Sam and Chloe’s Journey back to Safe Zone
Chloe broke the silence. "Sam… what if Alex made it back to the safe zone? What if he's waiting for us there?"
Sam looked into the fire, his jaw tightening. "I've thought about that. But what if he's not? What if Carter… what if he didn't make it?"
"We can't just stay here and do nothing," Chloe said firmly. "Mom always said to stick together, no matter what. If Alex is out there, he'll be looking for us."
Sam sighed, running a hand through his hair. "And if he's not at the safe zone? It's a long way back, Chloe. And it's dangerous."
"Then we leave him a message," Chloe said, her voice unwavering. "We write something he'll find. Like a note, or… or something big, so he knows we were there."
Sam considered her words. "That's risky. What if someone else finds it? Or the zombies?"
"But it's better than doing nothing!" Chloe insisted, her eyes glistening with tears. "He has to know we're alive, Sam. He has to know we're trying."
Sam nodded slowly, the weight of the decision settling over him. "Okay. We'll go back. We'll check the safe zone, leave a message if he's not there, and then… we'll figure out what's next."
Chloe smiled faintly, relief washing over her face. "Thank you."
Sam stood, grabbing a piece of charcoal from the fire. He scrawled a rough map on the dusty floor of the church, marking the route they'd take back to the safe zone.
"It won't be easy," he said. "But we'll make it."
Chloe nodded, determination shining in her eyes. "For Alex. For Mom."
The night in the church was eerily quiet, save for the occasional groan of a distant zombie or the rustling of the wind through broken windows. Sam and Chloe had blocked off every entrance they could find and huddled in the corner of a pew, using their backpacks as makeshift pillows.
"Do you think this place was always like this?" Chloe whispered, staring up at the crumbling ceiling, where the remnants of a stained-glass window let in shards of moonlight.
Sam glanced at her. "Like what?"
"Empty. Sad," she replied. "I mean… churches are supposed to be full of people, singing and praying. Not like this."
Sam sighed. "It's been years since anything's been like it's supposed to be."
Chloe was quiet for a moment before saying, "Do you think Alex prayed? Like, for us?"
Sam leaned back, staring at the dim, flickering light of their candle. "I don't know. But I think if Alex is out there, he's fighting for us just like we're fighting for him."
Chloe nodded, her eyelids growing heavy. "You're probably right. I hope he's okay."
"Me too," Sam murmured, his voice barely audible as Chloe's breathing evened out.
Sam stayed awake a little longer, staring into the dying flame and keeping his ears tuned for any sign of danger. The memories of what had happened weighed on him, but he pushed them down, determined to stay strong. Eventually, sleep overtook him.
When dawn broke, Sam woke Chloe, and the two quickly packed their things. The church was bathed in pale, gray light as they stepped outside. The cold air nipped at their skin, and the faint groans of zombies in the distance served as a grim reminder of the world they lived in.
"Let's move," Sam said, clutching his crowbar tightly.
The siblings retraced their steps, following the map Sam had sketched in the dirt. The city around them seemed to stretch forever, its ruins a labyrinth of broken streets and abandoned buildings. Hours passed, their progress marked by the constant need to stop and hide from roaming zombies.
By mid-afternoon, they reached a clearing where they could see the remnants of the bridge they'd once crossed with their mother. The sight made Sam's stomach turn.
"Almost there," he said, his voice strained. Chloe didn't respond, but he could see her limping slightly.
"You okay?" he asked, stopping to check on her.
"I'm fine," she insisted, though her scraped knee looked worse. "Let's just keep going."
They pressed on, finally spotting the familiar barricades of the safe zone in the distance as the sun dipped low in the sky. The sight brought both relief and dread this was where everything had fallen apart.
As they approached, Sam's steps slowed. His gaze fell to a patch of ground near the entrance, and he stopped dead in his tracks. Chloe followed his line of sight, her expression softening as she realized what he was looking at.
The bloodstain on the cracked pavement was still faintly visible. This was where their mother had fallen, the knife plunging into her stomach as she had shoved Sam out of Carter's way. The memory hit him like a punch to the gut her wide eyes locking with his, her mouth forming the words, "Run!" before she collapsed.
Sam clenched his fists, his knuckles white as he tried to keep his emotions in check. But the tears came anyway, hot and relentless, spilling down his cheeks. He turned away from Chloe, ashamed to let her see him cry.
"Sam…" Chloe's voice was soft as she stepped closer, placing a hand on his arm. "It's okay."
He shook his head, wiping his face roughly with his sleeve. "No, it's not. She shouldn't have… she didn't have to "
"She saved us," Chloe interrupted, her voice firm but kind. "She knew what she was doing. And we're still here because of her."
Sam let out a shaky breath, nodding but still unable to meet her gaze. He stared at the ground, his mind replaying that moment over and over.
Chloe knelt beside him, her own eyes brimming with tears. "Maybe Alex made it back here. Maybe he's inside, waiting for us."
Sam looked up at her, the faintest glimmer of hope cutting through his grief. "You really think so?"
Chloe nodded. "Yeah. And if he's not… we'll leave him a message. Like we planned."
Sam took a deep breath, forcing himself to stand. "Okay. Let's check."
They approached the barricades cautiously, their eyes scanning for any movement. The safe zone, once teeming with life, now seemed desolate. The makeshift gates were ajar, swinging lazily in the wind.
"Stay close," Sam whispered, leading the way inside.
The place was eerily quiet, the streets lined with abandoned tents and overturned crates. A chill ran down Sam's spine as he realized just how empty it was.
"Do you see anything?" Chloe asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
"No," Sam said, gripping his crowbar tighter.
As they moved forward, Chloe spotted movement in one of the windows of the building.
"Sam! Look!" she said, pointing.
Sam's heart leaped as he recognized Alex's silhouette. "We made it."
They ran the final stretch, bursting through the door and into the room where Alex and a strange girl were sitting.
"Miss us?" Sam said, his voice cracking with relief.
Alex stared at them, stunned, before pulling both of them into a tight embrace. Chloe, for once, didn't complain.
"I thought I lost you," Alex said, his voice heavy with emotion.
"You're stuck with us," Chloe replied, smirking. "Forever."
And they collapsed in his arms as the last days of struggle and hardship hit them.