The truck moved slowly along dark roads that were barely visible because of the lights that illuminated a few meters ahead. The otmosphere around us was filled with silence and tension, hoping not to be discovered by the ghouls, sometimes I could only hear the roar of the engine and the creaking of the branches under the wheels. We didn't know when or where the ghouls might appear again, but one thing was clear: we couldn't go back. We had managed to escape thanks to everyone, but they were our biggest threat. We had to be extremely careful, every movement, every sound, could be the difference between life and death.

Sam kept his hands firm on the wheel, his eyes scanning the road for any sign of danger. Adell, sitting next to me, was breathing heavily, his hands still shaking and stained with dried blood. I, in the back seat, clung to the golf club, feeling the weight of the adrenaline begin to give way, leaving me completely exhausted. Sweat and fear permeated the interior of the vehicle, mixing with the scent of gasoline and earth.

"Where are we going?" Adell asked, his voice cracked but filled with a desperate need for answers.

"Far from here," Sam replied, his voice firm but full of tension. "A few miles ahead, there's an old hospital. There might be supplies, medicine… something to help us survive."

The truck's engine roared, a sound that under any other circumstances would have been comforting, but now it only reminded us of how exposed we were. Every curve, every bump in the road, made us hold our breath, expecting the worst. The darkness outside the truck kept me tense, as if the world had swallowed every trace of light. The trees rose like giant shadows, their twisted branches seeming to try to reach us.

"Sam…" I started to say, but the words caught in my throat, mixed with fear and uncertainty.

"I know," Sam said, as if he could read my mind. "I know, Rebecca. But we can't stop. Not now. If we do, we might alert the ghouls."

I nodded, even though I knew she couldn't see me. I stared out the window, watching the trees blur into the darkness, their elongated shadows dancing in the moonlight. The night was a little cold, the atmosphere heavy and eerie, only interrupted by the sound of the engine and our own gasps.

Suddenly, Sam slammed on the brakes, causing us all to lean forward. My hands gripped the front seat, and Adell let out a gasp.

"What's wrong?" I asked, my voice shaking.

"There," Sam said, nodding forward. "Do you see it?"

In the darkness, barely visible under the headlights, was a figure. It wasn't a ghoul, at least it didn't look like one. It was a person, staggering in the middle of the road, as if injured or disoriented. Its silhouette was barely fissile, ghostly, and for a moment I doubted whether it was real or I was just being fooled by my own delusions.

"What do we do?" Adell asked, her voice filled with uncertainty.

Sam hesitated for a moment, her fingers tightening on the steering wheel. Then, with a sigh, she opened the door and got out of the truck.

"Sam, no," I protested, but she was already walking toward the figure.

"Stay here," Sam ordered, her voice firm. "If anything goes wrong, pull away and don't look back."

Adell and I looked at each other, but didn't say anything. We knew there was no other option. Sam approached the figure cautiously, his bat ready in case it was needed.

"Are you okay?" Sam asked, his voice calm but full of caution.

The figure slowly turned, revealing the face of a young woman, probably around Adell's age. She was covered in blood and dirt, her eyes glassy and filled with fear. Her breathing was ragged, as if she were about to collapse.

"Please…" the woman murmured, her voice barely audible. "Help me…"

Sam reached out a hand, helping the woman to her feet. He held her firmly, but carefully, as if he was afraid she would collapse at any moment.

"Come on," Sam said, leading the woman toward the truck. "You're safe now."

The woman didn't say anything, just let herself be led, her steps unsteady. Sam helped her into the backseat, where I stepped aside to make room for her.

"Who is it?" "I don't know," Adell said, his voice filled with curiosity and concern.

"I don't know," Sam replied, climbing back into the driver's seat. "But we can't just leave her here, otherwise she'll just end up as ghoul food."

I nodded, though a part of me wondered if we were making the right decision. The woman seemed harmless, but in this world, you never knew. You had to be careful even around your own family, let alone a stranger.

"What's your name?" I asked, trying to ease some of the tension that had built up.

The woman looked at me, her eyes filled with tears.

"Elena," she said, her voice shaking. "My name is Elena."

"You're safe now, Elena," I said, trying to calm her. "What happened?"

Elena looked down, her hands shaking.

"They… they came in the night," she began, her voice cracking. "The ghouls… they killed everyone… my family… my friends… I… I escaped…"

Sam and I exchanged a look, knowing all too well what Elena was feeling. We'd been through a similar situation. We'd lost people we loved overnight. We'd survived, but at a terrible cost.

"Rest," I said, placing a hand on her head. "You're safe now."

Elena nodded, but said nothing more. She leaned back in her seat, closing her eyes, as if just being here was enough to exhaust her.

Sam put the truck back in gear, and we continued down the dark trail. The night seemed endless, every minute fraught with tension. But at least for now, we were alive. And that was all that mattered.

***

『Samantha』

I drove in silence, lost in my own thoughts. Elena dozed in the backseat, her breathing irregular but steady. Adell stared out the window, his eyes lost in the darkness. Rebecca gripped the golf club tighter, I could feel tiredness starting to take over, but I knew I couldn't let myself sleep. Not yet. We had to move on, the ghouls were barely visible but once we stopped, they would attack.

"How much longer are you going to drive?" Adell asked, breaking the silence.

"Until we find a safe place," I answered quickly, my voice tired but firm.

The ghouls could appear at any moment, and we had no way of knowing if we were truly safe. But fatigue was beginning to set in, and I knew we couldn't keep going like this for long. We had to find a place to spend the night and keep moving at dawn.

"We need to find a place to rest, just for a few hours," Rebecca said softly. "We need to regain our strength."

"You're right," I said. "But we have to be careful. We can't let our guard down. The night is the realm of those beasts."

I continued driving for a while longer, until we finally found a small abandoned building on the side of the road. It looked like a gas station, but it was in ruins, the windows broken and the doors wide open. The place looked like it had been ransacked a long time ago, and the air smelled of mold and rot.

"There," Rebecca said, pointing toward the building. "We can check it out quickly and see if it's safe."

I parked the truck next to the building, and we cautiously climbed out. I grabbed my bat and walked to the front of the group. Rebecca was carrying a golf club, and Adell was holding a knife he had found in the glove compartment. Elena stayed in the truck, still too weak to move.

We entered the building, checking every corner for any sign of danger. Fortunately, it seemed to be empty. The shelves were empty, the floor was covered in debris and broken glass. The place was gloomy, and every step we took echoed in the silence.

"It seems safe," Rebecca said, though her voice didn't sound entirely convinced. "We can stay here and rest for a few hours."

I nodded, feeling tiredness begin to take over me. Adell and I sat on the floor, leaning against the wall, while Rebecca went to find Elena. After we all gathered, I stayed near the entrance, keeping watch.

"Sleep," Rebecca said, her voice soft and delicate. "I'll stay awake."

I didn't argue. I knew I needed to rest, even if it was just for a little while. I closed my eyes, and sleep overtook me almost immediately.

***

When I woke up, the sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon, tinting the sky in shades of orange and pink. Rebecca was still in the doorway, her stick leaning against the wall, but her eyes were closed. She seemed to be sleeping, though I knew she wasn't.

Adell was still sleeping beside me, his breathing calm and steady. Elena was, still sleeping. I got up carefully, trying not to make any noise, and approached Rebecca.

"Are you okay?" I asked quietly.

Rebecca opened her eyes as a result, looking at me with a tired but alert expression.

"Yeah," she said, her voice hoarse. "I was just resting my eyes."

I nodded, knowing there was no need to say more. We stayed silent for a moment, watching the sun begin to light up the landscape.

"What are we going to do now?" Rebecca asked.

I looked at her, letting out a sigh, running a hand over my face.

"I was planning on keeping going until I found medicine for Adell," I said. "But after that… I don't know. I just want to find a quiet place and settle down."

Rebecca stared at me and didn't say a word.

"Let's go wake the others up," I said quickly.

Rebecca nodded, and together we woke Adell and Elena. The four of us left the building, climbing back into the truck. The sun was already high in the sky, illuminating the road ahead of us.