The stench of death clung to the walls like thick smoke, and for a moment, no one dared to move. The bodies of the old couple lay still in the corner of Car 8, their hands still clasped together. No one said a word, but grief washed through the group like a silent tide.
Asher's eyes burned as he looked away. He couldn't process it. One moment they were alive—fragile but warm—and the next, they were just... gone. The old man had shielded his wife until the end. Even when the zombies tore through, he hadn't flinched.
Ethan stood still, eyes focused on the bloodied floor. He clenched his fists.
"We can't stay here," Jason said firmly, breaking the silence. His voice was hoarse but steady. "We have to keep moving. The longer we stay still, the more we lose."
Sienna nodded, even as tears slipped silently down her cheek. She reached for Leo, who had gone pale and quiet since witnessing the attack. "We move together," she whispered.
The group huddled by the end of the car. Jason checked the connecting door to Car 7, ensuring it was clear before sliding it open. The air ahead was tense and still. For now, it looked safe.
As they stepped through, Asher instinctively glanced to his right. Ethan was just behind him, eyes flickering over their surroundings, always alert. Their shoulders brushed, and Asher felt the smallest flicker of calm. It reminded him of the hug from earlier—the moment of warmth and closeness when Ethan had caught him mid-fall.
It was the only time he had felt safe in days.
The group moved in tense silence. Jordy kept glancing back, baseball bat swinging idly in his hand. Casey walked alongside Malik, muttering quiet prayers. Sienna stayed close to Jason's wife, helping her walk carefully between the cars.
They reached Car 7 and paused for breath.
"This was the last car we cleared," Ethan said. "Beyond this... it's unknown."
Jason nodded. "We keep going. Every second counts. If the front of the train is secure, we can send a signal. Maybe get someone's attention."
Leo piped up softly, "What if no one's left to see the signal?"
No one answered him.
As they entered Car 6, a strange sound echoed from the front.
A banging.
But not from zombies.
Something... mechanical.
"Is that—?" Jordy started, but Jason held up a hand.
"Stay alert."
They moved forward slowly, checking every row of seats. Blood. Bags. Empty water bottles. No infected. No bodies. It was strangely clean.
"I don't like this," Casey murmured. "It's too quiet."
Then—
A scream.
Not from behind. From ahead.
Jason took off running.
"Jason—!" Ethan shouted, but the ex-army man was already halfway to the front.
They all sprinted after him, rushing into the next car—Car 5.
There, huddled near the emergency brake, was a teen boy. No older than 17. His arm was bleeding, his shirt torn.
"Please—don't hurt me," the boy begged. "They—they got my brother... I ran... I thought I was safe in here—"
Jason knelt. "You're okay now. We're not infected. You're bleeding, but it's not a bite, right?"
The boy shook his head desperately. "It's glass. I—I broke through a window."
Malik knelt beside him, checking his wound. "He's telling the truth. This is a cut, not a bite."
Sienna handed over cloth to wrap his arm, and Asher passed a bottle of water. The boy drank like he hadn't had water in hours.
"What's your name?" Jason asked.
"Danny."
"Well, Danny," Jason said, "we're headed to the driver's room. There's a chance we can call for help. You stay with us, okay?"
Danny nodded.
Back in the group, Asher moved quietly beside Ethan. "That scream scared the hell out of me," he admitted softly.
Ethan looked at him for a long second. "Me too," he said honestly. "Thought we lost someone again."
They walked side by side, silent, sharing something unspoken.
Then Danny asked, "You guys were on that baseball team, right? Eastbrooke?"
"Yeah," Ethan answered.
"And you were... rivals with Westmont?"
Asher rolled his eyes. "Still are."
Danny grinned, even through the pain. "Kinda funny how the apocalypse makes enemies team up."
Ethan smirked. "Trust me. No one's more surprised than us."
As they reached Car 3, the ground shifted.
The train jerked sharply, sending people stumbling. Leo fell but Sienna caught him. Jason's wife gasped, clutching her belly.
"What was that?" Jordy shouted.
The train was slowing.
Screeching brakes echoed through the metal.
They were stopping.
Everyone's breath caught.
As the train groaned to a halt, they reached the narrow hallway just before the engine car. A small, locked metal door blocked them from the driver's cabin.
Jason stepped forward.
"This is it."
He pounded on the door. "Anyone in there?! This is Officer Jason Mendes! We need to take control of the controls and contact emergency services!"
No answer.
He tried again.
Still nothing.
Then a faint voice crackled through the speaker above the door.
"...passcode?"
Jason's eyes widened. "What? There's a passcode?"
The speaker crackled again. "Protocol lockdown. Engineer deceased. Enter override code or retreat."
"No!" Jason shouted. "We have survivors—women, children—this train is a death trap! Let us in!"
No answer.
Silence again.
Then footsteps.
From behind.
Dozens.
Scraping.
Growling.
Screaming.
Zombies.
They were coming.
Ethan shouted, "BACK! We need to block the car behind us! Now!"
Everyone rushed back, dragging seats, luggage, anything they could find. Asher helped Sienna lift a metal frame. Jordy and Casey slammed the connecting door shut, jamming it with a fire extinguisher.
The groans grew louder.
And louder.
Jason turned back to the door.
He stared hard at the panel.
"I'll figure this out," he said.
"But what if you can't?" Leo asked.
Jason turned slowly, looking at his wife, her hand on her belly.
"Then I'll die trying."