Chapter 37: The World Still Has Surprises
City B, November 15th? Year 0 of the Great Collapse
Zara tightened her grip on Leo’s small hand as they stepped through the supermarket’s shattered glass doors. The once-bustling store was a hollowed-out remnant of its former self. Shelves were toppled, their metal frames bent and jagged. Cardboard boxes littered the floor, some spilling long-expired cans and dusty packages.
The stench of mildew mixed with the faint, metallic tang of blood set Zara’s teeth on edge.
"This place smells strange," Leo whispered, his voice muffled by the fabric of Zara’s coat as she instinctively tucked him closer to her leg. His tiny fingers clung to her palm, his wide eyes scanning the aisles curiously.
"It’s okay," Zara murmured, scanning the aisles with sharp, darting eyes. The strap of her backpack bit into her shoulder as she adjusted it, and quickly grabbed his hand again, keeping him from running off. Her other hand brushed the comforting weight of the block of wood at her side. "We’ll find something quickly and leave."
The store was silent except for the soft crunch of broken glass under Zara’s boots and the faint squeak of Leo’s little boots.
"Stay close," Zara whispered, her voice barely audible. She shifted the weight of her backpack, the strap cutting into her shoulder, and scanned the room. It seemed deserted, but the apocalypse had taught her one brutal truth—things were rarely as they seemed.
Leo’s small fingers gripped hers, his wide eyes darting around the store. "Mama, can we find crackers?" he asked, his voice hopeful despite their bleak surroundings.
Zara forced a smile, her heart aching at his innocence. "We’ll see what we can find, sweetheart. Stay quiet, okay?"
They moved cautiously, weaving through the aisles, avoiding the shards of glass and debris scattered across the floor. Zara’s free hand hovered near the knife strapped to her thigh, her body tense and ready to act.
They moved cautiously, Zara sweeping each aisle before venturing in. Her heartbeat steadied when she spotted a half-crushed box of energy bars peeking from under a fallen display. As she crouched to retrieve it, she caught the faintest sound—a shuffle, then the click of something metallic.