Chapter 6: A Taste of Blood

The night is too quiet.

That should be a good thing. But it's not.

Because in this world, quiet means something is watching.

I sit with my back against the cold concrete wall, my makeshift spear resting against my leg. Jae is beside me, silent, tense, his gaze locked on the ruined buildings ahead.

We don't talk about what happened today.

We don't talk about the scavengers, the way their leader's eyes lingered too long, the way Jae's knife had pressed against his throat.

But we're both thinking about it.

We both know they'll be back.

The Hunt Begins

We wake before dawn.

Jae leads the way through the decaying remains of the city, moving fast, sticking to the shadows. He doesn't explain where we're going, and I don't ask.

I just follow.

Because even though I don't trust him, I trust his instincts.

We travel for hours, slipping through alleyways, stepping over skeletons of cars and buildings.

The deeper we go, the worse the air smells.

And then—

I see it.

A massive, half-collapsed shopping mall, its glass shattered, its entrance barely standing. Inside, something moves.

Something big.

My grip tightens around my spear. "Why are we here?"

Jae doesn't look at me. "We need supplies."

I scoff. "You couldn't have picked a less suicidal place?"

"No."

Of course.

Inside the Beast's Den

We slip inside.

The air is thick with dust and rot. Sunlight barely filters through the cracked ceiling, casting long shadows over abandoned storefronts.

And then I hear it.

The deep, guttural growl.

A shiver runs down my spine.

Jae freezes beside me, eyes sharp.

We move slow, pressing against the walls, stepping over shattered glass.

Ahead, something massive stirs in the darkness.

My breath catches.

It's a dinosaur.

Not one of the smaller ones.

Not one of the mutant pets.

This one is bigger. Stronger.

It used to be a tiger once, maybe. Before the radiation. Before everything changed.

Now, it's twice the size, with scales instead of fur, teeth like knives, and eyes that glow in the dark.

And it's standing right between us and whatever Jae is looking for.

"Tell me," I whisper. "Was this part of the plan?"

Jae exhales slowly. "No."

Fantastic.

The Fight

The beast's nostrils flare. It smells us.

Jae reacts first.

He moves fast—too fast—grabbing my wrist and yanking me sideways just as the beast lunges.

Its massive claws slash the air where I was standing half a second ago.

I hit the ground hard, rolling onto my side, my spear slipping from my grip.

Jae's already up, blade flashing. He dodges, twists, moves like a ghost.

But the beast is faster than it looks.

It swipes at him, and he barely avoids getting torn in half.

I scramble for my weapon, heart slamming against my ribs.

If I don't move now, he's going to die.

I grip my spear and launch myself forward.

The beast turns—just as I drive the sharp end of the spear straight into its eye.

It screams.

Blood—thick, dark, burning-hot blood—sprays across my hands, my face. The beast thrashes, knocking me sideways.

My back slams into a wall.

Pain erupts through my ribs.

Jae moves in an instant, finishing the job before the beast can recover.

His knife sinks into its throat, deep, clean.

The beast gurgles once.

Then it goes still.

I breathe hard, staring at its massive, lifeless form.

The adrenaline still pulses through my veins. My hands are shaking.

But I did it.

We did it.

Jae steps closer, wiping blood off his blade. He watches me carefully, as if seeing me for the first time.

"You hesitated," he says.

I swallow, my mouth dry. "Yeah. Thanks for noticing."

His eyes darken. "Next time, don't."

I force out a breathless laugh. "I'll be sure to charge in like an idiot, then."

Jae doesn't smile.

Instead, he reaches out—slowly, hesitantly—and wipes a smear of blood off my cheek with his thumb.

The touch is barely there, but it sends a sharp jolt through me anyway.

I freeze.

For a moment, neither of us speaks.

Then he pulls back, his expression unreadable.

"Let's go."

Aftermath

We find the supplies Jae was looking for—canned food, medical kits, old weapons.

We pack quickly, moving with silent efficiency.

But my mind isn't on the supplies.

It's on the way Jae looked at me after the fight.

It's on the almost-touch of his fingers against my skin.

It's on the way my pulse hasn't slowed down.

Not from the battle.

But from him.

I shake it off. There's no time for distractions.

But as we step back out into the ruins, I can't help but think—

I'm already distracted.