Chapter 7: The Stranger

Jake was the first to react, his military instincts kicking in. He moved swiftly to the window, peering out cautiously. Standing outside was a tall man in a hoodie, his clothes torn and stained with blood. He looked like he'd been through hell.

"Please let me in," the man pleaded, his voice trembling. "I'm alone. My friends… they didn't make it."

Jake's eyes narrowed as he studied the man. "Who are you? Where did you come from?"

The man raised his hands slowly, showing he meant no harm. "My name's Ambrose. I was with a group, but we got separated. They… didn't make it. I've been running for hours. Please, I just need a place to rest."

Zack stepped closer to the door, his expression cautious but not unkind. "Raise your hands. Empty your pockets," he said, echoing Jake's earlier command.

Ambrose complied, pulling out the contents of his pockets; a crumpled drawing of a map, a small flashlight, and a pocket knife. "That's all I've got," he said, his voice weary. "I'm not a threat. I just need help."

Jake glanced at Zack, his jaw tight. "What do you think?"

Zack hesitated, his eyes scanning Ambrose for any signs of deception. "He looks harmless enough. But we can't take any chances."

Arya, who had been quietly observing, spoke up. "We can't just leave him out there. If he's telling the truth, he's as much a victim as we are."

Still clutching a can of food she'd found, Ellie nodded in agreement. "We've got enough food to share. And if he tries anything, there's six of us and one of him."

Jake sighed, his hand resting on the makeshift weapon at his side. "Fine. But he stays where we can see him. And if he so much as twitches wrong…" He didn't finish the sentence, but the implication was clear.

Zack unlocked the door and stepped aside, allowing Ambrose to enter. The man stumbled in, his movements slow and unsteady. He looked around the dimly lit diner, his eyes wide with relief and fear.

"Thank you," Ambrose said, his voice cracking. "You have no idea how long I've been out there."

"Sit down," Jake said, gesturing to a chair in the corner. "And keep your hands where we can see them."

Ambrose obeyed, sinking into the chair with a weary sigh. He looked exhausted, his face pale and drawn, but something about his eyes, something sharp and calculating made Arya uneasy.

"So," Zack began, his tone cautious, "what happened to your group?"

Ambrose hesitated, his gaze dropping to the floor. "We were trying to make it to the safe zone. But… something attacked us. I don't even know what it was. It came out of nowhere. My friends… they didn't stand a chance." His voice broke, and he buried his face in his hands.

Arya exchanged a glance with Zack. There was something off about Ambrose's story, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. "What did the thing look like?" she asked, her tone neutral.

Ambrose shook his head. "I don't know. It was too fast. Too… unnatural. I barely got away."

Jake's eyes narrowed. "And you just happened to find us? Out of all the places in this town?"

Ambrose looked up, his expression earnest. "I heard voices. I followed them. I didn't know who you were, but I had no choice. I couldn't stay out there alone."

The group fell silent, the weight of Ambrose's words hanging in the air. Zack finally nodded, though his expression remained guarded. "Alright. You can stay. But like Jake said, no funny business. We're all in this together, but trust is earned."

Ambrose nodded quickly. "I understand. Thank you. I won't let you down."

The group had just settled into the diner, barricading the doors and windows as best they could. The air was thick with tension, and the faint hum of the flickering fluorescent lights overhead did little to ease their nerves. Ambrose sat quietly in the corner, his hands clasped in his lap, his sharp eyes scanning the room with an intensity that made Arya uneasy.

"We should take turns keeping watch," Zack suggested, his voice low. "We don't know what's out there and can't afford to let our guard down."

Jake nodded, his hand resting on the makeshift weapon at his side. "I'll take the first watch. You all get some rest while you can."

As the group began to settle in, a sudden noise outside made everyone freeze. It was a low, guttural growl, followed by heavy footsteps crunching on broken glass. Arya's heart raced as she exchanged a glance with Zack. "What was that?" she whispered.

Before anyone could answer, Ambrose shot to his feet, his eyes wide with panic. "It's here," he said, his voice trembling. "It followed me."

"What's here?" Jake demanded, his grip tightening on his weapon.

Ambrose didn't answer. Instead, he grabbed the small flashlight from his pocket and rushed to the window. Outside, the moon's dim light revealed a hulking figure moving toward the diner. Its body was massive, covered in dark, glistening scales, and its glowing eyes locked onto the building with a predatory focus.

"Oh my God," Ellie whispered, her voice barely audible. "What is that?"

The creature let out a deafening roar, its claws scraping against the pavement as it charged toward the diner. The group scrambled to their feet, their fear palpable.

Ambrose, however, remained calm. He flicked on his flashlight, aiming the beam directly at the creature. The light hit its eyes, and the monster released a shrill screech, recoiling as if burned. It stumbled backward, its massive form disappearing into the shadows as it fled.

The diner fell silent, the only sound of the heavy breathing of the group as they processed what had just happened.

"What… what was that?" Carter asked, his voice shaking.

Ambrose turned to face them, his expression grim. "I told you. Something attacked my group...my friends... That's what's out there. That's what we were up against."

Jake's eyes narrowed as he studied Ambrose. "And you just happened to have a flashlight that scares it off?"

Ambrose shrugged, his tone casual. "I got lucky. The light seems to hurt its eyes. I don't know why, but it works."

Zack stepped forward, his expression thoughtful. "If that's true, then we must figure out how to use it to our advantage. If those things are out there, we'll need every edge we can get."

Arya, however, wasn't convinced. She observed Ambrose, her mind racing. Something about the way he'd handled the situation felt… off. The creature had reacted too quickly, almost as if it had been expecting the light. Ambrose's calm demeanor in the face of such a terrifying threat didn't sit right with her.

"Are you sure that's all there is to it?" she asked, her tone cautious. "You just… pointed a flashlight at it, and it ran away?"

Ambrose met her gaze, his expression unreadable. "I don't have all the answers. I'm just trying to survive, like the rest of you."

Jake stepped between them, his voice firm. "Enough. We've got bigger problems right now. If that thing's out there, we need to be ready. If that thing is still out there, I can't be on watch alone. Ambrose, you're with me. The rest of you, pick up some stuff you can use here to defend yourself, we still don't know what we are up against. It's better to be ready."

As the group reluctantly settled back down, Arya couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. She glanced at Ambrose, standing by the window with his flashlight in hand. His sharp eyes scanned the darkness outside, but there was a faint, almost imperceptible smile on his lips.

He wasn't what he seemed and the group had no idea what they'd just let inside.