The girls woke up to find Matilda already dressed, her hair tied up in a high bun and her sneakers laced tight.
"Good morning," she said casually, checking her pockets.
Ruby blinked, squinting against the morning light. "Why are you up so early?"
"Today we have to look around the village, remember?"
"Right," Ruby groaned, dragging herself out of bed.
"We'll set off right after breakfast," Matilda added, tossing her backpack over one shoulder.
"I'm starving," Lily said, yawning widely. "Yesterday we spent all day with those two guys, came back late, and I totally forgot to eat!"
Soon, they were in the core of the village, observing everything with sharp eyes. The center of Madini Village was lively—almost too lively. Colorful cloths stretched between stalls where villagers were setting up small markets. An elderly woman arranged bright orange fruits into neat pyramids, while a boy chased chickens through the dusty street. A street performer balanced a broomstick on his nose, drawing claps and cheers from children seated on worn blankets. Laughter echoed from a nearby alley where a group of women were gossiping and stringing beads.
The smell of fried dough and roasted nuts floated through the air, mixing with the faint, sweet scent of incense burning in front of tiny shrines tucked between homes. The villagers looked... happy. Too happy. There was no fear in their eyes. No rush in their steps. It was as if the horror of the zombies that haunted the village borders each night didn't exist at all. They smiled at one another, shared jokes, and waved at the girls as they passed. It felt like a small festival—but beneath it all, a strange tension lingered. Like a dream trying too hard to pretend it wasn't a nightmare.
Something feels wrong with this place, Matilda thought, scanning the crowd. I know everything here is already weird, but this atmosphere is fake.
Lily squinted at the people walking by. "Is it just me or... are there barely any young people here? It's mostly old folks and kids."
Matilda and Ruby scanned the crowd. Lily was right. There were toddlers, children, and the elderly. But teenagers? Young adults? None.
Suddenly, a dirty, disheveled old man came running toward them, wheezing and gasping for breath. He grabbed Matilda's arm with a trembling grip. "Run! Run before they turn you into a zombie!" Matilda caught him by the shoulders. "Who? Who's going to turn us?" But the man's eyes were wide with madness. He yanked his arm free and kept running, shouting the same warning over and over until he disappeared into an alley. The three girls exchanged confused, unsettled glances.
BWOOOOOM. A loud horn rang through the village. People immediately stopped what they were doing and began gathering in the large central square. Curious, the girls followed the flow of the crowd. When they arrived, they noticed Sandro and Nico standing near the back. Nico spotted them and waved excitedly. "Hey! The beautiful ladies from yesterday!" he grinned. Sandro glanced over, giving a small, serious nod.
Then, as if on cue, everyone in the square bowed their heads in unison.
"Greetings, Chief," they chanted. A tall man draped in deep green robes embroidered with silver thread walked to the front. Beside him walked a woman, graceful and smiling, her hands folded primly in front of her—the Village Chief and his wife. The Chief stepped onto a raised wooden platform and raised a hand. The murmurs fell instantly silent.
"Good people of Madini," his voice rang out, smooth and steady. "We have survived another night. Let this morning remind us of our strength, our discipline, and our duty to protect our village." There was a soft wave of polite applause.
"We must remember: the darkness cannot reach us if we do not invite it. Stay indoors after sunset. Lock your doors. Protect your homes." He paused, glancing at a priest who stepped forward carrying a basket of small talismans carved from bone and string. "These will keep the evil at bay," the Chief continued. "Accept them, keep them close. They are blessed and strong."
A woman in the crowd raised her hand timidly. "But when will it end, Chief? When will the darkness leave?" The Chief smiled kindly, but his eyes remained cold. "All in time. As long as we follow the rules, we will endure."
Nico yawned loudly, covering his mouth. "And here I was expecting a thrilling town announcement. This is just a sermon." After the speech, the crowd began to disperse. Nico and Sandro walked over to the girls.
"Well, what a coincidence," Nico said. "We meet again." Matilda was eyeing the basket of talismans.
"Want one?" Sandro asked her. She nodded. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a shimmering gold coin. She handed it to the priest, took a talisman, and slipped it into her pocket.
As they walked away, she turned the bone charm over in her hands. "This thing better ward off more than just zombies," she muttered. "If it can scare off exams, I'll wear it forever. Hehehe."
Lily blinked, staring at Matilda's pocket. "Matilda... where did you get a solid gold coin?" Everyone stopped and turned to look at her. Matilda laughed nervously.
"Funny story! This morning, one of the guys delivering meals dropped it. I just... picked it up and kept it safe."
Ruby raised an eyebrow. "So you stole it?"
"No, I borrowed it! I was going to return it later... maybe," Matilda insisted.
They all stared at her, clearly not believing a word.
"I'm serious! I didn't steal it! Finders keepers!" she shouted, running ahead to escape the judgment.
Eventually, they found a quiet bench to rest on. The girls sat down while Sandro and Nico stood nearby. Matilda examined the talisman closely.
"Do you think this is like... a quest item in a game?" she asked.
"Maybe," Ruby replied thoughtfully. Matilda frowned, her mind working through the details of the last two days. "Yesterday, I noticed a zombie wearing a crown. I think it might be their leader."
"I saw it too," Sandro said. "But... it didn't really look like it was commanding the others. It was just wandering."
Meanwhile, Nico leaned in and whispered to Ruby and Lily.
"Guys, do you think these two are weirdos? Peeking at zombies late at night?"
Lily whispered back, "They are way too enthusiastic about this."
"I bet they believe in aliens too," Nico added.
Suddenly, Matilda leaned into their whisper circle from behind, her face deadpan. "I think so too," she whispered. Nico jumped a foot in the air. "AHH!" Everyone burst into laughter as the whisper circle broke.
They were still chuckling when Matilda suddenly went quiet. Her smile vanished.
"The crown," she said aloud. Everyone looked at her.
"The crown that zombie was wearing... I just realized where I've seen that design." She looked toward the square where the speech had just happened. "It looked exactly like the one the Chief wore earlier."
"Huh?" Lily said. Sandro leaned in, his eyes narrowing.
"You think the zombies have something to do with the Village Chief?"
"That old man earlier warned us someone would turn us into zombies," Ruby said slowly. "What if he meant... the Chief is doing it?"
"If people are being turned into zombies, is that why there are mostly elderly people and children here?" Matilda asked, the pieces falling into place. "Where are all the young, strong adults?"
"That would explain something that's been bugging me," Sandro said. "A village under siege should have warriors or guards. Why haven't they sent anyone to fight the zombies? Unless..."
"Unless the missing warriors are the zombies," Nico finished, looking pale.
"But even if it's the Chief... why?" Lily asked. "What's the benefit?"
Matilda folded her arms. "We won't know unless we ask around. But right now, we've wasted another day just sitting here. We don't even know if any of this helps us escape."
Lily smiled softly, trying to lift the mood. "It's okay. At least we've learned something. It's better than doing nothing." Ruby and Nico nodded in agreement.
"It's getting late," Sandro noted, checking the sky. "Let's head back for now. We'll meet here tomorrow and plan our next move."
As they walked back to the dorms, Lily yawned and said cheerfully, "Aren't we like... a team now? Maybe we should come up with a name!" Ruby gave her a flat look. "You're in the mood for that? Maybe once we've figured out how to not get turned into zombies, we can buy t-shirts."