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Jun 19

False Sanctuary ep4

The Quiet between Chaos: A Zombieverse story

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A/N! Sorry for the long wait for this chapter! Getting back into my Zombieverse flow! Will be back more frequently with more updates soon!🫶

Everyone could only watch in shock as Kkwachu Hyung was also bitten by the zombies. Amara stood watching, her body freezing up in shock at what had just happened in front of her.

I failed, she thought to herself. I was supposed to protect them. I told myself no one else would get hurt or be sacrificed to save any more people. But I failed... again. I failed Kkwachu Hyung and Na-rae unnie.

Tsuki and Dex moved Amara from where she stood towards the tent. Once seated, the others poured in one by one until finally Kkwachu Hyung and Na-rae followed, each holding the other up. Their clothes were ripped and bloody, their faces shining with sweat.

No one said anything as the two walked in, the silence louder than any words they could have said.

As they both moved towards the two available chairs, Jonathan and DinDin hesitated to let them sit amongst the others. Both spoke up uncertainly, asking them to remain standing a distance away from everyone else. Amara couldn't digest the sudden change in attitude from the two men.

Turning furiously towards them, Amara spoke in a hushed but heavy tone.

"Seriously? You're going to treat them like this? This quickly? They just got bitten trying to help us and you're worried about them sitting close to us? We could at least be concerned for them and ask if they're okay—or at least say, oh, I don't know, thanks for having our backs and getting bitten?!"

As Amara stormed on about the actions—or lack thereof—from some of the group, Dex sat a few chairs away from the girl who looked as though steam might start pouring out of her ears.

His own mind reeled with mixed emotions.

Sure, Dex knew she was always headstrong and reckless at times, but he was continuously seeing different sides of her that he wouldn't have expected.

For someone who had only just met these people, she already felt a sense of injustice on their behalf at the others' lack of empathy. She was willing to speak out when she felt someone had been obviously wronged. He had assumed she wouldn't give a damn about anyone else so long as she wasn't the one being wronged herself.

But Amara Rayman was full of surprises.

-------------

The group discussed what had happened, and Amara became even more furious at the revelation that the team on barricade duty had abandoned the only line of defence for Hong-chul and Na-rae at the smallest inconvenience.

Deciding they didn't have much time to waste, the group moved on.

Realising that Mr Rice Puffs hadn't been disturbed by the zombies and that they hadn't followed him, the others came to a conclusion. Once a person was bitten, they became immune to other zombies chasing them, as the zombies could already sense the virus inside them.

Si-young concluded that the group would need to use Na-rae and Kkwachu Hyung to help carry out the forklift task, as they were the least at risk while the others worked on moving the truck. However, the plan didn't sound nearly as good to the two bitten team members.

Na-rae's mood instantly soured.

"How could you suggest this? You were just concerned for me, Si-young-shi. Now what? You want to use us as human shields? Pshh. Wow."

"Unnie..." Amara began hesitantly. "I know it seems harsh, but Si-young unnie is right. We don't want to do it, but what other choice do we have now? We need your help now more than ever, just like Mr Rice Puffs helped us. I swear, unnie, we won't let anything happen to you if it doesn't work. I won't let you get hurt anymore... I promise."

Amara's voice was so sincere that the others could only stare at the second-youngest member with their mouths hanging open.

Once again, someone paid close attention to that promise.

Dex watched her take responsibility for the entire group, placing the burden solely on herself to keep everyone safe.

The team decided they would still take Na-rae and Kkwachu Hyung with them despite their infections, deciding it was the least they could offer in exchange for their help moving the final vehicle.

The group had gone back and forth on the decision, but ultimately Dex had the final say as one of the most trusted members due to his former UDT experience.

Dex agreed, but told the two they would need to remain under constant supervision. Si-young added that they would have to agree to some form of restraints to ease the minds of the uninfected members.

-------------

Kkwachu Hyung and Na-rae made their way out into the car park once again. This time, the two moved on their own towards the forklift while the others followed behind at a safe distance.

As they made their way around the barricade, the others closely watched the zombies' reactions. Just as a group of zombies approached and Na-rae squealed in fear, one drifted too close before suddenly turning its attention elsewhere.

Their theory had worked. The two were now being seen as infected rather than potential prey.

With this new information, Na-rae and Kkwachu Hyung prepared to deal with the car while the rest of the group made their way towards the truck.

While the forklift was operating, the sound of the machinery drew the attention of nearby zombies. Taking advantage of the distraction, Dex signalled Tsuki and DinDin to sprint towards the truck.

Kkwachu Hyung successfully moved the car out of the way, creating a clear path for the truck to exit.

Once the pair returned to the tent, another argument quickly broke out. Na-rae wasn't happy about being used, especially when Hong-chul suggested tying them up afterwards.

Dex, however, had a simple way to end the debate. "I mean, there is another way to make sure you don't hurt us..." he began before pausing.

Na-rae and Kkwachu Hyung immediately looked hopeful. "We could always cut off your arms. That way the virus will stop spreading."

The two instantly agreed to the restraints instead.

Despite suggesting such a cruel option, Dex took extra care while tying them up, making sure the restraints were secure without causing unnecessary discomfort.

Once they were secured and unable to bite anyone, the group prepared to move.

The team made their way along the outside barricades towards the truck, with Na-rae and Kkwachu Hyung bringing up the rear to deter approaching zombies.

Once they reached the vehicle, everyone climbed in quickly but quietly.

The last two to board were Amara and Dex. The pair remained outside to help their restrained friends get inside safely.

Once everyone was aboard, Dex instinctively moved towards Amara and, without a word, lifted her into the truck, remembering her injured knee, before climbing in himself.

Amara stared at him in surprise. Once Dex settled beside her, she gave him a small nod of appreciation.

Everyone in the back grabbed hold of the truck flaps, keeping them shut to stop zombies from getting inside.

DinDin and Tsuki, however, had another problem. They were essentially driving blind.

Thankfully, when DinDin started the truck, a dashboard camera appeared on a small monitor at the front. Unfortunately, the sound of the engine immediately attracted nearby zombies. Fast.

DinDin managed to reverse towards a gap between two vehicles, but the truck suddenly jolted. They were stuck.

His second attempt caused Dex's hand, which was holding one of the flaps shut, to slam painfully against the frame.

Pulling his hand back, Dex hissed in pain and quickly inspected it. Amara immediately turned towards him, checking his hand as well to make sure he wasn't seriously hurt.

The two quietly but urgently told everyone else to remove their hands from the flaps.

Realising the truck was wedged, the two infected members volunteered to get out and guide DinDin through the gap.

Kkwachu Hyung climbed out and directed DinDin carefully between the two cars. Once the truck was through, he quickly climbed back aboard and they continued driving through the car park.

As the group approached the tents where they had camped earlier, Mr Rice Puffs noticed a group of zombies chasing after the truck, several of them hanging onto the back.

With one final effort to help the group, he stood from his hiding spot and yelled.

"RICE PUFFS!"

=============

Day 2

"The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters has announced that Seoul will be sealed off beginning at midnight."

A male and female reporter announced the news through the truck's radio.

"It is rapidly spreading to nearby areas such as Eunpyeong-gu and Yongsan-gu. Many people have already lost their lives. Since Seoul has been sealed off, transit to areas outside the city is completely restricted. Cargo and shipping have also been blocked."

As the group listened to the announcers, they heard discussion from a professor who claimed that outbreaks like this could take up to ten years to cure.

The information shocked everyone. Several members glanced sympathetically towards their two infected friends.

Amara was resting while the others remained awake. Dex and Si-young had insisted she get some sleep after staying awake most of the night helping keep watch over Na-rae and Kkwachu Hyung.

As the truck continued driving through the countryside, the uneven roads jostled Amara around. Her head lightly knocked against one of the truck's metal bars.

Noticing her discomfort, Dex quietly reached over and guided her head onto his shoulder without drawing attention to himself.

The action didn't go unnoticed by Si-young. The older woman smiled softly at the pair before looking away.

Some time later, Amara woke when conversation began filling the truck once more. The moment she realised what she had been leaning against, she immediately sat upright and avoided Dex's gaze, her cheeks warming slightly.

The group, however, was far more focused on Na-rae and Kkwachu Hyung. Dark marks now lined their skin, the infection having clearly spread overnight.

"You've already started changing," Si-young commented worriedly. Na-rae simply brushed off the remark.

The group decided to open the truck flaps and allow sunlight inside, hoping it would somehow slow the progression of the infection.

Soon enough, another tense discussion broke out regarding what should be done with their two infected friends.

As tensions rose once again, DinDin suggested the group needed a proper leadership structure to help maintain order.

The group went back and forth on who should lead.

The first choice was Si-young. For once, everyone seemed to be in complete agreement.

However, Si-young didn't think she was confident enough to lead everyone by herself.

Instead, she suggested someone like Dex. Someone with natural survival instincts and leadership experience.

The group briefly suggested DinDin as an alternative, though that idea was quickly shut down.

Throughout the entire discussion, one person remained silent. Amara.

Noticing this, Si-young turned towards her.

"Yah, I think both Amara and Dex should be our leaders, and I'll support them. Amara is very good too. She's helped keep us all level-headed and focused. She always considers both sides of any argument."

Hong-chul quickly agreed.

"This guy has the most combat experience, and he's the coolest under pressure. He should be the leader with Amara. Those two come up with the tactics, and Si-young makes the final decision."

The group ultimately agreed. Dex would be the leader. Amara would be the co-leader. Si-young would act as commander.

The responsibility of guiding the group now rested largely with the three of them.

With the discussion finally settled, everyone took a short break. A small piece of chocolate was passed around to each person as they continued travelling.

-------------

Just when the group thought things were finally going smoothly, they came across a delivery truck and a car blocking the road.

Deciding to investigate and check for survivors, they pulled their truck to a stop and climbed out. Before they could get too close to either vehicle, they noticed a woman sitting inside the car.

Jonathan, Patricia, Tsuki, and DinDin volunteered to approach while the others inspected the delivery truck.

Upon closer inspection, the four realised the woman appeared wealthy and had likely been attacked during the outbreak. At first glance, they assumed she was dead.

Just as they began considering taking some of her belongings, Tsuki noticed something.

The woman wasn't dead. She was still breathing.

The startled screams of the four immediately drew attention from the rest of the group. Hearing the commotion, Dex, Si-young, and Amara hurried around the truck to investigate.

Amara had barely reached them before Tsuki practically ran into her arms.

"Yah, yah, it's okay. She's still got her seatbelt on. She can't move," Amara reassured gently, attempting to calm everyone down.

While Amara worked on settling the others, Dex and Si-young opened the back of the delivery truck.

Inside, they found countless undelivered packages, along with food and bottled water.

The moment everyone saw the supplies, Si-young immediately started grabbing armfuls of packages and carrying them back towards their truck.

When Amara eventually made her way around to join them, she found Dex standing there completely dumbfounded.

He looked as though he couldn't quite process what he was seeing. Some of the group members were moving too fast for him to even stop.

"Hey, wait. Hold on. No, no, stop." Dex stumbled over his words as he tried to regain control of the situation. "We should only take what we actually need. We don't need all these random packages."

"I-I mean, in this situation? What's the problem?" Si-young asked, sounding both confused and slightly embarrassed.

"Unnie, we can't just steal these things," Amara said firmly, stopping Si-young from taking another box. "Even if they've been abandoned, we should only take what we need. Some clothes, food, and water. That's it. We don't need these people's packages. It's wrong."

Despite the objections from both Dex and Amara, several members continued taking unnecessary items.

Some even began rummaging through the infected woman's expensive handbag, taking makeup and other valuables.

Amara could only stare in disbelief. How could they steal so easily? After watching for another few moments, she finally lost her patience.

Marching towards the truck, she raised her voice. "YAH! If you all don't drop whatever you're holding right now and get back over here within the next thirty seconds, I'm leaving without every single one of you!"

The group immediately froze. Slowly, and somewhat guiltily, they made their way back towards her.

Once everyone had gathered, Amara folded her arms.

"Are you guys serious right now? We're trying to gather supplies to stay alive. Do you really think a luxury handbag and makeup are going to help us survive? How can you all steal so easily like this?"

Her gaze landed on Si-young.

"I'm really disappointed, especially in you, unnie. Remember, nobody does anything unless Dex or I approve it first. Got that?"

The group shifted awkwardly.

"It's disgusting how you're all acting right now. Zombie outbreak or not, we need to get it together, or we're all going to end up dead or infected."

Once Amara finished speaking, she turned towards Dex. To her surprise, he only stared back silently.

Before either of them could say anything, DinDin suddenly shouted. "Zombies!"

The group immediately sprang back into action.

Working together, they quickly moved the abandoned car and delivery truck before the approaching zombies could reach them.

Once the road was clear, Na-rae and Kkwachu Hyung climbed into the delivery truck while everyone else returned to their original vehicle.

Moments later, both trucks sped away from the growing horde behind them.

============

As they drove through the countryside, the sun gradually setting behind them, the group eventually reached a small village where people were still walking about, seemingly uninfected.

After being stopped and questioned by the village head, the group was allowed inside. They were invited to join the villagers for a meal, who were currently gathered to hold a funeral for one of their own.

The group sat down at a table and eagerly accepted the food being offered. As they began eating, DinDin noticed the mourner—a woman who was clearly connected to the deceased.

While most of the group let out relieved sighs and happy exclamations at finally receiving a proper meal, DinDin quietly reminded them that they were attending a funeral and should be mindful of how they acted.

Amara couldn't help but eat in silence. The weight of the room hung heavily over her.

While everyone else happily enjoyed the hot food, she found herself thinking about her manager and the sacrifice she had made. Every bite felt wrong.

-----------

Amara's POV

How can I sit here and eat like nothing is wrong? Like there isn't a zombie outbreak happening outside this village? Like my manager and Hee-kwan didn't lose their lives trying to help our group?

It's so hard to sit here and watch everyone act as though none of it matters.

It feels like only me, Dex, and DinDin understand where we are. The three of us are eating quietly and thanking the villagers whenever they bring us more food, while everyone else is acting as though this is some kind of celebration.

I can barely stomach the steamed rice. Everything else feels like more than I deserve.

My manager should be here eating with us, but she isn't. How can I sit here and enjoy all this knowing that?

Before Amara could say anything about the group's behaviour, the mourner suddenly let out a loud wail. The sound instantly drowned out the group's laughter and chatter, reminding everyone exactly where they were.

The cry sent a cold feeling straight through Amara's stomach. The little appetite she had left vanished completely.

Setting her chopsticks down, she watched the grieving woman seated at the front of the viewing room.

When the crying eventually stopped, the village head encouraged everyone to continue eating. The group did so immediately.

However, barely two minutes later, the mourner began crying again. Once more, the room fell silent. The cycle repeated itself several times.

Eventually, the village head approached the group and suggested that someone offer their condolences to the grieving woman.

Dex immediately volunteered. Then he pointed directly at Amara. "I'll go with her."

Amara shot him a confused look but reluctantly stood up anyway. Together, the two approached the viewing area.

As they arrived, the village head explained their intentions to the mourner and invited them to pay their respects.

Amara had absolutely no idea what Korean funeral customs involved, so she simply copied whatever Dex did.

When he lit incense, she lit incense. When he placed down a flower, she placed down a flower. Everything seemed normal until they prepared to bow one final time.

A noise suddenly came from inside the viewing room. The unexpected sound startled both of them.

Amara instinctively stepped backwards while Dex immediately grabbed the back of her shirt and carefully pulled her further away from the room.

Turning towards the village head, Dex frowned. "What was that?"

The village head barely reacted. "Oh, one of the villagers fell over."

The explanation didn't sit right with either of them. Dex glanced at Amara. She could tell by the look on his face that he didn't believe it either.

When he failed to find reassurance in her expression, he turned back towards the others.

"I... the sound came from in there..." Before he could finish, the village head dismissed his concerns.

The two reluctantly returned to finish paying their respects.

Just as they prepared to bow again, Dex suddenly froze. "Why... why are you smiling?"

Amara immediately straightened up. Turning towards the mourner, she felt her stomach twist.

The woman's lips were tilted upwards. Not much. Just enough. A faint smile. A smile that had absolutely no place at a funeral.

Without another word, Amara quickly encouraged Dex to finish the ceremony so they could leave.

The moment they were done, the pair moved away from the viewing area and towards the back of the room.

Once they were out of earshot of the villagers, Amara spoke quietly. "Dex, she was smiling. Something isn't right here."

Dex remained silent.

"And that other guy?" she continued. "He supposedly fell over right after we heard that noise. They're acting weird. I don't like this."

Despite the concern in her voice, Dex hesitated. For once, he seemed willing to trust the villagers over her instincts.

Amara stared at him in disbelief. "You seriously believe them?"

Dex sighed. Then he turned towards her. "Weren't you just saying you'd leave our group behind because they tried taking some packages?"

The accusation caught her completely off guard.

"Are you serious right now?" she hissed. "They were stealing, Dex. They were being greedy. Taking things we don't need."

She gestured back towards the table. "Look at them. They're sitting there eating happily like this isn't someone's funeral. Like we didn't just lose people close to us."

Her frustration finally spilled over. "Even you thought what they were doing was wrong. I saw it on your face. You tried to stop them too."

For a brief moment, she thought he might agree.

Instead, Dex clenched his jaw. "Fine. Maybe they were overdoing it with the packages. I'll admit that."

Amara's shoulders relaxed slightly.

Then he continued. "But right now they're hungry. We're all hungry. Sometimes people don't think about how rude they look when they're desperate."

His expression hardened. "So, sorry if this is proving your point about how selfish people can be."

Amara stared at him.

"But not everything you say is right. The sooner you accept that, the better."

The words hit harder than she expected. For a moment, she could only stare.

"How could you say that?" Her voice came out quieter than she intended. "Do you honestly think I see all of you as selfish, heartless thieves?"

Dex didn't answer.

"The fact you would even suggest that..." she scoffed bitterly. "It's disgusting, Dex. I never expected you to think so little of me."

Her eyes narrowed. "Guess the one with the low opinion of others is actually you."

Without waiting for a response, Amara turned and walked away. She returned to the table and sat down heavily between Tsuki and DinDin.

-----------

Once everyone had finished eating, the village head returned carrying drinks for the group. Most of the members happily accepted.

However, Dex, Si-young, and Amara remained cautious after what they had heard near the viewing room. The three accepted their drinks to avoid suspicion but made no effort to actually drink them.

Unfortunately, Na-rae and Jonathan quickly noticed. After enough teasing and encouragement, Dex and Si-young reluctantly took a few small sips.

Amara remained hesitant. As she sat watching, she noticed the others becoming increasingly drunk. Her frown deepened with every passing minute.

When the village head noticed she still hadn't touched her drink, he approached her with a smile. "You should drink one shot at a Korean funeral. It helps send the deceased off properly."

Normally, she would have questioned the claim. Tonight, however, everyone around her was already intoxicated. There was nobody left sober enough to confirm whether the man was telling the truth.

Reluctantly, Amara lifted the glass and downed the shot. The alcohol burned all the way down her throat. Almost immediately afterwards, a strange bitter taste spread across her tongue.

Her eyebrows furrowed. Something wasn't right. Before she could warn anyone, her vision began to blur. The room slowly tilted. The conversations around her became distant.

One by one, the villagers' faces blurred together. Then darkness crept into the corners of her vision. Across the room, the rest of the group began slumping in their seats as well.

Within minutes, every single one of them had fallen into a deep, unnatural sleep.

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Thank you for reading ep 4 of The Quiet between Chaos: A Zombieverse story!💜🫶 It has been some time since I last updated this, but after getting inspo for swat, I needed to put that to work immediately; otherwise, I'd lose interest quickly🥲, but I will be back with Zombieverse updates more frequently soon! I hope you enjoyed the back-and-forth tension between Amara and Dex! Please keep supporting their journey by liking and commenting; it means the world to me!💜🫰

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