CHAPTER8
961 Words
A brief silence. Then a voice came from above:
—Who is this?
—Someone who wants to live, said Adam.
The door slowly opened. They entered. As they stepped into the courtyard, Jack looked around. There were five people. All in different corners… but all alert, all tired. Adam stopped, drawing everyone's attention:
—There's a new person.
Eyes turned to Jack. For the first time, Jack felt truly judged. Adam came closer to Jack:
—His name is Jack.
A short pause, then he began to introduce the group. He pointed to the first person:
1️ Lena – In her 30s. Her hair is disheveled, but her eyes are sharp. She had a knife in her hand, as if she never let go of it. She looked down at Jack:
—Can she use a gun?
—She has, said Adam in a short reply.
2️Marcus – Large, his arms covered in scars. He had his arms crossed, staring coldly at Jack:
—Not everyone is admitted here.
3️ Eli – In his early 20s, tense. He kept looking around. He seemed about to approach Jack… then changed his mind.
4️Victor – Quiet, sitting in the corner. He had an old rifle in his hand. He was just staring. This stare was unsettling.
5️Cole – Standing by the door. The type who checks everyone coming and going. He looked into Jack's eyes:
— You weren't followed, were you?
Jack paused briefly:
— No.
The man interrupted:
— If we had been… we wouldn't be here.
Silence. The wind blew gently. The wooden door creaked. Jack stepped forward:
— I also entered this city illegally.
The atmosphere changed. Marcus raised his eyebrows, Lena looked slightly interested, Eli was surprised. But Victor… didn't react at all. The man looked at Jack:
— You aren't anymore.
Silence fell. Jack wanted to say something when he heard this… but couldn't. Lena walked inside:
— If he's going to stay… he needs to learn the rules.
The man nodded:
— He will. Then he turned to Jack:
— You either learn quickly… or you don’t live long.
Jack looked around. These people were a team, but also strangers. There was no trust, only survival. Jack took a deep breath. For the first time, he realized he wasn’t truly alone, but he wasn’t safe either.
Evening had fallen. A small fire burned in the middle of the farm as the sky turned from orange to black. Everyone had gathered around it. Jack sat a little further back. He was still a stranger. Cole threw another twig into the fire, sparks rose into the air. For a while, no one spoke.
Finally, Cole looked up:
— You want to know, don’t you?
Jack turned his eyes to him:
— What happened… yes.
A short silence. The wind howled. — 28 days ago… it all started on the news, — Cole said slowly.
Jack listened attentively. — In New York, they first said ‘sick people.’ Violent… uncontrolled…
Lena nodded slightly:
— Then they said ‘quarantine.’
Cole continued:
— Then the power went out. The internet went down. The soldiers arrived.
Marcus interrupted, sarcastically:
—And as usual…they couldn’t control it.
Cole spoke, looking at the fire:
—At first we thought it was a bite. But it wasn’t…
Jack frowned:
—What do you mean it wasn’t?
Victor spoke for the first time, his voice cold and empty:
—You die…then you come back.
Silence. Jack’s face freezes.
Cole continued:
—The city was sealed off. No one could get in…no one could get out.
Eli whispered:
—I left my family there…
No one looked after them. But everyone heard.
Jack leaned forward:
—So how did it spread?
The man answered:
—No one knows. But there’s one thing we know…Death is enough.
Silence except for the crackling of the fire. Marcus chuckled softly, but the laugh was unsettling. Victor explained:
—When the city fell…there were twelve of us. We locked the door. We waited for days. The food ran out. Then…one died. Then another. Then…I made a decision. The weakest. Then… only I was left.’ Jack leaned back slowly. These people weren’t just survivors, they were people who had done anything to survive.
Jack looked at the fire. The flames reflected in his eyes. The dead outside were terrifying… but those inside? It was more complicated.
The man stood up, his eyes hard, and turned to Cole:
—What are you doing?
Cole frowned:
—I’m telling the truth.
The man stepped forward:
—No…you’re breaking it.
Marcus smiled slightly and watched. Cole shrugged:
—No fairy tales here.
The man gritted his teeth:
—It wasn’t the time.
The two stared at each other for a few seconds. Tension was palpable. The man turned to Jack:
—Come.
Jack didn’t react for a moment, then the man said more clearly:
—Jack.
Jack flinched and slowly rose to his feet. The man began to walk. Jack followed him.
The pale morning light filtered in through the cracks in the barn. Jack opened his eyes. He hadn’t slept; His eyes had only closed for a moment. The door creaked and Adam came in. “Get up.”
Jack rubbed his eyes and sat up. “Is it morning already…” he muttered, tiredly. “There’s no clock here. Get up.”
They went out into the courtyard together. The cool morning air hit their faces. Jack took a deep breath, but there was no peace within him. He looked around; the group was awake, but no one was talking, everyone was busy with their own things. Jack grimaced. “I need to wash my face…” he said.
Adam continued walking.
- Writer
