Two Worlds, Book 2

Heartfelt | Lynn Neighbourhood | Abandoned House | Late Afternoon | Attic | Day 68

The attic reeked of dust and rotted wood, but no one noticed. All their attention was locked on the scene outside the small, cracked window.

Kara's grip tightened on her bat. "They're getting closer."

Shadows moved through the downpour, their twisted silhouettes trudging toward Lynn Neighborhood. Hundreds of infected, their footsteps splashing through puddles, their guttural growls seeping through the storm. Thunder crashed, but it couldn't drown out the sickening rhythm of their march.

Alan's stomach sank. "Shit. Grab what you can. Now." His voice cut through the rising tension. "Pack fast."

No one hesitated. Raj, Sharon, and Kara scrambled to gather the last cans and supplies, zippers rasping as they stuffed their overfilled backpacks. The air felt too tight, like it could snap at any second.

Sharon shoved a can of peaches into her bag, her voice tight. "How is this even possible?"

"I've never seen this many at once," Kara murmured, glancing back at the window. "Not even back at campus."

Raj's hands shook slightly as he zipped his pack shut. "We finally get a break, and of course, this happens."

Alan didn't answer. There were no explanations—just the unsettling image of the horde moving relentlessly closer. His fingers brushed the revolver at his hip. Two bullets. Against hundreds.

Raj risked another look outside. His face paled. "They're almost here."

A thick silence fell over the attic. Alan's pulse pounded. If those things got inside, it was over. No escape.

He turned sharply. "Kara, Sharon. Get downstairs. Lock everything. Windows, doors—if they get close, they can't get inside. Got it?"

"Got it," Sharon said, slinging her crowbar onto her belt.

Kara nodded, gripping her bat so tight her knuckles whitened. "Let's go."

Sharon was already climbing down the attic ladder, boots thudding against the wooden rungs. Kara followed, her bat poised in her hands.

Alan turned to Raj. "Stay here. Keep watch."

Raj swallowed. "What about you?"

"I'm helping them lock up."

Raj hesitated, glancing at the walkie-talkie clipped to his belt. "You sure we should use these? Static might attract them."

"The rain'll drown it out. Trust me."

Raj exhaled sharply, nodding. "Okay... just don't take too long."

Alan squeezed his shoulder once. "Keep your eyes sharp."

Raj gave a tight, shaky grin. "Always."

Alan didn't look back as he climbed down. But Raj's words echoed in his head.

I've got this.

Heartfelt | Lynn Neighbourhood | Abandoned House | Late Afternoon | Living Room

The house was deathly silent, save for the pounding rain against the walls and the distant growls of the approaching infected. Alan dropped from the attic, boots hitting the floor with a dull thud. The air was colder here, damp, as if the storm had found a way inside.

From deeper in the house, Sharon's voice rang out. "Windows are locked in the kitchen! Checking the back door now."

"Front room's clear!" Kara called, her voice tight.