I woke up with a stomach ache. Slowly opening my eyes, I stared at the scarlet sunset, warm rays caressed my face, but inside I felt only cold.

My whole body ached. And the ongoing nightmare only worsened my well-being.

Shuddering at the memory, I bit my lip and frowned, trying to drive away the nightmarish visions.

[And why can't time be turned back?]

"Do you remember your promise" the neighbor suddenly raised his voice, forcing me to drive away these thoughts.

Digging up a recent conversation in my head, I replied with a muted agreement

"Live." he finished his short monologue.

The rest of the road passed in silence, one day we came across a fallen tree in the middle of the road, but an experienced neighbor had a cordless saw in the trunk, so it didn't take long to solve the problem.

City after city I watched the scorched panoramas of lifeless ruins, the remnants of warmth and comfort were destroyed by unprecedented force.

The radio was silent, and the neighbor became worried that the worst could be expected at night, and began to inspect the area in search of a place to sleep.

Sunset was approaching, and Mr. Mark turned into a gas station, which for some reason remained untouched.

Getting out of the car, the neighbor nodded in the direction of a one-story building and said:

"See if there are any tunnels nearby and untouched rooms inside while I fill the gas cans."

Nodding in response, I trotted around the perimeter as best I could, finding nothing outside, hurried back to the building. Inside there were fallen shelves with food, an open cash register with change and a bloody path leading somewhere deeper. Clutching the bat with sweaty hands, I froze and looked around the spacious room.

Silence.

Not knowing what to do, I followed a winding trail of blood that stretched left and right. Stepping through the mud with the soft soles of my sneakers, I went quite far from the entrance and saw a staircase leading down.

[Basement?]

Knowing about the tunnels, I was surprised and at the same time determined.

Maybe these creatures made a tunnel under the gas station.

But contrary to my expectations, at the end I saw a pool of blood under the door with the inscription "Entry to outsiders is strictly prohibited."

Swallowing, I shifted the bat from hand to hand, ready to smash the head of anyone who might be potentially dangerous. I tried to open the door carefully and listened, but a natural click told me that it was not locked.

I tried to push with all my might, but the door wouldn't budge, frowning, I tried to push even harder, but it was all in vain.

I was just about to put the bat on the floor when I heard a rustle behind me. Scared, I almost hit my neighbor with a bat from a U-turn, to which he cursed loudly and caught the bat with his hand.

I mumbled an apology and nodded towards the door:

"The room is not locked, but something prevents me from opening it."

"Have you looked anywhere else? Maybe there are other rooms?" skeptically examining a pool of blood, the neighbor responded.

"No, I was following a blood trail."

"Then let's look at other places and..." looking at his wristwatch, he sighed heavily.

After looking at the flimsy door of another room, namely the service toilet, he soon gave up and shook his head.