THE SURVIVORS FROM THE PHARMACY
The road to Bukit Akra felt wrong.
Too quiet.
Too empty.
Adam walked in front, holding the folded map tightly. Malik stayed close behind him, protecting the wrapped bundle of dried Akra leaves inside his backpack.
No one mentioned Rahman.
But everyone was thinking about him.
Every step forward felt heavier without him.
Then—
glass shattered somewhere nearby.
Aiman stopped walking immediately.
"Did you hear that?"
Adam raised his hand.
"Stay alert."
Something moved behind the broken windows of an abandoned shop across the road.
Then another shadow appeared.
Then more.
"Infected," Malik whispered.
They came rushing out seconds later.
Fast.
Too fast.
"RUN!" Adam shouted.
The group sprinted across the street toward a nearby storage building.
One infected jumped from the side alley—
straight toward Aiman.
Adam pulled him back just in time.
"Move!"
More infected appeared behind them.
And more.
Too many.
Malik forced the metal door open and pushed everyone inside.
He tried to shut it—
but an infected forced its arm through the gap.
Its fingers reached toward his face.
Malik struggled.
"Help me!"
Adam rushed forward and slammed the door shut with all his strength.
The infected screamed outside.
More bodies hit the metal door.
Bang.
Bang.
Bang.
"They're going to break in," Aiman whispered.
Then—
gunshots echoed from above them.
One shot.
Two shots.
Three shots.
The noise outside suddenly stopped.
Silence returned.
A voice shouted from the upper floor.
"Upstairs! Now!"
Adam looked at Malik.
Then nodded.
"Move!"
They rushed up the stairs.
At the top—
a flashlight pointed directly into their faces.
"Stop right there!"
Adam slowly raised his hands.
"We're survivors."
The flashlight lowered slightly.
Then the voice changed.
"…Adam?"
Adam stepped closer.
His eyes widened.
"Kevin?"
Kevin lowered the flashlight completely.
Behind him—
six familiar faces stepped forward from the shadows.
Asha.
Raj.
Kamal.
Zila.
Lyana.
They were alive.
"You made it," Zila whispered, her voice shaking.
Malik stared at them in disbelief.
"We thought everyone at the pharmacy was gone."
Asha stepped forward slowly.
"Not everyone."
Relief filled the room.
But it didn't last long.
Kevin's expression turned serious again.
"You shouldn't be here."
Adam frowned.
"What do you mean?"
Raj answered instead.
"The infected are moving toward Bukit Akra."
Silence filled the room instantly.
Aiman looked at Adam.
"They're moving… there?"
Raj nodded.
"They're not wandering anymore. They're heading in the same direction."
Lyana stepped closer.
"Like something is calling them."
No one spoke.
Slowly—
Malik removed the wrapped cloth from his bag.
Inside it—
the dried Akra leaves.
Asha's face changed immediately.
She stepped closer.
Her voice dropped to almost a whisper.
"…Where did you find this?"
Adam unfolded the map.
He placed it carefully on the table between them.
Kevin stared at it.
Then looked back at Adam.
"You're going to Bukit Akra?"
Adam nodded.
"We have to."
Outside the building—
something heavy moved in the darkness again.
Closer this time.
Not infected footsteps.
Something else.
Lyana slowly turned toward the window.
Her voice barely audible.
"…We're not the only ones heading there."