The first light of morning began to filter through the cracks in the warehouse walls. The outside was still quiet, but this silence no longer brought peace — it felt like the calm before a storm. Arden rubbed his eyes. He had completed his watch and had woken Kyra a short while ago, but the unease inside him had kept him from sleeping.
Kyra was sitting quietly, checking her weapon. Arden looked over at her. When their eyes met, Kyra gave a slight nod. There was a bond between them now that didn't need words. Surviving together sometimes forged stronger connections than speech ever could.
"We need to move," Arden said, standing up slowly. "If we stay here any longer, we might get trapped again."
Tom let out a thunderous snore, breaking the tension. Nina frowned and threw a cushion at him. Tom jerked awake.
"What? I was dreaming... there was a hamburger," he mumbled.
"Looks like we'll die laughing," Kyra muttered.
Mia sat up slowly. Her hair was messy, and her eyes looked tired, but her expression was determined. "Let's go. If we don't move now, we'll have to spend another night here."
Arden nodded. "Get ready. I'll do a final sweep before we leave."
Everyone packed their things carefully before leaving the warehouse. Arden and Kyra exited first. The sun was rising behind collapsed buildings. The street was still silent, but Arden's instincts were on high alert.
"This silence... it's too calm," Kyra said.
"Yeah," Arden replied. "In this city, silence is a warning."
When they reached the vehicle, Arden scanned the area before starting the engine. Moments later, everyone piled in. As they drove away from the warehouse, Mia broke the silence.
"We need somewhere safe. Not just for one night. A place we can stay for weeks... maybe months."
"There's no such thing as a safe place anymore," Tom said. "Only places that are a little less dangerous."
Arden stayed quiet. As he drove, he visualized the city map in his mind — a habit leftover from his military training. "There should be a school this way," he said. "Strong walls, wide area. It might work."
Half an hour later, the vehicle stopped in front of a half-collapsed school building. The sign was still barely readable: Jefferson High School.
Arden and Kyra got out first, weapons raised. The doors were broken, revealing a dark void inside.
"Ready?" Arden asked.
"Always," Kyra replied.
They stepped into the school's main hallway. The paint was peeling from the walls, and lockers had been ripped out. One of the classroom doors was slightly ajar at the end of the corridor.
Arden signaled. Kyra kicked the door open in one move. Inside, it smelled musty and dusty. But there was no movement.
"It's not clean, but it's defendable," Arden said. "If we can barricade the entrances, we can stay for a few days."
They called the others in. Tom, Mia, and Nina entered silently, surveying the area. Tom started dragging an old teacher's desk toward the door.
"Well, at least we have desks. Better than sleeping on bare concrete," he said.
Mia checked a closet and found some old cleaning supplies, a few pens, and torn notebooks. Nina headed to the cafeteria. Everything was spoiled or moldy, but she salvaged some metal containers and a few useful items.
"Let's use this as a temporary base," Arden said. "Until we find something better."
Kyra returned from the hallway. "There's something outside," she said suddenly. "I can feel it."
Arden rushed out, weapon raised. The street was empty. Then, piercing the city's silence, came a scream.
A high-pitched, sharp, inhuman scream.
Everyone froze.
"That's not a normal zombie," Mia said fearfully.
Arden's eyes narrowed. "No. It's a new kind. I've never heard one like that before... but from the sound of it — smarter. More dangerous."
Tom pulled back inside. "Barricade the doors. Now!"
Kyra and Nina started pushing desks, cabinets, and chairs to block the entrances. Arden took one last look outside before sealing the door. Darkness filled the room.
The scream came again. Closer this time.
"What do we do?" Mia whispered.
"For now, we stay here," Arden said firmly. "But tonight... it won't be easy."