The air inside the bunker felt heavier than usual, as if the walls themselves were straining under the weight of so many uncertain futures. Silvanus Nare stood near the entrance, his gaze fixed on the steel door. This place had been their shelter for years, but now it was no better than a tomb. Supplies were running out, and the murmurs of unrest among the survivors had grown louder.
"We don't have a choice anymore," Evelyn said, her voice low and grim. "If we stay here, we die."
She wasn't wrong. The canned goods they'd scavenged had bought them a few more days, but it wasn't enough. People were starting to lose hope. Every time they gathered around the table, it was the same hushed discussion—how much food was left, who was strong enough to continue, and who would inevitably not make it.
"We'll head east," Silvanus said, turning to the others. Leon, Marcus, Nadia, and Claire stood beside him, their faces hard with determination. "There's been talk of other bunkers. One of them has to have more supplies, or at least more people. We can't survive alone out here anymore."
"East?" Marcus grunted. "That takes us toward the desert. You sure we'll find anything there?"
"We don't have any good options," Silvanus replied, adjusting the straps of his pack. "The cities to the north are overrun with marauders, and the southern wastelands are worse. East is the only direction left."
Evelyn placed a hand on his shoulder. "You're a good leader, Silvanus. But be careful. The further you get from here, the less you'll know what's waiting for you."
Silvanus nodded, gripping his rifle tightly. The weight of responsibility sat heavy on his shoulders, but he had to lead them. He had to get them through this. With a final glance at Evelyn and the survivors they were leaving behind, he motioned to his group.
"We move at night," he said. "The sun will be up in a few hours. We need to cover as much ground as we can before then."
The steel door creaked open, and one by one, they stepped out into the darkness.
---
The city was dead silent. No wind stirred the air, and the ever-present ash settled in layers across the skeletal remains of buildings and cars. As Silvanus led the group through the ruins, the world around them felt haunted, like it remembered a time when life thrived here, but it had long since given up hope of that ever happening again.
Claire walked beside him, her eyes constantly darting from shadow to shadow. She had become quieter over the years, more cautious. It wasn't fear exactly—more like a sense of constant awareness, as if she was waiting for something to go wrong.
"How far do you think we'll get tonight?" she asked softly, her voice barely carrying in the thick air.
"Far enough to put some distance between us and the bunker," Silvanus said. "Then we'll find shelter before dawn."
Leon, who had taken up the rear, was watching their backs. His eyes never stopped scanning the horizon, the former soldier in him always on alert. "I don't like it out here," he muttered. "Feels too quiet."
"It's been quiet for years," Marcus said. "Doesn't make it any safer."
As they moved deeper into the ruins, Silvanus' mind wandered. East. It had always been an unknown direction, one they'd avoided for a reason. The desert lay that way, scorched and barren, but it was also where the rumors of other bunkers had come from. Bunkers stocked with enough supplies to last decades. It was a long shot, but they had no other leads.
Suddenly, Nadia, who was walking a few steps ahead, froze. She raised her hand in a signal for them to stop. Silvanus felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise.
"What is it?" he whispered, his grip tightening on his rifle.
Nadia pointed to a shadow moving in the distance. For a moment, they all watched, breathless. At first, it was just a flicker—something shifting between the piles of rubble. But then more shadows emerged, sliding silently through the darkness.
"Marauders," Leon growled, his eyes narrowing. "We need to move. Now."
Without hesitation, Silvanus signaled the group to retreat. They turned, trying to stay as quiet as possible, but it was too late. The marauders had seen them.
A shout rang out in the distance, followed by the pounding of footsteps.
"Run!" Silvanus ordered, sprinting toward the nearest alleyway. The group broke into a full sprint, weaving between the broken remnants of buildings as the marauders gave chase. Silvanus could hear the shouts growing louder behind them, mixed with the clatter of metal and the thudding of boots on concrete.
"They're closing in!" Claire shouted, her voice strained with panic.
Silvanus' mind raced. They had to lose them, but there was nowhere to hide. The open streets were a death trap. Every alley led to another ruin, and every path seemed to stretch into more empty space.
Suddenly, Leon stopped, turning to face the marauders. "Go!" he shouted to the others, raising his rifle. "I'll slow them down!"
"No!" Silvanus yelled, but Leon had already fired the first shot, the sharp crack echoing through the night. The marauders ducked for cover, but their momentum didn't slow.
"There's no time!" Nadia urged, grabbing Silvanus' arm. "We have to move!"
With a sinking heart, Silvanus nodded, turning and running after the others. He heard Leon fire a few more shots before the footsteps faded into the distance. His gut twisted with guilt, but he couldn't stop now. He had to focus on getting the rest of the group to safety.
They kept running, moving through the maze of broken streets, until the shouts behind them grew fainter. After what felt like hours, they reached the outskirts of the city. The ground beneath them became rockier, the air growing cooler as they approached the desert.
Panting, the group came to a halt behind a collapsed building. Silvanus leaned against the wall, gasping for breath. Nadia, Marcus, and Claire were all equally exhausted, their faces streaked with sweat and ash.
"Did we lose them?" Claire asked between breaths, her voice trembling.
"For now," Marcus replied, peering over the rubble. "But they won't stop. They know we're out here."
Silvanus wiped the sweat from his brow, his mind racing. They couldn't go back now, not after what had happened. The marauders had found them, and the bunker was no longer safe.
"We keep moving," Silvanus said, straightening. "East. We need to get as far away from the city as possible."
"What about Leon?" Nadia asked, her eyes filled with worry.
Silvanus' throat tightened. "He knew what he was doing. He gave us a chance."
Nadia looked down, her hands clenching into fists, but she didn't argue. She knew the reality of their situation.
They gathered what little supplies they had left and started walking again. The land around them began to change as they moved further east. The concrete of the city gave way to cracked earth and barren rock. The landscape became more hostile, more desolate.
Silvanus glanced at the horizon. The moon was starting to dip lower, and soon the sun would rise. They didn't have much time before the heat became unbearable.
"There's some cover up ahead," Marcus said, pointing to a series of rocky outcroppings. "We can rest there until nightfall."
Silvanus nodded, leading the group toward the shelter. As they walked, the silence of the wasteland pressed down on them. The marauders were still out there, somewhere behind them, but for now, they had a brief reprieve.
The east was an unknown, but it was the only direction left.