That evening, everyone had showered, eaten, and enjoyed a peaceful night. For the first time in a long while, nothing disturbed them.
Cassandra still felt some pain from her wound, but it had lessened. The atmosphere was light, and everyone was genuinely happy.
Michael leaned back, sighing contentedly. "I wish every day could be like this. I don't want to go back to that world again. I hate that world out there!"
Fred nodded, staring at the dimly lit ceiling. "Same here. I miss my past life, though. Wish all these are dream, and I should just woke up."
Jane added with a wistful smile, "Even me, I miss my past life. Simpler times. The beautiful sun, human real voices, working time..."
The head of the family clapped his hands suddenly, breaking the silence. "Come on guys, let's not make this night boring. Let's dance!"
Music filled the room as everyone got up to join in. They danced like they hadn't in years, their laughter echoing through the walls. For a moment, it felt like the world outside didn't exist. When exhaustion finally took over, they retreated to their beds, hearts full and minds at ease.
The next morning, Fred woke up early. After brushing his teeth, showering, and dressing, he prepared some food. Meanwhile, the lab coach tended to Cassandra's wound, carefully cleaning and dressing it with supplies from the first aid kit.
Then around 2 p.m. An unusual sound from outside shattered the calm. They rushed to the CCTV feed. To their shock, the aliens outside were vanishing one by one, dissolving into thin air.
Fred exhaled in disbelief. "What! Can you see that? They're fucking leaving! Thank God! It's finally happening. We can go back and face the real world now."
Michael signed, "Real world? You mean the zombies?"
"Yes! They can't bite us again... So, we are free!"
Jane hesitated. "But Cassandra isn't fully healed yet."
Fred shook his head. "We have no choice. It's time to leave. We've been here long enough."
"You guys should not worried about me, I can manage. Fred is right, we don't have time to waste here."
They began packing essentials—food, water, and supplies—and prepared to leave the DC.
As they drove off in their van, their path was suddenly blocked by a group of people. Fred slowed down. These were the same individuals they had seen on the CCTV earlier. The leader of the group stepped forward, signaling for them to stop.
"Get out of the van," the leader commanded.
Reluctantly, they stepped out. The leader's voice was filled with anger. "You're heartless. While we were being slaughtered by zombies and aliens, you stayed locked inside that building. We begged you to let us in, but you refused. Many of us died because of your selfishness."
Jane bristled. "Who told you about us? And who are you people?"
The leader's gaze darkened. "Someone who escaped from your community. He's dead now—killed by aliens. But before he died, he told us about your vaccines, so we need the vaccine."
Fred raised his hands in a placating gesture. "No problem. I'll get it for you."
He retrieved the vaccines from the van and handed them over. One by one, the group injected themselves. Afterward, Fred addressed them firmly.
"Hope we're cool now? My name is Fred, and you?" Fred stretch his hand towards the group leader but he snubbed him.
"We all have to rebuild this world. But first, we need to get rid of the zombies. Here's the plan: we'll dig a massive tunnel, plant explosives, and use music to lure the zombies in. Then we'll detonate the bombs and destroy them all."
The group agreed and joined forces. Together, they traveled east, where the virus had originated. The streets were littered with corpses, and the remnants of civilization were bleak—people had hung themselves, and the landscape was scattered with debris.
It took three days to dig the tunnel. Once it was ready, they planted the explosives and set up a loudspeaker playing music. The sound drew the zombies like moths to a flame.
One by one, the zombies rushed into the tunnel. Fred waited until the majority were inside before pressing the detonator. The explosion shook the ground, and flames engulfed the tunnel. Fred placed another loudspeaker near the fire, ensuring the remaining zombies would follow.
When it was over, they surveyed the aftermath. The zombies were gone.
Fred turned to the group. "Let's head north. There's a clean, untouched area there. We'll turn it into a new community."
Upon reaching the north, they sanitized the streets, cleaned the houses, and began to rebuild. Fred addressed everyone.
"Welcome to our new world. We fought for this, and those who died are our heroes. We'll create new rules, new policies, and a new civilization. But for now, let's rest and recover."
Despite the joy, Cassandra's condition worsened. Her wound, inflicted by an alien bullet, refused to heal.
"What are we going to do about Cassandra? Her wound is not healing!" Jane talk to Fred.
"Seriously, I don't know."
"Come on Fred, are we going to watch die? We need to do something."
Jane and Fred went to Cassandra room. Fever has consumed her, and despite everyone's efforts, she passed away.
Her death was a heavy blow. Jane wept uncontrollably, clutching Cassandra's hand. Later, she approached Fred with tear-streaked cheeks.
"I have a confession," Jane said, her voice trembling. "I killed Luis. He deserved it. He was the reason we ended up in this mess. If he hadn't been selfish and lied, none of this would have happened."
Fred looked at her solemnly. "I know. I overheard him talking to Gomez once. I didn't know the details, but I knew they were planning something. Don't blame yourself. What happened to him was his own doing."
Jane broke down, and Fred hugged her tightly.
As they stood in the heart of their new community, they looked ahead to a future filled with hope. Civilization was beginning again, and the fight for survival had given birth to a new world.