Horrific Shorts: Zombie Edition-Chapter 395 Story : The Reckoning Begins

Zara crouched low beneath the towering pines, her breath visible in the cold night air. The forest was silent—too silent. It wasn't comforting. She knew the Reapers were regrouping, their forces swarming like locusts behind her.

A flicker of light caught her eye in the distance. A campfire. Zara's jaw tightened as she adjusted the leather straps across her harness, her handgun resting firmly in her gloved grip.

Survivors.

Carefully, she moved forward, each step calculated, silent as a whisper. As she neared, faint voices drifted through the clearing.

"We move at dawn. Warden says she's just one person—no way she can escape for long."

Zara's lip curled at their arrogance. "We'll see about that." Enjoy new adventures at novelbuddy

A Reaper's silhouette loomed near the fire, his rifle slung lazily over his shoulder. Zara waited, counting her breaths. Three seconds. That's all she needed.

One...

She sprang forward like a viper, gripping his chin and pulling him backward into the darkness. A muffled choke, a quiet thud. Zara took his weapon and crouched, her piercing eyes scanning the rest of the camp. Four left.

Her pulse quickened, but she stayed calm. She'd done this before.

Moving through the shadows, Zara struck swiftly. A suppressed shot took down the next guard. Another crept toward the fire, unaware of the sudden silence behind him. Zara grabbed him from the back, twisting his arm until he dropped his knife before she slammed him to the ground.

She grabbed his radio, listening.

"Unit seven? Report."

Zara brought the radio to her lips. Her voice was low, chilling. "Unit seven's gone quiet. You're next."

A pause. "Who is this?"

Zara clicked the radio off, a ghostly grin on her face. Let them fear her.

A faint sound—a crunch of leaves—caught her attention. She turned just in time, blocking a blow with her forearm as the last Reaper lunged at her with a blade. Zara spun, kicking him hard in the ribs. He stumbled, his eyes wide.

"You... you're Zara Kincaid," he stammered.

"I know," she said coldly, leveling her gun at him.

The shot rang out, silencing him.

The camp was hers now, the flickering firelight dancing against her crimson sweater dress. Zara scanned the area, gathering weapons, ammunition, and rations. She knew she couldn't rest long—the Warden would be hunting her relentlessly.

As she slung a rifle across her back, she noticed a small map folded near the fire. Unfolding it, she saw markings—routes, patrol patterns, and a circled point labeled "The Core."

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Zara's eyes narrowed. The Core.

"That's where they're hiding it," she muttered to herself.

The Reapers' control wasn't random. Whatever was at The Core was their power source—their hold over this region. And if Zara could reach it, she could bring it all crashing down.

A distant howl broke through the quiet. Wolves—or worse. Zara rose, her eyes glinting in the firelight.

"It's time to finish what you started, Warden," she whispered, disappearing into the night.