CHAPTER 69: 69: THE WORLD WAITS FOR NO ONE

"What was that?"

"What?"

The trio were in the small warehouse, panting from their mad dash through the chaos, exhaustion and adrenaline written across their faces. Leo clung to Zara’s neck, his small arms trembling as he buried his face against her shoulder.

Zara pressed her back against a rusted support beam, her chest heaving as she tried to steady her breaths. Her wide eyes scanned their makeshift refuge, cataloguing every shadow and broken machinery. The faint flicker of firelight from outside danced across Winter’s face as he knelt by the entrance, his rifle resting in his lap while his eyes scanned the darkened perimeter, avoiding her gaze.

"Why did you freeze back there?" Zara asked with a small frown. Her gaze bore into Winter, who remained crouched, his silhouette tense.

"I didn’t freeze," Winter muttered without looking at her. He busied himself checking the chamber of his rifle, but the subtle clench of his jaw betrayed the lie.

"Don’t give me that," Zara huffed, shifting Leo on her hip. Her tone softened when she caught the boy’s trembling. "You just stood there while the fire closed in. If I hadn’t grabbed you—"

"I said it was nothing." His voice was low, rough. He turned his head slightly, his profile caught in the flickering light. The shadows carved deeper hollows under his eyes, and for a moment, his haunted expression slipped through the mask he wore.

Zara narrowed her eyes, refusing to back down. "It wasn’t nothing, Winter. I saw your face. That fire did something to you."

Winter stiffened. He exhaled sharply, running a hand through his sweat-dampened hair. "Drop it, Zara," he said, his voice tinged with a warning edge. "Just... a moment of shock."

"Bullshit," Zara hissed. "That wasn’t shock. That was something else. You looked—" She stopped herself, inhaling deeply. "You looked like you’d seen a ghost."

Winter’s shoulders tensed, and for a moment, Zara thought he might snap at her. Instead, he let out a heavy sigh, the weight of it pressing into the small space between them.

"Let it go, Zara."

"No." She shifted Leo slightly and leaned forward. "If we’re going to survive out here, I need to know I can trust you. That I can rely on you. So if there’s something—anything—that could get us killed, you need to tell me."

His gaze flicked to hers, sharp and guarded. For a long moment, they stared at each other, the tension crackling like static electricity.

"I’m not a liability," Winter said finally, his voice low but edged with steel.

They sat in silence for a while, staring each other down. The warehouse creaked ominously, its skeletal frame groaning under months of neglect.

Zara didn’t let up. She shifted Leo in her arms and stood, her knees weak but fueled by determination. "We’re travelling together, Winter. I need to know if something like that is going to happen again."

He finally turned to face her, his jaw tightening. The haunted look in his eyes sent a shiver down her spine, but it also softened her anger. Something deeper was at play here, something he wasn’t ready to share.

"You wouldn’t understand," he muttered, his voice low.

"Then make me understand," Zara said, her tone gentler now. "I need to know what’s going on with you, for Leo’s sake... for all of our sakes."

Winter opened his mouth to speak, but before any words came, a raspy cough broke through the tension. Both their heads snapped to Leo, who was curled against Zara’s chest. His small body convulsed as another cough wracked him.

"Leo," Zara whispered, her voice trembling. She knelt and cradled him, reaching for her water bottle. "Here, baby, drink this. It’ll help."

Winter hovered nearby, his eyes darting between Leo and the shadows at the edges of the warehouse. "Give it to him slowly," he said, his voice quieter now.

Zara tipped the bottle carefully, but Leo choked, sputtering water across his small chin. The sound sent panic surging through her. "He’s burning up," she said, her voice rising. Her fingers pressed against his forehead, and her face crumpled. "He’s so hot—Winter, he’s so hot!"

"Zara, calm down," Winter said, though his brows furrowed in worry.

"I can’t calm down!" Zara shot back, her voice nearing hysteria.

He sighed, kneeling by her side and holding out his hands. "Here, give him to me. Check if you have any medicine in your kit."

Zara hesitated for a second before passing Leo over. Winter gently cradled his small body, tilting him to make it easier for him to breathe while patting his back. "Go on, check it."

Winter looked down at the child’s flushed face, and it overlapped with another. He sighed shakily and pressed Leo’s back gently. "You’re good kid, dont worry."

She fumbled with her bag, tearing it open and spilling its contents onto the dusty floor. Bandages, a flashlight, and a crumpled map tumbled out. She rifled through the mess with shaking hands. "I don’t know what I have—I don’t know what to do!"

Winter knelt beside her, his movements swift but steady. "What medicine do you have? Focus, Zara."

"I— I don’t know!" she stammered, her hands trembling as she pulled out a small bottle and then tossed it aside in frustration.

Before Winter could respond, a guttural roar echoed through the warehouse, low and menacing. The sound was followed by the unmistakable groans of the undead, their shambling forms drawing closer.

Zara froze, her wide eyes locking on Winter. "You’ve got to be kidding me," she whispered.

"Of course," Winter muttered under his breath, his expression hardening. He shoved the spilt items back into her bag, his movements frantic but controlled. "Zara, take Leo and get out of here. Now."

"I’m not leaving you," Zara said, her voice firm despite the fear lacing it. She stood, clutching Leo tightly as she scanned the warehouse for an exit.

"Zara," Winter growled, his eyes locking onto hers. "You need to go."

"I said no!" she snapped, her breath hitching as she heard another loud bang—closer this time.

Zara swallowed hard, shifting Leo in her arms. The boy whimpered softly, his face flushed and glistening with sweat. She patted his back gently, her eyes scanning the warehouse for an exit. Leo let out another feeble cry, and she pressed a kiss to his temple. "It’s okay, baby. Mama’s got you."

A loud bang echoed through the space, the sound of something heavy slamming against metal.

"Dammit," Winter muttered. He shoved the last of their supplies into the bag, yanked the strap of the bag over his shoulder and strode toward her, his pace brisk.

He crossed the room in a few long strides, his hand reaching out to steady Zara. "Hold on to me," he said.

"What are you—" Zara barely had time to finish her sentence before Winter scooped her up, his arm strong and secure around her waist.

"Don’t let go," he said, his voice sharp as he broke into a sprint.

Before she could react, he scooped her up, one arm beneath her legs and the other bracing her back.

Zara barely had time to adjust her grip on Leo before Winter took off, his movements a blur. The world around them became a whirlwind of darkness and motion as Winter’s inhuman speed carried them through the warehouse and out into the night.

The cool air stung Zara’s face, and the wind whipped through her hair as she clung to Winter, her heart pounding. Behind them, the groans of the undead grew fainter, though the primal fear they evoked lingered like a shadow.

"Don’t look back," Winter said, his voice steady despite the strain in his muscles.

Zara didn’t need to be told twice. She buried her face against Leo’s head, whispering soothing words even as her tears spilt onto his fevered skin. Leo’s faint, fevered murmurs were the only sounds she could focus on, grounding her in the chaos.

They ran for what felt like hours, the desolate highway stretching endlessly before them. The cars slowly thinned

Finally, Winter slowed, his breathing laboured as he brought them to a halt beneath an overpass. He set Zara down gently, his arms lingering for a moment as if reluctant to let go.

Zara stumbled slightly but caught herself, her legs shaking as she adjusted Leo in her arms.

The little boy stirred, his feverish eyes fluttering open briefly before closing again.

Winter crouched beside her, his breathing only slightly heavier than normal. "Are you okay?"

"No," she huffed, "We need to find that medicine now. He’s still burning up!""

"Later," Winter said, scanning their surroundings. His eyes were sharp, his body tense as he listened for any sign of pursuit. "We are still out in the open, we need to keep moving."

"Leo doesn’t have time for later," Zara shot back, her voice rising. She shifted uncomfortably on the cracked concrete floor, wanting to get her backpack from him.

"I know," Winter interrupted, his tone softening but no less resolute. His eyes briefly flicked to Leo, concern flickering across his face before he forced himself back to the task at hand. "We’ll find somewhere safe first, then we’ll look for what he needs. Just a little further, Zara. Trust me."

"But Leo—"

Her words broke off, a sob catching in her throat. She buried her face in Leo’s hair for a moment, trying to ground herself. "You don’t understand," she said, looking back up at him, her eyes blazing. "He’s all I have. I can’t just walk away from this."

"I’m not asking you to walk away," Winter said, his voice calm but insistent. "I’m asking you to prioritize surviving long enough to help him. If we stop now, out here, we’ll be sitting ducks for whatever’s coming."

Zara looked down at her son, her heart aching as she brushed a tear from his cheek. "Okay," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "Let’s go."