Chapter 27: The World was Full of Weirdos
City B, November 5th? Year 0 of the Great Collapse
The faint glow of a battered candle flickered weakly in Winter’s room, casting shadows that danced across the peeling walls. He sat on the edge of a worn cot, his shirt discarded on the floor, a faint metallic scent of blood and antiseptic lingering in the air.
His hand hovered over the bandage that woman had wrapped around his wound, her touch still ghosting his skin. He scowled at the memory—not only at her, but at the base they were stuck in, and at himself for letting his guard slip.
The separation wasn’t a coincidence. He’d noticed the careful positioning of their rooms, the way their paths never seemed to cross again after arriving.
It has been a day now and he was yet to see his so called "wife."
They wanted control, to keep him and Zara isolated, vulnerable. He didn’t need to ask why; this wasn’t the first time he’d dealt with manipulative survivors.
His fingers flexed, nails biting into his palm as he thought of his old base. Their downfall had come not from the zombies but from betrayal within. Would his squad have made it to City H? Were they waiting for him, or had they written him off as dead?
Winter sighed, dragging his hand through his hair. These people didn’t know about his superhuman abilities, and he planned to keep it that way. Power had a way of making others jealous—or desperate. He needed to stay sharp, find an escape route, and figure out who in this place could be trusted.
*****
On the other side of the base, Zara’s eyes scanned her surroundings, noting every detail as she walked. Leo squirmed slightly against her chest, safely hidden beneath her oversized coat. The straps holding him in place pressed against her shoulders, but the reassuring weight of his little body was worth it.
It had been a day since they got here or rather, they had spent a night in the base and Zara would be a liar if she said the bed hadn’t been comfortable. But she hadn’t been able to let her guard down fully. Not since what happened the last time.