The sharp, unmistakable sound of a blade slicing through flesh tore through the silence.
Then came the gurgle.
Clark's eyes widened in horror as something round rolled across the ground and stopped near his foot.
A severed head.
"Is… is that Uncle Louis's head?" he asked in disbelief.
Adam stood frozen beside him, mouth open, unable to comprehend what just happened. The monster—once Louis—toppled backwards with a sickening thud, lifeless at last.
Lana, still huddled behind the trash bin, didn't see the killing blow. But she felt something—an aura, a presence—something safe.
Then came the footsteps.
Heavy.
Purposeful.
"Thump… thump…"
Each step echoed through the air like a countdown.
Clark held his breath.
A shadow fell over them, and then a voice cut through the dark.
"I found you."
Adam's heart leapt in his chest.
"Dad!"
He bolted forward, launching himself into Peter's arms.
The warm embrace grounded him. The nightmare hadn't ended—but at least now, his dad was here.
Clark exhaled in relief. The tension that had been crushing his chest loosened just enough.
Even Lana, trembling and bloodied, stared up in dazed wonder at the figure standing before them.
Peter stood tall in the moonlight, gripping a katana drenched in gore. His jacket was torn, his arms bloodstained, and he reeked of fire and death. Yet, to the three kids, he looked like a knight in rusted armor—worn, dirty, but invincible.
The katana had come from Father Norma's house, and while Peter had no formal training, the Watch on his wrist had supercharged his reflexes and strength, giving him the edge he needed.
He'd carved his way here like a man possessed.
After questioning Jonathan and Nier, he'd tracked the trio's location and fought his way across the town, through the walking dead and flaming wreckage, to get here.
Seeing them alive?
It was all worth it.
"Are you hurt?" he asked, quickly checking Adam for bite marks, then turning to Clark and Lana. "Any of you bitten?"
"N-no…" Lana murmured, cheeks flushing as Peter gently wiped dirt from her face.
"Good. We're getting out."
Without wasting a second, Peter tore strips from his jacket, quickly tying Lana and Clark to his back like he'd done it a hundred times before.
"Adam," he called out, tightening the knots, "you can keep up with me, right?"
Adam puffed out his chest. "Yes, Dad! I'll protect you!"
Peter gave him a sideways glance.
Protect me? Kid, your Laser Eyes work like a broken flashlight…
But he smirked anyway. "Alright. Let's do this—father and son."
"Like From Dusk Till Dawn?" Adam asked.
Peter narrowed his eyes. "We're going to talk about you watching horror movies later, Adam."
Adam winced. "Y-yes, sir."
Peter raised the katana, steel gleaming in the firelight.
"Clark, Lana—close your eyes."
The air thickened.
From the shadows came the groans.
The shuffling.
Zombies. Lots of them.
"Hisssssss!"
One lunged forward, jaws open wide.
Peter stepped into it with zero hesitation.
SHRING!
The katana split it from shoulder to hip.
Black, acidic blood sprayed in arcs, sizzling where it touched the ground.
Another undead charged him, arms flailing.
Peter pivoted on his heel and slammed an elbow into its chest.
BOOM!
The blow sent it flying backward into a wall, leaving a crater as stone crumbled around it. Its body shattered like glass.
Before the third could even groan, Peter was already there—blade sweeping in a low arc.
SWIPE.
Its head tumbled across the ground, eyes still blinking for a heartbeat.
Adam just stood there, awestruck.
His dad was…
Awesome.
Even Clark, riding piggyback, stared wide-eyed.
He had always thought of his godfather as the kind, calm neighbor who fixed fences and grilled barbecue.
But this?
This was something else entirely.
Peter was a force of nature.
Lana, clutching his back, squeezed her eyes shut, only to feel warm droplets hit her face.
She opened one eye.
Blood.
It slid down her cheek, mixing with sweat and grime.
She didn't cry.
She didn't scream.
Instead, she buried her face against Peter's back and held on tighter.
The scent of blood, the heat of the flames, the squelch of rotten flesh—it all should've terrified her.
But somehow, with him, she felt…
Safe.
"CRASH!"
Peter kicked down the door to the warehouse yard.
More zombies awaited them, howling with rage and hunger.
He swung.
SLASH. SPLAT.
More bodies fell.
Blood exploded like ink in water.
Adam, following close, was spattered again.
This time, he didn't flinch.
His eyes locked onto the next zombie charging at his father.
"DAD! BEHIND YOU!"
A beam of crimson energy shot from Adam's eyes, slicing the zombie in half.
Peter glanced over his shoulder.
The burnt corpse collapsed into twitching pieces.
"Well done, Adam!"
Adam grinned, wiping blood from his cheek. "Told you I've got your back."
Laser Eyes flared again.
He vaporized the next zombie's chest—but it kept coming.
It lunged.
Peter moved faster.
He spun, katana in one hand, and brought it down.
CRACK!
Split clean down the middle.
Adam was drenched again.
Still, no breakdown this time.
No tears.
Just grit.
The fire from the Great Hall was now spreading, climbing the surrounding walls and support beams.
Peter didn't waste time.
He kicked open the side door and bolted into the smoke-filled corridor.
Dead bodies littered the floor—some reanimated, others long gone.
He didn't stop.
Any zombie that stirred met the business end of his blade.
Clark and Lana clung tight.
Adam followed, occasionally glancing back, covering their rear.
Then the Fire hit.
As they reached the final corridor, a blast tore through the hall.
"BOOM!"
The flames erupted, licking at their heels.
Peter turned, shielding his back and curling forward, using his arms to block the heat.
Clark and Lana screamed but were protected.
Adam, a few steps behind, crouched behind Peter's back, feeling the shockwave hit like a sledgehammer.
The explosion died down.
Silence followed.
Then—
"Everyone okay?" Peter asked without looking back.
Clark opened his eyes slowly.
Lana peeked from his shoulder.
Adam nodded.
"Yeah… We're okay."
Smoke curled around them.
But they were alive.
Pete
r took one last breath of burning air, gripped the katana tighter, and led them into the dawn.
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