The night air was bitterly cold, and the temperature kept dropping. With every passing day, survival wasn't just about food—it was about warmth too. Clothing would soon become as vital as clean water.
After dinner, my parents tucked Tian Tian into bed. I helped clean Grandma's hands and feet like always, and then we quietly gathered in the next room for a short meeting. It was just a few of us, whispering under dim light.
I was the only local. I pulled out the crude map I'd drawn and shone a flashlight over it. "Look—follow the alley in front of the hospital, head south, and you'll hit the pedestrian street. There are tons of clothing shops there. Across from it is the wholesale food market. If we manage to get in and haul supplies, we'll be good for weeks."
Smelly leaned in, squinting at the scribbled lines. "Why's it laid out like this? The pedestrian street right next to the wholesale market?"
I shook my head. "It's old. My parents said it was like this even in their youth. The pedestrian area was just built around the older roads."
Xu Yiwen frowned. "Forget how weird it is. The question is, how the hell do we get there?"
Xiaoyu exhaled sharply. "Walking isn't gonna cut it. We've barely made it halfway down this block before things got hairy. It's too far. We'd be bait."
"Exactly. And we don't have a car," Qiqi added, voice low but steady.
That's when Lin Wei raised her head. "Wait. The hospital's parking lot—shouldn't there be cars down there? Maybe some higher-end ones like Benz or BMWs?"
Chen Ming, who had stayed quiet until now, finally nodded. "Let's go check."
Xu Yiwen's brow furrowed. "Even if they're there, what about the keys? They're probably locked up or lost."
Chen Ming glanced at him with a cold edge. "I have a way."
Despite a few cars left abandoned near the hospital's front, our goal was the underground lot. It was likely more secure—and maybe untouched.
The hospital's basement garage was huge; I'd been down there once. Our plan was to find something big enough to fit us all and carry a good amount of supplies. If we were lucky, we could even use the vehicle to barricade the alley entrance near the market. That way, we'd block off any walkers and have a fast way out if things went south.
Just as we were about to leave, Dad insisted on coming. He was yanked back by Mom and Tian Tian. Mom's always trusted me—even as a kid, I was the one she didn't worry about. Maybe it was because I was the opposite of both Tian Tian and my older brother in temperament.
After she repeated all her warnings, we finally left.
This time, our group was smaller: Chen Ming and me, Xiaoyu and Sun Miao, plus Wu Huo and Xu Yiwen. Qiqi and Lin Wei stayed behind—they couldn't keep calm around walkers, and we couldn't afford screams.
We descended the stairs quickly. The building was silent, unsettlingly so. Just as we passed the elevator, a faint thud echoed from within. We all froze. Chen Ming turned, scanned the doors, and silently motioned us to keep moving.
There must've been a walker trapped inside since the power outage. We'd rushed past before and missed it.
The garage lay at the back of the hospital. To get there, we had to cut around the side building and through a small park. Not ideal, but the fastest route.
Chen Ming and I took the lead, keeping low along the wall. We had to pass the back cafeteria—already notorious for undead activity. It was close to the rear exit, a tight and dangerous choke point. But we had no choice.
Before we reached the bend, I heard low growls up ahead. Footsteps scraped the pavement. Chen Ming's eyes locked with mine as he slowly unsheathed his blade.
Sun Miao and the others caught up just then. They hadn't heard yet, but seeing our reaction, they tensed and drew their weapons too.
That's when the walkers turned the corner.
I gripped my dagger, ready to lunge, until I saw it—the stained hospital gown, the purplish skin, the familiar gait. My breath caught in my throat. My heart skipped.
It was him.
Chen Ming noticed my hesitation. "What's wrong?"
Before I could answer, Sun Miao pushed past me. "Don't stand there—it's dangerous!" He charged in with Smelly and Xiaoyu right behind.
I clenched the blade tighter, heart racing. That's not him. That's not my brother. He just looks like him. My brother would never… he wouldn't…
The three fought fiercely, but not smart. The undead didn't go down easy, and revenge clouded their judgment. They were driven back.
And there he was—my brother. Or what was left of him. Dragging his feet, face blank and lifeless. And yet, for a second, he almost looked like he recognized me.
Chen Ming growled, annoyed, and burst forward. His blade danced—clean, precise. Within seconds, the group of walkers collapsed.
Blood sprayed on Xiaoyu, who doubled over, gagging. Smelly and Sun Miao dropped to their knees, panting.
And there was my brother—standing alone, facing Chen Ming.
Chen Ming didn't hesitate. He tucked his blade away, spun, and kicked my brother's waist with full force. My brother crashed into the bushes.
"Move!" Chen Ming snapped.
We followed without protest. No one wanted to lag behind anymore. With him, we stood a chance.
I always said Chen Ming was a bit of a monster…
But thank you—for not killing my brother.
As I passed him, a glint from his wrist caught my eye. The watch. The one I'd given him, right before he got bitten. My chest ached.
Tears blurred my vision as we ran.
People say blood ties are irreplaceable. It's true. I kept telling myself he wasn't my brother anymore, but seeing him up close, all I wanted was to hug him one last time.
I missed him.
And I missed the world before all of this.
We finally reached the park. No walkers. The sun was warm, almost unnaturally so. As we passed the central pond, Xiaoyu pointed across it. "What's that?"
Before I could answer, a rancid stench hit me. Just as my eyes turned to it, Smelly yelled, "Holy crap! There's a corpse with just one leg left!"
Chen Ming smacked the back of his head. "Shut up! You yell again, I'll feed you to it myself."
Xiaoyu jumped, then glared. "One of these days, your mouth will get you killed."
Still stinging, Smelly snapped, "You talk too much, stinky woman!"
"What did you say!?" Xiaoyu rolled her sleeves up, ready to brawl. I quickly stepped between them. "Enough! We can fight later. Right now, we focus. Do you even understand how dangerous this is?"
Chen Ming clearly had no patience left. He picked up speed. Only Sun Miao could keep up. The rest of us half-jogged, half-sprinted to stay close, careful not to make noise that might alert hidden walkers.
By the time we reached the corner near the parking garage, Xiaoyu, Xu Yiwen, and I were already heaving for air.
Chen Ming stopped, glancing toward the entrance. His expression darkened. "He Mo."
"Yeah?"
"How many exits?"
I hesitated. "I… I'm not sure. I've never really been inside. But my dad has—"
He shot me a sharp look. I lowered my voice. "Should I… go back and ask?"