Blood To Ashes

Chapter 2

Two hours earlier...

There's been a gnawing feeling at the back of my mind lately, like a splinter I can't quite reach. The transmission we got from the other community only confirms what I've been dreading—things are falling apart faster than we thought. If we don't act soon, we're all going to get swept under. But how can I convince the others to see it? How can I get them to understand that we're standing on the edge of a cliff?

Being the leader sucks. There's no other way to put it. The tough calls, the sleepless nights, the blood on your hands—it all comes with the title. Today, I need to make another one of those calls, but I'm not sure I'm ready. I'll have to talk to the girls, get them on board.

Just as I lose myself in thought, the door slams open. Mia strides in, head held high, her eyes flicking over me with a mixture of irritation and something else—something harder to read.

"Sorry for the interruption, Max. I need to talk to you about something." Her voice is dripping with forced politeness.

I don't even look up from the book I'm pretending to read. "Next time, knock." My tone is flat, my patience already wearing thin. Of course, she has to bother me when I'm trying to think.

She flinches slightly, but presses on, nervously rubbing her fingers together. "Layla wasn't at the house last night when you sent word. She disappeared again... and hasn't come back." Her voice wavers, like she's trying to control her anger.

I glance up, finally. "And? Why should I care? This isn't the first time she's pulled a stunt like that, and I doubt it'll be the last. Layla does what she wants." My words are sharp, dismissive. There are bigger issues to worry about than Layla's latest escape.

Mia's jaw tightens, but she swallows whatever insult she's dying to throw at me. "As I was saying, she is not back, yet . Can we change the meeting to tomorrow morning? We should get our daily tasks done first." Her voice is strained, her irritation barely hidden as she bites the inside of her cheek. She wants to snap at me, but she knows better.

I close the book with a snap and stare at her. "Fine. I'll let the others know. But I need to talk to both you and Layla. Tomorrow morning. No excuses." My voice drops, heavy with the weight of what's coming. The truth is, we're heading toward the point of no return—and I'm not sure if we're ready for it.

Mia's eyes narrow with concern. "What's going on? Are we making changes? Did something happen?"

"You'll know when it's time. Don't ask me more questions. You can leave now." My words are final, shutting down any further discussion. I don't have the patience for her prying right now, not with everything swirling in my head.

Mia stands there for a second longer, her mouth tight, then turns and walks out, slamming the door behind her. I exhale slowly, rubbing my temples.

There's no time to waste. I get up and start packing my things.

The Community

It's been a year since the breach. A year since our last leader—a selfish bastard—let his greed blind him, leading to more deaths than I care to remember. We had to clean up the aftermath. That's how I became the leader, and with it came the responsibility of keeping everyone alive.

The community isn't large, maybe a hundred and sixty people. Every house has a fence around it, though there's a massive wall encircling the compound. After what happened last time, we don't take any chances. There are guards posted at night, especially near the gates and the four watchtowers.

There's a playground, abandoned now, rusting in the middle of the compound. A school with a library that no one uses. A church that hasn't seen prayer in months. Everything feels like it's waiting for something—like the calm before the storm. And deep down, I know it's coming.

Unknown Diary Entry

Three years ago, the world was dying. But no one saw it coming—not like this. It wasn't the wars or the famine or the diseases we expected. It was something else. Something far worse. An experiment gone wrong? Maybe. A group of scientists trying to play God? Perhaps. But the truth is, it doesn't matter anymore. What matters is what came after.

The first wave hit the cities like a plague. People turning into something else... something twisted. A single bite, that's all it took. Soon, it was everywhere—spreading through countries like wildfire. The world burned. Buildings crumbled to ash, and the streets ran red with blood. Families torn apart, entire communities wiped out. And the worst part? The hunger.

People started eating each other when the food ran out. Survival was the only thing that mattered. It became a game of hunger—a fight for the last scrap of meat in a dead world. No one could be trusted. The Earth itself seemed to die along with us. Crops rotted in the fields. Animals, once so plentiful, vanished into thin air. And now... now there's nothing left but the ash.

Blood. Blood is the new beauty of this fallen Earth.

Max's POV

I stuff the last of my gear into my bag, a heavy weight settling in my chest. There's no avoiding what's coming. The transmission from the other community was clear—they're facing the same problem. And soon, we will too.

But how do I tell them? How do I convince the others that the end is closer than they think?

As I zip up the bag, the wind howls outside, rattling the windows. In the distance, I hear the faint sounds of something moving—something not human. My grip tightens on the handle of my bag, a cold dread settling over me.

I glance out the window. The sky is dark, clouds churning like a storm on the horizon. And somewhere out there, I know it's waiting. The thing that's going to tear through this fragile peace we've built.

The clock is ticking. And soon, we'll all be out of time.