Chapter 2
It had been a week since I found myself in this apocalyptic world. Seven days of struggling, scavenging, and surviving in a place where death lurked around every corner.
The first few days were pure hell. I spent my time gathering supplies, securing shelter, and fortifying my new home—a two-story building on the outskirts of London, far enough from the main infested zones. The house was sturdy, with reinforced doors and windows, and an underground basement that worked as a safe room. I found a good amount of rations, a couple of firearms, and a decent supply of ammunition from the overrun military base where I had first woken up. The hardest part was ensuring that the infected wouldn't find me while I moved through the city. Their speed was terrifying. Unlike the zombies from other movies, these bastards weren't slow. They were fast, aggressive, and relentless. One mistake and I knew I'd be done for.
Every few days, I would return to the abandoned military base, scouring it for anything I could use—more ammo, medical supplies, military-grade gear. It was dangerous, but necessary. During one of my supply runs, I encountered survivors for the first time.
I had been making my way through the city, carefully moving from one ruined store to another, when I noticed a small convenience store that seemed intact. The sign outside was half-broken, hanging loosely on its hinges, swaying gently in the wind. I hesitated for a moment before deciding to enter. I held my pistol tightly, pushing the door open with slow, controlled movements.
The interior was dark, the shelves half-looted, a musty smell lingering in the air. I took cautious steps forward, my instincts on high alert. Something felt off. It was too quiet.
Then, I heard the faintest shuffle behind one of the storage doors at the back of the store. My grip on my gun tightened as I approached. Was it an infected? I slowly reached for the handle and, in one swift motion, yanked the door open—
—only to be met with the wide, terrified eyes of a young woman and two children.
The woman looked like she was in her early twenties, her clothes dirty and tattered but still somewhat intact. Her blonde hair was messy, her cheeks slightly sunken from hunger. Behind her, the two children—a boy and a girl—clung to her, their small frames trembling. The boy looked around ten years old, the girl even younger, maybe six or seven. They weren't related. That much was obvious.
The girl gasped in fear, and I quickly lifted a finger to my lips, signaling for them to stay quiet. They were scared. Understandable. Anyone would be in their position. I slowly lowered my gun, stepping inside and closing the door behind me.
Taking a deep breath, I finally spoke. "Who are you guys?"
The young woman hesitated before answering, her voice wary but steady. "I'm Anna Williams. A student at UCL medical school… and these kids… they're Leo Brown and Margaret Davis. They're not mine, but I found them when the safe zone got overrun. They were crying for help. I couldn't leave them behind."
I listened carefully, noting how protective she was of the kids.
I sighed, leaning against the door. "Alright, I'll be honest with you. I don't know if we're getting out of here. I survived this long by fighting and hiding. That's the only reason I'm still alive." I paused, watching their reactions before continuing, "I'm here to gather supplies. My base is far from the city. I got here on foot. If you want, you can come with me. Staying here… it's not safe."
Anna immediately looked at me with hope in her eyes. "Please… take us with you. We don't know how long we can survive here. The food is running out… and those things… they're everywhere."
The kids clung to her, their eyes pleading. I let out a deep sigh. I knew this was a risk, but I also knew that leaving them here would be the same as sentencing them to death.
"Fine," I said. "But before we leave, we take everything we can carry. Food, water, medicine, whatever's left in this place."
Anna nodded, her expression determined. "Understood."
With that, we began gathering supplies. The store had more than I expected—canned goods, bottled water, even some basic first-aid supplies. I handed Leo a small backpack and filled it with food. Margaret clung to Anna's arm, too scared to do much, so I made sure to pack extra supplies in my own bag.
As we worked, I glanced at Anna. She moved efficiently, not wasting time. Despite being terrified, she was keeping it together for the kids.
"Have you handled a gun before?" I asked as I picked up a spare pistol from my belt.
She hesitated before shaking her head. "No."
I sighed. "We'll change that soon. If you're coming with me, you need to learn how to protect yourself."
She swallowed hard but nodded. "I understand."
Once we had everything, we carefully made our way out of the store. The streets were eerily silent, but I knew better than to trust the quiet. I had scouted the route earlier, so I knew the safest way out of the city. With Anna and the kids following closely behind, I led the way.
As we walked, I couldn't help but think—
This world was hell. But maybe, just maybe, I had found a reason to keep fighting.
Chapter end.