Day 41: The Plan in Motion
The plan was simple. Dangerous, yes—but simple. Lead the looters into the overgrown, narrow streets, split them up, and take them down one by one. But Eli knew that even the best plans could fall apart in an instant, and as they prepared to move, the tension in the air felt like a ticking bomb waiting to explode.
Cass was the first to move. She slipped through the broken walls of their shelter with the precision of someone who had done this a hundred times. Eli, Luke, and the stranger followed close behind, their movements quick and quiet, hearts pounding in their chests.
The early morning light was dim, the sky still a dull, oppressive red, but it was enough to guide them through the maze of crumbling buildings. The ruins around them seemed to close in, the narrow streets twisting and turning like a labyrinth, the perfect place to lose their pursuers.
Cass motioned for them to move faster, her eyes sharp and focused. "We lead them here," she whispered, pointing to the overgrown alley ahead. "They'll follow, but it'll slow them down."
Eli nodded, his pulse quickening as they reached the entrance of the alley. It was tight, barely wide enough for two people to walk side by side. The thick growth of strange plants that had sprouted up in the cracks of the pavement made it even harder to navigate. It was exactly what they needed.
The sound of heavy footsteps echoed in the distance, followed by the familiar growl of the lizard-dogs. The looters were close—closer than Eli had realized. He could feel the ground rumble with their approach, the air vibrating with the force of their movement.
"They're coming," Luke muttered, his grip tight on his bow.
Cass didn't hesitate. "We split up here," she said, her voice low but urgent. "Eli and Luke, you go left and keep them distracted. Stranger, you're with me. We'll circle back and take them down when they're split."
The stranger nodded, her face set with determination, but Eli could see the flicker of tension in her eyes. She was fast, but this was going to be different. They weren't fighting one creature—they were fighting organized, armed men, with beasts to match.
Eli exchanged a quick glance with Luke. His friend's face was pale, his expression tight, but he nodded. "Let's do this," Luke said, his voice steadier than he probably felt.
They moved quickly into position, splitting off from Cass and the stranger as they ducked into the tight alley. The overgrown plants grabbed at their clothes as they pushed through, the narrow walls closing in around them. Eli's heart raced in his chest, the sound of the looters growing louder with every second.
Suddenly, a shout rang out, followed by the deep growl of one of the lizard-dogs. The looters had spotted them.
"There they are!" the scarred man's voice boomed from behind, his tone filled with that sickening glee. "After them!"
Eli's pulse spiked, and without thinking, he bolted. Luke was right beside him, both of them sprinting down the alley, weaving between the piles of rubble and thick patches of plant growth. The sound of the looters chasing them grew louder, the ground shaking with the heavy footsteps of the lizard-dogs.
They reached the end of the alley and darted into the next street, the looters hot on their heels. Eli's lungs burned, his muscles screaming for him to slow down, but there was no room for hesitation. They had to keep going, had to keep leading the looters away from Cass and the stranger.
As they rounded the corner, Eli spotted a pile of broken debris—just large enough to give them some cover. "There!" he shouted to Luke, pointing to the debris.
They dove behind the pile, pressing themselves against the wall as the looters thundered past, their focus entirely on chasing shadows.
Eli's breath came in short, ragged gasps, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. He glanced at Luke, who was equally winded, but both of them shared the same look of determination.
"We need to double back," Eli said, his voice barely a whisper. "Cass will be waiting for them."
Luke nodded, wiping the sweat from his brow. "Let's move."
They moved quickly and quietly, retracing their steps through the maze of streets. The looters were still in the distance, their shouts growing fainter, but Eli knew they would catch up soon. They had to be fast.
As they approached the alley where they had split from Cass, Eli's heart raced with anticipation. The plan had worked so far, but now came the hard part—taking them down.
Suddenly, a scream cut through the air.
Eli froze, his body going cold. It wasn't one of theirs—it was one of the looters.
He exchanged a quick glance with Luke, then sprinted toward the sound. As they rounded the corner, they came upon the scene—Cass and the stranger had already struck. One of the looters lay on the ground, groaning in pain, clutching a deep wound in his side. Two others were tangled in the thick overgrowth of the alley, struggling to free themselves, but they weren't the priority.
Cass was on the scarred man, her knife pressed against his throat as she shoved him against the wall. His grin was gone, replaced with a look of fear and anger.
"You're going to tell us everything," Cass said coldly, her voice laced with menace.
Eli's heart pounded as he and Luke moved closer, their weapons drawn but no longer necessary. The scarred man struggled, but Cass had him pinned, her eyes sharp and unyielding.
"You're dead, all of you," the man spat, his voice dripping with venom. "You think you can get away with this? My people will find you, and when they do—"
Cass pressed the knife harder, cutting him off. "Your people aren't here. You are. So start talking."
The man's eyes darted to his fallen comrades, then back to Cass. His bravado was faltering, but he still had a hint of defiance in his voice. "What do you want?"
Cass didn't flinch. "Information. Why are you hunting us?"
The man let out a bitter laugh. "Hunting you? We're not hunting you. We're taking what we need. Everyone's fair game out here, sweetheart."
Cass's expression darkened, her grip tightening. "That's not what I asked. There's something else going on here—something bigger. What is it?"
For the first time, the man hesitated. His eyes flicked nervously around the alley, as if he expected someone to appear out of the shadows.
Eli stepped forward, his voice hard. "Talk. Or we make sure you don't leave this alley."
The man sneered but the fear in his eyes betrayed him. "Fine. You want to know? It's the rain. It's coming soon. We're stocking up, making sure we have enough to survive when it starts. And we're not the only ones."
Cass exchanged a look with Eli, her face grim. "Who else?"
The man's grin returned, though it was weaker now. "Everyone. You think we're the only ones looking out for ourselves? There are others—groups bigger than ours, more organized. And when the rain hits, it's going to be chaos. Everyone's going to want a piece of what's left."
Cass held his gaze for a moment longer, then slowly stepped back, lowering her knife. "Where are the other groups?"
The man rubbed his throat, wincing. "Everywhere. You'll see them soon enough. But trust me, sweetheart—you won't last long when the rain starts falling."
Cass didn't respond. She glanced at Eli, then at the stranger. "We're done here."
The looter's sneer faded into panic as he realized what that meant. "Wait—wait! You can't just—"
Cass's knife flashed, swift and decisive, cutting his words off before they could leave his throat. The man's eyes went wide, his hands grasping at his neck, but it was already too late. He slumped to the ground, his body twitching before going still.
The silence that followed was suffocating.
Eli stared at the body, his heart pounding in his chest. The tension hung thick in the air as they gathered themselves, the weight of what the looter had said pressing down on them like a storm cloud.
"The rain's coming," Cass said quietly, her voice tight. "And it's going to bring more than just water."
Eli exchanged a look with Luke and the stranger. They had survived this fight, but it was clear now—something much bigger was coming.