In the right corner of the room, a man shouted, "Call the police!"
Manager Kim replied, his voice shaky, "I already did, but the phone lines are congested!"
The room fell into uneasy silence. The air felt thick and hot, heavy with the smell of sweat and fear. From downstairs, faint screams echoed, mixed with the sound of glass breaking and people crying out. Each noise made our hearts race faster.
Then came a loud BAM! from the restroom next to us.
Everyone froze.
The sound came again, BAM!
"What's that?" Manager Kim whispered, his voice trembling.
The man with the bat, the same one who had burst in earlier, nodded toward the restroom. "Go check it out," he said firmly.
Manager Kim shook his head. "No way!"
Before they could start arguing again, a piercing scream tore through the room. My chest tightened as I whipped around toward the sound. A woman was pointing across the room, her face pale with terror. We all turned to look... and froze.
There, standing over a lifeless body, was a man covered in blood. His hands shook, and crimson stains ran down his shirt. The body at his feet wasn't moving. The smell of iron filled the air, strong and suffocating.
It didn't take long for everyone to realize what had happened. But the fear in the room wasn't because of the infected. It was because of him. People began to whisper, their voices blending into a low murmur. No one dared move closer. The man stood motionless, breathing heavily, his face unreadable. The flickering light above made his bloodstained figure look even more terrifying.
Manager Kim pulled me aside, joining a small group whispering in panic. They were debating what to do with the man.
"Are you two insane?" I blurted, my voice shaking with anger. "He just saved us from that thing!"
The man with glasses spoke up nervously. "He's dangerous. He could be infected with whatever this is. You saw what he did, he killed someone. That's homicide."
"Homicide?" I repeated, glaring at him. "So you want to throw him out there? You're trying to murder the only person who protected us! You're scared of him, that's what this is. Tell me, have you ever seen someone get bitten, collapse, and then stand up again like they do?"
Silence filled the room. Then, all at once, people started arguing, voices rising, fear spreading like wildfire.
Amid the chaos, the man with the bat, calm and quiet, finally spoke.
"I'll leave," he said firmly.
The room fell silent. He turned toward me, his dark eyes locking onto mine.
"Come on."
For a moment, I hesitated. Everyone else in the room looked terrified. They were arguing, pointing fingers, and trying to blame the only person who had actually done something. But him? He had protected us. He had stayed calm when everyone else panicked. And deep down, I knew something the others didn't. If he wanted to hurt us, he could have done it already.
"Miss Harper!" Manager Kim called out, his voice filled with panic. "Don't go!"
I glanced at him. Part of me wanted to stay. The other part knew this room wasn't safe anymore. Not with people turning on each other. Not with whatever was banging in the restroom. Not with the infected wandering outside. Taking a deep breath, I reached for the stranger's hand.
"I trust him," I said quietly.
The room erupted with protests.
"Are you crazy?"
"Don't do it!"
"You're going to get yourself killed!"
I ignored them all. Turning toward the stranger, I forced a faint smile.
"Let's go."
A hint of surprise crossed his face. Then he nodded. Together, we walked toward the door. We stood by the door, listening. Distant groans echoed from somewhere in the store. My pulse thudded in my ears.
He looked at me, and I nodded silently. He eased the door open.
The employee area outside was dim and smelled of dust and decay. The lights flickered weakly overhead, and I could hear the faint scraping sounds of the infected wandering through the store.
"We need a distraction," I whispered.
He nodded. Gripping his bat, he took a deep breath and hurled it across the store. It crashed into a metal shelf, sending canned goods clattering onto the floor. The noise echoed loudly through the building. The infected immediately turned toward the sound.
"Now," he whispered.
We slipped out, crouching low as we hurried through the aisles. Every step felt like it could be my last. My chest ached from holding my breath. Then click.
"Mommy, I'm hungry," sang a soft, mechanical voice.
I froze.
Looking down, I saw a broken baby doll beneath my foot.
Its cracked face stared up at me, and a distorted lullaby drifted from its tiny speaker, sending chills down my spine. Our eyes met.
The infected turned.
Without hesitation, he grabbed my hand and yelled, "Run!"
We sprinted toward the exit. My legs burned, and my breath came out in sharp gasps. Behind us, the infected screamed and stumbled after us.
"Keep running!" he shouted. "We're almost there, just a little bit more!"
He didn't let go of my hand until we reached the car.
My fingers shook as I fumbled with the keys Manager Kim had lent me earlier.
The moment the door unlocked, we jumped inside. The engine roared to life, and we sped away from the store. For a while, the only sound was our breathing and the hum of the tires on the road. Then he spoke quietly, his eyes focused ahead.
"Don't apologize. The people who turned on me... they're already dead."
He tightened his grip on the steering wheel.
"One of your coworkers, the one who always argued with your manager, was bitten."
I stared at him, my mind racing. He glanced over at me briefly.
"I'm Jaydon," he said.
"I'm Sara," I replied softly.
He nodded once and focused back on the road. The streets were littered with abandoned cars and lifeless bodies. Smoke drifted in the distance, dark and heavy against the sky. Back at the store, manager Kim paced nervously. Regret filled his face as he replayed the moment I left.
His thoughts were interrupted by a low, guttural growl. He turned and froze. The same employee who always argued with him stood there. His eyes were vacant. His skin was pale. Blood dripped from his mouth. He was infected.
Meanwhile, miles away, Jaydon suddenly slammed on the brakes.
A woman stood in the middle of the road, waving her arms frantically.
"Help me!" she screamed. "Please! Help me!"
I reached for the door handle. But Jaydon's hand shot out and grabbed my wrist. His eyes never left the woman.
"Sara," he said quietly.
A chill ran down my spine.