Chapter 2

The road to the southern part of the town was way tougher than I'd imagined.

Zombies were everywhere, blocking the streets, so I had to keep taking detours. On the afternoon of the second day, I came across a little girl in an apartment building.

She was probably seven or eight, hiding in a closet with a grimy stuffed animal clutched to her chest. When she saw me, she didn't cry. She whispered, "Are you here to eat me?"

I felt a lump in my throat. "No. I'm here to save you."

Her name was Lia. Her parents had turned into zombies. She'd survived for two days on cookies she found in the closet. I handed her half a food ration bar, and she devoured it like she hadn't tasted real food in forever.

"Hey." Lia looked up at me, "Where are you going?"

"To the shelter," I answered.

"Will you take me with you?" She tugged at my sleeve. "I promise I'll be good. I won't be any trouble."

I met her gaze, her big eyes, and nodded.

Maybe with someone by my side, it wouldn't be so lonely.

Lia was smart. She knew exactly how to keep out of the zombies' way and which places might still have food. As we searched together, we managed to dig up a few expired cans and a bottle of vitamins.

That night, we hid out in the supermarket's storage room. Lia curled up in my arms and murmured, "Romy, my mom used to say we shouldn't go out at night because there are monsters."

"Now there are monsters even during the day," I told her, giving her a gentle pat on the back. "Get some sleep. I'll keep watch."

She fell asleep fast, her breathing soft and even. I leaned against the shelves, clutching my screwdriver tight, listening to the zombies shuffling around outside.

I suddenly thought of Raul.

I used to be afraid of the dark, and Raul would keep the lights on all night, holding me as we slept. Now, there were no lights left, but I was still here.

Only then did I realize that I was stronger than I ever imagined.

Or maybe I had to be strong.

*****

On the fourth day, we ran into another group of survivors.

There were five of them, three guys and two girls, rolling in a tricked-out pickup. The leader was a burly guy in his thirties named Blade, with a scar on his face and a fierce look in his eyes.

"Where are you headed?" he asked, cigarette dangling from his lips.

"The shelter down south," I said.

"That place's gone for good." Blade blew out a smoke ring. "The horde wiped it out three days ago. We're heading north now. Word is the army's got a safe zone up there."

My heart sank.

"Why not team up?" Blade looked me over. "You know how to handle yourself, and you've got a kid. We could use someone like you."

I hesitated.

In the apocalypse, people were scarier than the zombies.

But with only Lia and me, getting to the north would be almost impossible.

"We've got rules," Blade added. "We don't leave anyone behind, we don't steal from other survivors, and we don't touch kids or women, unless they want it."

His voice dropped on those last three words, the meaning hanging heavy in the air.

Lia squeezed my hand tighter.

"Alright," I said. "But if we want out, you let us go."

"Deal," Blade replied.

Once we got in the pickup, I caught a woman in the back seat giving me a hard stare.

She looked to be in her early twenties, had long, curly hair, and somehow managed to keep her makeup on point, even with the world falling apart. Her name was Julieta Navarro.

"So, you're Raul's girlfriend?" Julieta asked, her voice edged with hostility.

I froze.

"Raul found us yesterday, said he was looking for someone," Julieta sneered, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "He nearly got torn apart by zombies. Funny, you're alive and well, but he's barely hanging on."

My chest tightened painfully. "Where... is he?"

"In the pickup behind us. He's got a fever, and he's out cold." Julieta glared at me. "Is that what you wanted? You did this to him."

I didn't say a word.

Blade cut in. "Alright, that's enough. Out here, making it out alive takes real skill. Who cares about right or wrong now?"

The pickup kept rolling.

I leaned against the window, watching the ruins flash by outside. Lia rested her head on my shoulder and whispered, "Romy, who's Raul?"

"Just... a stranger," I said.

He was the person I once thought we'd be together forever, but now he's a stranger who traded me for a box of cans.

And now, he was on the verge of dying.

And somehow, my heart still ached for him.

So damn pathetic.