Morning arrived quietly inside the bunker.
Unlike the ruined world above, the underground shelter still held a sense of normalcy. Warm light illuminated the dining area, and the faint aroma of freshly cooked food drifted through the corridors. It was a small comfort in a world that had collapsed overnight.
Mia woke early.
For a few seconds she lay still in bed, staring at the ceiling, listening to the distant sounds of movement from the kitchen. The bunker had become their refuge for months now, yet every morning still felt strange. She had memories of another future—a darker one—where survival meant hunger, violence, and constant fear.
But here, things were different. They had food, shelter and they had family.
Still, today was dangerous.
Mia rose from bed and dressed quickly before heading to the dining area. When she arrived, Luis was already sitting at the table, rubbing sleep from his eyes while Olivia set down plates of breakfast in front of everyone.
The table was full.
Michael sat at the head, calm but serious as always. Helen was beside him, her eyes soft but filled with concern. Across from them sat Federick and Olivia, Luis's parents, both quietly watching their children.
Today Mia and Luis would leave the bunker.
Just for a while but even that felt risky.
Olivia finished placing the last plate on the table and smiled gently.
"Eat while it's warm."
The meal was simple but comforting, eggs, bread, and warm soup prepared from preserved ingredients. The small act of eating together felt almost like life before the outbreak.
For a few minutes no one spoke. They simply ate. Then Michael cleared his throat.
His deep voice carried authority, but beneath it Mia heard something else, fear.
"Remember," he said slowly, looking at both Mia and Luis, "always stay alert out there."
Mia nodded quietly. Michael continued. "Don't take unnecessary risks. If something feels wrong, leave immediately. Nothing you're looking for is more important than your lives."
Helen reached across the table and gently held Mia's hand.
"Never go alone," she said softly. "Stay together at all times."
Mia squeezed her mother's hand reassuringly.
"We will, Mom."
Federick leaned forward slightly, his expression thoughtful. "You should bring the satellite phone," he said. "We don't know if the communication networks outside are still working. If anything happens, that might be the only way to reach us."
Luis nodded.
"I already packed it."
Federick continued, his tone turning serious.
"And bring masks."
Luis frowned slightly.
"Masks?"
Federico nodded slowly.
"We still don't know exactly how the infection spreads. It might be from bites… but it could also be airborne. Virus, bacteria, fungus—we don't know yet."
The table fell silent at those words.
The uncertainty made everything worse.
Olivia reached over and placed a gentle hand on Luis's arm.
"We'll be here waiting for you," she said softly. "Just promise you'll be careful."
Luis gave her a reassuring smile.
"We will."
Mia nodded as well.
"I promise."
After finishing breakfast, the moment of departure came quickly. Hugs followed.
First from Olivia, who held Luis tightly. Then from Federick, who clasped his son's shoulder firmly.
Helen embraced Mia longer than usual, pressing a kiss against her forehead. "Come back safe."
"I will," Mia whispered.
Finally Michael stepped forward. He looked at Mia carefully for a moment before pulling her into a brief but strong hug. "I trust you," he said quietly.
Then he stepped back.
Outside the living quarters, the bunker garage waited. The massive underground chamber contained the vehicle they would use today, the same one prepared earlier for emergency travel.
The black armored SUV sat ready near the camouflaged exit door, its reinforced body built to handle rough terrain and unexpected dangers. Federick walked ahead of them toward the control panel near the garage door. In his hand was a handgun, held low but ready.
Just in case.
No one spoke as he began unlocking the massive camouflage door. The mechanism hummed quietly as thick metal bolts disengaged.
"Ready?" Federick asked.
Luis climbed into the driver's seat while Mia slid into the passenger side, placing her crossbow within reach.
"Ready," Luis replied.
The garage door slowly began to open. Above them, the camouflage surface lifted carefully, revealing the outside world, a quiet forest clearing designed to hide the bunker's entrance.
Federick stood near the doorway with the gun ready, scanning the surroundings. If an infected tried to rush inside, he would shoot immediately.
Luis started the engine. The SUV growled softly as it came to life. Then he pressed the accelerator. The vehicle surged forward, exiting the hidden garage and turning quickly onto the dirt path leading away from the bunker. Behind them, Federick remained watching until they were safely gone.
Inside the bunker, Michael wasted no time.
He immediately activated the closing mechanism.
The heavy door slowly lowered back into place, sealing the entrance once more and blending perfectly into the natural surroundings.
From the outside, it would look like nothing more than ordinary ground and rock. The bunker disappeared again.
---
On the road, Luis drove slowly.
The morning sun filtered through the trees as the SUV rolled forward along the cracked rural road. For several minutes everything seemed peaceful.
Too peaceful. Then Mia noticed movement behind them.
"The infected outside the bunker," she said quietly.
Luis glanced into the rearview mirror.
A single infected staggered out from the roadside brush, drawn by the sound of the engine. Its head jerked toward them before it began following the vehicle.
"Just one," Luis said.
"Drive slow," Mia replied.
Luis reduced speed slightly. The infected continued trailing them, its movements uneven but persistent. After twenty minutes of driving, they passed an abandoned car sitting crooked along the roadside.
Mia turned in her seat to look again at the infected behind them. Then she pointed toward the abandoned vehicle.
"He might have owned that car."
Luis glanced at it briefly before nodding.
"Probably."
The thought hung silently between them. That infected had once been someone with a life. A job, a family and now it was just another monster wandering the roads.
They continued driving. Eventually the road led them through a small town. The silence there felt wrong. Buildings stood abandoned, windows shattered. Store signs hung crooked from broken frames, and scattered debris littered the streets.
Burned vehicles sat frozen where they had crashed months ago. But what unsettled Mia the most was the lack of movement. No infected, no animals, nothing. It was like the town had simply died.
Luis checked the GPS device mounted near the dashboard.
"We're getting close," he said.
"How long?"
"Thirty minutes."
Mia nodded slowly.
"I hope Pablo is there."
Luis didn't answer right away.
"I hope so too."
After leaving the town behind, Mia glanced back again at the infected still following them.
"Stop the car."
Luis slowed and pulled to the side of the road. Mia opened the upper window hatch above the SUV and carefully raised her crossbow. The infected continued approaching slowly. Mia steadied her aim. One shot. The bolt flew through the air and struck the infected directly in the forehead.
The body dropped instantly onto the asphalt.
Silence returned.
Mia lowered the crossbow slowly. For a moment she simply stared at the corpse lying in the road.
Luis watched her.
"You've done that before, haven't you?"
Mia remained quiet.
Then she nodded.
"Yes."
Luis hesitated before asking the next question.
"In the future?"
Mia looked out the window at the empty road ahead.
"Yes."
Luis waited.
"And… infected weren't the only ones."
Luis frowned slightly.
"What do you mean?"
Mia's voice grew quieter.
"I had to kill someone once."
Luis glanced at her in surprise but didn't interrupt. Mia's hands tightened slightly around the crossbow.
"We were searching for food with Kevin."
The name felt bitter in her mouth.
"One man from another group tried to force himself on me when Kevin wasn't looking."
Luis's grip on the steering wheel tightened.
"What happened?"
Mia stared forward, remembering the moment.
"He thought I was weak."
Her voice hardened slightly.
"He was wrong."
Luis understood without her saying more.
"You killed him."
Mia nodded once.
"Yes."
Silence filled the vehicle again.
Luis finally spoke softly.
"I'm sorry you had to go through that."
Mia exhaled slowly.
"So am I."
For the rest of the drive, neither of them spoke much.
The road continued winding through ruined landscapes, burned houses, overturned trucks, and abandoned farms left to decay.
Despite the destruction, the road itself remained passable. Eventually Luis slowed the vehicle.
"We're here."
They had reached the location Pablo had described earlier. Luis parked the SUV partially hidden behind an old roadside structure. Neither of them got out immediately. Instead, they watched, waiting, observing.
The world outside the car remained eerily quiet. No infected and no movement.
But that didn't mean it was safe.
Somewhere nearby, they hoped Pablo was waiting.
Or at least still alive.
Mia tightened her grip on the crossbow as both of them continued scanning the empty surroundings.