N-23: The last days

Chapter 2 - The ambush i

The sun hung low in the sky, casting shadows over the landscape as Jake tightened his grip on the makeshift spear. The strong stench of death hung in the air and he could barely breathe. Literally, there were decomposing bodies all over the city, a grim reminder of what once was.

“When would this end?” He muttered to himself.

A year had passed since the N-23 virus had shattered civilization, rendering the world hostile and broken. At the onset, people thought they would band together against the threat. But survival instincts made them selfish, turning on one another. Supplies were stolen, fights broke out, and some even resorted to cannibalism. The common enemy was forgotten as the struggle for survival took precedence. Some formed colonies or enclaves to increases their chances.

Jake’s enclave, repurposed from an old military base stood as a beacon of hope in the chaos, but supplies were dwindling. He knew that today’s scavenging mission was critical for their survival. He glanced over at his team as they prepared for the mission. There was maria, a former paramedic who had become their unofficial doctor; Liam, a burly mechanic with a knack for fixing and making anything; Sam, a quiet but deadly marksman who had once been a military officer; Rita, a mother who had lost her two children to N-23 virus; and Alex, a professor with a PHD in biology and physics. They had all changed over the past year, hardened by the constant fight for survival. But they were also a family bounded by their shared struggles. There were also about ten kids amongst them, who lost their families to the virus. The kids were never involved in any of the operations. Jake had a strict ‘no kids’ policy, and even Ryan who was almost eighteen wasn’t an exception. From the day he turned seventeen up on till now, he would beg Jake to let him on the operations, but Jake had always been adamant.

“Make sure no one gets out”. Jake said as he turned to face Ryan.

Ryan had a frown on his face, one that Jake quickly understood. He sighed and stretched his right arm over jake’s shoulders.

“You are not ready Ryan”.

“You been saying that since I turned seventeen. When would I be ready!” One could hear the aggression in Ryan’s voice.

“We would talk about this when I get back” Jake turned away from Ryan, moving to walk away.

“If you get back” Ryan muttered under his breath but Jake heard him. He turned to look at Ryan but Ryan quickly looked away. He knew he had spoken out of place. He moved his mouth to utter a word, but by the time he had turned back, Jake had already left.

Jake had lost a lot in this fight and was not willing to put anyone’s life on the line. His only child, Mellisa had died months ago and he wished he could meet her in the afterlife, if there was one. For that reason, he wouldn’t hesitate any second to sacrifice his life for another. Anything but suicide.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

“Alright everyone” Jake said, his voice steady but urgent. “We know the drill. We stick together, stay quiet, and move quickly. Stay clear of scavenger lands and avoid attention. We need to get in before nightfall.”

The team nodded as though it was their first time going out for operations. Jake had always repeated these same sets of instruction and they always wondered if he thought they always forgot. They set off towards the outskirts of an abandoned city, ‘Okloma. Okloma was a great city before the virus infestation and was the apex of economic activities. It didn’t take that long for the city to breakdown because of the speed at which the virus spread. Though, this left so much supplies which the survivals could scavenge on. The only problem being humans who would want to steal your supplies or eat you, and the infected victims of the N-23 virus, now known as Ragers. Recently there had been rumors from different camps about mutations, but Jake wasn’t sure. If they were to face something like the rumors, they would have no chance. As they approached the city, the once bustling streets were eerily silent. Abandoned cars, broken windows, and graffiti-covered walls painted a grim picture of the collapse. They moved cautiously, eyes scanning for any signs of movement. The air was thick with tension, and every sound seemed amplified in the stillness.

“Jake, over here” Maria whispered, pointing to a grocery store that looked untouched; That was unusual. Jake felt something was off but couldn’t quite place his hands. There was no way they were the first to find out about the store. He wanted to pass by when he remembered that the children were waiting for them to get back with food. He sighed and signaled for them to move towards the store. The front door was sightly ajar, a weird but promising sign. They moved towards the entrance, weapons at the ready. Inside, the store was dimly lit. shelves still stocked with non-perishable items. They quickly spread out, filling their bags with canned goods, bottled water, and medical supplies. The silence inside the store was almost oppressive, broken only by the rustling of their movements.

Just as they were finishing up, Sam froze, his face suddenly pale.

“Do you hear that?” He whispered.

Everyone stopped, straining to listen. At first, there was nothing, just the faint sound of their breathing. Then a loud growl echoed through the aisles, followed by the unmistakable sound of shuffling feet.