A New Destination

The morning sunlight filtered through the narrow gaps in the shelter's thick walls, illuminating the space with a muted glow. Alex and Kaia sat near a small fire they'd built in what used to be a secure operations room. The faint scent of their meager breakfast—a mix of canned beans and stale crackers—lingered in the air.

The atmosphere was quieter than the day before, the earlier tension between them softened by a shared purpose. Kaia glanced at Alex as she finished her food, her eyes flicking toward the sturdy walls around them.

"This place is better than most," she said, gesturing to the reinforced concrete and metal framework. "A military base, right?"

Alex nodded. "Yeah. Probably abandoned early on. Looks like it was a fallback point that didn't last."

Kaia traced a finger along the edge of the table they were sitting at. "Solid structure, though. It's not crumbling like some of the places I've seen."

"No," Alex agreed. "But it still needs work if we're going to stay here. Some of the doors are busted, and we need to secure the perimeter."

Kaia nodded thoughtfully. "I saw some supplies in one of the storage rooms last night—wire, tools, things like that. Could come in handy."

Alex raised an eyebrow. "You planning to fix this place up?"

She shrugged. "Better than sitting around waiting for something to find us."

They started by inspecting the base room by room. The interior was still mostly intact, though layers of dust coated everything. Kaia found a set of rusted tools in a storage closet, and Alex unearthed several rolls of concertina wire that could be repurposed for securing the outer perimeter.

"Military grade," Alex muttered, running a hand along the wire. "This'll keep most things out."

Kaia grinned. "Good. Let's set it up."

Outside, they worked together to reinforce the perimeter. Alex anchored the wire to the steel posts that still stood around the edges of the shelter's exterior, while Kaia unwound the rolls, her movements quick and efficient.

"Done this before?" Alex asked, glancing at her as they worked.

Kaia smirked. "Something like it. You?"

"Enough times," he replied.

Inside the base, they turned their attention to the broken interior doors. Most were heavy metal, but the locking mechanisms had rusted or broken over time. Alex found a crowbar and used it to force one particularly stubborn door back into place. Kaia stood beside him, holding a flashlight steady.

"Not bad," she said as the door finally swung shut with a metallic clang.

"Better than nothing," Alex replied, testing the makeshift latch they'd fashioned from spare parts.

They moved to the next room—a former barracks lined with empty bunks. Kaia stripped the dusty mattresses from a few of them and dragged them into the main room where they'd set up camp.

"This'll make it more comfortable," she said, wiping sweat from her brow.

Alex nodded. "Let's clear out the rest of the junk. No point in leaving clutter lying around."

By mid-afternoon, the base felt less like a relic of the past and more like a place they could truly defend. They'd cleared the debris from the hallways, blocked off unstable sections, and even managed to rig up a barricade for the main entrance.

Kaia stood back, surveying their work with a satisfied expression. "Not bad for a day's effort."

Alex leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "It's functional. For now."

Kaia shot him a look. "You always this optimistic?"

Alex's lips quirked into the faintest hint of a smile. "Depends on the company."

Kaia laughed softly, her gaze lingering on the reinforced entrance. "Well, at least we won't have to sleep with one eye open tonight."

"Don't get too comfortable," Alex warned, though his tone lacked its usual edge.

Kaia raised an eyebrow, but instead of retorting, she simply nodded. "Fair enough. But admit it—we make a good team."

Alex didn't respond immediately. He looked around the shelter, noting the improvements they'd made together. "Yeah," he said finally. "We do."

As the sun dipped lower in the sky, casting long shadows across the shelter's sturdy walls, Alex and Kaia settled down near their small fire once again. This time, the silence between them was less about mistrust and more about mutual respect.

"We'll keep working on this place tomorrow," Alex said, breaking the quiet.

Kaia nodded. "Sounds like a plan. But first, I'm getting some sleep. I'm dead on my feet."

Alex smirked faintly. "You're not the only one."

The next morning, Alex and Kaia finished their modest meal. Alex leaned back against the wall, his gaze fixed on the map spread out before him. The faint sunlight streaming through the cracks illuminated its weathered surface, highlighting a few marked points of interest.

Breaking the silence, Alex glanced up at Kaia. "We're running low on supplies and we also need to continue to reinforce the shelter," he said bluntly. "We'll need to go out and restock soon. Do you know of any locations nearby worth checking out, as you are more accustomed to this zone? Something within a day's reach, maybe less."

Kaia hesitated, her fork pausing mid-air. For a moment, she seemed lost in thought, her brows furrowed slightly. Alex noticed the subtle tension in her posture, the way her fingers tightened just slightly around the utensil.

"There's… a place," she said finally, her voice quieter than usual. "Not too far from here. A church."

Alex raised an eyebrow, studying her carefully. "A church?" he repeated, his tone even.

Kaia nodded, setting her fork down and avoiding his gaze. "Yeah. I came across it a while back. It's a little run-down, but it looked like there might be something left inside. Shelves, maybe storage… I didn't get close enough to check properly."

Her words were steady, but Alex caught the slight tremor in her voice. She was nervous. Maybe even scared. He didn't press her on it, though. Instead, he nodded thoughtfully, pretending not to notice.

"Alright," he said after a moment. "A church could work. Usually, people don't think of searching for places like that. Less competition, more chance of finding something useful."

Kaia relaxed slightly, though her unease didn't entirely disappear.

"Good," Alex continued, folding up the map. "We'll head there as soon as we're ready. But if there's something I should know about this place, you'll tell me, right?"

Kaia glanced at him, her expression unreadable. "Yeah," she said simply.

Alex didn't push further. He figured whatever was bothering her would come out eventually. For now, they had a destination—and that was all that mattered.

The journey to the church was tense. The sun was setting, painting the sky with hues of orange and purple, as Alex and Kaia trudged through the uneven terrain. Halfway there, an eerie sound pierced the air--a whistle, deep and resonant, like a twisted symphony of metal grinding against glass. 

Kaia froze mid-step, her body trembling slightly. Her hand instinctively reached for the bracelet on her wrist. She clenched her jaw, trying to suppress the visible fear that gripped her.

 Alex noticed immediately. "Are you okay?" he asked, his voice calm but laced with concern. 

"Yeah," Kaia replied, her voice shaky. She avoided his gaze and added hastily, "Let's just keep moving. We need to get there before nightfall." 

Alex studied her for a moment sensing there was more to her unease than she let on, but he nodded and pressed forward without pressing her further. As they reached the church, Alex stopped to take in the unsettling scene before them. The church was surrounded by a dilapidated electric fence, its once-formidable barriers now torn in places. Scattered around the perimeter were charred animal carcasses, their remains twisted in unnatural shapes. Dozens of military aid tents dotted the area, their fabrics ripped and stained with blood. A nauseating stench of decay hung in the air, and deep claw marks gouged the ground as if something inhuman had prowled through recently. Beyond the churchyard loomed a wild, dense forest, untouched by man. Its dark canopy seemed to swallow the last rays of sunlight, casting an ominous shadow over the scene 

Kaia took a deep breath, visibly steeling herself. Alex glanced at her briefly before speaking. "We'll split up," he said. "Check the tents and see what you can find. Be careful." 

Kaia nodded silently and moved in one direction, while Alex headed in another. As Alex rummaged through a military crate, he hit the jackpot: sealed containers filled with food, ammunition, medical supplies, and even seeds for planting crops. "This is exactly what we needed," he muttered, his spirits lifting slightly 

Kaia, on the other hand, wandered toward a parked SUV partially hidden behind one of the tents. The vehicle's back was loaded with supplies, but the driver's seat was occupied by a long-dead soldier, his body mangled and decayed. She froze, the sight making her stomach churn. Alex!" she called out, her voice shaking 

Alex jogged over, carrying a crate of supplies. "What's wrong?" 

"Take a look," she said, pointing at the SUV. 

Alex peeked inside and immediately recoiled. "Ugh, that's disgusting. 

Kaia crossed her arms. "Well, someone's got to get him out if we want the car." 

They looked at each other, then at the soldier, then back at each other."You do it," Kaia said quickly. 

"Me? Why me?" Alex protested. 

"You're the one with the brilliant idea to bring the SUV, Kaia countered, smirking faintly. 

Alex sighed, it's not fair. I propose something to be fair to both of us.

What she asked. Alex smirked and said. "Rock, paper, scissors?" 

Kaia nodded, and they played. On the third count, Alex's rock lost to Kaia's paper. 

"Damn it, he muttered, stepping forward reluctantly As Alex approached the SUV, he hesitated, his pulse quickening. He opened the door slowly, the creak of the hinges echoing in the eerie silence. The soldier's body was slumped over, held in place by the seatbelt. 

"Alright, just stay dead, Alex whispered to himself as he reached for the buckle. 

The moment he unlatched the belt the soldier's head snapped up, his eyes clouded and his jaw unhinging with a guttural growl. "Shit!" Alex yelled, stumbling backward and falling onto his back. The zombie lunged, its decayed hands clawing at him. 

Before Alex could react further Kaia sprang into action. Her bracelet glowed faintly as she activated her agility enhancement. In a blur of motion, she drew a blade from her belt and decapitated the zombie in one clean strike, its head rolling to the ground as its body collapsed lifelessly. 

Kaia turned and extended a hand to Alex, helping him to his feet. "You okay?" "Yeah," Alex panted, brushing dirt off himself. "Thanks. I owe you one. " 

"No problem, she replied with a smirk. "But next time, maybe you will not lose at rock, paper, scissors." 

Alex chuckled despite himself, then turned back to the SUV. Pulling the body out completely, he checked the ignition and found the keys still inside. "Fuel tank's full," he announced, relieved. "This might be our lucky day"

 As they began loading the supplies into the SUV, a sudden noise made them freeze. The sound of dry branches snapping underfoot echoed from the nearby forest. 

Both Alex and Kaia turned toward the noise, their bodies tense. 

"What was that?" Alex whispered 

Kaia gripped her blade tightly. " don't know, but stay alert." 

They waited in silence, the tension thick enough to cut with a knife. Suddenly, a rabbit darted out of the bushes, hopping past them. Both of them let out relieved sighs before bursting into laughter, the absurdity of their fear sinking in. 

"Really? A rabbit?" Kaia said between laughs. 

Alex shook his head, still chuckling "I think we need a break." 

But their laughter died in their throats as a zombified mountain lion leaped from the shadows, its rotting form landing on the rabbit and tearing it apart. The grotesque predator turned its glowing eyes toward them, letting out a bloodcurdling roar. Alex and Kaia exchanged a glance, their humor replaced by dread. "Looks like our luck just ran out," Alex muttered, readying himself for a fight