MAYA
Maya had always been the kind of person who thrived on adventure. The thrill of exploring unknown places, the excitement of discovering what lay beyond the horizon—it had been her calling. But that was before everything changed. Before the world had turned upside down and the once-vibrant cities became nothing more than decaying remnants of their former selves. The world was a shadow of what it had been, and with it, her spirit of adventure had been extinguished, like a candle flame snuffed out by a harsh wind.
The initial excitement of survival—the adrenaline rush of escaping danger, the hope that maybe, just maybe, things would return to normal—had faded. It had turned to dust. It had boiled away like water, leaving nothing behind but a sense of emptiness and the gnawing fear of what lay ahead.
She had almost died that day.
It was a close call, one that still haunted her. She could still feel the sickening rush of terror, the breathless desperation as she fought for her life. If not for Dina and Matthew, she wouldn't have made it. They had found her, bloodied and broken, on the brink of death, and they had saved her. In a world that had stripped away everything, they had given her something to hold onto.
Dina. Matthew.
They were her lifeline. They were the reason she still fought. They were the ones she would do anything for.
But Dina—Dina was missing.
Maya couldn't shake the feeling that something had happened to her. She'd been gone for too long, and Maya couldn't sit idly by while she had the chance to help. She wasn't like Bill and Mark. She couldn't just stay put, wait for the world to right itself. She couldn't accept this new reality of hiding and waiting. Not when Dina was out there, somewhere, needing her help. She had to go find her.
She had packed everything she needed, every tool, every weapon she could find, ready to leave. The weight of the decision settled on her shoulders. Bill and Mark would never approve. They were cautious, always too afraid to take risks. They wanted to wait, to sit back and hope for a miracle. But Maya couldn't wait. She couldn't stay locked away like they did. She had to go, and she didn't care if they liked it or not.
She was just about to leave when she heard it.
A knock at the door.
Her heart skipped a beat. She didn't want to open it, not now, not when she was so close to leaving. But when she heard that voice, her resolve melted. She couldn't ignore it.
"Matthew," she whispered to herself.
She stood up and walked over to the door. Her hand shook slightly as she reached for the handle. There he was—Matthew. Despite being a year younger than her, she respected him more than anyone else in this broken world. More than Bill, more than Mark. There was something about him—something steady, something unshakable—that had drawn her to him from the start. He had saved her life, and for that, she owed him everything.
"Can I come in?" Matthew asked, his voice soft but determined.
Maya stepped aside, allowing him in. As he passed her, their eyes met, and for a moment, everything felt still. There was a quiet understanding between them, an unspoken connection that neither of them had to acknowledge, but both knew was there. He knew why she was getting ready to leave. He knew what she planned to do.
"Are you planning to go look for her?" Matthew's voice was low, as if he already knew the answer but needed to hear it from her.
Maya froze. She wanted to lie. She wanted to tell him that she wasn't planning to leave, that she was just preparing to rest and wait for the right moment. But that wasn't the truth. Not anymore.
"Yes," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Matthew didn't say anything for a moment. He just looked at her, his expression unreadable. Then, finally, he spoke again. "I want to go too. But we can't go now. Not tonight. It's too dangerous."
Maya felt her temper flare. "I don't care what Bill and Mark think," she snapped. "If I wait, if I stay here, I might never get a chance to find her. I have to go."
Matthew took a deep breath, his expression softening. "I know. But think about it. We can't go out there at night. The rottens—they're worse at night. You know that."
She hated how right he was. The thought of facing those monsters in the dark, with only the faintest slivers of moonlight to guide her, made her stomach turn. But her need to find Dina was stronger than her fear. "I don't care. I'm going."
Matthew reached out, grabbing her hand. His grip was firm, not letting go. "Please, just listen to me. I know you want to find her. I do too. But if we leave now, it'll be too dangerous. Tomorrow, we can go together. We'll leave at first light."
Maya wrenched her hand from his, frustration bubbling up inside her. "You think I care about what Bill and Mark say? I don't fucking care." She took a step back, crossing her arms. "This is about Dina. She's out there, and I can't sit here and wait."
Matthew's eyes softened, but there was a quiet urgency in his voice. "Maya, please. Do you think Dina would want you to go out there alone at night? You know how dangerous it is."
Maya's chest tightened, and for a moment, she felt the weight of the decision pressing on her. She didn't want to think about Dina's opinion. She didn't want to think about anything other than finding her and bringing her back. But Matthew was right—Dina wouldn't want her to take unnecessary risks.
Maya sighed, her shoulders slumping. "Fine," she muttered. "We'll wait until morning."
Matthew gave a small, relieved smile. "Thank you," he said, his voice gentle. "You need to rest. Tomorrow, we leave together. We'll find Dina."
Maya nodded, but the restlessness still lingered inside her. The idea of waiting, of doing nothing while Dina was out there, felt like a betrayal. But she couldn't argue with the reality of the situation. The rottens were too dangerous at night, and they both needed their strength for the journey ahead.
"I'll rest," Maya said, though the words didn't feel true. "But I won't wait long."
Matthew gave a small nod and turned to leave, but not before stopping at the door. "We'll find her," he said softly, as if speaking to both of them. "We will."
With that, he was gone. Maya stood alone in the quiet room, the weight of her decision heavy in her chest. She lay down on the bed, but sleep didn't come easily. How could it, with so much at stake? But eventually, exhaustion took over, and she drifted into an uneasy sleep.
Tomorrow, she would leave. Tomorrow, she would find Dina. And nothing—nothing—would stop her