In the mountains:
We had been on the run for two weeks, ever since the zombies attacked our village. My wife, Isabella, was carrying our baby on her back, exhausted from the constant traveling. I was holding an axe, ready to defend them from any threat.
We heard a scream of a kid nearby. Without hesitation, we ran towards the source of the noise. We saw a boy, about 13 years old, being chased by a zombie. It was a woman.
"Kid! Come here!" I shouted, waving my axe. The boy saw me and ran in our direction, luring the zombie away from him. I charged at the undead creature and smashed its head with one swing. It fell to the ground, motionless.
"Thank you, mister," the boy said, panting. I looked at him with suspicion. I couldn't afford to risk our lives for a stranger.
"Where are your parents? And why are you here?" I asked.
He pointed at the zombie. "That was my mother. We lived in the forest, near here. But a horde of zombies came and attacked us. My father tried to distract them while we ran, but they got him too. My mother and I managed to escape, but she was bitten along the way. I ran as fast as I could, but she followed me and... and..." He couldn't finish his sentence. Tears welled up in his eyes.
I felt sorry for him, but I also felt angry. We had barely enough supplies for ourselves, and if we took him in, we would run out in two days. I had a baby to take care of. I couldn't jeopardize his future for a kid I didn't know.
But before I could say anything, Isabella touched my hand and smiled. "It's okay, he's just a kid. We should help him," she said. She always had a kind heart, even in these dark times. She was the reason I still had hope.
"Okay... here," I said, handing him a baseball bat. "Don't do anything stupid." He nodded and asked, "Where are we going?"
"We're looking for a hut in this mountain. We plan to use it as a base, fortify it, build walls around it using the trees. Maybe grow some crops, raise some animals. Start a new life," I said.
The boy smiled, but there was still sadness in his eyes. "That sounds nice," he said.
We buried his mother's body and continued our hike. After several hours, we came across a barricade. It was made of wooden spikes, connected to the trees, forming a wall that spanned for kilometers. There were signs on every tree, saying:
[If you wish for a place to stay and don't want any trouble, then walk to your left. You'll find a way there. Go straight and you'll find a wall. Drop your weapons and raise your hands. Make sure that we can see you on the CCTV.]
I was amazed by the sight. Whoever built this must have a lot of resources and manpower. It could be a safe haven, or a trap. We had no choice but to find out.
"Hide here," I told Isabella and the boy. "I'll check this out. If they're good people, we might have a chance. If not, I'll try to distract them and you run. Don't look back."
"But what about you?" Isabella asked, worried.
"I love you," I said, kissing her and our baby. "I'll be back soon."
"Here, this is a better weapon to have, be sure to protect my family, I trust you" I said to the boy, he nodded and took the Axe.
I walked to the left, following the instructions. After 30 minutes, I found a road. There were tire tracks and footprints. I followed them until I reached a wall. It was made of metal and had a gate. There was a camera above it, pointing at me.
I dropped my bat and raised my hands. I hoped they would let me in. I hoped they would let us in. I hoped this was the end of our nightmare.
The morning sun shone through the windows of the mansion, where we had been living for the past few months. It was a safe place, surrounded by walls, with a security system that we set up. We had also set up some traps and alarms around the perimeter, just in case any zombies or raiders tried to get in.
We gathered for breakfast in the dining room, where we had a large table full of food that we had looted from nearby stores or grown in our backyard garden. We had a generator and solars that provided us with electricity, and a laptop where we could access information that we downloaded before the internet shut down.
As we ate, Andy, the youngest member of our group, expressed his desire to join the looting expedition that we had planned for today.
"I also want to go and loot!" Andy exclaimed eagerly, his eyes shining with excitement.
I looked at him and considered his request. He was a smart and brave kid, who had learned how to handle guns and other weapons from our training sessions. He had also proven himself to be useful in many situations, such as scavenging supplies and killing zombies. He was not a burden, but an asset.
"Sure, why not? Your sister already knows how to handle guns, so if there's ever a problem, she can handle it herself." I said, giving him my approval. I was the leader of our group, and I had the final say in everything.
"But you should ask your sisters first," I added, reminding Andy of the need to seek permission from his guardians. He was still a kid, after all, and we still needed to respect his sister's wishes.
He turned to his sister Jenny, who was sitting in front of him on the table. She was a 20-year-old woman who had been a college student before the apocalypse. She was a kind and gentle person, who loved her brother dearly. She was also a skilled shooter, who could handle any firearm with ease.
"Can I…?" He asked her hesitantly, hoping for her consent.
"No, it's too dangerous, you're still a kid." Jenny replied firmly, shaking her head. She was worried about her brother's safety, and she did not want to risk losing him.
"Why!? I'm not a kid anymore! I can shoot zombies with ease now because of our training!" He protested, raising his voice. He wanted to prove himself, and he did not like being treated like a child.
"No means no." Jenny said, standing her ground. She was not going to change her mind, no matter what.
The two siblings started to argue, and I could see the frustration and sadness on their faces. I felt sorry for them, but I did not intervene. It was their family matter, and I did not want to interfere.
"I just— want to protect you…" Andy said softly, his eyes watering.
Jenny felt guilty, and she softened her tone. "I'm sorry, I'm just worried that you might not return if you go-"
Before she could finish her sentence, we heard a loud ringing sound. It was one of the alarms that we had set up outside. Someone or something had triggered it.
"Get ready." I said, interrupting their argument. I grabbed my rifle and headed to the laptop, where I could see the CCTV footage of the entrance of the mansion. There was a man standing there, holding a baseball bat on the ground and raising his hands in the air. He looked weak and tired, but he also had some equipment on his back, which looked like he had made it himself.