Driving sounded glamorous in theory, but in reality, it was exhausting—especially for someone as directionally challenged as Sophia Smith.
With one eye on the high-tech GPS and the other on the road, she navigated through the deserted streets of a small town, tension knotting her shoulders. Every shadow seemed to threaten her path, and she was already feeling drained.
Switching her headlights to low beam, Sophia maneuvered the car off the road near a curve. The mist hanging in the air caught the glow of the streetlights, casting an eerie ambiance, reminiscent of a spooky movie set.
She grabbed the GPS device from its mount, flipping it over like a puzzle cube. Z, the enigmatic figure who had given her this gadget, flashed through her mind with his signature smirk. Startled, she flinched, dropping the device to the floor. Bending to retrieve it, she straightened just in time to see something dash across the car's path. Her breath hitched as she quickly turned off the headlights and locked the doors.
"It's a Mercedes," she reassured herself, the logo gleaming faintly in the darkness. "Nothing's getting through this."
Reaching into the suitcase Z had packed, Sophia pulled out a vial of anti-zombie solution. With a moment's hesitation, she dabbed the liquid onto her neck and arms. It was both a precaution and a comfort.
The thought of spending the night in such a setting made her skin crawl. She tossed the vial back into the suitcase, grabbed a packet of granola bars, and began to munch, keeping an anxious watch outside.
Twenty minutes passed uneventfully, and Sophia's nerves began to settle. Crumpling the empty wrapper, she considered tossing it out the window but decided against it. No need to invite trouble.
It was nearly 2 a.m., prime time for horror movie chills. Alone in the car, a shiver crept up her spine. Being around Z earlier hadn't been nearly as nerve-wracking.
"Of course," she thought with a wry smile. "Z is like their creator—a dad to all zombies. They probably don't even notice him."
The odd thought was oddly comforting, enough to help her relax. But sleep? That was another matter entirely.
Unable to settle, Sophia fiddled with the GPS, swiping and tapping at the screen as if playing a game. But just as boredom set in, the screen flickered, and the map display vanished.
"What the—" she muttered, her stomach dropping.
The screen went black. Panic flared as she desperately hit buttons, trying to restart it. A loud thump jolted her, freezing her in place.
A grotesque face pressed against the windshield, bloodied and decaying.
Sophia screamed, scrambling back into her seat. The zombie clawed at the window, its decayed fingers streaking the glass.
**Breaking Through the Horde**
Regaining her composure, Sophia reminded herself that the car was airtight, the scent of the solution wouldn't escape. Surely, that meant the zombies wouldn't swarm... right?
Wrong.
The noise outside grew louder as more undead gathered, drawn by her scream.
With no better option, Sophia started the engine. Slamming her foot on the gas, she drove forward, sending a zombie flying. Blood smeared across the windshield, obscuring her view.
She gritted her teeth, gripping the wheel tightly. The car jolted as it rolled over a body, the sickening crunch reverberating through her seat.
"Focus," she told herself. "Don't stop."
But as she drove on, it became painfully clear she'd taken a wrong turn. Zombies closed in from all sides.
"Damn it! Why couldn't I just leave the GPS alone?"
**A Distant Light**
Panicking, Sophia fiddled with the GPS again, pressing buttons at random. When the device flickered to life, her relief was short-lived. Instead of a map, an image appeared: Z, seated in his lab, looking straight at her through the screen.
"Z!" Sophia exclaimed, her voice breaking with relief.
His usual smirk softened. "Changed your mind? Regretting your choices already?"
"Cut the crap!" she snapped. "I'm surrounded! The map's gone, and there are zombies everywhere. You're their 'dad'—tell me how to fix this!"
Z's eyebrows twitched, but he remained calm. "The car is reinforced. They can't break through. Just wait for them to lose interest."
Sophia gaped. "Lose interest? Are you kidding me?!"
Z sighed. "Fine. See the black button on the right side of the steering wheel? Press it."
Fumbling in the dark, Sophia found the button and pressed it.
Instantly, a blinding light flooded the area. The zombies froze, then fled as if their undead lives depended on it.
Sophia stared. "What the—? Did they just—?!"
"It's an ultraviolet deterrent," Z explained, smirking. "Happy now?"
"Yeah, thanks," Sophia muttered, her tone thick with sarcasm. "Now, how do I get the map back?"
"Easy," Z said with a shrug. "Do exactly what you did to turn it off."
Sophia glared at the screen. "If I knew how I did it, I wouldn't need to ask you!"
Z's smirk widened. "You're lucky I'm patient," he said, and with a few keystrokes on his end, the map display reappeared.
Sophia exhaled in relief. "Great. Thanks. I'll get going now."
But before she could cut the connection, Z's expression darkened. "Remember," he warned, "don't deviate from the route. I'll be watching."
**On the Road Again**
Following the map, Sophia navigated through rural paths. Fields of wheat and corn stretched endlessly, a stark contrast to the chaos she'd escaped. Eventually, she reached an abandoned highway toll station.
As dawn broke, Sophia pulled over. Exhausted, she locked the car and crawled into the backseat. Wrapping herself in a blanket, she closed her eyes, though her sleep was light and restless.
She was jarred awake not long after by the sensation of the car rocking. Sitting up, she peeked out the window.
It wasn't zombies this time.
A group of five people stood around the car, their faces human but their intentions unclear.
Sophia adjusted the seatbelt across her lap, her mind racing. Then, with a flicker of determination, she reopened the navigation screen.
And there he was again.
Z appeared, his disheveled hair falling into his face as he glared at her through the screen. His voice was low and dangerous.
"Sophia," he said, his tone like a warning. "Do you know where the last person who woke me up is now?"
Sophia blinked, taken aback. "W-Where?"
Z smirked, his expression sending a shiver down her spine.
"You'll find out soon enough."
And just like that, Sophia knew—some mistakes were far worse than turning off a navigation system.