Chapter 3: Surviving the Unknown

Part 1: Life on the Run

Sajid pushed the barricade forward with Khalid and Majid flanking him. The cart scraped against the broken pavement of the hardware store's entrance, screeching like a flare in the stillness. Every snarl from the infected grew louder, their bodies pressed against the cart's frame, trying to claw their way in.

"Hold steady," Khalid ordered, gritting his teeth as the weight of the cart forced him to lean into it.

"They're breaking through!" Majid growled, swinging his bat to slam an infected hand reaching through the gap. It recoiled with a sickening snap, but more shoved forward, taking its place.

"Now!" Sajid bellowed. He kicked the cart outward, throwing the barricade off-balance and creating a narrow opening through the horde. The infected stumbled forward, disoriented for a split second, before lunging.

"Go, move!" Sajid roared.

The family spilled out in a single surge, a tightly packed group with no room for error.

Shazia pushed Zaid, Shawaiz, and Shamir ahead of her, her eyes darting as she tried to keep up with her sons. "Stay close to each other!" she ordered, her voice taut with fear.

"Don't worry about us, Ammi," Zaid called back, holding a hammer in one hand as he led the way alongside Shawaiz, who clutched his rebar weapon tightly. "You focus on the little ones!"

"We've got this," Shamir added with a cheeky grin, cracking a metal pole against the pavement as though practicing. "Relax, Ammi. Zaid and I can out-zombie these losers any day."

"That's exactly what worries me," Shazia muttered under her breath as she shoved through the narrow gap between Sajid and the infected horde, flanking Maryam and the younger kids.

At the center, Aysha clutched Mohid tightly while pulling Afeef forward with her free hand. "Keep moving, Afeef!" she urged. Her voice was firm but kind, though fear flashed in her eyes with every snarl around them.

"I'm trying!" Afeef whimpered, stumbling over a pothole before catching himself.

"Stay with me," Aysha said sharply. "Both of you, don't let go of my hand. Do you hear me?"

Ahead of them, Muhammad strode like a one-man wall, his knife flashing in the dim light as he led the charge. Mehmood stayed inches behind him, clutching the back of Muhammad's shirt like a lifeline.

"Just look at me, Mehmood," Muhammad said without turning back. His voice was low, sharp. "Don't look at them. Don't even think about it. Just follow me."

"I—I'm not scared," Mehmood stammered, though the tears streaming down his face said otherwise.

Moiz and Asmir walked on either side of Muhammad, their backs to each other, creating a protective semi-circle. "Keep walking," Moiz hissed, swinging his crowbar at the occasional infected that got too close. "Slow feet, sharp head. Don't stop."

"We're getting boxed in!" Asmir shouted as three infected came out from an alley to their left, cutting off the path ahead.

Shamir and Zaid exchanged a quick glance.

"Let's handle this," Zaid said, breaking away from his mother.

Shamir smirked. "Hey, Ammi! Watch how legends are made!" With that, the brothers surged forward, weapons raised.

"Shamir!" Shazia shouted, but they were already in action.

The nearest infected—a hulking man with half its face missing—stumbled forward, gurgling hungrily. Zaid moved first, smashing his hammer into its shin and forcing it to the ground. Shamir brought his pole down on its head, sending splatters of bone and flesh outward like paint on a canvas.

"That's one for the highlight reel!" Shamir called over his shoulder.

Shawaiz rolled his eyes, stabbing the rebar into the chest of another zombie. "We're not filming this, genius. Keep moving!"

"You're just mad I'm stealing all the glory," Shamir retorted with a wink.

Further back, Subhana and Naseem worked together to keep the kids calm. "Hush, Mohid," Subhana said, holding him close as she stumbled forward. "Don't cry, my love. We'll get out of this."

"They're almost through the alley!" Naseem warned, glancing at the tight choke-point they were navigating. "Majid, give us some room!"

Majid answered with a brutal swing of his bat, clearing space in the narrow pathway ahead. "This way!" he shouted, motioning everyone forward.

As they filed into another cramped alley, the snarls of the infected grew deafening behind them. The horde was relentless, flowing into every available space like water searching for cracks.

"We can't keep this pace much longer," Khalid grunted, his wrench slick with blood as he panted heavily.

"Don't stop!" Sajid barked, dragging his aching legs forward. "Keep moving!"

Shawaiz suddenly pointed ahead. "Open ground up there! Looks like an old parking lot. If we cut through that—"

"It's a trap!" Muhammad interrupted, his voice sharp. "Open space means no cover. They'll surround us before we know it!"

"We'll risk it!" Sajid countered. "Better than getting jammed here!"

Reluctantly, Muhammad led the group toward the clearing, his eyes scanning the shadows for movement. Zaid, Shawaiz, and Shamir worked quickly to clear stragglers in their path, their banter subsiding as the enormity of the situation sank in.

"Baba," Muhammad muttered as they stepped into the open lot. His knife was shaking slightly in his grip. "What if we—"

A piercing shriek rang out. Infected began spilling into the lot from the far side, dozens of them appearing like ants from a disturbed nest. The family froze for a second too long.

"They're here!" Moiz yelled.

"Form up!" Sajid barked.

The Alams quickly surrounded the children, the adults on the outside forming a protective circle.

"I'm gonna call it," Shamir whispered to Zaid. "Worst picnic ever."

"Not funny," Zaid replied tightly.

"Focus!" Shawaiz growled, glaring at them.

Khalid and Majid flanked Sajid, their weapons at the ready. Muhammad stepped forward, brandishing his knife with a fiery glare, as if daring the horde to come closer. The family prepared for the fight of their lives.

Part 2: Faint Hope

The infected poured into the parking lot, shambling figures moving faster now as they honed in on their prey. Dozens of the creatures stumbled out of abandoned vehicles and from darkened alleys, forming a grotesque wall of bloodied faces and jagged movements.

"Stay together!" Sajid commanded, his voice booming across the group.

The family moved as a unit, tight and deliberate, the adults creating a shield around the children. Zaid, Shawaiz, and Shamir fanned out slightly ahead, weapons raised, while Muhammad and Moiz guarded the rear. Aysha clutched Afeef and Mohid against her sides, her wide eyes darting as the growls and snarls grew louder.

"They're cutting us off," Shawaiz said sharply, glancing around. "We've got maybe ten seconds before they completely close in."

"No!" Zaid protested. "They're slower when we pick the gaps—keep looking for open ground!"

"Open ground means nothing when there are too many," Moiz muttered, swinging his crowbar at a staggering infected trying to grab him. "What now, heroes?"

"Through that opening!" Muhammad yelled, pointing toward a narrow exit behind a broken-down truck. It was risky, but it looked clear—for now.

"Are you insane?" Majid growled, stepping back as he smashed his bat into another zombie's head. "It's barely wide enough for three people, and they'll bottle us in if they circle back!"

"We don't have time for second options," Muhammad snapped back, shoving an infected away with brutal force. "Move now!"

The snarls grew closer. Sajid looked from Muhammad to the opening and then to the faces of his family, already covered in sweat and terror. He clenched his jaw.

"Everyone, follow Muhammad," Sajid barked. "Stay tight. Don't stop for anything. Move!"

Khalid and Majid flanked the sides as the group surged forward, their weapons smashing anything in their way. Shamir and Zaid worked quickly, swinging their weapons to clear a path.

"Time for some traffic control!" Shamir joked, slamming his pole into the chest of an infected before twisting it up into its jaw. "How's my form, Zaid? Straight As, right?"

"Not bad," Zaid muttered, swiping a hammer down on another head. "Don't get cocky. You'll jinx it."

"If that truck's our jinnah, maybe we could drive it through the crowd," Shamir muttered, grinning despite the tension.

"Less talking!" Shawaiz snapped. "More swinging!"

The group pushed harder as they neared the opening. Just as the younger ones began filtering through the gap, an infected woman lunged toward Subhana.

"Ammi!" Muhammad shouted, surging forward.

Subhana raised her hands defensively, but before the creature could reach her, a crowbar swung down across its head. Moiz had darted out of line, panting as he delivered another swift blow to the creature's chest, throwing it backward.

"Move!" he snarled, half to Subhana and half to himself.

Subhana stumbled through the gap, pulling Mehmood after her. She paused for just a moment to look at Moiz. "Thank you," she said shakily.

"No time!" Moiz barked, waving her ahead. He joined the others as they fought their way through the opening.

Behind them, Sajid and Khalid held the line while Majid helped clear stragglers around the truck. Aysha ushered the children onward, her voice calm despite the chaos. "Keep going, Afeef. Mohid—look at me. Don't look back!"

The group spilled into the next street, where the tension seemed to loosen just slightly. The horde behind them hadn't fully followed yet, still stumbling through the parking lot.

"We've got a few seconds," Majid said, breathless as he joined the group.

"Do we keep running?" Subhana asked, clutching her chest. Her voice was raw, filled with terror. "Where do we even go next?"

"That house," Sajid said firmly, pointing to a nearby structure with high walls and boarded-up windows. "If it's empty, we use it. We rest, we regroup."

"And if it's not empty?" Aysha asked sharply, her eyes scanning the area.

"We fight," Muhammad said simply. His knife was still in his hand, his knuckles bloodied.

The suggestion earned an uneasy silence.

"You have a better idea?" Muhammad snapped, glaring at Aysha.

"No," she admitted quietly.

"Then stop talking and follow," Muhammad growled, taking the lead.

The family moved quickly toward the building, the older cousins taking point once again. Zaid jogged slightly ahead, hammer in hand, with Shawaiz keeping pace beside him. Shamir and Asmir brought up the rear, along with Muhammad and Moiz, their weapons ready for anything.

The group reached the house, pressing themselves against the wall. Sajid motioned for Majid and Khalid to check the front door while the others stood guard.

"It's locked, but it's flimsy," Khalid whispered after examining it.

"We break it," Sajid replied simply. He signaled for Shawaiz and Moiz to join him. "Help me force it open."

As they worked, the rest of the family scanned the streets nervously. The growls from the infected were growing louder again, echoing through the narrow corridors of the crumbling city.

Shamir glanced at Asmir with a faint grin. "Bet you ten rupees I break something first when we get in."

"You won't have ten rupees if you're dead," Asmir muttered, elbowing him lightly.

"Still counts as winning," Shamir shot back, his tone almost cheerful.

"Quiet, you two!" Muhammad hissed, glaring at them. "Focus!"

Just then, the door gave way with a loud crack. Sajid waved the family inside, pulling the younger children in first. Once everyone was through, he, Khalid, and Majid pushed heavy furniture in front of the entrance to block it off.

The family collapsed against the walls, their breaths coming in shallow gasps as the weight of the day finally crashed over them.

For a moment, they were safe. But outside, the snarls of the undead persisted, a brutal reminder that their fight was far from over.

Part 3: Losing the Upper Hand

Inside the abandoned house, the Alam family worked quickly to secure what little safety they had carved out. The faded walls and broken furniture told the story of a home that had already been stripped of life and warmth long ago. Broken windows and kicked-in doors were reinforced hastily with planks of wood and whatever furniture they could move.

"Keep those barricades tight," Sajid ordered, his voice a low growl as he supervised Khalid and Majid near the front door. "We need more weight behind that sofa."

"It's heavy enough already," Khalid grunted, shoving the sofa closer. "Nothing's coming through without noise—plenty of warning."

"We can't take chances," Majid replied curtly, adjusting his bloodied bat.

In the corner, the aunties formed their own camp around the younger children. Subhana pulled Mehmood onto her lap, stroking his hair as he clung to her. "You're alright now," she whispered softly, though her voice carried more doubt than confidence.

Maryam crouched beside Mohid and Afeef, her hands working quickly to bandage Mohid's scraped knee. "Look at me, beta," she said gently. "This doesn't even need stitches. You're tough like your Baba, hmm?"

Mohid sniffed and nodded, his large eyes fixed on her face as she tied the makeshift bandage tightly.

Shazia, meanwhile, paced the perimeter of the room, her eyes like a hawk as she scanned every corner of their shelter. "That back door's flimsy," she muttered to herself, walking past Naseem. "Majid should double-check it. If anything gets in from there..."

Naseem didn't answer immediately, her gaze fixed on Aysha, who was helping her stack cans of food and bottled water they had scavenged into an organized pile. "Good work, Aysha," she said finally. "Make sure we leave space near the door. If we have to run again, we take the important things first."

"I know," Aysha replied, her voice steady despite the tremble in her fingers. "We won't waste anything."

Nearby, the older cousins were deep in conversation as they sharpened and cleaned their weapons. Zaid took the lead, hammer in hand, his sharp gaze darting to Shawaiz and Shamir.

"We stick to one job each if something happens," Zaid said. "Shawaiz, you and I hold the left side. Shamir and Asmir take the right."

"Finally!" Shamir chimed in, spinning his metal rod. "We're promoting Asmir from rookie to pro." He grinned at his cousin, who rolled his eyes.

"I've already outperformed your 'pro' skills," Asmir replied dryly.

"I'd believe that," Moiz interjected, shaking his head. "Shamir barely hit a single clean swing earlier."

"Careful, Moiz," Shamir shot back. "That's some strong shade from the guy who screamed louder than Aysha when the infected jumped."

"I was just giving tactical noise distraction!" Moiz quipped, earning a short laugh from Aysha across the room.

"You're all loud," Muhammad snapped, his glare silencing them. He cleaned his knife with a steady hand, but the tension in his posture betrayed his fraying nerves. "If something attacks us here, it'll be because they heard you."

"Muhammad..." Subhana's soft tone called him out from across the room. "Let them be."

"I am letting them be, Ammi," Muhammad replied tersely. "I'm just reminding them that this isn't a joke."

The room fell into an uneasy quiet until Shazia broke it, her pacing abruptly halting near the back door. "This is no time to sulk," she declared, glancing at the cousins and then at her sons, Zaid, Shawaiz, and Shamir. "You're good at making noise. Put it to better use. Go check the windows."

"We were planning to," Zaid replied, motioning for Shawaiz and Shamir to follow. "Let's go."

As the three moved toward the far side of the house, Maryam raised her voice. "And keep it quiet while you're at it," she said firmly.

"I heard you, Chachi," Shamir called back with a grin, swinging his pole lightly.

At the back of the room, Khalid finished adjusting one of the barricades and leaned against the wall with a heavy sigh. Naseem approached him, a bottle of water in hand.

"You should sit for a bit," she said, pressing the bottle into his hand.

Khalid shook his head, his dark eyes fixed on the barricade. "I'll rest when I'm dead. For now, we need everyone sharp."

"You'll be dead sooner if you collapse from exhaustion," Naseem countered, her voice firm but gentle. "Even you can't fight on an empty tank, Khalid."

Subhana watched the exchange with a faint smile but said nothing, rocking Mehmood gently as he dozed in her lap.

At the far end of the house, Muhammad inspected the windows alongside Moiz and Asmir. "If this holds long enough," Moiz said, gripping his crowbar, "we might actually get some rest."

"Don't bet on it," Muhammad muttered, jamming the lock on one window tightly.

Before anyone could respond, the sound of heavy groaning outside shattered the fragile calm.

Shazia's head snapped toward the barricade. "What was that?"

The entire family froze. The sound was distant but growing louder—a low, guttural noise accompanied by the shuffle of many feet.

"They've found us," Majid said grimly, rising to his full height. He grabbed his bat, the bloodstains still fresh on the wood.

Zaid and Shawaiz rushed back into the main room. "They're on the street," Zaid said, panting. "Maybe thirty of them. They're heading straight for this house."

"Thirty?" Aysha whispered, clutching Mohid tighter.

"How did they even find us?" Maryam muttered, her voice trembling. "We haven't made a sound!"

"They don't need noise," Muhammad said tightly. His knuckles turned white around the handle of his knife. "They smell us. Or sense us. Whatever it is, they don't stop."

"We hold the line," Sajid declared, standing tall. "Everyone—positions now. We don't run unless I say so."

The family moved in a well-practiced routine. Sajid and Khalid took the front barricade alongside Majid, with Shawaiz and Zaid flanking them. Aysha and the aunties gathered the children in the far corner, preparing to move at a moment's notice. Muhammad, Moiz, Asmir, and Shamir fanned out near the windows, forming a secondary perimeter.

The snarls outside grew louder. The first infected appeared at the edge of the yard, staggering forward with jerking movements. Behind it, the horde stretched into the shadows like an unstoppable wave.

"No talking now," Sajid said grimly. His hands tightened around his cricket bat. "Whatever comes through, we fight."

Part 4: First Breach

The house was silent except for the distant snarls outside, growing steadily louder as the horde advanced. The sound of shuffling feet and scraping claws reached the family's ears, each noise like a countdown to chaos. The Alams stood tense and ready, each member clutching a weapon or gripping the arm of a loved one.

Through the shattered front windows, the infected came into view—a mass of pale, bloody faces and broken limbs lurching forward in horrifying unison.

"There's too many of them," Shawaiz muttered under his breath, gripping his rebar so tightly his knuckles turned white.

"Hold your nerve," Majid growled beside him, planting his feet firmly by the front barricade. "Fear won't save you. Strength will."

"That goes for all of you," Sajid snapped, his voice a sharp whip of authority. "Whatever happens, no one panics. We fight until I say otherwise. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Baba," Muhammad replied immediately, standing near the windows with Asmir, Moiz, and Shamir. His tone was clipped, but his muscles coiled like a spring ready to snap.

"Shamir," Asmir muttered, nudging him as he tightened his grip on his pole. "This would be a great time not to make jokes."

"Wasn't gonna," Shamir replied, though his grin flickered nervously. "Figured even the zombies would cringe at my humor."

The infected reached the yard, their jerky movements quickening as they honed in on the house. One zombie—a tall man missing half his torso—clawed at the side of the barricade, letting out a bone-chilling howl.

Majid swung first, bringing his bat down on the creature's head with brutal force. The sharp crack echoed through the room as the zombie crumpled to the ground.

"Everyone in position!" Khalid barked, slamming the handle of his wrench against another infected reaching through a gap in the barricade. "No one breaks rank!"

The aunties huddled with the younger children in the far corner, all trying to maintain calm in the face of the growing terror. Subhana whispered reassurances to Mehmood as he clung to her side, burying his face in her shoulder.

Maryam, crouched beside her, tied a belt around her wrist like a makeshift weapon. "Stay behind us, kids," she murmured, her voice low but steady.

"I don't think I can do this," Aysha whispered to Naseem, who knelt nearby with Mohid and Afeef pressed tightly to her sides.

"You can," Naseem replied firmly, looking her niece in the eye. "You don't have a choice, beta. Not now."

At the front, the fight began. Zombies clawed at the barricades, their bodies piling against the makeshift defenses as the family swung and jabbed with whatever they could find.

"Coming through the side!" Zaid shouted, pivoting as two more infected crawled through a broken window.

"I've got it!" Shawaiz yelled, stabbing one in the chest with his rebar before smashing its head with a quick, clean motion.

Shamir, fighting near Muhammad, cursed as his pole jammed in the shoulder of an advancing infected. "Damn it! Get it off me!"

Asmir stepped forward, his face pale but determined, and swung his stick against the zombie's temple, sending it tumbling to the floor. "There!"

"Nice hit," Shamir muttered, yanking his weapon free. "Let's just pretend I planned that."

"You didn't," Moiz shot back from the next window over, ducking as a zombie swiped at him. He countered with a blow to its knee, toppling it before delivering a swift strike to its skull.

As the infected began overwhelming the barricades, Majid growled through gritted teeth. "They're pushing harder. This won't hold forever!"

Sajid swung his bat, the wooden frame splintering as he brought it down on another zombie's head. "We don't give up this house without a fight."

At the corner, Aysha stood protectively in front of the children, her trembling hands gripping a heavy wrench she'd picked up from the hardware pile. Subhana stepped up beside her, clutching a makeshift spear of taped knives.

"If one of them breaks through, don't freeze," Subhana whispered to Aysha. "You strike first. Always first."

"I'll protect them," Aysha murmured, her voice a mix of fear and resolve.

"You will," Naseem said from her spot with the younger ones. Her steady presence radiated reassurance as she patted Mohid's head. "We all will."

Outside, the snarls reached a deafening pitch as more zombies piled into the yard.

"They're on the roof!" Moiz yelled, his gaze snapping upward. Through a jagged hole in the ceiling, the shadow of an infected figure loomed, its guttural growls echoing.

"I'll handle it!" Shawaiz shouted, rushing toward the stairs.

"No!" Majid barked, grabbing his arm. "You're not going alone!"

"I'll go with him," Zaid said, his voice steady. He grabbed Shawaiz's shoulder and nodded toward the stairs. "Come on!"

The two brothers darted upstairs as the others held the front and sides, the house devolving into chaotic battle. The infected outside showed no sign of stopping, and the family could feel the walls closing in.

"We can't hold this much longer!" Khalid growled, knocking down a zombie that clawed through a window.

At the back of the house, Shazia grabbed Majid's arm. "The back door isn't holding either!" she snapped, panic creeping into her tone.

"We hold it until we can't anymore," Majid replied, his gaze sharp. "No one runs unless I say so."

Sajid barked orders through the din, keeping the group focused. "Form tight lines! Don't let any stragglers through!"

As they braced for another wave of attackers, the house shook under the weight of the fight. Survival was slipping out of reach with every passing second.

Part 5: Against All Odds

The groans of the infected turned into frenzied howls as they threw themselves at the barricades, bodies piling and limbs clawing through every weak point. The sounds of breaking wood, smashing glass, and guttural snarls filled the house as the Alam family fought like cornered animals.

Front Barricade: Sajid, Majid, Khalid, and Shawaiz

Sajid swung his cricket bat with precision, the thick wood cracking skulls and sending blood splattering onto the wall behind him. His shoulders ached, but he ignored the pain, bringing the bat down with another vicious crack. A zombie's head snapped to the side, its skull caving in as it fell.

"They're going to break through!" Majid shouted, his voice raw as he rammed his bat into an infected's open mouth, splintering its jaw.

"They haven't yet!" Sajid snarled back, shoving another corpse off the barricade with his foot.

Khalid grunted as an infected latched onto the sofa that was bracing the barricade. With a roar, he drove his wrench into its temple. The creature gurgled and collapsed in a heap. "They're stacking themselves—like a wall!" he barked, pointing at the infected piling against the windows outside.

Shawaiz grabbed a jagged rebar rod and thrust it upward through the eye socket of a climbing zombie. Its body twitched violently, but its hands still clawed at the ledge. "Majid chacha!" he shouted.

Majid took a running swing, decapitating the creature with a savage strike. Blood sprayed across his shirt, soaking into the fabric. "That should shut it up!"

But more followed. Two more infected slammed against the barricade with enough force to push it back an inch.

"Khalid!" Sajid yelled, planting himself against the sofa to reinforce it. "Brace this! Now!"

Khalid threw his shoulder into the barricade, forcing it back against the tide of bodies.

Upstairs: Zaid and Shamir

Zaid and Shamir reached the rooftop as the snarls above intensified. Two infected crawled toward the edge of the shattered skylight, their pale arms reaching downward.

"Zaid! Incoming!" Shamir shouted, swinging his pole at one of the zombies. His first hit struck its arm, breaking the bone cleanly but failing to stop it.

"I've got it!" Zaid yelled, driving his hammer into the creature's chest with such force that its ribs cracked audibly. He wrenched the hammer free and struck it again, this time at the side of the head. The zombie let out a wet growl before crumpling, but another immediately took its place.

"They're like ants!" Shamir spat, kicking one of the undead off the roof. It fell to the ground below with a sickening crunch, its skull splitting on impact.

"Ants don't climb back up!" Zaid shot back. He barely had time to swing as another infected lunged, claws raking at his arm. The bite missed by inches, but the screeching figure refused to let up.

"Stop struggling, idiot!" Shamir yelled, slamming his pole sideways into the zombie's chest. Together, the brothers drove it to the edge and hurled it over with a yell of effort.

Another shadow moved above them. "More are coming!" Zaid shouted.

Main Room: Muhammad, Moiz, Asmir, and Subhana

Near the windows, Muhammad's anger burned like fire as he shoved his blade deep into the skull of an infected. Blood poured over his fingers as he withdrew it, his breath heaving with the strain.

"To your right!" Moiz called out, bashing the knees of a crawler with his crowbar. The infected snarled as it fell forward, but Moiz brought his weapon down with brutal precision, shattering its skull.

"Stay focused, Moiz!" Muhammad snapped, spinning to drive his knife into the temple of another attacker. Its eyes rolled back as it dropped, lifeless.

"I am focused!" Moiz yelled, yanking his crowbar free with a sickening squelch.

"More behind you!" Asmir shouted, stepping in and jabbing his stick into the throat of another zombie. He didn't wait for it to recover, bashing its head with a swift motion that made his hands sting from the impact.

"Good hit!" Muhammad barked.

Subhana stood near the corner with Aysha, her improvised spear slicing through the chest of a stumbling zombie. Its jaw snapped wildly, but it faltered as Aysha followed through with a wrench to its neck.

"They just keep coming," Subhana panted, pulling Aysha closer to her side. "No matter how many we take down—"

"Focus on the kids!" Aysha interrupted, shielding Afeef and Mohid as they whimpered behind her.

"I am," Subhana replied sharply, delivering another thrust to the next zombie.

Back Door: Shazia, Naseem, and Maryam

Shazia gritted her teeth as she slammed a broken chair leg into the chest of a zombie forcing its way through the back door. "Hold the line, Majid said!" she growled. "We are the line!"

Beside her, Naseem swung a kitchen knife with surprising strength, slashing through the tendon of another infected's arm. It staggered forward, but Maryam finished it off with a heavy frying pan to its skull.

"Another one down!" Maryam called, her face grim as she raised the pan again.

"There are more than one!" Shazia retorted, driving her weapon through the face of another attacker.

"They're coming through the sides!" Naseem warned. She threw herself into the back door as it splintered under the weight of the infected pushing it.

"Shut it!" Shazia screamed. She drove her shoulder into the frame and kicked at the scrambling claws reaching through the gap.

"They're everywhere!" Maryam shouted, swinging wildly. "It's going to give!"

"No, it won't!" Shazia hissed through clenched teeth.

Final Push

As the infected broke through one of the side windows, Muhammad roared with frustration. "Everyone pull back to the corner! Hold tight!"

The family scrambled together, forming a circle around the children as the undead flooded into the room. Blood coated their weapons, the walls, and their trembling hands as they swung again and again.

"You think we're giving this house up?" Sajid roared, swinging his bat in wide arcs as more zombies fell. "Over my dead body!"

The family surged forward as one, their desperate cries and vicious attacks driving back the tide—if only for a moment. Bodies piled, and the snarls began to lessen. For the first time, the fight seemed winnable.

"Don't stop!" Khalid bellowed, smashing his wrench into one last attacker. "Keep swinging!"

As the last infected fell, silence finally returned. The family stood in the chaos, panting, their weapons dripping.

But victory tasted hollow. The cost of survival was evident in the blood-soaked house and the exhaustion carved into every face.

"This isn't over," Sajid said grimly, standing tall amidst the wreckage. "We have to move again. Now."

(End of Chapter)