The room was quiet. Outside, the gray sky was beginning to clear, letting in a faint light that filtered through the windows. The murmur of voices from other rooms barely reached them, distant, almost inaudible.
Arika and Reize sat facing each other, holding glasses of water in their hands. Max was sleeping in some corner of the house, and from the next room came the sound of children's laughter mixed with Koen's voice.
—Now that we're alone —Reize began, gently breaking the silence—, maybe we can talk calmly about what happened that afternoon… when I found you in the rain.
Arika lowered her gaze, gripping the glass a little tighter.
—I saw you surrounded by those creatures —Reize continued, her voice soft but firm—. There were bodies everywhere. I know you're strong, but you were injured, and yet you managed to defeat them all by yourself… what exactly happened?
—When you left… —Arika began, her voice barely audible— one appeared. I killed it, but then more came. I don't know how many… I just remember fighting. One knocked me down and I hurt my leg, but I kept going… I don't know for how long. I guess it was the adrenaline.
—Didn't you have… another headache? —Reize asked, studying her closely—. Like that time when you were confused.
Arika shook her head slowly.
—No… nothing else happened.
Reize watched her for a moment. Then she narrowed her eyes.
—Are you sure, Arika? You're not hiding something from me, are you?
Arika's heart skipped a beat. She clenched her fingers around the glass and forced a smile.
—Hiding something from you? Me? I could never do that to you.
The lie slipped out.
And this time… it didn't go unnoticed by her. Something inside her chest tightened sharply, as if that simple phrase had shattered something fragile. It wasn't just guilt. It was more intense, more raw. A sharp pang shot through her body, accompanied by an unsettling sensation… as if she were drifting away, little by little, from herself.
She had never lied to Reize. She had never had to. And now… she had done it without pausing long enough. That was what hurt her the most. The ease of it. As if at some point, without realizing it, she had crossed an invisible line. The silence that followed weighed heavier than any words.
Arika lowered her gaze, unable to meet his eyes. She felt that, if she did, Reize might see everything: the wound, the strength, that strange void in her memory… and that presence she still didn't know how to name. Everything she was trying to hide seemed to pulse beneath her skin, waiting to break free.
She couldn't say it. Because even she didn't understand it. Because she was terrified to put it into words. And, above all… because she was afraid.
Afraid of losing her.
Afraid she'd look at him with suspicion.
Afraid she'd stop seeing him the way she had until now.
Before the silence was broken, footsteps approached the living room. Stella appeared with a folded blanket in her arms, her hair carefully pulled back. When she saw them, she smiled gently.
—Am I interrupting? —she asked, even as she was already sitting down on the sofa next to them.
Reize looked away from Arika, her expression softening slightly.
—Not at all. We were just talking a little about what happened… nothing important.
Then she turned to Arika, as if realizing she hadn't introduced them.
—Oh, right. Stella… let me officially introduce you to Arika. —she gave a slight nod—. Arika, this is Stella. We shared a room yesterday and… she helped us out a lot.
Arika looked up and forced a small smile.
—Really… thank you.
Stella nodded gracefully.
—I'd already heard about you, Arika. Ethan mentions you often —she said with a kind smile—. It seems you've earned the respect of quite a few people here.
—I wish I could say I deserve it… —Arika murmured, without thinking.
—You do deserve it —Reize said immediately, with conviction.
Her words came quickly. Confidently. Without a trace of doubt.
And that… made the knot in Arika's chest tighten even more.
The silence that followed was different. Not uncomfortable, but heavy, as if something invisible had settled between them. None of them spoke.
All three looked down almost at the same time, focusing on the center of the table, as if in that small spot they could hide everything they weren't saying.
From the nearby rooms, the sound of footsteps broke the stillness. Hael and Althea were running down the hallway, their light laughter filling the air for a moment. Further back, Koen's soft laughter could be heard, distant… carefree.
A contrast that was all too stark.
Arika inhaled slowly, as if she needed to cling to something simpler, something more certain.
—Has this house always been this peaceful? —he finally asked, trying to change the subject.
—Not always —Stella replied, crossing her legs gracefully—. There were worse days, before we came to this hideaway. But over time… we learned to survive. And to enjoy moments like this.
Reize nodded with a warm smile.
—We deserve it.
He let his body sink a little into the armchair, relaxing.
On the other hand, the situation with the group that had gone out was different.
The fire station wasn't far away, but the journey still had its risks. Fortunately, the three of them arrived without any problems. Delma was the first to approach the rusty gate, which was ajar. The creak it made as she pushed it echoed through the silent street like an alarm.
—Go in carefully —she murmured, drawing her knife.
Ethan and Elion nodded. The three crossed the threshold and began to move through the place with firm but silent steps. Inside, the air smelled of dampness, ash, and something else... something musty. A couple of infected were lurking near the locker area. They lunged at them with growls when they saw them, but it wasn't difficult to take them down. Delma moved like a shadow, precise and quick. Ethan used his pistol only when necessary. Elion, for his part, secured the doors behind them.
—It's clear —said Delma, after checking the last room.
—Then let's get started —replied Ethan, heading toward an old map room.
Within minutes, Ethan found a couple of maps hanging on the wall and a few rolled up on a dusty shelf. He examined them, selected the ones that seemed most useful, and carefully put them away. Meanwhile, Elion and Delma were checking out a communications room. There they found two old radios, still in working order.
—These could help us communicate if anyone gets separated —Elion remarked, stuffing them into his backpack.
—If they don't cut out like last time —Ethan muttered, skeptical.
With everything they needed in hand, they decided to leave. But as soon as they stepped out of the building, the sound of footsteps and growls alerted them: a large group of infected was blocking their way back.
—Damn it —Ethan whispered, ducking behind a pile of rubble.
Delma quickly surveyed the area.
—Leave it to me. I'll go to the right; from there I'll be able to see a better route and radio you the best way to go. Wait for my signal.
—Are you sure? —Elion asked.
—Of course. Trust me.
She vanished into the shadows before they could say anything else. Ethan and Elion waited tensely. A few minutes passed before they heard Delma's voice over the radio.
—There's a narrow alley to your left. Go around the pharmacy building. Be careful—they're scattered, but they haven't spotted you yet.
They followed the instructions immediately, moving quickly. For several minutes, they managed to advance without being detected. But suddenly, the connection was cut off.
—Delma? —Elion pressed the radio button—. Delma, do you copy me?
Nothing.
He frowned.
—Let's keep moving. Maybe it was interference.
They kept walking, but it wasn't long before they were discovered by another group. In a matter of seconds, growls and quickening footsteps forced them to split up to survive.
Elion ran toward a half-collapsed building and hid among the rubble. From there, he tried to communicate with the others, without success. His pulse was pounding in his ears.
—Ethan? Delma? Can you hear me?
The silence was heavier than the air.
Then, from a dark alley, a figure emerged. Elion immediately aimed his gun, until he recognized the face. It was Ethan.
—Finally! —said Elion, relieved—. Are you okay?
Ethan nodded with a weary smile. He had a wound on his face, a cut running across his left cheek.
—Just a scratch… —he muttered, wiping the blood away with his sleeve—. I ran into a big group and ran out of bullets. I had to use the knife. One of those bastards shoved me against a wall… and I ended up cutting myself. But I managed to take him out.
Elion looked him up and down and laughed.
—With that scar, you look like a movie thug.
Ethan let out a weary laugh.
—I'm exhausted. I don't know how that girl, Arika, managed to take down so many using just an iron pipe…
—She must be in great shape —said Elion, still smiling—. I can't think of any other explanation.
—When we get back, I'll ask her where she trains. See if she'll give me the secret to that superhuman strength.
—Good idea. That would be good for all of us.
Ethan nodded, then asked, his voice more serious:
—And Delma? Do you know anything?
Elion shook his head.
—No. Since the interference, I haven't been able to contact her.
Before he could say anything else, a familiar voice startled them from above.
—Well, well, so here you are —said Delma, leaning against the edge of a rooftop—. The two of you playing hide-and-seek?
Ethan looked up, relieved.
—Where were you? We were worried!
—Having fun out there —she replied with a teasing smile—. I saw a few of you and couldn't help but have a little fun.
Elion teased her with a laugh.
—And you didn't invite us? What a bad friend.
The three of them laughed. The tense atmosphere from a moment ago vanished. Delma nimbly climbed down a side ladder, joined them, and, without another word, they set off on their way back.
They had to hurry. The sun was beginning to set, tinging the sky orange. Night would soon fall, and they all knew that the nights were unforgiving.
The group made their way through streets covered in dry leaves and old puddles. The shadows continued to grow among the abandoned buildings, and with them, the lurking danger.
—We barely made it before nightfall —Ethan murmured, bringing a hand to his aching side.
—Don't worry, we're almost there —Elion replied, guiding him down a side street—. I can see the house now.
Delma followed behind, alert, her eyes fixed on the rooftops. Although she was smiling, her hand never left the handle of her knife. The journey back hadn't been without its scares. Although they'd dodged the worst, they knew that a single lapse in caution could change everything.
When they finally turned the corner and entered the alley, they saw the back door of the house, and they all let out the breath they'd been holding.
—There it is —Delma said.
Ethan knocked on the back door with his knuckles, in a prearranged rhythm, waiting for his brother to open the door for him as always.