The hulking zombie roared, its glowing eyes locking onto Zack one final time. Blood and ichor oozed from the gaping wound in its chest, but it refused to fall. Its massive hand reached out, clawing at the air as if it could crush Zack through sheer willpower.
Zack didn't hesitate. He lunged forward, driving the jagged pole straight into the creature's skull. The sharp end pierced through with a sickening crunch, and the zombie let out one last guttural snarl before its glowing veins dimmed and it collapsed to the ground.
Breathing heavily, Zack yanked the pole free, wiping his face with the back of his hand as he turned to check on the others.
Jess was leaning against the wall, her face pale and her breathing shallow. Her hand was clamped over the glowing bite on her arm, the faint blue light spreading further with every passing second.
"It burns," she muttered, her voice weak. "Feels like it's… crawling inside me."
Josh knelt beside her, his expression panicked. "What do we do? Is there a way to stop it?"
Zack crouched in front of Jess, his eyes scanning her face. She looked up at him, her gaze pleading.
"I don't feel good," she said, her voice trembling. "But I can keep moving. Just… don't leave me behind."
Zack's jaw tightened. He didn't respond immediately, instead standing and looking around the ruined ship. "We need food. And first aid. If we're going to help her, we need supplies."
Josh nodded quickly. "Yeah, yeah, let's do that. Come on, Jess, we'll figure this out."
Jess gave a weak smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. Zack could see the fear in her expression, the silent acknowledgment of what might come next.
They moved cautiously, Jess trailing slightly behind as Zack led the way. The corridors were quieter now, though the occasional creak of the ship's unstable structure kept them on edge.
After a few minutes, Jess stumbled.
"Jess?" Josh said, turning to her.
She waved him off, trying to steady herself. "I'm fine. Just… dizzy."
But then she collapsed.
Zack and Josh rushed to her side as she began to convulse, her body writhing violently on the floor. The glow in her veins intensified, spreading rapidly from the bite wound to the rest of her body.
"Jess!" Josh yelled, grabbing her shoulders. "Stay with us! You're gonna be okay!"
Zack's expression hardened as he watched her seize. He'd seen the transformation before, and he knew what was coming.
"Josh, get back," Zack said firmly, gripping his pole.
"What? No! We can help her!" Josh yelled, his voice desperate.
But it was too late. Jess's body stilled for a moment, and when her eyes opened, they glowed with an eerie, unrecognizable light. Her lips curled into a snarl, and she lunged at Josh, her movements sudden and violent.
Zack moved without hesitation.
The pole drove through Jess's head, ending her transformation before it could fully take hold. She collapsed to the ground, the light in her veins fading as quickly as it had spread.
Josh stumbled back, his face pale and his breathing ragged. "What the hell, Zack?! She was fine! She was—"
"She turned," Zack said coldly, pulling the pole free. His voice was calm, almost detached. "There was nothing we could do."
"You didn't even try!" Josh shouted, his voice shaking.
Zack turned to face him, his eyes hard. "She was gone the moment she collapsed. That thing wasn't Jess anymore. All I did was stop it from killing us."
Josh stared at him, his fists clenched. "You don't know that. She could've—"
"She couldn't," Zack interrupted, his tone firm. "You saw the bite. You saw the glow. There was no coming back from that. I did what had to be done."
The silence between them was heavy, the weight of Zack's words pressing down like the gravity of the new world.
Josh looked away, his jaw tightening. He didn't say anything, but the fear in his eyes was clear. Zack wasn't just decisive—he was ruthless. And Josh realized, with a chilling clarity, that crossing him would be a mistake.
"We should keep moving," Zack said, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Josh nodded reluctantly, his usual easy demeanor replaced by wary silence as they continued deeper into the wreckage.