Apocalypse Days: I Rule with Foresight and a Powerful Son
Chapter 83:

Chapter 83: 83:

The pale light of dawn crept over the horizon, casting long shadows across the camp. Winter stirred, his body stiff from a restless night. The ground beneath his makeshift bedroll offered little comfort, and the chill of the early morning air seeped into his bones.

He lay still for a moment, listening to the soft sounds of the camp—nothing but the distant hum of nature and the crackling remnants of the dying fire.

A sudden sense of unease prickled at the back of his neck. His mind immediately raced, and his heart skipped a beat. He instinctively noticed that Zara wasn’t beside him. The realization hit him like a rush of cold water, panic flooding his chest.

He sat up hastily, his breath coming out in short, shallow bursts. His eyes darted around, scanning the camp with urgency.

And then, he saw her.

Zara was already awake, moving quietly as she prepared breakfast with the limited supplies they had.

Her face was filled with concentration, though the shadows under her eyes betrayed her fatigue. She didn’t seem to notice Winter’s startled awakening as she bent over the small cooking area, focused entirely on the task at hand.

Winter’s breath slowly returned to normal, the panic in his chest dissipating as his eyes lingered on her. She was fine. She was right there. His heartbeat was still a little too fast, but he forced himself to breathe deeply, trying to calm the remnants of the panic that had seized him. A strange sense of relief washed over him, though it left behind a strange tightness in his chest.

He rubbed his face, trying to shake off the remnants of the anxiety. His gaze flickered toward her again—Zara, calm and absorbed in the task of breakfast.

Leo was still asleep, nestled snugly in the sleeping bag beside Winter. His small form curled into a ball, his soft breaths mingling with the faint crackle of the dying fire. Winter’s gaze lingered on the boy for a moment longer before shifting to Zara. Their interaction the night before replayed in his mind.

Flashback

The fire crackled and popped, casting eerie shadows that danced across the camp. Winter sat at the edge of their small campsite with his back to the sedan, the weight of his rifle pressing heavily against his chest. His eyes swept over the darkened landscape, the night eerily quiet. The only sounds were the rustling of the leaves and the howling of the wind—any other noise would have been cause for concern.

The others slept, wrapped in their layers of clothing, their faces drawn with exhaustion. Zara lay beside Leo, who slept with his head resting against her shoulder, his tiny body curled up in peaceful oblivion. Winter couldn’t help but glance at them, his gaze lingering on Zara for a moment longer than intended. He watched her sleeping form, her face still tight even in slumber.

A strange ache tightened in Winter’s chest at the sight.

He swallowed hard, forcing the unsettling emotion down.

His brow furrowed slightly as he shifted his focus back to the shadows surrounding them, fingers tightening around the handle of his rifle. An involuntary sigh slipped from his lips.

He rubbed his eyes, a wave of exhaustion threatening to overtake him, but he forced himself to stay alert. It wasn’t safe yet. Why was he feeling tired?

He leaned back slightly, one hand still gripping the rifle, the other resting against his knee as he scanned the perimeter. The dark shapes of trees and rocks were barely discernible beyond the reach of the firelight. Every noise, no matter how small, sent his senses into overdrive.

A soft sound behind him made him turn his head. Zara had stirred, rising from her spot beside Leo, her movements quiet as she slowly rummaged through her supply bag for something. He turned away, eyes on the horizon. She was fine.

She approached Winter slowly, her face hidden in the shadows, her steps soundless on the cracked earth.

She stopped a few paces away, hesitating for just a second before offering him a small flask. "Here," she said, her voice barely a whisper. "A drink. I made it from what we had left."

Winter didn’t answer right away, but his eyes flickered over her, noting the tired lines on her face and the faint strain in her posture. He took the flask from her hand, their fingers brushing for a brief moment.

Zara leaned against the tree beside him, her eyes following the fire’s flickering light. For a long while, neither of them spoke. The silence between them felt both heavy and necessary, like the calm before a storm. Winter sipped from the flask, the warmth spreading through his chest, but it didn’t chase away the gnawing tension in his stomach.

"I’m sorry," Zara’s voice broke the quiet, soft and hesitant.

Winter didn’t respond immediately, his gaze fixed on the distant tree line. His fingers tightened around the flask.

"I didn’t mean to shut you out," Zara continued, her voice barely audible over the fire’s crackling. "I... I did what I thought was best for Leo. I guess I was used to doing things on my own for so long. I honestly hadn’t thought much about it. But I shouldn’t have kept things from you. I know that now."

Winter exhaled slowly, his eyes narrowing as he shifted uncomfortably against the truck. He didn’t speak.

"I’ve been watching," Zara said quietly, her voice steady but laced with something deeper. "I’ve seen how Leo’s been using his ability. Before, he could only put things in and take them out of the space. But now... now he’s started entering the space himself."

Zara sighed quietly, her eyes glancing away, her fingers nervously playing with the edge of her sleeve. She paused, searching for the right words. "I told you everything. I hope... I hope you believe me when I say that I never meant to keep things from you. I just wanted to protect Leo. That’s all."

The silence stretched between them. Finally, Zara gave him one last, lingering look—a quiet plea in her eyes. Without another word, she turned and walked back to the sleeping area where Leo lay, curled up, oblivious to the heavy tension that had just passed between them.

Back to the Present

Winter blinked, shaking his head to clear the lingering memory. His eyes focused again on Zara, now moving around the camp preparing a modest breakfast. She seemed different this morning—tired, yes, but with an air of determination about her. There was no more conversation between them, only the briefest glances exchanged as they moved around each other like strangers sharing a space.

He’d be lying if he said it didn’t hurt to be ignored. But then again, he has been doing the same.

Leo was still asleep in his sleeping bag, his small form nestled against Winter’s side, breathing softly. Winter had joined them when he switched with Mkie for the third watch, and the child had instinctively sought him out for warmth and security.

The group slowly began to stir, their morning routine moving with a sense of quiet efficiency. The sky was still tinged with the last remnants of night as Sam and Richard started discussing the day’s route, their voices filling the otherwise silent morning air.

"We’ll have to make it to the old farmstead by nightfall if we want any chance of getting some decent cover," Sam said, his tone thoughtful, though his eyes kept flicking to the others—especially Zara and Winter.

Zara was already on her feet, tending to Leo, who was just waking up with his usual bright-eyed innocence. She gave him a quiet smile, her movements gentle as she helped him sit up and get his bearings.

Richard nodded in agreement. "Could be more survivors along the way. We should take the eastern road to avoid the larger settlements. It’s a longer path, but safer."

"You think we can avoid trouble today?" Sam asked, trying to steer the conversation away from the awkwardness. He glanced at Richard, then briefly at Zara and Winter, clearly aware of the tension that hung in the air.

Richard chuckled dryly. "In this world? Trouble finds us even when we’re trying to hide from it." He wiped his hands on his pants and shrugged, the faintest hint of unease in his voice.

"But we’ll be ready for it. We always are."

Sam gave him a crooked smile. "True enough. And if we do run into anything, we’ve got a good team." His eyes flicked toward Winter, and then to Zara again, though he quickly looked away. Last night it had been easier to ignore but right now it was downright painful the amount of tension between the two of them.

Zara finished with Leo, brushing the tangles out of his hair before straightening up. She caught Winter’s gaze for just a moment, but it was fleeting—gone before he had a chance to react.

She turned away and moved to pack up their gear without saying a word.

The silence stretched again, and Sam tried to break it with a change of pace. "Alright, enough of the serious talk. You guys want to hear about the time I tried to sneak into a high-end restaurant back before all this?" His voice was warm with the familiar tone he used when trying to lighten the mood.

Richard raised an eyebrow. "Oh, here we go. This oughta be good."

"You’re going to laugh, but..." Sam leaned in slightly, clearly enjoying the chance to tell his tale.

"I was working at a job I hated, right? And one night, I decided I was going to have a fancy dinner, no matter what. So I put on my best chef costume, walked into the restaurant like I belonged, and... slipped into the back to ’help’ the staff. Got all the way to the kitchen before anyone caught me."

Richard raised an eyebrow, half-smiling in disbelief. "You... what?"

"Yeah," Sam continued, a gleam of mischief in his eyes. "I waltzed in there like I was the head chef. I even tried to give a few orders like I knew what I was doing—" Sam mimicked a dramatic chef’s gesture, flinging an imaginary towel over his shoulder. " ’This dish needs more salt! More salt!’ I was just throwing out food terms like they were my second language."

Richard snorted. "You didn’t!"

"I did," Sam nodded earnestly, holding back a laugh. "And get this, I even grabbed a plate of shrimp cocktail from one of the servers like I was ’testing the quality for the menu,’ you know? The whole time, I’m just praying no one notices."

Zara, glancing up at him as she helped Leo with his gear, gave a half-smile despite herself. "How did you get caught?"

Sam’s grin widened. "Well, I was making my way back to the prep station, right? And the head chef walks in. Big guy, apron stained with god-knows-what, but with a very real chef’s knife hanging from his belt. He stops, looks at me, and says—" Sam mimicked a deep, gravelly voice. " ’Who the hell are you, and why are you in my kitchen?’"

Richard’s eyes widened. "Oh, man. What did you do?"

Sam chuckled. "I panicked, of course. I grabbed the nearest thing I could—" He paused for effect. "A raw lobster. And I just—" Sam mimed holding the lobster like it was a shield. " ’I’m the new sous chef, sir! Just... inspecting the seafood.’"

There was a beat of silence before everyone burst into laughter, even Winter’s lips twitched in the barest of smiles, though he quickly hid it behind his hands as he finished his coffee.

Richard wiped tears from his eyes. "Did you at least try to look the part?"

"Yeah, I even tried to give him a chef’s salute like I knew what that meant!" Sam raised his hand in an exaggerated motion, like a soldier on parade. "I said, ’Everything’s under control, Chef! The risotto is perfect!’" He let out another laugh, shaking his head. "He didn’t buy it for a second. Kicked me out in front of everyone, lobsters and all. Banned for life."

Zara, who had been quietly listening while she continued her packing, allowed herself a small smile. It was brief, fleeting, but it was there. Leo, who had been half-listening to the conversation, turned his big, curious eyes up to her. "Are we going to eat soon, Mama?"

Zara’s smile softened as she turned her full attention to him. "Soon, sweetheart. Let’s just get ready, alright?" Her tone was gentle, coaxing him into focusing on the tasks at hand.

Zara turned her attention back to the group then. "We should move soon. Can we finish up here and head out before it gets any later?"

Sam didn’t hesitate. "Right. Let’s pack up and get going." He clapped his hands once, rallying the group. "Everyone, check your gear, make sure we’re good to go. We leave in ten."

Leo, ever the curious child, looked between Winter and Zara, his eyes wide and searching.

"Are you two still upset?"

There was a sudden, uncomfortable silence as all eyes turned toward Zara and Winter. Zara’s eyes widened, her mouth pressing into a thin line before she offered her son a small, reassuring smile. "No, Leo," she said softly, kneeling down to his level. "Everything is fine."

Winter only nodded at Leo to assure him.

Zara stood and moved toward Leo’s pack, her movements brisk and precise, trying to divert the focus back to getting ready. "Let’s get you packed up, alright? We’ve got a long day ahead of us."

Winter, still quiet, went about packing his gear, his eyes flicking over the group as they worked together.

The morning passed in relative silence. The group ate their meagre breakfast and packed up their things, the sound of rustling bags and the quiet shuffle of feet filling the air. Zara kept her distance from Winter, not engaging in any unnecessary conversation.

Once they piled into the car, Leo sitting on Zara’s lap, the awkwardness crept back in. Winter sat beside Zara, his body stiff, his eyes fixed ahead as the engine rumbled to life.

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