The road stretched endlessly ahead of them as the SUV moved steadily through the countryside.
It had already been almost an hour since they left the abandoned gasoline station. The sky above them had slowly changed from the bright gold of afternoon into the softer orange hues of approaching evening.
Mia kept both hands firmly on the steering wheel as she guided the vehicle along the quiet road.
The highway they followed was old but still usable. Cracks ran through the faded asphalt, and weeds had begun pushing through some of the broken edges. On both sides of the road, open land spread far into the distance.
Wide fields rolled gently across the countryside. Some were empty and overgrown with tall wild grass. Others still showed signs of former farms, abandoned barns, rusted tractors, and fences slowly collapsing with age.
The farther they drove, the quieter the world became.
Luis sat in the passenger seat now, watching the road ahead while occasionally glancing at Pablo in the back. Pablo leaned against the seat, his injured leg stretched carefully in front of him. The bandage Luis had wrapped earlier was already stained with faint spots of blood, but the bleeding had slowed.
Even so, the pain was obvious. Pablo's jaw tightened every time the car hit a small bump on the road. Rio sat beside him, helping keep his brother steady. "You're doing fine," Rio said quietly.
Pablo gave a tired nod. "I've had worse."
Luis glanced back at him. "Don't try to be tough," Luis said. "That wound needs proper rest."
Pablo gave a weak chuckle. "I'll rest when we get home."
Mia continued driving as the sun slowly dipped closer to the horizon. Eventually, Rio leaned forward slightly. "We're close."
Mia slowed the vehicle. The road ahead narrowed into a dirt path that curved between wide fields. Dust rose behind the SUV as the tires rolled across the dry ground.
Then, as they followed the path over a small hill, something appeared in the distance. A tall wooden wall. Luis blinked in surprise as the structure became clearer. The wall stretched far across the land, built from thick wooden logs placed tightly together. It was far taller than a normal fence, high enough that no infected could easily climb over it. The structure surrounded the entire farm like a fortress.
"This… is your family's farm?" Luis asked.
Rio nodded. "Yes."
The SUV slowly approached a large wooden gate built into the wall. Above the gate stood a small watchtower, a man stood there holding a rifle. The guard raised the weapon slightly when he saw the approaching vehicle. "Stop there!" the man called down.
Rio immediately leaned out of the window.
"It's me! Rio!"
The guard squinted for a moment before recognition appeared on his face. "Rio?"
"Yes!" Rio shouted.
The guard quickly turned and spoke to someone behind him. A few seconds later, heavy sounds echoed as the large wooden gate slowly began to open. The thick doors creaked as they swung inward.
Mia gently drove the SUV forward, passing through the gate and into the farm. The moment they entered, Luis felt a wave of surprise. The farm was enormous.
Inside the wooden walls, the land stretched widely across rolling hills and open fields. Another wooden fence stood several meters inside the main wall, creating a second layer of protection around the central part of the farm.
"Double fences," Luis muttered. Smart.
If infected somehow breached the outer wall, the inner fence would still slow them down.
As Mia drove deeper inside, the full scale of the farm revealed itself. Large sections of farmland covered the area. Rows of tall corn plants swayed gently in the evening wind.
Other fields held vegetables and crops that had clearly been maintained carefully.
Animals moved peacefully across fenced pastures. Luis spotted several cows grazing quietly in the grass. Not far from them, sheep wandered across another field, their white wool glowing faintly in the fading sunlight.
A mall group of horses stood near a wooden stable farther up the hill. The place looked alive. Stable and protected.
Luis shook his head in disbelief. "I can't believe this place."
Rio smiled faintly. "My parents have been farming here for decades."
Luis looked again at the towering wooden walls surrounding the land. The thick logs had been placed tightly together, reinforced with cross beams and support posts. The structure was strong enough to stop both zombies and human intruders. "This place is safer than most settlements," Luis said quietly.
Mia drove the vehicle slowly up the dirt path leading toward the farmhouse. The large house stood on a gentle hill near the center of the farm. It was an old but well-maintained farmhouse with wide wooden porches and warm lights glowing through the windows.
As Mia parked the SUV near the front of the house, the front door suddenly swung open.
An elderly woman rushed outside.
"Rio!"
She ran across the yard and wrapped her arms tightly around him the moment he stepped out of the vehicle. "My boy!" she cried.
Rio hugged her back. "I'm okay, Mom."
The woman immediately looked around the vehicle with panic in her eyes. "Where's Pablo?"
Rio pointed toward the back seat. "He's here."
Luis and Rio quickly opened the back door.
Pablo tried to climb out of the car, but the moment his injured leg touched the ground, pain shot through him. He groaned. Luis and Rio immediately grabbed his arms to support him. The elderly woman rushed toward him.
Her face filled with worry. "Pablo!"
She touched his face gently as tears filled her eyes. "My son… what happened to you?"
Pablo forced a weak smile. "Mom… I'm okay."
The woman shook her head, already crying.
"No… you're not okay."
Before Pablo could answer, another person ran out of the house, a young woman. he hurried toward them and wrapped her arms around Pablo carefully, kissing his cheek.
"I'm so glad you're back," she said with relief.
Pablo smiled faintly. "Yes, babe… I'm here."
Then his expression turned serious. "Where's Leah?"
The woman's smile faded slightly. "She's inside," she said softly. "She's… holding on."
Luis stepped forward. "We brought medicine," he said.
The woman's eyes immediately filled with hope. "Really?"
Luis nodded. "We hope it helps."
The woman gave a small grateful smile. "Thank you."
Together, they slowly helped Pablo walk toward the house. Each step clearly caused him pain, but he endured it quietly.
Mia and Luis returned to the SUV and opened the back compartment. They carried several bags filled with medical supplies and medicines they had brought from the bunker.
Inside the house, warm lights filled the living room. The interior was simple but comfortable, with wooden furniture and the smell of cooked food lingering in the air.
As they placed the supplies on the table, Mia glanced toward the darkening sky outside the window. Night had fully arrived. She turned to Luis. "We should call our parents," she said softly.
Luis nodded. "They're probably worried by now."
After everything that had happened that day, they had traveled far from the bunker. Mia took out the satellite phone. For the first time since leaving that morning, a calm feeling settled over them.
For tonight at least…
They were safe.