[After the Horde.]
Everything feels... different. Not so bad, I guess? At least everyone's still alive. That's what matters, right? But when I look at my team, I see it in their eyes.
Some of them are done. They're here, physically, but not really. They've never seen anything like this before. Hell, I'm not sure I have, either. Yeah, I've fought hordes before my regression, but that doesn't mean I'm not scared. I'm not invincible. I could die any second, just like the rest of them.
I keep scanning the squad. They're all trying to act tough, but I can see the fear in their eyes. Most of them are too young—too young for all this. The sniper from earlier? He's only fifteen. Fifteen. I feel bad for him. He's been quiet since we stopped, and I can see his hands shaking.
I clear my throat, trying to steady my voice. "Everyone okay?" I ask. No one answers right away, but I push forward. "I know you're scared. I get it. But the camp's counting on us. We have to finish this."
I pause for a second, scanning their tired, terrified faces. I feel bad, but we can't stop now. "There's a clinic nearby," I tell them. "If we're lucky, there might still be some medicine. Stuff we can actually use. Let's move."
[40 Minutes Later]
We found the clinic. It's the first bit of luck we've had today. Most of the shelves were stripped clean, some expired, but we still managed to find some medicine. It's not a lot, but it's enough to matter. Enough to help.
As we load up the supplies, my mind starts to wander. I can't help thinking about my parents. I never got to see them in my past life. I don't even know what happened to them. Are they alive now? Could I find them?
I shake my head, trying to push the thought away. I can't. I can't afford to get distracted. The camp needs me. Alice needs me. If I start chasing ghosts, I'll just screw everything up again.
Still... I wonder what Alice is thinking right now. She doesn't talk about them much, but I know she misses them. She's probably thinking about them more than I am.
And then there's Hetty. My dog. She was the only one who stuck by me in my past life. I was supposed to find her three months ago. Maybe I took a different path. Maybe she's out there, waiting for me.
I sigh, pushing the thought aside. I can't think about that. I have to focus on what's ahead, not what's behind me.
[Back at the Camp – Alice's Perspective]
The camp's been a mess lately. Ever since Alan and the others left, everything's been tense. People are scared. Hungry. Angry.
Food rations got cut again. It's fine for me—I don't eat much anyway—but for the kids and the older folks, it's rough. They need more.
I stand in Reyes's office, watching her. She's leaning on her desk, eyes bloodshot. She looks exhausted. Like she hasn't slept in days.
"Reyes," I say, trying to keep my voice steady. "Do you think they'll be back soon?"
She doesn't answer right away. When she does, her voice is quiet. "I hope so," she says. "I really do."
I nod, but the doubt's there. I can feel it. "The camp," I start, my voice shaky. "It's bad. You can see it on everyone's faces. They're losing hope."
Reyes looks up at me, and for a second, I see something in her eyes—something I can't quite place. "Alice," she says softly. "I knew this was a gamble. I knew it was risky. But what else could I do? We didn't have enough to survive. I had to try."
I want to tell her it's okay. I want to tell her she did the right thing. But before I can say anything, she lets out a bitter laugh.
"I'm a bad leader, aren't I?" she says, almost to herself.
"No," I say quickly. "Reyes, you're doing everything you can. Don't say that. We're just... unlucky."
She smiles, but it's a sad, empty smile. "Unlucky doesn't keep people alive, Alice."
[Exiting Reyes's Office]
I find myself sitting outside, not really sure why. I just needed to get out of there. I sit down, leaning against the door, my knees pulled up to my chest. I feel the tears coming before I can stop them.
"Why?" I whisper to no one. "Why does this keep happening?"
I couldn't stop crying.
"Why can't the old days just come back? Why?" I said, recalling the days before the apocalypse.
The sobs start quiet, but they get louder. I bury my face in my hands, trying to muffle the sound.
"Mom... Dad..." I whisper through my tears. "I hope you're okay. I hope you're still out there…"
But deep down, I know it's pointless. I don't believe it. Not really.
The apocalypse isn't just about losing people. It's about losing yourself. And I don't know how much more of myself I can lose.
[Reyes's Perspective]
I hear Alice's cries through the door, and I want to step in. But my heart's heavy.
To save the rest of the camp, I made a decision that goes against everything I stand for. But logically, it saved us.
Maybe... maybe our humanity is slipping away, bit by bit, every moment we spend like this.
[Back to Alan – 15 Hours After the Horde Encounter]
The scavenging run's going okay so far. We've found some medicine, food, and a few tools. It's not much, but it's enough to keep us moving.
Then Michael shouts.
"ALAN! LOOK!" he yells, pointing at something in the distance.
I follow his gaze and feel my heart stop. It's a factory—one of those old tin-can factories that used to churn out food and water to the global market.
"Holy shit," Michael breathes.
We move closer, and my stomach flips. The place isn't looted. Not even close. There are hundreds of boxes stacked inside, untouched by scavengers or zombies.
"EVERYONE, MOVE! LOAD THEM ALL UP!" I shout.
The team doesn't need to be told twice. They run into the factory, opening crates and stuffing their trucks with whatever they can carry.
Tears burn in my eyes as I watch them work. For the first time in a long time, it feels like we might actually make it. A real chance.
[3 Days Later]
When we return to the camp, there's a shift in the air. Some of us are still shaken, but everyone's smiling. Really smiling. For the first time in months, it feels like hope has returned.
"Reyes," I say, walking up to her with a smile I can't hide. "We did it. We found enough food and water to keep everyone alive."
She looks at me, her eyes glassy, and I think she's going to break down right there. Tears fill her eyes, and she lets out a shaky breath.
"You saved us," she whispers, tears finally flowing out of her eyes.
"This might last us seven month... I'm proud of you. Alan." She said as she kissed my left cheek.
I was left flustered, sure Reyes is a beautiful woman... But what's this for?!
As I look around, I was glad no one noticed what Reyes just did.
And Reyes just smile mischievously, making a 'shush' sign with her right hand.
Her smiles melt my heart, I kept a bit of my poker face, but I was embarrassed.... Her smile was... Cute.
The camp erupts in cheers as the supplies are unloaded. People are crying, laughing, hugging each other. For the first time in what feels like forever, we don't have to worry about food.
Maybe, just maybe, we have a real chance of surviving this apocalypse.