Ellie’s POV
Tucker and I had been through hell and back, but if it meant finding the cure, it was worth it. We didn’t know if Harley had been telling the truth about it being at his house, or if it had already been looted. But we had to take the chance.
We had been driving nonstop for two days, fueled by sheer determination. Now, we were less than an hour away from our destination.
“I know it’s a long shot, but if that safe zone is still standing, we should get their help searching for the cure,” Tucker suggested, gripping the wheel tightly.
I smirked at him. “Agreed.”
He glanced at me, eyebrows raised. “Wait… did you just admit the safe zone might be real?”
“Don’t get used to it.” I rolled my eyes, but I could tell my answer surprised him. For the first time, I was willing to believe in the possibility of safety.
We hadn’t talked about what happened between us back at the store. No kissing, no mentions of it. But every time I looked at him, I had this ridiculous urge to… well, jump on him. But emotions were dangerous, and I wasn’t ready for that.
Tucker’s voice pulled me from my thoughts. “We need to stop soon—running low on gas. I don’t feel like getting stranded out here.”
A parking lot filled with abandoned cars came into view. I pointed at it. “That’ll do.”
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Tucker swung the car into a spot and tossed me a gas can. “We’ll start with that one,” he said, grabbing some plastic tubing.
I groaned. “You’re doing it, right? Last time I did it, I had that taste in my mouth for days.” I gave him my best innocent smile.
“Yeah, yeah,” he muttered, rolling his eyes. But I caught the hint of a smirk.
I turned my back to keep watch as he worked, stifling a laugh when he started coughing from the fumes.
“This car’s already empty,” he grumbled, shaking the gas can. Barely a drop sloshed around inside. “I’ll check the next one. Keep watching.”
I nodded and scanned the lot. Then, something moved in the distance. A blur—fast. Too fast.
What the hell?
I froze, trying to make sense of what I saw. Maybe I was hallucinating from exhaustion. Zombies didn’t move like that… unless—no. No way.
There it was again, darting behind a car on the far side of the lot.
“Tucker,” I whisper-shouted.
“What?” he called back—way too loud. Idiot.
I pointed toward the movement, keeping my eyes locked on the spot where I last saw it.
Tucker must have caught on because he rushed to finish siphoning the gas. My pulse pounded in my ears as I scanned the lot, waiting for whatever it was to come back.
Then, suddenly, it bolted toward us.
I squeezed my eyes shut and braced myself—
And then Tucker laughed.
I peeked one eye open to see him standing there, grinning. “That’s what you were afraid of?”
A dog.
A scrappy little mutt with a blood-caked ear wagged its tail at me, tongue hanging out the side of its mouth.
“Oh my god!” I gasped, dropping to my knees. “Can we keep him?!”
Tucker still looked amused, but he shrugged. “Sure.”
I scooped the puppy into my arms and carried him to the car, giddy like a five-year-old. He was just a pup, and somehow, he had survived in this world.
Climbing into the backseat, I pulled out a can of beans and a water bottle. The puppy devoured the food and lapped up the water like he hadn’t eaten in days.
Tucker slid into the driver’s seat, shaking his head. “Looks like he likes you. What’s his name?”
I thought for a moment, scratching the pup behind his ears. “Hmm… what do you think?”
“He looks like a Leo.”
I smiled. “Leo it is.”
I lifted the puppy and rubbed my nose against his. He yawned, then curled up in my lap and closed his eyes.
“How much longer until we hit Mimberly?” I asked.
Tucker checked the map. “Should be about five mi—”
His voice trailed off. His grip on the wheel tightened as he stared straight ahead.
“What?” I turned to follow his gaze—and my breath caught.
A massive fence loomed ahead, stretching high into the sky, its rusted metal surface hidden until now behind a hill.
I swallowed hard.
“I guess we found it.
