The mutant's corpse twitched one last time before going still, black ichor seeping into the cracked floor.
Ben wiped his hands against the wall, but the blood wouldn't come off. His skin felt stained, cursed. Every time he blinked, he saw flashes of the fight—the torn limb, the crushed skull. The rush.
Lena stood a few feet away, blade still raised, listening. Her posture was rigid, her ears tuned to something Ben couldn't hear.
Then he caught it.
A sound drifting through the ruined corridors. A low, guttural chorus. Dozens of voices. No—not voices. Moans. Growls.
Ben's blood ran cold.
"They heard us," Lena said quietly. Her eyes flicked toward the dark hallway beyond. "The whole nest."
The shadows shifted. Figures stumbled forward—zombies. Dozens of them, skin pale, eyes glowing faintly in the dark. Behind them, heavier thuds shook the ground. Something bigger was coming.
Ben's chest tightened. The fire inside him stirred again, begging to be unleashed. He clenched his fists, nails digging into his palms. Not again. Not here. Not in front of her.
Lena glanced back at him, her expression unreadable. Then she sheathed her blade.
"Follow me," she said sharply.
Without waiting, she darted into a side passage, boots echoing against broken tiles. Ben hesitated—then ran after her, the moans of the dead rising like a storm behind them.
The hallway opened into a shattered stairwell. The upper floors had collapsed, leaving jagged gaps and rusted beams. Lena moved like she knew every broken step by heart. Ben stumbled, his body still trembling from the fight.
At the second landing, Lena pulled him into a dark corner and pressed a finger to her lips. The horde poured past below them, their stench choking the air.
Ben held his breath. His pulse hammered. If even one of them looked up—
A single zombie paused, its head jerking, sniffing the air. Its eyes flared red as it tilted its face toward their hiding spot.
Ben's heart dropped.
Lena's hand touched his arm, steady, calm. She leaned in close, whispering just loud enough for him to hear:
"Control it, Ben. Don't give them your fear. Not now."
The zombie snarled—then shambled on, following the horde.
The stairwell grew quiet again, the echoes fading into the distance.
Ben exhaled shakily. His whole body ached, but his chest burned less. For the first time, he wondered if Lena's presence wasn't just comforting—maybe she really could anchor the storm inside him.
When she finally let go of his arm, her eyes lingered on him longer than before.
"Your fight's only beginning," she murmured.