James awoke to numbness.

  Not the kind that brought peace—but the cold, drifting kind, like his body wasn’t his own anymore. Like he was floating just outside himself.

  Even opening his eyes felt like dragging a boulder uphill. His mind was murky, thoughts sluggish, everything blurred by a thick fog of confusion.

  He tried to remember where he was. Who he was. But all he could grasp was the void.

  Then—he opened his eyes.

  And it all came crashing back.

  The screams.

  The gunshots.

  The bloater.

  His eyes snapped wide open, and adrenaline kicked in like a lightning bolt. He shot upright on instinct—

  —only for reality to slam him back down.

  A white-hot bolt of pain tore through his side, stealing the air from his lungs.

  He let out a raw, guttural scream.

  Every breath felt like fire licking at his ribs, sharp and unrelenting. His head throbbed violently, like someone was swinging a hammer behind his eyes.

  He gasped, trying to steady himself, and only then did he really take in his surroundings.

  He was on a couch. The familiar gray concrete walls of the Lanterns’ underground shelter surrounded him. A lantern cast flickering shadows on the wall. A ragged wool blanket covered his legs.

  Bandages were wrapped tightly around his chest and head. His right arm was propped on a makeshift splint—a piece of wood, strapped in place with torn fabric and duct tape.

  The air smelled like mold and rot.

  Then he heard movement.

  A chair scraped against the floor, followed by hurried footsteps.

  He turned his head—and saw her.

  Ellie.

  She rushed over, eyes wide, the tension in her face breaking as she realized he was awake.

  “James,” she said, voice thick with relief—but sharp, like it had been held back too long. “Jesus, you’re awake.”

  James opened his mouth to say something—anything—but all that came out was a shaky breath.

  She must’ve seen the worry in his eyes, because she reached out and gently placed a hand over his forearm—careful not to touch the splint.

  “Relax,” she said softly. “The horde was dealt with.”

  Her voice was calm, but tired. Worn.

  “Shortly after Joel dragged you out of the fight, reinforcements showed up. The Lanterns have splinter communities in some of the surrounding cities—Detroit, Columbus… maybe others.”

  She leaned back slightly, giving him space, but her eyes stayed on him.

  “They came backed by trucks,” she continued. “Big ones. Mounted with heavy machine guns on the roofs. They tore through the last bloater and the rest of the infected like… like it was nothing.”

  James let out a slow, shaky breath.

  The tension in his body—up until now clenched so tightly he hadn’t even noticed—began to ease. Not vanish, but… shift. The knowledge that the horde was gone brought a flicker of peace. Of safety.

  He swallowed hard, throat dry and raw.

  “H-How…” he started, but a violent cough tore through the words. It rattled in his chest, lighting up his cracked ribs like a firework. He groaned, forcing himself to breathe slower.

  “W-Water,” he fumbled out.

  Ellie’s eyes widened and she rushed off, returning a second later with a canteen in her hands. She fiddled with the cap, hands moving fast but careful, then gently lowered the bottle to his lips and let a few drops spill in.

  It tasted like heaven.

  After a few sips—just enough to ease the burning—he leaned back, breathing easier.

  “How long has it been?” he asked, voice hoarse.

  Ellie frowned. “Three days,” she said quietly.

  James blinked.

  “That long?” he muttered.

  She nodded, glancing at his arm.

  “Luckily…” she started, voice softer now, “We know you didn’t get infected from the scratch.”

  James raised his arm, slowly turning it over. He’d completely forgotten about it.

  Guess I’m one of the lucky ones, he thought, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

  The smile faded almost immediately as a heavier thought crept in. A question he hadn’t wanted to ask.

  His eyes met Ellie’s.

  “How many died?”

  The question hung in the air like smoke.

  Ellie’s expression faltered. Her gaze dropped to the floor for a moment, and when she looked back at him, the usually sarcastic girl was gone.

  “About four hundred,” she said quietly.

  James closed his eyes.

  The weight of that number hit like a punch to the gut.

  Four hundred people. Dead.

  People who welcomed him into their home.

  He took a shaky breath, guilt pressing down on his chest like a second injury.

  “It’s my fault… isn’t it?” he asked, voice barely above a whisper.

  Ellie frowned, her brows tightening. She didn’t answer right away. When she did, it was slow. Measured.

  “Yes and no,” she admitted. “You didn’t know what would happen, or that the Lanterns even existed. But when you stirred up that horde… they left their dormant state.”

  She shifted in her seat, glancing at his bandaged arm.

  “When infected are left alone long enough,” she explained, “they go into this... meditative state. Like hibernation. Slower. Quieter. It helps them last longer, conserve whatever’s left of them.”

  She rubbed the back of her neck, clearly uncomfortable with what came next.

  “They still produce fungal strands,” she said, “but they’re thin—barely moving, barely alive. Just… searching, slowly.”

  James stayed quiet.

  “But when you stirred them up,” Ellie continued, “that cluster you ran from didn’t just wake up—they reached out. And somehow… they latched onto another patch of fungus.”

  She grimaced.

  “One that was already near the lanterns base.”

  Ellie continued grimly. “Once the horde connected to it, the network spread like wildfire. It started searching again, and this time... it found us.”

  She sighed. “The attack wasn’t a coincidence. It was cause and effect.”

  James stared at the ceiling, the cracked concrete above him suddenly feeling heavier.

  A storm of guilt and grief churned in his gut, but he said nothing.

  Ellie looked at him, softer now.

  “It wasn’t completely your fault, more a series of unfortunate accidents” she added. “But... yeah. You lit the match.”

  The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  James took a breath and reflected on everything that happened.

  If he hadn’t gone to that hospital—hadn’t poked around where he didn’t belong—maybe the Lanterns could’ve fought the infected on their own terms. Maybe the horde wouldn’t have found them so soon. Maybe four hundred people would still be alive.

  But if he hadn’t gone to that hospital…

  He never would’ve met them at all.

  He never would’ve seen how people could build something amazing—underground, of all places. Not just walls and defenses, but culture. Community. People who looked out for one another, who trusted and traded and cared.

  He never would’ve been able to talk to Hawk, or see the underground sanctuary these people had built with their own hands. It was strange, beautiful, alive in a way he didn’t expect.

  Even the fight had been incredible.

  He got to see what a real leader looked like—watching Akil command the chaos like it was second nature had been something else.

  He was able to witness humanity at its most beautiful—not in comfort or peace, but when its back was against the wall, bloodied and exhausted, clawing for any scrap of hope.

  When people had every reason to give up… and chose to fight anyway.

  That was the kind of beauty you didn’t forget.

  And the bloater...

  Even after being nearly pulverized, he couldn’t say he regretted facing it.

  None of it was easy. But all of it— It was worth remembering.

  James stared at the ceiling, the flickering light casting shadows across the cracks. He let the memories settle inside him—not to dwell on, but to keep.

  He couldn’t change what happened.

  But he could make sure he never forgets, that he takes this as an opportunity to grow.

  Guilt? It wouldn’t help anyone. It wouldn’t bring back the dead or rebuild what was lost.

  James exhaled slowly, letting the weight of the guilt fall away piece by piece, not because he didn’t deserve to feel it—but because he couldn’t afford to carry it, didn’t want to carry it. It would really suck to end up like one of those mopey people who let one mistake ruin their lives. He fucked up, all he had to do was be better.

  There was still so much ahead of them.

  He was still alive.

  He could learn.

  Noticing how lost James was in his thoughts, Ellie finally spoke up.

  “I’m gonna go get Joel. He’s talking to Akil, I think. Told me to let him know when you woke up.”

  She stood, gave him one last glance, then quietly slipped out of the room, leaving James alone with his thoughts.

  .-.-.-.-.

  With Ellie gone, James figured now was as good a time as any to poke into something that had caught his eye back at the end of the fight.

  He opened his store mentally. The now-familiar blue screen flickered into view in front of him.

  There—tucked at the bottom of the list—was something new.

  Body Upgrades

  His interest sparked, and with a quick mental command, the window shifted.

  Denser bones I: 100

  Increases bone density by 10%

  Denser muscles I: 100

  Increases muscle density by 10%

  Denser skin I: 100

  Increases skin density by 10%

  Improved organs I: 100

  Improves organ functionality and strength by 10%

  Increased regeneration II: 250

  Increases cell reproduction by 10%

  Current Upgrades:

  Increased Regeneration I

  He hadn’t gotten a real look at this before—what with being half-dead and all—but now that he had a chance to breathe, he felt a wave of excitement rise in his chest.

  He was filled with questions.

  Can he turn into wolverine? Looking at how low the improvement was and how expensive it cost he guessed not, something that filled him with immense disappointment.

  Does improved organs include his brain? Because if it does that would be broken.

  If he made his muscles denser would he have to eat more? Probably.

  He also wondered if he just upgraded his muscles without improving his skeleton could he risk snapping his bones in half?

  All of this was just so interesting, and he thanks whatever cosmic being that sent him to this world for giving him another advantage. Something that would make it easier to explore this chaotic, beautiful world.

  He could tell the upgrades were nothing insane, and there might be some kind of level cap on them, but he appreciated anything he could get. Even being twice as strong as an average human would be amazing.

  As he continued exploring ideas for this new window he lost track of time. And a couple minutes later, Ellie came back with Joel and Akil in tow. James closed the window and turned his attention to them.

  Joel stood at the foot of James’ couch, eyes scanning the bruises, the bandages, the dried blood on his face. After a moment, he gave James an awkward pat on the leg.

  “Glad you’re still breathing, kid.” He gave a small nod, then stepped aside.

  Akil took this as his queue and stepped forward, arms crossed. He looked at James for a long moment, his face unreadable.

  Then he spoke.

  “My people wanted to kill you.” His tone was flat. Honest.

  “I stopped them.”

  James blinked, trying to focus through the haze. He didn’t say anything. Just waited.

  Akil exhaled slowly.

  “I was angry. I lost people. Good ones. When I lashed out at you before—it was grief. I needed someone to blame, and you were right there.”

  He looked away briefly, then back at James.

  “But the truth is... the horde would’ve found us eventually. You didn’t lead them. You didn’t want this.”

  His voice softened—just a touch.

  “And I saw what you did. That bloater. You broke yourself fighting it—for us. For them.” He took a step closer. “That mattered.”

  “Because of that, I was able to convince them to let you live. To patch you up. You earned that.” He paused, then added, “I respect what you did, James, but you three can’t stay here any longer.”

  James swallowed hard, unsure what to say. His body ached like it had been chewed up and spit back out. He could barely lift his good arm, and now that the adrenaline had faded, everything hurt.

  Ellie stepped in, her voice rising.

  “Wait—so that’s it? Look at him! He’s barely holding together. He’s concussed, his ribs are broken, his arm’s messed up, and he’s full of shrapnel!”

  Jame’s raised an eyebrow. “Wait, shrapnel?”

  Akil nodded. “From the grenade you shoved into the bloater’s mouth. Luckily it didn’t tear through anything vital and we were able to get it out.”

  James blinked. “Huh.” He coughed. “Yeah... that makes sense.”

  Ellie looked between all of them, frustrated.

  “He can’t travel like this.”

  Akil’s tone returned to stone.

  “You can’t stay. It’s early in the morning giving you plenty of time to pack. We’re burning daylight, and the longer you’re here, the harder it is for me to keep people calm.”

  He looked at Joel and Ellie. “I’ve done what I can. But you three need to move on.”

  Joel sighed, but gave a small nod. The man turned to Ellie and James, “He told me about a tunnel. Cleared of infected a while ago, a couple miles long. Heads west.”

  Ellie looked like she was ready to punch someone.

  “This is insane. You want him to walk?”

  Joel met her eyes, calm but firm. He looked at James. “We’ll carry him if we have to.”

  James took the moment to pipe up, “My legs are still working fine.”

  Ellie clenched her jaw, fists at her sides.

  “This is bullshit,” she muttered.

  But she didn’t argue anymore.

  .-.-.-.-.

  James, Ellie, and Joel stood at the entrance of the tunnel, staring into the dark maw stretching ahead of them.

  Joel had been told it was cleared of infected—but he couldn’t take their word for it. Nothing stayed cleared for long. They’d stay cautious the whole way through.

  They had their weapons back, packs refilled, wounds patched. As far as conditions went, they were about as ready as they could be.

  Still, Joel sighed. He hated tunnels.

  His eyes turned to Jame’s bandage covered form for a moment and sighed. He’d be a liability, but one he could deal with. He was honestly holding up surprisingly well, although Joel could tell he was still in a lot of pain. The way he winced with every step was clear enough.

  The man wished he could do something, but there really wasn't much he could do. Maybe they could scavenge a cart or something and drag him behind them. He frowned, he’d have to look for one.

  The Lanterns hadn’t made a big deal of the sendoff. Just a small group—Hawk, Peter, and Akil—standing by to see them off.

  Akil stepped forward. The three turned their attention to him.

  “Good luck out there,” Akil said, voice calm but sincere. “I know our first meeting... and the ending... weren’t exactly ideal. But you three are good people. I hope you make it to wherever you’re going.”

  Joel gave a small nod. Ellie mumbled, “Thanks,” under her breath.

  James, on the other hand, grinned wide.

  “Thanks! I’m glad I met all of you! Your home’s incredible—I really mean it. Hope we cross paths again!” he said brightly, waving his bandaged arm to Hawk and Peter.

  Hawk gave an awkward little wave in return. Peter just nodded.

  Akil let out a brief, genuine laugh at James’ enthusiasm.

  The three turned toward the tunnel, preparing to step into the dark. But Akil called out,

  “Joel!”

  Joel turned.

  “Come here for a second. You two go on ahead,” Akil added, motioning to James and Ellie.

  James shrugged and jogged into the tunnel’s mouth, Ellie trailing behind with a raised eyebrow.

  Joel stepped over, eyes steady but curious. “Yeah?”

  Akil watched the kids for a moment. James said something that made Ellie laugh, and for a second they looked like any pair of normal kids. Not survivors. Not soldiers. Just... kids.

  He turned back to Joel.

  “You’ve got something rare here,” he said quietly. “Those two… they still know how to laugh. How to live, even now. That’s something I haven’t seen in a long time.”

  Joel didn’t respond.

  Akil ran a hand through his hair. “All I'm trying to say is… don’t let that slip away. They’re worth saving.”

  He locked eyes with Joel, “Protect them. With everything you’ve got.”

  Joel didn’t flinch.

  “I know.”

  He turned and walked away.

  Akil watched as the kids perked up when Joel rejoined them. He said something—and the three of them started down the tunnel, side by side.

  They disappeared into the dark.

  Akil stared into the black for a long moment before sighing and turning back to the other men. “Alright. Back to work.”

  “We’ve got a lot to do.”