Chapter 5: Uncertain Refuge

 Restless Shadows

The Alams pushed onward through the desolate streets of Lahore. Every step felt heavier than the last. The echoes of their desperate battle in the market still clung to the edges of their thoughts, and the scent of blood seemed to follow them, sharp and metallic. The infected had fallen behind for now, but Sajid's sharp eyes scanned every shadow. He didn't trust silence.

They reached a narrow residential lane. High brick walls surrounded abandoned houses, some with gates wide open, their lawns overrun by weeds. Broken windows reflected the blood-red hues of the sunset. Sajid raised a hand, signaling the group to stop.

"We rest here," he said, his voice low but firm. "It's getting dark. We can't push any further without light, and the children can't go any farther tonight."

"Darkness won't wait for us, Sajid," Khalid muttered, his wrench resting on his shoulder. "The longer we stay still, the bigger the target on our backs."

"We've bought ourselves some space," Majid said, wiping sweat from his brow. "Let the kids breathe, at least. We've been moving nonstop since the market."

Khalid's jaw tightened, but he gave a short nod. "Fine. But only for a short while. We move as soon as they've rested."

Muhammad glanced around, his knife still clutched tightly in his hand. "What's the plan if this street's not empty?"

"We'll make it empty," Sajid replied coldly. "Zaid, Shawaiz—check the far end of the street. Shamir, Asmir, and Moiz—secure the houses nearest to us. Quietly."

The cousins nodded without hesitation, splitting into small teams as ordered.

"Ammi," Muhammad said, walking to Subhana's side. "Take the kids near that wall." He pointed to a spot hidden between two dense bushes, partially shielding the group from the open road.

Subhana didn't argue, gathering Mehmood and signaling Maryam, Shazia, Naseem, and Aysha to follow her. Together, they moved the younger children into the shadowed area, forming a protective circle.

A Moment to Breathe

Subhana crouched beside Mehmood, brushing the dirt off his cheek with her trembling fingers. He was pale, his lips dry, but he had stopped shaking.

"You've been so brave, beta," she murmured, pulling him close.

"I don't want to be brave anymore," Mehmood whispered, burying his face in her scarf. "I just want to go home."

Maryam overheard him and gave a faint, sad smile. "We all do, Mehmood," she said softly. "But for now, this is what we have to do. Being brave isn't about not being scared—it's about moving forward even when you are."

Aysha nodded, her voice calm as she adjusted Mohid's scarf to protect him from the chilly evening air. "You've already done so much more than most people could," she told him. "And you'll keep going because you're stronger than you think."

Mehmood glanced at her, his eyes glassy. He didn't reply, but he stayed close to Subhana, his small hand clutching hers.

"You too, Mohid," Aysha said, her eyes softening as she ruffled his hair. "You're a fighter."

Mohid gave her a faint smile.

"Stop making them too brave," Naseem interjected with a weary laugh, settling beside them. "We'll have to chase after them if they start fighting zombies with sticks."

The Cousins' Task

At the far end of the street, Zaid and Shawaiz moved cautiously through the growing shadows. They passed overturned motorcycles and stray garbage bins, their weapons ready at their sides.

"You hear that?" Zaid asked in a low voice.

Shawaiz tensed, his grip on the rebar tightening. "No. And that's what I don't like. It's too quiet."

Zaid nodded, scanning the rows of empty houses. "Let's check that alley," he said, motioning toward a gap between two crumbling walls.

The smell of rot hit them first—thick and choking. The alley was littered with remnants of a struggle: torn fabric, darkened bloodstains, and broken furniture. But no bodies.

"Something was here," Shawaiz murmured.

"Yeah," Zaid replied, kneeling beside a blood trail that led deeper into the alley. "And it either got away… or it's still close."

They exchanged a glance before backing out of the alley and returning to the group at a brisk pace.

Meanwhile, Moiz, Shamir, and Asmir secured two houses closer to the family's position. One was empty, its windows broken and its furniture looted.

"We could use some of this stuff for barricades," Asmir said, lifting a chair with a fractured leg.

"It's useless without walls to put them against," Moiz replied, peering into a dark hallway. "Let's clear the place first. Shamir, keep an eye on the entrance."

"No problem," Shamir said, leaning against the doorframe. "If I see anything, I'll scream bloody murder. That's my specialty, right?"

"Not funny," Asmir muttered.

"Not wrong," Moiz added, smirking.

They moved quickly, finding no infected, but the sense of unease lingered.

"Let's move back to the others," Moiz said after the sweep. "This place doesn't feel right."

A Growing Divide

When the cousins regrouped with the family, tension was already thick in the air.

"Anything?" Sajid asked Zaid as he returned.

"Nothing good," Zaid replied grimly. "There's an alley full of blood up ahead. No bodies, but… it doesn't look clean."

Sajid frowned and turned to Majid. "We need to move soon. The street might be clear now, but it won't stay that way."

"And if the alley's a trap?" Khalid asked sharply.

"Then we deal with it when it happens," Sajid retorted.

The argument grew louder, drawing the cousins' attention. Shazia's voice rose above the others.

"We're not rushing into more danger, Sajid!" she snapped. "What happened at the market almost killed us—and now you want to run into an alley?"

"Staying here will kill us," Sajid growled, stepping forward. "You've seen it. None of these places hold for long. We have no other choice."

"We can wait longer," Subhana interjected, holding Mehmood tightly. "At least until they've caught their breath—"

"They'll breathe easier when we reach safety," Sajid interrupted.

Maryam, usually silent, spoke up this time. Her voice was quiet but cutting. "And what happens if safety isn't waiting for us? What happens when the next fight leaves someone behind?"

Khalid slammed his wrench onto the ground, silencing the debate. "Enough," he said sharply. "This isn't a democracy. Sajid's leading. We do what he says."

The silence lingered, but eventually, everyone nodded in agreement.

As darkness fell, the family prepared to move again, their fear growing heavier with every step. Ahead was uncertainty, but staying meant death.

"We're leaving now," Sajid said. "Stay close. Stay quiet."

And with that, the Alams walked into the shadows once more.

The Alams moved silently toward the alley, the weight of exhaustion and fear dragging behind them like chains. The night was pitch-black now, save for a faint glow of the moon cutting through the smoky haze above the ruined city. Every sound—the crunch of gravel beneath their shoes, the distant crack of something breaking—set their nerves on edge.

"Stay close and keep your weapons ready," Sajid whispered to the group, his cricket bat gripped tightly in both hands.

"I don't like this, Baba," Muhammad muttered, staying near the back with his knife poised. His eyes flicked from shadow to shadow. "There's something waiting for us."

"That's enough," Sajid said, his voice firm. "You keep watch. Let me worry about what's waiting."

Shazia shivered and pulled her scarf tighter around her shoulders as she walked between her sons. "Stay sharp, boys," she murmured, though the quiver in her voice betrayed her fear.

"We're always sharp," Shamir said lightly, though his knuckles were white around his pole. He elbowed Zaid. "Right, bhai?"

Zaid gave a short nod, his jaw clenched. Shawaiz followed behind, the quietest of the three brothers, but his intense gaze scanned the surroundings as he gripped his rebar.

The alley loomed ahead, narrow and shadowed, the smell of rot and dried blood growing stronger. Sajid, Majid, and Khalid stepped forward first, motioning for the rest of the family to stay behind until they secured the area.

"We've seen worse than this," Majid muttered, his bat resting on his shoulder as he peered ahead.

"Worse doesn't mean good," Khalid replied, tightening his grip on his wrench.

The Ambush

As the three men edged into the alley, the sound of soft, wet shuffling echoed from the darkness.

"Do you hear that?" Majid whispered, stepping carefully over a bloodstain that streaked the uneven pavement.

"I do," Khalid said tensely. His voice dropped lower. "They're close."

Suddenly, a deafening screech erupted from the shadows as a half-dozen infected exploded from behind overturned garbage bins and rubble. They moved faster than usual, their jerking limbs propelled by an unnatural energy.

"Back up!" Sajid shouted, swinging his bat to meet the first attacker head-on. The creature's face imploded under the force, blood spraying as its body crumpled.

Majid roared and stepped forward, his bat colliding with the chest of another infected. The impact sent it staggering back, but two more rushed past it, claws reaching for him.

"Khalid!" Majid shouted.

Khalid intercepted the charging infected, swinging his wrench into the side of its neck. The sound of snapping bone echoed through the alley as its body twisted and collapsed.

"Fall back to the family!" Sajid ordered.

A Fight for Survival

The ambush erupted into chaos as the family tried to hold their line. The infected poured from the narrow alley in frenzied bursts, driven by hunger and bloodlust.

"Form a wall!" Muhammad shouted, his knife flashing as he slashed an infected lunging toward Subhana. "Protect Ammi and the kids!"

Shawaiz, Zaid, and Shamir pressed forward, forming a line alongside Muhammad and Moiz.

"We've got this!" Shawaiz bellowed, driving his rebar into the eye socket of an infected. He wrenched it free and thrust it into another. "Just don't let them get through!"

"I'd like a little less drama, Shawaiz," Shamir called back, swinging his pole and shattering the jaw of a zombie reaching for him. He delivered another jab to its temple, bringing it down.

"You should focus on hitting them properly!" Moiz grunted, smashing his crowbar down on an infected clawing at the rubble. "Let your jokes wait!"

Asmir, standing closest to Moiz, jabbed his stick into a zombie's throat, keeping it at bay. "Keep hitting! Don't stop!"

The Women's Stand

At the center of the group, the aunties worked furiously to protect the younger children.

"Stay behind us," Subhana said to Mehmood as she brandished her knife. Her face was pale, but her movements were steady.

Maryam swung her frying pan into the head of an infected that broke past the frontline. The sound of crunching bone filled the air. "Stay down, beta!" she ordered, shoving Mohid behind her as she raised her weapon again.

Aysha screamed as another infected lunged for her. She stepped forward and brought a wooden plank down on its head with all her strength. The creature collapsed, its body twitching. Aysha turned to Afeef, grabbing his hand. "Don't look! Just hold my hand, and don't look!"

Shazia stabbed her chair leg into another attacker, her grip slick with blood. "They're breaking through!" she yelled.

"Not if I can help it!" Naseem growled. She intercepted another zombie, her knife slicing through its throat. The infected gargled and fell, but its weight knocked her back slightly.

A Way Out

"They're not stopping!" Khalid shouted as another infected lunged for him. He slammed it into the ground and stepped over its body. "We need a path out of here!"

"We make one," Sajid snapped. He shoved an infected back with his bat, clearing a gap. "Everyone! Push forward to the far end of the alley!"

"I see it!" Muhammad yelled, pointing toward an iron gate at the alley's exit. "It's open—move!"

The family broke into a frantic rush, their weapons swinging as they fought through the swarm. Bodies piled, the smell of blood and decay thick in the air.

Majid covered the rear with Muhammad, holding back the advancing infected. "Hurry!" Majid yelled over his shoulder.

"Almost there!" Subhana cried, dragging Mehmood along. Aysha followed with the children, her breaths coming in desperate gasps.

Khalid and Sajid shoved the last of the infected aside, making it to the gate.

"Move, move!" Sajid roared.

The family burst through the gate, slamming it shut behind them just as the infected reached it. Their claws scraped against the iron bars, their howls reverberating in the night.

Aftermath

The family stumbled into the clearing beyond the alley, collapsing against the walls of an old factory building. Their breaths came in gasps, and blood dripped from their clothes and hands.

"That... was too close," Majid muttered, wiping his forehead.

"Everyone accounted for?" Sajid asked, his voice still steady.

"Yes," Subhana said quickly, glancing at the younger children. "We're all here."

"But for how long?" Muhammad muttered darkly, his blade still glistening.

Sajid didn't answer immediately. He stared at the locked gate, his grip tightening around his bat. "We'll talk when we're inside the next safe place," he said finally. "For now, we move."

The Alams picked themselves up and continued onward, their backs to the howls of the infected that still clawed at the gate.

The Alams pressed on, their bodies exhausted, their breaths labored. The moonlight painted eerie shadows on the desolate streets, turning the ruins of Lahore into a ghostly maze. Though they had escaped the alley, the sense of danger lingered, pressing heavy on every step. The distant snarls of the infected were a constant reminder—they had no margin for error.

"We can't keep this pace much longer," Maryam said quietly, her voice breaking the silence. She held Mohid's small hand tightly, glancing down at his stumbling feet. "The little ones need to stop, Sajid."

"We can't afford to stop yet," Sajid said firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument. "We need to find cover first."

"We passed a factory back there," Shazia offered, pointing ahead. Her scarf was caked with blood, her hair matted to her forehead with sweat. "We could check it. It had walls high enough to slow them down if they get through the gate."

"High walls don't mean much if we can't see what's inside," Khalid muttered, stepping in beside her. "We'll need a backup plan if it's already infested."

"It's a chance we'll have to take," Sajid replied. He looked back at the group, his sharp gaze sweeping across the cousins. "Muhammad, Zaid, Moiz—take point and scout ahead."

The three nodded without hesitation, their weapons ready as they moved toward the looming factory gates. The rest of the family huddled together, nervously scanning their surroundings.

The Factory

The factory gates stood rusted and warped, the metal bent in places as if something had tried to force its way through. Overgrown weeds crawled up the sides, but the interior was shrouded in darkness, offering no hint of what lay inside.

Muhammad approached first, his knife drawn. He waved the others to stay back as he pressed himself against the gate, peering through the cracks. "I don't see anything moving," he said after a moment, his voice low.

"Doesn't mean it's clear," Moiz muttered, gripping his crowbar.

"Only one way to find out," Zaid said, stepping up beside them. He tested the gate, his hands steady despite the tension. "It's open, but stuck."

Muhammad glanced back at Sajid, who nodded. Together, the three pushed against the gate, the old metal groaning loudly as it gave way. The noise echoed into the stillness like a gunshot, making everyone flinch.

"Quietly!" Shawaiz hissed from the back, gripping his rebar tightly.

"I'd like to see you do it quieter," Zaid muttered as they slipped inside.

The factory yard was eerily silent. Stacks of rusting machinery loomed like steel giants, casting long shadows across the cracked concrete. A faint stench of decay lingered, but there were no immediate signs of movement.

"Clear so far," Muhammad said, motioning the others forward.

The family filed into the yard cautiously, their weapons raised. Asmir and Shamir flanked the sides, their nervous glances darting between the machinery. Subhana and Maryam ushered the younger children toward the middle of the group.

"Inside," Sajid said, pointing toward a side door with chipped paint and faded lettering. "Check it first."

Khalid and Majid joined Zaid at the door. It was locked, but a few solid blows from Khalid's wrench snapped the brittle frame.

"Inside, everyone," Sajid ordered. "Stay together."

The Shelter

The interior of the factory was as haunting as the exterior. Cobwebs clung to every corner, and the air was thick with dust and mildew. Long-forgotten tools lay scattered across the workbenches, while rusted conveyor belts stretched into the darkness.

"This will have to do," Sajid said after a cursory glance around. He turned to the cousins. "Secure the entrances. Majid, help them find anything we can use to block these doors."

The group quickly went to work. Old pallets, metal sheets, and broken furniture were dragged into position, forming hasty barricades. The younger children sat on an overturned crate in the center, their wide eyes following every movement.

"We should check the upper floors," Muhammad said, pointing toward a staircase. "See if we're alone."

Sajid nodded. "Take Zaid and Moiz. Be quick about it."

The three moved silently, their footsteps muffled against the worn concrete. They climbed the stairs slowly, checking each landing for movement. The second floor revealed an office space, its glass walls shattered. Dust-covered papers littered the floor, but there were no signs of life—or death.

"All clear," Muhammad called down after a few tense minutes.

Internal Tensions

The family regrouped in the main hall. Though the immediate threat seemed to have passed, the atmosphere was far from calm.

"How long are we staying here?" Shazia asked as she checked over her sons.

"Not long," Khalid replied, sitting heavily on a broken chair. "This place doesn't feel right."

"Nothing feels right anymore," Naseem muttered, brushing dust from her hands. "At least the walls are standing."

"Barely," Moiz chimed in. "This place would crumble if they hit it hard enough."

"Can you stop, Moiz?" Aysha snapped, surprising everyone. Her face was tight with frustration. "All you ever do is point out how everything's going wrong. Why don't you try helping instead?"

"I am helping," Moiz shot back, glaring at her. "By telling you what we need to fix before we all get eaten."

"Enough," Sajid interrupted, his voice sharp. "We've had enough fights for one night." He turned to Majid. "Check the supplies. See how long we can last here if we need to."

"I'll help," Maryam offered, pulling Mohid closer to her side.

"We'll make it work," Majid said firmly, motioning for her to follow.

Lingering Dread

As the family settled in, a heavy stillness filled the factory. The night outside felt endless, the howls of the infected a distant reminder that safety was a fleeting illusion.

Subhana sat with Mehmood, whispering prayers under her breath as he leaned against her, exhausted. Naseem tended to Afeef and Mohid, helping them clean their scratched hands with water from a salvaged bottle.

Muhammad stood near a broken window, his knife still in his hand. Zaid and Shawaiz joined him, their tired expressions matching his.

"How long do you think this place will last?" Zaid asked quietly.

"Long enough," Muhammad replied, though he didn't sound convinced.

From the corner, Shamir's voice broke the silence. "If we're lucky, maybe we'll wake up without having to swing anything tomorrow."

Moiz snorted. "Lucky isn't something we do anymore."

"No, but we're still alive," Sajid said, his voice carrying from the center of the room. "And as long as we are, we keep moving forward."

The family huddled closer together, their backs to the fragile barricades. For now, the factory stood between them and the horrors outside—but everyone knew it wouldn't stand forever.