Day 41 (Continued): After the Escape
The air was heavy with tension as they moved through the ruins, the adrenaline from their narrow escape still buzzing through Eli's veins. His legs felt like lead, every step more exhausting than the last, but there was no time to rest. Cass's words echoed in his mind—They'll be back.
The looters had made it clear they weren't going to let this go. Eli knew that as long as they stayed in this area, they'd be hunted. The distant thrum of their lizard-dogs still echoed in his ears, even though the group had been running for what felt like hours.
Cass led the way, her movements sharp and efficient, but Eli noticed something different about her now. She was on edge—more than usual. Her eyes darted around constantly, every shadow a potential threat. It was like she was expecting the looters to appear at any moment, crashing through the walls with their beasts.
Eli felt it too—the sense of being watched. The city felt too quiet, the ruins too still. Every creak of rubble beneath their feet made his heart race, as if the looters might appear at any second.
Luke was silent beside him, his face pale and drawn as he clutched his bow. The usual confidence was gone, replaced by a grim determination to survive. The stranger brought up the rear, her eyes flicking to every shadow and corner, her quick, quiet steps betraying the same unease they all felt.
Cass finally stopped in front of what used to be a small office building, its windows shattered, walls crumbling. "We'll rest here for now," she said, her voice low but urgent. "We need to stay hidden, but we can't keep going like this without some rest."
Eli wanted to argue, wanted to say they needed to keep moving, but he knew she was right. His legs were trembling, his breath ragged. They wouldn't be able to outrun the looters again if they were running on fumes.
They made their way inside, slipping into the remnants of what used to be a lobby. The air inside was cooler, the sounds of the outside world muffled slightly by the walls. It wasn't much, but it was something.
Cass didn't waste any time. "We need to be ready if they find us again," she said, her voice tight. "They know these ruins better than we do. We need a plan."
Eli leaned against a cracked wall, wiping the sweat from his brow. "What are we supposed to do? We can't outrun them forever. And those… things they're riding, they're faster than anything I've seen."
"We can't fight them head-on," Luke added, his voice hoarse. "Not with those lizard-dogs."
Cass looked at him, her expression grim. "No, we can't. But we can outsmart them. We know they're hunting us, but that means we know where they'll be."
Eli frowned. "What do you mean?"
Cass's eyes flicked toward the broken window, her mind clearly working through something. "They expect us to keep running. They're banking on it. But if we can control where they chase us, we can turn this to our advantage."
Luke looked confused. "How?"
Cass crouched down, drawing a rough map in the dust on the floor with her knife. "We're here," she said, pointing to the mark. "There's a narrow street just west of here. It's overgrown, tight—too tight for their lizard-dogs to move through easily."
The stranger, who had been quiet up until now, nodded. "It could work. If we lead them through there, we could split them up. Make them vulnerable."
Cass looked at her, then at the rest of the group. "Exactly. We can't fight them all at once, but if we break them apart, we stand a chance."
Eli wasn't sure how much of a chance they stood, but it was better than just waiting to be hunted down. "Alright," he said, his voice steadier than he felt. "What's the plan?"
"We lead them into the overgrown street," Cass explained. "Once we're there, we split off. Eli, you and Luke will keep them distracted, keep them following you. I'll take out the ones that get separated."
"And me?" the stranger asked, her voice quiet but firm.
Cass glanced at her, hesitating for a moment before nodding. "You're fast. You'll help me. We need to be quick and precise."
The stranger didn't argue, her jaw set with determination. Eli noticed that she had been gaining Cass's trust, little by little, but he still wasn't sure where she stood. They were all just trying to survive, but something about her remained unreadable.
Luke looked uneasy. "This is risky, Cass. If they catch on, if they don't split up…"
"They will," Cass said, her voice hard. "They're overconfident. They'll think we're running scared. That's when we strike."
Eli took a deep breath, steeling himself for what was coming. It was dangerous, and there was no guarantee it would work, but they didn't have any other options. The looters were hunting them, and if they didn't make a move, they'd be picked off one by one.
"Let's get some rest," Cass said finally. "We move at first light."
The hours of sleep were broken and restless. Eli woke up several times to the distant sounds of the ruins—creaks, groans, and the occasional rumble of debris shifting. The sense of being watched never left, even as his body ached for rest. His dreams were filled with flashes of the looters, the snarling jaws of the lizard-dogs, and the twisted grin of the scarred man leading them.
When morning finally came, the faint light of dawn filtered through the cracks in the building. Eli sat up, groggy but alert, his hand instinctively reaching for his knife. The others were already awake, the tension palpable in the air.
As they gathered their things, a deep rumble shook the ground beneath them. Eli froze, his heart racing. It wasn't the groan of collapsing rubble—it was something heavier, something alive.
Cass's eyes were already sharp, her body tense. "They're here."
Luke moved to the window, peering out cautiously. "I see them," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "They're coming… and they've got those lizard things with them."
Eli's pulse quickened as he moved to get a look. Sure enough, the looters were approaching, their lizard-dogs stomping through the ruins with menacing ease. The beasts were muzzled, but that didn't make them any less dangerous. And the looters were mounted on them with all the confidence in the world.
The scarred man was at the front, his eyes scanning the streets with that same twisted grin on his face. They hadn't come to negotiate this time. They had come to take what they wanted.
Cass stood, her face set in determination. "Get ready," she said, her voice low and steady. "It's time."
Eli's heart raced as they prepared to put their plan into action. The looters were coming, and there was no turning back now.
They were going to fight.