Ethan didn't waste a second.
He yanked open the truck's door, tossed his weapons onto the passenger seat, and jumped in. His heart hammered in his chest as he turned the ignition—the engine roared to life.
The distant screeches were growing louder. They were coming.
Slamming the gas pedal, Ethan peeled out of the parking lot, tires screeching. The roads ahead were cracked and uneven, littered with abandoned vehicles and rubble from collapsed buildings. He gritted his teeth, weaving through the wreckage as fast as he could.
Through the rearview mirror, he saw shadows moving in the distance—hundreds of them. Twisted creatures crawling, sprinting, and leaping over obstacles in pursuit.
His fingers tightened on the steering wheel.
He needed a place to hide.
Not just any building—somewhere without windows, somewhere secure. If those things saw movement inside, they'd tear through walls to get him.
He sped through the ruined streets of New York, scanning his surroundings. Most buildings were too exposed. Shops had shattered glass storefronts, apartment complexes had too many windows, and office buildings were too large to clear out alone.
Then, he saw it.
A small, fortified-looking structure near an industrial zone—an old underground storage facility. The entrance was a thick metal door with no windows in sight.
Ethan swerved off the main road, driving toward the building.
As he approached, his headlights illuminated the words "RESTRICTED STORAGE - AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY." The place looked abandoned—exactly what he needed.
He slammed the brakes, throwing the truck into park. Grabbing his weapons and ammo bags, he bolted toward the door.
Locked.
Of course.
He stepped back and raised his shotgun.
BOOM.
The lock shattered, and he shoved the door open. The air inside was stale, but the place was intact. Concrete walls, no windows, one way in and out.
Perfect.
He rushed back to his truck, grabbing his remaining supplies. As he hauled the last bag inside, he turned—and saw them.
In the distance, a horde of mutants flooded the street, moving like a wave of nightmares.
Ethan didn't hesitate.
He dashed inside and slammed the metal door shut, bolting it from the inside.
Darkness swallowed him.
For the first time in hours, he allowed himself to breathe.
He had found shelter. But for how long?