Rovers

Chapter 2

The smoke drifted into the dark night sky, carrying the last remaining ashes of a man who had sacrificed everything for the survival of the city.

When the speech ended, the crowd slowly dispersed, returning to their posts with faces hardened by the cold reality of their world. Outside the perimeter walls, the creatures were always listening, always waiting for a moment of weakness.

Christian remained standing near the dying embers, the fiery orange glow reflecting in his dark eyes. His grip on my hand hadn’t loosened once.

“Are you ready?” I asked softly, breaking the silence between us.

“For tomorrow,” he answered.

I looked at him, and despite everything, a small smile tugged at my lips.

“Yes. I’m always ready for tomorrow.”

He smiled back.

It was our line. Our little reminder that no matter how bad today became, there was always a tomorrow worth fighting for.

“We try again tomorrow, Kels,” he said quietly, finally loosening his grip on my hand.

Before I could answer, a voice rang out from somewhere in the distance.

“Rovers!”

I turned sharply.

Rowan was hurrying toward us.

My stomach tightened.

“Is everything okay?” Christian asked immediately, his expression changing.

“Small hall. Immediately,” Rowan said.

Something in his voice made the warmth disappear from the air.

Christian exchanged a quick glance with me and Samantha before following Rowan.

I followed close behind.

Whatever Rowan had come to tell us, I already knew it couldn’t be good. Rowan paced the narrow length of the small hall, his shadow flickering wildly against the stone walls beneath the dim lantern light.

“The perimeter guards spotted tracks,” Rowan said, his voice low but sharp enough to cut through the silence. “Footsteps coming toward the walls. They’re getting closer, and we have to move.”

A heavy silence fell over the room.

“We can’t let the people panic about tomorrow,” Rowan continued, placing both hands on the wooden table at the center of the room. “We need somewhere with fertile land. Somewhere with a continuous water source. We need another home.”

At the mention of a new sanctuary, my eyes immediately found Samantha’s across the room.

We both knew what that meant.

Abandoning the only walls that had kept us alive.

Stepping beyond them into the untamed darkness, where the creatures ruled.

Christian stepped forward, positioning himself between Rowan and the rest of us. His posture was rigid, his expression tense.

“We’re outnumbered, sir,” Christian said firmly, staring straight into Rowan’s eyes. “Moving the entire population beyond the perimeter isn’t a migration. It’s a s*******r if we don’t have a plan.”

Rowan’s gaze didn’t waver.

“That’s why I think it’s best you and the Rovers go looking for a better place for us.”

Christian’s eyes widened.

“The three of us?” he asked incredulously. “The three of us, Rowan? What happens if we don’t make it back?”

“We’ll recruit seven more people. That makes ten.”

Christian shook his head, disbelief flashing across his face.

“Ten people against whatever is out there?”

“Some of you will come back,” Rowan said calmly. “Some may not.”

The room went completely still.

“You pledged to protect these people,” Rowan continued. “Now you have to give them more than protection. You have to give them a home.”

The weight of his words settled over us like a physical pressure.

Ten people.

Ten against the unknown.

Ten against the creatures waiting beyond those walls.

Christian opened his mouth to protest, but Rowan raised a hand, silencing him.

“The wall won’t hold forever, Chris. You know those tracks outside aren’t a coincidence.”

His voice softened, but his eyes remained hard.

“You’re the senior leader now. Your people need a future, not another night of waiting to die.”

I felt Samantha step closer to me, her breath hitching slightly.

I looked at Christian.

His jaw was clenched so tightly that the muscle twitched beneath his skin. But the fear in his eyes was already disappearing, replaced by something I knew too well.

Resolve.

He took a slow breath.

“Seven people,” Christian said quietly. The anger had drained from his voice, leaving only stark determination. “We choose them. No exceptions.”

“Done,” Rowan replied.

He straightened, looking at each of us.

“Gather your team tonight.”

A pause.

“You leave at first light.”

“When will we train them if you want us to leave at first light?” I asked, my eyes fixed on Christian, who still looked completely stunned.

Rowan didn’t even turn around.

“I don’t know, and I don’t care,” he snapped, his boots pounding against the floorboards as he stormed toward the door. “You’ll make a plan, Chris.”

The door slammed shut behind him.

Christian stood frozen for a moment, staring at the empty doorway.

Then he exhaled slowly, the sound almost like a growl.

Without saying a word to either of us, he turned and walked out.

His heavy footsteps echoed down the dark hallway until they eventually disappeared.

Suddenly, the small hall felt far too quiet.

I was left standing there with Samantha beneath the flickering lantern light.

She leaned against the wooden table and crossed her arms over her chest, letting out a dry, bitter laugh.

“I guess we just signed up for a death march,” she muttered, shaking her head. “Every day, it’s something new.”

I rubbed my tired eyes, exhaustion settling deep into my bones.

Randall was gone.

The creatures were getting closer.

The walls might not hold.

And by sunrise, ten of us would be expected to walk straight into the unknown and find a new home for everyone.

It was almost too much to carry.

(The next morning)

Christian knocks softly on the wooden door.

“Kelsea?” he calls.

I wake with a start, blinking away the last traces of sleep before quietly opening the door.

Christian stands on the other side, his expression calm, but I can see the exhaustion hiding behind his eyes.

“We found them,” he says quietly. “The group. Seven people.”

I nod, running a hand through my messy hair as I try to shake off the last lingering bits of sleep. Seeing how tired Christian looks makes me want to tell him he doesn’t have to carry everything on his own.

But there isn’t time for that now.

“I’ll have her ready in five minutes,” I tell him softly.

I give his arm a brief, reassuring squeeze before turning back toward the dorm.

Christian nods and steps away, already moving toward the others.

I hurry across the room to Samantha’s bed and gently shake her shoulder.

“Sam. Wake up.”

She groans, pulling the blanket over her head.

“Sam,” I whisper urgently. “Wake up.”

She finally lifts her head, squinting at me.

“What?”

“Christian found a group. Seven people.”

Her sleepiness disappears almost instantly.

“Seven?”

I nod. “Grab your things and freshen up. We’re leaving right now.”

Samantha throws the blanket aside and sits up, already reaching for her clothes.

For the first time in days, the room feels different.

There might actually be hope waiting for us outside that door.

I step over to my own duffel bag and double-check our supplies while Samantha splashes cold water over her face. Every small movement feels deliberate now—the metallic click of a canteen buckle, the zip of a backpack, the soft rustle of spare clothes being shoved inside.

After days of quiet waiting and uncertainty, the sudden rush of movement fills the room with a sharp, nervous energy.

Samantha pulls on her boots, tightening the laces before looking up at me.

“Seven people means safety in numbers, right?” she asks. Then she pauses. “Or more mouths to feed?”

“Both,” I reply quietly, slinging my pack over one shoulder. “Which means we need to stay sharp.”

She nods, taking a deep breath as she smooths down her jacket. The exhaustion beneath her eyes is still there, but something stronger has taken its place.

Determination.

She’s ready.

I take one last look around the small, stripped-down dorm room. For a moment, I wonder if we’ll ever see it again.

Then I reach for the door.

The hinges creak as I pull it open.

Samantha and I step into the hallway, where Christian is waiting for us.

He looks toward the entrance, his expression unreadable.

“Ready?” he asks.

I nod.

Christian turns and starts walking.

We follow.

We are greeted by seven familiar faces from our gates. They smile when they see us, but beneath those smiles, I can see it the fear. They have been surviving just like we have.

Christian steps forward, raising his voice so everyone can hear.

“As you all know, this is Kelsea and Samantha, the remaining Rovers. They’ll help wherever they’re needed.”

The seven of them nod, their eyes moving between us.

“I assume you all know how to handle a spear,” Christian continues. “Kelsea and Samantha have also been trained with bows and arrows. Those are our go to weapons, so you’ll need to learn how to use them if you don’t already.”

He pauses, looking around at everyone.

“Any questions?”

Silence.

Christian glances at Samantha and me before his expression softens. “Anything to say?”

We are a fami….

Before I could finish, hurried footsteps echo behind us.

I turn around.

A pregnant woman comes running down the hallway, one hand resting protectively over her stomach.

“Tyrone!”

One of the seven men immediately turns around.

She runs straight toward him, and he barely has time to catch her before she reaches him.

“You were going to leave without telling me?” she asks, her voice trembling. “Without even saying goodbye?”

“Tyrone…”

“Please be safe,” she whispers. “For me… and for the baby.”

I watch as Tyrone’s expression changes. The confident look he had moments ago disappears, replaced by something softer and slightly embarrassed at having everyone watching.

Despite everything, I can’t help but let out a quiet giggle.

Tyrone glances at me, clearly noticing my amusement.

“He’ll be back before the baby comes,” I say gently. “Don’t stress. He’ll make it home.”

The woman looks at me, offering a small, grateful smile.

Tyrone looks away, shaking his head as the others chuckle softly.

For a brief moment, the fear surrounding us disappears.

“I won’t be long,” Tyrone promises her softly, his voice firmer now. “I’ll make it back. I promise.”

She searches his face for a moment before finally nodding.

Christian gives Tyrone a brief, approving nod, then turns his attention back to the rest of the group.

“Alright,” he says, his voice carrying down the corridor. “Check your gear one last time. Spears up. Arrows ready. We move together, and we stay sharp.”

The seven of them immediately begin checking their weapons and packs.

Samantha steps beside me, adjusting the grip on her bow.

“Family stays together,” she whispers.

I glance at her and smile faintly.

She finishes the sentence I never got to.

I tighten my grip on my gear and take my place beside Christian.

He looks over his shoulder at us, then toward the open gates.

“Let’s move.”

One by one, we step outside.

The gates creak behind us as they close, leaving the settlement and everyone waiting inside behind.

Seven new faces walk with us maybe this is a good thing