Chapter 26- Safe
Julian’s eyes snapped open as dawn’s faint light crept through the boarded windows. His instincts screamed that something was wrong , and when he reached out with his Domination skill, he sensed several of his patrolling zombies had fallen silent. Dead.
He rolled out of his bedding and immediately shook the others awake. "Get up. Now."
Emma blinked, startled. Clarissa, Veronica, and Aya all scrambled to gather their weapons, eyes wide with fear but movements honed by days of survival.
A soft creak echoed from downstairs. The sound of careful, deliberate footsteps. Someone was in the house.
Julian gestured sharply; his team took up positions around the room’s entrance, weapons drawn. As the faint shadow of figures appeared in the hallway, Julian’s eyes narrowed. With a flick of his wrist, dark tendrils of shadow erupted across the floor, wrapping around the intruders’ legs. At the same moment, Clarissa thrust both palms forward, a wave of telekinetic force slammed into the newcomers, pinning them in place against the walls.
The strangers cried out in shock.
"Who are you?!" Julian demanded, voice like ice.
One of the men, face pale and sweating, stammered, "W-wait! We’re not enemies!"
Julian’s group took a moment to assess: nine people stood before them, all in worn tactical gear, several carrying weapons lowered in a gesture of peace.
Julian’s eyes locked onto the one who seemed to lead them, a wiry man with tired but alert eyes. "State your business."
The man took a shaky breath. "We’re... we’re just a patrol. We’re trying to scout the area, keep an eye on the mutated zombies. We saw signs of a fight with one yesterday, and then we tracked it here."