Chapter 28: The Encounter

The survivors drove for hours toward the looming structure, the weight of their exhaustion slowly lifting as they neared what might be their salvation. The building stood tall against the horizon, an untouched, imposing presence amid the desolate wasteland. It was too intact, too solid, to be an illusion. It was real.“Is this it?” Mara’s voice cracked through the stillness, filled with disbelief.“I think it is,” Evelyn replied, her grip on the wheel tightening as they drew closer. A mix of cautious optimism and lingering suspicion gnawed at her. “Stay sharp.”As they neared the structure, the atmosphere shifted. Soldiers. A dozen or more stood by the entrance, their eyes sharp, their rifles held with practiced ease. The vehicles slowed to a stop, the air thick with tension. The survivors exchanged wary glances. This was it—their destination, but also a moment of uncertainty. Evelyn’s instincts kicked in, but she kept her hand off her weapon. This wasn’t the time for a fight.A soldier stepped forward, his rifle slung across his chest, his face impassive. “Halt,” he ordered. “Identify yourselves and explain why you’re armed.”Evelyn’s hand instinctively rested on the grip of her sidearm, her heart racing. She couldn’t afford any mistakes. She took a deep breath, forcing her voice to stay steady. “We’re survivors. We’re just passing through. We need supplies and shelter. We don’t want any trouble.”The soldier eyed them for a long moment, his gaze moving from Evelyn to Liam, to Jack and Mara. Then, his eyes flicked to Harris, the former cop who had been unusually quiet ever since they’d left the town. Harris had always been the skeptic of the group—the one who questioned everything, even the idea of a "safe haven." His silence now spoke volumes.“We’ve had a lot of people come through claiming to be survivors,” the soldier said, his voice low, wary. “Most of them have ulterior motives. What makes you any different?”Evelyn felt the tension rise as the soldier’s words hung in the air. The weight of their weapons seemed to make the situation more volatile. But before she could respond, Harris, who had been standing apart from the group, stepped forward. His eyes, once filled with constant suspicion, now seemed to be searching the structure in front of them with a new sense of curiosity—and something else. Something almost like hope.“We’re not like them,” Harris said, his voice quieter than usual, but firm. “I’ve seen a lot of things. Things I wish I could forget. But what I’m seeing now... this place? This is real. No one’s pretending. It’s not like the others.”The soldier studied Harris closely, then glanced back at the others. Evelyn could see the hesitation in the soldier's eyes, as though he too were torn between trusting their story and protecting whatever was inside the walls of this place.“What’s your name?” the soldier asked, his tone softening just slightly.“Harris,” the former cop replied, his voice steady. “Used to be a cop before all this went to hell. But I know a thing or two about what’s real and what’s not.”The soldier held his gaze for a moment, then nodded, though the skepticism never fully left his eyes. “Alright,” he said, after a long silence. “You’ll come with me. The rest of you, stay put. No weapons drawn. We’ll take you inside for questioning.”Harris gave Evelyn a small, almost imperceptible nod, his eyes reflecting a sense of relief she hadn’t seen from him in days. The weight of his skepticism seemed to have lifted, replaced by something closer to trust. Maybe, just maybe, this was what they had been searching for.Evelyn turned to the others, her eyes lingering on Harris for a moment. “Let’s go,” she said, her voice resolute. “We’ll play by their rules for now.”They climbed out of the trucks, keeping their hands visible and their movements measured. Jack kept his eyes on the perimeter while Liam scanned the soldiers, his body language tense. Evelyn could feel the weight of their eyes on her, but she kept her posture relaxed, her face neutral. There was no room for error now.As they approached the entrance, more soldiers appeared, their faces unreadable. Evelyn tried not to let her guard down, but she couldn’t help but feel a flicker of hope—could this really be the safe haven they had been desperately searching for?Inside the building, the stark contrast between the decaying outside world and the sterile, polished interior was enough to make anyone pause. The floors were clean, the lights still functional, and the faint hum of machinery buzzed in the background. It was like stepping into another world—one they hadn’t dared imagine since the collapse.“This place... it’s something else,” Mara whispered, eyes wide with disbelief.“Yeah,” Liam muttered, his voice low. “It feels too clean, almost too good to be true.”Harris, who had been walking slightly ahead, turned back toward them, his eyes scanning their surroundings. For the first time in days, there was a flicker of something more than skepticism in his gaze—something like cautious optimism. “It’s real,” he said quietly. “This place... I think we’re safe here.”They were led into a large room where a man in military uniform stood waiting. His face was stern, his posture rigid, as if he was used to making quick judgments. He didn’t smile. He didn’t greet them. He just looked them over as if assessing their very worth.“You’re the new arrivals?” the man asked, his voice sharp and no-nonsense.Evelyn nodded. “We are. We just need shelter, food... some rest. We’re not here to cause trouble.”The man studied her carefully before glancing at the others. “And your weapons?” he asked, his voice flat.“We’ve been on the road for too long. We need to protect ourselves,” Evelyn answered, trying to keep her tone even.The man’s eyes flicked briefly to Harris, who met his gaze with an unwavering calm that spoke volumes. The soldier seemed to take that in, then turned his gaze back to Evelyn. “There’s a process for newcomers. Answer a few questions, and we’ll assess your situation. If you pass, you’ll be granted access to supplies and lodging. If you fail…”Evelyn’s stomach twisted. She didn’t need to hear the rest.“Understood,” she said, her voice tight.The man nodded, then gestured for them to follow. As they were escorted through the clean, echoing halls, Evelyn couldn’t help but notice the look in Harris’s eyes. The skepticism was gone. There was something else now—something more than hope, but still guarded.As they neared a set of doors, Harris spoke quietly, as if to himself. “We’ve been running for so long, always wondering if there was a real place left. Maybe we’ve found it.”Evelyn couldn’t answer. She didn’t know if this place was the answer, but for the first time in a long while, she allowed herself to believe it might be.