CHAPTER 16: 16: THE WORLD WAS EXPANDING

Winter moved silently through the abandoned streets of the city, his every step muffled by months of accumulated dust and debris. Half-collapsed buildings loomed overhead, casting long shadows across the cracked pavement.

He kept his gaze forward, scanning for any movement, while his mind drifted—unintentionally—back to that woman, he didn’t know her name. The reckless woman he’d encountered just days ago.

He clenched his jaw, irritated that he was even thinking about her. It’s not concern, he told himself.

If anything, it was disbelief that someone so brash could last a single day in this city. The fact that she’d gone back the way they’d come had only added to his assumption.

She was probably already hiding somewhere, exhausted and scared.

Winter smirked to himself, dismissing the thought as quickly as it had arrived.

That crazy lady wouldn’t be scared.

His amusement faded as he neared the spot where he hoped to find the cache, the promise of supplies pulling his attention back to his mission. He needed to focus; he had no time to waste on distractions, least of all on someone as reckless as Her.

*****

Elsewhere in the city, Zara made her way cautiously down an alley, Leo strapped securely to her chest. Every so often, she glanced down, whispering soothing words to keep him calm.

As she had promised, she took him everywhere now. It wasn’t ideal, but it was better than leaving him unsupervised. Plus, she didn’t have to waste travel time.

It didn’t help that Leo was also extra clingy since that night. Her poor baby must have been really scared.

The city’s streets seemed quieter today, though the quiet unnerved her more than the noise. It reminded her of the night they were forced out of the house. As they moved through the deserted streets, Zara looked for any signs of the man she’d encountered earlier.

The thought startled her. Why was she even thinking about that man?

She didn’t know his name.

She hadn’t thought to ask, not like there was time, or he was receptive to small talk.

’Arrogant jerk,’ she thought, grinding her teeth together.

She scanned the faces of any passerby from a distance, never getting too close to anyone, but so far, no luck.

Not that she needed him, of course.

But there was a flicker of curiosity, a half-formed question that nagged at her—who was he, really, and what was he doing here?

They reached a quieter alley, and Zara knelt, easing Leo off her back to sit beside her. "Alright, Leo. Let’s practice."

The training was as much for her as it was for him. Leo’s ability to operate the device might make the difference between life and death if they were caught in a tight spot.

He nodded solemnly, holding out his small hand. With a few murmured words of encouragement, he closed his eyes, concentrating hard as he reached into his tiny space dimension. He pulled out a small tin of preserved fruit moments later, grinning triumphantly.

Zara chuckled softly, her hand brushing through his curls. "Good job, little man." She pulled out a spoon and helped him scoop a few bites.

From what she had understood while watching him, her son had been given a storage space. Leo had unconsciously put things into this space while they were home. So far, she recognised some of the water jugs, first aid kits, blankets, processed food, and other things that should have gone bad but were still fresh and edible.

Watching him eat, she felt a pang of guilt. This life of scavenging, hiding, and dodging people and monsters alike wasn’t what she wanted for him.

*****

Hours later, the distant sound of gunfire shattered the quiet, followed by frantic shouting. Zara’s heart raced, and she scooped Leo up, pressing him close as she flattened against the wall, straining to listen.

Zara’s pulse raced. A gunfight? Here in the open? The sudden, loud noises made her tense, and she felt Leo shudder against her, his tiny fingers gripping her shirt in fear.

They found themselves lying low in a derelict storefront, hidden from view, as they heard the distant pop of gunfire and the angry shouts of men echoing through the streets.

Zara’s body instinctively curled around Leo, shielding him as she listened intently, trying to gauge the threat’s distance. The voices outside grew louder, overlapping in an angry, chaotic mess.

"...territory’s ours!" someone shouted. "Back off if you don’t want a bullet in your skull!"

Another voice shot back, "Like hell it is! We were here first!"

A voice roared back unintelligible words, more gunshots following.

The gunfire intensified, interspersed with blood-curdling screams. Zara felt Leo tense against her, his small hands gripping her shirt as tightly as possible, his eyes squeezed shut.

"Mama...?"

"It’s okay, baby," she murmured, her voice low and calm, though her heart pounded in her chest. "It’s just... loud noises. We’ll be okay. Mama’s got you."

She felt his little face buried against her neck, and she swallowed hard, steeling herself against the wave of fear.

Now was not the time to be scared, not with Leo here. But...

Zombies she could deal with anytime, any day, but humans? With guns?

"Mama... there are other people here?...why are they shouting?" Leo’s voice was barely a whisper, and she could see his wide eyes filled with confusion and anxiety. She swallowed hard, forcing herself to maintain calm.

"Yes, baby, there are other people besides us here."

That’s right, Leo hadn’t seen people in the past 8 months besides her. This must be shocking for him.

"They’re just... arguing, sweetie," she continued softly. "They’re mad at each other, but I promise they’ll be quiet soon." She rocked him gently, trying to soothe him. "Do you remember what I told you about people who argue? They get tired really fast, so they’ll stop soon."

Leo nodded, though his grip didn’t loosen. She held him closer, her heart pounding as the gunshots grew louder, closer.

Should she try crawling away?

’Shit! Humans were so stupid,’ she thought, brows furrowing. ’Why would they be wasting their ammo like this? What would they do when the zombies came drawn to the noise?’

And then, with horrifying predictability, she heard the telltale groans—the moans of the zombies drawn to the sounds of violence.

A scream rang out, followed by frantic shouting. The clash had turned into utter chaos. She heard the dull thuds of fists meeting flesh, shrieks of terror as the zombies found fresh prey, and the crackle of gunfire as humans tried to fend off the undead. Blood, fear, and desperation filled the air.

The sounds lasted till the sun went down. The aftermath was horrible.

The street was littered with mangled bodies, both human and undead, twisted into grotesque shapes. Blood soaked the ground, pooling in dark, sticky puddles that reflected the moon’s dim light. Entrails were strewn across the pavement, and the sickly stench of death permeated the air, mingling with the acrid scent of gunpowder.

Zara tightened her hold on Leo, pressing his small face against her chest to shield him from the horrors. Her hand trembled as she guided him through the carnage, careful not to step on the bodies.

A man’s face frozen in a scream, a zombie’s shattered skull, a hand reaching out, severed from its owner.

"Don’t look, baby. Keep your eyes closed," she whispered, her voice trembling despite her best efforts to stay calm.

Her legs felt like lead as she pushed past the carnage. She found a narrow alley tucked behind a crumbling wall, the dim light obscuring the worst of the chaos. Only when she was certain they were safe did she sink to her knees, clutching Leo tightly.

"It’s okay now," she murmured, rocking him gently. "We’re safe. Mama’s got you."

Leo whimpered softly, his fingers curling into her shirt. "Bad noises," he mumbled, his voice muffled against her chest.

"I know, sweetheart. They’re all gone now."

Eventually, his breathing slowed, and his grip loosened. When he finally drifted off, Zara set him down carefully on a makeshift bed of old fabric scraps. She sat beside him, her body rigid as the adrenaline ebbed, leaving her hollow and shaking.

Her stomach churned as the images replayed in her mind. She pressed a hand to her mouth, but it was no use. Stumbling to the corner of the alley, she vomited, her body convulsing as bile burned her throat. She clung to the wall for support, gasping for air.

The world blurred with tears as she wiped her mouth. Her thoughts raced: This is the world now. Death everywhere, and it’s only getting worse. She thought of Leo and how he had no choice but to grow up in this nightmare.

She slid back to where Leo lay and smoothed a hand over his hair. "I’m sorry, baby," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I’m so, so sorry."

*****

As they scavenged a quieter part of the city the next day, Zara’s nerves were still frayed from the encounter. Even Leo seemed more subdued even though he hadn’t seen the aftereffects of the carnage.

Zara’s arms ached as she hefted Leo higher on her chest. They’d been moving for hours, dodging the undead and avoiding groups of scavengers. She kept him distracted with the soft hum of an old lullaby, her voice barely above a whisper as she checked the corners before moving forward.

She turned into another alley, the narrow path littered with debris, but the moment her boot scraped against the ground, Zara froze. Voices. Close. Too close.

It was too late to back away slowly.

Five people came into view,

The woman, shorter but stocky, stepped forward, raising her hands in a placating gesture. "Easy there," she said, her voice soft and calm. "We’re not looking for trouble. Are you okay? Is the kid okay?"

Zara’s grip on her bat tightened instinctively.

She adjusted the strap of the carrier, trying to gauge their intent.

The man’s smile didn’t reach his eyes, but the woman’s concern seemed genuine—or at least practised enough to feel real.

"Just passing through," Zara said evenly, her voice steady despite the rapid thrum of her heartbeat. "We’re fine."

"You sure?" The woman took another step closer, her gaze flicking briefly to the harness holding Leo. "That’s no place for a kid. Look, we’ve got food, water, a safe spot not far from here. You shouldn’t be out here alone."

Zara swallowed the sharp retort that rose in her throat. She didn’t trust them—how could she? But there were five of them, and only her. If she rejected their offer outright, there was no telling how they’d react. Leo stirred slightly against her chest, sensing her tension, and she rubbed his back to soothe him.

"Thanks," she said, forcing her tone to remain neutral. "But we’re managing."

The teenage boy snorted, crossing his arms. "Managing? Out here with a kid? Right. And I’m the king of the apocalypse."

The man shot him a look, silencing him before turning back to Zara. "Look, lady, we’re just trying to help. It’s unsafe out here, especially with the new variants popping up. Let us help you. You don’t have to trust us yet but come with us, at least for tonight. Get some rest. You’ll be safer with numbers."

They weren’t giving her much of a choice, though; the alley was narrow, and the group had her boxed in. She glanced behind her, but retreat wasn’t an option without looking suspicious.

She forced a small, hesitant nod. "All right," she said carefully, keeping her tone guarded. "Just for tonight."

The woman’s face lit up, and she reached out as if to take Zara’s arm. Zara stiffened, stepping back just enough to avoid the contact without making it obvious.

"Great," the woman said, her smile warm. "You’ll see—we’re good people. Come on, it’s just a few blocks away."

The man motioned for her to follow, his movements slow, as if trying not to spook her.

"How long have you been here?" The lady asked, staring at Leo curiously.

Zara hesitated, feeling the weight of Leo’s head on her shoulder. He had fallen asleep. "Long enough. I didn’t... have a choice."

"Yeah, not many of us did," the woman replied, her tone sympathetic. "City B’s been rough. All these people showing up out of nowhere, though... something’s pulling them in."

Zara looked at her, curiosity piqued. "Pulling them in?"

The woman nodded. "I’m sure you’ve heard, but a rumour is going around. Apparently, a massive cache of supplies is hidden somewhere in the city. Enough to last a whole year, maybe more. Some rich guy’s stockpile. The problem is, he didn’t exactly share the location before his family offed him for it."

Zara’s eyes widened slightly. So that was what brought all these people here. She had been thinking it was some kind of military supply depo or maybe a factory warehouse underground or something. A treasure hunt for the cache, for survival, for a chance to live just a bit longer. Her mind immediately drifted back to the stranger. Was that what he came for as well?

As if reading her mind, the woman added, "Most folks here are just trying to survive, but there’s been trouble. Gangs forming, people staking out territory... It’s not safe, even with the supplies."

She felt Leo shift against her again and tried to adjust to make him comfortable. She couldn’t let her guard down around these people.

"Mommy, are they nice?" Leo whispered, his small voice tinged with curiosity.

So he had woken up. "Stay quiet, baby," she murmured, her eyes never leaving the group.