The first rumble came just after midnight. Mira Patel jolted awake, her heart racing as the bed trembled beneath her. Earthquake? She fumbled for her phone, squinting at the bright screen. No alerts.
A second tremor, stronger this time, sent a framed photo clattering to the floor. Mira leapt up, maternal instinct overriding confusion as she rushed to her son’s room.
“Ethan!” She flung open the door to find the 12-year-old already sitting up, eyes wide with fear.
“Mom, what’s happening?” His voice quavered.
“I’m not sure, honey. But we need to—”
A deafening crack split the air, followed by the sickening sensation of the ground lurching beneath their feet. Mira grabbed Ethan’s arm, steadying him as they stumbled toward the bedroom window.
What they saw defied comprehension.
Where the neatly manicured cul-de-sac had been moments before, a gaping chasm now yawned. Asphalt crumbled at its edges, revealing layers of earth and rock. And from its depths rose an eerie greenish mist.
“Oh my God,” Mira breathed. She pulled Ethan close, feeling his chest heave with panicked breaths. “It’s okay, it’s okay,” she murmured, though her own pulse raced. “We’re going to be fine.”
As neighbors began to emerge from their homes, voices raised in alarm, Mira’s mind raced. She needed to assess the situation, gather information. “Stay here,” she told Ethan firmly. “I’m going to check things out. Do not leave this room, understand?”
He nodded, clutching his inhaler. Mira hesitated, torn between the need to investigate and her instinct to stay with her son. But someone had to take charge, and her years as a wilderness guide had honed her crisis management skills.
She hurried downstairs and out onto the front lawn, where other residents were congregating in various states of undress and panic.
“What the hell is going on?” “Did you feel that quake?” “Look at that… that hole!” “Someone call 911!”
Mira raised her voice to be heard over the din. “Has anyone been able to reach emergency services?”
A chorus of negatives. No cell service, landlines dead.
“Alright, let’s stay calm,” Mira said, projecting confidence she didn’t entirely feel. “First priority is to make sure everyone’s accounted for. Who’s missing?”
As neighbors called out names, Mira noticed Derek Holloway skulking at the edge of the group. The middle-aged loner had always given her the creeps, with his twitchy demeanor and constant talk of government conspiracies. Now he was eyeing the sinkhole with an unsettling gleam of… was that excitement?
A wheezing cough caught Mira’s attention. She turned to see Sophia Chen, her elderly next-door neighbor, looking pale and unsteady.
“Sophia, are you alright?” Mira asked, moving to support the woman’s elbow.
“This gas,” Sophia gasped. “It’s… hard to breathe.”
Mira’s blood ran cold as she realized the greenish mist was creeping across lawns, curling around their ankles. She raised her voice again. “Everyone, inside! Now! Cover your mouths and noses!”
As people scrambled to obey, Mira helped Sophia toward her house. “You’re coming with me,” she said firmly. “I don’t want you alone right now.”
Once inside, Mira settled Sophia on the couch and raced upstairs to check on Ethan. She found him peering anxiously out the window, inhaler clutched in his fist.
“Mom!” He turned to her with relief. “What’s happening out there?”
Mira hesitated, not wanting to frighten him further. But she’d always believed in being honest with her son. “I’m not sure, honey. But there’s some kind of gas coming from that sinkhole. We need to stay inside and keep the windows closed, okay?”
Ethan’s eyes widened. “Is it… toxic?”
“I don’t know,” Mira admitted. “But we’re going to be careful. Come on, let’s go downstairs. Sophia’s here, and I want to check the news.”
As they descended, Mira’s mind raced. Food, water, medical supplies – how long could they last if help didn’t come? And what the hell was that sinkhole, anyway?
Little did she know, their ordeal was just beginning.
By dawn, the situation had only grown more dire. The sinkhole had expanded, swallowing two houses at the end of the cul-de-sac. The noxious green mist now blanketed the entire neighborhood, reducing visibility to mere yards and making the simple act of breathing an increasingly laborious task.
Mira stood at her living room window, a damp cloth pressed to her face as she surveyed the apocalyptic scene. Behind her, Ethan and Sophia huddled on the couch, the boy’s wheezing breaths a constant reminder of the danger they faced.
A movement caught her eye – a figure emerging from the mist, stumbling toward her house. Mira squinted, then cursed under her breath as she recognized Derek Holloway’s lanky form.
She cracked open the door. “Derek! What are you doing out there?”
He coughed violently as he staggered inside. “Had to… check my supplies,” he wheezed.
Mira’s eyes narrowed. “Supplies?”
Derek’s gaze darted around the room, refusing to meet hers. “Just some emergency rations. You know, be prepared and all that.”
Before Mira could press further, Ethan’s coughing fit drew her attention. She hurried to his side, heart clenching at the obvious effort each breath cost him.
“How many puffs have you taken?” she asked, grabbing his inhaler to check the dose counter.
“Four,” Ethan gasped. “But it’s not… helping much.”
Sophia leaned forward, concern etched on her lined face. “May I?” At Mira’s nod, the retired nurse gently took Ethan’s wrist, checking his pulse. Her frown deepened. “His heart rate is quite elevated. How many inhalers do you have?”
“Two,” Mira said. “Plus his nebulizer, but…” She glanced at the dark television and silent appliances. The power had gone out hours ago.
“We need to get him to a hospital,” Sophia said quietly.
Derek barked out a harsh laugh. “Good luck with that. In case you haven’t noticed, we’re cut off. No way in or out.”
Mira whirled on him. “Then what do you suggest? We just sit here and watch him suffocate?”
Derek held up his hands. “Hey, I’m just stating facts. You’re the one who dragged me in here.”
“I didn’t drag you anywhere,” Mira snapped. “And if you’re so well-prepared, maybe you could share some of those supplies you mentioned.”
A calculating look flashed across Derek’s face. “Well, now. I might be persuaded to part with a few things. For the right price.”
Mira’s fists clenched. She opened her mouth to deliver a scathing retort, but Sophia’s calm voice cut through the tension.
“Perhaps we should take stock of what we do have before making any rash decisions,” the older woman suggested. “Mira, why don’t you and I check your pantry? Derek, if you wouldn’t mind keeping an eye on Ethan?”
Mira hesitated, reluctant to leave her son with the shifty neighbor. But Sophia’s steady gaze conveyed a clear message: We need to talk privately.
“Fine,” Mira said curtly. “Ethan, honey, call if you need anything, okay?”
In the kitchen, Mira yanked open cabinets with more force than necessary. “I can’t believe that selfish bastard,” she hissed. “Hoarding supplies while the rest of us…”
“Mira.” Sophia’s gentle touch on her arm halted the tirade. “I understand your anger. But right now, we need to focus on what’s important. Ethan needs medical attention, and soon. Is there any way to get a message out?”
Mira ran a hand through her tangled hair. “I’ve tried everything. No cell service, no internet. It’s like we’re completely cut off from the outside world.”
“What about ham radio?” Sophia suggested. “I remember my late husband used to tinker with one.”
Mira’s eyes lit up. “That’s it! Mr. Guzman down the street is always going on about his radio setup. If we could get to his house…”
She trailed off, both women glancing toward the toxic mist swirling beyond the windows.
“It would be incredibly dangerous,” Sophia said softly.
Mira’s jaw set in determination. “I have to try. For Ethan.”
They quickly formulated a plan. Mira would attempt to reach the Guzman house, while Sophia stayed with Ethan. As for Derek… well, they’d cross that bridge when they came to it.
Returning to the living room, Mira was relieved to find Ethan’s breathing slightly easier. She knelt beside him, smoothing back his dark hair.
“Hey, kiddo. How are you feeling?”
“A little better,” he mumbled. “Mom, what’s going to happen to us?”
Mira forced a smile. “We’re going to be just fine. I promise. I need to step out for a bit, okay? Sophia will stay with you.”
Ethan’s eyes widened in alarm. “But the gas—”
“I’ll be careful,” Mira assured him. “I’m just going to check on the neighbors, see if anyone needs help.”
It wasn’t entirely a lie, she told herself. She hated leaving him, but the alternative – watching him slowly suffocate – was unthinkable.
As Mira gathered supplies – goggles, a makeshift mask, gloves – Derek watched with narrowed eyes.
“Where do you think you’re going?” he demanded.
“To find help,” Mira said shortly. “Feel free to make yourself useful while I’m gone.”
Before he could protest further, she slipped out the door and into the poisonous fog.
The world beyond her doorstep was a nightmare landscape. The sickly green mist obscured everything beyond a few feet, and each breath sent daggers of pain through her chest. Mira stumbled forward, one hand trailing along fences to keep her bearings.
She had nearly reached the Guzman house when a violent fit of coughing brought her to her knees. As she fought for air, a new sound penetrated the eerie silence – footsteps, approaching fast.
Mira looked up to see a dark figure looming over her. Then something hard connected with her skull, and the world went black.
Consciousness returned slowly, accompanied by a throbbing headache and the acrid taste of blood in her mouth. Mira blinked, trying to focus in the dim light. She was… in a basement? The musty smell and bare concrete walls suggested as much.
As her vision cleared, she made out shelves lined with canned goods, jugs of water, and other supplies. With a jolt of alarm, she realized her wrists and ankles were bound.
“Well, well. Sleeping Beauty awakes.”
Mira’s head snapped up at the familiar voice. Derek Holloway emerged from the shadows, a self-satisfied smirk on his face.
“You son of a bitch,” Mira snarled, struggling against her restraints. “Let me go!”
Derek tsked, wagging a finger. “Now, now. Is that any way to thank the man who saved your life? You were about to become sinkhole chow out there.”
“Saved my—” Mira sputtered in disbelief. “You knocked me out and kidnapped me!”
“I prefer to think of it as a mandatory quarantine,” Derek said, his tone maddeningly reasonable. “Can’t have you running around spreading whatever that gas is doing to people.”
Mira’s blood ran cold. “What do you mean, ‘doing to people’? What’s happening out there?”
Derek’s eyes gleamed with a mixture of fear and excitement. “Oh, it’s bad. Real bad. That mist? It’s changing folks. I saw old man Jenkins try to take a bite out of his wife earlier. Like something out of a zombie flick.”
“You’re insane,” Mira spat. “Untie me right now. My son needs me!”
At the mention of Ethan, a flicker of something – guilt? – crossed Derek’s face. But it was quickly replaced by that manic gleam.
“Sorry, sweetheart. No can do. I’ve been preparing for this day my whole life. Now it’s here, and I’m not about to let anyone jeopardize my survival.”
As he turned away, Mira called out desperately. “Wait! Please, Derek. Ethan’s inhaler won’t last much longer. He needs help.”
Derek paused, his back to her. For a moment, Mira dared to hope she’d gotten through to him. Then he spoke, his voice cold.
“Not my problem.”
The basement door slammed shut, leaving Mira alone in the darkness.
Upstairs in Mira’s living room, Ethan’s condition was deteriorating rapidly. His breaths came in shallow gasps, each one a visible struggle. Sophia Chen sat beside him, one gnarled hand clasping his as she murmured soothing words.
“That’s it, dear. Nice and slow. You’re doing so well.”
But the worry in her eyes belied her calm tone. Where was Mira? She should have been back hours ago.
A pounding at the door made them both jump. Sophia rose unsteadily, joints protesting the sudden movement.
“Who’s there?” she called.
“It’s Derek! Let me in, quick!”
Sophia hesitated. Something in the man’s tone set off alarm bells. But another glance at Ethan’s pale, sweat-drenched face made the decision for her. They needed help, and Derek was the only other able-bodied adult around.
She opened the door to find Derek wild-eyed and panting. He shoved past her, slamming the door and throwing the deadbolt.
“What’s going on?” Sophia demanded. “Where’s Mira?”
Derek ignored her, pacing the room like a caged animal. “It’s happening. Just like I always knew it would. The government, the aliens, whoever – they’re making their move.”
“What are you talking about?” Sophia’s patience was wearing thin. “Derek, Ethan needs medical attention. We have to find Mira and—”
“Mira’s gone!” Derek snapped. “Probably turned into one of those… things by now.”
Ethan’s head shot up at this, panic clear in his wheezing voice. “What? No! Mom!”
“Hush now,” Sophia soothed, shooting Derek a venomous glare. “Your mother is fine, I’m sure of it.” To Derek, she added in a low voice, “For God’s sake, man. Pull yourself together.”
But Derek was beyond reason. He paced faster, muttering to himself. “Can’t stay here. Not safe. Need to get to the bunker.”
“Bunker?” Sophia echoed. “Derek, what bunker? What aren’t you telling us?”
He whirled on her, eyes fever-bright. “My shelter. Reinforced, air-filtered. Stocked with enough supplies to last months.” His gaze darted to Ethan. “The boy can come. But you… you’re too old. You’ll slow us down.”
Sophia drew herself up to her full height, steel entering her voice. “Now you listen here, young man. I may be old, but I’ve got more sense in my little finger than you have in your entire addled brain. We are not going anywhere until we find Mira.”
For a moment, Sophia thought Derek might actually strike her. Then the fight seemed to drain out of him. He slumped against the wall, running a shaky hand over his face.
“You don’t understand,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “I saw them. Our neighbors. Jenkins, the Fosters… they’re not human anymore. That gas, it’s… changing people.”
A chill ran down Sophia’s spine. Part of her wanted to dismiss Derek’s ravings as pure paranoia. But the genuine terror in his eyes gave her pause.
Before she could respond, Ethan’s labored breathing escalated into a full-blown asthma attack. Sophia rushed to his side, but the boy’s lips were already taking on a bluish tinge.
“His inhaler,” she snapped at Derek. “In the kitchen. Hurry!”
As Derek scrambled to obey, Sophia cradled Ethan’s face in her hands. “Stay with me, sweetheart. Help is coming.”
But even as the words left her mouth, she knew it was a lie. Unless a miracle occurred, Ethan wouldn’t last much longer without proper medical care.
And somewhere out in that toxic mist, Mira was still missing.
In Derek’s basement, Mira worked frantically at her bonds. The zip ties bit into her wrists, but she ignored the pain, focusing on the technique she’d learned years ago in a self-defense class. Bend wrists together, raise arms overhead, then bring them down hard while pulling apart.
On the third try, she felt the plastic give way. Mira allowed herself a moment of triumph before turning her attention to her ankles. As she worked, her mind raced. How long had she been unconscious? Was Ethan okay?
And what the hell was Derek talking about, people changing?
Finally free, Mira crept up the basement stairs. She pressed an ear to the door, straining to hear any movement above. Nothing. Taking a deep breath, she eased the door open and slipped into Derek’s kitchen.
The house was silent and dark. Had Derek left? Mira’s eyes fell on a set of car keys hanging by the door. If she could just reach them…
A muffled thump from upstairs froze her in her tracks. Someone was definitely home. Mira’s gaze darted around the kitchen, landing on a heavy cast iron skillet. She hefted it, feeling marginally safer with a weapon in hand.
As she inched toward the staircase, a sound from outside made her blood run cold. A low, guttural moan, followed by the scrape of something dragging across pavement. Mira peered out the window, then stumbled back with a strangled gasp.
A figure shambled across Derek’s front lawn. In the sickly green light of the mist, Mira could just make out the person’s features – if you could still call them a person. The skin had a grayish, mottled appearance, and the eyes… the eyes were solid black, devoid of any humanity.
With a start, Mira recognized her neighbor, Mrs. Foster. Or what used to be Mrs. Foster.
“Oh God,” she whispered. “Derek was telling the truth.”
As if in response to her voice, the thing that had been Mrs. Foster snapped its head toward the window. It let out an inhuman shriek and lurched forward, slamming against the glass with enough force to crack it.
Mira stumbled backward, her mind reeling. This couldn’t be happening. It was like something out of a horror movie. But the adrenaline surging through her veins was all too real.
She had to get out of here. Had to get back to Ethan.
The sound of footsteps on the stairs galvanized her into action. Mira darted for the back door, fumbling with the lock as Derek’s voice rang out behind her.
“Hey! What the—”
She didn’t wait to hear the rest. Mira burst out into the toxic fog, coughing and gasping as the caustic air filled her lungs. But she couldn’t stop. Wouldn’t stop. Her son needed her.
As she sprinted down the street, praying her memory would guide her home, in her mind, Mira recited the mantra that had gotten her through countless wilderness emergencies:
Assess. Plan. Execute.
Assess: The situation was FUBAR. Some kind of chemical or biological agent was turning people into monsters. Help didn’t seem to be coming.
Plan: Get Ethan. Get Sophia. Find a safe place to hole up until… until what? Rescue? A cure?
Mira pushed the doubts aside. One step at a time.
Execute: She rounded the corner onto her street, lungs burning. Her house loomed ahead, a beacon of hope in the swirling mist.
As Mira staggered up the front walk, the door flew open. Sophia’s face, lined with worry and fear, appeared.
“Mira! Thank heavens. Quickly, come inside.”
Mira stumbled across the threshold, gasping for breath. “Ethan,” she managed between coughs. “Where’s Ethan?”
Sophia’s expression crumpled. “Oh, Mira. I’m so sorry. He’s… he’s not doing well.”
Terror lent Mira strength she didn’t know she possessed. She pushed past Sophia and into the living room, where Ethan lay motionless on the couch. His skin was pale, lips tinged blue.
“No,” Mira breathed. “No, no, no.” She fell to her knees beside him, gathering his small form into her arms. “Ethan, baby, can you hear me? Mommy’s here. I’m here.”
For a heart-stopping moment, there was no response. Then, miraculously, Ethan’s eyelids fluttered. He drew a shuddering breath.
“Mom?” he wheezed. “You… came back.”
Mira’s tears fell freely as she clutched him close. “Of course I did, sweetheart. I’ll always come back for you.”
A discreet cough reminded her they weren’t alone. Mira looked up to see Sophia watching them with relief and… was that wariness?
“Mira,” the older woman said gently. “I hate to interrupt, but… Derek told us some rather disturbing things while you were gone. About what’s happening out there.”
Mira’s jaw clenched. “Derek. Where is he?”
“Right here.”
She turned to see the man himself emerging from the kitchen, a guilty expression on his face.
Rage boiled up inside her. “You,” Mira snarled, rising to face him. “You left us to die while you hid in your little bunker.”
Derek held up his hands placatingly. “Now hold on. I came back, didn’t I? To warn you all.”
“After you knocked me out and tied me up in your basement!”
Sophia gasped. “He did what?”
But before the argument could escalate further, Ethan’s labored breathing drew their attention. Mira was at his side in an instant.
“We need to get him help,” she said, her voice tight with desperation. “Real medical help.”
Derek shook his head. “Didn’t you see what’s out there? Those… things used to be our neighbors. There’s no help coming.”
“Then what do you suggest?” Mira snapped. “We just sit here and watch him die?”
A heavy silence fell over the room. Then Sophia spoke up, her calm voice a balm to frayed nerves.
“What about your bunker, Derek? You said it has air filtration, supplies. Could we all fit?”
Derek shifted uncomfortably. “Well, yeah, but… I mean, it’s not really built for—”
“For sharing?” Mira cut in bitterly. “God forbid you have to be a decent human being for once in your life.”
Something in her words seemed to strike a chord. Derek’s shoulders slumped, the fight going out of him.
“Fine,” he muttered. “We can try. But we’ll have to be quick and quiet. Those things out there, they’re drawn to sound and movement.”
Mira nodded curtly, already gathering Ethan into her arms. “Then let’s go.”
As they prepared to venture out into the toxic nightmare their world had become, Mira caught Sophia’s eye. The older woman gave her a reassuring nod, as if to say, We’re in this together.
And for the first time since the ground had opened beneath their feet, Mira felt a glimmer of hope.
The journey to Derek’s bunker was a harrowing gauntlet of toxic fog and shambling horrors. Mira clutched Ethan to her chest, his ragged breaths hot against her neck as she followed Derek’s hunched form through the murk. Sophia brought up the rear, one hand gripping Mira’s shirt to stay connected.
Twice they had to duck into abandoned houses to avoid the transformed neighbors Derek had warned them about. Mira’s stomach churned at the sight of Mr. Jenkins, the kindly retiree who had always snuck Ethan candy, now a glassy-eyed monstrosity gnawing on something Mira refused to look at too closely.
When they finally reached Derek’s property, Mira’s arms ached from carrying Ethan and her lungs burned from the caustic air. But a new problem presented itself.
“Oh no,” Derek muttered, fumbling with his keys. “No, no, no.”
“What is it?” Mira hissed.
“The lock… it’s jammed or something. I can’t—”
A low moan from somewhere in the mist cut him off. Mira’s blood ran cold as she saw shapes moving in the green murk, drawing closer.
“Derek,” she said, struggling to keep her voice steady. “Whatever you need to do to get that door open, do it now.”
He nodded, visibly sweating despite the cool air. As he worked feverishly at the lock, Mira set Ethan down gently and picked up a fallen tree branch. It wasn’t much of a weapon, but it was better than nothing.
Sophia positioned herself in front of Ethan, her lined face set in determination. “Stay behind me, dear,” she murmured to the boy.
The shapes in the mist resolved into nightmarish figures. Mira recognized the Fosters, their skin mottled and eyes black as pitch. Behind them lurched more of their former neighbors, all traces of humanity erased.
“Derek!” Mira’s voice rose in panic.
“I’ve almost got it!” he called back. “Just a few more seconds!”
But they didn’t have a few more seconds. The nearest creature – Mira couldn’t bring herself to think of it as Mrs. Foster anymore – lunged forward with surprising speed. Mira swung her makeshift club, connecting with a sickening thud. The thing staggered but didn’t fall.
“Mom!” Ethan cried out weakly.
Mira’s heart clenched. She couldn’t let these monsters get to her son. As she prepared to swing again, a metallic clang rang out. She turned to see Sophia wielding a garbage can lid like a shield, driving back another of the creatures.
“Hah!” the older woman crowed. “Still got it!”
Despite the dire situation, Mira felt a surge of affection for her fierce neighbor. But their makeshift defenses wouldn’t hold for long. Already more of the transformed were closing in, their eerie moans filling the air.
Just as Mira was certain they were about to be overwhelmed, Derek’s triumphant shout cut through the chaos.
“Got it! Everyone inside, now!”
Mira scooped up Ethan and bolted for the open bunker door. Sophia was right behind her, Derek bringing up the rear. As the heavy metal door clanged shut, Mira sagged against the wall, relief washing over her in dizzying waves.
They were safe. For now.
The bunker was smaller than Mira had imagined, but impressively equipped. Rows of shelves lined the walls, stocked with canned goods, water jugs, and other supplies. A bank of monitors displayed feeds from cameras around the property, showing the milling horde outside.
“Not bad, huh?” Derek said, a note of pride in his voice. “Told you I was prepared.”
Mira was too exhausted to muster a snarky reply. Instead, she focused on getting Ethan settled on a cot in the corner. His breathing was still labored, but seemed slightly easier in the filtered air.
As Sophia fussed over the boy, checking his vitals with practiced ease, Mira turned to Derek.
“So what now?” she asked quietly. “How long can we stay down here?”
Derek’s bravado faltered. “I, uh… I’m not sure. I mean, I’ve got supplies for months, but…”
“But you didn’t plan on sharing,” Mira finished for him. She sighed, running a hand through her tangled hair. “Look, Derek. I know we’ve had our differences. But right now, we need to work together if we’re going to survive this… whatever it is.”
He nodded slowly. “Yeah. Yeah, okay. I can do that.”
As they began taking stock of their resources, Mira’s mind raced. They were safe for the moment, but what about long-term? Would help ever come? And even if it did, what kind of world would be left for them to return to?
She pushed the dark thoughts aside. One problem at a time. Right now, her priority was keeping Ethan alive and finding a way to contact the outside world. Everything else could wait.
Little did Mira know, their ordeal was far from over. The true test of their survival – and their humanity – was just beginning.
Days blurred together in the confines of the bunker. Mira lost track of time, marking the passage of hours only by the waxing and waning of Ethan’s breathing difficulties. The filtered air seemed to help, but his attacks still came with alarming frequency.
Sophia proved invaluable, her years of nursing experience allowing her to stretch their meager medical supplies and provide some comfort to the suffering boy. But even she couldn’t hide her growing concern.
“We need to find him real help,” she murmured to Mira one night as Ethan fitfully slept. “And soon.”
Mira nodded, her throat tight. “I know. But how? We’re cut off from everything.”
Derek, who had been tinkering with a ham radio set in the corner, looked up. “Maybe not entirely,” he said. “I’ve been picking up some chatter. Sounds like there are other pockets of survivors out there.”
Hope flared in Mira’s chest. “Really? Have you made contact?”
Derek shook his head. “Not yet. The signal’s weak and intermittent. But I’m working on boosting it.”
As the days wore on, they fell into an uneasy routine. Mira and Sophia took turns caring for Ethan, while Derek obsessed over the radio and monitored the cameras. The transformed creatures outside never left, milling about in an endless, nightmarish vigil.
Tempers frayed in the close quarters. More than once, Mira found herself snapping at Derek over some perceived slight, only to immediately regret it. They were all under immense stress, and fighting amongst themselves would only make things worse.
It was during one such tense moment, as Mira and Derek bickered over rationing, that Sophia’s excited voice cut through the argument.
“Ethan! Oh, thank goodness.”
They turned to see the boy sitting up, his eyes clearer than they had been in days.
“Mom?” he called weakly.
Mira was at his side in an instant, gathering him into her arms. “I’m here, sweetheart. How are you feeling?”
“Better,” Ethan said, his voice stronger than it had been since the disaster began. “What… what happened? Where are we?”
As Mira explained their situation as gently as possible, she felt a weight lift from her shoulders. Ethan was improving. They had a chance.
But their moment of relief was short-lived. A crackling burst of static from the radio had Derek scrambling to adjust dials.
“Hello? Hello, is anyone there?” A voice, distorted but unmistakably human, filled the bunker.
Derek fumbled with the microphone. “Yes! We’re here! Who is this?”
“This is Captain Rivera, National Guard. We’re conducting search and rescue operations in your area. What’s your status?”
Mira’s heart soared. Help was coming. They were going to make it.
But as Derek relayed their situation and location, a new sound cut through the excited chatter. A low, ominous rumble that seemed to come from everywhere at once.
The bunker shuddered. Dust rained down from the ceiling. On the monitor bank, Mira watched in horror as the ground began to split and heave.
“Oh God,” she breathed. “The sinkhole. It’s spreading.”
As if in slow motion, Mira saw the earth open up, swallowing houses and trees. The transformed creatures tumbled into the abyss, their inhuman shrieks cutting off abruptly.
And the chasm was headed straight for them.
“We have to get out of here!” Mira yelled, already gathering Ethan into her arms. “Now!”
They burst out of the bunker into chaos. The toxic mist still hung in the air, but it was shot through with debris as the ground buckled and heaved. Mira stumbled, nearly falling as a fissure opened at her feet.
“This way!” Derek shouted, pointing toward higher ground.
They ran, gasping and coughing in the poisoned air