Josie watched the survivors' silhouettes and prayed silently, 'Please, don't let them find this place...'
Unfortunately, fate had other plans.
To the sound of chaotic footsteps and the roars of zombies, a dozen or so young people scrambled into the building.
The three at the front continuously unleashed their powers. Scorching flames, sharp icicles, and heavy boulders flashed into existence, taking down the zombies hot on their heels.
"Three superpower users?" Josie frowned. This was definitely not good news for her.
"Lucas, I'm out of power!"
"Fall back."
"Okay... Be careful, Lucas."
The young man in the black leather jacket sidestepped with near-perfect tactical form. His long legs sliced a sharp arc through the air as he kicked a zombie to the ground.
With a flick of his wrist, three icicles shot out in a triangular formation, precisely piercing the skulls of three zombies.
SLAM! He quickly shut the rusty iron door, blocking the remaining zombies outside.
Josie pulled back her gaze and silently crept toward the inside of the room to listen for any sounds from downstairs.
"Lucas, it's been months since the apocalypse, and we've barely made any distance... Are you sure there are still safe zones out there?"
Lucas Lockwood was silent for a moment. In the dim light, his chiseled profile looked like a cold, austere sculpture. "There will be."
The tense atmosphere eased slightly as someone began to distribute what little food they had left.
As the same young man pulled the last package of crackers from his backpack, his voice was laced with frustration. "Lucas, the food... it's all gone..."
A heavy silence descended upon the group.
As terrifying as zombies were, the lack of food and water was a constant threat, a hand of death forever at humanity's throat.
Lucas Lockwood just hummed in acknowledgment, but his steady presence miraculously quieted the restless group.
"We were attacked by zombies last night, so none of you got a good rest. Get some sleep first. We'll head into the village to look for supplies once you've recovered your strength."
The room was too crowded, so Lucas Lockwood took half a piece of stale bread and got up to leave.
He hadn't gone far when a girl hurried after him. "Lucas..."
"Is something wrong?" Lucas Lockwood's tone was distant, yet polite.
Anya Kane bit her lip. "Lucas, I'm a little scared. Can I stay with you?"
"If you're scared, it's safer to stay with the group."
With that, Lucas Lockwood turned and headed upstairs.
Anya Kane was a little disappointed. Lucas came from a wealthy family and was exceptionally talented himself.
He was the perfect man in the eyes of many girls.
She just wanted to be a little closer to him.
Hearing footsteps approaching from downstairs, Josie cursed under her breath and used the sliver of power she had just recovered to turn herself back into a rock.
She lay quietly on the dust-covered windowsill.
Lucas Lockwood stepped onto the top floor, his sharp gaze sweeping across the unfinished, bare-bones room.
The floors below had at least shown some signs of life, but this room was empty save for a thick layer of dust.
He walked slowly toward the window, his sneakers leaving clear footprints in the dust.
Standing at the window, Lucas Lockwood peered through the glassless frame to survey the village.
'The number of zombies isn't too high. We might be able to find some supplies.'
After observing for a moment, he was about to sit and rest when a rock on the windowsill caught his eye.
The entire room was covered in dust, yet this one rock was unnaturally clean.
Lucas Lockwood frowned, picking up the rock to examine it more closely.
His well-defined fingers rubbed the stone over and over. The habitual motion made him look as though he were appreciating a rare collectible, his focus intense and ascetic.
'Strange...'
'It's just an ordinary pebble. How could it be so spotless?'
Having seen his share of strange things in the apocalypse, his curiosity compelled him to investigate.
His rolled-up sleeves revealed smooth, powerful forearms, the veins on them becoming faintly visible with the rubbing motion.
He didn't notice the stone tremble slightly, and continued to trace every inch of its surface with the pad of his finger.
Josie felt a searing heat course through her. The disguise created by her power was on the verge of collapsing.
Worse still, his touch sent shivers through her entire body, as if he were touching her real skin.
"Have you had your fill of touching me?"
Following her sharp rebuke, the rock in his palm suddenly transformed.
The next second, a stunningly beautiful young woman appeared before him. They locked eyes, so close they could feel each other's breath.
"A superpower user?" Lucas Lockwood raised an eyebrow in surprise.
Josie meant to push him away, but she was surprised to find her depleted power rapidly regenerating.
'Huh?'
'Another human battery?'
She couldn't help but size up the man before her. In this filthy, post-apocalyptic world, he didn't have the slightest unpleasant odor. His features were sharp and clean.
His handsome, chiseled face held a hint of wariness, but she found his looks surprisingly appealing.
Just as she was about to speak, footsteps and voices echoed from the stairwell. "Don't... someone will see..."
"They're all asleep..." a man's impatient voice replied, accompanied by the rustle of clothing. "We haven't had a chance this entire trip..."
Soon, the sounds from the next room grew louder.
The intimate sounds were exceptionally clear in the empty space.
The arm Lucas Lockwood had around Josie's waist tightened unconsciously.
She smiled, tracing a finger across his chest. "How much longer are you going to hold me?"
"Sorry." Lucas Lockwood snapped back to reality and took two steps back, putting some distance between them.
The panting from the next room, along with a woman's deliberately suppressed moans, seeped into their ears.
It wasn't hard for either of them to imagine the scene playing out in the other room.
Although Lucas Lockwood's expression remained impassive, the red tips of his ears betrayed him.
In this strange and charged atmosphere, Josie maintained a slight smile, not showing the least bit of embarrassment.
She sized up Lucas Lockwood openly, her gaze playful.
Lucas Lockwood felt her eyes on him and met her gaze.
She didn't flinch, her eyes sparkling with amusement.
The two of them held each other's gaze in silence until the sounds from the next room gradually faded.
Hearing the pair rustling as they dressed and headed downstairs, Lucas Lockwood let out a quiet sigh of relief.
He realized this young woman had probably arrived here before them and used her power to hide in order to avoid a conflict.
If he hadn't touched the rock out of a moment's curiosity, she likely would have never revealed herself.
Suppressing the strange feeling stirring within him, he said apologetically, "I'm sorry. We were being chased by zombies and stumbled in here. Everyone is exhausted. We'll leave as soon as we've rested. We won't disturb you or cause you any harm."
With that, Lucas Lockwood gave a small nod and turned to leave. Josie was a bit surprised. He was the first man to be so indifferent to her beauty—so much better than Joel Joyce and his ilk.
"Wait..."
Lucas Lockwood stopped and turned his head to look at her, waiting for what she would say next.
Josie strode forward, closing the distance between them step by step.
'I need to get stronger. I need to survive in this apocalypse. So I can't let any opportunity to gain more power pass me by.'
"Can I join your group?"
Josie blinked, a charming smile playing on her lips. "You know as well as I do, it's too dangerous to go it alone in this world. You have three superpower users, and my ability is perfect for scouting. What do you say?"