Chapter 2: The underground shelter

Alex's eyes darted towards the ruined building, his heart racing with anticipation He had grown used to the sound of gunfire in this desolate world, but it still sent a shiver down his spine .

As he peered around the corner of the building, he saw a figure emerge from the shadows.

It was a young woman, dressed in bloodstained military clothing

and carrying a rifle slung over her shoulder.

She looked around cautiously, her eyes scanning the sorrounding area.

Alex watched her with cautious eyes, wondering why a city protector was in a place like this.

The city protectors were the trained soildiers who guarded the protected settlements, and it was very rare for them to venture the fallen cities like this, away from the protected settlements.

The woman at this moment seemed to sense his presence, and her eyes locked onto his.

For a moment, they stared at each other, sizing each other up.

As Alex stared at woman, his hand was resting on the hilt of the bone knife on his waist.

Although he knew that it would be of little help against the protector who had a gun, he couldn't help this habitual gesture.

After a few moments of sizing each other, the woman, without a word turned around and disappeared into the ruins.

Alex was left standing there wondering what had just happened.

He was so sure that the woman was going to start firing at him, who knew she would just leave like that.

As he stood there, lost in his puzzlement, he heard sudden footsteps stampeding through the deserted streets, followed by low wails and growls.

When he heard the footsteps, his face turned ashen and pale with dread.

Now he knew why that protector had just left without taking action, it wasn't because she decided to spare him, she was simply fleeing from something, and that something was closing in on Alex.

The earlier gun shot she had fired must have attracted nearby Crazes that were either slumbering or resting in the shadows.

"Shit where am l supposed to go now?"

He knew that he had to leave this area as soon as possible and seek shelter in an area that was far away from here.

This meant that he had to abandon his mission of exploring the library, since the Crazes would soon be patrolling in its vicinity. Alex quickly turned back, retracing the previous safe route he had taken when coming here.

A few moment later he arrived at an old sturdy building that looked like it used to be one of those grocery stores that people used to buy food before the emergence of the Disease.

Upon seeing the building Alex didn't enter immediately. First, he ran through his standard safety checks, listening and watching for any signs of danger. Only once he was sure that the place was clear did he slip inside.

The place was a wreck. Burned-out walls, broken furniture, shattered flooring. Water pipes hung from the ceiling like vines, and exposed wires dangled uselessly from scorched walls.

As Alex was taking in the sorrounding, his senses so ever sharp detected a movement.

He almost jumped out of fright the moment he realized he wasn't alone.

He had performed the necessary searching methods he knew and found nothing.

So if something or someone was inside this place, it meant that him or it possessed anti sensing abilities that made it hard to be detected.

Now that thought scared Alex to a great deal, who prided himself in being a great tracker.

Knife in hand, he stepped toward the source of the sound.

A voice stopped him.

"Easy there... I heard you from outside. Thought you were one of them."

Alex turned, knife raised, only to stop short as a figure stepped from behind a broken shelf. A young man, maybe mid-twenties, with a makeshift spear in hand and a cautious look in his eyes.

He had a dirt streaked face, gaunt cheeks, and the sharpness of someone who'd lived too long on the edge.

"I didn't mean to spook you," the man said, lowering his spear.

"Name's Jonah. You?"

Alex sized up the man in silence for a moment before he eventually replied.

"...Alex."

Jonah gave a quick nod. "You've got good instincts, Alex. Not many do anymore, especially those of your age. "

He paused, then tilted his head. "What brings you to this part of the city? Haven't seen you around. You new?"

Alex just gave a curt nod, his eyes still cautious.

A flicker of something passed through Jonah's gaze, sympathy, maybe.

"Well, that's unfortunate. Bet you didn't know what you were walking into."

Alex frowned, confused. Before he could ask, Jonah motioned toward the back.

"Come on. It's not safe here. I've got a place nearby. You're lucky you came in when you did—night's almost here."

Alex remained rooted in a single place simply not willing to trust this stranger.

Jonah sighed upon seeing his reaction. "Look, I'll explain everything. But not here. This city isn't like the other fallen cities. Things here are different. "

As if summoned by his words, a low groan echoed somewhere outside. Far, but not far enough.

Alex hesitated, then he eventually gave in and followed the man.

Jonah led him through the back entrance of the ruined store. On his way he picked up a large backpack, that was probably filled with countless scavenged food.

After they exited out of the building, they moved through a tight alley, then down a cracked stairwell hidden beneath a collapsed overpass.

They took the stairwell that led downwards, towards a dark chamber.

A worn out but sturdy brown door stood at the far end of the chamber.

Jonah knocked twice against the rusted door, then paused for a moment and knock three more times again.

A bolt scraped back, and the door creaked open revealing a burly man, clad in a camouflage uniform, with a large old model rifle at his back.

Hey, Mitch," Jonah said calmly.

The man's eyes narrowed, landing on Alex.

"Who's the stray?"

Jonah gave a dry smile. "Found him out there. Kid's got instincts. Figured I'd bring him in."

Mitch didn't look convinced.

"He's not a spy," Jonah added flatly.

Mitch grunted and stepped aside, making way for the duo.

As they entered inside, Alex was welcomed with darkness.

And inside this darkness stood an old man with a skinny frame, holding a dim, glowin lantern.

The moment he saw them he said nothing, and instead he simply turned and began walking.

Jonah whispered to Alex, "Stay close to me."

Alex obeyed without question.

They followed the old man through a narrow tunnel that was covered in terrifying darkness, and eventually stopping at a large steel door.

The moment the trio was in proximity with the door.

A ding sound suddenly sounded, followed by the opening of the metal door.

A few moments later, warmth hit Alex's face. Followed by light, voices and the scent of food.

He stepped into the underground shelter, and for a moment, it didn't feel like the end of the world. Crude bunks lined the walls, strung with tarps and blankets. A central fire pit flickered. Survivors—men, women, teens, moved through the space like they belonged. Like they had carved something real out of the wreckage, and they had.

Jonah gave him a moment to absorb it before leading him deeper.

"You're not the only one who knows how to survive," Jonah said. "Everyone here? Fighters. Runners. Scavengers. We made this place our own. Just don't mistake it for paradise."

They stopped near the back of the shelter, where a woman stood against a wall covered in torn maps and scavenged intel.

The woman had something farmiliar about her, that Alex couldn’t recall.

"Alex," Jonah said, "meet Reyna. One of our leaders."

Reyna turned, arms crossed, face hard.

"Another stray, huh?" she said. "Hope you're worth the space you take up."

Alex met her stare, and replied nonchalantly.

"Don't worry l'm not staying for too long. "

She almost smiled. Almost.

"Oh really, and where do you inted to go after this?"

Alex just shrugged, and said.

"Once l am done with mybusiness here, l will leave this city, continue my way minding my own business.

At this moment, Reyna who had been maintaining a nonchalant look suddenly said.

"Wow look at you, you have it all figured it out. "

Alex once again just shrugged.

Reyna continued.

"Well that's great and all but there is one tiny problem. How are you going to leave ?"

Alex revealed a dumbfounded look.

Reyna, then turned to Jonah and said .

"Oh l see you hadn't filled him on the nature of things here."

Jonah shrugged and said.

"We were in a hurry, so l didn't get the time."

Reyna nodded, and then said.

"Well in that case, l will leave you to it. Come with him to me when he fully knows things about this city. "

Jonah at this moment gave a short nod towards Reyna.

"l will"

Alex didn't even have a chance to ask a question, when Jonah suddenly grabbed him by the arm and led him towards another place.

After a few moments of walking Alex later broke free from Jonah's grab and asked irritably.

"What the heck is going on, what does she mean by the nature of things?"

Jonah scratched his head and said.

"Remember when l said that this place is not the same as any other fallen city. Well l really meant it ."