They reached the engine door again.
But this time—
Everything felt different.
Inside—
The driver was barely holding on.
His hands shook violently.
His breathing uneven.
His eyes flickered between awareness… and something darker.
"Stop… the train…" he whispered weakly.
The husband moved closer.
Examined the controls.
Damaged.
Not completely broken.
But not usable either.
"It won't stop like this," he said.
Silence.
Because everyone understood what that meant.
Then—
His mind moved.
Fast.
Precise.
"There's another way."
All eyes turned to him.
"We detach the engine."
Confusion.
Shock.
Fear.
"What?" someone said.
"If we separate this section," he continued, "we trap the infected behind us… and save the front."
The idea hung in the air. Heavy. Risky.
The old man stepped forward slowly.
A faint smile on his face.
"Risky," he said.
"But possible," the husband replied.
That was enough.
They moved.
The mechanism was manual.
Heavy.
Resistant.
Metal groaned under pressure.
The lever refused to move.
The husband pushed harder.
Muscles straining.
Teeth clenched.
"Come on…" he muttered under his breath.
Behind him—
The group stood guard.
Lights shaking.
Breathing uneven.
The wife stood among them.
Her eyes never leaving him.
For the first time—
She wasn't afraid of what was coming.
She was afraid—
Of losing him before she could say everything she needed to say.
"Faster!" someone shouted.
"They're coming!"
The sounds returned.
Growls.
Footsteps.
Closer.
The lever jammed.
For one second—
Everything stopped.
Then—
The old man stepped in.
Placed his hands over his.
"Together," he said.
They pushed.
Harder.
Stronger.
The metal screamed.
Then—
CLANG.
The connection broke.
A violent jolt ran through the train.
The rear section—
Detached.
Left behind.
Silence followed.
Heavy.
Unreal.
They had done it.
They had survived.
Not through strength.
Not through luck.
But through choice.
Through trust.
Through unity.
The old man sat down slowly.
Breathing heavily.
A faint smile on his face.
"Still think giving up is easy?" he asked.
The husband let out a small breath.
A tired smile forming.
"No," he said quietly.
Behind him—
She stepped closer.
This time—
Without hesitation.