Night draped over the ruins, distant growls echoing through the hollow streets. Adrian and Rex moved carefully through the wreckage, their steps deliberate, their breaths measured.
The light ahead remained faint, flickering like a dying ember.
"What do you think it is?" Rex whispered.
"Survivors," Adrian murmured. "Or a trap."
Rex let out a dry chuckle. "Who the hell sets traps these days? Staying alive is hard enough."
Adrian didn't argue. They wove through an alley cluttered with rusted car husks before reaching a rundown supermarket. The glow came from within, seeping through a half-lowered metal shutter.
They exchanged a glance.
Rex took the lead, pressing his back against the doorframe before knocking softly.
No response.
Adrian exhaled, rifle raised, and slowly nudged the shutter open.
The scene inside gave him pause—
Scattered supplies, streaks of dried blood on the walls, and in the center, a smoldering fire pit surrounded by bodies.
Rex knelt beside one of the corpses, examining the wound.
"Gunshots," he muttered. "This wasn't the infected."
Adrian's gaze landed on a toppled shopping cart beside a small radio, its indicator light still blinking.
He stepped over, turning the dial.
—"...This is the Freehold broadcast… Survivors, if you can hear this, head north… The refuge is still open…"
Adrian's grip tightened.
Freehold. He'd heard the name before—rumored to be a survivor stronghold in the north, always broadcasting for help. But the problem was…
"This loop sounds automated," Rex noted, dusting off his hands. "These people probably heard the message, tried to make it there, and got ambushed."
Adrian nodded, pocketing the radio.
That meant two things—
One, Freehold might still be real.
Two, they weren't alone in this city.
They needed to be cautious.
"Grab what you can. We're leaving," Adrian said.
Rex nodded, rummaging through the remains. Most supplies were long gone, but they salvaged a few cans, bottled water, and a rusted knife.
"Better than nothing," Rex muttered, stuffing the goods into his pack.
Adrian was about to respond when—
Footsteps.
Fast, deliberate.
They froze.
Outside, a hushed voice muttered, "This was the signal source? Check it out."
Then, shadows slipped through the supermarket entrance.
Adrian peered through the shelves, spotting four armed men in tactical vests, rifles at the ready. Their movements were sharp, disciplined.
"Well, shit," Rex breathed. "Guess it really was bait."
Adrian gritted his teeth, scanning for an escape.
They might have to shoot their way out.