Akira glanced at the digital watch strapped to his wrist.
12:45 PM.
"Already past midday."
He turned toward the two women sitting in the back seat.
"I'll drive us to a motel."
"Hopefully there aren't many zombies there."
Both nodded in agreement.
The Hummer quietly rolled back onto the road.
Akira unfolded the worn paper map resting on the passenger seat, glancing at it whenever the road ahead was clear.
"There." He tapped a small symbol with his finger.
"A motel on the west side of the city."
"It'll do."
Twenty minutes later, the black Hummer slowly entered a quiet roadside motel.
Several faded signs still advertised VACANCY, though no one had been around to honor them for months.
The parking lot was littered with abandoned cars, but there were no walkers in sight.
Akira parked beside Room 12 and switched off the engine.
He remained seated for a few seconds, carefully scanning the surroundings through the tinted windows.
Nothing moved.
No groans.
No runners.
No shambling figures.
"The coast looks clear."
He opened his door.
"Let's get out."
The three quietly climbed out of the vehicle.
Akira led the way toward Room 12 while Mafuyu and Uruka stayed close behind, gripping their baseball bats.
The motel room was still locked.
"Hm."
Akira gently tested the doorknob.
Locked.
As expected.
He reached into one of his jacket pockets and pulled out a small leather pouch.
Inside were several lock picks.
Uruka blinked.
"You know how to pick locks?"
Akira gave a small shrug.
"Police learn a few things."
That wasn't entirely true.
The academy hadn't officially taught lockpicking.
He'd learned it from an old detective who claimed that sometimes waiting for a locksmith simply took too long.
A few practiced movements later.
Click.
The lock disengaged.
Akira slowly drew his FN 509 pistol.
"Stay behind me."
He eased the door open.
The room was dark.
Curtains covered the windows, allowing only thin beams of sunlight to filter inside.
He entered first, muzzle tracking every corner.
The living area.
Clear.
Bedroom.
Clear.
He slowly approached the bathroom door.
With one quick movement, he pushed it open.
Empty.
He let out a slow breath before lowering the pistol.
"The room's clear."
"We can relax here."
Akira holstered his sidearm before closing the front door.
He slid the metal security chain into place and engaged the deadbolt for good measure.
Only then did he finally allow himself to sit down in the wooden chair near the window.
His shoulders relaxed for the first time that day.
Across the room, Mafuyu and Uruka sat down on one of the beds.
The soft mattress felt almost unreal after spending three days sleeping on the hard floor of Costco's cramped back office.
Uruka let herself fall backward onto the bed.
"It's so soft."
She stared at the ceiling, feeling the tension slowly leave her body.
Mafuyu smiled faintly.
"I almost forgot what it feels like to sit somewhere without constantly listening for footsteps."
The room fell into a comfortable silence.
For the first time in days.
No zombies were pounding on doors.
No desperate running.
No screams.
Just three exhausted survivors catching their breath.
Akira leaned back in his chair and looked at the ceiling.
"This place isn't permanent."
"We'll rest for a few hours."
"Eat something."
"Then we'll figure out our next move."
Neither woman objected.
After everything they'd been through, even a temporary refuge felt like a luxury.
Outside, the afternoon breeze gently rustled the leaves of a nearby tree.
For now.
The apocalypse seemed very far away.
-----
Akira looked over at Mafuyu and Uruka.
Now that the adrenaline had faded, it was obvious how exhausted they were.
Their uniforms were dirty.
Their hair was messy.
Dark circles had formed beneath their eyes after three days of constant fear and poor sleep.
He stood up from the chair.
"You two look like you've been through hell."
"Go take a shower."
Both women blinked in surprise.
Akira continued,
"I'll grab some food from the Hummer and make us lunch."
Mafuyu hesitated.
"Are you sure?"
Akira shrugged.
"I've got enough."
"Besides, you'll feel a lot better after washing off three days' worth of dust."
Uruka's eyes practically sparkled.
"A hot shower."
She looked ready to cry from happiness.
"Thank you."
Akira simply waved a hand.
"The bathroom's yours."
The two women gathered a few towels from the motel room before heading inside together.
A few moments later.
The sound of running water echoed from behind the bathroom door.
Akira quietly stepped outside.
He walked over to the Hummer and unlocked the rear hatch.
The cargo compartment was still packed with supplies.
He reached inside and began gathering what they needed.
A loaf of sliced bread.
Two cans of baked beans.
Two cans of peaches.
Three bottles of water.
A small frying pan.
A portable electric stove.
Several paper plates.
Plastic spoons.
After a moment's thought.
He reached for one of the Twinkie boxes.
"Dessert."
He pulled out ten individually wrapped Twinkies before closing the box again.
"Can't forget those."
Satisfied, Akira carried everything back into the motel room.
He locked the door behind him before setting the supplies on the small table.
The portable stove hummed quietly as it heated up.
He opened the cans of baked beans and poured them into the frying pan.
The rich aroma slowly filled the room as the beans warmed.
Next came the peaches.
He emptied them into paper bowls, making sure each serving had plenty of fruit and syrup.
Finally, he laid several slices of bread onto separate paper plates.
It wasn't a fancy meal.
But compared to surviving on cold canned food.
It felt almost luxurious.
Akira looked toward the bathroom door.
The sound of running water continued.
He smiled faintly.
"Three days."
"They deserve a decent meal."
His gaze drifted toward the neat row of Twinkies waiting on the table.
He couldn't resist.
Picking one up, he tore open the wrapper.
The familiar golden sponge cake appeared.
Akira took a bite.
His shoulders immediately relaxed.
"Still perfect."
He closed his eyes for a second, savoring the sweetness.
"This is why humanity invented civilization."
A quiet chuckle escaped him.
Outside, the world had fallen into chaos.
Walkers roamed the streets.
Runners hunted the living.
Civilization had collapsed.
Yet inside Room 12.
A young police officer stood over a portable stove, heating beans for two strangers while happily eating a Twinkie.
For a brief moment, it almost felt like an ordinary afternoon.