After the tense hours of inventorying and restless waiting, Isabella and Mateo moved with quiet purpose, ready to carve some order out of the chaos.
Isabella hugged her knees, staring at the mess around them. "We can't just keep tripping over everything. We need… zones or something. Like, actual spots for stuff."
Mateo, curled up beside her, nodded slowly. "Like a base? In the movies, they always have a base."
"Yeah. A base." Isabella rubbed her eyes. "Okay, first, we need a bathroom spot. I'm not peeing in the middle of all our blankets again."
Mateo wrinkled his nose. "Ew. The back, then? There's more room, and it's far from where we sleep."
"Deal. We'll put the trash bag inside the backpack for… you know. Pee goes in the water bottles. We'll pour it out the window later. And we tape the windows so the creatures outside can't see us."
They moved silently but efficiently, Mateo crawling to the back while Isabella grabbed duct tape from the survival bag. She pressed the sticky strips firmly over the back window's cracks, careful not to make noise. Mateo mimicked her, taping the edges with surprising steadiness for a kid so cold and tired.
Isabella managed a tired smile. "Good thinking."
She glanced at the pile of floor mats and towels. "Middle is for sleeping. We can make it soft, and tape up the side windows, except for a little bit to peek out."
Mateo nodded, already pulling up a mat. "I want the side by the door. I can see better."
Isabella rolled her eyes, but her voice was gentle. "Fine, but no kicking me in your sleep."
He grinned, just a little. "No promises."
She turned to the front. "And the front… that's our lookout. Command center. All the maps, the notepads, the compass, everything goes up there. That's where we plan."
Mateo perked up. "Like a real mission. I'll set up the flashlight. And my guys can guard the dashboard."
Isabella snorted. "Sure, Commander Mateo. Just don't lose the pen this time."
He stuck out his tongue, but started arranging things up front with surprising care.
For a moment, the van felt almost organized. Like maybe, just maybe, they could handle what came next.
The routine gave them a fragile sense of control. As they worked, their voices filled the van, breaking the heavy silence that had settled over the past hours. These small tasks helped steady their racing thoughts until, finally, Isabella paused, carefully folding a map.
"Okay, we need a plan," she said, with a steady but tired voice while folding a map carefully. "First priority: get those keys. Without them, we're stuck."
Mateo nodded but looked uncertain. "What if someone comes to rescue us? Like on TV, the police or soldiers show up?"
Isabella shook her head. "I don't think anyone's coming. Not yet, anyway. We have to do this ourselves."
Mateo's brow furrowed. "But what if we try to sneak into the store first? Grab supplies? Then come back here?"
"That's risky," Isabella replied. "The creatures are all over the lot. We don't know their patterns yet."
"That's risky," Isabella replied, glancing toward the windows. "The creatures are all over the parking lot. They're slowly wandering around, aimless but dangerous. If they spot us, we're done. We don't even know if they're attracted to noise or movement yet."
Mateo tapped his chin thoughtfully. "What if they surround us while we're out there? We'd be trapped with no way back."
Isabella's gaze hardened. "Exactly. If they close in, we'd be stuck like rats. No way out unless we fight or run blind."
"But if we wait here forever, we'll run out of food and water," Mateo said quietly. "We can't just hide."
She sighed. "I know. It's a trap either way. But rushing out without a plan is suicide."
Mateo's eyes brightened a little. "Maybe we should watch them first. See when they move, how they act. If we know their patterns and weaknesses, we can find the right moment to move."
Isabella considered this, biting her lip. "You're right. We need to be smart. Study them, learn their habits. If there's a chance to slip past or distract them, we have to find it."
Outside, through the small observation slit, the creatures shuffled slowly across the cracked asphalt. Some dragging limbs, others swaying like broken puppets. Their black eyes scanned the lot, but their movements were random, as if driven by some lost instinct rather than strategy.
Mateo whispered, "They look slow, but they don't stop. Like they're waiting for something."
"Or someone," Isabella said grimly. "We can't afford to wait too long."
Mateo nodded, determination creeping into his voice. "Okay. We watch, we learn, and then we make our move."
Isabella gave a tired but resolute nod. "Let's start taking notes."
To keep their minds sharp and spirits up, the siblings invented a series of quiet games. Mateo pressed his nose to the taped window slit, whispering, "I spy with my little eye… something that's moving but not making noise."
Isabella squinted out. A hunched, limping infected shuffled past a row of carts, its head bobbing awkwardly. "Is it… Lurchy?"
Mateo grinned. "Yep! Lurchy's my favorite. He moves like he's got rocks in his shoes."
They started giving the creatures nicknames as they watched:
Lurchy was the limping one,Stompy kept banging its fists on a car hood for no reason,Nibbles had a chunk missing from its ear,Jazz Hands waved its arms every time a gust of wind caught its tattered jacket.
"Okay, your turn," Mateo said, still grinning. "I spy something… blue."
Isabella scanned the lot. "The minivan two rows over?"
"Nope."
"That water bottle by the cart return?"
"Nice try, but nope."
Isabella smiled despite herself. "Is it the one by the red car?"
"Yep!" Mateo grinned.
She kept searching. "Wait, Stompy's got blue socks!"
Mateo burst into a silent laugh, covering his mouth. "You win."
Between games, they used their notepads to sketch out the parking lot and mark where the creatures wandered. Mateo started a new game: "Let's see who can find the best path to the keys and the store."
Isabella traced a possible route with her finger. "If we crawl under the white truck, then cut behind the shopping cart corral, we might avoid Nibbles and Jazz Hands."
Mateo added, "But there's a big puddle by the sidewalk. If we go around it, we end up near the smashed car with all the glass. That's where Lurchy hangs out."
They debated routes, drawing arrows and X's, arguing over whether the sidewalk was safer or if hiding behind the carts would give better cover.
Later, they played "Spot the Weapon." Mateo started: "I see a broken umbrella by the curb. That could be a spear."
Isabella pointed out a loose hubcap. "Shield. If it's not too heavy."
They counted water bottles, checked for anything shiny that might be a tool, and played "Who can spot the most blue cars?" (Mateo won, five to three.)
Between all this, Mateo used his action figures to act out possible escapes, narrating in a hushed voice. "If we distract Jazz Hands with a noise here, maybe Stompy and Nibbles will start fighting, and we can sneak by."
Isabella watched, genuinely impressed by his creativity. These moments, full of whispered jokes, wild theories, and silly nicknames, helped keep the darkness at bay, if only for a little while.
Isabella glanced at her list. "So, what do we actually know about these things? They're slow now, but… remember the parking lot? When it all started, they were fast. Like, freaky fast."
Mateo nodded, chewing the end of his pen. "Yeah. Maybe the cold makes them slow down. Or maybe they get tired, like batteries running out."
"They look worse, too," Isabella added quietly, while looking through the window. "Their skin's falling off. They're getting paler. Like… old bananas."
Mateo snorted, then got serious. "I think the cold is making them rot faster. Or maybe it's just making them stiff. If it warms up, what if they go back to being fast?"
Isabella shivered. "Let's hope not. But… we should be ready. What if they can still sprint if something wakes them up?"
Mateo's eyes lit up with curiosity. "Let's test it. Like a real experiment."
Isabella frowned. "What do you mean?"
He crawled over to the sunroof, grabbing one of his full piss bottles. "If we hit one and it gets mad, maybe we'll see how fast they really are."
Isabella hissed, "Mat, wait—"
But he'd already slid the sunroof open, climbed up on top of the seat, and with a quick flick, tossed the bottle. It sailed out and smacked Lurchy right on the shoulder.
Lurchy jerked, then let out a guttural snarl, spinning around so fast it nearly fell over. It lunged at the nearest creature, which was Jazz Hands, clawing and biting wildly. The sudden violence set off a chain reaction, with several more creatures joining the frenzy.
Isabella and Mateo ducked down, stifling their laughter, and their hearts pounding. "You got him!" Isabella whispered, half in awe, half in disbelief.
Mateo grinned, breathless. "Direct hit. Science!"
But as their giggles faded, worry crept in. Through the window, they watched as Lurchy and the others tore at each other with terrifying speed and strength, the "rest mode" gone in an instant.
Isabella's smile vanished. "They're not slow. They're just… waiting. Like they're asleep until something wakes them up."
Mateo's voice was small. "That means if we mess up, they'll all go crazy again."
They both went quiet, the weight of their discovery settling in. It wasn't just the cold making the monsters less dangerous; it was the stillness before a storm.
Isabella scribbled the new discovery in her notepad. "We need a better plan."
After watching the chaos settle, Mateo whispered, "Wait, let's try something else."
Isabella furrowed her brow, thinking aloud. "What else do you think attracts them? Is it just movement? Or maybe something else?"
Mateo's eyes brightened. "I think noise might do it, too. Like, if we make a loud sound somewhere else, maybe they'll all rush over there and leave us alone."
Isabella looked skeptical but nodded slowly. "It's worth a try. Just… be careful."
Mateo grabbed an empty glass bottle of sparkling water from the floor of the van, which Dolores used to drink, and climbed up to the sunroof again. With a soft toss, the bottle shattered loudly against the asphalt.
Immediately, several creatures turned sharply toward the noise, their heads snapping in unison. They shuffled and lurched in that direction, their slow, aimless wandering replaced by focused movement.
Isabella's eyes widened. "They're definitely attracted to sound."
Mateo nodded, excitement mixed with fear flickering in his tired eyes. "So, noise can distract them. We definitely have to be careful."
Isabella leaned back against the seat, rubbing her face with her hands. "Okay… so we know they get fast and aggressive if provoked. They can be distracted, but that means any mistake could set them off."
She sighed heavily, voice raw. "I don't know what to do now, Mat. We can't just sit here forever, but going out there feels like a death sentence."
Mateo looked down, fiddling with one of his action figures. "Maybe… maybe we just keep watching. Learn more. Wait for the right moment."
Isabella's jaw tightened. "Waiting's killing me. But rushing feels worse."
They sat in silence for a moment, the distant sounds of the creatures' shuffling and snarling filling the van.
Mateo finally said softly, "We'll figure it out. We have to."
Isabella nodded slowly, but the uncertainty hung heavy between them.
"We need a plan," she whispered.
Mateo pressed his forehead to the window, with his eyes scanning around the parking lot. "We should just go for it. They go after noise, right? So we make a distraction, grab the keys, and come right back."
Isabella's jaw clenched. "If we only get the keys, we're still stuck. We need food. Water. Stuff from the store. We can't just live in the van forever."
Mateo's face scrunched up. "I don't care about food. I want to get out of here."
For a few seconds, they glared at each other, both going through different scenarios in their head.
Isabella then took a shaky breath. "Okay. Here's what we do. We throw something noisy away from the van. When the monsters go after it, I'll grab the keys. Then I'm going to the store for supplies. You stay in the van, no matter what."
Mateo's eyes went wide. "What? No! I—I can't stay here by myself!" His voice rose, cracking with panic.
"Shh!" Isabella shot him a look, glancing at the creatures outside. "Keep your voice down, Mat."
He pressed his lips together, but tears started to well up in his eyes. "I don't want to be alone. What if you don't come back?"
Isabella softened, reaching over to squeeze his hand. "I will come back. I promise. Remember what Mom said? 'Superheroes always look out for each other.'" She grabbed the little action figure Dolores had bought him from the cupholder and pressed it into his palm. "You be the lookout, okay? Like a real hero. If you see anything weird, tap on the window three times. I'll hear it."
Mateo shook his head, clutching the toy in both hands. "No, I don't want to! What if something happens to you? I don't want to be alone, Isa. What if the monsters come back? What if you get stuck?"
Isabella crouched down so they were eye to eye, her face softened as she looked at him. Her brows were drawn together with worry, but there was a determined gentleness in her eyes. It was a mix of big-sister courage and fear she was trying hard not to show. "Mat, I know you're scared. I'm scared, too. But you're the best at watching. Remember how you used your action figure to show me the best way to sneak around the cars? You see things I miss. I need you to do that now. You're not just waiting, you're helping me. You're helping us both." Mateo's lip quivered. "But what if you don't come back?"
"I will," Isabella said as she squeezed his shoulder. "I promise. I'm just grabbing the keys. I'll be able to see you the whole time. And if anything happens, you tap three times, just like we practiced with your guy." She nodded at the action figure. "He's brave, right? And you're even braver."
Mateo sniffled, still uncertain, but he finally nodded, hugging the toy to his chest. "Okay… But you have to come back fast."
"I will. I swear," Isabella said while giving his hand one last squeeze before turning to the window.
Mateo wiped his nose with his sleeve while Isabella searched the floor for anything to throw. She picked up the last glass bottle and handed it to him. Mateo turned it over in his hands. "This is the only one left," he whispered. "We gotta make it count."
Isabella nodded and, with a low voice, said, "If we mess this up, we're out of ideas."
Mateo chewed his lip, thinking. "I can do it. I play baseball, remember? I can throw it farther than you."
She sighed, with worry in her eyes. "Okay, but you have to be quick. Up, throw, then get back down and lock it. No standing around."
Mateo managed a small grin. "I'll throw it super far, promise."
Isabella gave him a shaky half-smile. "You're the baseball player, not me. I never did any sports. Just Girl Scouts, and that doesn't help with throwing."
Mateo nodded, gripping the bottle tight. "Yeah. Just tell me when."
Their eyes met, and she said, "Be quick, Mat. Up, throw, down. No standing around, okay?"
He nodded again, then climbed up through the sunroof, with the bottle in his hand and his heart pounding, but ready to make his one-shot count.
Mateo took a deep breath, his hands shaking as he poked his head and shoulders out of the sunroof. The cold air was stinging his cheeks, and then he looked over at Isabella one last time. She gave him a quick nod.
He wound up, just like he did in Little League, and hurled the bottle as hard as he could toward the shopping carts a few yards away from the van. The glass sailed through the air and smashed against a metal cart with a sharp, echoing crash. Shards scattered everywhere, the sound bouncing off the parked cars and slicing through the stillness.
For a split second, everything seemed to freeze. Then, as if someone had flipped a switch, half a dozen creatures snapped their heads toward the noise. Their bodies jerked upright, and they started shuffling, then stumbling, away from the van and toward the clatter, leaving an opening toward the other side of the van. Some moved slowly, while others broke into an awkward, lurching run.
Mateo ducked back down, slamming the sunroof shut and locking it with his shaking fingers. He slid to the floor of the van, with his heart pounding, and the adrenaline flowing through his veins.
Isabella also pressed herself low, watching through the untaped portion of the window as the path to the keys finally began to clear. She turned to Mateo, who was crouched on the van floor, gripping his action figure so tightly his knuckles were white. His eyes were huge, looking away from Isabella to the chaos outside.
She put her hand gently on his shoulder. "Mat, remember, be the lookout. Watch everything. If you see anything weird, tap three times on the window, okay?"
Mateo nodded, swallowing hard. He slid up to the window, peeking through the smallest gap, while his breath fogged the glass. He hugged his action figure to his chest, while his shoulders were tense but determined.
"I'll watch," he whispered, barely loud enough for Isabella to hear. "Just… be fast."
"I will," she whispered back, giving him one last squeeze.
Isabella took a deep breath to steady herself and reached for the van door handle. She moved slowly, careful not to let it creak. As she cracked the door open, she also felt a rush of cold air hit her face.
She stepped down quietly, with her heart pounding, and glanced both ways before tiptoeing to the edge of the van. She took one last look around, then dashed towards the back of a nearby sedan, pressing herself flat against the side door. She waited, holding her breath and watching as the creatures drifted farther from the keys.
She then moved again, slipping behind a pickup truck, then behind another minivan, always keeping a few cars between herself and the monsters. Now, just a few steps away from the keys, her hands were shaking, her breath was coming fast and shallow, and her heart thudded so loudly she was sure the creatures would hear.
Finally, she reached the spot where the keys lay, dropped to her knees, and grabbed them.
As Isabella clutched the keys, she stood up, paused, and glanced towards the entrance of Bullseye Mart. She saw the broken glass doors parted open, smeared with dried blood, but for the first time, she saw no creatures in sight. The path looked clear, at least for now. Her mind raced: If I'm quick, I can grab food and water. We can't last without it.
She then looked back at the van, locking eyes with Mateo. For a second, neither of them moved. Isabella's face was tight with worry, but there was a flicker of determination in her eyes. Mateo could see it. The way her jaw set, the way her mouth pressed into a thin line. He knew that look. She'd made up her mind.
Isabella gave him a small but nervous nod, then turned and started moving toward the Mart, keeping low and moving fast.
From inside the van, Mateo's heart thudded. He watched his sister slip away, his hands gripping his action figure so hard it hurt. The fear of being alone bubbled up inside him, too big to hold back. He couldn't let her go in there by herself.
Before he could think, Mateo scrambled to unlock the van door and slid out, feet hitting the cold pavement. He ran after her, trying to be quiet but moving too fast. "Isabella!" he called, his voice barely louder than a whisper, but in the silence, the sound carried.
Isabella spun around, and her eyes widened. At the same time, a few creatures, drawn by the sound, snapped their heads toward Mateo. Their bodies tensed, then started shuffling, then lurching, in his direction, picking up speed with every step.
Isabella's heart dropped as she saw Mateo running and the creatures closing in fast. The danger was back, and this time, it was aimed straight at her little brother.