Alex wasted no time and quickly swept through the first. Thankfully, there weren’t any more monsters besides an already downed zombie; someone else had already shot it. The only room he came across, though, was a janitor’s closet filled with cleaning supplies. Adjacent to that was a set of doors blocked from the other side. He groaned out loud, having to return to the stairs. But before he did, something crossed his mind. He remembered the radio attached to his belt.


    That’s right! Lyra had one, too.


    As far as he knew, she was somewhere on the other end of the shelter and could easily open up this pathway. Alex took it off his belt and turned it on. He then changed the channel to seven and pressed the talk button. “Lyra, can you hear me?”


    Static came from the radio, causing Alex to slouch and slant his lips. She had to have given him the correct number, right? Or did he forget it? Or was she…? Alex’s heart sank. No. She couldn’t be. Lyra was too smart to fall victim to them.


    A burst of static came through, followed by a female voice. “This is Lyra, over.”


    Alex smiled, breathing through his nose. “Lyra, thank God. Listen, I’m on the north side of the shelter next to some double doors; everything is blocked off, and I got separated from Keaton. You think you could unblock this area for me?”


    “What the fuck? I leave you guys alone for half an hour, and you…!”


    “I’ll spare the details, Keaton’s gonna try and find you. Whenever you get the chance, please open these doors for me.”


    “You sound like you’re going somewhere.”


    “A kid is wandering alone in this place,” Alex responded. “I’ve gotta find him.”


    “Great. Alright, I’ll regroup with Keaton and head over to your location.” Another burst of static emitted from the radio, and Lyra’s voice was gone.


    Alex put the radio back on his belt and headed up the stairs. At least she was alive. That alleviated some stress he was feeling. But they were far from ready to leave. Hell, they still needed to find an exit out of the shelter on top of regrouping. He wasn’t worried about them, though; the kid being alone was more concerning. There seemed to be only a few spots in this office section of the shelter where someone could hide. The little tyke also had the advantage of fitting in spaces most adults couldn’t. But kids aren’t the best at staying quiet; they still need to have that spatial awareness.


    His heart raced faster as he thought about it. If that were true, then something terrible could happen to the boy. With zombies running amok, they could easily overwhelm him. They already can stop adults in their tracks; a kid would cry once panic hit and lure every zombie in the area to them. Not to mention that this boy had already proved Alex’s thoughts right before.


    We alerted everything in that office, just trying to catch up—If he didn’t calm down… Alex tried not to picture the worst. There was still time to rescue the boy from whatever danger lurked. Alex rushed up the stairs, the only thing left to check, and wound up in yet another similar-looking hall. The right side peered off while his front was yet another long corridor. Thankfully, Alex found a door to the left that appeared to lead outside. Next to that were rows of windows that led down the hall.


    Alex pressed his hand against the cold window as he viewed the outside street below. So, this was the side we would’ve passed by if those stalkers hadn’t jumped us. Annoyingly, the rain droplets blurred the view. Alex could vaguely make out cars piled up, creating their own zig-zag path on the road. He then squinted, trying to focus through the blur, but couldn’t see anything else.


    Darn… Wait!


    Alex looked across the street and found him. Blurry yet brightly lit yellow boots waddled through a large gate and then ran into an abandoned building. Alex smirked to himself. The kid was pretty close, and Alex could easily catch up. With Keaton secure and Lyra making her way over to him, Alex went for the door to the left; he opened it and greeted the outside world.


    A dark awning covered the metal staircase, allowing for an easy descent. The floor beneath was of concrete, although it puddled at the base. Whoever made this place didn’t do a proper job of installing drains. Alex took careful steps to avoid slipping and sliding down. He didn’t care for the downpour either, so long as his socks didn’t get wet. His collared sweater could handle a good amount of water before it started to soak his undershirt and his jeans were fine in getting wet also. But he really didn’t want to maneuver through the rainy streets with cold, soaking-wet socks. Alex checked his pants’ cuffs, ensuring they covered the shoe’s collar. Once he was good, Alex then checked his surroundings.


    He had to travel a little east to get to the gate. But that was okay for him as he wasn’t planning on running there. Instead, he’d keep a pace of jogging. If anything would attack, he’d need as much stamina as possible. Especially if it were those stalkers, I could easily outrun a zombie, but not them, not when it’s raining outside.


    Alex couldn’t think of anything else that could be out there. He then started to move out until an ominous howl burst through the pitter-patter of rain, the sound of a dog. He immediately stopped dead in his tracks and quickly shut off his flashlight. Although it helped him see easier, it also gave away his position. Alex waited and listened. Aside from the rain shifting to a more erratic drizzle than a light sprinkle, nothing happened. He was sure he’d heard it. It was a deep howl, elongated for others to hear. Even as the pulsating sound of blood in his ears drowned out the noise, he remained still and refused to go further until he—


    Aaarh-owooooo!!!


    —Alex gulped, hearing the roar again. He felt his blood turn ice cold as three more howls joined in. Dogs… Really!? Zombie dogs changed the whole plan. They were likely faster than stalkers—and in packs—well, normal dogs could easily take people down. You have to be extra cautious. If they could smell… Dammit, hiding won’t matter!


    He took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves and rationalize. They didn’t know he was there, and the rainfall kept his noise to a minimum. Stealth was still on his side. And, with the help of the cars, he could easily sneak by. But you also don’t know where they are.


    He had no choice. He had to take the risk. Alex stepped out into the street, tightly gripping his handgun. The jagged parked car forced Alex to the right. There had to have been a crash somewhere, as everything on the road had been a mess.


    Another bark came from within earshot. No, it sounded like it was next to him. As he U-turned past a damaged Chevy pickup, a dark four-legged creature skittered past him, knocking him onto the wet asphalt. Alex gasped, sitting up quickly. He then flicked his gun behind him. However, the creature had vanished. He didn’t even get a look at the thing before it toppled him. Alex scrambled to his feet as the howls began again. The cars surrounded him on his sides. The mutt could only come from behind.


    He spun on his feet, only to be shoved to the ground again. A thick growl and murky breath brushed against his face. Alex quickly pushed his right arm against the beast’s throat as it snapped its withered jaws. Dammit! Alex clenched his jaw tight. He was really getting tired of these gross, decaying flesh-bags getting on top of him. The hound was shockingly strong despite having several open wounds. Its hollow gray eyes glared at him. But Alex kept his cool. Despite its attempts, the furry mutt didn’t have enough strength to break through his arm. However, his right arm, the only thing stopping a zombie dog from mauling his face apart, was also the same one that held his handgun. Alex had to think of something, fast! He wasn’t going to get ripped apart; he’d at least take one of these rotten corpses to hell first!


    Then, in between the mutt’s barking and snapping and spitting black goo everywhere, a light bulb went off in Alex’s head. His knife! He slowly adjusted his body, pushing up enough to slide the knife out of its sheath. His right arm ached; a burning sensation rolled through his muscles. But he didn’t give up. Alex took hold of his knife and raised it as best he could. Then, in a swift motion, he impaled the sharp blade deep into the dog’s shoulder. But he wasn’t finished. As the beast yelped from impact, it slightly gave way, enough time for him to shift to a better position and shove the thing down onto his side.


    The wet concrete splattered water as the zombie dog smacked hard against it. Alex ripped the knife from its body and kicked it back. He then wiped his face and finally flicked his gun. With the creature still incapacitated, he unloaded two bullets into its body, causing it to spasm. His second bullet, thankfully, brought it down for good.


    Dark blood poured from its wounds, and occasionally, it twitched. Alex quickly reloaded his gun yet again, then rushed to his feet. Keeping trained eyes on it, Alex cautiously moved around the dog; he didn’t lower his guard for a second. There was no doubt that it would likely get up again, that it was just playing dead, and Alex didn’t want to risk it. The beast was about the size of a Husky or maybe a German Shepard, but it looked more like a wolfdog. Something about its body seemed primitive and… animalistic. Its paws were large, though its claws were practically nubs. He briefly wondered if the hound bit them off while it succumbed to the infection. Its dark fur looked ragged, caked with dirt and grime. And there were also a few bite marks on its legs and shoulders.


    He kept going, leaving the now-dead thing to rot in peace. A few SWAT vehicles blocked his path, but thankfully, Alex found a small gap he could pass through. This was probably the first time he’d been grateful that he couldn’t bulk up, forced to stay small and scrawny finally had a benefit. Alex smirked. Eric definitely enjoyed being larger. He’d always shown off his strengths when it came to anything heavy.


    Alex found himself back on the sidewalk; the towering shelter filled all his view. Thankfully, the pathway didn’t end, although he was prepared to climb over any cars in his way. It’s not like anyone will mind, he thought.


    There was, directly in sight, the large gate the little boy passed through. The howls intensified as he inched out onto the street again. It was as if he’d entered their den and was finally noticed. A couple of barks resonated back, prompting Alex to aim his weapon. There was an offshoot, a break in the cars, on his right.


    Making his approach, Alex darted his eyes in that direction. He flicked his gun and then unexpectedly gasped; his arms instantly lowered it. There were a few more dogs down the road, gnawing at something, clearly preoccupied even to notice him. With the help of the street light illuminating the scene, Alex swallowed hard. His brow twitched, then furrowed as he watched them. One of the dogs, a dirty and fatally injured pit bull, had been lying beside a corpse, peeling off the flesh of a thigh. He was fascinated with the sight. Sure, he’d seen dogs eat meat before, but this was no ordinary situation. It held the bone in place with a single paw, scraping its bloody and sharp teeth against the bone to get every piece. Another two mutts stood up as they ripped and tore off more flesh from the main body.


    Was that recent? Or was he already dead? Alex’s eyes widened to the horror that unfolded. He didn’t even notice when another dog pranced into view until it started barking at him—a Doberman Pinscher. Alex blinked, finally seeing the creature that stood only ten feet away. Its right ear had been torn, and there was a nasty gash that ruined half its face. But it didn’t care as it started to growl. Its deep white eyes fixated on him, on its new meal. Alex stepped back slowly as another jumped onto a white Honda Civic on the left. It snarled at him before barking up a storm.


    His mind went blank, and flight mode kicked it. Alex took off in a heaping burst of speed toward the gate. Both the Dobermans barked and yelped out right behind him. They were hot on his tail, but Alex wouldn’t make it easy.


    The large gate was in sight. With adrenaline coursing through his veins, Alex didn’t feel any resistance from his leg muscles as he sprinted. Even with his gear, he didn’t slow. But those zombie mutts were hot on his trail. Their intensive barks were irritating Alex’s mind.


    Come on! Just a little further!


    The gate flung wide open, followed by an exhausted grunt. Alex pivoted, not giving time to think, as those hounds were hot on his tail. He grabbed both ends and closed the entrance. With a tired, pumping breath, Alex finally slid a security bar into place, locking it. But the hounds were ruthless. Some slammed against the doors as they snarled, causing rainwater to splash out onto the muddy floor. They barked for a couple of minutes as the rain started to increase. It didn’t take long before it turned into a storm; the thunder from above drowned out their howls. Alex looked toward the new building; the kid couldn’t have gone far. His shoes squelched; water had already soaked his sweaty socks, which brought a mild discomfort. At least you aren’t puppy chow.


    He rushed, pushing the wide set double doors, and shone inside with the help of the flashlight. The building looked incomplete. Several pieces of caution paper blocked off a corridor on the left, and a bunch of construction equipment was scattered about. Loose nails were bent, jaggedly pointing up, and the smell of fresh concrete lingered. Alex then found an orange cement mixer by the upper left corner with concrete mix inside. Turning his head, he noticed a thick wooden base had covered the right side of the far end, creating a countertop. Power tools rested nonchalantly on some prebuilt wood beams. As he walked in, pressing his damp clothes to remove excess water, he spotted several holes in the ground. This isn’t a place for a kid…


    Alex waved his light toward the end of the room, lingering it for a bit for his eyes to adjust. Once clear, he could see that there were two branching paths. One was ahead, veering to the left, while the other was on his right. A set of stairs met the end of that hall. Alex shook his head; the kid likely didn’t go up. And if he did, it was wiser to clear out the first floor and then work his way up.


    Then, as Alex took a single step toward the left, a light scratching came from the right corner of the room. It sounded like a nail had been scraped against the concrete. It was subtle, though he heard it clearly. Could it be a zombie?


    Silence filled the room again as Alex flicked his gun on the wooden counter. A thought crossed his mind. What if it was the kid? Alex knew for certain that he’d never be able to live with himself if he shot the poor boy. He’d faced enough horrors that not even a therapist could help with, adding to it the death of a child—no. He took his finger off the trigger and wrapped it under the guard with his others. He could throw the flashlight to buy him time if he was wrong. Simple and effective, and his eyes could already see where the light didn’t shine; he’d be okay.


    BOOM! BOOM!


    The thunder from outside shook the floor beneath, and as Alex drew closer, a light whimpering came within ear’s reach. It had to be the little boy. There was no room for doubt. Unless zombies could emulate human sounds… Alex shook his head, removing those things from his mind. It was ludicrous thinking. These things were slow and stupid; none of them thus far had shown even a small ounce of humanity.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    Another scratching sound directed his attention to the far corner this time. The makeshift countertop had an open base with uneven beams holding it up. And in between those beams, Alex saw it. Two little yellow rain boots glimmered in his flashlight. Alex holstered his handgun and slowly made his approach. His shadow trailed down the floor; it bounced slowly and grew as he got close. Eventually, the little rain boots pulled themselves behind the desk.


    “Hey… kid?” Alex said in a soft, high-pitched voice. “It’s okay; I’m not one of those bad people outside.” He then crouched down, leaning on his left knee.


    “Are you sure?” a small voice squeaked.


    It was a simple question, yet Alex didn’t really know how to respond. This was a scared kid who’d been alone for what looked to be most of the night. It wasn’t like an adult, where they could easily measure the uncertainty; no, this child had only two options, both inspired by fear. And Alex knew he had to get the kid to trust him—it wasn’t safe otherwise. If only Lyra were here to deal with this… Despite knowing so little about her, something told him she could get the child to trust her, no problem. However, it was likely because she was easygoing, and most people trusted them more.


    Finally, he said, “Yeah—I’m a person. Why don’t you come out?” Alex raised his hand and waited patiently for anything to happen.


    The kid said nothing, though a slight whimper and a little sniffle could be heard.


    “It’s dangerous to be all by yourself. I’m sure your parents are worried sick.” In the corner, though barely visible, lay the small child pressed against the wall. Shivering and holding his legs, the boy with big brown eyes looked like he would burst into tears.


    “Hey, it’s okay. I won’t hurt you.”


    Finally, the little boy poked his head past one of the beams and stared at Alex with big, teary brown eyes.


    “Will you help me find my momma?” the kid squeaked out. His voice was frail and filled with freight. It was likely that he had come from his home, and although Alex had no clue where that would be, it was likely a long trek to the shelter in general. Maybe his dad… died? It was a terrible thought, but it could also explain why he was alone. He’d have to pry for more information once the boy was secure and safe.


    Alex sighed through his nose. “Is your mom in the shelter?”


    “No… At the hospital.” The little boy sniffled and then wiped his nose with his sleeve.


    “The hospital? That’s across the river, right?” Alex asked. He didn’t get a thorough explanation of the map from Keaton, but he could’ve sworn he’d seen a hospital on the other side.


    The little boy made a muffled yeah, confirming his statement. That was good. The kid was warming up to him. Alex nodded, breathing through his mouth. “Yeah, I’ll help you.”


    The kid chuckled gleefully but remained put. He was close, a little more conversation, and the boy should be on his side. Time to reel it in. Alex spoke up clearly but still with a softer pitch. “You know it’s too dangerous to be on your own, especially in this place.”


    “I’m not scared, mister.”


    Alex gave a friendly smile, then slumped his shoulders down. “Oh, I don’t doubt that. You’ve done a pretty good job, huh?”


    “Yeah!” said the boy. “My momma taught me how to be brave!”


    “What’s your name?”


    The little boy shifted onto his knees and scooted closer. “Jesse—Jesse Sweeten.”


    “My name’s Alex.”


    Jesse nodded and finally crawled out from his little space and stood up. The kid was tiny, barely reaching Alex’s hips. He then clutched onto Alex’s right leg and squeezed tightly, muffling a little Thanks into his pants. Once he let go, Alex patted his curly hair.


    “Come, Jesse. Let’s go find your mom.” Though Alex gave another light smile, deep down, he knew that this kid likely wouldn’t see his mom. Orphaned. I guess we have that in common.


    The next task at hand was to find an exit. They couldn’t go back per se, as he didn’t want to face those dogs again. Alex knew he could outrun them, or rather run fast enough to make it back to the shelter, but there was no guarantee that Jesse could as well. No, it would be a death wish to try that. Alex stood up and furrowed his brows. If they couldn’t go back the way, they came… Well, I guess we’ll have to see what’s down these halls.


    “Those doggies are bad,” Jesse whispered. So, it was true, he had seen them. It was a miracle that they’d left him alone. Or maybe they just hadn’t seen him entirely.


    “Yeah, we aren’t going that way. We can find another way to get out. I have a couple of friends in the shelter that can help—”


    “Is that real?” Jesse pointed toward his holstered weapon, catching Alex off guard.


    A small thought crossed his mind. Several years ago, when he was eighteen, he’d officially moved in with Eric, and they’d experienced their first almost break-in. He’d remembered being terrified as Eric wasn’t officially a cop yet, but Eric was more than prepared. Alex stood at the door frame as Eric’s bulky body slipped by; he had a dark object in his hand that caused Alex’s heart to jump.


    “Is that real?” He remembered asking the same question.


    And Eric’s response, “No,” somehow alleviated him. Though he knew down the line that it was, that Eric would’ve shot anyone who tried to break in.


    But Alex didn’t want to shield this kid from the horror. Especially if this weapon was the only thing that could protect them. They were both stuck in this hellhole after all, and Alex was sure that the kid had seen the carnage.


    “Yeah, it is,” he stated. But he didn’t stop with just that. “But it’s dangerous out there. So, I might have no choice but to use it to protect us.”


    “Oh… Okay… My dad has a gun.”


    The kid was entirely unbothered as he smiled with a peachy face. Maybe he was tougher than Alex thought. He’s likely too young to understand what’s happening. “So, where is your dad?”


    “He’s in the shelter. He told me to go hide, but I got hungry, and then I heard a loud noise!”


    Alex’s heart sank. He didn’t want to be right in that subject. And he didn’t realize he’d been squeezing his flashlight until his knuckles turned white.


    This poor kid.


    The two started to walk and talk, taking this conversation over to the corridor next to the countertop. The back area could have an exit and, if they were lucky, a way to get through the shelter without facing the dogs. Otherwise, he’d have to use his radio and ask for help. They turned the corner once they came up to it when Jesse piped up again.


    “What about you? Where’re your mommy and daddy?”


    “My parents…? They passed,” Alex lied. That was what he’d tell anyone who’d ask. But he knew it wasn’t true. His parents were likely very much alive, enjoying the lives they wanted before they had him. In truth, he was abandoned, left to die in the winter cold at the doorstep of a firehouse.


    “Oh. I’m sorry,” the boy pipped.


    “It’s okay, though; I don’t need my parents’ help—I’m a grown-up anyway.”


    “Well, you must get lonely.”


    Harsh. Kids were brutally honest. But Alex shook his head, keeping a firm voice. “No, I’m not lonely either.”


    “Do you have a girlfriend?”


    “No.”


    “What about a boyfriend?”


    A slight chuckle slipped out of Alex’s mouth. “No, I don’t.”


    “This girl in my class. Mary, she’s like obsessed with me.” Jesse’s eyes widened as he finished.


    “Oh yeah?”


    “Yeah—she always wants to play tag, but I don’t like playing tag with her ’cause she is fast and hard to catch.”


    Adorable.


    “And she always wants to sit next to me and color.”


    “She probably likes you.”


    But the kid cringed his face and dry gagged. “Ew, no. She has cooties. Did you know all girls have cooties?”


    “I did not know that.”


    “Yeah, Billy Clark from my class said so. And he’s really smart.”


    The two came up against a barred door. Alex gently pressed it, but it was stuck fast. The door itself had thick iron bars vertically, but unfortunately, he couldn’t stick his hand through openings.


    “Damn. We might have to go another way.” Alex sighed, pinching his nose bridge.


    “No, wait!” Jesse shuffled over to the right corner, where a small open vent had breached the wall. “I think I can fit through here.” The kid wasted no time as he crouched down and slipped through.


    “Oh, please be careful. If you see one of those sick people, come back here… Jesse?” Alex’s breathing heightened as silence fell upon his ears.


    Of course, the worst came to mind. Even as he tried to block it out, the kid winding up dead kept plaguing his mind. Alex clenched his jaw until it started to get sore. Jesse hadn’t screamed. He wasn’t in pain; he had to be okay. Now I know how Keaton felt…


    Suddenly, small little foottaps echoed down the hall. A fluffy puff of curly brown hair bounced slightly as Jesse ran to the door.


    “Mister Alex!” he chirped, hands weaved together by his heart.


    Alex sighed in relief. “Thank God you’re okay. You gave me a scare.”


    “There’s no monsters—it’s completely empty.”


    “That’s good. Can you get the door?”


    The boy nodded and pulled something by the handle. A subtle click and Alex finally twisted the knob, reuniting the two.


    “Great work, Jesse.”


    “It was nothing.”


    The pitter-patter of rainfall tickled his right ear when he entered the loft. It sounded softer than when he’d arrived, and hopefully, the storm eased. Alex really didn’t want to get soaked in the rain again. And though his open-collar sweater dried, his socks were still wet. Feeling the water squelching in his shoes as he walked was annoyingly uncomfortable.


    Another set of stairs led up to the second floor on the left side, and a doorless frame had been installed on the far right. Darkness enveloped past that, telling him that it did lead to the outside world. It was good; they could get back to Lyra and Keaton and hopefully find Jesse’s mom. Maybe the rain will go away too…


    Alex didn’t hate the rain; if he could have it his way, he’d be sitting on his couch, with the fire on, drinking warm coffee and reading a book. Listening to rainfall on a gloomy day was amazingly peaceful. The quiet white noise never irritated his ears. The scenario was better when Eric would join him, mainly to sleep, but Alex liked hearing his friend’s deep breathing. That was also peaceful.


    His face burned red as he thought about Eric. Tall, bulky, and heavily far-sighted. He was strict, but Alex knew that Eric relied on him more than the other way around. It wasn’t a big deal; he appreciated being needed. And he was certain Eric liked being needed, too. He asserted himself into Alex’s life while, at the same time, he could barely go to the store by himself. Alex smiled sincerely; he was the only person who never made him feel… alone.


    A friend. Someone I can’t live without. He had to return before Eric noticed; that man would not sit still idling by. He would easily break any laws to get to Alex. Or kill another person…


    “I see the exit!” Jesse squeaked, pulling Alex away from his thoughts.


    The boy jogged up toward the open entrance, prompting Alex to follow. He pulled out his Glock 48, ready to continue. They stepped into a small alley, or at least it looked to be one. The concrete walls still surrounded them, yet the floor was mud. Alex could even see the dampened wooden support beams at the base. But Jesse seemed content. In fact, he strangely knew where he was going as he jogged left and led the two out into the street.


    Jesse then pointed southwest toward a large bridge. From where they were, it was too dark to make sense of the scale. However, Alex could see tall twin, probably steel, pillars on each end. “My momma works over there!” he said, then glanced up at Alex.


    “Alright. We can check it out.” Alex chewed his lip, thinking about Lyra and Keaton. I’ll have to contact them soon—let them know I’m okay, but first, we should get out of this rain.


    Jesse let out a slight but mucous-sounding cough. His little tongue rolled as he coughed a few more times. He then gripped his chest and squinted his big brown eyes tightly. After a few seconds, he appeared to be okay as he lowered his hands and continued as if nothing happened.


    “You, okay?” Alex asked, narrowing his eyes to the boy. That was odd.


    “Yeah, I’m okay…” The kid trotted along, unbothered by the rain, smiling widely. Jesse ran right up to a puddle and stomped into it, letting the droplets splash across the pavement. It was adorable watching the kid relish in blissful ignorance. Even when there was a looming dread around the corner, Alex stopped, watched, and smiled too.


    “Come on, let’s get out of the rain. You’ll catch a cold if you don’t.”


    “I won’t get sick. My momma’s a nurse”


    “A nurse, you say?” Alex raised his brows.”


    “Yeah. My momma helps me with all sorts of stuff. She knows all about the body.”


    “That’s pretty cool. You wanna be like her one day?”


    “No. I wanna be like my daddy,” Jesse said. “He’s a firefighter, and he’s really strong!”


    Alex chuckled slightly. How adorable.


    “Well, before we play in the rain, we should get raincoats, yeah? To match with your boots?” Alex gently rested his hand on Jesse’s shoulder as they walked south down the empty street.


    “You know, momma always tells me that too.”


    “She’s got the right idea. It’s better to keep dry than be soaking wet.”


    “Okay… If you say so.”


    Howls echoed through the conjoined street, causing Alex to halt in place. A couple more barks erupted, responding. Alex slowly turned his head to the left, where the roads merged. They couldn’t reach them even if those disgusting mutts wanted to; there was a sizable black police fence that blocked off the whole lane. Alex then sighed through his nose with relief, lowering his tensed shoulders.


    “Aw, mister Alex, look!” Jesse whined. The poor boy frowned as he pointed with his tiny fingers. Up ahead was a matching black barricade, though a bundle of abandoned cars blocked them off from even getting close.


    “We’ll need to find another way around.” Alex glanced from side to side, eventually spotting a metal staircase leading up to the shelter’s second floor on his left. He then tapped Jesse’s shoulder and pointed. “Look, we might be able to go through the shelter to get onto the other side.”


    “Are you sure?” The boy glanced up at Alex, giving a hopeful lip quiver. “I really wanna see my momma.”


    Alex merely shrugged. “Hopefully. And we can also wait inside until the rain clears up.”


    Jesse’s pouting face instantly shifted to a red hue of a wide smile. His small teeth were adorably aligned. “Okay!”


    Before they reached the stairs, Alex and Jesse stumbled into a small courtyard fenced off with barbed wire and a door with wiring in the middle of it. Alex smirked to himself, finding the door to be thankfully unlocked—and no carrier in sight.


    The small courtyard had a couple of trashcans against some rusty empty barrels. A thick set of wet tools was haphazardly thrown into a box that rested by one of the barrels. To the right was the set of stairs that stretched to the third story; they were dark in color, with a loose handrail and open risers.


    Alex glanced back at Jesse, who wavered for a moment. Alex then smiled at him and extended his hand. “It’s okay. We’ll go slowly.”


    They took the steps one at a time, and Alex instructed Jesse to hold his other hand onto the safety rail. Even though the steps had raised holes for shoe support, the rain could still cause a slip. The distance between each step was larger than Jesse could manage; the boy’s little legs had to stretch out, but he managed to keep up with Alex’s slow pace.


    The door at the top was left ajar. Alex narrowed his gaze as he reached the top step. He then carefully pulled it back open, hoping there wasn’t anything inside. A zombie in the rain was bad enough, but one that could push him down a flight of stairs. He took a deep breath and wrapped his finger around the trigger.


    He did a quick once over—no zombies inside—before he let Jesse walk in. The boy gleefully smiled, seemingly unconcerned with their situation. Alex sighed, wishing he could do the same. Chin up, he thought. You’re the reason why he can. Alex smiled back, holstering his handgun again to ease any tension.


    It was a control room, small and cluttered with various panels and circuit boards. With the lights on, Alex put away his flashlight and inspected further. A thin, cracked, dusty window on his right stretched across the wall; however, it didn’t look like it was meant to see outside. Directly across the room was another metal door. Looking at the control panels themselves, Alex found the closest one was built in front of the window. Aside from a large black lever raised, the various buttons and switches were uninteresting to him. Jesse scampered by him and past the panel, then stood on his tippy toes to look through the window’s edge.


    “Look down there! I see a bridge,” said Jesse.


    Alex pressed his hand against the window. It started to numb to the coldness, but he didn’t care as he leaned over to peer through it. Jesse was right; there was an offset footbridge on the lowest floor. On the right side was an open hole in the wall that likely led back outside.


    “I was here before! And I think that bar is for it.” Jesse pulled back and looked up to Alex. “But it won’t move.”


    Alex then flicked his eyes back outside through the open door. Across the river was where Jesse said the hospital, but even at this height, he couldn’t see any building that indicated it was a hospital. Hmm, I’ll have to ask Keaton just how far away it is.


    “Alrighty. Let’s give this a shot.”


    Alex grabbed onto the handle and, with a slight give, pulled it down slowly. A barely audible ticking sound vibrated throughout the lever, and once he pulled it all the way down, a loud click fell into place. A heavy rumble soon followed. It shook the ground they stood on, prompting the two to look back down at the bridge. And like clockwork, the bridge twisted itself back into the proper potion. A thick layer of steam leaked out from the sides of the bridge, but once it settled, the steam soon dissipated.


    “You got it!” Jesse rushed over and grabbed onto Alex’s left leg, hugging it tightly. Alex brushed his hand against the boy’s fluffy brown hair. It was soft and glossy. His mother must’ve been a detailed woman if she managed to keep this boy looking pristine. The corners of Alex’s mouth pulled up slightly as the boy finally let go, ready to move on.


    They needed to find the others. Alex pulled the small radio from his belt and twisted some of the knobs. Finally, he pressed the talk button and began. “Lyra, come in. It’s me, Alex.”


    It didn’t take long before his radio went off. Lyra’s voice, filled with static, told him she was there. “This is Lyra, over.”


    “I think I found a way out. A bridge on the northwest side of the shelter. Can you meet me there?”


    “Roger that. Keaton and I are gonna try and restart this generator. Some of the gates in the shelter need its power to function.”


    Alex pressed the talk button again, glancing over at Jesse, whose thin brows had been raised. “I also found the kid; his name is Jesse I’m taking him along with us.”


    “Got it.”


    The static stopped, and silence fell upon the room. It was time to leave. Alex put his radio away and headed for the door. He then pulled out his Glock 48, twisted the keyed entry doorknob, and pushed it open. It led to another empty hallway.


    “Ready?” Alex asked, looking back.


    The young boy stood in the middle of the room, his hands hovering over his chest. Jesse nodded, then trotted up to him, and the two left.