Zombie apocalypse:whispers from the dark

Facing the darkness

The abandoned building provided shelter, but there was no escaping the tension in the air. The wind howled outside, rattling the boarded-up windows, but the group sat in silence, gathering their strength for what lay ahead.

Zach sat across from Anastasia, his back against the wall, his bat resting beside him. His piercing blue eyes scanned the room, landing on each of his companions. Mei sat beside her sister, nervously fiddling with the edge of her jacket. Aradhya stood near the window, watching for any sign of movement. Yeong Do remained by the door, his posture rigid, as if daring anyone—or anything—to try and breach their haven.

“We’re not running anymore,” Zach said suddenly, his voice breaking the quiet.

Yeong Do glanced over his shoulder, his black eyes hard. “Damn right we’re not.”

Zach’s gaze shifted to Anastasia, who gave him a small nod of agreement. “No more looking over our shoulders. If that guy and his people come after us, we’ll face them head-on.”

Aradhya turned from the window, her expression fierce. “We fight. We win. End of story.”

Mei, though visibly shaken, lifted her chin. “We’ve already survived so much. What’s a few more psychos?” Her heterochromatic eyes glinted with newfound determination, as if daring the world to challenge them.

Anastasia leaned back against the wall, her green eyes shining with pride. “That’s what I like to hear.” She smiled at Mei, squeezing her sister’s shoulder. “We’ve got this. Together.”

Zach admired the strength Anastasia displayed—not just in herself, but how she brought it out in others. He couldn’t help but be drawn to her, feeling something he hadn’t allowed himself to feel in this grim new reality: hope.

“We need a plan,” Yeong Do said, pulling the group’s attention. “We can’t stay here forever.”

“I agree,” Zach replied. “We need to find somewhere more secure. But first, we need supplies. And we need to be ready to face whatever comes next.”

Mei piped up, her voice stronger than before. “We need weapons. We can’t just rely on what we have. If we’re going to fight, we need to fight smart.”

Anastasia nodded in agreement. “There’s a sporting goods store a few blocks away. If it hasn’t been raided already, it might have something useful.”

Zach stood up, brushing dust from his jeans. “Alright, then. We go at first light.”

The room grew quiet again as they all settled down, preparing for a few hours of rest before dawn. Zach sat back down, this time closer to Anastasia. As the others began to relax, he leaned toward her, lowering his voice so only she could hear.

“You were amazing out there today,” he said, his blue eyes searching hers. “I don’t know how I’d keep it together without you.”

Anastasia met his gaze, a small smile tugging at her lips. “You don’t have to do this alone, Zach. We’re in this together.”

For a moment, Zach said nothing, just letting her words sink in. In the middle of all this darkness, Anastasia was his light. He reached out, gently brushing a lock of hair from her face, his hand lingering by her cheek.

“I’m not going to lose you,” he whispered, his voice low and raw. “I can’t.”

Anastasia’s breath hitched at the intensity in his voice, her green eyes locked onto his. Slowly, she reached up, placing her hand over his. “You won’t,” she promised softly. “We’re going to make it, Zach. Both of us.”

Zach leaned in, his forehead resting against hers. Their world was crumbling around them, but in that moment, everything felt still. For the first time in what seemed like forever, there was peace.

“Hey, you two!” Aradhya’s voice snapped them back to reality. “Save the romantic moments for after we survive this apocalypse, alright?”

Anastasia pulled back with a laugh, though her cheeks flushed. “Sorry, Aradhya. We’ll get back to being badasses now.”

Zach grinned, shaking his head. “Yeah, yeah. We’ll be ready to kick some zombie ass at dawn.”

The next morning, as the sun barely peeked over the horizon, the group was on the move. They moved swiftly and silently, navigating the desolate streets toward the sporting goods store. Every shadow seemed like a threat, but they were fearless, ready to face whatever came.

“We’re getting close,” Yeong Do muttered, pointing toward the store in the distance. “I don’t see any movement.”

“Good,” Mei said. “We’re not in the mood for more surprises.”

As they approached the entrance, Zach motioned for everyone to stop. “Stay sharp. We don’t know what’s inside.”

They slipped through the broken doors, stepping into the dimly lit store. Dust coated the shelves, and the place had clearly been abandoned for some time. But, to their relief, it didn’t seem like it had been completely looted.

“Fan out,” Zach ordered. “Grab anything useful. Weapons, food, supplies—anything we can use.”

Anastasia stayed close to Zach, scanning the shelves. “Looks like we might get lucky here.”

Zach nodded, keeping his eyes on the aisles ahead. “Let’s hope so.”

Mei and Aradhya worked quickly, gathering as many weapons as they could find—hunting knives, baseball bats, and a few crossbows that hadn’t been touched. Yeong Do checked for any food that might still be edible, tossing cans of beans and other non-perishables into his bag.

Zach grabbed a few extra knives, handing one to Anastasia. “In case you need a backup.”

She smirked, twirling the knife in her hand. “I like to be prepared.”

Zach couldn’t help but chuckle, admiring her confidence. “I noticed.”

As they finished gathering supplies, Mei approached, her eyes gleaming with excitement. “Found something cool.” She held up a flare gun, waving it in front of them. “Might come in handy.”

“Good find,” Aradhya said, nodding in approval.

As they prepared to leave, Yeong Do caught Zach’s attention. “We need to keep moving. This place won’t stay quiet for long.”

Zach agreed, motioning for everyone to head for the exit. But before they could make it out the door, a loud crash echoed from the back of the store.

“Shit,” Mei cursed, gripping her knife. “What was that?”

“Get ready,” Zach warned, his voice steady but sharp.

They waited, weapons raised, as the sound of footsteps grew closer. A figure emerged from the shadows—a lone zombie, its face twisted in rage, stumbling toward them with bloodlust in its eyes.

Yeong Do moved first, his crowbar flashing in the dim light as he swung, crushing the zombie’s skull with a sickening crunch. The body collapsed to the floor in a heap.

“That was easy,” Aradhya said, a smirk on her face.

Zach glanced around warily. “Too easy.”

As if on cue, a chorus of moans filled the air, and from the back of the store, more zombies began to pour through the broken windows.

“Time to go!” Anastasia shouted, grabbing Zach’s hand.

They ran toward the exit, weapons at the ready, their hearts pounding. Zach could feel Anastasia’s grip on his hand, strong and steady, as they pushed through the shattered glass doors and back into the streets.

Zombies swarmed behind them, but Zach wasn’t afraid. Not anymore. He had Anastasia by his side, and with her—and the rest of the group—they could face anything.

As they sprinted through the empty streets, Mei’s voice rang out with fierce determination. “Bring it on, you undead bastards!”

Aradhya laughed as she ran, swinging her bat at the closest zombie. “Hell yeah!”

Zach smiled to himself, his heart lighter than it had been in weeks. They were survivors—strong, fearless, and together.

And no matter what came next, he knew they’d fight for each other until the end.