The Roadblock
The oppressive air seemed to thicken the further the convoy drove, the weight of the unseen shadows pressing on them like an unwelcome presence. The winding road stretched ahead, littered with cracks and overgrown weeds. The ruins of the City loomed closer, jagged silhouettes against the pale gray sky.
Elias gripped the steering wheel tightly, his gray eyes scanning the road. Beside him, Lara sat tense, her gaze flickering between the map in her lap and the looming horizon. In the backseat, Lyn sat hunched forward, her hands clenched tightly together.
"We're almost to the main turn," Lara murmured, her voice cutting through the uneasy silence.
Elias nodded but didn't respond. His senses were on high alert, every flicker of movement in the periphery drawing his attention.
Then, just as the convoy rounded a bend, Lara gasped.
"Stop!"
Elias slammed on the brakes, the truck skidding slightly on the uneven road. Behind them, the second and third vehicles came to abrupt stops, the screech of tires echoing in the stillness.
Blocking the road ahead was a car—a rusted, ancient vehicle that looked like it hadn't been driven in decades. It sat at an awkward angle, the front end half-buried in the overgrowth that spilled onto the asphalt.
"Where did that come from?" Jack's voice crackled over the radio, the tension in his tone unmistakable.
"It wasn't here when we scouted this route," Lara said, her voice tight. She turned to Elias. "What do we do?"
Elias's jaw tightened as he shifted the truck into park. "We check it out. Everyone stay on alert."
Elias stepped out of the truck first, his boots crunching on the gravel as he scanned the area. Lara followed, gripping her weapon tightly, her eyes darting to the shadows that seemed to close in around them.
From the second truck, Margot and Jack joined them, their movements cautious but purposeful. Caleb climbed out of the third vehicle, his face set in a determined frown as he joined the group.
"Looks like it's been here for years," Margot muttered, eyeing the rusted car. "But why is it blocking the road now?"
"That's what we're going to find out," Elias said.
The group approached the car slowly, their weapons drawn. The vehicle was a relic of a bygone era, its windows shattered and its frame twisted as if it had been in a violent crash. Vines and weeds had crept up its sides, clinging to the rusted metal like hungry fingers.
Elias circled to the driver's side, peering through the broken window. Inside, the seats were ripped and decayed, their stuffing spilling out in tufts. A faint, sickly odor lingered in the air, though there was no sign of a driver or passengers.
"Empty," Elias said, his voice low.
Jack crouched by the front of the car, brushing away some of the weeds. His hand stilled as his fingers brushed against something cold and metallic.
"What is it?" Margot asked, stepping closer.
Jack pulled back the weeds to reveal a thick, rusted chain wrapped around the car's front axle. The chain extended into the overgrowth, disappearing into the shadows of the surrounding forest.
"Looks like it was dragged here," Jack said grimly.
Lyn, who had been standing near the trucks, suddenly stiffened. Her dark eyes widened, her body trembling as she pointed toward the treeline. "We're not alone," she whispered.
The group turned in unison, their weapons raised. The forest around them seemed to shift and breathe, the shadows rippling unnaturally as if alive.
"Shadows," Caleb muttered, his voice tight.
Elias moved quickly, his tone calm but commanding. "Everyone back to the trucks. Now."
As the group began retreating, a sharp, guttural hiss echoed through the air. Lara turned, her heart racing as she spotted movement in the corner of her vision.
From the shadows of the forest emerged a figure—tall, gaunt, and wrong. Its limbs were elongated, its skin a pale, sickly gray that seemed to absorb the light. Its hollow eyes locked onto the group, its head tilting unnaturally as it let out another hiss.
"Move!" Elias barked, firing a warning shot.
The sound of the gunshot shattered the stillness, and the creature recoiled briefly before lunging forward, its movements unnervingly fast.
Margot was the first to react, stepping in front of Jack and firing at the creature. The bullet struck its shoulder, causing it to stumble, but it didn't stop.
"Lara, go!" Elias shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos.
The group scrambled back toward the trucks, firing at the advancing shadows as they moved. More figures emerged from the treeline, their hollow eyes gleaming with a predatory hunger.
Lyn tripped as she ran, her foot catching on a root. Caleb was at her side in an instant, pulling her to her feet. "Come on!" he urged, his voice filled with urgency.
Elias covered their retreat, his sharp aim taking down one of the creatures as it lunged toward Lara. She climbed into the passenger seat, slamming the door as Elias jumped into the driver's seat.
"Is everyone in?" he shouted, glancing in the rearview mirror.
"Go, go, go!" Jack's voice crackled over the radio.
Elias didn't hesitate. The trucks roared to life, their engines growling as they sped down the road, leaving the rusted car and the advancing shadows behind.
The group didn't stop until they were miles away, the oppressive presence of the shadows finally beginning to fade. Elias pulled the truck to a stop on the side of the road, his hands gripping the steering wheel tightly.
"Everyone okay?" he asked, his voice low but steady.
"Barely," Margot replied over the radio. "Whatever those things were, they weren't human."
"They were watching us," Lyn said softly, her voice trembling. "They knew we were coming."
Lara exhaled shakily, her heart still pounding. "They're getting bolder."
Elias nodded, his gray eyes dark and focused. "And we're getting closer."