Italia and Mabel stood in a corner, watching through a broken window.

  Iván and Adriano moved cautiously through the building, checking every entrance and exit.

  Meanwhile, Ander looked worse by the minute, sitting on a bed with weak breathing; Josh and Alicia never left his side.

  Everyone was on alert, waiting for their companions to return.

  "The gunfire stopped… they probably made it to the carriage," Ander murmured, his voice faint.

  Josh, worried about his friend and his brother’s safety, nodded.

  "Yeah, they must be gathering everything to bring back," he replied.

  Rogelio entered the room after overhearing.

  "They mentioned having medical supplies. That could help make you more comfortable and slow the infection," he added.

  "I know I don’t have much time left," Ander answered with resignation.

  Alicia and Josh swallowed hard.

  "Don’t think like that, please," Alicia begged, tears in her eyes.

  Ander moved his other hand and placed it over hers.

  "I’m just being realistic."

  Suddenly, a distant thud echoed through the building.

  "Did you hear that?" Italia asked, alarmed, from the next room.

  "Could they be back already?" Rebecca said hopefully.

  Josh approached the door, straining to listen.

  "Are you back?" he shouted toward the main entrance.

  "Negative, not yet. Everything okay upstairs?" Adriano called from below.

  At that moment, Iván reached the door and met Josh.

  "Did you make that noise?" Josh asked.

  Iván looked confused.

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  "What noise?"

  Josh’s face tensed as he heard a creak.

  Looking past Iván, he saw golden eyes glowing in the darkness, followed by a roar.

  "Behind you!" he shouted, pulling Iván into the room.

  The hostile leapt but failed to catch him.

  Iván reacted quickly, slamming the door shut.

  "We’ve got company! Everyone in position," he warned, aiming his weapon at the entrance.

  Breaths were held as the hostile’s footsteps echoed.

  It slammed against the door furiously, shaking it. After a brief silence, a second blow shattered it.

  The beast fell upon Iván, who barely managed to jam his weapon into its jaws to block the bite, viscous saliva dripping onto his face.

  "Filthy beast!" Fermín, the butcher, shouted, stabbing his knife into its back.

  The hostile thrashed, flinging Fermín against the wall with one limb.

  "Fermín!" Julia, the librarian, cried desperately.

  Adriano burst into the room and, without hesitation, fired twice, killing the hostile.

  "Iván, are you all right? Any wounds?" he asked, panting.

  "I’m fine… barely made it. Thank you, Adriano," Iván replied, catching his breath.

  Mabel, still trembling, whispered, "How did it get in here?"

  Silence fell again.

  The building’s safety had been breached, and everyone understood hostiles could enter at any moment.

  "We can’t stay here long! If one got in, more will follow," Felicia exclaimed nervously.

  "We can’t move without the others," Italia replied firmly.

  "How much longer will they take?" Felicia asked anxiously.

  Mabel looked out the broken window, her face tightening.

  "Italia, look… more are coming this way!" she warned desperately.

  Adriano raised his weapon, taking command.

  "Grab whatever you can to defend yourselves. We’ll hold these two rooms."

  The group moved quickly: Fermín retrieved his bloodied knife, Adriano and Iván reloaded, Italia took a pistol, and Martin hid his two children inside a wardrobe, trying to shield them from the approaching horror.

  In the adjoining room, Ander grew weaker.

  His body trembled, his voice barely a whisper.

  "Friend… I’m cold…" he murmured, as Josh and Gaspar carefully laid him down.

  "Hold on a little longer, please," Josh begged, tears streaming.

  "I feel the infection all over my body… I need you to promise me you’ll keep fighting to survive."

  Josh gripped his hand tightly.

  "Of course, friend. We’ll never give up. You said yourself we’d protect this city."

  Alicia took Ander’s other hand again, trying to warm him.

  "Don’t be sad for me. I’ll finally reunite with my father; I couldn’t be happier," Ander said with a weak smile.

  "We love you so much, Ander," Alicia whispered, eyes full of tears.

  "I love you too, my friends. Don’t let yourselves be defeated," he replied softly.

  The group gathered around Ander, each offering their strength in that desperate moment.

  Though the reality was grim, the unity they had forged gave them a reason to keep fighting, to never surrender.

  With the light fading from his eyes, Ander summoned his last strength to ask one final favor:

  "I’d like you, if you find my mother, to tell her I wasn’t afraid… that her warrior fought until the end."

  "Of course, friend," Josh answered, shattered.

  Ander closed his eyes with a serene smile.

  "Father… I’m ready."

  His breathing slowed… and stopped.

  In the midst of chaos, Ander found peace.

  Silence filled the room once more.

  Every word Ander had spoken pierced their hearts, making them reflect on what lay ahead and what they had to protect. Josh’s promise echoed as a collective vow: to survive, to fight, and to protect what remained of their world—and to find Ander’s mother.

  But one thing was clear.

  Ander was dead.