The desert night wrapped around them in a blanket of inky darkness, the only light coming from the crackling campfire that flickered and danced in the center of their makeshift camp. The group huddled around it, each of them looking tired, dusty, and a little worse for wear after hours on the road. Above, stars speckled the sky in clusters, but no one was paying much attention; their thoughts were on dinner, on the warmth of the fire, and on the fact that they were still alive for another night.
Morgan took a deep drag from her cigarette, the cherry glowing briefly before she let out a stream of smoke. She eyed the bus parked just a few yards away, her gaze narrowing as something caught her attention. Squinting, she stood up, dropping her cigarette and grinding it into the sand before she marched over to the bus.
Evan poked his head up, looking around the fire. "Uh, where's she going?"
Jean shrugged, tearing a chunk out of his granola bar. "Probably just checking out the bus. That thing was making weird noises back there."
Morgan crouched by one of the rear tires, running her hand over it. She muttered under her breath, fingers tracing a slow leak hissing through a small tear. She straightened up, wiping her hands on her cargo pants, and stomped back over to the group.
"We've got a problem," she announced, crossing her arms.
Chloe looked up, sighing. "What now?" she drawled, her voice heavy with impatience. "We just, like, sat down."
Morgan's eyes narrowed. "Tire's got a leak. If we don't find an auto shop tomorrow, we're not making it to Canada. We'll be stuck out here with a flat."
"Bruh," Luca groaned, running a hand over his face. "Are you serious? What are the odds we'd get a flat in the middle of the desert?"
"Welcome to life," Morgan replied dryly. "It's a bitch."
Jordan rolled his eyes, slouching back on his seat. "So, what, we're gonna be out here stranded while the zombies are probably, like, gearing up to jump us?"
Morgan gave him a hard look. "Not if you pull your weight. Tomorrow, we hit the road early, find a place to fix it. Means everyone shuts up and goes to sleep soon. Got it?"
Chloe made a face. "Ugh, I'm not about to sleep in the dirt. This is, like, so not my vibe."
"Boo-hoo," Brittney muttered from across the fire, tossing her pink hair over her shoulder. "Didn't realize we had a princess in the group."
Chloe glared at her. "Maybe I wouldn't be so annoyed if I didn't have to, like, share oxygen with people who keep flinging their drama at me."
"Both of you shut it," Morgan snapped, her voice cutting through the tension like a knife. "We're all in the dirt tonight, whether you like it or not."
Brad sighed, stretching his arms behind his head. "Whatever. I'll take the dirt nap. Just make sure nothing comes sneakin' up on us while we're out cold."
Morgan nodded. "We'll set up shifts. I'll go first, make sure no unwanted guests show up." She gave Brad a hard stare, daring him to argue. "Anyone got a problem with that?"
The group was silent, each exchanging wary glances. Chloe finally shrugged. "I guess I'll, like, take second shift or whatever."
"I'll go after Chloe," Blake offered, his tone full of forced enthusiasm. "I think it's, you know, only fair if I step up, too."
Jordan snorted, muttering under his breath. "Bro's just tryin' to look good in front of Chloe."
Blake shot him a look. "This isn't about 'looking good,' Jordan. It's about being responsible."
Tyler, who had been silent until now, let out a low chuckle. "Yeah, whatever, 'responsible.' Just don't fall asleep, Blake. We don't need to be zombie chow 'cause you were 'meditating' or some shit."
Blake huffed, visibly offended but didn't respond. The group gradually settled into an uneasy quiet, the crackling of the fire filling the silence. Jean shifted closer to the flames, rubbing his hands together for warmth. Next to him, Akira was practically glued to his side, her gaze drifting from him to the dark expanse of the desert beyond the firelight.
"Jean," she murmured softly, her voice low, "if you're ever cold or anything, I can, like, keep you warm."
Jean's face turned red, and he stammered out a quick, "Uh, thanks, Akira. I'm good, though." He gave her a nervous smile, inching a little further from her without making it too obvious.
Evan leaned over to Chloe, dropping his voice to a whisper. "Do you think we'll, like, actually find an auto shop tomorrow? I don't wanna be stuck out here forever."
Chloe rolled her eyes, scoffing. "I mean, we better. I'm not spending another night in this freakin' desert. I swear, if I get sand in my hair, I'll lose it."
Brittney shot her a look from across the fire. "Oh my gosh, you are so high-maintenance."
"Look who's talking," Chloe shot back, flipping her ponytail with a smirk. "At least I'm not out here pretending like I don't need basic hygiene to survive."
"Oh, please," Brittney snapped. "Like I'd ever care about what you think."
Morgan rubbed her temples, clearly at the end of her patience. "Enough. You two better figure out how to deal with each other, or this desert's not the worst thing you'll have to worry about."
Jordan chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. "Y'all arguing like zombies aren't out here waitin' to snack on us."
The fire crackled as silence settled over them again, and everyone grew a little more tense, looking out into the shadows. The isolation of the desert seemed even more suffocating, and the stars above felt farther away than ever. They all knew it was just them against whatever the next day would bring.
After a few minutes, Jean spoke up, his voice tentative. "So, uh, we should probably, like, ration the food too, huh? In case this whole tire thing takes longer than we think."
Morgan nodded, giving him a brief, approving look. "Smart thinking, Jean. We stick to basics—no more than we need, alright?"
Luca groaned, staring down at his half-eaten granola bar. "Guess this means no midnight snack, huh?"
"Dude, this is life or death, not a sleepover," Evan muttered. "We gotta, like, actually try to survive out here."
"Thank you, Evan," Morgan said, her tone dry but genuine. "At least some of you get it."
Jordan yawned, stretching. "Alright, we gonna sit here worrying all night, or are we actually gonna try to get some sleep?"
The group murmured their agreements, some already starting to settle down on the dusty ground, using their backpacks as pillows. Chloe gave one last exaggerated sigh as she lay down, trying to find a spot with the least amount of rocks beneath her.
"Can't wait for a real bed," she muttered. "This is seriously the worst."
From across the fire, Brittney rolled her eyes one last time. "Cry me a river, princess."
The tension eased slightly as they all lay down, each of them a little more aware of how fragile their situation was. They knew tomorrow would bring a whole new set of challenges—finding an auto shop in the middle of nowhere, fending off zombies, and figuring out how to survive another day in a world that seemed hell-bent on destroying them.
Morgan stayed on watch, eyes fixed on the horizon, the end of her cigarette glowing in the darkness as she kept silent vigil over the group, her thoughts focused on the long road ahead.
Q: Have you ever been in a desert before?