chapter 11

Chapter 11: Respite in City S

After a grueling 10-hour drive, the team finally arrived in City S. Exhausted but relieved, they decided to take a well-deserved break. Derick suggested they rest for about 30 minutes before venturing out to scavenge for supplies.

As they settled in, Madison turned to Derick and said, "Dad, I think we should search for supplies after resting for a bit. We don't know what kind of situation we'll face out there."

Derick nodded in agreement. "You're right, kiddo. We'll rest for a bit, and then we'll split into separate teams to search for supplies. Marcus, what do you think? Should we focus on food, water, or medical supplies?"

As they arrived at the mall, Marcus outlined their plan of action. "Elise and I will search for medical supplies, while Derick and Madison scour the area for food and water. Meanwhile, Anita and Mark will keep watch from the car."

With their strategy in place, the group stepped out of the vehicle, and Elise distributed firearms and knives among them. As she handed out the weapons from her space, Marcus's eyes widened in surprise, followed by a look of admiration. Elise met his gaze, searching for any sign of distrust or ulterior motives, but found none.

With their weapons at the ready, the group cautiously entered the mall. As they ventured deeper into the deserted corridors, they stumbled upon a group of survivors. The desperate individuals, who had been stranded in the mall, mistook them for government rescuers.

"Are you here to save us?" a woman cried out, her voice laced with desperation.

A man with a pockmarked face stepped forward, his eyes gleaming with a mixture of desperation and entitlement. "If you're here to help, then give us some food! We're starving!" he demanded.

Madison attempted to reason with them, "We're not here to rescue you. We're survivors, just like you. We're trying to find our own food and supplies."

But the crowd refused to listen. "You must have some food on you," a gaunt woman insisted, her eyes scanning their bags. "Give us some! You can't just leave us to starve."

A burly man stepped forward, his face twisted in a scowl. "Yeah, if you're not going to help us, then what's the point of you being here?"

The crowd's demands grew more aggressive, their voices rising in a cacophony of desperation and anger. Elise's expression turned cold, her disdain for the crowd's behavior evident. She sneered, repulsed by their inability to fend for themselves, yet eager to exploit others through emotional manipulation.

Elise whispered urgent instructions to her group. "Move forward, don't look back. If anyone crosses the line, take them down." She turned to her father and Madison. "Dad, Madison, head to the food section. Find the key to the warehouse and wait for us to bring the goods."

Her father nodded, his expression grim. "Got it."

Elise's gaze locked onto his. "Kill if you have to, Dad."

With a curt nod, she signaled Marcus, and they parted ways to complete their tasks.

As they separated, one of the survivors made a desperate lunge for Elise's Mountaineer bag. But before he could grab it, Elise chuckled, a cold smirk spreading across her face. "Useless," she mouthed, pulling the trigger of her gun.

The survivor cried out in agony as Elise's bullet struck his arm. The other survivors stood frozen in shock, unable to react as they watched their companion writhe in pain.

Elise's laughter echoed through the mall as she taunted the survivors. "You want to snatch my bag? Be my guest. I'll give you a free ride to hell."

With that, Elise turned and walked away, her group following closely behind as they split up to complete their tasks.

As they navigated through the deserted streets, Elise and Marcus moved stealthily towards the pharmacy, taking down zombies along the way. Elise paused after each kill, carefully extracting the core from the zombie's brain.

Upon arriving at the pharmacy, they exercised caution, scanning the area for any signs of zombies or survivors. After a thorough search, they concluded that the pharmacy was empty.

Marcus hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "Elise, I need to tell you something."

Elise's eyes narrowed slightly. "What is it?"

Marcus took a deep breath. "I have a space, thunder, and spirit abilities. I didn't mention it earlier because I didn't want to scare you."

Instead of anger or fear, Elise's expression revealed a hint of surprise, admiration, and envy. "Marcus, I'm happy for you," she said, her voice genuine.

Marcus felt a wave of relief wash over him. He had been worried that Elise would react negatively, but instead, she seemed to appreciate his unique abilities.

As they stood there, Marcus couldn't help but wonder if this was the perfect opportunity to confess his feelings to Elise. But he quickly pushed the thought aside, fearing that she might think him a pervert, given their short acquaintance.

Elise's voice broke the silence, bringing Marcus back to reality. "Marcus, we'll be splitting the supplies 60-40. We have more people in our group, and you and Mark are the only ones in yours. I hope you don't mind."

Marcus offered a reassuring smile. "No worries, Elise. It's fine. We'll continue searching for supplies until we reach the base. The ratio doesn't matter."

As he spoke, Marcus made a conscious effort to soften his tone, ensuring that Elise felt at ease.

"Okay, Marcus," Elise said, storing her share of supplies in her space. She nodded for Marcus to do the same, her eyes scanning the surrounding area with a growing sense of unease.

"Marcus, can you use your spirit ability to survey the area?" Elise asked, her hand instinctively reaching for her weapon. "I feel something dangerous approaching."

Marcus's eyes narrowed, his senses on high alert. "It's coming, Elise. Be careful."

Just as Marcus spoke, a loud boom shook the pharmacy door, sending it crashing open. A level 2 zombie, its eyes blazing with fury, stormed into the pharmacy, wielding fire powers.

Marcus reacted swiftly, pulling Elise into a tight hug as he dodged the zombie's initial attack. He then pushed Elise to a safe corner, his eyes locked onto the zombie.

With a deep breath, Marcus summoned his newly awakened thunder powers. A bolt of electricity crackled through the air, striking the zombie with incredible force. The zombie's flames were extinguished, its body convulsing as it stumbled backwards.

Marcus stood tall, his chest heaving with exertion, as he kept a wary eye on the zombie. Elise joined him, her weapon still at the ready.

"Thanks for saving me back there," Elise said, her voice low and sincere.

Marcus smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Anytime, Elise. We're in this together."

Elise approached the zombie's lifeless body and carefully extracted the core. Once she had it, she turned to Marcus and offered it to him. "Here, take it. It will strengthen your abilities."

Marcus hesitated, unsure if he should accept the core. However, Elise's unwavering gaze left no room for refusal.

"Thanks, Elise," Marcus said, taking the core from her.

Elise nodded, a thoughtful expression on her face. "Thunder power is really something. Although it's newly awakened, it can already take down a level 2 zombie."

Marcus felt a slight flush rise to his cheeks, but he quickly composed himself.

"We should get to Dad and Madison," Elise said, her voice tinged with urgency. "If there's a level 2 zombie here, there might be others."

With that, Elise set off towards the food section, Marcus following closely behind her.