Chapter 1: The Edge of Survival
The streets of Astraea had once been alive with the hum of commerce, the vibrant pulse of a city that never slept. Now, it lay in ruins, a ghost of its former self. The tall skyscrapers, once symbols of human achievement, stood like skeletal sentinels against the gray sky, their windows shattered, their walls scarred by time and neglect. Vines snaked up their sides, nature reclaiming what humanity had abandoned.
Kael walked at the front of the group, his eyes scanning the desolate streets, always alert for movement in the shadows. His boots crunched over broken glass and debris, the only sound in the oppressive silence that had swallowed the city. The weight of his backpack pressed heavily on his shoulders, a constant reminder of how little they had left. His stomach growled, but he ignored it, focusing instead on the task at hand.
The city was dangerous, more dangerous than it had ever been. Not just because of the infected that lurked in the shadows or the raiders who stalked the streets, but because of the hunger. Hunger made people desperate, and desperation led to violence. He tightened his grip on the machete strapped to his waist, the cool steel a comforting weight against his side. We can't afford another fight, he thought. Not with how low we are on supplies.
He glanced back at Mira and Luka, his two companions. They were all that was left of their original group, a ragtag band of survivors who had once thought they could rebuild something in the ruins of Astraea. Now, it was just the three of them, moving from one place to the next, scavenging what they could to survive another day.
Mira walked a few paces behind him, her rifle slung over her shoulder, her eyes darting from side to side, always on alert. Her once vibrant blue eyes had dulled, her face gaunt from months of hunger and fear. She had always been the cautious one, the voice of reason when the others had wanted to rush in. Now, that caution had turned into a kind of quiet paranoia, a constant vigilance that weighed on her like a second skin.
Luka, the youngest of the group, was trailing behind, his dark hair falling into his eyes as he scanned the alleyways. His hands were clenched around the knife at his side, his face set in a determined frown. He was quiet, always observing, always thinking. It was hard to remember that he was only eighteen, still a kid in so many ways. But the world hadn't left room for childhood, not anymore.
"We need to find supplies," Kael muttered, his voice low. The words were more for himself than the others, a reminder of the ticking clock they were up against.
Mira nodded, her lips pressed into a thin line. "We're running low on everything," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Food, water, ammunition. If we don't find something soon…"
She didn't finish the sentence, but she didn't need to. They all knew what would happen if they didn't find more supplies. Hunger would weaken them. And in this world, weakness meant death.
Kael sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as he glanced up at the looming skyscrapers around them. The city had once been a place of safety, of order. Now, it was a graveyard. "It's not about what's safe anymore," he said quietly, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the street ahead. "It's about what we have to do to survive."
Luka stopped suddenly, his body going rigid as he turned toward a nearby alley. His eyes narrowed, his face tense. "I heard something," he whispered, his voice tight with tension. His hand moved instinctively to the hilt of his knife. "Something's out there."
Kael's heart skipped a beat as he followed Luka's gaze toward the alley. The shadows seemed to shift, darker and more menacing than they had been a moment ago. His muscles tensed, his hand hovering near his machete. Is it the infected? His mind raced. No, the infected didn't move like that. This was something else.
Mira raised her rifle slightly, her body coiled, ready to spring into action. "Could be a scavenger," she whispered. "Or worse."
Kael's jaw tightened. He had seen enough scavengers in the past few months to know that they weren't the biggest threat. It was the organized groups, the raiders, who had banded together to hunt down the weak. People like them. "Stay quiet," he murmured, his voice barely audible. "And stay close."
They crept forward, their footsteps soft on the cracked pavement. The city pressed in around them, the tall buildings casting long shadows that seemed to swallow them whole. Every creak of metal, every rustle of wind through the broken windows, set Kael's nerves on edge. We're not alone here, he thought. We're never alone.
As they neared the alley, Kael caught a glimpse of movement—something small, darting across the ground. He froze, his breath catching in his throat. "Hold up," he whispered, his hand outstretched to stop the others. His eyes narrowed as he tried to get a better look at whatever it was.
The figure was small, hunched over, and moving quickly. It wasn't an animal, but it wasn't a person either. Not exactly.
"Is that…?" Luka began, his voice shaky.
Kael shook his head. "I don't know. But we're not sticking around to find out."
Just as they began to back away, a low growl echoed through the alley, followed by the unmistakable sound of something large moving in the shadows. Kael's blood ran cold as he caught sight of a figure emerging from the darkness. It was human—barely. Its skin was pale, stretched tight over its bones, and its eyes glowed with a sickly yellow light.
An infected.
Kael's heart pounded in his chest as he drew his machete, the sound of the blade sliding from its sheath loud in the tense silence. "Get ready," he muttered, his voice low and steady, though his hands trembled slightly. "There's more of them."
Mira was already in position, her rifle raised and aimed at the creature. Luka stood beside her, his knife gripped tightly in his hand.
The infected snarled, its broken teeth bared as it lunged toward them. Kael moved quickly, stepping forward and slashing with his machete. The blade connected with the creature's neck, cutting deep. Blood sprayed across the pavement as the infected collapsed to the ground, twitching violently before going still.
But the sound had drawn more.
From the shadows, several more infected began to emerge, their grotesque forms shuffling toward them. Kael's heart raced as he backed up, his eyes darting around for an escape route. They couldn't fight all of them, not with so few supplies and even less ammunition.
"We need to move!" Kael shouted, turning to run.
Mira fired off a shot, the crack of the rifle echoing through the empty streets as she took down one of the infected. Luka was already sprinting ahead, his smaller frame darting through the debris with ease.
Kael ran after them, his breath coming in ragged gasps as they dodged through the wreckage of the city. The infected were fast, their distorted limbs carrying them forward with terrifying speed. Too fast, Kael thought. They're getting faster.
Ahead of him, Luka veered sharply to the left, disappearing into a narrow alley. Kael followed, his heart pounding in his ears. The alley was tight, the walls pressing in on either side as they ran. Behind them, the snarls and growls of the infected grew louder, closer.
"This way!" Luka shouted, leading them toward a building with a partially collapsed roof. The door was ajar, hanging off its hinges, but it was the best option they had.
Kael burst through the door, Mira right behind him. They slammed it shut, barricading it with a piece of broken furniture. The infected pounded against the door, their snarls filling the air, but the barricade held—for now.
Kael leaned against the wall, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. Mira sank to the floor, her rifle still clutched in her hands, her face pale. Luka stood by the window, peering through the cracked glass at the infected still prowling the streets outside.
"We can't stay here," Kael said, his voice hoarse. "They'll get through eventually."
Mira nodded, her hands shaking slightly as she reloaded her rifle. "What are we going to do?"
Kael didn't answer right away. His mind raced, trying to come up with a plan. We can't keep running forever. They needed food, they needed water, but most of all, they needed a place to hide, to rest.
"We'll move at dawn," he said finally. "Until then, we rest."