After The End

Chapter 4: Megan Is Alright

Just as Jaydon tightened his grip on the baseball bat and prepared to charge toward the car, I grabbed his arm.

"Wait!" I said.

He turned to me, annoyed.

"There are at least a dozen of them out there. Let's think first before we do something reckless."

We noticed it the moment we stepped outside.

For a heartbeat, none of us could move.

We just stood there, frozen like mannequins.

Then the horn blared again. The sharp, panicked sound cut through the air and snapped us back to reality. Dozens of infected surrounded the car. The more Megan honked, the more of them came. They stumbled from every direction, snarling and clawing their way toward the noise like moths drawn to a flame.

"NO!" Stacy screamed.

She lurched forward.

I grabbed her arm before she could take another step.

"Are you crazy?" I shouted. "What happens if you run out there? Then what?"

Tears streamed down her face as she stared at the car. For a moment, she looked ready to break free and charge straight into the horde.

I understood. Her daughter was trapped. But panicking wouldn't save Megan. For the first time since the outbreak began, I found myself thinking instead of panicking.

"We need to draw them away," I said quickly. "Find a way to get Megan to stop honking. I'll find something to distract them."

Stacy nodded.

Without another word, I sprinted back inside. The air in the gas station felt thick with rot, dust, and spilled gasoline. Broken glass crunched beneath my shoes. I scanned the room desperately.

Think, Sara. Think. Then I saw it.

A television sat crookedly on a counter beside a large speaker system.

"I've got an idea!" I shouted as Jaydon and Stacy rushed inside.

"We can use the speakers to lure them away from the car."

Jaydon looked at the setup and nodded.

"We trap them in here."

His eyes narrowed.

"Move fast."

We immediately got to work.

While Jaydon connected the equipment, Stacy and I gathered supplies.

Food. Water. Batteries. Medicine. Flashlight.

Anything that might help us survive another day. We stacked everything near the back exit. Stacy's hands trembled the entire time. She kept whispering the same thing over and over.

"Please be okay. Please be okay."

Finally, everything was ready. Jaydon flipped the switch. A burst of static exploded from the speakers. The noise echoed throughout the gas station. Then loud music followed. Within seconds, we heard groans outside. The infected were coming.

"Now!" Jaydon shouted.

The front door slammed open.

The first infected stumbled inside.

Then another.

Then another.

Their milky eyes searched for the source of the sound.

Jaydon waited.

One. Two. Five. Ten.

As soon as enough of them entered, he slammed the door shut and twisted the lock. The infected threw themselves against the glass.

"GO!" I shouted.

We sprinted toward the back exit. Bursting outside, we grabbed the supplies and ran toward the car. When Stacy reached Megan, she nearly collapsed with relief. She pulled her daughter into her arms.

"Are you okay? Did they touch you? Are you hurt?"

Megan shook her head quickly.

"No, Mommy. I'm okay."

Stacy hugged her even tighter.

Jaydon gave me a short nod. I climbed into the passenger seat. A few moments later, everyone was inside.

"Everybody settled?" I asked.

Stacy nodded.

Jaydon started the engine. The car rolled forward, For several minutes, nobody spoke. The only sounds were the engine and our breathing. Trying to lighten the mood, I reached over and turned on the radio. Static crackled through the speakers.

Then music.

A cheerful pop song filled the car. The upbeat melody felt strangely out of place in a world that was falling apart. To my surprise, Megan giggled. Stacy laughed softly. Soon the two of them were singing along. Even Jaydon's expression softened. For a brief moment, everything felt normal.

Like the apocalypse didn't exist.

Like we were just four people on a road trip.

Then I noticed movement ahead.

Dark figures.

Uniforms.

Vehicles.

My stomach tightened.

"Look."

I pointed through the windshield.

"Are those soldiers?"

Stacy leaned forward.

Her eyes widened.

"Yes."

Hope filled her voice.

"Those are soldiers!"

Our vehicle slowed as several armed men stepped into the road. One of them motioned for us to stop. A masked soldier approached Jaydon's window.

"You're safe now," he said.

His voice sounded muffled behind the mask.

"There's a shelter up ahead. Follow the road."

He pointed ahead and waved us through. Stacy burst into tears.

"We made it."

She hugged Megan tightly.

"We made it."

Jaydon didn't say anything.

He simply drove forward.

The further we traveled, the more uneasy I felt. A shelter full of strangers could mean safety, Or it could mean something much worse. When we arrived, a massive warehouse came into view. Tents surrounded the area. Generators hummed loudly. Soldiers patrolled the perimeter with rifles slung over their shoulders.

People moved in and out of the compound. For the first time since the outbreak began, it looked like civilization still existed.

"Men on the left. Women on the right," a soldier ordered.

"Bring your belongings. All vehicles will be inspected."

We obeyed.

Jaydon headed toward the men's line.

Stacy, Megan, and I followed a female soldier through another gate. Inside, doctors and nurses examined everyone for injuries.

"Please remove your clothing," a female doctor instructed.

"We need to make sure no one has been infected."

The room felt cold and sterile. After the inspection, she nodded.

"You're clear."

When we stepped outside, I immediately looked for Jaydon. I found him standing with two soldiers. They were speaking quietly.

Too quietly for me to hear.

A few minutes later, the soldiers left.

Jaydon walked toward us, His face was unreadable.

"What did they want?" I asked.

He shrugged.

"Nothing important."

"They just wanted to make sure I wasn't infected."

I stared at him.

Something felt off.

Then I noticed it, The way he avoided my eyes, The way his shoulders seemed tighter than before.

For the briefest second, I saw something I had never seen on Jaydon's face.

Fear.

Then it vanished.

As if it had never been there at all.

And somehow, that frightened me m