CHAPTER 66: 66: THE WORLD WITH YOU (II)

Winter sat in the silence, trying to make sense of what had happened. The storm outside had begun to ease, its relentless howling now reduced to a steady patter against the windows.

Zara had rested on his shoulder, her breathing uneven but gradually slowing as if exhaustion had finally claimed her. The kid was out like a light, his tiny body slack with sleep, cradled protectively in her arms.

Winter’s gaze flicked to them both, his chest tightening in a way he couldn’t quite explain. He wasn’t the sentimental type, never had been. Not since what had happened that day, but Zara seemed to have that effect on him.

Yet here he was, sitting in the wreckage of their lives, unable to leave them behind.

The kid shifted slightly, murmuring something incoherent in his sleep. Winter glanced away, rubbing the back of his neck. What was he even doing here? What kind of mess had he let himself get dragged into this time?

"Why?" she asked suddenly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Winter’s gaze snapped to her, his brows furrowing. So she wasn’t asleep? "Why what?"

"Why did you help us?" Her voice trembled barely steady enough to form the words. "Why didn’t you just...leave?"

Winter regarded her silently for a moment, his jaw working as if debating how much to say. Finally, he shifted slightly, resting his forearms on his knees. "Because I couldn’t."

Zara blinked, caught off guard by the simplicity of his answer. "You don’t owe us anything."

"No, I don’t." His tone was matter-of-fact, but there was something else beneath it—something that made her want to push further. "But I’m not the kind of man who walks away from a fight. Especially when someone like you is caught in the middle."

His words hung in the air, heavy with implications she didn’t know how to unpack. She looked away, her fingers tightening around Leo’s small hand.

"You can gripe at me for it later," Winter added, his voice softening. "But right now, you need to rest."

Zara shook her head. "I can’t. Not while—"

"You can." Winter’s voice was firm, cutting through her protest. "You’re no good to him if you collapse. So, close your eyes. Just for a little while. I’ll keep watch."

Her throat tightened at his words. She wanted to argue, to insist, but the adrenaline that had kept her upright had faded fast, leaving her drained and vulnerable.

"Okay," she whispered, her voice breaking. She adjusted Leo in her arms, cradling him closer as she allowed her head to rest against Winter’s shoulder again.

Zara’s eyelids grew heavier, her body succumbing to the exhaustion she’d been fighting.

Winter’s steady presence beside her was a strange comfort, a reminder that she wasn’t completely alone for now. She allowed herself to drift, not quite asleep but no longer fully awake, but her grip on Leo never loosened.

*****

When she awoke, it was to the sound of muffled voices. Her heart leapt into her throat, panic surging through her veins as she instinctively clutched Leo tighter. But then she recognized Winter’s voice, low and even, speaking to someone just outside the door.

She sat up slowly, her body stiff and sore. Leo stirred in her arms, his small face scrunching as he murmured in his sleep. She pressed a kiss to his forehead, soothing him before turning her attention to Winter.

He was standing now, his back to her, his frame filling the doorway. His posture was tense, his hand resting on the gun holstered at his hip. Whoever he was speaking to, it wasn’t someone he trusted.

Zara strained to hear the conversation, her ears picking up bits and pieces.

"...not your concern," Winter was saying, his tone icy. "They’re under my protection."

A gruff voice responded, too low for her to make out the words. Winter’s stance shifted slightly, his shoulders squaring as if bracing for a fight.

Zara’s pulse quickened. She placed Leo gently on the floor, wrapping him in Winter’s jacket before standing. Her legs wobbled beneath her, but she forced herself to move toward the door.

"Zara, stay back," Winter said without looking at her, his voice sharper than she’d ever heard it.

She froze, her heart hammering. "Who is it?"

"Trouble," Winter muttered. He turned his head slightly, just enough to glance at her over his shoulder. "Stay with the kid. I’ll handle this."

Zara hesitated, torn between obeying and demanding answers. But the look in Winter’s eyes stopped her. It wasn’t fear—Winter didn’t strike her as the type to be afraid. It was something else. Determination. A promise.

She nodded reluctantly, retreating to where Leo lay sleeping. She knelt beside him, her hand resting on his back as she watched Winter’s silhouette in the doorway.

The conversation outside grew heated, and the gruff voice rose in anger. Winter didn’t budge; his responses were calm but firm. Finally, there was a heavy pause, followed by retreating footsteps. The door closed with a soft click, and Winter turned back to her.

"Who was that?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Someone who doesn’t need to know you’re here," he said, his expression grim. He crossed the room in a few quick strides, his movements sharp with barely contained energy. "We need to move. Now."

Zara’s stomach twisted. "What happened?"

"They’ll be back," Winter said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "And they won’t come alone."

*****

The storm had passed, but the night outside was still dark, the world cloaked in shadows. Winter led the way, his steps quick and quiet as he guided Zara and Leo through the abandoned highway.

Zara clutched Leo to her chest, her eyes darting nervously to every shadow that shifted in the faint light of the moon.

Winter stopped abruptly, holding up a hand to signal her to stay quiet. He scanned the street ahead, his body tense, every muscle coiled tightly.

Zara held her breath, her heart pounding as she waited for his signal.

After a moment, Winter relaxed slightly and motioned for her to follow. "It’s clear."

They moved quickly, their footsteps muffled against the wet pavement. Zara’s arms ached from holding Leo, but she didn’t dare complain. The only thing that mattered was getting him to safety.

"Why didn’t you tell me about him before?" Winter’s question came out of nowhere.

Zara stiffened, her breath catching. "This really isn’t the time."

"Humor me," Winter replied, his voice quieter but no less insistent. "You’ve been through hell, I’ll give you that. But why keep him a secret?"

She hesitated, her gaze darting between Winter and Leo, who was still sound asleep in her arms.

Finally, she sighed, her shoulders slumping. "I didn’t trust anyone—not with him. Not even you."

"You don’t trust people easily. I get that. But I was travelling with you for weeks." Winter’s expression shifted, a mix of anger and hurt flickering across his face. "You think I’d have turned you away? That I’d have let a kid starve out there?"

Zara flinched at the sharpness in his tone. Her grip on Leo tightened. "I didn’t know what you’d do," she admitted quietly, her voice raw. "And I couldn’t take that chance."

"Protect him from me?" Winter stopped walking, turning to face her fully. His gaze held no anger, only a quiet intensity that made her stomach twist.

"No," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "From the world. From anyone who could hurt him. It wasn’t about you, Winter. It was about survival."

Winter studied her for a moment before nodding slowly. "Fair enough. But you don’t have to do this alone anymore, Zara. You’ve got me now, whether you like it or not."

She huffed out a breath, the tension in her shoulders easing slightly. "You say that like it’s supposed to be comforting."

"It should be," Winter said, resuming his stride. "I’m very comforting. People say that about me all the time."

Zara rolled her eyes, the faintest smile tugging at her lips. "Yeah, right. Mr. Sunshine over here."

"Glad you’re catching on," Winter deadpanned. His tone was light, but there was something in the way he stepped closer to her, hand resting near the holster of his gun.

The faint humor fizzled as they continued their trek. For a while, they walked in silence, the only sounds their footsteps and the occasional rustle of the wind.

Ahead, Winter froze, his hand rising in a silent signal for Zara to stop. She obeyed instantly, her pulse spiking as her eyes scanned for the danger he’d spotted.

Scavengers. A group of them, silhouetted in the distance, clustered around the carcass of an abandoned vehicle. Their movements were erratic, hunched figures picking through scraps with a frantic desperation that made her stomach churn.

Winter motioned her closer, his voice low and controlled. "Stay quiet. We’ll go around."

As they crouched behind the wreckage of an overturned truck, Zara couldn’t stop herself from thinking about Leo, about the risks she’d taken to keep him safe. Her gaze flickered to Winter. He had risked himself for them, more than once. And yet...

A sharp noise from the scavenger group brought them both back to the present. One of the figures had looked up, their head tilting as if sniffing the air.

Winter’s hand went to the pistol at his hip. "Move. Now."

They slipped away as quietly as they could, weaving through the maze of abandoned vehicles until the scavengers were far behind. When Winter finally deemed it safe to stop, Zara collapsed against a rusted sedan, her arms trembling from the strain of carrying Leo.

Winter crouched beside her, his gaze scanning the horizon. "We’ll find somewhere to rest soon. Can’t risk staying out here much longer."

She nodded, too tired to argue.

*****

Eventually, Winter stopped beside a large truck, its trailer tipped on its side. He motioned for Zara to crouch behind it, giving them a moment of cover. He pulled out a map from his jacket, spreading it out on the ground.

"Here," he said, pointing to a marked location. "If we stick to the highway, we’ll hit City H by morning. But it’s going to get riskier the closer we get."

"Riskier how?" Zara asked, keeping her voice low.

"More scavengers. More zombies. And if those guys from earlier catch our trail, we’ll have a fight on our hands."

Zara bit her lip, glancing down at Leo. His small face was peaceful in sleep, blissfully unaware of the danger surrounding them. "And if the city isn’t safe?"

Winter didn’t answer immediately. When he did, his voice was grim. "Then we keep moving."