The night stretched endlessly as we walked, the faint glow of the fire still visible on the horizon. Each step was a battle for me, my injured leg dragging behind like a dead weight, and the fever clinging to my body like an unwelcome companion. Alex walked beside me, his shoulders stiff, his gaze scanning the shadows as though expecting an ambush at any moment.
Just when I thought I couldn't take another step, Alex stopped abruptly.
"There," he said, pointing ahead.
I squinted through the darkness, my eyes landing on the dim outline of a building. A grocery store. The glass doors were shattered, and the windows were smeared with grime and ash, but the sight of it sent a tiny flicker of hope through me.
"Stay close," Alex muttered, his voice low and tense. He didn't wait for a response, stepping ahead and leading the way.