Zombie apocalypse:whispers from the dark

price of survival

As the group moved forward, the tension in the air grew thicker with each passing step. They were getting closer to the factory, but every street felt more dangerous than the last. The alleyways seemed to close in on them, as if the city itself was conspiring to keep them trapped.

Zach’s mind kept circling back to his moment with Anastasia. Her words echoed in his head, and for the first time since the outbreak, he felt something beyond fear or survival—hope. But he couldn’t allow himself to dwell on it too long. Not now. Not with so much at stake.

They turned a corner, and suddenly the group froze.

Ahead of them, standing in the middle of the street, was a cluster of zombies. Unlike the ones they had seen before, these were faster, their bodies twitching with a feral energy. Their sunken eyes locked onto the group, and one of them let out a low, guttural growl.

“Shit,” Aradhya whispered, clutching her small knife tightly. “These aren’t like the others.”

“Runners,” Yeong Do muttered, his face tightening. “They’re faster. Smarter.”

“How do we get around them?” Mei asked, her voice shaky but determined.

Zach scanned the area quickly. They were too close to double back, and if they hesitated for even a second, those things would rush them. His mind raced.

“We take them out before they have the chance to charge,” Zach said quietly. “Yeong Do, you and I will hit them hard and fast. Anastasia, Mei, Aradhya—cover us from the back.”

Anastasia nodded immediately, ready for the fight. Mei looked less certain but tightened her grip on her knife. Aradhya, despite her small stature, squared her shoulders, bracing for what was to come.

“On my count,” Zach whispered, raising his bat.

They crept forward, as silent as possible, the runners still unaware of their presence. But the moment Zach’s bat swung and connected with the first zombie’s skull, the rest turned with startling speed.

“Go!” Zach shouted.

Yeong Do moved with precision, his crowbar slashing through the air as he cracked the skull of the nearest runner. The creature fell, but another quickly lunged at him from behind. Anastasia threw her knife with deadly accuracy, hitting the zombie in the throat and sending it crashing to the ground.

Zach swung his bat again, feeling the jarring impact as it hit bone. Blood sprayed, and the runners shrieked, their movements more erratic with every hit.

Mei screamed as one of the runners broke through their line, its twisted hands reaching for her. In an instant, Aradhya darted forward, slashing her knife across the zombie’s face. It staggered back, and Mei drove her own blade into its chest with a desperate yell.

“We’re not dying here!” Mei shouted, her voice trembling with both fear and adrenaline.

Zach heard the determination in her voice and grinned despite the chaos around him. “That’s the spirit!”

One by one, the runners fell, their twitching bodies collapsing in bloody heaps. The fight felt like it stretched on for hours, but in reality, it was over in a matter of minutes. Zach stood panting, blood dripping from his bat, as the last runner hit the ground with a sickening thud.

Silence returned, the only sound being the group’s ragged breathing.

“We made it,” Aradhya muttered, wiping her bloody knife on her shirt.

Mei was still trembling, but she gave a weak laugh, her eyes wide with disbelief. “I actually killed one of them…”

“You did good,” Anastasia said, pulling Mei into a quick hug. “You did great.”

Zach stepped over the bodies, his heart still racing as he met Yeong Do’s gaze. “Nice work.”

Yeong Do gave a curt nod, his expression as stoic as ever. “We keep moving.”

Zach knew Yeong Do was right. They couldn’t afford to rest, not when the threat was still so close. “Let’s go.”

They continued down the street, but the fight had rattled them all. Even Zach, who usually kept his cool, could feel the weight of what just happened pressing down on him. As they walked, Anastasia moved closer to him, her shoulder brushing against his.

“Hey,” she said softly, her green eyes searching his face. “You alright?”

Zach nodded, though he couldn’t quite meet her gaze. “Yeah. Just... thinking about how close that was.”

Anastasia’s lips pressed into a thin line. “It’s always close, isn’t it?”

“Too close,” he admitted.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then, Anastasia reached out, her hand brushing against his. It was a small gesture, but it sent a jolt through Zach’s chest. He glanced down at her hand, surprised by how much comfort he found in that simple touch.

“We’ve made it this far,” she said quietly. “And as long as we stick together, we’ll make it the rest of the way.”

Zach’s heart pounded in his chest, and before he could stop himself, he tightened his grip on her hand. “I know. I just... I don’t want to lose you.”

Anastasia looked up at him, her eyes soft but serious. “You won’t.”

The moment stretched between them, unspoken feelings hanging in the air like a fragile thread. But before either of them could say anything more, Yeong Do’s voice cut through the silence.

“There,” he said, pointing toward the distance.

Zach followed his gaze and felt his breath catch. Up ahead, silhouetted against the faint moonlight, was the factory. It loomed in the distance, its dark shape both foreboding and hopeful. They were close now, but the journey wasn’t over yet.

“We’re almost there,” Aradhya said, her voice tinged with relief.

Zach’s grip on Anastasia’s hand tightened once more before he reluctantly let go. “Let’s finish this.”

As they approached the factory, the streets became more desolate, the eerie quiet unsettling. The group huddled together, every step feeling heavier than the last. The factory’s rusted gates loomed in front of them, partially ajar, as if inviting them in.

“I don’t like this,” Mei whispered, her eyes darting nervously around the abandoned yard.

“No one does,” Yeong Do replied flatly, his grip on his crowbar tightening. “But it’s our only option.”

Zach nodded, his focus entirely on the task at hand. He couldn’t afford to let his emotions distract him now. “We move carefully. No noise, no lights. Let’s scout the area first.”

They slipped through the gate, moving in silence. The factory grounds were littered with debris, and the faint sound of wind whistled through the broken windows of the building ahead. It was quiet—too quiet.

As they made their way toward the entrance, Aradhya suddenly froze, her eyes wide. “Wait… do you hear that?”

Everyone stopped, straining to listen. At first, there was nothing but the wind. But then, faintly, the unmistakable sound of shuffling footsteps echoed from inside the factory.

Zach’s blood ran cold. “Zombies?”

Anastasia shook her head, her eyes narrowing. “No... That’s something else.”

Before they could react, the door to the factory creaked open, and a figure stepped out into the dim light. It was a man, tall and gaunt, his face hidden beneath a hood.

He looked at them with cold, calculating eyes, and a twisted smile curled on his lips. “Looks like we’ve got visitors.”