Elias gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles pale, his eyes fixed on the dark road. His breath was quick, his heart pounding in his chest. Next to him, the woman was slumped against the window, barely conscious. Her breathing was uneven, her face pale.
The shadows behind them were empty now, but Elias knew better. He had seen how those creatures moved—swift and silent, like hunters in the night. He pressed his foot down harder on the gas pedal. The truck roared as it sped along the cracked highway, dust flying behind them.
A broken sign flashed by, its letters faded but just readable: Outpost 17 – 20 Miles Ahead. He didn't know what waited for them there, but it was the only place left to go.
The woman stirred, a soft moan escaping her lips. Elias glanced at her. "Hey, stay with me. Can you hear me?"
Her eyes fluttered open, unfocused. "Where... where are we?"
"We're heading to Outpost 17," he said, his voice firm but gentle. "What's your name?"
She blinked slowly, her lips trembling. "Jenna."
"Alright, Jenna. We're almost there. Just hold on."
Jenna winced as she tried to sit up, pain twisting her face. "They... they took them. My friends. My family." Her voice cracked. "I don't know how I got away."
Elias felt a chill run down his spine but said nothing. She was barely hanging on. His only job now was to get her to safety.
The road ahead grew darker. Tall, twisted trees lined the sides, their bare branches reaching out like skeletal fingers. The moon hung low, casting long shadows across the cracked pavement. Road signs appeared more often, all pointing to Outpost 17.
But something wasn't right.
Elias narrowed his eyes. The signs looked... new. Too new. Everything else was broken and worn by time, but these signs looked freshly painted, clean. His stomach twisted. Someone was taking care of them. But who?
Jenna's breath hitched. Her eyes went wide with fear. "Elias... something's wrong."
He tightened his grip on the wheel. "I know."
Suddenly, the radio crackled to life. Static filled the truck's cabin, followed by a low, distorted voice.
"You shouldn't have brought her."
Elias felt his blood run cold. He slammed on the brakes, the truck skidding to a stop in the middle of the road. His heart raced as he grabbed the radio. "Who are you?"
The voice on the other end was calm, almost tired. "Turn back."
Jenna whimpered, her hands clutching her head. "No... we have to keep going."
Elias looked down the road. His jaw tightened. "I'm not turning back."
The radio hissed, the voice more distant. "Then you've sealed your fate."
A low hum began to echo around them. It grew louder, vibrating through the truck's metal frame. Elias's chest tightened. He knew that sound.
Jenna's breathing grew quick and ragged. "Elias... they're coming."
He looked in the mirrors. His stomach dropped.
From the trees, from the darkness behind them, shadows began to move. Figures, dozens of them, stepping into the moonlight. Their faces were pale, eyes hollow, bodies twisted in unnatural shapes. They moved in unison, fast and smooth, their heads all turned toward the truck.
Elias slammed his foot on the gas. The engine roared as the truck shot forward, tires screeching. The figures began to run, their bodies bending and jerking, moving too quickly, too unnaturally.
Up ahead, the road ended. A massive steel gate stood before them, its surface covered in blinking red lights. Behind it, towering floodlights lit up a fortress-like compound.
Outpost 17.
The radio crackled again. "GET IN. NOW."
The gate groaned as it started to open, metal grinding against metal. Beyond it, shadows moved. People. Actual people, watching from behind the walls.
Elias didn't hesitate. He floored the gas pedal, aiming for the gap as the gate slowly opened. The figures behind them were closing in, their limbs bending at impossible angles as they sprinted toward the truck.
Jenna screamed as one of them lunged, its fingers grazing the back of the truck. Elias swerved, the tires skidding on the cracked road. He pushed the truck even faster, racing toward the narrow opening.
The gate was almost closed.
Elias clenched his jaw, his knuckles white as he gripped the wheel. He didn't slow down. The truck shot through the gap just as the steel doors slammed shut behind them.
Silence.
Elias's chest heaved as he struggled to catch his breath. He looked at Jenna. She was still alive, her eyes wide with shock but her chest rising and falling. Relief washed over him.
He looked out the windshield.
People stood in front of them, their faces pale, their clothes worn and mismatched. Some held weapons, others stared in stunned silence. A man stepped forward, his shoulders broad, his face lined with exhaustion but his eyes sharp.
"You're either the luckiest man alive," the man said, his voice steady, "or the stupidest."
Elias let out a shaky laugh, his hands trembling. "I'll take either."
The man nodded, then waved his hand. "Get her to the infirmary."
A group rushed forward, carefully lifting Jenna out of the truck. She was carried toward a large building with faded walls and flickering lights. Elias watched until she was out of sight, then climbed out of the truck, his legs weak.
He turned and looked back at the gate. The figures were there, standing motionless just beyond the walls. Their hollow eyes stared through the metal bars, faces blank, heads tilted at odd angles.
The man placed a firm hand on Elias's shoulder. "Welcome to Outpost 17."
Elias looked at the tall walls, the watchtowers, the armed guards. It was safe here... for now.
But as he looked back at those figures, still watching, still waiting, he wondered if they had just traded one nightmare for another.