The road stretched out like a ribbon of cracked asphalt, empty and breathless under the veil of darkness. The car crawled forward, headlights off. Its movement was careful—neither too fast nor too slow—just enough to stay unseen, unnoticed, untouched.
Daigo sat silently in the passenger seat, one hand resting near the homemade weapon at his side, while Talen gripped the steering wheel, eyes scanning every flicker of motion in the shadows.
"Keep your eyes on the alley crossings," Daigo murmured. "We don't want to meet another one of those things."
"I know," Talen muttered, jaw tight. "I'm not in the mood to die before sunrise."
They didn't speak of it directly, but the memory of the white-eyed creature still pulsed beneath their silence. Selia was asleep in the back seat, her small arms curled protectively around herself. Her breathing was steady, unaware of the terror outside.
Then something darted across the road.
Talen hit the brakes.
A woman stumbled out from the darkness, her steps erratic. She was limping, one arm pressed tightly to her side, and blood soaked the side of her shirt. Her eyes—wide and panicked—locked onto the car.
"Wait!" she cried, holding one hand up. "Please—help me!"
Daigo and Talen exchanged a glance. The woman's condition looked terrible—smeared with dirt, dried blood crusting over a gash on her brow—but it wasn't the injuries that made them hesitate.
It was the possibility.
The infection.
"Please," the woman said again, her voice cracking. "I—I don't have anywhere else to go."
Daigo sighed, then opened the door.
The woman climbed in slowly, wincing as she sat in the backseat, right beside Selia.
"Where are you two heading?" she asked, trying to sound casual, but her breathing was ragged.
"Just… somewhere," Daigo replied with a forced smile. "Away from trouble."
She glanced at the sleeping child, her eyes softening. "Is she your daughter?"
"Yes," Daigo answered, without hesitation.
"She's cute," the woman murmured, brushing a strand of her own hair behind her ear with a trembling hand.
Daigo stayed silent, watching her.
Then, suddenly, the woman leaned forward slightly, her voice lower. "Can you… stop at a hospital?"
Talen's hands stiffened on the wheel. The tires skidded lightly as he brought the car to a sharp halt.
Daigo turned, his heartbeat picking up.
"What did you say?" Talen demanded, twisting in his seat to face her. His eyes scanned her quickly, searching her arms, her neck, her face. "Are you infected?"
"No! No, I swear!" she said, raising both her hands. "I'm just… hurt. That's all. A bad fall, some cuts. That's it."
Daigo's gaze flicked to Selia. The girl hadn't stirred, but her presence weighed heavily on his mind.
"The hospital nearby," the woman continued, "I know someone there. A nurse. She's still helping people. Please—just drop me off. I won't stay with you. I promise."
Talen hesitated, his jaw clenched.
"She's with Selia," he muttered under his breath. "If she turns, we won't be able to stop it fast enough."
Daigo looked at him calmly, eyes steady. "She might be telling the truth. And if she is… we'd be leaving her to die."
Talen cursed under his breath.
A beat passed.
"Fine," he snapped, pulling the car back onto the road. "But the moment you do anything weird, I'm throwing you out. Got it?"
"Got it," the woman said softly, sinking back into the seat.
As the car resumed its silent journey, none of them noticed Selia's eyes opening just a crack, quiet and watchful, as if she'd heard everything.
-------------------------------------------------------
Talen brought the car to a slow halt just across from the hospital's rusted iron gates. It loomed under the grey sky like a wounded beast—shattered windows, cracked stone walls, and signs of fire damage trailing up the facade. The woman in the backseat wasted no time. She pushed open the door and stumbled out, her gait faster now, almost urgent.
"Thank you," she called back, already limping toward the entrance.
Talen exhaled, his fingers tightening around the steering wheel. He shifted gears, pulling the car into a slow turn to redirect their route.
Then it happened.
The woman gripped the gate and yanked it open. A screeching click echoed through the empty street, sharp and unnatural.
A moment later, a deafening alarm blared from inside the hospital.
Talen's heart dropped. "What the hell—"
The doors burst open.
A wave of corpses came spilling out—shambling, broken figures. But worse were the ones behind them.
White-eyed monsters.
Hundreds.
They poured out like floodwater, their eyes glowing, jaws unhinged in inhuman snarls.
"Back—GO BACK!" Daigo shouted.
Talen threw the car into reverse, slamming the pedal. The tires screeched, the car jerked back hard—straight into a less-crowded stretch of road behind them. He spun the wheel and took a sharp turn, nearly flipping the vehicle.
Selia stirred in the back, groggy and confused.
But there was no time to explain.
More monsters spilled from alleyways, drawn by the alarm. A few leapt toward the car. One slammed against the rear window—and cracked it. Another followed, punching straight through with unnatural force. Glass shattered, raining over Selia.
"Talen!" Daigo turned, grabbing Selia with one arm, shielding her. "They're inside!"
"Hold on!" Talen yelled, eyes wild as he jerked the car forward and back, weaving desperately. "I'm not letting them take her!"
The monster's hand reached for Selia's face—Daigo struck with his weapon, severing it. Blood—splattered across the seats.
Then—
The woman.
She appeared in front of them again.
Only now, her entire body was soaked in blood. Her eyes were blank. Her arms dangled uselessly, twitching.
"God," Daigo muttered, looking away, jaw clenched.
Talen hesitated.
The steering wheel trembled under his hands.
But there was no time to decide. The monsters were already crawling onto the roof, slamming fists into the glass.
"I'm sorry," Talen whispered.
And he floored the gas.
The car surged forward. The woman vanished under them with a sickening thud.
The vehicle skidded down the road, tires shrieking. The monsters chased after them, howling. But one by one, the distance grew too great. Slowly, the crowd began to thin.
For a moment, only the sound of the car's damaged engine filled the silence.
Then the engine sputtered—and died.
The car rolled to a stop.
Talen slammed his hand against the dashboard. "What now?!"
Daigo checked the gauges, already knowing the answer.
"Petrol's gone," he said flatly.
"Damn it!" Talen growled. In frustration, he slammed the heel of his palm on the car's horn—BEEEEEP.
Both of them froze.
A pause.
Then the horn echoed across the ruined buildings like a siren.
"Shit!" Daigo snapped. He threw open the car door, scooping Selia into his arms. "They're coming again!"
Talen cursed, fumbling for his weapon as he jumped out beside him. Already, from every direction, white-eyed figures emerged, drawn to the sound.
"Go—go, go, GO!" Daigo yelled.
Talen followed, but before disappearing into the alley, he turned and slammed the horn again—one last scream to throw the monsters off their trail.
The two of them vanished into the shadows, boots pounding against concrete, the girl clutched tight between them, and behind them, the night wailed with a thousand monstrous voices.