Day 7: The Strangers
The city was quieter today. Too quiet. The distant screeches of the Wraithkin were fewer, and even the constant groaning of the crumbling buildings seemed to have died down. Eli and Cass moved cautiously through the streets, their eyes darting between shadows, their muscles tensed for any sudden movement. Every time Eli stepped over a crack in the pavement, his body braced for an attack, but none came.
Cass led the way, her bone knife glinting in the eerie red light of the sky. She hadn't spoken much since the encounter with the eight-legged creature the day before. Eli could still hear the rapid clicking of its legs in his mind, could still feel the weight of its many eyes crawling over his skin. His muscles ached from running, his legs still sore, but it wasn't the physical strain that bothered him.
It was Cass.
She had saved him again. She was always saving him. No matter how many times she pushed him to get stronger, faster, he couldn't shake the feeling that she saw him as dead weight. A liability. He had been good at running—maybe too good—but in this world, running wasn't enough. He had to be more. He had to be better.
But the question still gnawed at him: Why is she helping me?
Before he could fall deeper into his thoughts, Cass stopped abruptly, holding up a hand. Eli froze, his heart skipping a beat as his eyes scanned the area for danger.
"Look," Cass said softly, her voice low but urgent.
Eli followed her gaze. In the distance, where the street opened up into a wide intersection, he saw them—people. Actual people, alive, and walking through the ruins of the city. There were at least five of them, moving cautiously but with a strange ease, as if they weren't as afraid of the dangers lurking in the shadows.
For a moment, Eli didn't know what to do. He hadn't seen anyone besides Cass in days—living people, at least. The Wraithkin had made sure of that.
"Should we go to them?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper.
Cass's eyes narrowed. "Could be a trap," she said, her tone hard. "Or worse."
Eli swallowed hard. He hadn't even considered that. But as he watched the group, he noticed something different about them. They didn't look desperate or panicked like the other survivors he had come across before. They looked calm—almost too calm for a world like this.
But maybe that was a good thing. Maybe they had found some way to survive, some way to fend off the Wraithkin. Maybe, just maybe, they had answers.
"We should check it out," Eli said, trying to keep the hope out of his voice. "We can't keep doing this alone."
Cass looked at him, her expression unreadable. For a moment, Eli thought she would refuse, but then she nodded slowly. "Fine," she said, her voice flat. "But keep your guard up."
As they approached the group, Eli felt his heart race with a strange mix of hope and fear. The people—three men and two women—looked cleaner than most of the survivors Eli had seen. Their clothes weren't as torn, their faces weren't as hollow. They moved with a kind of unity, like they had been working together for a long time.
One of the men, tall with short brown hair and a rifle slung across his back, spotted them first. He raised a hand, signaling for the others to stop. His face lit up with a smile that seemed too bright for the world they were living in.
"Well, would you look at that," he called out, his voice friendly and warm. "More survivors!"
The rest of the group turned toward them, and Eli could see their smiles too. Wide, welcoming smiles. It felt strange, almost unsettling, but he tried to shake off his unease. Maybe it was just that he hadn't seen kindness in so long.
Cass's hand hovered near her knife, her posture tense. Eli could tell she didn't trust them, but he stepped forward anyway, forcing a smile.
"Yeah," Eli said, his voice a little shaky. "We didn't think there were any groups left."
The man with the rifle approached them, holding his hands up to show he wasn't a threat. "There aren't many," he said. "But we've been lucky. Found a good spot to settle down a little ways outside the city. My name's James. This is Sarah, Ryan, Mark, and Kate." He gestured to the others, who waved in greeting.
Eli glanced back at Cass, who remained stone-faced, her eyes never leaving James. She wasn't going to be charmed by friendly faces. "I'm Eli," he said, then nodded toward Cass. "This is Cass."
James's smile never faltered. "Nice to meet you both," he said. "You're welcome to come with us. We've got food, water, a safe place to stay. It's not much, but it's better than wandering around in this hellhole."
Eli's heart leapt at the mention of food and safety, but Cass's hand twitched toward her knife. "And what's the catch?" she asked, her voice cold.
James raised an eyebrow. "No catch. We're just trying to survive, same as you. There's strength in numbers, right?"
Sarah, one of the women, stepped forward, her expression soft and kind. "We've been helping survivors whenever we can. It's dangerous out here, but we've found ways to keep the Wraithkin at bay. You don't have to be alone anymore."
Eli felt a wave of relief wash over him. He had been alone for so long, even with Cass by his side, and the idea of being part of a group—of having more than just the constant fear of survival—was almost too good to resist. He looked at Cass, hoping she'd agree.
"We could at least check it out," Eli said quietly. "See what they have."
Cass's jaw tightened. For a long moment, she didn't say anything, her eyes locked on James. But finally, she nodded. "Fine. We'll go. But we're not staying long."
James grinned. "That's all I ask."
The walk to the group's camp took longer than Eli expected. They moved through back alleys and side streets, avoiding the main roads, which James explained were still teeming with Wraithkin. Eli couldn't help but notice how calm the group remained, even when they passed through the more dangerous areas. It was like they weren't afraid, as if they had figured out a way to live in this nightmare without letting it consume them.
The camp was nestled in an old, half-collapsed warehouse on the outskirts of the city. Inside, there were makeshift beds, piles of scavenged supplies, and even a fire pit where a small fire flickered softly. It was more than Eli had seen in days—weeks, even. The sight of food, clean water, and warmth sent a pang of longing through him.
"Make yourselves comfortable," James said, gesturing toward the small area where they had set up seating. "We've got plenty to share."
Cass stayed on the edge of the group, her arms crossed, eyes scanning the camp. But Eli sat down, grateful for the chance to rest. He could feel his stomach growling as the smell of cooked food drifted through the air.
As the others began to relax, Sarah sat down beside Eli, offering him a bowl of soup. "Here," she said with a smile. "You look like you could use a good meal."
Eli hesitated for a moment, glancing at Cass, who gave him a wary look. But his hunger won out. He took the bowl and nodded gratefully. "Thanks," he said, the warmth of the food comforting in his hands.
As they ate, Eli found himself relaxing for the first time in days. The soup was warm, if a little bland, but it was real food—not the scavenged, half-rotten scraps he and Cass had been living on. He let the warmth spread through his chest, and for a brief moment, the constant tension in his body eased. The others around the campfire were chatting, laughing even, their voices carrying a strange sense of normalcy that Eli hadn't felt in what seemed like forever.
Sarah sat next to him, her eyes warm and kind as she spoke. "We don't come across many survivors anymore. It's good to see new faces. You've been on your own for a while, haven't you?"
Eli nodded, glancing over at Cass, who was sitting on the edge of the camp, her eyes still scanning the area like a hawk. "Yeah, just the two of us. It's been… hard."
Sarah's smile softened. "I can't imagine. But you don't have to worry anymore. We've got a good setup here. The Wraithkin can't get in, and we've found ways to get supplies without running into too much trouble. It's not perfect, but it's safer than out there."
Eli wanted to believe her. The warmth of the fire, the food, the sense of community—it all felt so good, so safe. But something in the back of his mind gnawed at him, a faint whisper of doubt. It wasn't just Cass's constant vigilance; it was something about how easy this group made it seem. No one looked tired, worn down, or afraid like most survivors. And in a world like this, that was strange.
"So how do you do it?" Eli asked, trying to keep his tone casual. "How do you keep the Wraithkin out?"
Sarah exchanged a glance with James, who was talking quietly with the others. She smiled again, but this time, it didn't quite reach her eyes. "We've learned a few things," she said vaguely. "It's all about keeping a low profile. They hunt by movement and sound, but if you know how to move around them, you're safe."
Eli nodded slowly, though her answer didn't quite sit right with him. He had seen the Wraithkin up close—felt the suffocating pressure of their presence—and he couldn't imagine that just being careful was enough to keep them away. But before he could press further, one of the others, a man named Ryan, called out to him.
"Hey, Eli! We've got a little entertainment here too. Check this out."
Eli turned to see Ryan holding a deck of cards, shuffling them with a grin. "What do you say? Feel like playing a few rounds?"
For a second, Eli hesitated. He glanced back at Cass, who was still sitting apart from the group, her arms crossed and her eyes fixed on the entrance to the warehouse. She had been silent the whole time, never letting her guard down. He knew she didn't trust these people—and maybe she was right not to—but he couldn't help but feel drawn to the friendliness, the sense of companionship that had been missing for so long.
"Sure," Eli said, giving Sarah a quick smile before moving to join Ryan and the others. "Why not?"
As he sat down with them, he felt a strange sense of camaraderie settle over him. The way they joked, teased each other, and shared stories—it felt like being part of something again, something normal. For the first time since the world had fallen apart, Eli felt like maybe there was hope, that maybe they could survive this together.
Over the next hour, Eli found himself laughing—actually laughing—for the first time in what felt like forever. Ryan was quick-witted and had a way of making even the smallest victory in the card game feel like a triumph. Mark and Kate joined in too, their banter light and easy, as if the world outside wasn't crumbling.
It was strange, but good. Eli felt himself relaxing more and more, letting the warmth of the fire and the safety of the group wash over him. But every now and then, his gaze would drift to Cass. She hadn't moved from her spot, still watching, still waiting. The hard set of her jaw and the tension in her shoulders were a constant reminder that, no matter how safe things felt here, something wasn't right.
As the game went on, Eli noticed someone new approaching the group—a young man, maybe around Eli's age, with sandy blond hair and an easygoing smile. He didn't look as worn as the others, but there was something in his eyes—something that suggested he'd seen his share of horrors.
"Mind if I join?" the guy asked, holding up his hands in a friendly gesture. "I'm Luke."
"Eli," he replied, offering a small smile as Luke sat down across from him. There was something about Luke that felt familiar—like Eli had known someone like him before the world fell apart. He was laid-back, easy to talk to, and as they played cards together, Eli felt a strange connection forming.
"So, how long have you been with them?" Eli asked, nodding toward the group.
"Not too long," Luke said, his voice calm, though there was a flicker of something deeper in his eyes. "They found me a few weeks back. I was in pretty bad shape. Couldn't survive on my own, but they took me in."
Eli could relate to that. He hadn't been in the best shape when Cass found him either. "They seem… nice," Eli said, though the uncertainty in his voice made Luke's smile falter.
"They are," Luke replied, but then lowered his voice. "But they've got secrets. Everyone does these days."
Eli frowned, feeling a strange knot form in his chest. He wanted to ask more, but Luke changed the subject quickly, cracking a joke that made the others laugh.
Still, Eli couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to this group than met the eye. And when he glanced back at Cass, her unwavering vigilance only deepened his suspicion.
Later that evening, after the sun had disappeared behind the thick red clouds, casting the world in even deeper shadows, Eli found himself sitting next to Luke by the fire. The others had drifted off to their makeshift beds or were on guard duty, but Luke stayed up with him, talking quietly about life before the world had ended. It was easy, natural. Luke reminded Eli of someone he could've been friends with in another life.
"You seem different from the others," Eli said quietly, glancing at the fire. "I don't know… less sure of everything."
Luke's smile faded, and he sighed, leaning back. "It's hard to be sure of anything anymore," he admitted. "You think you're safe, then everything falls apart. But this group… they've got a way of making you feel like things are okay. Even when they're not."
Eli's gaze flicked to Luke, a question on the tip of his tongue, but he wasn't sure how to ask it. "Do you trust them?"
Luke didn't answer right away. His eyes lingered on the fire, the flickering flames reflected in his tired gaze. Finally, he shook his head, just barely, so that no one else could see. "I trust people to do what they need to survive. Nothing more."
Before Eli could ask what he meant, a loud crash echoed from the front of the warehouse. Everyone jerked to attention, Cass included, her hand flying to her knife. Eli's heart leapt into his throat as the sound of metal scraping against concrete filled the air, followed by a low, guttural growl that made his blood run cold.
"Wraithkin!" James shouted, his voice cutting through the sudden panic. "Everyone, weapons!"
Eli's stomach dropped as the noise grew louder, closer, the unmistakable sound of the creatures tearing through the wreckage. The safety he had felt moments ago evaporated in an instant, replaced by the familiar terror that had haunted him for days.
Cass was already on her feet, her eyes locked on the entrance. "Stay close to me, Eli," she ordered, her voice calm but firm. "This isn't over yet."
Luke was beside him, his eyes wide but determined. "Looks like we'll see if their safe zone really works."
Eli swallowed hard, gripping the blade Cass had given him. He wasn't ready for this. Not again. But as the screeching of the Wraithkin filled the night, one thing was clear: safety was just an illusion.