Chapter 45: The World Is Full of Close Calls
Zara pressed herself against the cool, jagged surface of the concrete wall, her breath shallow and quick. The smell of damp stone mixed with the scent of dust and decay. Her heart pounded in her chest as she watched the dark silhouettes of the men ahead, their shadows stretched across the broken streets.
One of the men, tall and broad-shouldered, halted in his tracks. He lifted his nose to the air, his eyes narrowing. "I smell them," he muttered under his breath, more to himself than to his group. His voice was deep, rough.
His companions stopped, shifting uneasily as they noticed his sudden behaviour change.
"What is it?" one of them asked, his voice dripping with disbelief.
"I smell people," the man responded, taking a few steps forward, his eyes scanning the shadows. His expression was unreadable—focused, dangerous. Zara’s stomach churned.
Confused and desperate, Zara glanced at the others, her heart in her throat. This can’t be happening—her eyes flicked to Kit, who was gripping her sleeve like a lifeline. His face was pale, his lip trembling.
"What the hell are you talking about, man?" one of the others laughed, breaking the silence. He snorted and jabbed his elbow into the one who had spoken. "You smell people? No kidding—we all haven’t bathed in months. Might as well be a damn stench cloud by now."
Laughter erupted from the group, the sound a cruel mockery of their situation, but the ability user didn’t join in. He remained still, his head slightly tilted as he continued to sniff the air, his eyes flicking over the surroundings.
Zara’s heart rate quickened. Why did they have to meet an ability user? Something was unnerving about the way his gaze seemed to cut through the dark as if he could see through walls and into their hiding place.
Then, the man took a step forward. His hand reached to the side of his body, fingers brushing against the handle of the gun holstered at his hip. He cocked it in seemingly slow motion. The click echoed in the stillness.
Zara’s breath caught in her throat, her body instinctively moving to shield Mia and Kit behind her. Kit’s breath hitched. He was no longer trying to hide his fear. Zara could see the panic in his eyes. Mia’s face was hard to read, but Zara could feel her tense just the same. This was bad. They couldn’t be caught.