AVERY’S POV
For a long minute, I didn’t say anything to Derek.
What could I possibly have said?
He shifted uncomfortably beside me.
“What do you think it means?”
My fingers found their way to my mouth and I bit down on the tip of my index finger nervously.
“I don’t know…” I muttered.
“Fractured are usually drawn to sound, heat maybe, even smell I suppose. I’m not exactly sure. But thisㅡ it feels like military formation. Like something is compelling them to the city stadium.”
He turned to me for the flash of a second and I could feel the tension rolling off him in waves.
“Do you thinkㅡ”
I turned to him sharply.
“I do not know.”
The last thing I needed was to be making assumptions.
That would only cause paranoia.
My gaze turned back to the hoarde in the distance and I frowned, sighting a few stragglers from the west that would pass by this block to get to the stadium.
Fuck.
My senses heightened almost immediately.
“We need to keep moving.”
Derek looked pale.
“What’s wrong?”
I pointed far off.
“There’s quite a number. Would be dangerous to cross with them. They’re heading straight for here.” I was already back to the stairwell.
“I’ll wake the others. Come. Quickly!”
He didn’t argue.
Just scrambled after me as I trudged down the stairs quickly, shaking everyone awake.
“Time to move. Now. Pack your stuff.”
No one argued.
They immediately swung into action, alert as they grabbed our backpacks, slinging them over their shoulders.
Joel handed me a flashlight and a satchel.
“Where to?”
I turned to Derek.
“Do you know how the North looks?”
He shook his head, fiddling with the strap of the bag he was carrying.
“There hasn’t been much migration to that place from the ones I’ve seen passing by. It’s pretty much clear, but I’m not sure.”
Right.
I turned to Nadia.
“Stay close at all times, okay?”
She nodded, her hair packed into a messy bun now.
“Okay.”
Straightening, I looked at everyone.
“We move out in twenty minutes. There’s water in the back. Wash up. Stay quiet. Be back here in twenty.”
The group moved, heading to the back to wash off the worst of the grime and blood staining our shirts.
Derek appeared with a few jackets which he said belonged to the employees who worked here.
It felt weird, wearing the clothing of someone who was likely dead, but it was either that or remaining in my torn uniform.
The choice was pretty clear.
Finally, we moved.
Pushing away the tables we used to barricade the door, we snuck out into the dark, crouched low.
Nadia was tucked right in the middle of the group.
I was in front, giving the signals while Joel flanked the group last, a crowbar steady in his grip.
We got to an open space and I held up a hand as we hid behind a large van.
Steps. New chapters come out on g.com first.
Not human.
Shuffling and a slight croak that sent shivers down my spine.
The group froze and I peeked out from where we hid.
Right there, stumbling forward was a Fractured ㅡ a little girl it seemed.
Her legs were bent at an unnatural angle and she was missing a hand.
Shit.
Dread filled me and I looked away immediately, trying not to make a noise.
She stopped shuffling, letting out an eerie shriek that was answered down the street by another Fractured.
Slowly, she moved away, going along.
I turned to the rest, signalling to the other side.
There was no need for words, everyone remained low as we hurried to the other side of the street.
Just as we were about to sneak into an alley, there was a crunch behind me and Nadia froze.
Oh shit.
She had stepped on something.
A shriek echoed and the Fractured girl paused, slowly turning to where we were.
Shit.
My fingers closed around Nadia’s wrist and I pulled her into the dark urgently, just as the Fractured came barrelling towards us.
Joel brought it down with a strong hit, burying the edge of his crowbar into its skull.
It went down without any struggle, blood oozing out from its head.
Joel looked like he was going to be sick.
I pulled Nadia tighter, taking note of how she trembled but otherwise stayed quiet.
We had to move now.
Before the other fractured came to check out the source of the commotion.
Nodding down, I kept moving, my feet fast against the pavement as we continued going.
I wasn’t sure how long we walked.
But the fear and adrenaline kept us in check.
And soon, the sun was beginning to rise.
I paused in front of a boutique, peeking in through the glass windows.
Seemed empty.
Gesturing to the others to stay still, I tried the door.
Unlocked.
Slowly, I walked in, pulling out my knife instead of my gun.
My heart was racing and my fingers shook as I went deeper into the store, checking every nook and cranny.
There were three bodies strewn across the floor, beginning to turn mouldy.
I pocketed my knife and dragged them into a small storage room by the side, trying not to gag at the smell and feel of their dusty clothes in my hands.
When I was done, I ushered the others inside and we barricaded the door.
Joel unslung his backpack, putting it on the desk I cleared out.
“Upstairs?”
I looked at the stairwell.
“Nothing. We can stay here.”
He nodded, pulling out the map in his bag and laying it on the table.
Hannah stepped forward.
“Joel. Your handㅡ”
My ears perked up and my gaze caught the gash running down his forearm.
“What happened?” I asked, immediately rounding the table to get to him.
Derek looked up from where he was helping Nadia settle.
“What’s that?”
I studied the injury.
“Glass?”
Joel nodded, wincing when Hannah touched it lightly.
“Yeah.”
Not infected.
Safe.
The word almost made me laugh.
Safe?
That was a funny word to use in our situation.
Hannah was already moving towards her backpack.
“I’ll get the kit. Sit.”
She emptied her stuff on the floor, fingers trembling as she grabbed everything she needed to clean the wound.
I returned to the map on the table, tracing my fingers around the coordinates.
“Derek?”
He looked up from where he was.
“Yeah?”
“There should be a shortcut around Universal Theatres. Right?”
He nodded.
My brows furrowed.
“We’re getting closer to the outskirts of town. We made good progress.”
Nadia was biting down on a half eaten chocolate bar from our food supplies.
“What’s next now?”
What’s next was getting some rest.
The men at the bridge were right ㅡ there was no strike happening.
The government had been overrun.
That scared me more than I wanted to admit.
What if they were right that there was nothing but more death on the other side?
No HAVEN.
No outpost.
No survivors.
Nothing.
Instead, I forced my expression to remain steady.
“Right now, weㅡ”
The radio crackled and everyone froze.
Hannah looked up from where she was putting a bandage around Joel’s arm.
Derek looked like he’d seen a ghost.
“Is that aㅡ”
I didn’t wait.
I scrambled for it where Hannah had put it on the floor.
“Fuck!” I cursed when all I met with was static.
Nothing.
Everyone stared at me as I cradled it, my eyes wide.
Thenㅡ “HAVEN broadcast. To everyone in the city and around sector grid 7, please be aware. There’s a secondary armed group operating around from our Intel. These are not our soldiers. Stay awayㅡ” static again.
What?
“What the hell does that mean?” I shook the radio, as though hoping an answer would fall right out.
Joels’ breathing was shallow and his forehead was covered in a sheen of sweat.
“HAVEN soldiers are going around the city?”
I turned to him.
“Looking for survivors, it seems. Let’s hope to run into them.”
Derek stood up from where he was resting against the wall.
“Theㅡ uhㅡ message. Sector grid 7? A secondary group?”
“So they said. Could be a threat for anyone around there. Why?” I asked, carefully dropping the radio back.
His voice remained terrifyingly calm.
“Avery.” He said in a measured tone.
“We are in sector grid 7.”