He drove on, the tricycle engine humming softly as the night slowly took over the forest. The faint orange glow of the sunset had long disappeared behind the hills, leaving only the dim lights from the tricycle and the endless sound of the road beneath his tires.
Vinz's eyes were tired. The road seemed endless, just dark trees and empty streets on both sides. The last town he passed through was burned down, cars flipped over, houses abandoned, bodies covered with sheets or left to rot. The smell still lingered in his mind.
Then, out of nowhere—
"HELP!"
His eyes widened.
He froze for a second, unsure if it was real or just his imagination. But then he heard it again, louder this time, desperate.
"HELP! PLEASE!"
Vinz quickly stopped the tricycle. The engine rattled once before dying out. The night was dead silent again, except for that voice echoing somewhere ahead.
He looked up the road and saw it — a flickering light in the distance. It looked like a small fire.
His heart began to pound.
He turned off the tricycle's light and grabbed his hammer. His palms were sweaty, his breathing uneven. He didn't know if this was a trap. But something inside him said he had to check.
He walked slowly toward the light, keeping his steps quiet, his hammer firm in his hand. The smell of burning rubber and blood filled the air as he got closer. The faint sound of growls made him grip the hammer tighter.
As he came near, he could finally see what was happening.
Two people were trapped near a burning pickup truck. A man, maybe in his late 30s, was clutching his bleeding arm, trying to stay on his feet. Beside him, a young woman, about Vinz's age, was swinging a knife at a group of infected surrounding them.
There were six… no, maybe eight of them. Their clothes were torn, their skin pale and cracked.
Vinz could see the fear in the girl's face. She was breathing hard, her arms shaking.
He didn't think twice.
He ran forward.
The first infected turned toward him, its mouth open wide, eyes white and veiny. Vinz swung the hammer straight into its temple. A dull crack echoed through the night as it dropped instantly.
The others turned their heads toward him.
The girl gasped, surprised to see someone else.
"Get down!" Vinz shouted.
He swung again, smashing another infected's face before it could reach her. The man tried to back up but stumbled, his wounded arm useless. The girl stabbed one of the infected in the neck but couldn't pull the knife out in time.
Another one grabbed her from behind. She screamed.
Vinz rushed over, grabbed the infected by its collar, and slammed the hammer into its skull. Blood splattered across his sleeve. The body fell limp beside her.
"Are you okay?" he asked, panting.
She nodded shakily, trying to catch her breath.
Two more infected came from behind the burning truck, walking unsteadily toward them. Vinz stepped forward, his legs heavy but his mind focused. He hit the first one in the jaw, then the side of the head, and the creature finally fell.
The last one lunged toward him. Vinz almost slipped trying to dodge it. It clawed at his jacket, tearing a piece off. He swung the hammer upward and hit its chin so hard its head snapped back and it fell onto the road.
He stood there, chest rising and falling, his heart beating like a drum inside his chest.
The night was silent again, except for the fire crackling nearby.
The girl dropped her knife, her hands trembling. Vinz glanced at her. She was his age, maybe seventeen or eighteen. Her hair was messy, tied up loosely.
The man, still holding his arm, looked at Vinz with disbelief and relief all at once.
"Thank God you came," the man said, breathing heavily.
"We thought… we thought we were dead."
Vinz just nodded, still catching his breath. "You okay?"
The man nodded slowly. "Just my arm… something scratched me. Not deep, I think."
The girl didn't say a word. She just looked at Vinz, her expression cold and unreadable, though he could tell she was exhausted.
"I'm Vinz," he finally said.
"Ken," the man replied, his voice still shaky. "And this is Cassandra."
Ken sat down on the road, exhaling.
"We were trying to get to our place near the woods when the truck hit something. The engine caught fire, and then those things came out of nowhere."
Vinz looked at the burning vehicle. There was nothing left to save.
"You shouldn't stay here," Vinz said.
"The noise will attract more of them."
Ken nodded. "You're right… but it's dark. We can't just walk around aimlessly."
He glanced behind Vinz and noticed the tricycle parked on the road.
"Is that yours?"
Vinz turned to look at it. "Yeah."
Ken's eyes widened slightly. "That tricycle… looks familiar."
Vinz frowned. "What do you mean?"
Ken stood up slowly, still holding his arm. "Do you know someone named Emman?"
Vinz froze. The name hit him like a punch.
"That's my father," he said quietly.
Ken's expression softened. "Emman Paz?"
Vinz nodded.
Ken let out a tired, almost broken laugh. "I can't believe it… I knew him. We worked together before I went overseas. I was his friend."
Vinz stared at him. "You knew my dad?"
"Yeah," Ken said with a small smile. "He always talked about you and your little brother. Said you were both lazy but good kids."
Vinz felt something in his chest twist.
Ken looked at the tricycle again. "So this was his, huh?"
"Yeah," Vinz said softly. "It's all I have left."
Ken nodded, his eyes sad. Then he glanced at Cassandra. "We should go back to our shelter. It's not far, maybe a few minutes' walk through the trees. We've got food, water, and some supplies. You can stay for the night. It's safer than out here."
Cassandra finally spoke, her voice low but steady. "It's your choice. We won't force you."
Vinz looked at her. Her tone was cold, but her eyes said something else, exhaustion.
He didn't answer right away. He looked at the fire, the road, and the dark forest beyond. He didn't know if he could trust them. He didn't even know if he wanted to.
He took a deep breath. "Alright,"
he said finally. "Lead the way."
Ken smiled faintly. "Good. You won't regret it."
They started walking together, leaving the burned truck and the corpses behind. The air was cold, and the forest loomed over them like a shadow. Vinz pushed the tricycle along the dirt trail while Ken and Cassandra guided the way.
The path curved through the trees until they reached a small clearing. There was an old wooden house there, quiet, almost hidden by the darkness. A dim lantern flickered near the door.
"Here we are," Ken said quietly.
"Home, at least for now."
Vinz looked at the house and then at them. Cassandra opened the door, checking the corners carefully before letting them in.
Inside, it was small but warm. There were canned goods stacked near the shelves, blankets on the floor, and a few weapons resting by the wall.
Vinz parked the tricycle beside the porch and sat down, still catching his breath.
Ken sat across from him, wrapping his arm with a torn cloth. Cassandra handed him a bottle of water without a word, then glanced briefly at Vinz.
"You should rest," she said softly.
"You look like hell."
Vinz almost smiled. "Yeah… you too."
She didn't reply, just turned away and sat by the window, keeping watch.
He leaned back against the wall, his hammer still in hand, eyes half-closed. The night outside was quiet again.