Flickering embers

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The quiet after the fight in the diner was fleeting. Their escape from the infected had been harrowing, but Lily knew there was no time to rest. Every corner of Astraea seemed to hold a new nightmare, and they were running out of places to hide.

Luka led the way, his footsteps calculated and deliberate as they maneuvered through a maze of narrow streets. The blood on his blade glistened faintly under the moonlight, a grim reminder of their encounter. Behind him, Dante kept his shotgun at the ready, his easy grin replaced by a tight-lipped focus. Hana trailed close to Lily, her breathing uneven, and her eyes darting nervously at every sound.

"We need to find shelter for the night," Luka said quietly, his voice barely carrying over the soft rustling of the wind.

"There's an old auto shop a few blocks south," Dante offered, his voice low. "I saw it on the way to the pharmacy. Might still have a working lock."

"Good enough," Luka replied.

They pressed on, their pace steady despite the exhaustion weighing on their limbs. The air felt heavier now, as if the city itself was holding its breath. Lily's grip on her weapon tightened with each step, her eyes scanning for movement in the darkness.

After several tense minutes, the auto shop came into view. Its weathered sign hung askew, and the large garage door was partially caved in. Luka motioned for them to stop, then gestured for Dante to check the perimeter.

"I'll take a look inside," Luka said, glancing at Lily. "Stay with Hana and keep watch."

Lily nodded, watching as Luka slipped into the shadows. Hana edged closer to her, trembling.

"Do you think it's safe?" Hana whispered, her voice barely audible.

"It's never safe," Lily said, her tone blunt but not unkind. "But Luka knows what he's doing. Trust him."

Hana nodded, though her unease was palpable.

Minutes passed before Luka reappeared, his expression calm but firm. "It's clear. Let's move."

Inside, the auto shop was a mess of rusted tools, overturned shelves, and broken glass. The air smelled of oil and decay, but it was quiet—a rare blessing. Luka secured the door while Dante dragged a metal shelf in front of the broken garage entrance.

"Not perfect," Dante muttered, wiping sweat from his brow. "But it'll hold for now."

Lily sank onto an old workbench, her muscles aching. Hana hesitated before sitting beside her, her hands clenched tightly in her lap.

"Thank you," Hana said after a long silence. "For saving me back there."

Lily glanced at her, surprised by the sincerity in her voice. "You don't need to thank us. We're just trying to survive, same as you."

Hana looked down, her shoulders slumping. "I wasn't sure I wanted to survive anymore… until tonight."

The vulnerability in Hana's voice stirred something in Lily. She had seen so much loss, so much pain, that it was easy to forget what hope looked like.

"Surviving isn't easy," Lily said softly. "But if you give up, you let this world win. Don't let it take more from you than it already has."

Hana nodded, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

Luka cleared his throat, drawing their attention. "We'll take shifts tonight. Lily, you're with me first. Dante, you and Hana rest. We'll switch in a few hours."

Dante flopped onto the floor with a groan, propping his shotgun beside him. "Wake me up if the infected find us. Or don't. I could use the sleep either way."

Hana hesitated, then curled up in the corner, her back against the wall. It wasn't long before her breathing evened out, exhaustion claiming her.

Luka moved to stand near the boarded-up window, his gaze fixed on the dark streets outside. Lily joined him, her weapon resting in her lap.

"You think she'll make it?" Lily asked quietly, nodding toward Hana.

"She's scared," Luka said. "But fear can be a powerful motivator. If she wants to survive, she'll find a way."

"And if she doesn't?"

Luka's jaw tightened. "Then it's on us to make sure she doesn't drag us down with her."

Lily frowned, but she didn't argue. Luka was pragmatic, sometimes brutally so, but he was right. In this world, trust was a gamble, and the stakes were life and death.

The hours passed in heavy silence, broken only by the occasional creak of the building settling. Lily found herself thinking about the camp they were trying to return to. It wasn't much—a collection of makeshift shelters and half-broken walls—but it was home. The thought of seeing familiar faces again kept her going, even when the weight of survival felt unbearable.

"Do you ever wonder if it's worth it?" she asked suddenly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Luka glanced at her, his brow furrowing. "What do you mean?"

"Fighting so hard to stay alive. Losing people. Watching everything fall apart over and over again."

Luka was quiet for a moment, his gaze distant. "Sometimes. But then I think about the people we've saved. The lives we've protected. It doesn't erase the losses, but it gives them meaning."

Lily nodded, though she wasn't sure she completely agreed. Meaning felt like a luxury in a world that had taken so much.

Their conversation was interrupted by a faint noise outside—a soft shuffling, almost imperceptible. Luka tensed, his hand tightening on his knife.

"Did you hear that?" he whispered.

Lily nodded, her heart rate spiking. She stood slowly, her weapon ready.

The noise grew louder, closer. It wasn't the erratic movements of the infected; it was deliberate, calculated.

"Stay here," Luka said, his voice low. "I'll check it out."

"No way," Lily shot back. "We stick together."

Luka hesitated but nodded, leading the way toward the door. They moved as silently as shadows, every step measured.

Outside, the moon cast long, eerie shadows across the street. The noise had stopped, leaving an unsettling stillness in its wake.

"Could be scavengers," Luka murmured. "Or worse."

Lily scanned the area, her eyes narrowing. "There," she whispered, pointing to a figure crouched near a pile of rubble.

The figure was cloaked in darkness, their movements careful and precise. They weren't infected—that much was clear. Luka motioned for Lily to stay back as he crept closer, his knife glinting faintly in the moonlight.

Before he could reach the figure, they stood abruptly, turning to face him. The faint light revealed a man, his face gaunt but sharp, his eyes glinting with intelligence. He held a makeshift spear, its tip aimed at Luka.

"Not a step closer," the man warned, his voice steady.

"We don't want trouble," Luka said evenly. "Who are you?"

The man smirked, though it didn't reach his eyes. "Just a survivor, like you. Name's Cal. And you?"

Luka didn't answer, his posture remaining defensive.

Cal chuckled. "Fair enough. Look, I'm not here to fight. I've been tracking those infected that were on your tail. Figured you could use a heads-up—they're regrouping."

Luka's expression darkened. "How many?"

"Dozens," Cal said. "Maybe more. They're getting smarter, working together. You're lucky I got their attention off you, but they won't stay distracted for long."

Lily stepped forward, her weapon raised. "Why help us?"

Cal shrugged. "Let's just say I've got my own reasons for wanting to see those things wiped out. Besides, you look like the kind of group that knows how to handle itself. Could use people like you on my side."

Luka exchanged a glance with Lily, his eyes narrowing. "We'll think about it."

Cal nodded, his smirk returning. "Fair enough. I'll be around. Just follow the trail of dead infected if you change your mind."

With that, he disappeared into the shadows, leaving Luka and Lily standing in tense silence.

"We can't trust him," Lily said firmly.

"I know," Luka replied. "But if he's telling the truth, we've got bigger problems."

They returned to the auto shop, their minds heavy with the implications of Cal's warning. The infected were evolving, becoming more organized. And if Cal's offer was genuine, they might need his help to stand a chance.

For now, all they could do was prepare for what was to come. The flickering embers of hope and survival burned within them, fragile but unyielding.