Zade

"Just my luck," I muttered under my breath, dodging a pile of rubble as we moved down the deserted street. "Getting stuck with a..." I caught myself before saying something worse. "...civilian who doesn’t know how to survive."

Behind me, the girl spoke up, her voice soft but steady. "My name is Lily."

Lily, huh? The name lingered in my mind longer than I liked, stirring something I couldn’t place. The softness in her voice reminded me of how she'd clung to my shirt earlier, like I was the only thing standing between her and death. I shook off the thought, narrowing my focus on the task at hand.

"Keep walking and stay behind me, Lily. And for the love of god, try not to make any noise."

"Okay..." she replied, barely above a whisper.

I suppressed an internal groan. Of course, she'd be one of those sweet, soft-spoken types. The kind who probably never even broke a nail before all this happened. Focus, idiot. This isn’t some fantasy romance. It’s survival.

Then she said it: "Your name..." Her voice was quiet, hesitant, almost... curious.

I shot a quick, irritated glance over my shoulder. "Zade. Happy now?"

I immediately regretted it. Great. Now I’ve given my real name to some random civilian who’ll probably get herself killed in the next few hours.

I picked up my pace slightly, trying to create more distance.

"You’re too fast," she said softly, almost apologetically.

I stopped in my tracks, turning around to glare at her. "Seriously? You’re going to whine about my pace?" My voice dropped to a harsh whisper. "Let me carry you, then. I don’t have time for this."

Before she could protest, I scooped her up like she weighed nothing. She struggled briefly but quickly realized it was pointless.

Her arms wrapped around my neck to secure herself, and I felt her grip tighten. She smelled faintly of flowers—a soft, almost ridiculous contrast to the blood and grime coating us both.

"Can you keep quiet up there?" I muttered, already moving swiftly again. "The less noise, the better our chances of survival."

She nodded silently, her eyes wide. For once, she seemed to understand the seriousness of the situation.

**********************************

She didn’t make another sound, and I didn’t need to look down to know she had her eyes closed, holding on tightly.

I kept my focus on the path ahead, scanning for any movement, any sign of danger. The world around us was eerily silent, the kind of silence that made your skin crawl.

"We’re almost there," I said gruffly, breaking the quiet. "Just a little further."

Her arms loosened slightly around my neck, and when I glanced down, I realized her head had tilted against my shoulder. She was asleep.

Shit, I thought, disbelief washing over me. She fell asleep?

Her face was peaceful, almost childlike, as if we weren’t in the middle of hell on earth. She must have been running on fumes, terror keeping her awake for days.

I sighed, carefully setting her down on a pile of crates tucked in the corner of an abandoned alley. I shrugged off my jacket and draped it over her small frame. The warmth wouldn’t last long, but it was better than nothing.

Sitting beside her, I rested my back against the wall, my weapon gripped tightly in one hand.

Why did I even bring her along? I asked myself, watching her sleep. She’s just another mouth to feed. Another liability.

But I couldn’t look away. Something about her, so fragile yet stubbornly clinging to life, made it impossible to leave her behind.

What a strange world, I mused. Watching this fragile human sleep like a baby in the middle of hell. Who are you, really, Lily? A young wife who lost everything? Or just another victim in a sea of them?

**********************************

A faint rustling sound snapped me out of my thoughts.

My body tensed instantly, my senses sharpening. One hand gripped my weapon, the other reached out to cover Lily’s mouth.

Her eyes flew open in panic, but I pressed a finger to my lips, signaling her to stay quiet.

"Shh..." I whispered, barely audible.

The noise grew louder, closer.

I moved her carefully behind the crates, positioning myself between her and whatever was coming. My eyes scanned the shadows, my heart pounding in my chest.

And then, I saw it.

The silhouette of a figure, moving unnaturally fast, weaving between the trees. Not a person. Not anymore.

The low, guttural growl that followed was enough to send chills down my spine.

I tightened my grip on my weapon, ready to strike, my body a coiled spring of tension.

"Stay absolutely still and quiet," I whispered to her again, my voice firm but low.

And then the figure stepped into the dim light.

The sight of its disfigured face, hollow eyes, and jagged teeth was enough to freeze the air in my lungs.

This one isn’t like the others.

It stopped suddenly, its head jerking toward us as if it could sense us despite the silence.

I took a slow, measured breath, readying myself for the fight.

If it finds us, we’re dead.