Ageless Secrets

Yn 

By the time we left the office building, the sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon, casting the abandoned streets of Kansas City in a dim, eerie glow. Henry had suggested moving to a more secure location—a nearby high-rise with a large conference room overlooking the city. Joel was reluctant at first, but even he had to admit the current spot wasn’t ideal for the day ahead.

We moved quickly, keeping close to the shadows and avoiding open spaces. Sam clung to Henry’s side, his wide eyes scanning every corner for danger. I couldn’t blame him. The city felt alive in the worst possible way, every creak of metal and rustle of wind setting my nerves on edge.

“You sure this place is safe?” Joel muttered to Henry as we approached the building.

“As safe as anything can be around here,” Henry replied, keeping his voice low.

Joel grunted, clearly unimpressed but unwilling to argue.

Ellie, as usual, was unfazed. “Hey, at least it’s not thirty-three flights of stairs this time, right?” she said, flashing me a grin.

“Don’t jinx it,” I muttered, earning a quiet laugh from her.

The building was massive, its glass façade reflecting the pale morning light. The front doors were shattered, and broken glass crunched beneath our feet as we entered. Henry led the way, his movements confident and purposeful.

“The conference room’s on the fifteenth floor,” he said. “Elevators don’t work, obviously, but it’s not too bad of a climb.”

Joel muttered something under his breath, but we all knew there wasn’t another option. We began the ascent, the stairwell echoing with the sound of our footsteps.

“Fifteen floors,” Ellie muttered. “Piece of cake.”

Joel shot her a look but didn’t comment.

By the time we reached the top, my legs were burning, and even Ellie looked a little winded. Henry pushed open the door to the fifteenth floor, revealing a sprawling conference room with floor-to-ceiling windows. The view was breathtaking and terrifying all at once—the city stretched out before us, a maze of abandoned streets and crumbling buildings.

“Wow,” Ellie said, stepping closer to the windows. “This is… kind of cool.”

“Kind of dangerous,” Joel muttered, his eyes scanning the room.

The conference table was massive, surrounded by plush chairs that were now covered in dust. Papers and office supplies were scattered across the floor, remnants of a time when people worried about meetings instead of survival.

“This’ll do,” Henry said, motioning for Sam to sit near the table. “It’s high up, and we can see anyone coming from a mile away.”

Joel nodded begrudgingly, though his hand never left the butt of his rifle.

I set my bag down near one of the chairs, stretching out my aching legs. “We’ll need to set up a watch rotation,” I said.

“I’ll take the first shift,” Joel said immediately.

“No, you won’t,” I countered, giving him a pointed look. “You barely slept last night. You’ll collapse if you don’t rest.”

He opened his mouth to argue, but Ellie cut in. “She’s right, you know. You’re not exactly a spring chicken.”

Joel glared at her, but she just grinned, completely unfazed.

“Fine,” he muttered, dropping his pack onto the table. “Wake me if anything happens.”