Age of zombies

[66] Breakout

The room felt heavy, the air thick with unspoken words. Emma sat on the edge of her chair, her small hands clutching the sleeves of her worn-out sweater. Her eyes, usually bright with curiosity, were downcast, and I could see the sadness etched on her face before she even said a word.

I opened my mouth to speak, but she beat me to it.

"Are you leaving?" Her voice was small, trembling.

I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. Damn it, I thought. This is gonna be harder than I thought.

"Yeah, Emma," I said softly, trying to keep my tone gentle. "I have to. There are other people I need to take care of, other kids who need help, just like you did."

Her face crumpled, and before I could say anything else, she bolted from her chair and wrapped her arms around me, burying her face into my side. Her little body shook as she clung to me, her voice rising in a desperate cry.

"No!" she wailed. "I don't want you to go! Please, don't leave me! I'll be good, I'll do whatever you say—just don't go!"

I froze, my heart twisting in my chest. I'd seen this coming, but it didn't make it any easier. I knelt down to her level, placing my hands on her shoulders, trying to steady her.

"Emma, hey, listen to me," I said, my voice calm despite the knot forming in my throat. "This isn't goodbye forever, okay? You're strong, and you're going to be okay. There's a family waiting for you, and they're going to take good care of you. You'll see."

She shook her head violently, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I don't care! I don't want them! I want you!"

Before I could respond, the sound of an explosion shattered the moment. The entire building seemed to shake, and a split second later, the sharp crack of gunfire filled the air. My instincts kicked in, and I grabbed Emma, pulling her close as we both ducked instinctively.

"WTF?" I muttered under my breath, my heart racing.

Just then, the door to the room burst open, and Dr. Applelove rushed in, her usual calm demeanor replaced by wide-eyed urgency. "Jake, we have to move. Now!"

"What's happening?" I asked, my voice tight as I stood, pulling Emma with me.

"Raiders," Dr. Applelove said, her tone clipped and serious. "They've broken through the front gate. We're evacuating to the hospital. Get the patients, we're leaving now."

Emma's grip on my hand tightened, her fear now mingling with confusion. "Raiders?" she whispered, her voice trembling.

I squeezed her hand reassuringly. "It's going to be okay," I said, though I wasn't entirely sure myself. "We just need to move fast."

Dr. Applelove nodded toward the hallway, already moving toward the exit. "Everyone is gathering outside. We'll have to make a run for it."

I grabbed Emma's backpack from the chair, slinging it over my shoulder. "Come on, Emma, we're going to stick together, alright?"

She nodded, her small hand still gripping mine like a lifeline. We followed Dr. Applelove out of the room and into the hallway, where the other patients and staff were already scrambling to leave. The sound of gunfire was getting closer, each shot sending a jolt of adrenaline through my veins.

"Keep moving!" Dr. Applelove shouted as we reached the front door, her voice barely audible over the chaos outside.

We stepped out onto the street, the cold air hitting us like a slap. People were running in every direction, and the distant sound of screams filled the air. My heart pounded in my chest, but I kept my focus on Emma, shielding her as we moved toward the hospital.