The tension inside Car 7 hadn't eased—not even after the stranger's death. If anything, it thickened. The silence was louder now, the fear sharper. Blood still stained the floor. The body was gone—dumped between cars when no one could bear to look at it anymore—but its presence lingered.
Ethan stood near the locked door, hands clenched, trying to focus. Everyone had fallen into quiet chaos—some pacing, some whispering, some just staring. Then he broke it.
"We can't stay in one place forever," he said, firmly. "We need to get to the driver's room."
Heads turned.
"What?" Sienna asked.
"If we reach the engine car," Ethan continued, "we can lock all the doors from the front controls. There's an emergency system—they used it once when someone tried to jump the train. We can use it. And there's a radio. If it's still working, we can call the police."
A silence followed.
Ethan's voice sharpened. "You all saw what happened. This isn't a game. People are infected. If even one person gets off this train… these spreads."
He didn't have to finish the thought.
The silence was replaced with nods. Even Malik, always skeptical, didn't argue. They all knew Ethan was right.
Asher didn't speak. He just stood with his bat, eyes heavy with something none of them could name. He was trying to be strong—Ethan could see it. But his shoulders were too tense, his breathing too shallow. Asher wasn't just scared—he was exhausted, inside and out.
And no one saw it.
Except Ethan.
They moved as a group, cautiously opening the sliding door to Car 8. The train rattled beneath them, a reminder that the world outside hadn't stopped, even if everything inside felt frozen.
The group started stepping through when the train suddenly jolted.
Asher's foot slipped.
He gasped, flailing back—
Arms caught him.
Warm. Strong.
Ethan.
The world tilted, but Asher didn't fall. Instead, he landed against Ethan's chest, breath caught in his throat. Ethan's arms were wrapped tight around him—protective, grounding. They stayed like that for a heartbeat longer than they should have.
And for a moment… Asher let himself rest there.
He hadn't realized how much he needed that touch. That warmth. That one second where he didn't have to pretend to be okay.
Their eyes met.
Neither of them moved.
Neither of them spoke.
Then—
"You guys done with the Titanic moment, or should we bring a violinist?" Leo smirked, hopping over the connection between cars.
Ethan stepped back quickly.
Asher cleared his throat and followed the others into the next car, putting a bit more space between them.
He didn't look back.
But his skin still felt warm where Ethan had held him.
Car 8 was quiet. Peaceful, even.
It was so normal, it felt wrong.
Four families sat in separate corners, each absorbed in their own world.
In the far-left seat sat a heavily pregnant woman, gently rubbing her belly while her husband read a book beside her. Next to them was a mother and her daughter—maybe five years old—drawing with colored pencils. A pair of elderly passengers, probably in their seventies, played cards with calm smiles. And in the far corner, a teenage couple cuddled under a blanket, watching something on a phone, earbuds shared between them.
None of them knew.
They hadn't seen the blood.
They hadn't heard the screams.
Asher froze at the sight. The contrast hit him hard. A few feet away was hell, and here… life went on.
"Don't tell them," Ethan whispered behind him.
Sienna blinked. "What?"
"They don't know. Look at them," Ethan said. "If we tell them now, they'll panic. The kid will cry. The old couple won't run fast enough. And the pregnant woman—"
"I get it," Asher said quietly.
Leo nodded. "So, what's the plan?"
"We move through this car. Quietly. We don't cause alarm. Once we reach the next, we decide if they come with us or stay."
They started walking slowly. Jordy and Malik took the lead, while the others filtered through.
The pregnant woman looked up and smiled politely.
Asher forced a small smile in return, heart heavy with guilt.
As he passed the little girl, she held up her drawing.
"Look! It's a princess fighting a dragon!"
Asher blinked. "That's awesome," he said softly.
The girl beamed.
He swallowed hard and kept moving.
They regrouped at the other end, just out of earshot.
"Can we really leave them behind?" Casey asked.
"We don't have to decide now," Ethan said. "Let's clear the next car first. If it's safe, we'll circle back."
"They deserve to know," Sienna whispered. "Eventually."
"They will," Ethan said. "But not until we have somewhere safe to bring them."
They all nodded.
Before opening the next door, Ethan placed a hand on Asher's arm.
"You, okay?"
Asher blinked. "Yeah. Fine."
But Ethan didn't move his hand. His touch lingered, reassuring.
"You don't have to be," he said. "Not with me."
Asher looked at him.
And that damn lump in his throat returned.
He nodded once. "Thanks."
Just as Ethan turned to move, Asher's phone buzzed.
A message.
Honey ♥
I know you're scared. I am too. But we'll get through this. You've got me, babe. Always.
Asher's breath hitched.
He typed back quickly.
Asher: I needed that. I needed you. I miss you. Wish I could hug you right now.
Seconds later:
Honey ♥:
Soon. And next time, I'm never letting go.
A soft, involuntary smile crept across Asher's face.
He slipped the phone back into his pocket and followed the group.
The door to Car 9 groaned open.
And just like that—the peace was gone.