The loud sound of a metal shelf rolling echoed through the dark supermarket. The lights above flickered wildly, casting strange shadows on the bloody floor. Somewhere near the meat section, someone screamed in fear and pain.
Aiden moved quietly between the shelves, staying low. His boots made no noise as he stepped over broken glass and debris. The air smelled like dust and something rotten. In the distance, a group of people was climbing over fallen shopping carts, trying to run from the zombies coming in through the broken front doors.
The zombies had dull eyes and sagging skin. They walked slowly but kept coming, jaws moving like they were always hungry. Aiden watched them carefully. He wasn't scared. Not anymore. Not after living through this once already. This time, he was ready.
Then he saw her.
A girl, maybe twenty years old, was stuck under a display rack that had collapsed. Her leg was pinned, and she couldn't move. Two zombies were getting closer. Her eyes filled with fear, and she screamed.
Aiden acted fast. He took a knee and aimed his crossbow. The first bolt hit a zombie in the eye. The second bolt hit the other in the side of the head. Both dropped to the floor.
The girl looked surprised to still be alive. "P-Please... help..."
Aiden ran to her side and grabbed the metal shelf. He grunted as he lifted it and pulled her out. Her face was pale. "Can you walk?" he asked.
"I think so," she whispered, tears in her eyes.
"Good. Crawl to that aisle and stay low. Don't make any noise. If they hear you, you're done."
She didn't say anything else. She nodded and slowly crawled away.
Aiden looked back toward the freezer section. Six teenagers were trapped there, looking terrified. One boy with a kitchen knife was waving it around and yelling. Another kid was crying. One stood frozen, too scared to move.
Aiden sprinted forward.
A zombie jumped toward a short boy at the end of the group. Aiden swung his sword fast. The zombie's head flew off and landed with a thud. Another one grabbed for him, but Aiden blocked it and cut it down. Blood and guts hit the floor.
The tall teen's eyes widened. "Whoa..what the hell are you—?!"
"Shut up and move," Aiden said sharply. "Stick to the walls. Stay low. Don't run unless I tell you."
The teens looked confused, but when another zombie growled nearby, they listened.
One of the younger boys tripped and fell. A zombie came from behind a shelf and grabbed his ankle. Aiden kicked it in the head so hard it crashed into a pile of cereal boxes. He pulled the kid up by the collar.
"No mistakes. You freeze, you die. Got it?"
The boy nodded quickly, scared out of his mind.
They moved down the aisles, avoiding glass and spilled food. They could hear zombies chewing on something nearby. At the deli counter, someone's body was being eaten. Nobody looked.
"Back room," the tall teen—Jake—said. "Emergency exit. Might be open."
"Lead the way," Aiden replied.
Kang took the lead. Aiden stayed close behind, making sure nothing followed them. More zombie groans echoed around them. They were getting closer.
They reached the back door. A heavy chain hung on it, but it was old and rusty. Aiden kicked it. The chain snapped, and the door flew open.
"Go!" he yelled.
Everyone ran through into the delivery area behind the store. Cold night air hit them like a wave. For now, they were safe.
The girl Aiden had saved was already there, leaning on a wall. Her leg was bleeding, but she was alive.
Jake turned to Aiden, breathing hard. "Why'd you help us? You could've just left."
Aiden looked at him, then at the others. They were kids. Scared and lucky to be alive. He slowly put his sword back in its sheath.
"Because next time," he said, "there might be no one left to help."
Jake opened his mouth, maybe to say thanks, but Aiden turned and walked away.
The girl limped over to him. Her voice shook. "I thought I was going to die."
"You were," Aiden said, looking out into the dark parking lot. "You still might."
He didn't wait for a reply. He started walking toward the shadows.
Behind him, the survivors stood there, unsure of what to do or say.
Aiden didn't look back.
He had to change the future. Saving these people was just the start.
This was only the beginning.