Snow crunched softly beneath Zara's boots as she followed Mia and Kit through the winding back alleys of City B.
The frigid air stung her cheeks, and her breath misted with each exhale. She kept one arm around Leo, who was bundled tightly in an oversized jacket, his face half-buried against her chest. Kit darted ahead, his small frame moving easily through the narrow paths, while Mia led with a confident stride, her slingshot held loosely in one hand.
"We're almost there," Mia said, her voice low and steady. Her eyes scanned their surroundings, flicking to every shadow and abandoned doorway as though she expected something to lunge out at any moment.
Zara glanced around. City B had been one of the largest in the country, taking days to travel through even with a car. These parts were places she had only ever been to once or twice before the apocalypse.
