The room felt heavy, the air thick with unspoken words. Emma sat on the edge of her chair, her small hands clutching the sleeves of her worn-out sweater. Her eyes, usually bright with curiosity, were downcast, and I could see the sadness etched on her face before she even said a word.
I opened my mouth to speak, but she beat me to it.
"Are you leaving?" Her voice was small, trembling.
I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. Damn it, I thought. This is gonna be harder than I thought.
"Yeah, Emma," I said softly, trying to keep my tone gentle. "I have to. There are other people I need to take care of, other kids who need help, just like you did."
Her face crumpled, and before I could say anything else, she bolted from her chair and wrapped her arms around me, burying her face into my side. Her little body shook as she clung to me, her voice rising in a desperate cry.
"No!" she wailed. "I don't want you to go! Please, don't leave me! I'll be good, I'll do whatever you say—just don't go!"
I froze, my heart twisting in my chest. I'd seen this coming, but it didn't make it any easier. I knelt down to her level, placing my hands on her shoulders, trying to steady her.
"Emma, hey, listen to me," I said, my voice calm despite the knot forming in my throat. "This isn't goodbye forever, okay? You're strong, and you're going to be okay. There's a family waiting for you, and they're going to take good care of you. You'll see."
She shook her head violently, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I don't care! I don't want them! I want you!"
Before I could respond, the sound of an explosion shattered the moment. The entire building seemed to shake, and a split second later, the sharp crack of gunfire filled the air. My instincts kicked in, and I grabbed Emma, pulling her close as we both ducked instinctively.
"WTF?" I muttered under my breath, my heart racing.
Just then, the door to the room burst open, and Dr. Applelove rushed in, her usual calm demeanor replaced by wide-eyed urgency. "Jake, we have to move. Now!"
"What's happening?" I asked, my voice tight as I stood, pulling Emma with me.
"Raiders," Dr. Applelove said, her tone clipped and serious. "They've broken through the front gate. We're evacuating to the hospital. Get the patients, we're leaving now."
Emma's grip on my hand tightened, her fear now mingling with confusion. "Raiders?" she whispered, her voice trembling.
I squeezed her hand reassuringly. "It's going to be okay," I said, though I wasn't entirely sure myself. "We just need to move fast."
Dr. Applelove nodded toward the hallway, already moving toward the exit. "Everyone is gathering outside. We'll have to make a run for it."
I grabbed Emma's backpack from the chair, slinging it over my shoulder. "Come on, Emma, we're going to stick together, alright?"
She nodded, her small hand still gripping mine like a lifeline. We followed Dr. Applelove out of the room and into the hallway, where the other patients and staff were already scrambling to leave. The sound of gunfire was getting closer, each shot sending a jolt of adrenaline through my veins.
"Keep moving!" Dr. Applelove shouted as we reached the front door, her voice barely audible over the chaos outside.
We stepped out onto the street, the cold air hitting us like a slap. People were running in every direction, and the distant sound of screams filled the air. My heart pounded in my chest, but I kept my focus on Emma, shielding her as we moved toward the hospital.
The town was a war zone, and all we could do now was run.
***
The streets were chaos. Screams echoed off the crumbling buildings, and gunfire rattled in the distance. Raiders were everywhere, some shooting wildly while others looted whatever they could find. As we sprinted through the rubble-strewn streets, I kept Emma close, her small hand gripping mine like her life depended on it. And right now, it probably did.
Fuck, I thought, my heart pounding in my chest. We need to make it to the hospital. We need to move faster.
Another shot rang out, whizzing past my ear, and we immediately ducked behind a nearby building. I pressed my back against the cold brick, panting heavily, pulling Emma in close. Her wide eyes were full of fear, and I tried to force a reassuring smile, but my mind was racing.
"Are you okay?" I asked, my voice barely steady.
She nodded quickly, her lips trembling but too scared to speak.
We can't stop, I reminded myself. The hospital was just a few blocks away, but it felt like miles in this madness.
The gunfire stopped for a moment, and I seized the chance. "Alright, now!" I barked, grabbing Emma's hand and pulling her forward.
We ran again, our feet pounding against the broken pavement, weaving through the scattered debris. Every shadow felt like a threat, every corner another potential death trap. I could feel my legs burning, but I couldn't slow down, not now. Not with Emma depending on me.
As we reached another open street, Emma's foot caught on something, and before I knew it, she was tumbling forward, hitting the ground with a cry. "Emma!" I shouted, skidding to a stop and dropping to my knees beside her.
She was trying to get up, but her legs were shaking, and I could see the fear in her eyes as she looked around, tears brimming.
"It's okay, I got you," I said, hoisting her onto my back without a second thought. Her small arms wrapped tightly around my neck as I stood up, my body protesting against the weight, but I pushed through it.
Just then, a blood-chilling howl pierced the air, sending a cold shiver down my spine. I turned toward the sound, and my heart dropped into my stomach.
A horde of zombies, dozens of them, came lumbering around the corner, their eyes locked onto us, their mouths hanging open in that grotesque, bloodthirsty way. They moved faster than I remembered, and they were closing in.
"Shit," I muttered under my breath, feeling the adrenaline hit me like a freight train.
I ran. Harder and faster than I thought I could. Emma clung to my back, her tiny hands gripping the fabric of my jacket as I pushed through the exhaustion. My legs screamed at me to stop, but I couldn't. Not now.
The hospital was ahead, the large building barely visible through the chaos, but the horde was gaining on us, and the distance between them and me was closing far too quickly. The howls and screeches filled my ears, growing louder and more frantic.
Not again. I won't abandon her.
Raul's face flashed in my mind, that cold, emotionless stare as he left Malcolm behind, left him to die without a second thought. I wasn't going to be that person. I'd carry Emma all the way to the hospital if I had to, even if it killed us both.
"I'm not leaving you," I whispered to Emma, gritting my teeth as I pushed forward.
The horde was nearly on me now. I could feel them, hear their frantic growls, smell the rotting stench that followed them like a shadow. I could hear their footsteps growing closer and closer, the sound of their gnashing teeth filling the air.
Just a few more steps. The hospital was so damn close, just across the street. I could make it.
But I tripped.
I felt my foot catch on a piece of debris, and the next thing I knew, I was falling, my body slamming into the hard ground. Emma let out a terrified cry as we hit the dirt, and I instinctively curled around her, shielding her small body with my own.
The impact knocked the wind out of me, and for a moment, I couldn't move. My chest heaved as I struggled to catch my breath, my heart pounding so loudly in my ears that I couldn't hear anything else. All I could think about was the horde closing in, the zombies' screeches growing louder with each passing second.
This is it, I thought, the cold realization settling in. We're done.
I squeezed my eyes shut, holding Emma tightly against me, my body trembling with exhaustion. The horde was almost on top of us. I could feel the vibration of their footsteps shaking the ground beneath me.
"Stay still," I whispered to Emma, my voice barely audible.
The first zombie was so close I could hear its ragged breath, smell the rotting flesh hanging from its decaying body. My mind flashed back to Raul again, to the way he had coldly abandoned Malcolm. But I wasn't going to do that. I was going to face this. No matter what.
Just as I braced myself for the end, gunshots rang out—sharp, deafening blasts cutting through the air. I felt the zombies stumble, heard them collapse to the ground around me, but I didn't dare move.
More shots followed, precise and methodical, until the eerie screeches of the horde were replaced with a heavy, ominous silence.
I opened my eyes, blinking against the dust and debris, and looked up. The zombies that had been seconds away from ripping us apart were now lying dead on the ground, their heads blown open by whoever had come to our rescue.
I glanced around in shock, my mind struggling to process what had just happened. Someone had saved us.
I turned toward the source of the gunfire and saw a group of armed people on the rooftop of a nearby building. One of them waved in our direction, signaling for us to get moving.
"You okay?" I asked Emma, my voice shaking as I tried to stand.
She nodded, her face pale but determined. "I'm okay," she whispered, though I could hear the fear in her voice.
"Alright, let's go. We need to get to the hospital."
I lifted her up again, my body screaming in protest, but I pushed through the pain and started limping toward the hospital. The street was eerily quiet now, the only sound the distant echoes of more gunfire and explosions in the background.
By the time we reached the hospital doors, I was barely able to stand. My legs felt like jelly, my chest burning with each breath, but we were alive. Somehow, we had made it.
I stumbled inside, the sterile scent of the hospital filling my lungs as the heavy doors shut behind us. Emma was still clinging to my back, her tiny arms wrapped around me like a lifeline.
The nurses rushed over, taking Emma from my arms as I collapsed against the wall, my entire body trembling from exhaustion and adrenaline. My vision blurred, and I could feel the world spinning around me, but I was alive.
We were alive.
I glanced over at Emma, who was sitting in a chair now, looking at me with wide, tear-filled eyes.
"You did good, kid," I muttered, giving her a weak smile.
She nodded, her lips trembling as she whispered, "You too."
I closed my eyes, leaning my head back against the cool wall. The sounds of the hospital—the hurried footsteps, the distant chatter of nurses and doctors—filled the space around me, but for the first time in what felt like hours, I allowed myself to relax.
We had made it. But I knew deep down, this was only the beginning of what was yet to come.
Q: What would you do next?