Morning sunlight filtered weakly through the grimy train windows, painting soft gold across tired faces. The world outside looked deceptively normal—rolling fields, distant mountains, a blue sky stretching endlessly.
Inside Car 8, however, nothing felt normal.
Ethan sat beside Jason at the front of the car, staring down at the emergency panel. It was dead silent now. The control center hadn't responded again. No signal. No updates. Nothing.
"They heard us," Ethan muttered. "And still, they don't care."
Jason's jaw clenched. He hadn't slept. "They care. Just not about us."
Asher stirred awake nearby, sitting up against the wall, rubbing his eyes. His back ached, and his heart felt heavier than ever.
The little girl whimpered in her mother's arms. The young couple silently shared crackers, barely meeting anyone's eyes. Mira, the pregnant woman, leaned her head on Jason's shoulder, her hand protectively covering her belly. Her face was pale. She was getting weaker.
The only one who still held energy was Leo, and even his usual wisecracks had gone silent since last night.
Something had shifted in everyone. They were tired of waiting. Tired of being stuck between life and death.
Jason stood suddenly.
"We move," he said.
Everyone looked up.
"Move where?" the young boyfriend asked, voice cracking.
Jason pointed to the front of the train. "There's one more car between us and the driver's cabin. We get there. We stop this train. We don't wait for the government to remember us."
"We don't even know what's in the next car," Asher said quietly.
"Which is why we go in pairs. Quiet. Fast."
"I'll come with you," Ethan said immediately.
Jason nodded, already expecting it.
Leo raised his hand. "I'll come too. I've played enough zombie games to know the guy who stays behind always dies."
"No," Jason said firmly. "You guard this car. If anything comes from behind, stall it. Buy us time."
Leo didn't argue, though his frown spoke volumes.
"Keep the kids safe," Ethan added, giving Leo a firm pat on the back.
"Fine. But if I get bitten, I'm haunting you."
Car 7.
The sliding door groaned slightly as Ethan pushed it open.
The smell hit them instantly.
Rot. Blood. Decay.
Jason raised his hand for them to stop. The car was dark, shadows moving with the train's gentle swaying.
"Something's in here," Ethan whispered.
Jason pointed forward. "You take left. I go right. Meet at the other end."
Ethan nodded, gripping his baseball bat tighter.
Asher was behind them, watching their backs.
They moved like ghosts—silent and sharp.
The car was scattered with blood trails. Torn jackets. Shoes. No bodies.
Then—
A growl.
Jason spun.
From the side luggage compartment, a figure lunged.
Ethan was faster.
He drove the bat straight into its skull with a sickening crack. The infected crumpled instantly.
Asher let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding.
Then two more crawled from beneath the seats.
Jason took one—his army blade slicing clean through the creature's temple.
Ethan swung at the second, but it was faster—slashing his arm with sharp nails before he could react.
"ETHAN!" Asher shouted, rushing forward.
Jason shoved him back. "Stay out of range!"
Ethan growled, grabbing the infected by the neck and slamming it against the door. He finished it with a hard swing, blood splattering the window.
Silence.
Jason checked Ethan's arm.
"It's shallow," he confirmed. "No bite. Just a scratch."
Still, Asher didn't move. He just stood there, frozen.
"Ethan..." His voice was barely a whisper.
"I'm fine," Ethan assured, breathing hard. "You're not losing me, okay?"
Asher nodded shakily.
They cleared the rest of the car. Only three infected had remained, but it was enough to kill any hope of "safety."
The final door to the driver's cabin was locked.
"Manual override's on the side panel," Jason said, pulling open a small hatch.
"I can do it," Ethan said.
Asher frowned. "You're bleeding. Let me—"
"I've got it."
Asher didn't argue.
The lock clicked open after a few tense moments.
They stepped into the driver's cabin.
It was worse than expected.
The driver was slumped over the control panel—dead. His face had been bitten off, skin half-hanging from his jaw. One of his arms was still loosely gripping the throttle.
"He never had a chance," Jason murmured.
"No infection spread here," Ethan said. "He must've locked himself in."
Asher checked the windows. "No one's coming. Still."
Jason stepped to the radio.
Static.
Then a weak pulse.
"Train 1142... still active... condition red..."
Jason slammed the mic. "This is Jason Malik from Train 1142. Survivors present. Condition unstable. We are commandeering control. Request clearance for emergency stop."
Static.
Then—
"Negative. Orders are containment. Maintain route."
Everyone froze.
Ethan grabbed the mic.
"People are still alive here!" he yelled. "There are children! A pregnant woman! We can't just keep going like this!"
"Final order: Train must not stop until it reaches isolation zone. Do not attempt to exit. Repeat—do not attempt to exit."
The transmission cut out.
Jason stared at the console.
Asher whispered, "What does that mean?"
"They've written us off," Jason said. "We're a rolling coffin now."
Back in Car 8, the others saw them return with grim faces.
"What happened?" Mira asked immediately.
Jason gently placed his hand on her shoulder. "We're taking control of the train. But we're not getting off anytime soon."
Her face crumpled. "No... no, my baby... I can't give birth in a zombie train, Jason..."
"You won't," he promised, pulling her into his arms. "I'll find a way. I swear."
Ethan sat heavily beside Asher, arm still bleeding. "We're on our own."
Asher didn't say anything. He just rested his hand on Ethan's knee.
No words needed.
Later, while the others tried to rest, Jason stood near the window, watching the tracks ahead. Asher joined him.
"What's next?" Asher asked.
Jason didn't answer immediately.
Then, finally, he said, "We buy time. We prep supplies. We keep everyone alive until the next opportunity."
"And if there is no next opportunity?"
Jason looked over to Mira, who was finally asleep.
"Then we make one."