Chapter 3
November
He felt suffocated. Sesa’s chest heaved as he fought to breathe, the air around him thick and stifling. Even as his eyes stayed shut, his mind swam with fragments of a nightmare, flashes of blood, the echo of distant screams, and an overwhelming sense of helplessness.
“Hey, Sesa.” A voice called out to him, firm yet careful, dragging him back to the surface of consciousness. A hand gripped his shoulder, steadying him as he sat up.
His eyes snapped open, greeted by the dim glow of a candle. The once-familiar hum of the air conditioner was long gone, leaving the store eerily silent except for the occasional drip of water from somewhere behind the counter. Shelves loomed like shadows in the faint light, their contents scattered in chaotic disarray.
“Sesa, you okay?” Adam crouched beside him, his voice low but insistent.
Sesa blinked, his vision still blurry. His breathing came in shallow gasps, his chest tightening like a vice. Sweat trickled down his temples, his body trembling from the vivid dream—or maybe it was the cold that seeped into the room during the dead of night.
As his eyes adjusted to the dim light, he locked eyes with Adam. For a brief moment, he said nothing, his gaze silently asking what had happened while he slept. The ticking of his watch filled the silence, the sound unnervingly loud in the stillness.
It took him a few minutes to fully snap back to reality. With a heavy sigh, he ruffled his hair and wiped the sweat from his face. The watch on his wrist read almost 5 AM. Dawn was approaching, with the sun ready to rise over the eastern hill. Starting a day like this, with a nightmare lingering in his chest, felt more exhausting than the apocalypse itself.
Fumbling through his pocket, Sesa retrieved his inhaler. A quick pump brought relief to his struggling lungs, his breathing evening out as he leaned against the cold wall. Adam didn’t look away, his eyes observing Sesa’s every movement.
“What? Never seen someone with asthma before?” Sesa snapped, his voice sharp despite the rasp in his throat.
“Not in a while,” Adam admitted, leaning back against the wall. “You don’t see a lot of people with conditions like that anymore. Most don’t last this long.”
Sesa responded with a dry chuckle, though there was no humor in it.
He rubbed his eyes and looked around. Francis and Josh were still asleep, curled up on makeshift bedding—old jackets, blankets, and whatever they’d managed to scavenge over the past few days. Josh’s arm dangled off the side of his bedroll, his face slack with exhaustion. Francis had curled into himself, his chest rising and falling in steady rhythm.
Adam stood, the scrape of his boots against the tile breaking the quiet. He wandered behind the shelves without a word. Sesa gave him a half-hearted glance, his curiosity quickly replaced by indifference. He stretched his stiff body, wincing at the soreness in his back. Sleeping without any kind of mat or padding was taking its toll.
Adam returned a few moments later with a fruit-flavored drink and a bottle of water in his hands. He handed both to Sesa without saying much, sitting back down near the candle’s glow. Sesa hesitated but took the water, gulping it down first. The sugary drink remained unopened in his lap while Adam opted for it right away, wincing slightly as the sweet liquid hit his throat.
“You should have some,” Adam said after swallowing. His voice was rough, his words deliberate. “Helps after a bad dream.”
Sesa raised an eyebrow. “Where’d you hear that? A survival guide or something?”
Adam smirked faintly but didn’t answer. Sesa sighed, taking a reluctant sip of the flavored drink before screwing the cap back on and setting it aside. It tasted too sweet to swallow easily after waking up.
It had been nearly 24 hours since Sesa had met Adam, Josh, and Francis. The thought lingered uneasily in his mind. He wasn’t sure what to think anymore. Were his nerves on edge because of the looming danger these strangers brought, or was it simply the strain of sharing his space? He’d spent so long surviving alone that the idea of trusting anyone felt foreign.
But the truth was unavoidable, surviving alone didn't seem like an answer.
Resources were finite. Water, food, electricity—all of it would run out sooner rather than later. The electricity had already gone out again.
Sesa glanced toward the ceiling where the fluorescent lights remained lifeless. He didn’t know when or if it would come back. He sighed again, his gaze shifting to the faint light peeking through the horizon. The sun was beginning to rise. At least that was something they could count on, for now.
His mind drifted to their next inevitable challenge. When the supplies ran dry, they’d have no choice but to leave. The thought of venturing into the unknown filled him with unease. The streets were dangerous, infested with creatures and unpredictable threats.
But today might be a blessing, Sesa thought as he squinted toward the horizon. The sky was now filled with dark clouds. A soft pattern echoed on the roof, and Sesa’s heart skipped a beat when he realized what it was—rain. Slowly, steadily, droplets began to fall from the sky, drenching the world outside in a grey mist. It had been so long since the last time he’d seen rain, and this—this was the first day since the apocalypse that the sky decided to shower this area with the gentle relief of water.
The air felt different, fresher, as if nature itself was offering a rare moment of reprieve. Sesa inhaled deeply, letting the smell of rain settle into his lungs. He glanced at Adam, who had a quiet chuckle, his eyes momentarily sparkling. Seems like the man in front of him hadn’t seen the rain for a while too.
Sesa watched as Adam moved Josh’s body, shifting him dramatically until Josh groaned in annoyance, clearly disturbed from whatever dreams he was having. Adam didn’t seem to care, though.
Adam leaned over Josh, nudging him a little harder, his voice low and playful. “Dude, wake up! You’ve been snoring for hours. The apocalypse doesn’t wait for anyone.” Josh groaned, shifting uncomfortably, his eyes still closed as he mumbled something incoherent in his sleep.
Josh’s eyes fluttered open, squinting against the light, clearly annoyed at being disturbed. “You’re worse than an alarm clock...” he muttered, but after a few seconds, he managed to sit up, rubbing his face in frustration.
With Josh finally starting to stir, Adam moved on to Francis, who was still curled up, lost in the warmth of sleep. Adam crouched down beside him, his voice softer now, almost a whisper. “Francis... Hey, kid, rise and shine. You wouldn’t want to miss the rain, would you?”
Sesa’s eyes followed Adam’s every movement, giving concern why he disturbed that poor kid's sleep.
Francis stirred slightly, a small frown creasing his forehead as he blinked up at Adam.
“It’s raining, Francis,” Adam said, his voice filled with warmth.
The child, still half-dazed, rubbed his eyes in confusion. But once he fully awoke and saw the rain falling outside, a smile spread across his face. He sat up quickly, his hands reaching for Adam’s shirt as he tried to pull him toward the window.
Sesa froze for a moment, a flicker of anxiety in his chest. He couldn't help it. The idea of Francis getting too close to the door, sent a surge of panic through Sesa’s veins. But Adam didn’t seem to share his concern. Instead, he smiled so brightly. There was something almost comforting about the way Adam allowed Francis to drag him forward, his own smile reflecting Francis's joy, despite the circumstances.
Adam’s smile wavered slightly as he alight gaze on Sesa's worried face, but he didn’t let go of Francis’s hand. “It’s okay,” Adam said softly, his voice calm. “The door’s locked. And the rain’s not going to hurt us.”
But Sesa wasn’t entirely convinced. He still anxiously watched the kid's infectious excitement. The rain outside, though a gift, felt almost too good to be true, too simple in a world that had become anything but. It made him feel like things could go wrong again at any moment.
Despite that, for now, he remained silent, watching as Francis continued to tug at Adam’s sleeve.
“This is the right time to move,” Josh said suddenly, his voice rough from just waking up. He took a long sip of water afterward, as if his words were just casual morning talk.
Sesa froze, staring at Josh, startled by the words that spilled out so casually. They didn’t make sense, not right after waking up, and certainly not in the context of the rain outside.
“You’re right,” Adam chimed in, his tone firm yet calm, as though the statement was perfectly logical.
Sesa’s overthinking spiraled immediately, his thoughts bouncing between scenarios, each one worse than the last. He frowned, his mind already dissecting the practicality of moving now. The rain, though a rare blessing, could turn against them in so many ways.
His first thought was of the creatures—the infected ones lurking somewhere beyond the safety of these walls. What if they got caught out in the open? The rain would dull their senses and obscure their vision, making it harder to react quickly. And then there was the water itself—mud, slick roads, and soaked clothes that would make every step feel like dragging dead weight.
But worst of all, Sesa’s mind circled back to the virus. Rain and infection didn’t sound like a healthy combination. He cast a glance at Francis, who was still looking out at the rain with wonder in his eyes. Kids had weaker immune systems, didn’t they? The idea of falling sick out there, with no resources, no medication. No. Exactly he screamed no in silence.
“Move? Now?” Sesa finally blurted, his voice sharp, snapping out of his thoughts. He shot a confused look between Josh and Adam. “You’ve got to be kidding me. In this weather?”
In the end, he joined this crazy idea.
Even Francis's eyes sparkled as he slipped on the oversized raincoat, looking every bit like a child eager to play in the rain, blissfully unaware of the harsh truths they might encounter ahead.
The raincoat didn’t fully cover Sesa’s body. Water still splattered against his jeans, soaking the fabric as he trudged along. He’d packed a few supplies into a flimsy shopping bag from the supermarket, awkwardly clutching it in his hand. If only he could find a backpack or even an old parachute bag; anything sturdier would have made this journey a lot easier.
And yet, here he was—joining three strangers on a risky journey in the middle of a downpour. He couldn’t believe himself. Leaving the shelter of the supermarket, with no clear direction or assurance of finding another safe haven for the night, felt reckless. But Sesa stayed silent, carrying their gathered resources and keeping his doubts to himself.
The rain poured heavily, masking the sound of their hurried footsteps as they slipped away from the relative safety of the store. They moved quickly, their figures blurred by the relentless curtain of water. Perhaps the universe was hiding them for now, shielding their movements from the wandering creatures.
Even so, Sesa’s nerves remained on edge. He wasn’t sure if the sound of the rain fully masked the noise they made. His eyes darted to the left and right, where a few of the creatures wandered aimlessly. Their movements were sluggish, as though dulled by the downpour, and they didn’t appear to be aggressive. Not yet.
For now, the group pressed on, their pace steady but cautious. Each step forward felt like a gamble, the rain both their ally and their risk.
The rain, of course, didn’t last long. They had been on the road for nearly half an hour, trudging through a desolate landscape of crumbling buildings, abandoned cars coated in dust, and the occasional unsettling movement in the shadows.
Francis was now carried by Josh, a change from when Sesa first met the group, where Adam had been the one cradling the boy. The axe rested firmly in Adam’s grip, his knuckles white as he led the way with tense awareness. Josh followed behind, Francis perched on his back, while Sesa brought up the rear, clutching the metal rod he had come to rely on for self-defense.
Every step was filled with unease, the sound of their hearts pounding almost louder than their footsteps. The rain had ceased entirely, leaving behind only puddles that reflected the gray sky. The silence was oppressive, broken only by their shallow breaths and the occasional creak of a shifting structure in the distance.
Adam raised a hand, signaling for absolute quiet. They obeyed, their movements becoming slow and deliberate to avoid the puddles scattered across the road. Any misstep could create a splash loud enough to draw unwanted attention.
On Josh’s back, Francis began to squirm, tugging gently at his shirt. The boy’s silent plea to be put down turned more insistent as he fidgeted. Josh shook his head, his lips pressed tightly together, unable to speak. A single sound could mean disaster, and he knew it.
“Put me down,” Francis whispered, his small voice breaking the tense silence.
The words barely carried through the air, but Sesa heard them. His body went rigid as he tilted his head, his heart sinking when he spotted it—a creature, standing not far from where they were frozen in place.
It had already noticed them.
The creature’s head twisted unnaturally, its hollow eyes snapping toward the group. It hesitated, swaying as though testing the air, before lurching forward. Each jerky step brought it closer, its movement deliberate, as if savoring the moment.
Sesa tightened his grip on the rod, his pulse roaring in his ears. Every instinct screamed at him to run, but he knew better. Running would only make things worse. His eyes darted to Adam, who was already raising the axe, his body tense and ready.
Josh remained still, his back stiff as Francis clung to him, the boy's quiet fear palpable.
The creature moved closer, each step bringing it into sharper focus—the decaying flesh, the sunken eyes, and the inhuman gurgle that escaped its throat. The world seemed to narrow, the moment stretched thin by the suffocating tension.
Adam shifted his weight, the scrape of his boot against the asphalt slicing through the suffocating stillness. The sound was barely audible, but it was enough. The creature stopped, its head snapping toward the noise, and the world seemed to shatter into motion all at once.
Adam’s grip on the axe tightened as he stepped forward, his eyes locked on the creature. Sesa’s pulse thundered in his ears, his hands trembling as he raised the rod. The first move was critical, and it was coming... fast.