As Quin lay face down on the warm, dry dirt, an intense pain seared through the back of his head where Sid had struck him. His vision slowly began to blur as he drifted in and out of consciousness.
I was a fool.
I thought we could trust her... even after all of Zane's warnings.
No... I knew something was off. I knew there was truth behind Zane's suspicions, and yet I still chose to follow her...
...Because, I was tired of the danger...
Anna lunged at Sid, tackling her to the ground. She wrestled the bat from Sid's grasp and pinned her down, pressing her forearm against her throat.
"Why did you do that?! Why did you hit Quin?! I th—"
Her words were cut short as Sid drove a punch straight into her eyebrow.
The ring she had stolen from the van split Anna's skin open.
Blood immediately began running down her face as she staggered backwards in a daze.
"Are you that stupid?!" Sid shouted as she shoved Anna off her.
"Can't you understand what's happening right in front of your eyes?!"
The two girls quickly got back to their feet, each retreating in opposite directions.
Anna backed toward Zane.
Sid retreated toward the gangsters.
Anna glanced down and noticed the bat lying beside her. Without hesitation, she kicked it backwards toward Zane, who caught it.
"This is all just part of the job," Sid said.
"Don't take it too roughly. you are partly to blame for your ignorance."
Anna looked over at Quin, who was still struggling to remain conscious on the ground.
This is all my fault.
She is right, the warning signs were there from the very beginning.
She blackmailed me...
She killed Drew without batting an eye...
So why... why did I still trust her?
Why didn't I tell anyone?
If I had warned them, we wouldn't be in this situation.
Damn you, Anna...
The gangsters charged forward with their knives drawn.
Zane rushed to meet them.
He knocked the knife from the first man's hand before grabbing him and using his body as a shield against the others charging in.
With a forceful shove, he sent the leader crashing into the largest member of the group.
Without slowing down, Zane closed the distance to the skinny thug, who lunged at him with his blade.
Zane slipped past the attack.
His fist slammed into the man's jaw with enough force to knock him to the ground.
For good measure, he drove his boot into the man's jaw again, ensuring he wouldn't be getting back up anytime soon.
The remaining two gangsters recovered and rushed him together.
"Penson!" the leader roared.
"How dare you!"
Seeing them approach, Zane scooped the dropped knife from the ground and charged.
The leader threw a punch.
Zane ducked to the side.
At the same time, he drove the knife deep into the man's arm.
The leader let out a scream and collapsed to his knees.
The large thug behind him finally reached Zane.
Before he could react, the man grabbed a hold of both of Zane's arms, making him unable to move.
Zane struggled.
Nothing.
The man's grip was overwhelmingly strong.
As he squeezed tighter, the wound on Zane's injured hand reopened.
Fresh blood began dripping onto the dirt.
Zane grimaced in pain.
Anna's attention shifted from Sid for only a moment as she noticed Zane's predicament.
He's good...
She watched the way he fought.
His movements were rough and unrefined.
He had clearly never received formal training.
It was the kind of fighting style forged through survival.
A style built from putting his life on the line over and over again.
But... the apocalypse only just began.
What kind of life did he live before all of this... to fight like that?
Seeing the larger thug restraining him, Anna picked up the bat Zane had dropped and sprinted forward.
She swung it with all her strength.
CRACK!
The bat slammed into the back of the man's head, stunning him.
The opening was all Zane needed.
Using the man's body for leverage, he ran a foot up his chest before throwing both legs around the thug's neck.
He twisted his hips.
The momentum dragged the larger man off balance.
Both of them crashed to the ground.
Zane locked his legs tighter around the man's neck, cutting off his air.
The thug clawed desperately at Zane's legs.
After several agonising seconds...
His movements stopped.
He lost consciousness.
"Stop! Don't move!"
Sid's voice shattered the brief moment of victory.
Using Anna's distraction as cover, she had retrieved the leader's dropped knife.
Now she held its blade against Quin's throat.
"Try anything funny..."
She pressed the knife a little harder.
"...and I'll slit his throat."
Zane slowly stood.
His eyes locked onto Sid.
"What do you think is faster?"
His voice was calm.
"Me... or that knife?"
"I'm sure you wouldn't like to find out."
Sid didn't flinch.
"If anything happens to Quin..."
Anna's voice became dangerously quiet.
"...you're not leaving here alive."
Sid scoffed.
"Try. Me."
Neither side moved.
The clearing fell silent.
Zane searched for the smallest opening.
Anything.
Then—
BANG!
A gunshot echoed across the clearing.
Everyone turned.
The gang leader stood several metres away, smoke rising from the pistol in his hand.
He had fired into the sky.
Apparently, he had kept the weapon hidden because he hadn't wanted the confrontation to become deadly from the start.
Now, however...
He slowly walked behind Zane.
The hot barrel of the pistol pressed against the back of his head.
"Move..."
His voice dripped with malice.
"...and I'll blow your brains all over the dirt."
Zane looked around one last time.
Sid had Quin.
The leader had a gun.
Anna was cornered.
There was no favourable move left.
His gaze met Anna's.
Worry was written all over her face.
Slowly...
He raised both hands.
"We surrender."
His voice remained steady.
"We'll come with you."
"Zane, we ca—"
Anna shouted in protest.
But the words caught in her throat.
She already knew.
The only alternative now...
...was death.
Seeing the struggle come to an end and her side emerge victorious, Sid walked over to Anna.
She grabbed both of Anna's wrists and forced them behind her back before pressing the knife against her spine.
"Don't resist."
She nudged Anna forward.
"Just follow quietly."
Anna clenched her fists.
"We trusted you, Sid... and look what you did to us in return."
Her voice trembled with anger.
"I will never forgive you."
"I don't need your forgiveness."
Sid's reply was cold and hollow.
The gang leader, still furious over the injuries Zane had inflicted on him, strode over.
He glanced at the knife still lodged in his arm before turning his attention to Zane.
"How dare you!"
The butt of his pistol slammed into Zane's face.
"How dare you!"
Another strike.
"How dare you!"
Blood sprayed across the dirt.
"You worthless piece of manure!"
He continued beating Zane with the hilt of the gun.
Zane never resisted.
"Stop that!"
Anna instinctively stepped forward.
The cold edge of the knife pressing into her back immediately halted her.
"I thought I told you not to resist."
Sid's voice remained emotionless.
"If we keep dawdling, those monsters will catch up."
Her warning snapped the leader back to his senses.
He finally stopped.
By the time he stepped away, Zane's face was covered in blood.
He swayed where he stood, barely able to remain conscious.
I messed up.
I didn't trust her from the beginning...
So why did I just go along with it?
Why did I let her lead us into a trap?
I put everyone in danger...
His thoughts drifted elsewhere.
I just wanted to dream a little longer.
Being around her reminded me...
...of a time before all of this began.
Before all of my troubles started.
For just a brief moment...
A memory surfaced.
A younger Zane sprinted through the streets, laughing as a girl with hair the same colour as his pulled him along by the hand.
...What a fool.
Sid and the gang leader escorted Anna and Zane to the back of the truck.
Their hands and feet were bound before they were thrown into the open cargo bed.
Inside, Anna noticed someone else.
A woman dressed in filthy rags.
Heavy chains wrapped around her body.
Metal spikes protruded through the restraints, digging into her skin.
The woman looked up.
Her eyes were wild.
Almost crazed.
"Hey..."
Anna cautiously spoke.
"Are you alright?"
The woman violently shook her head and twisted her body as if trying desperately to communicate.
Her mouth had been gagged.
Not a single word could escape.
Soon, the remaining two gangsters recovered from Zane's assault.
Together they loaded Quin into the truck.
Meanwhile, Sid wrapped a bandage around the leader's injured arm, securing the knife in place.
Just as Sid was about to climb into the back of the truck alongside the large thug...
The leader stopped her.
He patted his lap.
"It's been a long time since we've seen each other Neighbour."
He smiled.
"Come keep me company for a while."
Sid hesitated.
Only for a second.
Then, almost as though this had happened many times before...
She silently obeyed.
Just as she was about to climb into the front seat—
A distant rumbling echoed through the clearing.
Everyone turned.
The sound of countless feet pounding against the earth grew louder.
Then they appeared.
A horde.
Three Ravagers.
Six Creepers.
Leading them...
...was the one-eyed Ravager.
So this is where all the monsters from the region went...
Anna's heart sank.
There are so many...
We can't escape.
Is this... really how I die?
"Damn."
The large thug stepped out of the truck.
"Looks like they caught up."
"Well..."
The leader sighed, Sid now sitting stiffly on his lap.
"Looks like we'll have to take another loss again today."
"It couldn't be helped."
"These ones were a troublesome bunch."
He slowly turned toward the chained woman.
"Well, well..."
A cruel smile spread across his face.
"Midae."
"Looks like today is your lucky day."
Then he leaned closer to Sid.
"...or the worst day of your life."
His whisper was quiet enough that only Sid could hear.
Sid lowered her eyes.
She turned her head away from Midae.
Sadness briefly crossed her face.
She already understood what was about to happen.
Midae shook her head frantically.
Tears streamed down her face as she desperately pleaded through muffled cries.
The large thug opened the back of the truck and dragged Midae out.
Along with her, he carried a pair of strange metal shoes.
Shoes covered with sharp nails.
"Be good now."
He forced them onto her feet and locked them shut.
Anna watched in confusion.
What is he doing?
The man helped Midae stand.
The moment she put her weight on her feet—
The nails pierced into her skin.
Midae let out a muffled scream.
Her entire body trembled from the pain.
The thug ignored her suffering.
He removed the gag from her mouth before climbing back into the truck.
"Run!"
He shouted.
"Run, Midae! You're free to do whatever you want!"
The truck engine roared to life.
"Go! Midae, go!"
The others joined in, laughing cruelly.
Midae stared at them in disbelief.
Then fear took over.
She began running.
Every step was agony.
The nails dug deeper into her feet with every movement.
Blood stained the ground beneath her.
She desperately tried to reach the edge of the clearing.
But the pain became unbearable.
Her legs gave out.
She collapsed.
Behind her...
The horde arrived.
Anna expected the monsters to continue chasing the truck.
But they didn't.
They stopped.
Right in front of Midae.
Then they attacked.
The creatures descended on her.
Their movements were brutal and merciless.
Her screams echoed across the clearing.
Until eventually...
There was silence.
The group had escaped.
Anna remained frozen in the back of the truck.
She couldn't speak.
She couldn't move.
She had seen people die before.
She had seen the aftermath of the apocalypse.
But this was different.
This was the first time she had watched someone die.
And not from a monster.
From people.
Her stomach twisted.
She turned away and immediately threw up.
The large thug sitting beside her looked disgusted.
Without hesitation, he struck her on the head.
"Hey."
His voice was cold.
"You'd better stay in line."
From the front of the truck, the leader spoke.
"Or that might be you."
Anna stared at the ground.
Her thoughts were numb.
So this is what he meant...
When he said humans were still on top of the world.
Standing on the corpses of others.
The truck continued forward.
The engine roared as it carried them farther away.
Toward the ocean.