A Second Chance in a Doomed World

Leo moved through the crumbling city alone, his footsteps echoing against the hollow streets. Without Lisa's presence, the silence felt heavier, almost oppressive, like a tangible weight pressing down on him. 

Not that he minded, he worked best alone. She had made her choice, and so had he. 

New York was nothing but a death trap now, a city that had once pulsed with life, now a silent testament to its fall. Staying would mean playing into the hands of whatever horrors were lurking in the shadows, waiting to pounce. 

That wasn't an option for Leo. He needed to leave, to get ahead of the chaos before the real nightmare began.

But first, he needed a car.

Navigating through the debris-littered streets, Leo kept an eye out for anything that could serve his purpose. 

Most vehicles were either abandoned or wrecked from the initial panic that had swept through the city. Some cars were burned out, their metal skeletons black against the skyline, others had their windows smashed, their interiors splattered with dried blood, a grim reminder of the violence that had erupted. 

People had already started looting, scavenging for anything they could use to survive. Not surprising in a world where survival was the only law left standing.

The further he moved toward the highway, the more bodies he encountered. Some had been killed in accidents, their faces frozen in shock or fear, captured in the moment of their last breath. 

Others had clearly been murdered, their bodies twisted in unnatural positions, a testament to the brutality that humanity could resort to when pushed to the edge. The world was already falling apart faster than in his past life, and Leo had seen his share of chaos before.

That woman, Selina.. was she the reason for all this? Leo shook the thought aside. He had more immediate concerns.

After checking several cars, he finally found one that looked promising—a black SUV with tinted windows. It was parked near a gas station, seemingly untouched, its tires still intact, a rarity in this chaotic landscape.

He tried the handle. Locked.

With a swift motion, Leo smashed the window with his fist, the sound of glass shattering the quiet. He reached inside, unlocking the door with a click.

The keys weren't inside. "Of course." Leo said to himself.

Grumbling, he crouched down and started checking under the seats. Nothing. Glove compartment? Empty. Sun visor? Nothing.

Leo exhaled through his nose, the air cold and sharp. 

A sudden noise caught his attention, a soft shuffling behind him.

Leo spun around, raising his blade, ready for whatever might come.

A man stood a few feet away, wearing a bloodstained hoodie. He looked half-starved, his face pale and sunken, his eyes wide with fear and desperation. A makeshift knife—a sharpened piece of metal—was clutched in his shaking hands.

"Step back," Leo warned, his voice steady, cutting through the silence.

The man didn't respond. His wild eyes flicked between Leo and the car, hunger and desperation written all over his face.

He wasn't a fighter. Just another scavenger, looking for a way out of this hell.

Leo considered his options. Killing him would be easy. A quick strike to the head, and it'd be over. But was it worth it?

The man lunged, desperation guiding his actions.

Leo sidestepped effortlessly, his blade whipping out in a controlled arc. The metal cracked against the man's wrist with a sickening sound, sending the makeshift knife clattering to the ground.

The scavenger yelped, clutching his arm in pain.

"Wrong choice," Leo muttered under his breath, his voice devoid of emotion.

The man looked up, eyes filled with panic. For a second, Leo thought he might try to run—but instead, he fell to his knees, defeated.

"Please," the man gasped, his voice ragged. "Don't kill me. I just... I just wanted the car. I need to get out."

Leo stared down at him, his expression unreadable.

Pathetic.

But understandable.

Without a word, he turned back to the SUV, popped open the dashboard, exposing the wiring. The scavenger watched, his breath coming in heavy, shaky gulps, still clutching his wrist.

"You—You know how to—"

Leo didn't answer. He twisted the wires together, and after a moment, the engine roared to life, for the man a beacon of hope in this dark new world.

The scavenger's face lit up, a flicker of life returning. "You're leaving the city, right? Take me with you."

Leo slammed the door shut. "No."

The man paled, his hope extinguished. "Wait—"

Leo pressed the gas pedal. The SUV lurched forward, leaving the scavenger scrambling to his feet, shouting after him, his voice lost in the roar of the engine.

Leo didn't look back.

This was survival.

The streets were eerily empty as he drove toward the outskirts of the city. Most people had either holed up in buildings or already been killed. The further he got from Manhattan, the fewer signs of life remained, the city fading into a memory of what once was.

Eventually, he reached the highway.

Dozens of abandoned cars blocked the road, some still smoldering from earlier fires, a testament to the chaos that had passed. It was a mess, but not impossible to navigate. Leo weaved between the wrecks, occasionally ramming smaller cars out of the way with a screech of metal.

As he drove, his mind wandered back to Lisa. Would she make it out alive?

He pushed the thought aside. It didn't matter.

She had made her decision.

Leo focused on the road ahead. He had a long drive to Philadelphia—and an even longer journey beyond that. 

The real game was only beginning.