Chapter 21: The World Hides A lot From Us
City B, September 27th? Year 0 of the Great Collapse
The garage was silent except for the faint rustle of clothing as Winter shifted to lean against a cold, rusted shelf. The dim light from a small crack in the metal door cast long shadows over the scattered tools and forgotten parts strewn across the floor.
He glanced at the woman across from him. She sat like a statue, her coat wrapped tightly around her form, her eyes sharp despite the exhaustion etched on her face.
Winter turned back to his task, checking his rifle and ammunition.
The small ration packet he had handed her earlier lay crumpled beside her, emptied. Smart woman—she hadn’t touched it until he ate first. Not that he blamed her; caution was the only currency left in a world like this. Still, her thin frame and pale skin colour told him she didn’t have the luxury to be picky.
Why had he run into her again?
Tracking the small horde of zombies had been his primary focus until they’d led him to her. He couldn’t shake the feeling that the undead had been following something. Someone.
Her?
His gaze flicked to her briefly. She was pale, her cheeks hollow from hunger, and her jacket hung off her frame like a deflated tent. But it wasn’t just her condition that caught his attention.
He shifted his weight, his eyes flicking briefly to the bulky shape beneath her coat.
What the hell was that?