Chapter 16

"Let's go. We still have enough food to last a few more days." The woman's voice was weak, tinged with sorrow.

The fire axe had ultimately been dragged away by someone.

And here we were, sitting in front of the screen, our limbs numb with dread.

If I had to guess, the reason the young couple from Unit 13 had survived this long wasn’t just because they’d stockpiled supplies in advance. There was another possibility.

They’d raided the other residents in the building.

An elderly couple lived on the fifth floor. A student lived on the sixth. Without their supplies, how long could they last?

Come to think of it, ever since the apocalypse began, we hadn’t heard a single bark from their golden retriever.

If they’d given up on scavenging outside because of their infant’s weak immune system, then their only option was to systematically check every unit in Building 17 for survivors.

It was only a matter of time before they reached us.

We didn’t want conflict.

A direct confrontation would lead to casualties. Even if we shared our supplies to keep the peace, who could guarantee they wouldn’t come back for more? When would this nightmare even end?

My dad tried to boost morale. "Their only real threat is probably that guy."

I wanted to cry. That "guy" was a muscular, battle-hardened man who’d swung a fire axe to loot every unit except ours.

If it hadn’t been for the woman spotting us "moving furniture" that day and convincing her husband to leave, we would’ve had to face them head-on tonight.

After some discussion, we settled on a plan.

The 15th floor had decoys and heavy-duty locks. By the time they broke through two doors, they’d be exhausted—that’s when we’d spring our trap.

Even during my watch shifts, I clutched a knife just to feel slightly safer.

These past few nights, my dreams were filled with horrors—the tattooed brute seeing through our ruse, storming straight to the 17th floor.

Our door shattered under the force of his axe.

Negotiations failed. They wanted to take over. They were going to kill us all!

My dad grabbed his pant leg, blood bubbling from his mouth as he screamed, "Run! Go!"

I jolted awake at midnight, too terrified to sleep.

Later, we observed someone in a black raincoat sneaking out under cover of darkness.

The stress had taken its toll—all three of us now sported dark circles under our eyes.

Seven days later, my eyes burning with exhaustion, I stared at the surveillance feed.

The woman’s feet appeared again.

Barefoot. Desperate.

She sprinted forward.

Up one floor, then another… until she reached the landing between the 16th and 17th floors.

She must’ve seen our barricade—a massive iron gate studded with outward-facing spikes, blocking the entire stairwell.

We’d been exposed.

My dad grabbed a crowbar. My mom armed herself with a stun baton.

I kept my eyes glued to the screen.

Her baby was strapped to her back as she frantically shook the gate with both hands.

"Xixi!" she screamed.

"Xixi, you’re home, aren’t you? I know you’re there!"

"Please, help me! Help my baby!"

Tears and snot streaked her face, her features twisted in panic.

"Let me in! I have nowhere else to go!"

From her broken, hysterical rambling, I pieced together what had happened.

She’d convinced her husband that the building had no more supplies left, so they’d risked venturing outside. Since the baby was too vulnerable, she’d stayed behind while he scavenged.

But something went wrong. He got infected. When he started convulsing and clutching his head, she locked him inside and fled.

Yet even in his weakened state, he’d smashed through the door, trying to reach them.

Outside, hundreds of zombies surrounded the building. Inside, the man she’d once loved was now a monster hunting her down.

She couldn’t take her child outside. We were her only hope.