Tallahassee, United States
September 4, 2010
The day began like so many others since the outbreak.
After breakfast, Donald once again handed Jason the list of medications still missing from the infirmary.
“If you find any antibiotics, bring them back,” Donald said.
“Even if they’re close to expiring.”
Jason carefully folded the sheet.
“We’ll prioritize smaller pharmacies.
The larger ones have probably already been looted.”
Robert picked up his backpack.
“We’ll be back before lunch.”
Jason nodded.
The two put on their modified armor, checked their weapons, and discreetly slipped through the gate.
As always, Dennis closed it immediately behind them.
The streets were quieter than they had been during the previous days.
The dead remained scattered around the city, but they now moved in small groups, usually following distant sounds.
Jason and Robert avoided every unnecessary confrontation.
Whenever they encountered an isolated walker, they simply crossed to the other side of the street.
Conserving energy and avoiding noise was always the better choice.
After walking for nearly forty minutes, they found a small neighborhood pharmacy.
The glass door had been shattered, and the shelves near the entrance had been completely stripped bare.
Even so, Jason signaled for them to enter.
In the back, they found several medications forgotten inside locked cabinets.
Donald would be pleased.
As they left the pharmacy, Robert raised one hand.
“Wait.”
The two crouched behind an abandoned car.
Voices.
At least five men.
Jason carefully looked around the side of the vehicle.
Five armed survivors surrounded a pickup truck stopped in the street.
Beside it stood an older couple and a slightly younger woman.
They were probably a family.
One of the men ripped the young man’s backpack away from him.
Another shoved the older man against the truck.
Jason began slowly backing away.
It wasn’t the kind of situation he wanted to become involved in.
Robert did the same.
Then one of the looters grabbed the younger woman by the arm.
She tried to pull free and was slapped across the face.
Another man began laughing.
The group’s leader seized the woman by the hair and dragged her away from the truck.
Her husband tried to intervene.
He was struck in the face with the butt of a gun and collapsed onto the pavement.
Jason stopped moving.
Robert noticed immediately.
“Jason…”
The boy continued watching the scene.
The woman screamed as she struggled against the man holding her.
The others merely laughed.
Robert spoke again, keeping his voice low.
“There are five of them.”
“I counted,” Jason replied without looking away.
The leader tore part of the woman’s shirt.
She continued fighting.
Jason closed his eyes for only a second.
When he opened them again, his expression had changed.
The uncertainty was gone.
He slowly pulled the bow from his back.
Robert sighed.
He already knew what the decision would be.
“Are we doing this?”
Jason answered with only one word.
“Yes.”
Robert drew his suppressed pistol.
Jason quickly looked around.
Two walkers were moving at the far end of the street, but they were still some distance away.
“No unnecessary shots,” Jason warned.
Robert nodded.
“Understood.”
Jason took a deep breath and stepped out from behind the car.
His voice echoed firmly through the street.
“Let her go.”
All five men immediately turned toward him.
The leader smiled when he saw only a teenager and a middle-aged man.
“Well, look at that…”
He pulled the woman even harder by the hair.
“Two more idiots just showed up.”
Jason kept his bow aimed at him.
His voice remained calm.
“I said…”
He drew the string tighter.
“Let her go.”
The man’s smile slowly disappeared.
A heavy silence settled over the street.
It was the first time Jason had deliberately chosen to confront another group of survivors.
Both sides understood that from that moment forward, a single wrong decision could begin a fight that none of them might survive.
The leader burst out laughing as he looked Jason up and down.
“Would you look at this!”
The other men began laughing as well.
“The kid showed up wearing a costume.”
Another man pointed toward the recurve bow.
“And he’s carrying a bow.
What are you supposed to be, Robin Hood?”
Their laughter grew louder.
Jason remained motionless.
His expression didn’t change.
Robert didn’t respond either.
The leader spread his arms mockingly.
“Walk away, kid, before I decide to take that pretty armor for myself.”
At that moment, one of his men lost patience.
He raised a pistol and aimed it directly at Jason.
That was a mistake.
The whistle of an arrow cut through the air.
Thunk!
Before the man could pull the trigger, the arrow pierced his left eye.
His body fell backward, lifeless.
Almost at the same moment, a muffled gunshot followed.
Pfft!
Robert’s suppressed pistol fired once.
The second man collapsed with a hole in the center of his forehead.
The leader’s smile vanished.
The remaining three men froze for an instant.
Then they realized something.
Only the leader still possessed a firearm.
The others carried nothing but machetes, baseball bats, and iron bars.
“Kill the kid!” the leader shouted.
The three charged toward Jason.
Robert immediately aimed his weapon at the leader, preventing him from raising his pistol.
The two remained facing one another, each waiting for an opening.
Jason, meanwhile, quickly returned the bow to his back.
There wouldn’t be enough time to fire another arrow.
With one swift movement, he drew his kukri.
The curved blade gleamed beneath the sunlight.
The first attacker swung a machete toward Jason’s neck.
Jason took only half a step to the side and raised his left forearm.
The blade struck the armor plate.
Clang!
The impact was strong, but the plate absorbed the blow.
Without wasting a moment, Jason twisted his body and slashed horizontally with the kukri.
The blade opened a deep wound across the man’s forearm, forcing him to release the machete.
The second attacker came in immediately behind him, wielding a baseball bat.
Jason stepped back.
The bat struck his protected shoulder.
The pain was less severe than expected because of the armor plates and the wetsuit underneath.
A sharp crack followed.
The attacker collapsed sideways.
Jason swung the kukri in a short arc.
The blade struck the man’s neck.
He fell without making a sound.
The third man took advantage of the opening and tried to strike Jason with an iron bar.
Jason once again crossed his left arm in front of his face.
The metal slammed violently into the protective plate.
The impact sent a numb tingling sensation through his entire arm, but the bar failed to break through the armor.
Jason grabbed the man’s wrist with his free hand and pulled him forward.
At the same time, he drove the kukri into the attacker’s abdomen.
The man’s eyes widened.
Jason withdrew the blade and shoved him backward.
The attacker collapsed onto the pavement, no longer strong enough to continue fighting.
On the other side of the street, Robert still held the leader at gunpoint.
Now the man was alone.
The woman managed to crawl away.
Her husband, still dazed, hurried forward to protect her.
Jason wiped some of the blood from the kukri on the clothes of one of the fallen men before raising his eyes toward the leader.
His breathing remained controlled.
But his expression had changed completely.
It was no longer the expression of a fifteen-year-old boy.
It was the expression of someone who would do anything necessary to protect those under his care.
Jason briefly looked toward his father.
He didn’t need to say a word.
He merely gave a small nod.
Robert understood immediately.
Pfft!
The muffled shot echoed through the street.
The leader fell backward before he could even raise his pistol.
Silence returned.
Jason took a deep breath and calmly walked among the bodies.
First, he took the pistol from the leader’s hand.
Then he retrieved the second weapon lying near the man killed by the arrow.
He checked both magazines and placed the weapons inside his backpack.
Only then did he kneel beside the first body.
Jason gripped the shaft of the arrow and pulled it free with one firm movement.
He wiped away the blood using a piece of the dead man’s clothing before returning it to the quiver.
Only after finishing did he turn toward the couple.
The woman immediately recoiled.
Tears streamed down her face.
Her husband, despite trembling, stepped in front of her.
He knew he didn’t stand a chance.
Even so, he remained between Jason and his wife.
“Please…” the man said, his voice shaking.
“We didn’t do anything.”
Jason stopped several feet away.
His expression remained impassive.
“I know.”
The couple looked confused.
Jason asked only one question.
“How many walkers have you killed?”
They exchanged a glance.
“What?”
Jason repeated the question in the same calm tone.
“How many walkers have you killed?”
The man took a deep breath.
“Two.”
Jason slowly nodded.
“And people?”
Their eyes widened.
“People?”
“How many people have you killed?”
The man immediately shook his head.
“None.”
Jason continued.
“Name?”
“David.”
Jason looked toward the woman.
“Sarah.”
He remained silent for several seconds before asking, “What did you do before all of this?”
David swallowed hard.
“I was an electrician.”
Jason turned toward Sarah.
“A nurse.”
Jason carefully studied them.
Their trembling hands.
Their red eyes.
Their torn clothes.
Neither of them looked away out of guilt or arrogance.
They were simply terrified.
Robert slowly approached without lowering his weapon.
Jason spoke again.
“Those men…”
He gestured toward the bodies scattered across the street.
“Did you know any of them?”
David answered immediately.
“No.
We met them yesterday.”
“They said they had food,” Sarah added through her tears.
David closed his eyes for a moment.
“Then they took our weapons.”
Sarah began crying harder.
“And…
and…”
She couldn’t finish.
Jason didn’t press her.
He already understood the rest.
He looked at Robert and then back at the couple.
For the first time since the conversation began, some of the coldness left his voice.
“Do you still have somewhere to go?”
David answered honestly.
“No.”
Jason remained silent for several seconds.
The next decision could mean saving two lives…
Or putting all of Umbrella at risk.
He studied the couple a little longer before asking another question.
“Do you know of any pharmacy that hasn’t been looted yet?”
David seemed surprised by the sudden change in subject.
“A pharmacy?”
Jason merely nodded.
David thought for several seconds.
“There is one.”
He pointed north.
“It’s about four or five streets from here.
A small neighborhood pharmacy.”
Jason remained silent.
“How do you know it hasn’t been looted?”
“Because I tried to get there yesterday,” David explained, taking a deep breath.
“There were too many walkers in front of it.
Fifteen or twenty.
We couldn’t get close.”
Sarah added, “They were going in and out of the store.
It looked like some people had died inside when everything started.”
Robert looked toward Jason.
“It may be worth checking.”
Jason returned his attention to David.
“How do we get there?”
David knelt and used a broken piece of brick to draw a simple map on the pavement.
“We’re here.”
He marked a point.
“Go two streets north and then turn left.
That will bring you to this avenue.”
He drew another line.
Jason studied the drawing carefully and memorized every street.
Then he looked up.
“Any roadblocks?”
David nodded.
“Two crashed cars block part of the avenue, but you can get through on foot from the back.”
Jason looked toward Robert.
His father gave a subtle nod.
It was useful information.
Jason then erased the drawing with the sole of his boot.
He didn’t want to leave directions behind for other survivors.
“Thank you.”
David appeared relieved.
Sarah also began breathing more easily.
Even so, neither of them completely lowered their guard.
They still didn’t know what the fifteen-year-old boy intended to do with them.
Jason committed the improvised map to memory before looking at David and Sarah.
“You’re coming with us.”
Their eyes widened.
“What?” David asked.
“If that pharmacy really exists, you’re going to show us the way.”
Sarah grabbed her husband’s arm.
“We already told you where it is.”
Jason remained firm.
“You’re still coming.”
David briefly looked toward Robert.
The man still held the pistol, although it was now pointed toward the ground.
They had no choice.
“All right…”
Jason motioned with his head.
“You walk in front.
We’ll stay behind you.”
The small group began moving through the silent streets.
Jason remained several yards behind the couple, while Robert guarded the rear and watched for movement.
No one spoke during the journey.
Only their footsteps disturbed the silence of the city.
After nearly fifteen minutes of walking, David slowed down and discreetly raised one hand.
“It’s just past that roadblock.”
Jason followed the direction he indicated.
Two vehicles had crashed sideways across the street, creating a makeshift barricade.
At first glance, it appeared abandoned.
Then something caught Jason’s attention.
Movement.
Far too fast to be a walker.
Jason immediately raised a closed fist.
Everyone stopped.
His hand moved toward the bow.
Robert had noticed it too.
The suppressed pistol slowly rose.
Jason watched again.
A shadow disappeared between the vehicles.
Then another.
They didn’t move like the dead.
They were hiding.
Jason slowly turned his gaze toward David and Sarah.
Both had gone pale.
The couple also watched the roadblock, clearly frightened.
Jason narrowed his eyes.
For a moment, doubt passed through his mind.
Were they leading him and Robert into a trap…
Or did they also have no idea that someone was hiding there?
Without taking his eyes off the barricade, Jason quietly asked, “How many people usually stay at that pharmacy?”
David swallowed hard.
“I…
I don’t know.”
Sarah quickly shook her head.
“No one was there yesterday.
Only walkers.”
Jason continued watching the roadblock.
The shadows moved between the vehicles again.
This time, he was certain.
They weren’t dead.
And there was more than one of them.
Jason made a small gesture toward Robert.
His father immediately understood and moved two steps to the side, taking cover behind an abandoned car.
Jason slowly nocked an arrow.
Without looking away from the barricade, he spoke quietly.
“If this is a trap, don’t make any sudden movements.”
He took a deep breath.
“Because whoever is hiding there already knows we’ve arrived.”
Jason continued observing the roadblock for several seconds.
The shadows repeatedly disappeared and reappeared between the cars.
They weren’t walkers.
They moved too quickly.
His gaze swept across the buildings lining the street.
Then he found what he was looking for.
A metal fire escape ran along the side of a commercial building.
It led all the way to the roof.
From there, he would be able to see the entire street, the roadblock, and the back of the pharmacy.
More importantly…
If people were hiding there, he could appear above them and take away the advantage offered by their cover.
Jason looked toward Robert.
“Dad.”
Robert followed his gaze and immediately understood.
“The fire escape.”
Jason gave a discreet nod.
“I’m going up.”
Robert quickly studied the terrain.
“I’ll cover you from here.”
Jason turned toward David and Sarah.
“Stay behind my father.
Don’t move.”
The couple immediately nodded.
Jason pulled an arrow from his quiver and nocked it.
Remaining crouched, he began moving along the sidewalk, using abandoned cars as cover.
Every step was calculated.
His heart pounded, but his breathing remained controlled.
When he reached the building, Jason quickly checked the surrounding area for walkers.
The entrance was clear.
He grabbed the metal structure of the fire escape and began climbing.
The stairs creaked softly beneath his weight.
Jason froze.
He waited.
There was no movement.
Then he continued upward.
By the time he reached the second landing, he could already see part of the street over the vehicles.
He climbed higher.
Now he had a clear view of the roadblock.
The truth became immediately obvious.
He hadn’t imagined it.
Men were hiding behind the cars.
One held a shotgun.
Another watched the street through a narrow gap between the vehicles.
Two more crouched behind an overturned pickup truck.
Jason took a deep breath.
It wasn’t merely a barricade.
It was an ambush prepared for any survivors who passed through that street.
He raised two fingers to his forehead and made a small gesture toward Robert—the signal they had agreed upon to indicate armed enemies ahead.
Below, Robert responded with a subtle nod.
Both understood the situation.
The advantage of surprise had changed sides.
I’m using AI to translate this story.
English is not my native language.
If you would prefer to read it without an AI translation, you can find the original Portuguese version on this same profile.