Apocalypse Days: I Rule with Foresight and a Powerful Son
Chapter 86: The World of Safety (?)

Chapter 86: 86: The World of Safety (?)

The reinforced sedan rolled into the outskirts of City H as the first light of dawn spilled over the cracked skyline. Zara and winter sat in front with winter manning the wheels this time. They had settled in a rotation to make it easier for them all to get rest.

The streets were eerily quiet, with the remnants of once-bustling city life now only visible in the ruin. Zara gazed out the window at the devastation—Burnt-out cars lined the roads, some half-buried beneath rubble, others overturned, their metal frames twisted in unnatural angles. There were also overturned trash cans, crumbled buildings like decayed skeletons of a past life.

A low, haunting wind picked up dust as the group moves slowly through the desolate streets. The road was cracked, filled with debris, and covered with strange stains—dark red streaks against the dull concrete, likely blood, but the origin remains unclear.

It didn’t look like a safe spot. It was no different than the city they had just left behind.

Inside the sedan, the atmosphere was equally somber. Zara cradled Leo’s sleeping form against her chest, her fingers gently brushing through his hair. Her eyes darted from one crumbling building to the next, scanning for any sign of life—or danger.

What’s going on here?

Zara’s fingers tightened around Leo’s small form, her thumb tracing circles over his back in a subconscious attempt to soothe them both.

Winter, driving at the front, noticed her anxiety. The silence in the car spoke volumes about everyone’s thoughts—Zara’s tight grip on Leo, her shoulders slightly hunched in a defensive posture. Her eyes flicker from the wreckage to the boy in her arms.

Winter’s eyes flickered to her hand as it gripped Leo, and without thinking, he reached over, his fingers brushing lightly against hers before shifting to her knee, giving it a gentle, comforting squeeze; the small gesture was enough to ground her, reminding her they were still a team, as she looked at him for a moment, eyes wide with unsaid words.

But he understood.

He was worried as well.

He had supposed to meet his squad here in city H.

They were supposed to be here. If something had happened to them...

"Everything will be fine, we’ll find something," he whispered, more to reassure himself. "We’ve made it this far."

Her lips trembled in response, though she quickly turned away to hide her reaction. Sam, who was in the back seat with Richard, noticed the exchange and smiled warmly but said nothing, sensing the need for silence.

The car’s wheels crunched over the broken road, and Mike was the first to break the silence. He squinted out the window, eyes narrowing at the emptiness. "Where is everyone?" His voice laced with confusion and unease.

Sam spoke up, his tone deliberately light, though his eyes betrayed his concern. "You know, someone cleared the road. There are no bodies around, and these cars—they’ve been moved off to the sides. The zombies won’t care about clearing the roads or taking the bodies. We’d have at least seen the clothes." He looked out the window, his brow furrowed.

"That’s a good sign, right? Means someone’s been here recently."

There’s a brief, uncomfortable silence as they process his words. Zara’s eyes flickered over the deserted street again, but her thoughts were interrupted by Leo shifting in her arms.

"Don’t get too hopeful," Richard muttered, his voice matter-of-fact. "We don’t know who cleared the road, and for all we know, it’s a trap. There’s no telling what could be hiding in the rubble."

He looked at the group, his eyes sharp. "We’ll continue driving until we get a better sense of what’s going on. No point in stopping unless we have to. Keep your eyes open. Stay in the car you want to take a piss or something. And when you do, be quick. I don’t trust this place."

They drove deeper into the city, the ruins of what once were bustling neighborhoods unfolding around them. Schools stood as hollow shells, playgrounds overrun with weeds, the swings creaking eerily in the breeze. Stores with broken signs and empty shelves lined the streets, their windows gaping like empty sockets.

The car jolted slightly as it hit a bump in the road, and Zara instinctively tightened her hold on Leo. He stirred but didn’t wake, his small body still nestled against her. She envied his ability to sleep through all of this.

The further in they went, the further Zara’s heart sunk. She looked out of the window again, her mind full of thoughts. What if the safe base they’ve been searching for is just a myth? What if all of this—everything they’ve worked for, endured—is nothing more than a cruel illusion?

No! That couldn’t be. The world wouldn’t be that cruel. Something had to be around here somewhere.

As the group continued down the road, Zara began to notice subtle signs of movement in the distance—shadowy figures darting between the buildings, possibly other survivors—or something else entirely.

Her breath caught, and she instinctively held Leo closer. Winter noticed her tension and glanced out the window, his hand subtly tightening on the wheel.

"what is it?" He asked calmly.

"I thought I saw something moving in the wreck," she said softly.

That caught the attention of the others as well.

"What? Where?" Richard asked, frowning.

"By the pile over there," Zara pointed with her other arm.

Sam leaned forward, peering into the distance. "Could be someone. Or something. Either way, we keep moving."

As the sun climbed higher, the city’s shadows grew shorter, and their journey through the streets remained the same.

Silent and tense.

The group fell into a tense silence, each lost in their thoughts as the reinforced sedan plowed the desolate streets.The safe base had been their beacon of hope, the promise of refuge after months of running. But now, with every passing ruin, that hope seemed to wane.

"We’ve come too far to turn back now," Mike said, his voice softer. "The base... it’s our last shot. We can’t give up."

Richard exhaled sharply, leaning against the backseat and closing hos eyes. "We’re not giving up. We’re being smart. We’ll find a safe place to regroup and plan our next move."

Suddenly, a loud crash echoed from behind one of the buildings, sending a jolt through the car.

Everyone froze, waiting to see if something would attack them from behind it or something, but nothing came.

It was just a gust of wind that knocked something loose—probably a fallen piece of the building—but it was enough to make the air feel thick with unease.

Zara looked to Winter, her eyes filled with silent questions. What was that? Was it a trap? He gives her a head shake—subtle but reassuring—and then turned his focus back to the road.

Sam forced a chuckle. "Probably just the wind." He didn’t sound convinced.

Winter tightened his grip on the steering wheel. "We keep moving. We’ve decided no stopping unless absolutely necessary."

They drove on, the atmosphere heavy. Their eyes remained sharp and their nerves frayed. As they rounded a corner, they came across a section of the road that had been completely cleared, the cars pushed to the sides in neat rows.

Sam pointed it out again, his voice a mix of relief and curiosity. "See? Someone’s been here recently. That means we’re not alone."

But as they scanned the area, there were no signs of life—no bodies, no sounds, just the eerily empty streets.

Richard sighed, rubbing his temple. "We don’t doubt that, but the question is can we trust them?"

*****

The sedan slowed to a crawl as they approached the fork in the road. To the left, the city sprawled out. To the right, the wilderness stretched into an endless expanse of overgrown trees and cracked earth.

"I say we head through the woods, that would give us more cover," Richard suggested after a few minutes.

Zara stared at the dark woods with a frown, what’s to say there weren’t people or creature there expecting people to pass through?

At least there were places to run and hide here in the city.

"No, we should continue to the left, I’ve been to city H before." Sam shook his head. "Besides it’s better to fight in the open than be blindsided and taken by surprise in the woods."

Zara clenched her jaw, her gaze shifting between the two men. Both were right, in their own way. If they turned back now, they might never find what they were searching for.

But if they pushed forward, the danger could be even greater than what they’d already faced. Her fingers tightened around Leo, now awake and sitting silently in her arms, and she felt the familiar knot of worry tighten in her stomach.

"We don’t know if the base even exists anymore," she murmured quietly, more to herself than anyone else. Her thoughts ran in circles, her mind refusing to settle on any one thing.

They had been searching for so long, the sun has already begun its descent.

But just as they did, a screeching sound—horrifying and raw—pierced the air, sending a jolt through Zara’s spine. Her blood went cold as she froze, Leo shifting slightly in her arms, his small whimper barely audible.

Everyone in the car tensed, their gazes snapping toward the sound. It wasn’t just an animal. It was a scream. A human scream, high-pitched and desperate.

Zara’s heart raced in her chest. Her breath caught in her throat. "What was that?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Sam’s eyes were wide, scanning the surrounding streets. "I don’t know. But that didn’t sound like something we want to meet."

Zara’s stomach churned. What were they walking into?

The car continued its crawl, the unease tightening around them. And as they passed yet another dilapidated building, Zara caught a glimpse of something written on the wall, a message scrawled hastily in red:

"They’re watching. Keep going! Trust no one."

The words hung in the air, and Zara’s breath caught in her throat.

They weren’t alone.