By nightfall, Emily had barricaded the sisters in the small gas station office, stacking chairs against the door. Lily shivered beneath a thin blanket, her tiny hands trembling as she clutched her doll.
"It's okay, Lily," Emily whispered. "We're safe for now."
But the sound of scratching at the windows betrayed their fragile security. Emily peered through a crack in the blinds. Figures—more of those things—ambled in the darkness outside, drawn by noise, hunger, instinct.
Emily's mind raced. She had to plan. Food, water, weapons… escape routes. And most importantly, keeping Lily alive. She knew then that nothing would ever be normal again. Their lives had shifted in an instant—from ordinary sisters in Georgia to survivors in a world overrun by the dead.
As she held Lily close that night, Emily made a silent vow: she would protect her sister, no matter the cost. The outbreak had begun, and the road ahead would be long, bloody, and terrifying—but together, they might just survive.