The sound of helicopters overhead and the chaos of thousands stranded on the highway made Carl uneasy. He focused on the checkerboard, trying not to let it show.
His mother's voice pulled him from the game. He looked up, confused.
"Shane and I are gonna scout ahead, see if we can find out anything," Lori said, running a hand through his hair—a small gesture he'd never admit he liked.
"I wanna go with you," Carl said, his stomach tightening at the thought of her leaving.
"No, stay here with Carol," Lori replied, pressing a quick kiss to his head. Shane gave his shoulder a firm pat.
"Hey, we'll be back before you know it, little man."
Carl watched them disappear into the crowd, their figures swallowed by the mass of people.
"Your dad seems nice," Sophia said.
Carl glanced at her, thinking about his real dad. The thought hurt, so he pushed it away.
"Shane's not my dad," he muttered. "But yeah, he's nice."
He stole a look at Sophia's actual dad. Even at twelve, Carl could tell Ed wasn't a good person.
"Sophia, come here real quick."
Carol's voice cut in, and Sophia gave him a quick smile. "I'll be right back."
Carl watched as she ran over. Curious, he tried to see what was happening. Ed and Carol were giving Sophia some food—but Ed acted like he didn't want to share, keeping it hidden from the others.
Carl's stomach growled. He was about to ask for some when a distant rumble of thunder rolled through the sky—followed by screams.
"Run!"
Panic erupted around him. Carl's heart pounded as he whipped his head toward the commotion. Movement in the forest caught his eye, and despite the chaos, curiosity got the better of him.
Climbing over the guardrail, he edged closer to the trees. A hunched figure was just ahead, shifting oddly in the dim light. The sound of chewing reached his ears.
"Hello. Do you need help?" Carl called out hesitantly.
The figure stilled. Then, slowly, it lifted its head.
Carl's breath caught in his throat. The man's mouth was smeared with blood, his teeth stained red. On the ground lay another man—his stomach ripped open, intestines spilling out like rope.
Carl wanted to scream, to run, to throw up. But his body refused to move.
The man—no, the thing—rose unsteadily, turning its lifeless, milky eyes toward him. Blood and flesh dripped from its mouth.
And then, it started to stumble toward him.
Screams and chaos erupted behind him, snapping Carl's attention away from the bloodied man. His eyes widened in horror as he turned back toward the road. A dozen more of those things were there—ripping into people, tearing flesh from their bones as victims shrieked and writhed in agony.
Carl's breath hitched. His body locked up.
A sickening growl came from behind him.
He turned just in time to see three more creatures, their mouths slick with blood, creeping toward him.
Time seemed to slow. His heart pounded in his ears. Then—adrenaline kicked in.
Carl spun on his heel and bolted into the forest.
The dark swallowed him, but the full moon above gave just enough light to keep him from tripping. He tore through the underbrush, tree branches scratching at his skin, leaving behind thin trails of blood. He could hear them—still following, never slowing, never stopping.
His lungs burned. His legs screamed. He forced himself to keep going until his body betrayed him, his knees buckling as exhaustion overtook him.
He collapsed.
"No… Mom… Shane…" His voice was barely a whisper.
His chest heaved, and the metallic taste of blood coated his mouth. Tears welled in his eyes, blurring the world around him. He could hear them now, drawing closer, the sound of their heavy, uneven footsteps filling the silence.
Carl tried to move, to drag himself forward, but his limbs felt like they weighed a thousand pounds. His fingers clawed at the dirt, pulling himself forward inch by inch, but he knew—he wasn't going to make it.
The creatures loomed over him, their pale eyes empty, their teeth clacking in anticipation.
His vision swam. His head spun.
And then—
A shadow.
A figure in a dark trench coat.
Carl reached toward it, lips parting in a breathless whisper.
"Dad."
Darkness took him.