Chapter 23- Lure
As they made their way through the ruined streets, the group took in the haunting sights around them. Buildings that once bustled with life now stood silent and decaying. Abandoned cars littered the roads, overturned and rusting. The moans of distant zombies drifted through the air like a sinister lullaby. Everywhere they looked, the city, once a beacon of civilization, had become a rotting graveyard crawling with the undead.
Julian finally raised his hand. "Let’s take a break here," he said, leading them to a sheltered spot beside a collapsed café.
Veronica dropped to sit on a broken chair, groaning. "Ugh... I’m exhausted. Why don’t we just use a car? It’d be so much faster."
Julian gave her a flat look. "Can you drive?"
Veronica crossed her arms stubbornly. "How hard could it be? I could learn it in a snap."
Emma rolled her eyes. "If we’re going to try driving, it should be somewhere open. If we crash or make too much noise, we’ll draw every zombie in the city straight to us."
Julian nodded seriously. "Emma’s right. Especially now that the zombies seem to be getting stronger, we have to stay cautious."
Aya shifted uneasily, her voice trembling. "Maybe... we should hurry. I’m worried about my family..."
Julian’s expression softened. He walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I understand, Aya. But if we rush, we’ll exhaust ourselves and won’t be able to fight when zombies attack. We need to pace ourselves. Besides, your family might already be safe. Your home is near the military base, they could have been evacuated."
Aya lowered her head, biting her lip. She nodded silently.
Seeing her gloom, Clarissa leaned closer with a bright smile. "Hey, Aya, earlier I saw your arrow hit that zombie right between the eyes. That was amazing! Were you in an archery club?"