The door slammed shut, sending a burst of pounding vibrations into his ear. He winced in pain as silence filled the alley. Keaton then hopped Alex off his shoulder and took quick, short breaths. “We should be good now,” he stated, though Keaton still kept his hand on the knob.


    Alex fell against a brick wall, his legs weak. He then looked up at Keaton’s sturdy back. Keaton held the door shut with his left hand, keeping his handgun close to his body. Alex then pressed his hands against his tense shoulders. He swallowed saliva as he rubbed the tightened muscles. Flicking his eyes to the left, Lyra also seemed on edge as her head glanced from side to side.


    She then sighed and lowered her gun. “They’ll probably bust down that door. Let’s keep going.”


    Alex took a few steps toward Keaton before a feminine yelp came from behind. Alex sluggishly aimed his gun at Lyra, who had been struggling to hold off an overpowering zombie. It was a male zombie who was bigger, stronger, and more aggressive toward her small frame. Its voracious moans said nothing more than its desire to sink its teeth into her supple flesh and tear out her throat. Though he wanted to pull the trigger, he knew he’d likely miss.


    Another way! Alex holstered his gun as Lyra shrieked out. He needed something that could stop this zombie without injuring his companion. Then, his fingers grazed against a rubber hilt as he tried to reach for anything on his belt that could save her.


    The knife! Alex finally realized. Sweat leaked down his face as he bolted over to Lyra, unsheathing the blade. He had to hurry as the adrenaline filled his veins; he might lose this one chance to strike with unwavering speed. Lyra kept her head as low as possible as the zombie straightened its posture and unhinged its jaw. Then, in a fast motion, Alex pulled Lyra back as he drove his knife into the zombie’s withering throat. The blade pierced through with no resistance. At the same time, Alex pulled back and shoved the zombie away, causing it to stumble a bit before collapsing onto the wall behind and sliding down. Fresh droplets of murky blood trailed to the unresponsive corpse.


    Lyra sat on the floor, her chest heaving. Beads of sweat dripped down her face, glistening her soft-looking, unyielding skin. She stared with a blank expression, hazel eyes full of uncertainty.


    “You, okay?” Alex extended his hand out.


    “Yeah, thanks.” She took his hand and pulled herself to her feet.


    Alex turned around toward Keaton and started to move when suddenly, a quick gunshot pierced his ears, and the strong scent of gunpowder entered his nose. He slowly pivoted his torso to look back. Astonished by the sight, Lyra had her gun aimed down with a heap of smoke trailing out from her gun’s muzzle. The zombie was still on the ground, dead. However, its body was no longer against the wall but now on the floor by her small brown boots.


    “Piece of shit.” Lyra spat, rubbing her shoulder. “You seriously wanted a round two?”


    Alex flicked his head back to his other companion. Keaton kept his gun pointed toward the door as it shook violently. Though it seemed to hold up decently, Alex wasn’t sure if they’d back off as the knob continued to rattle. He shook his head. No, they’re persistent; these zombies won’t stop until we’re all dead.


    After a couple of minutes, Keaton finally lowered his weapon, though the banging on the door didn’t cease. He’d backed up close enough for Alex to see the gun strapped to his back. It was matte black with a unique, wide-looking handguard under the barrel. The magazine was long and weirdly thin. He wanted to ask what the gun was called but ultimately knew it didn’t matter as he wouldn’t know what it meant. I’ll ask anyway when we are safer.


    Keaton finally turned around and patted Alex’s shoulder with his thick hand. “We ready?”


    “Yeah,” replied Alex.


    Keaton smiled and led the way. Moving past Lyra, he then took a left turn. Alex returned his attention to Lyra, whose eyes were gloomy and dark. He tried his best to give back a sympathetic expression, but she seemed to ignore it.


    “Let’s go, yeah?” asked Alex.


    Her eyes met his, and then she nodded. “Right.”


    The two slowly crept out into the adjacent alley that led west. Thankfully, Keaton waited for them. His flashlight beamed down the alley, revealing it to be empty. But considering those things were always near, Alex didn’t let his guard down as he walked. About ten feet ahead was an old-looking metal gate. Keaton pressed against it, causing a squeaking clash of rusty bolts in their hinges.


    The undead moans echoed throughout the alley. With a mixture of layered screams and perilous growls, Alex halted in place. The thin hairs on his neck stood erect, and his breathing stopped momentarily. As he slowly turned his head, he spotted them from his peripherals. Several bloody and torn fingers curved around the corner of the section they’d just come through. Finally, the feeble carcasses peeked out.


    “They’re still coming!?” Alex shrieked. He wanted to aim, but his shaking legs had a different plan. Instead, he twisted around and stepped through the gate as the zombies flooded the alleyway.


    Lyra didn’t look back as she bolted out of the alley. She then slammed the gate shut before stumbling backward. “Fuck off!” she screamed as the closest zombies finally slammed up against the closed gate.


    It wouldn’t take long before they burst through. The gate screeched against its brick foundation when they finally brushed against it. The hungry, high-pitched cries grew louder as the zombies pushed against it even harder, nearly breaking the hinges. They stuck their arms out through the thin gaps in the bars. The closest ones had been severely squashed; blood leaked from their damaged and torn faces as they pressed against the metal.


    Lyra furrowed her thin brows, glaring at them. “We need to block this before they break through!”


    Alex briefly considered running, but he bit his lip. No, they’d just catch up, and we might be in a worse position.


    Alex had to think of a way to slow them down, fast. He flicked his eyes everywhere as his breathing heightened. Thankfully, this area was more expansive, and his eyes instantly caught sight of a massive dirty couch casually discarded on the right brick wall.


    “We can use that!” He exclaimed. Lyra crouched behind the armrest at the end while he took the front to tug. The fabric was rough to the touch; grinding up against his soft skin, Alex cringed his nose.


    “Just push it straight ahead. If we block the hinges, they can’t get through,” explained Lyra.


    “On three,” Alex whispered. He flexed his thin muscles in preparation. “One… Two… Three!” Alex gritted his teeth while he pushed. The couch slid forward with resistance. Its pegs left a trail of two black lines along the floor. Even with Lyra’s help, the two barely moved it a foot.


    “What the hell!?” Lyra gasped for breath. “Why is this thing so hard to move!”


    “You guys, just let go,” Keaton ordered.


    The two hopped off as Keaton grabbed the armrest in the back. In a swift motion, and with just one hand, Keaton sent the couch forward. It slammed hard into the wall and blocked off that door for good. Dust burst out of every crevice and filled the air. A grimace crossed Lyra’s face as she smacked dirt off of her hands.


    “Nice work.” Alex looked up at his flushed-faced companion. But unfortunately, he couldn’t tell if it was due to the cold or moving something heavy.


    “Y’all just needed some extra muscle.” Keaton winked with a sly grin.


    Alex hid his own smile as he walked. Up ahead were a couple of corpses that leaned against the adjacent walls. Cautiously, he stepped over the first body’s mutilated legs and kept a note of them being a male that had bloody dirty blonde hair and hollow dark eyes. Two bullet holes had marked the corpse’s upper face, and crimson blood had leaked down its cheek and nose for some time. It had coagulated already, and most of it had dried up on the clothes. Underneath its gray hand was a bloodied piece of paper, a newspaper article dated October thirtieth. The front cover had a photo of one of the zombies labeled close-up.


    “Biohazard Outbreak?” Alex muttered, skimming through a few of the article headlines.


    Riverlands Local, October twenty-eighth


    An infectious outbreak falls upon the city.


    The end of the world is near. Fifty-nine people left ill after spending time in the river. Doctors confirm a new pathogen unlike anything they’ve ever seen.


    Mayor Irons hasn’t made a statement yet…


    Riverlands Local, October twenty-ninth


    Monsters in the surrounding woods.


    Reports from Riverlands Park rangers of a giant bear monster roaming about. Wild coyotes have been sighted, looming closer to the forest’s edge. Seek caution and alert local authorities…


    Riverlands Local, October thirtieth


    Sprawling infection continues in downtown.


    Lady reported her husband eating the face off of their neighbor… Local authorities have been notified and suggest keeping family and loved ones close.


    At two in the afternoon, an old couple contacted the police about strange domestic violence next door. When the police arrived, they found a dog that had mauled a child. It likely carried rabies and was put down shortly thereafter.


    Riverlands Local, October thirty-first


    The government finally responds.


    The state has implemented a mandatory curfew as the number of cases of this strange disease has increased. Many of the fifty thousand citizens have already been afflicted by this strange plague. The military has been sent to quarantine the area…


    “This whole thing happened only a few days ago?” Alex whispered.


    “Something like that…” Lyra spoke, her voice lighter than usual.


    He didn’t say anything else as he set the paper down. Instead, he moved on and passed by the second corpse—another male but had on a safety vest, a simple black tee, and tan slacks.


    As he grimaced at the unsettling display of death, a sudden unnerving sensation washed over his body; he couldn’t help but feel like he was being watched. He slowed his pace, looking everywhere he could. Alex then swallowed a thick lump building in his throat. What is that? Could it be whatever created that shriek? Or something else?


    “You good, Alex?” Keaton stepped in front of him.


    “I’m fine,” he whispered back. Alex then stared up at his friend. “But… I think something’s following us.”


    “How so?”


    “Gut feeling,” said Alex, keeping his handgun raised.


    “Holy shit…” Lyra whispered. She had been staring at the wall close to the second body. With her gun, Lyra pointed at a handwritten message. “They got Micky, and now they’re coming for me. I’m so sorry, Veronica; I couldn’t keep my promise….”


    “Jesus.” Keaton took a minute, scratching his head, trying to find the following words to say. Finally, he sniffled and continued. “You guys think that was from them?” Keaton asked, pointing to the bodies.


    “Likely,” said Alex. I have to make it out—I just have to.


    The trio ventured further down the alley, stumbling upon an offshoot path. With the help of Keaton’s flashlight, Alex saw that there weren’t any more corpses on the floor. Once they finally reached the intersection, Lyra pressed her back against the right wall. She then took a deep breath before popping her head out, then the rest of her body.


    “Clear,” she whispered, though she kept her gun pointed.


    Keaton brushed behind her and moved along the path. As Alex followed, Lyra’s weapon caught his eye. It differed from his or Keaton’s, having a smooth, rounded barrel and appearing to be made entirely of steel. Underneath the barrel was a small black cylinder.


    “Hey, Lyra, your gun looks interesting,” Alex whispered.


    “Hmm?” She lowered her handgun and turned her head toward him. “Oh, thank you.”


    “What’s it called?”The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    “Uh, a Hi-Power... whatever that’s supposed to mean; I only grabbed it because it has this cute flashlight.” She then lowered her weapon, gave a peachy smile, and adjusted her blonde bangs.


    Alex’s brows raised in astonishment. She didn’t seem the least bit bothered by this whole situation. This girl, he thought to himself as he hurried by.


    “The shelter should be only a block away,” Keaton said up ahead. He thankfully waited by the corner of the alley. The open street unveiled a bright orange fog, and the closer Alex approached, the warmer the air became. His underarms and back leaked droplets of sweat; he’d definitely needed a shower after all of this. Long and hot until my skin turns red.


    Looking up, Alex saw the night sky’s glimmering starlight. It was a marvelous spectacle, though he couldn’t say that about his current situation. Alex blinked, refocusing on his next goal. They’ll make it to the shelter, wait until dawn, and then get a better grasp on their situation.


    Hopefully, it’ll all blow over, Alex thought as he approached Keaton and Lyra.


    “The street’s empty,” Lyra said. She stood in a small alcove, back against a barred door.


    “The shelter is at the end of this road, heading west. I say we book it.” Keaton crouched down and fastened his shoelaces.


    Alex’s eyes bulged, and his mouth suddenly went dry. He hated running, he wasn’t fast, and to top it off, he was tired also.


    “Uh, how about no?” said Lyra. She furrowed her thin brows, looking dissatisfied.


    “Why not? We can easily make it if we run.”


    Lyra pushed off from her spot. “Just ’cause it’s clear now doesn’t mean it’ll be clear forever. It could very much be a trap, and I don’t wanna get surrounded.”


    Keaton sighed loudly. He then wiped his face from sweat and glanced up at the two. “…You act like we can’t defend ourselves.”


    “We might not have enough bullets to take on a horde and what if there’s more inside the shelter? We’d be seriously fucked then.”


    Keaton glared at her, though she brushed him off. He then turned his attention to Alex. However, Alex didn’t really want to respond or get in the middle, either. Small arguments were just a waste of time in his book, so he shrugged.


    “Great, I’m outnumbered.” Keaton groaned before looking away.


    “Hey, going to the shelter wasn’t my plan—I’d say we’re even; slow and steady is better anyway.” Lyra winked at the defeated man before sauntering out of the alley.


    She wasn’t wrong in that sense. This was Keaton’s plan, and to be fair, Alex also wanted to leave as quickly as possible. Keaton stood up, rolling his eyes.


    “That girl, what’re we gonna do with her?”


    Alex chuckled. “Well, ya know—get used to it. I think all women are like that.”


    “At least I’ve got you, though. That’s a plus.” He grinned slightly.


    Alex merely sighed as he left to join her. Lyra had moved to the center of the street. Although he didn’t feel too comfortable being out in the open, it wasn’t wholly disadvantageous; they could run in any direction the second too many zombies crawled out of the woodwork. As he drew near, the orange tint against the buildings grew brighter. A cluster of cackling flames came from an open crashed truck. The heat was surprisingly soothing against the cold air, and thankfully, it was small enough not entirely to change the atmosphere. He was also relieved that it was loud enough to dull out their footsteps, at least for now.


    Going east was a no-go; the road was blocked off entirely by blue police barricades. Many random cars, from sedans to SUVs, were stuck beyond it, too.


    “You see that?” Alex asked, though Lyra raised a brow. He waved her off and then rubbed his eyes.


    “We’re almost there!” shouted Keaton.


    Lyra gleefully smiled and patted the man on the back as the three quickly started to move through the street. As they did, Alex took caution to his surroundings. To his right was a still-lit restaurant featuring an open dining patio. The light breeze brought a seemingly fresh scent of bread and alcohol. Although, as Alex took in the smell, a faint whiff of burnt meat also lingered. He cringed his nose, wondering just what exactly he was smelling. As they navigated through the street, moving past one minivan, a dull buzzing radio played a flat song of just trumpets. It was similar to elevator music, mind-numbing.


    Alex groaned. He needed to stay alert. His left foot stepped into some sticky black liquid, causing him to dry gagged. He wasn’t the type to prize shoes. However, constantly feeling the shoe give to what’s under it would become an annoyance.


    Alex shook his thoughts, realizing his friends were farther ahead. What was wrong with him? Being so scatterbrained could easily get him killed. Alex then lightly tapped his brightened cheeks. Time to focus. He quickly scraped what he could by dragging his shoe along the asphalt and picked up the pace.


    A couple of distant gunshots fired off and startled a bunch of birds. Their intense singing and echoing blasts rang in Alex’s ears. But that wasn’t all, as he could also overhear a mechanical fan far above them. It was likely that same helicopter, though Alex couldn’t see any flashing-colored lights.


    Alex took a more concentrated look around as the blood pulsing in his ears finally eased, allowing him to hear normally. There were a few scattered cars, including trucks and blocking police cruisers. At the far end of the west side was a large firetruck blocking half of the road. It looked like it had crashed into one of the buildings on the right side. A light sprinkle of rain started to fall, making the roads shiny with the help of the street lamps.


    His friends were heading in that direction, seemingly unaware he wasn’t next to them. As Alex began to jog after them, sirens from emergency vehicles slowly filled the windy air. The slick roads nearly caused him to slip a couple of times. He trekked slower and passed by an open police cruiser with still flashing lights.


    Zombie corpses seemed scarce; Alex only spotted four on the ground. But he knew to be wary. They could be anywhere. Outside’s not safe, he concluded as he cautiously approached the cruiser. The shifting light enticed Alex, and he paced to the driver’s seat. He kept his gun locked on the driver’s side of the vehicle. The police car was a simple four-door with its front smashed in. Thick tire tracks in front were sketched trailing down the road. An officer was inside, but unfortunately, a thick metal rod had pierced through the glass. Alex looked closer, finding an airbag had sufficiently wrapped itself around the officer’s face.


    Poor guy. Alex shook his head. He inched his way to the passenger’s side and tugged on its handle. To his surprise, it was unlocked. Peeking through, the inside of the vehicle held scraps of glass, metal, and blood. While rummaging through, he stumbled upon something interesting. It was a long, tan piece of crinkled paper. He pulled it out of the debris and blew on it; the film of dust spread throughout the car. Once cleared, the article revealed itself to be a city map. Alex nearly jumped for joy as he quickly tried to find his location. Where are we? Is it this place? Or…?


    There were several symbols marked in different ink. Alex’s mind blurred while deciphering what some of these symbols implied. Most of them appeared irrelevant to his case. However, he saw a slight pattern in many red X’s. They’re all blocked-off roads, he confirmed. Alex scanned each street carefully from where he was located, but everything was blocked off.


    Hmm, he thought carefully. We could use this to get out of the city. Even though everything’s blocked off, it looks like there’s a pathway beyond this factory-looking place that leads over the Santana River… Are we already at that place? A quick shadow flashed by the rear-view mirror, causing Alex to jump while scrunching the map. He cautiously looked over his shoulder, but nothing was there. Alex sighed, then went back to looking at the map. What do we do? Alex put a finger to his chin, contemplating. I bet Keaton will know.


    Finally, Alex stepped out of the vehicle; he neatly folded up the map and pocketed it. It feels like we’re getting nowhere, he thought. He pulled out his phone to check the time. The bright blue light flashed on his cold, pale face. The vibrant hue glowed nearly blended with the white text in his eyes. It was still November 1st, and there were about three hours left. He was tired as his body swayed slightly from left to right. Alex then put his phone away and took a few steps forward. Can’t stop now. Rest later.


    Alex then adjusted his open collar, his clothes feeling damper by the second, then rushed toward his companions. All three of them stood in front of a large convenience store. Lyra gave a friendly nod as he slowly approached. The building held the same red and white banner with the phrase shelter—safe. The building’s windows were heavily boarded up, and a large gate surrounded the whole building. Most of it was made of brick, aside from the gate’s doors, which looked like thick iron.


    “Yes! We fucking made it to the shelter!” Keaton voiced, jumping and pumping his fist into the air.


    “Thank god.” Lyra bent over, using her knees for support, and stretched. Though Lyra sounded relieved, her body curled up, and she took a step back the second she looked up at the open door. “This place looks… abandoned.”


    “Prolly better for us then.”


    Alex lowered his head as he moved toward the gate entrance; he hoped otherwise that the unresponsive outside was just to deter unwanted guests. The gate looked unlocked; he’d just need Keaton’s help to push it clear. He turned back when—


    —A high-pitched shriek called out from the shadows. The trio all slowly turned their heads toward the direction and spotted it. The thing Alex had only caught a glimpse of from the video stood atop the abandoned crashed fire engine. He couldn’t speak or even utter a single sound; his mouth hung open in terror as it stared at them with hellish golden eyes.


    The black furry creature stood on its hind legs, almost mimicking a person. It then twitched its incredibly sharp claws and caused Alex to step back. He held his breath as the horror with golden eyes scowled at them. It lifted the corners of its muzzle, revealing sharp yellowish teeth and a musky cloud of hot breath. Then, without warning, the creature jumped from the fire engine and charged at them. It was fast, running on its two legs, and its thick pink tail stayed low to the floor.


    Alex raised his arm, hoping to block it as the creature sprang into the air. But before it could do anything, a bright flash quickly dissipated with the blaring noise of a few gunshots. The beast fell to the floor, dead. Black blood oozed out from the holes that pierced its skull; its body twitched slightly in response. Alex took a step back and stared at the dead thing on the pavement. So, this was the thing that’s been following us.


    “Jesus Christ, what the fuck is that?” Keaton whispered. He then kicked its elongated grayish feet with his boot. “It looks like some sort of, uh, a rat? Or uh…? Uh—?”


    Alex lowered his guard a bit as his stomach tingled. He could barely feel his feet as he swayed back and forth. When he swallowed, it felt like the saliva had doubled in volume. It was thick and slimy, running down his throat. A scratchy and salty odor wafted up the back of his nose and caused his stomach to churn a bit. Then, an awful odor slammed against his nose. His gag reflex went into overdrive; he nearly vomited onto the pavement. That thing smelled disgusting. It was as if drenched in moldy drainage water and soaked in expired milk for a few days. He flexed the muscles in his stomach, hardening them to keep it from rolling over as he glanced at it.


    Keaton was right, it did look like a rat. Its matted, patchy fur had sticky-looking flesh tissue almost ingrained in it. Crimson blood ran in rivulets down the sides of its messy flesh, and as it did, something looked off. Surprisingly, its abdomen had many holes, not counting the ones Keaton marked. Someone else had already shot at it.


    We got lucky, really lucky that it—!


    Another beast slides out into view, causing Alex to shutter. It, too, was in hot pursuit of trying to take the larger man down. But, in addition to Keaton’s lack of attention, this zombie rat was surprisingly quiet. It accosted his right side before taking one giant leap into the air.


    “Keaton, watch out!” Alex screamed. But it was too late. That thing had already tackled his friend to the ground. Keaton’s gun bounced off the concrete and landed close to Alex as he struggled with the furry beast. Then, finally, the furry rat zombie got the upper hand and broke one of its arms free from Keaton’s grasp. The man’s eyes widened, mouth agape, as the monster raised its bloody claw.


    Alex aimed his weapon and pulled the trigger. The creature staggered a bit as a spray of red mist hit the concrete, giving Keaton time to readjust his hold; he punched it square in the muzzle but still couldn’t shake it off. Lyra stepped forward and fired off her own round into the beast’s shoulder. Her bullet surprisingly caused the rat monster to flinch, allowing Keaton to pull out his knife and run it through the side of the creature’s ungodly face. In a blinking motion, Keaton shifted his leg underneath it and kicked it off.


    That was their chance. With Keaton completely out of the way, Alex snatched up the spare handgun and flicked it toward the beast. It was heavy, and his finger barely wrapped around the trigger, but he was already in motion. He and Lyra then aimed their handguns and unloaded them into the zombie rat. It cried out in pain as its blood drizzled onto the floor, and finally, with one last jitter, it ceased all movement.


    Frosty air filled Alex’s lungs as he took multiple breaths. His nose filled itself with the pungent smell of dried grass and moist dirt. His face flushed pink as he holstered his handgun and then looked down at his friend. Keaton was also breathing heavily and staring blankly at him. He’s okay, thank God.


    Lyra rushed over and tugged Keaton’s left arm. Alex took his right, and the two lifted the breathless, heavy man to his feet.


    “You, okay?” Lyra asked.


    “Yeah—Yeah; I’m good.” Keaton flicked his eyes back at the dead beast and then grimaced. “That sneaky little shit—thought I was a goner.”


    “What the fuck was that thing?”


    “I dunno, but it’s not friendly.”


    “Thank god there were only two,” Alex responded, handing Keaton’s gun over to him. “We should be even more careful—those things are fast.”


    Lyra pulled out another magazine and reloaded her Hi-Power. “At least we stocked up on more ammo; imagine if we didn’t have shit trying to fight them.”


    “True. We’re definitely gonna need every round we’ve got. That big-ass zombie rat takes a fuck ton of bullets to down,” said Keaton.


    Alex looked at his empty weapon—a wasted magazine on a single monster. Jesus, I hope we don’t run into a pack of them. “These things are creepy. They don’t even act like zombies—a-are they even zombies?”


    “I don’t know,” Lyra said next. Honestly, I’d rather not try to figure it out. All we do need to know is that they are fast and dangerous.” She clutched her arm and lowered her head.


    “As long as we shoot them together, we shouldn’t have a problem,” said Keaton.


    Lyra nodded. She then looked again at the dead creature, almost studying it before finally saying, “I wonder what other creatures mutated into monsters, too…”


    Though Alex didn’t know much about biology and infections, he did know that animals could spread diseases as fast as people, and based on Lyra’s reaction, she probably thought that as well. What if the infection was because of these rat things? But before Alex could ask, Lyra had already walked away toward the store’s front entrance.


    Rattling moans of the undead rang from all around. Alex flinched slightly at them as other seemingly random noises joined in. Those similar shrieks were the only thing that Alex could pick up. They sounded close, likely surrounding them. Cowardice creatures, Alex sniffled. Then, a couple of gunshots blasted off in the distance.


    The thick, large gate was the last obstacle they needed to cross. Alex didn’t wait a second longer. He hustled over to it, Lyra followed behind. The two then pushed either side of it; slowly but surely, it yielded with a high screech of metal, and the trio stepped into the small courtyard.


    An array of screams emitted loudly. The horde of infected were coming. Alex then turned and closed the gate back in place, and with the help of Lyra, the two pushed a sliding bar through to prevent it from opening up again. Assuming the zombies couldn’t open the doors, a feeling of safety surrounded him. At least for now, there shouldn’t be any more problems. They could rest a bit easier now that the whole town wasn’t after them.


    Alex finally took a magazine from his belt pouch and reloaded his Glock 48. As he placed the empty one back into the same pouch, Alex turned and found his friends waiting at the shelter’s entrance. Keaton had his USP pointed down, but he was on full alert, ready for Lyra to push open the door. Alex blinked, then raised his eyelids slowly. It was almost as if they were made of lead, and when he blinked again, a soft, almost inviting force held them down a bit longer. It felt good to keep them shut. Even as the whirling wind rustled the trees and as the light sprinkle of rain dampened his hair, matting it, he’d almost contemplated collapsing right here and sleeping. It wouldn’t take long for him to go unconscious either, as he was beyond tired.


    “Ready?” asked Lyra, her voice steady. Her small hand had gently pressed against the wet metal push bar.


    Keaton grinned, unafraid as if he hadn’t just nearly died. “Yeah, I’ll waste whatever tries us.”


    “Can we hurry? I wanna get inside,” Alex asked, straining to keep his body from giving up and resting on the cold pavement.


    He didn’t want to fight another one of those things again. But as he glanced around, standing in the freezing cold, they stood out in the open. They were practically presenting themselves on a silver platter. The hinges creaked with a light rattle, and the trio marched inside. Alex shut them quietly behind him; they were safe, for now.