As they moved deeper into the mall, the eerie quiet grew more oppressive. The stores they passed were hollowed-out shells, their once-bright signs faded and broken. Kate's boots crunched softly against shards of glass scattered across the floor, each sound making her flinch and glance toward the shadows.
Carl stayed in the middle of their formation, flinching at every noise. Chris brought up the rear, his rifle aimed steadily ahead.
"This place must've been hit hard when things went down," Chris muttered, his eyes scanning the empty storefronts. "Mall like this? People probably thought it was a goldmine for supplies. Bet there was a stampede."
"Or worse," Kate added. "People fighting over scraps. Malls like this became battlegrounds in the early days."
Carl chimed in hesitantly, his voice shaking. "You think there's anyone else still here? Other survivors, I mean."
Kate didn't answer right away. She glanced around the darkened space, her gut telling her they weren't alone. "If there are, we'll find out soon enough. Just stay alert."
As they turned a corner, the faint sound of something metallic clattering echoed from a nearby store. The noise froze all three of them in their tracks.
Chris raised his rifle, his voice a low hiss. "Did you hear that?"
"Yeah," Kate replied, her grip tightening on her crowbar. She motioned for them to take cover behind an overturned bench.
Carl crouched low, his breathing quickening. "What… what was that?"
Kate held up a hand to silence him, her ears straining for any other sounds. The clattering came again, this time accompanied by a low, guttural groan.
"Walker," Chris whispered.
"Maybe," Kate said, though she didn't sound convinced. She leaned out slightly, trying to get a better view of the store where the noise had come from.
The store was dark, its entrance partially blocked by a toppled shelf. Something—or someone—was moving inside, the faint outline of a figure visible through the debris.
"Stay here," Kate ordered, her voice firm.
Chris grabbed her arm. "Kate, wait—"
She shook him off. "I'll be fine. Cover me."
Chris frowned but nodded, his rifle trained on the store as Kate crept forward. Carl stayed behind the bench, his hands trembling as he clutched a broken piece of wood he'd picked up earlier.
Kate moved silently, her steps deliberate as she approached the store. The groaning grew louder, and she could see the figure more clearly now—a walker, its body pinned beneath the fallen shelf. Its arms flailed weakly, its decayed face twisted in a grotesque snarl.
She exhaled slowly, some of the tension leaving her body. Just a walker. She gripped her crowbar tightly, raising it high before bringing it down with a sickening crunch. The walker's groans ceased, leaving the mall in silence once more.
Kate turned back to the others, motioning for them to join her. "It's clear. Just a straggler."
Chris lowered his rifle as he approached, his eyes scanning the store. "Anything worth grabbing in here?"
Kate glanced around, noting the overturned shelves and scattered debris. "Doesn't look like it, but let's take a quick look."
As they began to search the store, Carl hesitated at the entrance, his eyes darting nervously. "You sure it's safe?"
Chris shot him a look. "If it wasn't, you'd know by now. Start looking."
Carl nodded quickly and began rifling through the remains of the shelves, his movements jittery.
Kate found a box of matches and a nearly empty bottle of painkillers, while Chris pulled a flashlight from a dusty display rack. "It's not much, but it's something," Chris said, tucking the flashlight into his bag.
Carl held up a dented can of soup, a small smile on his face. "This might still be good."
Kate gave him a curt nod. "Good. Keep it."
As they regrouped near the store's entrance, Kate's eyes drifted back to the darkened corners of the mall. Something still didn't feel right.
"We're moving," she said firmly. "I want to check the pharmacy next. If we can find some antibiotics or medical supplies, that'll go a long way with Marcus and his crew."
Carl's breathing quickened, and he clutched his makeshift weapon tighter. "We… we should go back. This isn't safe."
Kate rounded on him, her eyes flashing. "Nowhere is safe, Carl. We keep moving. Panicking will get us killed."
"But—" Carl started, only to be cut off by Chris's growl.
"She said move. So move."
Reluctantly, Carl fell in line, sticking close to Kate as they advanced toward the pharmacy.
After another ten minutes of creeping through the mall's winding paths, they spotted their destination. The pharmacy loomed ahead, its once-bright sign now hanging crookedly above the entrance. The glass doors were shattered, leaving jagged edges that glinted faintly in the dim light filtering through the skylights above.
Chris crouched low, motioning for the others to stop. "Doors are busted. Could mean looters already cleared it out, or something worse."
Kate nodded, peering into the store. The interior was a chaotic mess—overturned shelves, scattered pill bottles, and a faint, sickly-sweet smell of rot. "We check it anyway," she said. "Even scraps could make a difference back at the station."
Chris's lips tightened. "We going loud or quiet?"
"Quiet," Kate replied without hesitation. "Carl, stay here. Watch the entrance. If you see anything, anything, you signal us. Don't shout unless it's an emergency."
Carl's eyes widened, but he nodded. "Yeah. I'll watch. Just… don't leave me out here too long, alright?"
Chris nodded, taking position near the door, his rifle aimed into the shadows beyond. "we'll be quick. I've got a bad feeling about this."
Chris gave Carl a warning look. "If you run off, don't think we'll come looking for you."
"I'm not going anywhere," Carl muttered, his voice shaking slightly.
As Kate searched, her fingers brushed against a half-full bottle of antibiotics wedged beneath a shelf. She pulled it out and inspected the label, a small spark of relief flickering in her chest.
Kate and Chris slipped into the store, their movements slow and deliberate. The stale air was thick, every step on the debris-littered floor loud in the oppressive silence. Kate led the way, her crowbar poised, while Chris swept the aisles with his rifle.
"Looks like this place got hit hard," Chris murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.
Kate crouched near a toppled shelf, sifting through the mess. "Yeah, but let's hope they missed something useful." She pulled out a box of bandages, most of the packaging torn but the contents intact. "Got something."
Chris moved to another aisle, stepping over shattered glass and empty pill bottles. He paused, spotting a small stash of antibiotics wedged beneath a broken shelf. "Jackpot," he said, lifting the box carefully. "Looks like someone dropped these in a hurry."
Kate glanced over, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "Marcus is going to love that."
"Do you really think Marcus will share these supplies with us?" Chris asked .
Kate look at him . "He doesn't have a choice. If he wants us to keep risking our necks, he'll play fair."
Chris snorted. "Marcus can choke on it for all I care. This is about buying us time, not winning him over."
Before Kate could respond, a faint noise broke the quiet—a soft, rhythmic tapping. Both of them froze, their eyes locking.
"You hear that?" Chris whispered.
Kate nodded, her grip tightening on her crowbar. "Yeah. From the back room."
Chris tilted his head, listening intently. The tapping grew louder, accompanied by a low, rasping groan. "Walker?"
"Maybe," Kate said, though her gut told her otherwise. "We check it. Carefully."
They moved toward the back of the store, their steps slow and deliberate. The door to the storage room was ajar, swinging slightly on its hinges. The noise was louder now, the groans interspersed with strange scratching sounds.
Chris positioned himself beside the door, his rifle raised. "On three," he murmured. "One… two…"
He shoved the door open on three, and Kate stepped in, her crowbar ready. The sight that greeted them made her stomach churn.
A walker was chained to a metal pole in the center of the room, its decayed body barely upright. Around it lay a makeshift camp—empty cans, a filthy sleeping bag, and scraps of food. Whoever had been here last had left in a hurry. The walker lunged weakly against its chains, its rotting teeth snapping inches away from where Kate stood.
"Jesus," Chris muttered, his rifle trained on the walker. "Someone was living here with that thing?"
Kate's eyes scanned the room, her mind racing. "Not just living. Look at the chains. Someone put it here on purpose."
Chris frowned. "Why the hell would anyone—?"
The sound of footsteps behind them cut him off. Both of them spun around, weapons raised, as Carl stumbled into the room, his face pale.
"Guys," he panted, his voice trembling. "There's someone out there. I saw them. They're watching us."
Kate and Chris exchanged a tense glance. "How many?" Kate demanded.
"I don't know!" Carl said, his voice rising in panic. "I just saw a shadow move near the escalators. They… they're out there. I swear."
Chris muttered a curse under his breath. "Could be looters. Could be worse."
Kate motioned for them to move. "We're leaving. Now."
As they exited the storage room, the weight of the situation pressed down on them. The mall felt different now—more oppressive, more dangerous. Kate's eyes darted to every corner, every shadow, searching for signs of movement.
"I don't see anyone," Chris murmured, his rifle sweeping the area. "You sure you saw something, Carl?"
Carl nodded frantically. "I swear, I saw someone. I wouldn't make this up!"
Kate's instincts screamed at her to trust him, despite his jittery nature. "Alright. Let's not wait to find out who it is. We head back to the station. Keep tight, stay low."
As they began to move, the sound of something heavy crashing echoed through the mall, followed by the unmistakable guttural growls of walkers. The noise came from somewhere behind them, and it was getting closer.
"Shit," Chris hissed. "That wasn't there before."
"They must've been drawn by the noise," Kate said, her heart pounding. "Or…" She trailed off, her thoughts racing.
"Or someone brought them," Chris finished grimly.
Carl whimpered, his hands shaking. "What do we do?"
Kate didn't hesitate. "We run. Stick together, no matter what. Let's move!"
The three of them bolted, their footsteps echoing through the empty mall. The growls grew louder, joined by the sound of shuffling feet. As they sprinted toward the exit, Kate's mind raced with questions. Who had been watching them? And why had they left a chained walker in the pharmacy?