Page 11 of Burning Love (The Lost World #5)

11

ALEX

T he world outside was no kinder.

Each step Alex took felt like an insult to the earth beneath her. Her boots sank into cracked ground, scraping against the rough, uneven stones or catching on jagged debris that threatened to twist her ankle.

Keep it together.

The streets of the abandoned city stretched endlessly in every direction, a labyrinth of scavenged buildings and forgotten histories. It was a place that had begun surrendering to nature’s cruel reclaiming. The once-proud streets were becoming overgrown with tangled grass and scattered remnants of a world gone to dust.

There was no mistaking that this place was no sanctuary—it was a battlefield. The quiet was suffocating, the kind of silence that unsettled the soul, like the calm before a storm. The undead wouldn’t be far away. They never were.

Alex glanced sideways at Sophia, her companion—and her partner—in this fractured world. Sophia’s face was drawn, her features sharper than they should have been, the shadows beneath her eyes a testament to the toll of this endless chase. Her movements had become sluggish, as if each step took more from her than the last. She was leaner than Alex had ever seen her, the hunger and exhaustion of the past days eating away at her strength. But it wasn’t just that. There was something more profound—something unspoken—that Alex could see in the droop of Sophia’s shoulders, the lost look in her eyes. They weren’t just running from the undead. They were running from the other survivors who knew that Sophia was different. They were running from an unrelenting enemy who would stop at nothing to track them down.

For what felt like days, they had been pursued, never staying in one place long enough to rest, constantly aware that their hunters were closing in. The soldiers had nearly cornered them twice, and both times, they had barely slipped away, relying on luck, instinct, and the city’s endless hiding spots. They had darted through apartment buildings, crawled through drainage tunnels, and even waded through waist-deep, stagnant water in an old canal to throw off their pursuers. To Alex, every breath felt borrowed. She had no clue where to take Sophia. Only that they had to remain hidden until she could devise a plan.

But now, their bodies were rebelling against them. Their mouths were dry, their throats raw with thirst. When they stumbled into an old gas station, they barely exchanged words before Alex started searching and scrabbling around for something, anything, to eat. It took only minutes to find a vending machine in the corner, its glass long since shattered. Most of the contents were gone, looted, but as Alex dug through the wreckage, her fingers closed around an intact, unopened can.

“What is it? Did you find something?” Sophia asked, her voice hoarse with exhaustion.

Alex turned it over in her hands, wiping away the dust. She felt a vast smile start to spread across her lips. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt this elated. “Jesus! I can’t believe this! Root beer!”

Sophia frowned. “Root beer? I don’t even know what that is. I’ve never had it. Is it alcoholic? I’m not sure this is such a great idea.”

Alex snorted, cracking open the can. “You were touring in the U.S. for how long and never had a root beer?” She took a sip, the carbonation burning her throat in the best way possible. “Here, baby. I can’t wait to see you try this.”

Sophia hesitated, then took the can and drank deeply. Her eyes widened as she swallowed. “It tastes... weird. Oh, God! You people are so odd. Who would drink this? But at the same time, wow, this is really good. Just about anything would taste good at this point.”

“Weird?” Alex huffed in mock offense. “This is an American classic, I’ll have you know, missy.”

Sophia handed the can back with a wry smile. “Well, I grew up drinking Ribena and tea.”

Alex shook her head dramatically. “Tea. So predictable.”

Sophia smirked. “Says the woman clinging to her capitalist soda.”

Despite everything—the hunger, the fear, the relentless chase—they shared a chuckle, the sound foreign but oh-so welcome to Alex’s ears. For a moment, just a moment, the world outside didn’t exist. There was only the taste of something sweet, the warmth of their giggles, and the silent promise that, together, they would keep running.

Alex glanced at Sophia, her smile fading slightly as reality crept back in. “Come on. I saw a coat back there behind the counter. I think you should put it on. You need to keep clean-ish clothes on. And then, we should keep moving.”

Sophia nodded, wiping her mouth on the back of her hand. “Yes, ma’am. One step at a time.”

Alex stretched her arms above her head and let out a breath. “Alright, princess, that’s enough cheek from you.”

Sophia raised an eyebrow. “Princess? I don’t recall being called that before. Is that another American thing?”

Alex smirked. “I just assumed that you, kind of… You enjoy being told what to do.”

Sophia tilted her head, considering. “Well, sometimes. Yes, I suppose I do, sometimes. Miss Walking Wounded here is definitely pleased to be following your lead.”

Alex chuckled. “Not always, though. Definitely not between the sheets, right?”

Sophia scoffed, but her cheeks darkened slightly. “You have a selective memory. I think we both enjoy everything we’ve done so far.”

“Mmm,” Alex mused, feeling the muscles in her vagina tighten a little at the thought of the two of them together. But then she grew serious, her expression hardening as she glanced toward the door. “Listen. We need to get north of the city. We might have a real shot once we get out of here. We can’t stay here forever. It stinks. We can’t sleep. It’s full of them… shuffling around. And we can’t go back. We need to find people. Different people.”

Sophia frowned. “What’s up north, though? What makes you think it’ll be any better up there?”

“A place,” Alex said, hesitating slightly. “I’ve heard about it. I believe in it. Trust me. It’s hidden in the forest. It’s not military. No soldiers. No patrols. Just people who keep to themselves. If we can get there, they might let us stay with them. I don’t know what else to do. I’ve burnt most of my other bridges, but at least I have you.”

Sophia chewed on her lip. “Might let us stay?”

“Look, they might not, okay? But they won’t be the only people out there. Some of us made it. Some of us are still fighting to exist. Look at us! Look how far we’ve come. It’s better odds than anything else we’ve got right now,” Alex said firmly. “We can’t keep on like this. We need somewhere safe, even if it’s just for a little while. We need to change up your appearance. A haircut, new clothes, maybe a piercing? Maybe that’s too far. But we need to make you unrecognizable, and me too.”

Sophia met Alex’s gaze, then nodded. “Alright. Let’s go find it. Let’s do it all. What else have we got to lose?”

Alex gave a slight nod in return, determination settling over her like armor. “Then we head north, get a haircut, and hide our true selves?”

“I’m in. We’ve got this, right? One step at a time.”

“One step at a time,” Alex echoed, and together, they walked back into the wasteland, their footprints the only proof they had ever been there at all.

* * *

“How much further?” Sophia’s voice cracked, hoarse from the strain of constant movement. It was a question Alex knew all too well, but one she didn’t have an answer for.

Alex scanned their surroundings—yet another city with the same desolate cityscape that had surrounded them for days. Derelict buildings, streets littered with remnants of lives once lived. Everything felt trapped in time, stuck in a moment of irreversible decay. She couldn’t tell how much more they had to go. They weren’t as far north as she believed they needed to be. She knew they had some way to go. At the same time, she couldn’t see the point in discussing the finer details with Sophia. The distance was no longer measured in miles. Not really. There was uncertainty in every turn. Shadows seemed to follow them. Talking in miles, yards, kilometers… all those measurements belonged to the old world.

“Not much,” Alex lied. She wasn’t sure of anything anymore, but she couldn’t bear to voice the doubt that lingered like an unwelcome companion in the pit of her stomach. “Just a little more.”

Sophia didn’t seem convinced. She glanced at the empty buildings, her eyes darting nervously from side to side. The wind howled, rustling old papers and dried leaves, but the noise wasn’t enough to mask the fear that seemed to escape from their weakened bodies with every exhale. They were exposed, vulnerable, and still, the soldiers from their past—those faceless captors, the ones who had marked Sophia—remained a constant threat. Alex felt like they were never far behind.

“I can’t help but feel like they’re still out there,” Sophia moaned, her voice thin with the kind of exhaustion that made everything feel heavier. She hesitated as if speaking it aloud might make it real.

“I know. I guess they’re always out there,” Alex murmured back, her voice low but firm, steady. “They won’t stop until you’re back in their custody. And they know how to hunt. They won’t give up. I think this is all about outsmarting them. We’ll find a way.”

Sophia’s shoulders sagged under the weight of that truth. She didn’t speak, but the tension in her body said everything. The question wasn’t if they would be found—it was when. The thought of it gnawed at Alex, too, gnawing like the gnashing of teeth at the back of her mind. It was a relentless reminder that, no matter how fast they ran or how far they pushed themselves, there was no real escape. They were being hunted, and time was running out.

Alex hesitated before speaking again, her voice softer this time. “How are your injuries?”

Sophia blinked, as if she had been pulled from her thoughts. She flexed her fingers slightly, then touched the area near her ribs. “Better,” she admitted, though there was something guarded in her voice. “It doesn’t hurt as much anymore.”

Alex studied her closely, noting the way Sophia avoided her gaze. “You never really told me what happened in that place,” she pressed gently. “What do you remember? What did they do to you?”

Sophia gulped. She licked her lips, her eyes scanning the area around them as if searching for something unseen. “I thought I was done for,” she said finally. “The way they swarmed me—first the undead… then those scientist guys… I should be dead, Alex.”

Alex tensed. “And yet, here you are.”

Sophia nodded slowly. “Yeah. Here I am. And I’ve ruined your life in the process.” She exhaled shakily. “I was certain I was infected. I was sure you knew it, too. But then the fever never came. Nothing.” She finally met Alex’s eyes, something unreadable flickering in her expression. “They’re all so sure I’m immune? Do you think so, too? Is that even possible?”

Alex’s stomach twisted. Of course, they’d all thought about, talked about it. Immunity was more myth than reality, a desperate hope whispered in the dark corners of a dying world. She’d seen too many people cling to that belief, but when it came to it, she’d always witnessed the same thing. They bite you, you die, you turn—end of story. And yet… Sophia was still here.

“You didn’t ruin anything. And… I don’t know. Do you?” Alex asked carefully. “All I know is that I stayed with you that night and you were alive… more than alive.”

“I remember. I surprised myself that night. Listen, I don’t know,” Sophia admitted. “But I’m not scared of them the way I used to be. So that must mean something, right?” She glanced down at her hands, flexing them as if testing her strength. “I should be dead. I almost feel guilty. Why me? Why do I deserve to be here when my friends and probably my fam?—”

Alex put a hand on her arm to stop her. But she didn’t answer right away. The idea that Sophia was immune was a dangerous one—hope was a dangerous thing.

The first raindrops came like a murmur pattering softly against the broken sidewalk. Then, without warning, the sky tore open. Sheets of icy rain crashed down, turning dust to mud, pooling in the cracks of the road. The wind lashed against the two women with a brutal force. Within minutes, their clothes were soaked through, clinging to their skin like a second, merciless layer.

Sophia shivered violently, wrapping her arms around herself as they stumbled toward the nearest shelter—an old shed, its door barely in place, its interior gutted by time and scavengers. Alex dragged a metal rack toward the entrance, blocking most of the wind, but the rain still found its way in, dripping through cracks in the ceiling, pooling in uneven patches across the floor.

They crouched in the dimness, their breaths coming in quick, shuddering bursts. Cold sank deep into their bones, making every movement stiff and sluggish. Alex rubbed her hands together, then reached for Sophia’s, her fingers icy against Sophia’s equally frozen skin.

“If we don’t get dry soon, this could turn bad,” Alex murmured. She could hear it in Sophia’s breathing, the way it sounded shallow and tight. The dampness clung to them, pressing into their lungs, making every inhalation feel heavy.

Sophia nodded, teeth chattering. “Pneumonia,” she managed to say, and Alex’s stomach twisted. Out here, an illness like that was a death sentence. No medicine. No doctors. Just fever and weakness until there was nothing left.

“We’ll figure it out,” Alex said, though even she could hear the thin edge of uncertainty in her voice. She scanned the dark corners of the shed, searching for anything—old rags, discarded plastic, anything that could serve as insulation. They needed warmth. Fast.

Outside, the rain pounded relentlessly like a deafening, never-ending drumbeat.

Eventually, Sophia broke the silence. “How do you keep going like this, Alex? I mean, with everything. The soldiers. Me being bitten and finding me. Escaping. The fucking world we’re living in. I’m not sure I have it in me anymore.”

Alex’s heart tightened at the rawness of Sophia’s words. She stopped digging in the pile of garbage she had been searching through, her gaze turning to the woman beside her. It was as if she had started to lose sight of what they were fighting for.

“What do you mean? Please don’t say these things, Sophia,” Alex said quietly, stepping closer, her voice softer than usual.

Sophia’s gaze lifted slowly, locking onto hers with an intensity that felt like a challenge. “I don’t know how you do it. I don’t know how you keep pushing through. Every day is harder than the last. It’s like we’re just stuck in this cycle. No matter how far we run, nothing ever seems to get any better. I’d love it if I could spend one more day with Ellen glaring at me for not sieving the flour right. You know what I mean? Anything but this.”

The pain in those words hit Alex like a blow to the chest. She felt the weight of it, the crushing sense of inevitability that Sophia had so plainly voiced. She reached out, taking Sophia’s hand in hers, squeezing it gently. “I don’t know, either. Some days I feel like I can’t do it, either. But then I think about how far we’ve come. I think about you. We’ve made it this far. And yes, I actually miss Ellen a bit. I’d love to see that grumpy old bitch again. But her bread wasn’t that good, okay? So, come on. Chin up. Let’s get ourselves out of this mess.”

Sophia’s eyes softened at the touch, and a tremble ran through her lips. The walls around her began to crack, just a little, and Alex saw the vulnerability she had been hiding. “I don’t know if I can keep being strong. I’m not sure I have it in me.”

Alex closed the distance between them, lifting her other hand to gently stroke the side of Sophia’s face, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear. “You don’t have to be strong. Not with me. I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere.”

Alex held Sophia’s gaze, her thumb brushing lightly against her cheek. For a moment, the weight of the world seemed to lessen, if only slightly. The silence between them wasn’t empty—it was filled with something unspoken yet deeply understood.

Then, a sound carried through the air. This time, it wasn’t the eerie shuffle of the undead. It was something that sounded so confusing. It was laughter. Light, genuine, unmistakably human laughter.

Alex stiffened, her hand instinctively reaching for her weapon. Sophia inhaled sharply, her body tense beside her. They stepped out into the rain and turned in the direction of the sound, their hearts pounding.

Beyond the road and the few sparse trees in front of them, nestled against the horizon, stood a handful of small, makeshift yurts and wooden buildings. Smoke curled lazily from a chimney, drifting into the dark rainclouds in soft, barely visible tendrils. Figures moved in the distance—people running with baskets in their hands, shouting to one another, holding up pieces of tarp and umbrellas to protect themselves from the downpour. It was a sight so lively and almost colorful that it didn’t seem real.

Sophia’s grip tightened around Alex’s hand. “Do you see that?” she said in a barely audible whimper, as if speaking too loudly might make it disappear. “Or am I imagining it? It’s that mirage thing people see in the desert. I read about that once. I’ve gone nuts.”

Alex nodded slowly. Relief, warm and overwhelming, surged through her. “No, babe. I see it.” The weight she had been carrying for so long—the fear, the exhaustion, the constant battle to survive—eased just a little.

As they stepped forward, the distant figures began to take shape. A man broke away from the group, his strides confident yet cautious as he approached. His voice carried across the space between them, filled with something Alex hadn’t heard from a stranger in a long time—genuine kindness.

“Hey there! You ladies need any help? You look like you might need to sit by the fire. We could maybe find you some dry clothes. We’ve got nettle and sorrel soup on the stove. Come on, come on. You look, well, if you don’t mind me saying… You look terrible.”

Sophia let out a breath that was half a laugh, half a sob. The rain stopped suddenly. Alex felt her chest tighten, then loosen, as if for the first time in forever, she could finally draw a deep breath.

Had they made it?

Maybe, just maybe.