Chapter 79:
The sedan hummed softly as it sped down the cracked highway, its tires crunching over the occasional debris.
Inside, the group sat in a tense but oddly comfortable silence, the hum of the engine providing a soothing background to their thoughts. Winter, seated beside Zara in the back, listened with his usual stoic demeanor. His eyes followed the landscape through the window, still on alert mode.
Zara held Leo close, the little boy resting his head on her shoulder, his wide eyes taking in every word.
The interior was surprisingly spacious, thanks to the teenager’s modifications, allowing them all to sit with their supplies neatly stored.
The elderly man, who had introduced himself as Richard, leaned forward in his seat, his weathered face animated with stories of their recent encounters. "You wouldn’t believe the things we’ve seen," he started, his voice a gravelly mix of excitement and weariness.
Yes we can, Zara thought but kept that to herself. Aftaer all, they had all been in the apocalypse together.
"The weather had been crazy, we nearly melted during that freak acid storm a few months ago. Before we rigged up this car." Richard continued, shifting in his seat.
Winter, sitting beside Zara in the backseat, nodded, his face solemn. "We had a few close calls ourselves. One of those storms almost swept us away recently. We’ve had a lot of luck on our side."
"Hmm, luck is good in these times." Richard shook his head, folding his arms. "Especially with those mutated creatures and new zombies."
"You all seem fine," Zara finally spoke.
Sam kept his eyes on the road but chimed in, "We had a run-in with a pack of them not too long ago. Barely made it out. It’s like they’ve developed pack instincts, hunting together, strategizing."