Page 21 of The Hollowed

She had no intention of becoming the next example.

Sable and Paxton emerged moments later, their boots hitting the cracked pavement with barely a sound. That delay gave Luci a moment to adjust to breathing in the open air. It was strange, the relief of no longer having concrete above her head.

The team lingered in a loose circle, weapons low but ready, while Luci took in her surroundings.

They stood in a narrow alleyway surrounded by towering buildings. Overgrown vines clung stubbornly to the cracked concrete, weaving through shattered windows and spilling across the street like nature was reclaiming ownership of the world. It was messy and wild but there was a haunting beauty in it that Luci hadn’t expected.

Before the outbreak, the city had been pristine. It was swept clean, tightly ordered, almost suffocating in its perfection. But it had been rotting on the inside even then. At least now the decay was honest and visible.

The outside finally matched the truth beneath.

“It’s a lot to take in,” Alex whispered from behind her, making her jump and suck in a sharp breath before she turned, still clutching her chest.

“Yeah…it is,” she admitted. Part of her wanted to say more, to spill out the storm of thoughts rattling in her head. But what good would it do? Alex already knew she was scared. Saying it out loud wouldn’t change a thing.

“Listen,” he said, stepping closer, “there’s a parking garage nearby we need to check out. It’s the best chance we’ve got at finding a car to get us to Arizona.” His hand found hers and his thumb brushed against her palm. “Just stay in formation, andwe’ll take care of the rest.”

Her fingers tapped nervously against the handgun strapped to her thigh.

“No gun?”

“That’s for emergencies only,” he replied, shaking his head. “If it’s between your life and one of the infected, you use it. Otherwise leave it to us.”

Luci nodded in agreement because the weapon felt more dangerous in her grip than it ever would in its holster anyway.

“Alright,” Alex said, offering her a soft, genuine smile. “Let’s move.”

He stepped away, raising his hand to signal the others. In the span of a heartbeat, they were in formation again. The air felt heavier now, not from the stench of the sewer but from the knowledge that the moment they took that first step forward, there would be no turning back.

Chapter 8

Alejandro

The infected were always more dangerous after nightfall. Why that was, Alex couldn’t say. But experience had taught him that when darkness fell, you didn’t wander. You found shelter, you stayed quiet, and you prayed you weren’t caught out in the open when a horde of the Hollowed began to stir.

In daylight, the Hollowed were erratic, dangerous, and disorganized, but at night, they changed. They moved with purpose and they hunted in packs.

Alex had seen it enough times to know it wasn’t random. There was always one of them at the center of their groups. The leader was a bigger, faster, more vicious monster than the rest. And the others didn’t just follow it. They obeyed. As if somehow, something in their warped, rotting minds recognized authority.

And they were getting smarter. In the early days, you could count on their clumsiness and their blind rage to slow them down, but now, they watched, learned, and adapted. Alex didn’t know if it was evolution or something darker, but every night that passed, the Hollowed seemed a little less like mindless monsters and a little more like trained killers.

“You should probably be back there with her,” Myra whispered as they walked down a road less than a mile from the parking garage they planned to search. Her eyes remained fixed ahead,scanning the distance.

He glanced over his shoulder. Luci was still absorbing her surroundings, clutching the straps of her backpack while Luna paced at her side.

“Move up next to Grayson,” he called, his tone leaving no room for debate. He caught the roll of Myra’s eyes but didn’t comment, it had been her idea in the first place.

“Yeah, yeah, go be Mr. Lover Boy,” she shot back under her breath, quickening her pace just enough to bump into Grayson playfully as she caught up to him. Alex slowed until Luci could close the gap between them.

“Where are they?” Luci’s question came in a soft, almost trembling whisper.

“The Hollowed?” he asked. She gave a quick nod. “They’re out there,” he said, scanning the shadows between the collapsed storefronts. “They just prefer dark places.”

Luci’s brows furrowed, curiosity cutting through the anxiety in her eyes. “Well,” she began, her voice just a touch louder now, “the virus embeds itself right above the occipital lobe. If that part of the brain is damaged or altered, it could make their eyes hypersensitive to light. Brightness might be painful for them, that’s probably why.”

Alex glanced sideways at her. She was still gripping her straps and walking cautiously but there was something in her tone, a certainty that made the explanation feel less like speculation and more like truth.

He really did think she might be the brightest person he’d ever met.