The once-cohesive group was now divided, their newfound stability making the prospect of risking it all for strangers unbearable to some and necessary to others.
Kate stood at the center of it all, arms crossed, her expression unreadable. She had started this discussion, knowing it needed to happen, but the emotional toll of it was heavier than she anticipated. The debate had raged for hours in the gym, the walls echoing with heated voices
"We're finally safe here," Claire argued, her voice firm. "Do you know how rare that is? Bringing new people in is asking for trouble. We have no way of knowing who we can trust."
"But we're stretched thin!" Sam countered, leaning forward on his makeshift cane. His grizzled face was lined with frustration. "The walls need constant maintenance. Supplies won't last forever. More people means more hands to work."
"And more mouths to feed," Claire shot back, her voice tinged with irritation. "Not to mention the risk. What if they decide they like this place more than we do and take it for themselves?"
Tom, sitting near the back, raised a hand. His calm, measured tone cut through the noise. "Claire has a point. We've worked hard to make this place a sanctuary. But Sam's right too. We can't hold this place long-term without help. So the question is: how do we find people we can trust?"
"That's the problem," Kate interjected, her voice sharper than intended. The room quieted as all eyes turned to her. "We can't trust people easily. You've all seen what the world out there is like. People will do anything to survive—even if it means hurting others. And we've worked too damn hard to lose this place."
A heavy silence followed her words, the weight of their situation settling over the group. Jake, the teenager, broke the tension. "So… we just stay here forever? Hope nothing goes wrong?"
Kate sighed, running a hand through her hair. "No. That's not what I'm saying. Look, I get it—we need more people. But we need to be smart about it. We can't just bring in anyone who looks like they need help. We have to be sure."
"And how do we do that?" Lisa, Jake's mother, asked, her arms protectively wrapped around her son.
Kate hesitated before speaking, her words deliberate. "We take turns going out. Small teams, two people at most. We find survivors, spend time with them, and see who they are. If—if—we trust them, we bring them back. But no one mentions the school to anyone unless we're absolutely certain they're not a threat."
The room buzzed with murmurs of agreement and doubt. Finally, Chris, sitting on a crate near the fire, leaned forward. "It's risky, but it's the best plan we've got. At least this way, we're not leaving ourselves vulnerable to strangers showing up uninvited."
Evan nodded reluctantly. "We'll need strict rules. No telling anyone about the school unless you're certain. And if things seem off, you leave immediately."
Kate turned to the group, her eyes hard. "That's the deal. If anyone has a better plan, I'm all ears. But this is how we protect what we've built."
After a long pause, the group gave hesitant nods, the tension easing slightly. The plan wasn't perfect, but it was something.
The first team chosen was Kate and Eric. The younger man shifted nervously as they prepared to leave the next morning, double-checking his backpack and adjusting the straps. Kate, already armed with her crowbar and a hunting knife, watched him with a mixture of amusement and concern.
"Relax, Eric," she said, her voice softer than usual. "We're not storming the gates of hell. Just… taking a look."
"Easy for you to say," Eric replied, his nervous laugh betraying his unease. "You're, like, the definition of badass. I'm just a guy who played video games before all this."
Kate smirked. "i saw you when you killed some zombie at school, You've held your own so far. Besides, this isn't about fighting. It's about observing. Remember the rules?"
Eric nodded. "No mentioning the school. No bringing anyone back unless we're 100% sure they're trustworthy."
"Good," Kate said, slinging her bag over her shoulder. "Let's move."
The walk to Eric's dorm was tense. The streets were eerily quiet, the occasional distant groan or shuffling steps the only sound. Kate led the way, her eyes scanning every shadow, every movement.
"You think we'll find anyone?" Eric asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Kate shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe not. Just stay alert."
When they reached the dorm building, Eric hesitated, staring up at the familiar structure. It was battered and broken, windows shattered and the door barely hanging on its hinges. Memories of late-night study sessions and lazy weekends with his best friend flooded his mind.
"You okay?" Kate asked, her tone softer now.
Eric nodded, though his hands trembled slightly. "Yeah. Just… hoping my buddy is there and alive."
They stepped inside, the air thick with decay and mildew. The halls were littered with debris—discarded backpacks, broken furniture, dried bloodstains. Eric led the way, his steps cautious as he climbed the stairs to his old floor.
"Room 307," he murmured, stopping in front of a door with deep claw marks gouged into the wood.
Kate nodded, positioning herself beside the door with her crowbar raised. "Ready?"
Eric swallowed hard and pushed the door open.
Inside was chaos. The room had been ransacked, the furniture overturned and belongings scattered. But it wasn't empty. A figure crouched near the window, its back to them.
Eric's breath caught. "Nathan?"
The figure turned slowly, revealing a gaunt, hollow-eyed man. For a moment, Eric thought it was his friend. But then the man lunged, and the illusion shattered.
Kate reacted instantly, slamming the crowbar into the infected's head. It crumpled to the floor, lifeless.
Eric stared at the body, his chest heaving. "It's not him," he whispered, his voice cracking.
Kate placed a hand on his shoulder, her grip firm. "We'll keep looking. But you need to focus, Eric. Grieve later. Survive now."
Eric nodded, swallowing his emotions. "Okay. Let's keep moving."
They cleared the rest of the dorm, finding nothing but empty rooms and more infected. Eric's hope dimmed with every door they opened, but Kate's steady presence kept him grounded.
After clearing Eric's dorm, the air between Kate and him grew heavy with unspoken disappointment. The weight of the infected man they had just faced—a cruel mimicry of Eric's hope—pressed on them both. But Eric wasn't ready to give up yet.
"his girlfriend's dorm is just a few blocks from here," Eric said, his voice tight but determined. He avoided Kate's eyes as he adjusted his bag. "If Chris wasn't at ours, maybe… maybe he's with her. He might've gone there."
Kate studied him for a moment. She didn't want to crush his hope, fragile as it was, but she couldn't ignore the reality of their situation. "Alright," she said finally, her voice softer than usual. "But remember the rules, Eric. We're not bringing anyone back unless we're absolutely sure. No exceptions."
"I know," he muttered, his grip tightening on the baseball bat in his hands. "I just… I have to try."
Kate gave a small nod and motioned for him to lead the way.