The air was thick and heavy as dusk fell over the empty streets. Collapsed buildings cast twisted silhouettes against the gray sky, and the breeze carried ash and dust with a harsh whistle.
Koen adjusted the rifle on his shoulder and moved silently down the aisle of what was once a supply store, now looted to its foundations. Each step echoed hollowly against the rubble.
A few feet behind, Ethan scanned the broken windows intently, making sure there was no movement nearby. His breathing was slow, but his eyes didn't blink
—This place looks safe to spend the night — he finally said in a low voice, approaching Koen—. The doors are locked... and I haven't seen any recent tracks.
Koen didn't respond. He stood next to a collapsed shelf, staring at the transmitter he held in his hand. His fingers gripped it so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
Ethan watched him silently for a few seconds before leaning against the wall, crossing his arms.
—Still trying, huh?
Koen clenched his jaw and nodded, bringing the transmitter to his mouth.
— This is Koen... Reize, Arika, do you read me? Over...
His voice, though calm, carried a harsh weight.
Only static crackling and a faint buzzing sound responded.
Koen slowly lowered his hand and exhaled through his nose, saying nothing.
Ethan sighed, scratching the back of his neck.
—It's been several hours since you last tried. Interference isn't surprising in this sector... it's not your fault.
Finally, Koen turned her face toward him. Her eyebrows were furrowed, and her dark eyes shone with a mixture of contained rage and deep concern.
—It's not that —she said in a low, grave voice —. I know Reize. She would have found a way to answer...
He pressed his lips together, swallowing hard.
—Something's not right, Ethan. I'm sorry. I know it.
Ethan held his gaze for a few seconds before looking away toward the broken window, where the sky was beginning to darken.
—We're almost at the meeting point we agreed on —he said, trying to keep his tone neutral —. If everything went well, they'll be looking to get there tomorrow too.
She glanced at him sideways.
—We won't get anywhere by wearing ourselves out today... we need to rest. If things got complicated for them, they'll need us to be ready.
Koen closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath, as if trying to anchor his mind in Ethan's words. But when he opened them again, the unease was still there, stuck like a hot iron behind his pupils.
—I can't help it... —he murmured—. Maybe something happened to them, that's why they're not communicating... and if we don't see them again...
His voice broke slightly.
Ethan looked at him seriously.
—Reize is smart, Koen. Arika is tenacious. They won't give up so easily, I'm sure of that.
He walked over to him and gave him a firm pat on the shoulder.
—We'll do what we always do. We'll hold out tonight, and early tomorrow morning we'll move forward to the agreed-upon point. If they're not there, we'll look for them. And if we find them in trouble...
His gaze hardened.
—…no matter what happens, we'll get out of this place together.
Koen stared at him for a few seconds and then nodded with a single movement of his head. The tension in his shoulders didn't completely disappear, but his jaw relaxed a little.
—Yes, we'll get out together—he repeated in a whisper.
They both began to settle into their makeshift shelter: they pushed furniture against the entrances, checked their ammunition, and lit a tiny candle. Its flickering flame cast long shadows on the rotten walls.
Koen set the transmitter aside, but before closing his eyes, he picked it up again and placed it next to his head.
His last thought before exhaustion overcame him was a clear image of Arika... her defiant half-smile, her determined gaze...
And a relentless pounding in his chest, demanding that he not leave her alone.
As the hours passed, dawn broke with a cold, gray light. Low clouds covered the sky like an opaque sheet, stealing color from everything they touched.
Koen walked steadily down the deserted avenue, the soles of his boots hitting the cracked asphalt. At his side, Ethan kept his eyes on the buildings, his weapon ready and his gaze sharp.
In front of them, the park —the meeting point agreed upon with Reize and Arika— lay silent. More dead than ever.
The benches were covered with a thick layer of dust, accumulated by the incessant winds. The swings swayed slightly, creaking with a dull moan.
Koen pressed his lips together, scanning every corner.
There were no recent footprints, no traces of campfires, no signs that anyone had been there in the last few days.
—Nothing... —Ethan muttered, crouching down next to a bench and rubbing the wood—. It's been like this for a long time.
Koen took a deep breath, trying to calm the pressure in his chest. He took the transmitter out of his jacket and turned it on again.
—This is Koen... Reize, Arika, do you copy me? Over...
Only static.
The dry buzzing seemed louder than ever in the midst of that deathly silence.
Koen lowered the transmitter slowly, his jaw tense.
—They're not here... — Ethan said softly, standing up beside him—. They haven't been here.
Koen didn't respond. He just stared at the horizon, motionless. His back straight, his fists clenched at his sides.
They spent several hours searching the surrounding area. They checked empty houses, dilapidated buildings, ruined alleys. But they found nothing.
Finally, when the clock struck noon, Ethan approached him.
—Koen... we can't waste any more time here.
His gaze was serious.
—If they haven't arrived, something must have delayed them. Or they may have sought refuge elsewhere.
Koen nodded slightly. His dark eyes were two unfathomable wells.
—Let's go —he said in a deep, rough voice —. There's a shopping mall a few blocks north." If things got complicated for them... they might have gone there. Or at least we can restock.
Without another word, they began to walk.
The shopping center stood like a silent mass among ruined buildings. The facade was weathered, with fallen signs and broken windows.
The interior was dark, but not completely closed off.
Koen and Ethan moved carefully through the aisles, lighting their way with their flashlights. The stores had been looted, but there were still fallen shelves, broken display cases, and forgotten products among the rubble.
—I'll search the food section —Ethan whispered, pointing to the left —. o that way... see if there's a pharmacy."
Koen nodded and they split up.
For a long time, all that could be heard were their careful footsteps, the crunch of broken glass, and the dull murmur of the wind seeping through the cracks.
Koen was checking a fallen shelf when a slight noise made him spin around.
A rustle. Barely a whisper behind a counter.
He raised his weapon, his muscles tense.
—Come out of there —ordenó en voz baja y firme.
Silence.
Then, after a few seconds, a figure slowly emerged from the shadows.
He was a young man in his twenties, tall and thin, clearly worn down by days of survival. His blond hair, now messy and dirty, fell in strands over his forehead. His brown eyes, intense and alert, stared at Koen suspiciously.
He wore a worn dark jacket, frayed jeans, and a half-empty backpack slung over his shoulder. His hands were raised.
—I'm not looking for trouble —he said in a firm voice, though rough from lack of use—. I was just looking for food."
His eyes scanned Koen and then the surroundings, visibly on guard.
Koen frowned but lowered his weapon slightly.
—Who are you?
—My name is Elion —replied the boy, lowering his hands a little when he saw Koen relax his posture—. I've been checking this place out for a while. I heard strange noises... so I hid.
Koen exchanged a glance with Ethan, who had approached from behind.
—We're looking for two girls —Koen said, his voice hardening—. Have you seen them around here?
Elion shook his head immediately.
—I haven't seen them... but... —His eyebrows furrowed, as if he remembered something important—. I saw something strange these past few days.
He adjusted his backpack on his shoulder, his gaze more serious.
—Groups of infected were passing by here. Not erratic as usual... but in a line. As if something was drawing them in.
His eyes fixed on Koen again, sharp.
—Always toward the same area.
Koen clenched his teeth, his mind working fast.
If the infected were converging on one place... and Reize and Arika were in that area...
Ethan approached a forgotten box. The moment his fingers touched the lid, a metallic clang echoed from outside.
The three of them froze.
The sound boomed again, louder. Koen turned toward the entrance, his jaw tense.
—Did you hear that? —Ethan murmured, already securing the weapon in his hands.
Without wasting any time, they slid toward a broken display case and peered out onto the street.
What they saw took their breath away.
A small group of infected stumbled clumsily down the avenue... but they weren't like the others.
Metal fragments protruded from their bodies, limbs with rusty plates and coiled wires as if they had been dragged by machinery. Each step echoed like iron striking concrete.
Elion paled visibly.
—What the hell...? —he whispered, swallowing hard—. I've never seen infected like this before...
Koen clenched his jaw.
—We have —he said quietly, without looking away —. Yesterday.
Ethan nodded, serious.
—They're stronger... and much harder to take down. We can't fight them.
His gaze turned to Elion, calculating.
—Elion, do you know of a safe place nearby?
Elion hesitated for a second.
—Yes... although it's a little far away. —his voice sounded firmer now —. I can take you there, but first we have to get out of here without being detected.
He pointed discreetly toward the side of the building.
—I know an emergency exit. A maintenance tunnel.
Koen and Ethan exchanged glances. There was no time to waste.
—Take us there —Koen ordered in a low voice.
—Okay —Elion nodded and began to lead them away.