Night fell on the second day after the apocalypse began. For many, sleep was a luxury they couldn't afford. Some fled in panic, others cowered in unsafe shelters, and some clutched their bite wounds, awaiting death.
Darkness blanketed New York, once a bustling metropolis. Amid the steel jungle, occasional dim lights hinted at survivors. Zombies grew quieter at night, with only a few emitting sporadic growls. Liam believed science could explain everything. If not now, then eventually. Zombies, he theorized, were reanimated by a virus, existing between life and death. Their activity suggested energy consumption, likely from consuming flesh. Perhaps their nighttime stillness was a form of rest to conserve energy.
Liam pondered these thoughts in the second-floor room of the Dream House clothing store. The room was sealed tight, with a dim lamp casting a yellow glow. The group sat around a coffee table, making final preparations. Their arsenal was modest: a handgun with five bullets, a fire axe, a half-meter wrench, two large fruit knives, and Liam's collection of surgical blades.
They laid soft clothes on the floor as makeshift bedding, placing weapons within reach. Sleep came in their clothes, ready to flee at a moment's notice.
Liam and Manila lay in a corner, atop thick clothes. Manila clung to Liam's arm, her hair covering her face, deeply asleep. Suddenly, Liam opened his eyes, a surgical blade in hand. His sharp gaze softened upon realizing there was no threat.
"What's wrong?" he whispered, lowering the blade.
"I was scared alone over there. Can I sleep here?" Christine's bright eyes met his in the dark. She had been on the sofa but now crouched beside him with a pile of clothes.
"You? Scared?" Liam chuckled.
"Yes," she nodded earnestly, laying the clothes beside him and lying down, facing him. "Let's sleep. I'm so tired."
"Sleep," Liam murmured, closing his eyes.
Morning came at 6:30. Sunlight filtered through the curtains, illuminating their faces. Liam awoke, feeling something tickle his chin. Christine had nestled into his arms during the night, sleeping soundly. Manila sprawled half on the floor, half on the bedding, still asleep.
"Hey, Christine, wake up," Liam said, brushing her golden hair and gently nudging her.
Christine jolted awake, eyes wide, then relaxed. "Hi," she greeted, sitting up and moving away. "Sorry."
"It's okay," Liam replied, retrieving a surgical blade from beneath the clothes. He stood, clapped his hands, and called out, "Guys, it's time to get up."
One by one, the others stirred. Liam sat by the coffee table, rummaging through the food bag. "Eat something, everyone. We leave in half an hour."
Manila, now awake, looked at Christine. "Why did you sleep here?"
"I was scared," Christine mumbled.
"Really?" Manila muttered, brushing her hair and standing up, eyeing Christine before walking toward the sofa.
By 7:00, they were ready. On the store's dim first floor, Liam zipped up his leather jacket and asked, "Ready?"
Everyone nodded nervously. Liam opened the back door. "Quickly, everyone!"
Old Mike, the driver, was first out, scrambling into the van through the window, as the door was inaccessible. Despite his age and slight beer belly, he moved swiftly.
Liam had previously thrown Andrew's corpse outside, attracting nearby zombies. Now, the alley was relatively clear. However, the noise of entering the van would soon draw more. They heard distant zombie growls, urging them to hurry.
Laura followed Mike, then Manila, Christine, Jason, and finally Liam. Within a minute, all were inside. Zombies began flooding the alley, surrounding and pounding on the van, some attempting to climb atop.
"Go!" Liam shouted, closing the side window. Mike started the engine, and the van reversed, knocking over two zombies. At the alley's mouth, Mike braked hard, turned the wheel, and accelerated, the van speeding away.
Inside, death metal from "Hardcore Big Shot" blared. Mike, once a rock enthusiast, seemed invigorated, nodding along as he drove faster.
Laura, seated beside Mike, frowned at the music but understood its purpose: to lure zombies away.
Hickory Street, home to the gun shop, was six blocks from the Dream House. The van sped through, evading countless zombies, and entered Hickory Street. Once a bustling commercial area, it now lay in ruins, filled with abandoned cars, blood, limbs, and countless zombies. The air reeked of decay, and growls echoed as zombies aimlessly roamed, awaiting their next victim.
The van's roar and music drew their attention. A battered Ford van skidded into Hickory Street, and thousands of zombies turned toward it, growling excitedly.
"So many," Liam muttered, peering through the windshield.
The van slowed, having already attracted numerous zombies. As it decelerated, zombies caught up, pounding on the vehicle. Mike gradually stopped the van, music still playing to draw more zombies.
Inside, tension rose. The van couldn't withstand prolonged assault. A crack appeared on the left rear window beside Manila. She screamed, clutching her knife and inching closer to Christine.
Zombies closed in, the nearest just five meters away. The van was surrounded, shaking from the onslaught.
"Wait… just a bit more," Liam whispered, eyes fixed on the approaching horde.
Suddenly, "Go!" he commanded, tapping Mike's seat and fastening his seatbelt.
Mike revved the engine, reversed a meter, then sharply turned the wheel. The six-meter van spun 180 degrees, its rear sweeping away surrounding zombies. With the path clear, Mike accelerated, the van darting into Wilmer Street.
This was the same street they had come from. The earlier noise had drawn most zombies to Hickory Street. Now, Wilmer Street had fewer zombies, scattered sparsely.
After driving 200 meters, the van stopped. Windows down, the music blared louder. Zombies at the intersection, previously drawn to Hickory Street, now turned toward the new sound, moving en masse toward Wilmer Street
Zombies moved at a constant pace, unaffected by fatigue. It would take at least a minute for the nearest ones to reach the van. Meanwhile, only a dozen or so zombies were nearby.
With the windows open, staying inside was risky. Liam decided to act.
"Jason, grab the axe and come with me!" Liam, holding several surgical blades, exited the van.
"Let's take out these bastards!" Jason exclaimed, stepping out and swiftly dispatching a zombie with his axe.
Liam faced an approaching zombie, ten meters away. He threw a blade, striking its forehead.
Inside, Laura held her gun, ready but refraining from shooting to avoid attracting more zombies.
Within half a minute, Liam and Jason eliminated the nearby threats. Liam retrieved his blades from the fallen zombies. The massive horde was just twenty meters away. They quickly re-entered the van, which sped off.
Now, with the zombies diverted to Wilmer Street, Hickory Street, and the gun shop, were nearly deserted.