The World Never Stops

City B, September 14th? Year 0 of the Great Collapse

Zara moved quickly and cautiously down the deserted street, Leo held close to her chest. Dark clouds smothered any trace of sunlight, plunging the world into a state of near-perpetual darkness. 

They'd been on the run for days now, never resting long in any one place, and the fatigue crept into her bones. Her body ached, her clothes were damp from sweat and rain, and her eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep.

The erratic weather only added to her unease; thunderstorms broke suddenly, leaving the world mist-shrouded and cold. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and decay, the unpredictable thunderstorms adding to her unease. Each rumble of thunder felt like the sky was warning her.

They had been running from one hiding spot to another, each time hoping to find a semblance of safety, but the world outside offered little relief.

The street was enveloped in an unsettling silence, broken only by distant groans and the occasional movement in the shadows.

The mist hung heavy in the air, reducing visibility to mere feet ahead, amplifying Zara's fear of hidden zombies lurking just beyond her sight. Her senses on high alert for any sign of danger.

Leo stirred in her arms, his small body squirming against her chest. "Mama, my arms are so tight," he complained softly, his tiny hands clutching at her shirt.

Zara glanced down, her heart aching at his discomfort. The little boy, barely old enough to understand the world they now lived in, had been clinging to her for hours—days now—without a real break. It couldn't be healthy for him not to use his legs for so long.

She gently loosened the straps, soothing him with a soft smile. "I know, sweetie. You've been holding on for so long." Her voice was hoarse, strained from the lack of sleep. "Let's get you a little more comfortable."

She carefully adjusted Leo's position, ensuring he was snug but not too constricted.

"Mama," he murmured again, his voice laced with discomfort, "why do I have to stay like this?"

Zara bent her head closer, whispering softly, "Because we're on an adventure, remember? We need to stay hidden to find our next treasure."

He seemed to think over her words silently before nodding, eyes bright. He could hold on for a while to help his mommy!

She felt a pang in her heart as his innocent trust met her eyes. It was that trust, his complete faith in her, that fueled her determination to keep moving

despite the mounting exhaustion and fear.

"Thank you baby," she kissed his head gently. "Now lets find somewhere…" she trailed off.

She scanned the desolate neighborhood for any signs of nearby houses or buildings that might offer temporary shelter.

Her mind twisted with possibilities, fully aware that the undead could be lurking anywhere, ready to strike at the slightest hint of movement.

As Zara moved through the empty streets, the mist thickened ahead of her, a tangible barrier that threatened to obscure her path.

She remembered how the mist could transform people into zombies, fueling her urgent need to stay clear of its general path. The tricky part was there was mist from the rain and the strange seemingly conscious mist. Both were hard to tell apart.

As she moved forward, a guttural moan cut through the stillness. Zara froze, her heartbeat thudding in her ears. In the distance, a group of zombies emerged from the mist, their decayed bodies stumbling aimlessly in the fog. Their dead eyes gleamed with hunger, and Zara's blood turned cold.

Turning back meant risking an encounter with the mist, but moving forward could lead her straight into their arms. The reality of their dire situation hit her hard—why was she always being put in these situations?!

Her thoughts churned with desperation. She needed a place high and secure to shield Leo for the night.

The option of fighting them head-on seemed increasingly impossible, given their numbers and her limited resources. The only remaining choice was to find a safe haven where she could regroup and plan their next move.

A low, guttural moan sounded closer now, and she ducked behind an abandoned car, pressing Leo close and covering his mouth. He looked up at her, eyes wide and questioning, but she put a finger to her lips, signaling silence.

He nodded, brows furrowed in cute intensity that made her heart melt. She shifted, trying to edge around the car toward a different route. But one of the zombies caught sight of her, letting out a hungry growl that drew the attention of others.

The creatures continued to growl, its grotesque form stumbling toward them. Panic surged through Zara's veins as she realized they were in a precarious situation.

The only way forward seemed to be a head on confrontation with the threat, but she couldn't afford to lose Leo in the process.

Acting on pure instinct, Zara bolted, clutching Leo tightly as they dashed down a narrow alley. The walls of the alley closed in around them, making it difficult for the zombies to follow closely. Still, she could hear their shuffling footsteps and snarls, echoing through the confined space.

At the end of the alley, she stopped short. Another group of zombies blocked her path, slowly closing in from both directions. Her heart hammered in her chest as she frantically scanned her surroundings. Then she spotted it—a fire escape ladder on a nearby building.

Her breath caught in her throat. Would it be strong enough to hold our weight? What happened if I fall and broke my leg? Or worse lost consciousness?

Some of the zombies managed to squeeze though, breaking their bodies in the process.

Without thinking, she grabbed Leo tighter, ignoring the sharp pain in her muscles, and started climbing the ladder. Each step was agony, her legs screaming in protest, her breath ragged and shallow.

The ladder creaked under their weight, but Zara didn't dare look down. She couldn't afford to.

Finally, she reached the top, pulling herself onto the rooftop and collapsing onto the cold concrete. For a moment, she stayed there, breathing in ragged gasps. Her hands were slick with sweat and fear. Zara's body trembled from exhaustion, her bones aching.

I can't keep doing this. I can't…

Leo shifted against her chest and forced her out of her head. She wrapped her hands around him, squeezing slightly.

She could do it, she had to.

The rooftop provided a fleeting vantage point, allowing her to watch as the zombies gradually lost interest and drifted away, their groans fading into the distance.

Taking a moment to breathe, she calmed her frayed nerves. The rooftop was safe, but exposed. Storm clouds loomed, and she couldn't risk being hit by one of the sudden, vicious lightning or acidic rain.

Zara scanned the surrounding area, searching for any signs of movement. The mist continued to thicken, still reducing visibility and making it difficult to navigate.

She knew she had to keep moving, to find a more secure location before another threat emerged.

With a deep breath, Zara descended the fire escape, her legs aching from the exertion. She stumbled a bit, feeling dizzy as her legs nearly gave out.

She pressed a hand against the wall to stay upright and another against her temple. 'Shit, this can't be happening now.'

Why would her human body want to make its limitations known now?

"Momma?" She looked down at Leo, his brows furrowed with worry as he touched her cheeks. His tiny hands were so cold. "Are you ok?"

'My poor baby,' she thought taking his hands gently.

"I'm fine love, just haven't climbed that fast in a while," she assured, kissing his palms softly as she made her way back to the main road, the darkness pressing in around her.

Suddenly, she spotted a convenience store with reinforced doors and barred windows—a potential sanctuary in this maddening city. It seemed safe enough for a short stay, and the location might contain useful supplies.

Cautiously, Zara approached the store, her senses heightened as she scanned for any signs of zombies inside. Seeing none, she decided to break in.

Moving quietly, she found a way to jimmy the lock, working quickly to avoid drawing attention. The door clicked open, and slipped inside, shutting it softly behind her.

The smell of stale food and dust filled her nostrils. She took a quick survey of the store, her mind already assessing entry points. Nothing seemed tampered with yet but she couldn't take chances. She graddged shelves and counters to the doors and windows, barricading them and ensuring that no zombies could enter.

Once she was satisfied, she searched the aisles, 

checking each shelf for any movement. The store was eerily quiet, the only sounds being the distant moans of zombies and the soft rustling of the mist outside.

Zara knew that the store had already been looted by other survivors. She also knew she was lucky to find a few supplies—canned food, water bottles, clothes and a flashlight—but it was clear that others had already taken what they needed.

The remaining shelves were sparse, filled with nothing she needed. It was a reminder of how few resources were left in this bleak world.

'There was still so much at home,' she thought, chest squeezing in pain.

As Zara searched the store, Leo started to fidget again, his tiny form shifting against her chest.

"Are we safe now, Mama?" She looked around, this seemed like a safe space.

Zara smoothed back his hair, forcing a gentle smile as she loosened the tie and set him down, whispering, "We're safe here, Leo. Just for a little while."

Leo stumbled a little when his feet touched the ground, haven been used to being carried. He grasped Zara's leg tightly and looked around the room curiously.

"Are we going to stay here now?" He whispered back.

His innocent questions and trust in her made the heavy burden of survival even more daunting.

"Just for a moment," she said gently, closing her eyes as a sudden wave of nausea hit.

Zara took a moment to rest, leaning against a counter and listening carefully for any noises outside the store.

The toll of their journey weighed heavily on her—physically exhausted, emotionally drained, and mentally strained from the constant vigilance required to keep Leo safe.

The strain of single-handedly protecting her young son in such a dangerous world was a constant reminder of her own limits and the immense responsibility she carried.

Leo looked up at her, his eyes wide with concern. "Will we be okay, Mama?" he asked, his voice quivering slightly.

Zara forced a reassuring smile, trying to mask her own doubts. "Yes, sweetie. We're going to be okay. We just need to stay strong and keep moving forward."

Finding a small corner in the store's storage room, Zara settled down with Leo, wrapping him in an extra jacket she had found to ensure he stayed warm.

A chill tire though her and she remembered her clothes were wet too. She quickly took as many clothes as she could find lying around and changed. Then she tore up the rest to wrap herself and Leo.

The mist wouldn't get them if she could help it. She pulled out some dried meat and water for Leo as herself to eat.

Zara then did a quick inventory of their supplies, taking stock of what they had versus what they needed. Her heart ached once she was done.

This would barely take them through a week. She bit her lip as she weighed her options. It would only be a matter of time till there were no supplies in City B, would she have to leave the city?

How many other people had survived the initial wave? Were there safe spaces out there like the movies?

Zara was startled out of her thoughts when something touched her lap. She looked down to see Leo, done with his meager meal and staring up at her.

"Momma lie down too," he said, pointing to the corner of the room.

Zara's lip wobbled as she blinked back tears. "My baby is such a good boy," she teased, squishing his cheeks.

Her heart clenched as she noticed how less chubby they were.

Curling up with Leo, she kept one ear tuned to the quiet outside, and another on Leo's steady heartbeat. She didn't want to sleep, her body had gone through too much stress. If she gave in, it would take her a lot of time to reset.

In the past, she usually went days without sleeping when she was researching but she wasn't always running for her life high on adrenaline. Plus Damon was always there to cheer her on, providing snacks, entertainment and sometimes even a breakthrough in the research.

Damon … her heart clenched in pain.

God, it hurts just thinking about his name. Why did he have to be the hero and protect them? Why was he so kind and perfect? Why?

Just as Zara unconsciously began to spiral, she heard faint footsteps nearby. Her heart skipped a beat, and she tensed, debating whether to investigate or stay hidden.

She grabbed her bat as she pulled away from Leo and crawled to the door.

Peeking through a crack in the storage room door, she saw another survivor outside—a gaunt figure, eyes darting nervously as they scanned the area.

A human! She hadn't seen a living person other than Leo in what seemed like forever.

The presence of another person introduced a new layer of uncertainty: was this survivor a friend or a potential threat?

Zara decided it was best to avoid contact for now, fearing that any interaction could endanger them both. She didn't know what sort of weapon the person was carrying.

But the realization that other survivors might be just as desperate—and possibly dangerous—as the zombies weighed on her. She knew she couldn't stay here forever; they needed a more fortified location or a way to join forces with trustworthy individuals.

The presence of another person left Zara with mixed emotions. On one hand, the possibility of finding allies was a glimmer of hope in a world that had long since lost its brightness.

On the other hand, the potential risk of encountering someone hostile or untrustworthy loomed large. She couldn't afford to take chances, not when Leo's safety was at stake.

As the footsteps faded away, Zara let out a sigh of relief, but the encounter left her restless. She knew that finding shelter and resources would require careful planning and perhaps forming alliances with others.

But was there anyone she could trust in this world?