After Tommie and I had a moment alone, we headed back to the living room. The atmosphere was tense no one said much as we settled down. Uncle had done his best to make the place feel safe, but there was no comfort in this situation. Blankets covered the floor, and he'd piled every pillow he could find to give us something soft to rest on. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing.

There was a quiet agreement between us all that sleeping in the same room was the best option. The world outside had turned hostile, and none of us wanted to be caught alone. We also decided someone had to keep watch, taking turns through the night to ensure we stayed vigilant. We couldn't afford to let our guard down. Uncle volunteered to take the first shift, sitting by the window with his rifle, eyes scanning the darkness outside.

The rest of us tried to settle in. Jake and Riley had found a corner to themselves. They were whispering, their voices too low for me to make out, but from the way they laughed softly, you could tell they'd found an odd friendship through all this. It was strange how quickly people bonded when they were faced with something bigger than themselves. Jake, my brother, now found comfort in a near-stranger. It felt surreal.

On the other side of the room, I sat with Reya, Quin, and Tommie. The four of us leaned against the couch, our backs pressed into the cushions as if that could somehow ground us in reality. We tried to talk about what was going to happen next, but none of us had any real answers. The weight of the unknown hung heavy between us, like an invisible fog we couldn't push through.

"I don't know how much longer we can keep running," Reya said quietly, her voice thick with emotion. She hadn't stopped shaking since we'd arrived. Her eyes were bloodshot, her body curled into Quin's side for support.

"We can't think like that," Quin replied, his voice steady but low. "We'll figure something out. We just have to stay together, okay?"

Reya nodded, but the fear in her eyes told a different story. She didn't believe it, not really. None of us did.

I wanted to say something comforting, to tell them we'd all be fine, but the words felt hollow. I wasn't sure if I believed them myself. I glanced at Tommie, who was sitting next to me, but we couldn't even make eye contact. There was an awkward tension between us, something left unsaid. We both knew it wasn't the right time to talk about it, but it was there, lingering between us like an unresolved question.

Reya suddenly leaned her head against Quin's shoulder, and he instinctively wrapped his arm around her. They found comfort in each other, in the familiarity of their friendship. Meanwhile, Tommie and I sat in silence, our knees just barely brushing as we both stared at the floor. Every now and then, I would catch him looking at me from the corner of my eye, but neither of us spoke. I didn't know how to deal with it with the feelings building up inside me, with the world outside falling apart. How could we talk about something like that when everything felt so wrong?

"What's gonna happen to us?" Reya's voice broke the silence again, softer this time, her eyes filling with tears she tried to blink away.

"I don't know," I whispered, my throat tight. "But we have to keep going. There's no other choice."

For a while, we all just sat there, lost in our own thoughts. The occasional sound of sirens outside or the rumble of helicopters filled the void. It was the only reminder that something much larger than us was happening out there, beyond the walls of Uncle's house. That, and the quiet hum of the TV, where the news was playing on low volume.

At some point, the exhaustion got to me. I don't even remember falling asleep, but I must've, because when I opened my eyes again, it was pitch black outside. The only light came from the dim glow of the TV, where the news continued its endless loop of terror and despair.

Uncle was still awake, his silhouette barely visible near the window. The rifle was resting on his lap, his eyes scanning the darkness outside, ever watchful. I shifted slightly, glancing over at the others. Jake and Riley were both asleep now, huddled together in the corner. Reya had curled up into a ball, still pressed against Quin, who had one arm protectively draped over her as he, too, slept. Tommie was the only one awake besides me, his eyes half-closed but still alert.

"Can't sleep?" I whispered, my voice barely above a murmur.

He shook his head, not looking at me directly. "Too much on my mind."

"Same," I admitted. "It feels like a nightmare."

"It is a nightmare," he replied, his voice rough. "But we'll get through it. We have to."

I nodded, not entirely convinced but grateful for his attempt to reassure me.

The clock ticked to 3 a.m., and Uncle decided it was time to wake Dad for his turn on watch. Dad had been sleeping soundly, and when Uncle nudged him awake, he seemed disoriented at first, rubbing his eyes and sitting up with a groan. He looked like he hadn't slept in days, which, I guess, was true for all of us. None of us had really rested since this all started.

Just as Dad was about to take his place by the window, something flickered on the TV screen. A breaking news alert. Uncle turned up the volume slightly, and the room seemed to hold its breath.

The headline read: **Infection Spreads Rapidly – Military Forces Overrun, Quarantine Zones Established.**

The footage that followed was horrific. Cities burning. Soldiers being attacked by swarms of infected. People screaming, running for their lives. It was chaos, pure chaos. The anchor's voice wavered as she tried to explain the situation: the infection was spreading faster than anyone could have imagined. The military was losing control, quarantine zones were being opened outside the city, but even those zones were barely holding.

My stomach twisted as I watched the screen, my heart racing in my chest. This wasn't just happening here. It was everywhere.

"We're not safe," I whispered, more to myself than anyone else. "Nowhere is safe."

Dad stood frozen in front of the TV, his eyes glued to the screen. Uncle clenched his jaw, gripping the rifle tighter.

"We stay here," Uncle said, his voice firm. "We stay quiet, we stay inside. That's all we can do for now."

I glanced at Tommie again, and this time he looked back. The fear in his eyes mirrored my own, but there was something else there too determination.

Whatever happened next, we had to face it together.

As the night deepened, the reality of the situation sank in for everyone. Uncle's declaration to stay quiet and inside hung in the air like an unspoken law. The house felt like a fragile sanctuary, and even the slightest noise outside had us on edge, straining our ears for anything that sounded out of place. I couldn't shake the images from the TV the chaos, the burning cities, the people screaming—and it was hard to believe that we were safe, even here.

Dad settled into his watch, sitting near the window like Uncle had done, but he looked tired, worn down. His face was pale, and I could see the weight of everything bearing down on him, just like it was on the rest of us. He glanced back at me a few times, his eyes full of concern, but he didn't say anything. There was nothing to say, really. What could any of us say that would make this better?

The room was eerily silent apart from the faint hum of the TV, still showing the news coverage on a loop. I tried to close my eyes again, but sleep wouldn't come. My mind was racing, replaying everything that had happened over the past few days, and I couldn't stop thinking about how fast everything had spiraled out of control. Just a week ago, life had been normal. And now... this.

Tommie was still awake next to me, though he'd finally let his guard down a little, his head leaning back against the couch. His arm was resting on his knee, and every now and then, his hand brushed against mine just enough to remind me he was there, but not enough to feel like we had to acknowledge it. It was comforting, in a way, to know he was close. Even with everything happening, that small connection made me feel less alone.

Suddenly, there was a noise outside a scraping sound, faint but distinct. I tensed up immediately, my body going rigid. Tommie straightened up, too, glancing towards the window. Dad noticed it too, his hand tightening on the handle of the rifle. Everyone else in the room stirred slightly, as if they could feel the shift in the air.

"What was that?" I whispered, my voice barely audible.

"Stay quiet," Dad muttered, his eyes fixed on the dark windows.

For a moment, the sound disappeared, and I almost let myself relax, thinking it was nothing. Maybe an animal, or just the wind. But then it came again louder this time, and closer. It was like someone, or something, was dragging itself along the side of the house. My heart pounded in my chest, the fear crawling up my throat like bile.

Uncle stood up from where he had been sitting on the floor. He moved towards Dad, both of them exchanging a look that I knew meant something bad was happening. The two of them moved quietly, trying not to wake anyone else. But it was too late. Quin, Reya, and Jake were already stirring, their eyes wide with panic as they woke up to the sound.

"Is it-?" Reya started to ask, but her voice trailed off as she looked around, fear clear in her face.

"Quiet," Uncle hissed again. He motioned for us all to stay still, holding up his hand to signal that we shouldn't move. Dad crept towards the door, his rifle raised, as if ready for anything. I couldn't breathe, every muscle in my body locked in place.

The sound moved again, this time heading towards the front of the house. It was unmistakable now footsteps, slow and uneven, dragging across the ground. My eyes darted to the window, but I couldn't see anything. The darkness outside seemed to press in on us, like it was alive, like it was hiding something.

Then, all at once, there was a loud *thud* against the door.

Everyone jumped. Jake was already on his feet, pulling Reya up with him. Tommie grabbed my hand instinctively, pulling me close to him, and I didn't resist. I couldn't. My whole body was frozen in fear.

"Dad?" I whispered, my voice shaking uncontrollably.

He didn't answer. His focus was entirely on the door now, the rifle raised and ready. Uncle joined him, both of them standing side by side, waiting. For what, I didn't know. I didn't want to know.

For a long moment, nothing happened. The thudding stopped. The footsteps, the dragging noise everything went quiet again. My breath came in shallow, rapid bursts, and I couldn't seem to calm down. Tommie squeezed my hand, but even his touch couldn't soothe the terror clawing at my chest.

Then, without warning, the door rattled violently, as if something or someone was trying to force its way in. The handle twisted, jerking back and forth, and Dad took a step forward, bracing himself.

"Get back!" Uncle barked at us, his voice hard and commanding. "All of you, get to the back room, now!"

No one argued. We scrambled to our feet, stumbling over blankets and pillows as we rushed to the back of the house. My heart pounded so loudly I could hear it in my ears, and my hands were shaking as Tommie dragged me along. Reya was crying softly, and Quin had his arm around her, guiding her as we hurried down the hallway.

But just as we reached the back room, the sound we all feared most broke through the night the door burst open with a loud crash, followed by a low, guttural growl. A growl that wasn't human.

"Go!" Jake shouted, pushing us forward as he stayed back to help Dad and Uncle. But I couldn't look back I didn't want to see what had come through that door. We rushed into the back room, slamming the door behind us, and I could hear the chaos unfolding in the living room.

Gunshots. Screaming. Things breaking. And that awful growling sound, getting louder and closer.

I pressed myself against the wall, my heart racing, tears stinging my eyes. I could barely breathe as the noise from the other room grew louder. Tommie was right beside me, and even though I was terrified, I was glad he was here. I couldn't do this alone.

The noise outside the room reached a fever pitch, and then just as quickly as it started it went quiet.

Dead quiet.

The silence was worse than the noise. It was suffocating, like the whole house had been swallowed by it. My breath came in short, shallow bursts, and I could feel my hands shaking uncontrollably. I didn't want to open the door. I didn't want to see what was left.

But then, Uncle's voice rang out from the other side.

"It's safe now," he called, his voice hoarse but steady. "You can come out."

I didn't move. None of us did.

The gunshots had shattered the quiet night, and as the echo faded, the dreadful realization settled over us. The noise had alerted more of them. We could hear them outside, in the distance, but getting closer. That same unnatural growl filled the air, growing louder with each passing moment. I looked around, heart racing, but everyone was already moving into action, spurred on by pure survival instincts.

"We need to secure the house," Uncle barked, his voice low but urgent.

We didn't hesitate. Even though fear still had a tight grip on me, I forced myself to move. Jake and Riley grabbed the heaviest pieces of furniture they could find and began dragging them towards the door. Every second felt like an eternity, every sound amplified. I kept glancing back at Dad, my stomach twisting with fear for him, but he and Uncle were already working together to secure the front windows, using blankets to block out any view from outside.

As I rushed over to help with the back windows, I caught a glimpse of the intruder the inhuman thing Uncle had shot. It lay motionless on the floor, its body twisted in an unnatural position. Blood oozed from the wound, pooling beneath it. Its face was barely recognizable, distorted by whatever infection had turned it into this nightmare. Its eyes if you could still call them that were wide open, staring lifelessly at the ceiling.

I turned away quickly, bile rising in my throat. There wasn't time to process it, not now. We had to focus. Tommie and Quin were already at the other windows, struggling to cover them up with more blankets. I joined them, my hands trembling as I helped push heavy furniture against the glass, creating makeshift barricades.

"Is everyone okay?" Reya's voice broke through the tense silence, her tone shaky.

I nodded, though I wasn't sure if I was answering her or trying to convince myself.

"Yeah," I breathed. "We're fine."

My eyes darted to Dad, who was busy securing the door, wedging a heavy chair underneath the handle. He looked up and caught my gaze, giving me a tight nod. Relief flooded me. He was okay. So was Uncle. We had survived this round barely.

But we weren't out of danger yet.

"Keep going!" Uncle urged, pulling a dresser across the floor and shoving it against the front door. "We can't stop now."

The growls were getting closer. I could hear them now, multiple of them, circling the house like predators stalking prey. Each time I heard a thud against the walls or a snarl outside, my heart skipped a beat. There was no time to think about the thing lying dead in our living room, the reality that we had just killed something mor someone was too much to bear.

Tommie was right beside me, helping secure the last window in the kitchen. Our hands brushed against each other as we worked, and for a brief moment, we locked eyes. The tension was still there between us, unspoken, but now was definitely not the time to address it. Not with the danger just outside.

"We need to move to the center of the house," Dad said, his voice strained. "It'll be harder for them to get in there."

The rest of us hurried into the living room, gathering in the middle of the floor, surrounded by the barricades we had put up. The weight of the situation settled over us like a suffocating blanket. No one spoke for a long time. We were all too busy listening to the sounds outside the growling, the scratching, the occasional thud against the walls.

I glanced down at the thing on the floor again, its blood staining the wooden boards. I still couldn't bring myself to look too closely at it. I didn't want to accept that something like that had been in the house with us, that we had been that close to death.

Finally, Jake broke the silence. "We need to figure out what the hell we're dealing with." His voice was low, but there was a hint of anger in it manger born from fear.

Uncle nodded. "I don't know what these things are, but they're not human anymore. That much is clear."

"But they used to be, didn't they?" Quin asked quietly, his voice thick with dread. "That thing... it used to be someone."

No one answered him. We all knew he was right, but none of us were ready to face that truth. I looked down at the floor again, avoiding the sight of the body. My hands were still trembling, but I clenched them into fists, trying to steady myself.

"We need a plan," Dad said, his voice breaking through the tense silence. "We can't stay here forever."

Uncle nodded. "Agreed. We need to figure out where that quarantine zone is. If we can make it there-"

The growls outside intensified, cutting him off. Something heavy slammed against one of the barricaded windows, rattling the entire frame. Everyone jumped, instinctively backing away from the walls.

"We don't have much time," Tommie muttered, his hand brushing against mine again.

I swallowed hard, my throat dry. "We need to stay together," I whispered. "No matter what happens, we stick together."

No one argued. It was the only thing keeping us sane right now the knowledge that, at least, we had each other.

For now.