had to navigate the second and third floors. They managed to collect a significant amount of food but encountered a large number of zombies in the process. Avery, noticing the Ostriches, Wolves, and Cats returning with their supplies, realized the situation was getting dire. She instructed Arthur, who was hiding behind a pillar to avoid detection, "We can push the zombies down. They might not survive the fall."

Arthur nodded in agreement. Avery began to scream, drawing the zombies' attention towards her. She dashed around, maneuvering to lure the zombies towards a large banner hanging from the ceiling of the mall. She leaped onto the banner but struggled to maintain her grip, starting to slip. As the zombies tumbled down from the upper floors, Avery let go of the slippery banner, grabbing onto a grill on the second floor for support.

Panic surged through her as she thought it might be the end. And at the bus, After a tense 10 minutes back at the bus, the group started to worry. "It's been 10 minutes; they're not here. We have to leave," someone said.

Sophia, having seen the zombies fall, dashed back inside the mall. She hurried to the first floor, where she saw Avery hanging onto the grill. Without hesitation, Sophia ran up and helped her up.

Grace, who had been anxiously waiting, saw Avery and Sophia emerge from the mall. Relieved, she rushed to meet them, her worry easing as she saw that her friends were safe.

As they made their way back to the bus, Sophia glanced at Avery and said, "You know, I saw you up there and just couldn't leave you hanging. I was worried you might fall."

Avery, still catching her breath, looked at Sophia with a mix of gratitude and relief. "I didn't expect you to come back," she admitted, her voice tinged with emotion. "Thank you for saving me."

Sophia gave her a reassuring smile. "What are friends for, right? We all need to look out for each other, especially in a mess like this."

Grace joined in, adding, "I was so worried, Avery. Please, be more careful next time."

Avery nodded, appreciating her friends' concern. "I will. Thanks, both of you. Let's get back to the bus and sort out everything we've gathered."

With their supplies in tow and their spirits lifted, the group made their way back to the bus, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

Avery had gotten a cut on her hand and her leg which she hadn't noticed. The group had settled in and was on their way to Midnight Enclave. Sophia drove while Grace slept, and Avery sat near Sophia to keep her company and make sure she wasn't getting bored. As night fell, everyone enjoyed a good meal of instant cup noodles they had bought, which everyone had been eagerly looking forward to.

After eating and settling down again, Sophia stopped the bus at the side of the road. She turned to Avery and Grace and said, "Well, I'm done for the day," before pulling Avery onto the seat she had been sitting in. With a cute pout, Sophia continued, "I just want to sleep comfortably, please let me sleep here."

Avery laughed and replied, "If you want to sleep there, just tell me—don't make that ugly face." She then mockingly mimicked Sophia's pout. Sophia, in turn, rolled her eyes playfully and quickly fell asleep.

With no empty seats available except beside Hades, Avery decided to take the driver's seat and cuddled her legs. She tried to sleep but found herself unable to, haunted by nightmares. She cracked the window open just a sliver to get some fresh air.

In a few minutes, she felt a small hand on her own and jolted her eyes open. She was relieved to see Ivy, the little girl who had woken up. Ivy rubbed her eyes and said, "Avery, I have to go to the bathroom." She struggled a bit with her pronunciation but tried her best.

"Oh, okay," Avery said, "I'll wake up Grace, and we all can go together, okay?"

"No, she is sleeping," Ivy said with a cute pout, "I saw you were awake, so I asked you. Please."

Avery chuckled and replied, "Okay, hold my hand, let's go quickly. We don't want anyone to get worried."

"Okay," Ivy agreed.

As soon as Avery stepped down from the bus with Ivy, she felt a hand on her wrist. She turned sharply and was shocked to see Sophia standing there.

Avery pulled her hand away and said, "What are you doing awake?"

Sophia looked slightly taken aback but quickly recovered. "Me?" she scoffed. "You're the one going out of the bus in the middle of the night at 11 PM."

Avery narrowed her eyes and replied, "I'm just helping Ivy to the bathroom. It's not like you should be up either. What are you doing?"

Sophia shrugged. "I heard some noise and came to check it out."

Avery sighed and glanced at Ivy, who was looking up at them with wide eyes. "Well, since you're already up, you might as well help us out. Just keep an eye on things while Ivy uses the bathroom."

Sophia nodded and stood nearby, her presence providing an unexpected sense of security. Avery stayed close to Ivy, making sure she was safe. After a few minutes, Ivy was finished, and they headed back to the bus.

They re-entered the bus, and Sophia followed them inside, closing the door behind her.

Avery put Ivy to sleep and settled her beside Hades's seat. She said, "Don't get uncomfortable; there are no more empty seats. If she holds your hand, let me know, and I'll take her."

Hades nodded, and Avery moved to the driver's seat. It wasn't the most comfortable spot to sleep, but it would have to do. She closed her eyes, trying to find rest despite her restless mind. While Sophia went back near Grace and slept.

A short while later, Avery also drifted into deep slumber.

Will the group make it to Asher? Or will they get stuck in the middle of it?

///Hello Everyone! I am very excited for the next chapter, and stay tuned by friends! Peace///