As the group ran, their boots and shoes hit the pavement, glass and rubble crunched under their shoes, Ezekial was trying to find a safe spot. They couldn't run forever, that would just draw in more walkers, and honestly? No one was in the mood for that. His eyes scanned the areas as he led the group. He glanced back at his wife and the others making sure everyone was okay.
Suddenly, everything went silent.
That was never a good sign. Darkness was closing in, and fog had begun to gather in the street. Ezekial cursed under his breath. They needed shelter, and they needed it fast.
Mist curled around their feet as they kept moving. For a moment, their footsteps were the only sound.
Where was the horde?
One of the others looked back but there was no sign of the walkers, weird. No matter that. Suddenly a low groan was heard. A wave of dread swept over them, the mist felt as if it was getting thicker, it was getting darker. Ezekial couldn't see anything ahead, it felt like miles they were running, Owen saw something through the mist. A building.
"Yo! Is that a building or what??" He called out to Ezekiel who well said nothing for a moment until he looked to where Owen was looking at.
"Yeah. Let's head there now." Ezekial shifted their course toward the shape emerging through the mist. As they drew closer, he realized it was a gas station. Good. If they were lucky, they could get inside and catch their breath before the horde found them again.
With every step, the tension grew heavier. Those guarding the others kept their eyes moving and their weapons ready, refusing to lower their guard even for a second.
They finally made it to the gas station; Ezekial opened the door and motioned everyone to get into the building. One by one, they slipped through the entrance, boots thudding softly against the grimy tile. The moment the last person crossed the threshold, Ezekial pulled the door shut behind them, the faint jingle of the broken bell overhead sounding far too loud in the suffocating quiet.
Inside, the air was stale the scent of mold and rust was in the air it was cold.
Shelves stood half‑collapsed, their contents scattered across the floor. A few old chip bags lay torn open, their contents long since eaten by rats or time. The lights were dead, leaving the room lit only by the faint gray glow seeping through the fogged‑over windows.
Juno sank to her knees, setting Bear down gently. The dog whimpered, pressing her head into Juno's lap. Mateo eased Ryan against a counter, trying not to jostle his leg. Sebastian lowered the woman beside him, brushing her hair away from her face.
Judy rocked Hope, whispering softly. Jasmine checked Hunter's forehead, worry tightening her jaw.
Owen and Max took positions near the windows, peering out into the fog‑choked street.
Ezekial stood in the center of the room, chest rising and falling with controlled breaths. He scanned the group — his people — making sure no one was bleeding out, collapsing, or about to break.
Then he listened.
Nothing.
No groans. No shuffling. No scraping claws against pavement.
Just the low hum of silence pressing against the walls.
"Why'd they stop?" Owen muttered, not taking his eyes off the window.
Ryan shook his head and grumbled out his voice laced with pain. "They didn't stop. They're out there. Fog's just hiding them."
Ezekial didn't disagree.
The mist outside clung to the glass like a living thing, water droplet slid down the windows, thick enough to swallow shapes whole. It made the world feel smaller, tighter, like the gas station was floating in a void.
Ryan shifted, wincing. "We… we can't stay long."
"No," Ezekial said quietly. "We can't."
But for the moment — for this one fragile breath of time — they were off the street. Together. Alive.
The fog pressed harder against the windows.
Something moved out there.
A shadow. A shape. A reminder that safety was temporary.
Ezekial tightened his grip on the shotgun.
"Everyone stay low," he murmured. "We're not out of this yet."
Then—
BANG.
The front window shuddered violently.
Judy gasped and clutched Hope tighter. Jasmine instinctively shielded Hunter with her body. Bear barked once, sharply and panicked, before Juno grabbed her muzzle gently, whispering for her to stay quiet.
Another slam rattled the glass, harder this time. A spiderweb crack shot across the surface.
"Shit—" Owen moved toward the window, crowbar raised.
"Don't get close," Ezekial warned, stepping forward with his shotgun half‑lifted. "We don't know how many are out there."
The fog outside churned, shapes shifting in and out of view. Something dragged across the glass with a long, wet scrape. The sound crawled down their spines.
Max swallowed hard. "They followed us."
"No," Sebastian said quietly, eyes narrowing. "They're searching."
The fog thickened, swallowing the shapes again.
For a moment, nothing.
Then—
SLAM!
The entire window bowed inward, the crack spreading like lightning. A pale, rotting hand slapped against the glass, fingers splayed, nails scraping desperately for purchase.
Amara whimpered. Ryan tried to sit up, but Mateo held him down gently. "Don't move, man. You'll tear your leg open."
Ezekial took a slow step back, voice low and steady. "Everyone get behind the aisles. Stay low. Stay quiet."
Juno scooped Bear into her arms and ducked behind a fallen shelf. Judy and Jasmine crouched behind the counter with the kids. Max and Owen flanked Ezekial, weapons ready.
The hand on the glass slid downward, leaving a smear of dark, sticky blood.
Then another hand appeared.
And another.
Dozens.
The fog outside was writhed with silhouettes pressing closer, their groans muffled but unmistakable.
The window bowed again.
One more hit and it would shatter.
Ezekial's voice was barely a whisper. "We need a way out. Now."
Owen pushed himself up first, moving quickly through the dim aisles in search of another exit. Nearby, Max scanned the shelves for anything useful—food, water, supplies—while the others stayed low and silent, barely daring to breathe.
Sebastian kept looking backwards to where Owen had disappeared to but never mind that he looks back at the woman who was waking up finally. She groaned in pain. Sebastian said nothing, he sat there, he looked at the windows. They needed to leave fast. Just then Owen came back and told Ezekial..
"There is a back exit- we can get out through there; I didn't see any walkers back there surprisingly." Owen said and looked at the older man.
"Alright.. Mateo. Sebastian get the injured and kids out now. Make sure nothing happens to them." Ezekial said firmly, his eyes focused on the windows, his jaw clenched, Judy and jasmine got up as Mateo gently guided them to where Owen was pointing them to. They needed a truck or something.
Max hesitated. He didn't want to leave his mother or sister out there without him. The others would be with them, yes—but what if something went wrong? Unable to shake the thought, he followed. Sebastian took the lead, moving toward the exit Owen had pointed out.
Sebastian opened the exit and walked out; it was foggy. Dew was rolling down the poles nearby. He was trying to look for something. They needed a car. Truck. Anything. He walked. Mateo was beside Judy, jasmine, and max. he tightened his grip on Ryan.
Sebastian walked a bit further. A box truck. He ran to it moving the woman in his arms trying to resituate her. She said nothing she was awake now but was still trying to be fully conscious, he opened the door and the keys were in it. He grabbed the keys and ran back. He told the others.. He led them and opened the roll up door. He was guiding everyone in. Once the injured and kids were in there he looked at Mateo.. "I will get the others.. stay with them.." He then jogged his way back over to the exit to get back into the gas station.
He saw Ezekial with his eyes on the windows still, Owen was over by Juno, she couldn't carry Bear anymore. So, he was now the one carrying Bear. "Ezekial..? there is a box truck a few feet away from here. We all can get into the back, and me or you can drive..?"
Ezekial nodded.
CRACK
Glass exploded as the zombies piled in. Ezekial grabbed the keys and ran. Owen ran, holding bear close to him Sebastian looked at Juno who got up quickly to run.
He tried to help her, but she snapped. "I don't need your fucking help!"
Sebastian flinched at her words, then forced himself to keep moving. Behind him, Juno stumbled over a loose tile and hit the floor hard. She cursed under her breath and scrambled back up, but a zombie caught the jacket tied around her waist and yanked her backward.
Juno twisted around and swung at it, but the move cost her. Another zombie lunged from the side and clamped its teeth into her forearm, tearing through skin and drawing blood. She choked back a cry, slammed the first zombie's head into the second, and forced its jaws loose before ripping her jacket free.
More walkers crashed into the gas station as she bolted for the exit. The others shouted her name from outside, their voices nearly swallowed by the chaos. The box truck was already running. Juno shoved her jacket on to cover the bite, wincing as the fabric brushed her injured arm.
She sprinted the last few steps and leapt into the back of the truck just as the walkers surged after her.
Mateo helped Juno sit, then yanked the roll-up door shut behind her. There was no latch to secure it, but for the moment, it was the only barrier they had.
The box truck took off tires screeching against the gravel. Rubber burning.
An hour—or two—passed in tense silence. Everyone stayed on edge. Juno's skin had gone clammy, sweat beading across her face as she tried to hide how badly she was shaking. Nearby, Judy had set Hope down, and the little girl stumbled unsteadily around the truck. Hunter slept curled against his brother's side while Ryan kept one arm wrapped protectively around his younger brother's shoulders.
Hope stumbled over to Juno; she wanted attention from the girl.. so well as any toddler would to get attention.. she smacked Juno's arm. Not knowing it was hurt.
Juno flinched hard and shoved Hope's hand away. Pain flashed across her face before anger took over. "What do you want from me?" she snapped. "I'm not your mother, and I'm not your babysitter! Go bother your fuck ass brother."
The truck went silent.
Then Owen exploded. "What the fuck is wrong with you?" he snapped. "She's a damn toddler! She only wanted your fucking attention! That's my baby sister you're yelling at! Mateo get your girl under control, or I'll throw her out of this truck myself!"
Mateo didn't yell at first.
He turned slowly toward Juno, jaw clenched so tight a vein stood out in his neck. His eyes weren't angry — they were cold. The kind of cold that meant he was past irritation, past frustration… he was at the point where he was choosing his words so he didn't say something he couldn't take back.
"Juno," he said, voice low enough that Hope instinctively leaned into Owen. "What the hell was that."
Juno opened her mouth, but Mateo cut her off with a raised hand — something he never did.
"No. Don't even try it. You don't talk to a toddler like that. You don't talk to anyone like that. She touched your arm. She wasn't attacking you. She wasn't bothering you. She wanted attention because she likes you."
His voice rose, finally cracking under the weight of everything he'd been holding back.
"And you screamed at her like she was some grown-ass adult picking a fight with you. You shoved her hand away. You scared her. And you embarrassed the hell out of me. I mean! You're supposed to be one of the ones who gave a shit about kids! You used to take care of them all the time! What gives huh??"
Juno's face twisted, defensive. "I just tired I don't want—"
"And?" Mateo snapped. "So, you take it out on a toddler? You yelled at a child, you think that's an excuse? You think that makes it okay?"
Juno looked away, but Mateo wasn't done.
"You don't get to treat anyone like. Not Hope. Not anyone If you're tired, you tell me. If you're overwhelmed, you tell me if you're hurt or anything, you tell me. But you don't lash out at a toddler who doesn't even understand what she did."
He leaned back, shaking his head.
"You owe her an apology. And you owe Owen one too. Because he had every right to defend her."
The truck stayed silent, no one spoke, Juno said nothing she scoffed a little and kept her focus on something else. "Whatever.. I'm sorry."
Mateo shook his head, he was done with her, he turned his head away and well.
Everyone was silent.
No one spoke. No one moved. The only sound was the truck's tires slamming through potholes as Ezekial drove on, unaware of what had happened in the back.
As the hours went on. The truck finally stopped. It has run out of gas, Ezekial pulled over to the side of the road. He got out and went to the back to knock on the roll door. Which Sebastian opened..
Ezekial could feel the tension but said nothing about it. "We need to keep moving on foot. We'll find a motel or some shit near."
He helped his wife and daughter down. The others got down, Mateo helped Ryan down to the ground and held him upright. They needed to get Ryans leg attended to..
The woman no one knew just stood away from everyone, she was now in this huh. Max stood beside his mother. Hunter was standing on his own, but he was wobbly, he held Ryans hand his hair falling in his face, Owen was holding hope, the blonde was still angry at Juno, his shoulders were tense.
"Let's get a move on.." Ezekial said and then they walked.
Ezekiel walked at the front, flashlight beam cutting a narrow path through the dark. His shoulders were stiff and he didn't know or hear what happened.. but he could tell it was bad. His wife walked beside him max and Jasmine did as well,
Mateo stayed close behind him, jaw tight, his grip tightened on Ryan slightly, bear limped beside them. He didn't look back. Not once.
Owen kept glancing at his baby sister. Usually, a bubbling stream of toddler noises, rested her head on Owen's shoulder, thumb in her mouth, eyes still red from earlier.
Juno felt it.
Every inch of it.
The chilly night air bit her skin, but the distance between her and the others stung worse. She walked a few paces behind, far enough that her footsteps didn't synchronize with theirs. Far enough that she couldn't pretend she was part of the group.
No one spoke to her.
No one looked at her.
No one slowed down for her.
The only sound was the wind moving through the trees and the steady rhythm of everyone else's boots, leaves fell from the trees, mist was still around but not bad now. Everything felt eerie.
At one point, Hope lifted her head sleepily and looked back. For a heartbeat, Juno thought maybe—the little girl would reach for her again.
But Hope tucked her face back into Owen's neck instead, making a babbling noise to him.
Juno swallowed hard and kept walking.
The service station lights flickered faintly in the distance, a broken glow in the dark. Ezekiel raised a hand, signaling the group to tighten formation.