Chapter 5: Strangers at the Door

The next morning, Nate woke to the quiet chill of dawn. The farmhouse creaked with every small breeze, the worn boards barely holding together. He glanced over at Bella, who was still asleep, her head resting against the wall, exhaustion etched into her features. For a moment, he let himself relax. In this fragile morning peace, she looked almost untouched by the horrors outside.

But that peace was shattered by a sound from outside — footsteps crunching on gravel. Nate tensed instantly, motioning to Bella, who blinked awake, eyes going wide as he signaled for silence.

They crouched by the window, peering through the cracked glass. Two figures moved along the overgrown path leading to the farmhouse, scanning the area with wary eyes. They weren’t Pale Ones, that much was clear. They moved with a purpose, weapons in hand, and their clothes were worn but well-kept. Survivors, just like them.

Bella looked at Nate, uncertainty flashing in her eyes. “Do we hide?”

Nate shook his head. “We don’t know if they’re friendly or dangerous. Best to be ready for anything.”

A few moments later, there was a knock at the door, more of a blunt pound than a polite tap. Nate and Bella exchanged a glance, then he stood up, gripping his knife tightly. He opened the door just a crack, enough to see the faces of the two strangers. One was tall and wiry, his face scarred and eyes sharp. The other was shorter, with a wary look and hands wrapped tightly around a baseball bat.

“Didn’t mean to startle you,” the taller one said, raising his hands to show he was unarmed. “We’re just passing through. Thought we’d see if anyone was left here.”

Nate kept his guard up, his voice cold. “There’s nothing here for you.”

The shorter man snorted. “Relax, we’re not here to rob you. Just looking for supplies, same as everyone else.”

Bella appeared behind Nate, her expression cautious but curious. “Do you two have a place to stay?” she asked, her voice gentle, almost disarming.

The taller man glanced at her, a flicker of softness crossing his face. “Safe zone up north,” he replied. “Or so they say. We’re trying to make it there, but… roads are crawling with Pale Ones.”

“Tell us something we don’t know,” Nate muttered.

The taller man offered a thin smile. “I’m Marco, by the way. And this is Finn.” He gestured to his companion. “We’re not looking for trouble, just thought it might be better to travel in numbers. Safety and all that.”

Nate narrowed his eyes. Trust was a luxury they couldn’t afford, but the logic was sound. More people meant more eyes, more strength. Yet it also meant more mouths to feed, and more potential for betrayal.

Bella touched his arm lightly, her gaze steady. “Maybe we could stick together. At least until we reach the edge of the city.”

Nate looked between her and the strangers, every instinct telling him to keep moving alone. But something in Bella’s eyes held him back. They needed allies, even if only for a short while.

“Fine,” he said, the words tasting bitter on his tongue. “But we split if things go sideways. Understood?”

Marco and Finn both nodded, relief flickering in their eyes.

As they moved through the desolate fields and winding roads beyond the farmhouse, the two newcomers fell into step with Nate and Bella. They exchanged cautious glances, each studying the other as if gauging weaknesses and intentions. Nate kept his knife within reach, every sense on high alert. He didn’t trust these two — especially Finn, whose eyes darted around, as if he were constantly planning an escape route.

“So,” Marco said after a while, breaking the silence, “where’re you two headed?”

“Same as you,” Nate replied coolly, not offering any more details.

Finn smirked. “Great. Another group with secrets. Just what we needed.”

Nate shot him a hard look. “You’ve got a problem with that?”

Finn raised his hands defensively. “Easy, man. Just making conversation.”

Bella stepped in, her tone calm. “We all have things we’re trying to forget. There’s no reason to dig it up here.”

Finn seemed taken aback by her words, the smirk vanishing from his face. He nodded, falling silent, and the group continued on, each lost in their own thoughts.

They reached the edge of a small, rundown town by late afternoon. It looked mostly deserted, with collapsed roofs and windows shattered like jagged teeth. Nate stopped, motioning for the others to stay back as he surveyed the area. Empty towns like this often held surprises — and not the good kind.

As they moved forward, Bella noticed something glinting on the ground. She crouched, picking up a small tin can tied to a nearly invisible tripwire.

“Nate,” she whispered, holding it up. “Someone’s set traps here.”

Marco whistled low. “Clever. Tripwires to make noise. Pale Ones would come running as soon as you stumbled over it.”

Finn looked around warily. “Great. This place is probably crawling with them.”

Nate nodded, moving carefully as he scanned the area. “We need to be quiet. Stick together and don’t touch anything.”

They moved cautiously, weaving through the narrow streets. But just as they rounded a corner, a low groan echoed from behind them. Bella turned, her heart racing. A Pale One emerged from a doorway, its hollow eyes locking onto her, a raspy snarl escaping its mouth.

Marco cursed, swinging his bat as the creature lunged. The blow connected, and the Pale One crumpled to the ground. But the noise had been enough. More Pale Ones began to shuffle out from nearby buildings, drawn by the sound, their groans filling the air.

“Run!” Nate shouted, grabbing Bella’s hand and pulling her down the street. Marco and Finn followed, their footsteps pounding against the cracked pavement as the horde closed in behind them.

They dashed into a nearby building, slamming the door shut just as the Pale Ones reached it. Nate braced his shoulder against the door, feeling it shudder as the creatures clawed and battered it from the other side. Marco joined him, his face twisted in exertion.

“Any bright ideas?” Finn snapped, his voice strained.

Nate glanced around the room. “We can try the stairs, see if there’s a fire escape.”

Bella nodded, already moving toward the staircase. They scrambled up the steps, reaching the second floor just as the Pale Ones broke through the door below. The snarls and scraping grew louder, the sound reverberating through the walls.

They reached a window at the end of the hall, its glass broken. Outside, an old fire escape clung precariously to the wall. Nate tested it, wincing as it creaked under his weight. But it held.

“One at a time,” he ordered, motioning for Bella to go first.

She climbed out, followed by Finn, then Marco. Nate was the last, his gaze never leaving the writhing mass of Pale Ones below. They moved down the fire escape as quickly as they dared, dropping to the ground and sprinting away as the creatures swarmed the building.

They finally stopped in an open field just beyond the edge of town, catching their breath. The Pale Ones hadn’t followed, but the experience had left them shaken, each person eyeing the others with a new layer of wariness.

Marco was the first to speak, his voice low and tense. “That was close.”

Nate nodded, watching him carefully. “Too close.”

Finn scoffed, crossing his arms. “Well, if it weren’t for you dragging us in here, we wouldn’t have—”

“Enough,” Bella interrupted, her voice firm. She looked at each of them, her gaze steady. “We made it out. We’re still breathing. Let’s not waste that by fighting.”

Nate glanced at her, seeing the determination in her eyes. It reminded him why he’d agreed to this alliance in the first place. Bella had a way of bringing focus to the chaos, of keeping them moving forward when everything else seemed hopeless.

Marco nodded, offering a brief smile. “She’s right. We’re all we’ve got out here.”

Finn mumbled something under his breath but fell silent, a grudging acceptance in his posture.

Nate’s gaze softened, and he reached out, giving Bella’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “Thanks,” he said quietly, so only she could hear. “For keeping us together.”

She looked up at him, a small smile playing at her lips. “We’ll get there, Nate. One step at a time.”