Deadzone: Surviving The End of The World

Chapter 7

They left the observatory at first light.

The air was colder than before and smelled faintly of metal. The sky was grey but still, no wind at all. Every few minutes a low roll of thunder passed across the mountains, soft at first, then sharper, as if the sound came from underground.

Caleb led them down the rocky slope. The path turned through old pine trees and broken fences. Far below, the valley spread wide and empty. Patches of mist clung to the ground like smoke.

They walked until noon.

The thunder grew closer. Clouds pressed together above them, layered and dark. The light on the ground changed from silver to blue.

Nora stopped to drink from a canteen. “You think it’s safe to keep going?”

“Not if we stop here,” Caleb said.

Dylan pointed ahead. “There’s a road down there.”

It led to a flat stretch of land where a handful of buildings stood close together. The roofs were dented from years of weather. A tall metal frame marked what had once been a loading yard. Beyond it, the mouth of a mine opened into the rock face, black and still.

They reached the first house. The door hung open. Inside, chairs and tools were scattered across the floor. Dust covered everything. No sign of struggle, no bodies, only silence.

Luke moved toward the window. “Maybe everyone left.”

“Or something made them leave,” Dylan said.

They searched the next few houses. Each one was the same. Cold stoves. Beds made. Lamps still standing. It looked like the town had emptied in a single hour.

When they reached the store near the end of the street, Caleb found a crate of canned food behind the counter. The dates were old, but the metal was sealed. He filled his pack while Nora checked the back room. She came out holding a small radio.

“It still works,” she said.

He turned the knob. The speaker hissed and then crackled. A faint hum bled through it, the same sound they had been hearing for days. After a moment a voice slipped out soft, almost calm.

“Stay within the light. The storm will pass.”

The message repeated once, then the radio went silent.

Luke frowned. “What light?”

No one answered.

Outside, the thunder broke again, louder this time. Lightning flashed across the ridge, not white but pale blue. The ground shook. The storm was moving fast.

They gathered in the largest house near the centre of the village. It had a wide front room and a stone fireplace. Dylan started a small flame using a gas lighter. The heat felt good after the long walk.

As they settled, Caleb went to the window. Rain had started to fall. The drops glowed faintly when they hit the glass. The air outside shimmered with short bursts of light.

Nora came up beside him. “It’s spreading.”

He nodded. “The signal’s in the storm.”

They stayed quiet for a while, listening to the rain.

Then came a knock.

A slow, even rhythm on the front door.

Dylan reached for his rifle. Caleb motioned for him to wait. He opened the door halfway.

A man stood there, soaked from the rain. His clothes were clean, too clean for someone living through the collapse. His eyes were dull grey, but he smiled when he saw them.

“You made it,” he said. “Come inside.”

Caleb kept his hand on the door. “We’re already inside.”

The man tilted his head. “Everyone gathers when the light calls.”

Behind him, two women appeared, both holding lanterns that glowed the same blue as the storm. Their faces were calm, almost empty.

Nora whispered, “Something’s wrong.”

The man looked past Caleb at the others. “The light keeps us safe. You’ll see when it ends.”

A flash split the sky. The lights in the house flickered though nothing was plugged in. The man smiled wider. “It’s here.”

Caleb closed the door hard and pushed the table against it. “Stay away from the windows.”

The rain grew heavier. Each drop that hit the roof gave off a faint hum. The sound blended into a single tone that filled the room. Luke covered his ears. Nora crouched near him.

Dylan checked the rifle. “They still outside?”

Caleb looked through a crack in the wood. The man and the two women stood in the street, faces turned upward, mouths open. Rain ran down their cheeks. Around them, more people were stepping out of doorways. Dozens. None of them had been there before.

The thunder rolled again. The ground trembled.

From the mine came a deeper sound, a long moan that wasn’t thunder. The people in the street turned toward it as one. They started walking slowly, feet dragging through the mud, all moving toward the open tunnel.

Nora whispered, “They’re following the noise.”

“They’re not alive,” Dylan said.

Caleb watched as the crowd disappeared into the dark mouth of the mine. The last one turned back for a moment. His eyes glowed bright blue. Then he was gone.

The storm eased a little after midnight. The rain stopped. The air smelled like burned metal. The clouds above the valley pulsed with faint light that faded with each heartbeat.

They waited until morning before leaving the house. The village was empty again. Only the muddy footprints remained, leading from every door to the mine.

Luke pointed at the opening. “Do we go after them?”

“No,” Caleb said. “We keep north.”

They crossed the loading yard. The sky was clear again, but the air still carried a low vibration. When they reached the edge of the forest, Caleb looked back. The mine entrance was still dark, but deep inside, something glowed like a distant flame.

They walked until the village was gone from sight. The road ahead curved between cliffs and dead trees. Far away, lightning flashed again, short and silent.

Nora looked up. “Another storm?”

Caleb kept his eyes forward. “It never stopped.”