The town was already lost.everyone knew it.
No rescud team were coming ba k from there anymore.
No radio signal.
No military checkpoints.
No survivors were supposed to stay be alive inside that place.
And in a world taken by tbe infected--silent was never a good sign.
Adam stop walking for a moment anx look at the distant skyline.
From where they stood he could already see the edge of the town.
Broken Buildings,
Burning vechiles left across the highway.
Shattered windows reflecting the pale morning.
It look less like a town now-and more like a graveyard waiting for it next visitors.
Malik tightened his grip on bagpack..
"My fathers shop is near the old market"he said queitly.
His voice suond small against the empty road atound them.
Farid immediatly stop walking.
"The old market?"
His expression changed.
"That the center of the town"
Zul look ahead again,scanning the silent street carefully.
"If infected are still gathering anywhere"he said slowly."they will be there."
Diana shifted her bag on her shoulder.
"We dont even know if the dhpps is still standing"
Adam look at malik.
But Malik didn't hesitated.
Malik say,"My father is still alive."
Not hope.
Mot a guess.
A belief.
And somehow---
That belief made everyone quiet.
Myra steppex forward first.
She didn't look afraid.
She didn't look uncertain.
She only look at the road ahead like someone who had already made her decision long ago.
"If your father really found away to protect your family before"Myra said calmly them he maybe the reason we're still a live today"
Adam look at her.
"You really think he know something about the infected?"
Myra didn't answer immediatly.
Instead
She look at the folded noted still Aimans hand.
FINGEROOT
AND
AKRA LEAF.
Two simple words.
But maybe simple at all.
"If what Malik said it true "she continued quietly
" Then the town is no longer a plsce we should avoid.
She tooked another step forward.
"It's place we must reach"
Farid exhaled slowly.
"You know ehat will waiting for us in there?:
Myra nodded once.
"Yez".
Zul tightened his grip on his weapon
"So,were realky doing thix?"
Myra look at each of them.
One by one.
Then finalky---
She look back forward the silent town again.
"Were not walking into it for a survivor anymore"...Anx someone beyonf thos empty street.
Beyond broken market.
Beyond the infected waiting in the shadow--was the man wko might still save them all.
They contuned walking.
The road toward the town stretehed ahead of them like a warning .no one wanted to read.
Cars were ababdoned everywhere.
Some were left witj their door still open.
Others crashed into each other ad if theirs driver had tried to escape at the last second.
There is no birds.
No wind.
Only footsteps.
Adam keep watching the building ob bothsidea of the road.
Everybtoken windows look like something might bechidding behind it.
Suddently.
"Stay close" Myra said quietly.
Everyone tightened theirs formation.
Malik moved between Adam and Diana.
Zul watching at the back,watching the road behind them.
Farid stayed near Myra at the front.
No ond spoke after that.
Because everyone could feel that situation.
"They were no longer near the safe zone.
They were entering infected tertitoty.
Then---
A sound echoed from somewhere inside ahead.
Metal scrapping against concretes
Everyone stopped.
Farid raised his hand slowly.
"Wait".
The sound come again.
Closer this time.
Something was moving between the abandoned cars.
Adam tightened his grip on his bat .
"Myra..."
Another sound followed.
Then a low growl.
Not one,more come.
Zul stepped backward slowly.
"They're here"
Than. An infected apreated from behind a brokenvans.
It moved were fast.
Too fast.
It rushed toward them immediatly.
Myra reacted first
Bang!!!!.
The infected dropped to the ground
But...that was only the beginging.
Two more appreared from the side of the road.
Another come out from behind a fallen traffic sign.
"They're surruonding us"Diana shouter.
"Moved now" Farid ordered.
Adam pulled Malik behind him.
Zul stepped forward and swung hos weapon harder.knocking one infected to the ground before it could reach them.
Myra fired again.
BANGG!!!!!
Another infected collspsed.
But more shapes were already moving between the cars ahead.
Then--
A voice shouter from somewhere nearby.
"Help!"over there!"
Everyone forze.
They turned toward the sound.
A man was trapped behind a damaged vechile near the roadside barrier.
"Please...!"he shouter avain.
Adam didn't hesitated.
"I'm going" he said.
"I'm with you"Zul said.
They rushed forward together.
One infected jumped toward Adams.
And than---
THUDDD!!!..Adam swung jos bat at the head of infected.
Zul grapped another infected and threw it against the side of the vechile
The trapped survivor pushed himself backward,trying to escape.
"Run..." Adam shouter.
The man scrambled his feet and moved toward them quickly.
Myra fired again behind them to clear a path.
"Move...!now..!" She shouter.
They ran back toward the group together.
Farid pulled the survivor behind the formation.
"Stay with us"he said.
The man was breathing heavily.
"I though,i was finished there".he said
The group moved again immediatly.
They couldn't stay there.
Not with the infected already gathering back.
After several minutes of the walking---
The road finally became quiet again.
No growls
No footsteps behind them.
Only silence returned.
The survivor leaned against a roadside wall trying to catch his breath.
"Thank you"
"My name Rahman"
Adam nodded once.
"Adam"he said.
"You save my life"
Myra watch him carefully.
"Where were youn heading?"
Rahman hesitated.
"I wad trying to reach the town."
Farid exchangex a look with Myra.
"That were we going too"
Reluec appeared on Rahman face.
"Then maybe i'm not alone anymore"said Rahman.
No one answered it immediatly.
Because somewhere deep inside.
Rahman right sleeve was covered with blood.
And Diana was the first noticed it.
Her expreesion changed.
"Wait!"
Everyone stopoed again.
She look at Rahman carefully.
"You're hurt,right?"
Diana asked.
Silence fell across the road.
Rahman didn't speak.
Then ...slowly...
He look at his arm.
Then back at them
And this time---
His expression was different.
No fear...no suprise...acceptance
Then---
Rahman looked at the bite on his arm for a long moment.
Then he stepped closer to the group.
"I'm still coming with you"he said quietly
"But...if i got change....don't let me hurts anyone.....you must know what will you to do..."