Groupings

As the group slowly opened up to each other, Zayn's eyes drifted to the men he took down earlier. They stopped breathing.

"Listen up. Those corpses are going to start smelling bad if we don't do something, and that could make us sick. So, help me move that crate to the corner."

The women stared at the lifeless bodies, and the reality sank in again—Zayn was capable of violence when necessary. 

"We'll put them in garbage bags first, then lock them inside the crate," he quickly added, not giving them enough time to think.

Hesitation could slow things down, and that was the last thing he needed. 

Majoring in psychology turned out to be useful in ways he never expected.

First, they carefully unloaded the water bottles from the crate, stacking them neatly in the corner.

Once the crate was empty, they hesitated for a moment, exchanging uneasy glances before finally stepping forward. With trembling hands, they began the disgusting task of bagging the bodies. 

It was a good thing that Rose didn't seem to mind. She practically did all the touching and wiping, her movements quick and efficient as if the blood didn't bother her at all. 

'That should buy us some time, ' Zayn muttered, his eyes scanning the cleaned floor.

The blood was gone, but the faint reddish smears still clung to the metal, a reminder of what happened.

Rose wiped her hands on what was left of the torn fabric, unfazed by the mess.

The others, however, kept their distance, their faces pale and tense. Some avoided looking at the crate altogether, as if ignoring it would make it disappear.

"Good job." He stepped closer, offering a rare bit of praise. The carrot. 

She froze for a moment, caught off guard. Her eyes widened slightly before she forced a smile, though it took her a few seconds too long.

The corners of her lips lifted, but there was something off about it—too practiced, too hollow.

Zayn noticed right away. The smile didn't reach her eyes, and the delay in her reaction only made it more obvious.

A thought crossed his mind—was there something wrong with her? Some kind of mental disorder? Or was she just socially awkward?

Either way, she was different from the others, and that made her harder to read.

Over the past hours, he did just enough to gain their trust, and it wasn't hard—he was the only man here, and considering his good looks, it was even easier.

With a relaxed gesture, he looked at Maya, Hannah, and Mika.

"You three, sit here. There's something I want to discuss with all of you," he said, patting the space beside him. His tone was low, making sure it didn't come off as too forceful.

They didn't hesitate this time. Maya, already comfortable in his company, lowered herself beside him with a slight smile.

"Sure," she said, not even looking back at the others.

Hannah and Mika followed next, settling in next to him.

"Are you all tired?" he asked. 

"A little bit," Maya nodded slowly. 

"Well, you can sleep now," Zayn remarked, his tone casual as he gestured to the pile of blankets. "There's one for each of you."

He noticed the hesitation in their facial expression, the reluctance to fully let their guard down in this unknown and dangerous place.

With a slight smile, he added, "Don't worry, I'll keep watch over you three while you sleep. But in return, you watch my back. How about it?"

Maya, Hannah, and Mika exchanged glances, silently weighing his offer. It was a simple enough deal, one that prioritize their safety. 

And right now, the only person who could provide that was him. He was strong enough to protect them, should any of the other women decide to make a move.

After a brief moment, they all nodded. "Deal." 

Zayn gave a small nod. "Good. Get some rest."

They happily obliged, gathering the blankets and settling in without a second thought.

The tension that once lingered between them vanished, as they trusted him enough to rest while he kept watch.

But the others, the ones who were not given the same privilege, couldn't hide their displeasure.

They felt it was unfair, that he was favoring a few. 

Unfortunately for them, he couldn't care less.

As long as he kept a few women close by to wake him in case of an emergency, he could continue leading the group without worrying about being too exhausted to fend for himself.

While leaning against the wall, trying to stay awake, Zayn remained unaware that Maya, the high school girl, was stealing glances at him.

Her gazed lingered on his face, and a faint blush crept across her cheeks.

She quickly covered her face with the blanket whenever he moves, but no matter how hard she tried, her curiosity kept pulling her attention back to him.

The dim light made it easier to steal glances, but the warmth spreading across her face would immediately give her away if he caught her.

Under the cover of the blanket, her right hand slowly crept lower, inching toward her most private parts.

The thrill of touching herself with him so close was almost too tempting to resist.