And Then, The World Ended

Chapter 29: The First Steps

The silence that followed V's declaration is heavier than any rumble of earthquake or roar of tsunami. It isn't the silence of peace but the silence of absence. The world, as we knew it, is gone.

The street we stand on is a skeletal remnant of its former self. Buildings lean precariously, their windows like vacant eyes staring at a forgotten past. Seaweed, thick and dark, clings to the lower floors, a grim watermark of the ocean's recent dominion. The air thickens with the scent of damp earth and decay, a stark contrast to the recycled air of the Megadome.

Hayes squeezes my hand, his grip a lifeline. His eyes, usually so vibrant, are shadowed with grief that mirrors my own. Sophie, Jordan, and Jake stand beside us, their faces etched with shock and desolation. We are survivors, yes, but survivors of what? A world that no longer recognizes itself.

"Arcadia," Hayes murmurs. The name feels like a cruel jest in the face of such widespread ruin.

V breaks the spell. "We need to move. The longer we stay exposed, the greater the risk." He sweeps his gaze across the desolate landscape, assessing danger with practiced precision. "The coordinates for Arcadia are still valid. It's a long journey on foot but our best chance."

Our footsteps crunch on broken glass as we navigate wreckage. Each fallen sign and overturned vehicle is a fresh wound on this landscape—a reminder of sudden brutality. The drone of insects fills the air; a sound I hadn't truly noticed before now feels alien against this backdrop.

Hours slip by under the indifferent sun as it descends in the bruised sky, casting elongated shadows that twist grotesquely across the ruins.

"We need shelter for tonight," Jordan says hoarsely.

V nods and consults his rugged device. "There's an old subway station about a kilometer from here."

The thought sends shivers down my spine; even after months in the Megadome, going underground again feels daunting. But spending a night exposed in this broken world is worse.

As we approach the station entrance—a gaping maw choked with rubble—an icy wind sweeps through desolate streets, carrying something unnatural along with it.

"Stay alert," V commands as we descend into darkness.

Dusty air fills my lungs with stale memories; beneath it lingers something sickly sweet that prickles my throat. Our flashlights cut through oppressive darkness revealing twisted metal shells and scattered debris.

A low growl echoes from deeper within—an otherworldly sound that chills me to my core.

"What was that?" Hayes whispers tightly beside me.

"I don't know," V replies sharply, raising his weapon instinctively.

Suddenly another growl erupts closer this time—something large dragging itself over concrete—and then I see it: a creature vaguely humanoid yet horrifically distorted. Its limbs elongate grotesquely; its skin mottled grey against shadows; its luminous eyes fixated on us like predator's glare ready to pounce.

"Get back!" V yells—but it's too late. The creature lunges forward like an arrow loosed from a bow.

Before I can process anything else—I shove Hayes behind me instinctively—my body moving faster than thought itself as I sidestep its charge narrowly avoiding its clawed swipe that cuts through empty air where I stood moments before.

V fires sharply; echoing gunfire ricochets off walls filling me with dread—but our enemy doesn't yield easily. It shrieks—a sound piercing enough to make my ears ring—and recovers swiftly despite V's shot creating dark fluid that oozes from its shoulder without red blood's familiarity.

"Doesn't matter!" Jordan yells tugging Sophie back into shadows as he prepares to defend her fiercely if necessary while panic wells up within me too quickly for clarity—fighting or fleeing—the decision weighs heavily upon us all at once...