Rewritten: January-May 2025

"Is that a carousel?!" Maeve exclaimed in disbelief, taking in the dazzling yet overwhelming sight of a whimsical collection of artificial creatures. The sheer beauty of it nearly brought tears to her eyes. Round bulbs adorned the mirrors, reflecting images of dancing bears and graceful swans. Some bulbs flickered or were completely dark, but that didn't diminish the enchantment of the scene. Thick vines and leaves wrapped around the top, cascading down like nature's own decorations.

Describing it as merely overrun by dust and foliage would be an understatement. The once majestic structure was a heartbreaking sight, with rust eating away at the metallic animals and tarnishing their once-glimmering silver and gold poles. Soft carousel music floated through the air, but the ride itself stood still, much to her dismay.

Jordan let out a low whistle, impressed. "Looks like it."

"Does it still work?!" Maeve bumbled toward the machinery, her excitement bubbling over as she hopped over the low fence, giggling.

"Probably not."

"Boo!" Maeve was already on the wooden platform, ready to climb onto a white horse.

"Uh, I meant it probably doesn't work anymore," he corrected himself, stumbling over his words. "I mean, who knows how long it's been here? The gears likely are rusty beyond repair."

"That's a shame." She pressed her lips together, disheartened as she brushed her palm over the horse's sleek shoulder, admiring its weathered bronze headdress and once-vibrant bridle. "It would've been fun to ride."

"You know what else would be fun to ride?" She heard Jordan step onto the platform behind her.

"Och. You're so gross." She scrunched her nose and shot him an annoyed glance.

He burst into laughter, tilting his head back in a theatrical manner. The smile on his face was unwavering. She pondered his thoughts; he was a vibrant character, a partially open book with pages that fluttered freely.

"You know you love me."

She rolled her eyes, turning to face him as he drew closer. "Unfortunately."

"You're so fun to tease, mi amor." He wrapped his arms around her and leaned in for a kiss.

But just then, she thought she heard something and tilted her head to listen closely. So, instead of being kissed on the mouth, Jordan's lips brushed against her ear, much to his annoyance. In the distance, there was a noise, like a crash or a clatter, and it sent a chill of fear through her. What was that? Her mind raced to infected. She tried calming herself. It was probably a cat. But...cats didn't sound that heavy, unless it was actually a tiger lurking. She couldn't decide which was more terrifying, infected or tigers.

"What's the matter, Mae—"

It was at that moment they truly heard it; a chilling screech reverberated through the area, filled with malice, chaos, and a desperate hunger. The bare wall seemed to magnify the sounds, stripping away their earlier light-heartedness in an instant. Jordan swiftly drew his gun, scanning their dimly lit surroundings.

"Please tell me you heard that too," he whispered, loading his pistol with a menacing click.

"Yeah." Her throat felt dry, and the switchblade in her grip burned like fire. "It sounded close. We need to find Ellie and Riley and get the hell out of here."

"That sounds like a good plan." Jordan motioned for her to follow, his weapon poised and ready.

"I hope your aim is still sharp," Maeve said, tightening her grip on the blade in her left hand, prepared to strike at any fungal threat that might emerge.

"And I hope you still have that left hook."

"Oh, believe me, I haven't lost it."

Exploring the depths of the deserted mall might have not been the wisest choice. It became evident that there were far more infected lurking around than either teen had anticipated. By the sounds echoing through the halls, there had to be at least a dozen, possibly even more — maybe fifteen or twenty.

"Get down!" Jordan urged, shoving them both behind a large sign just as an infected barreled into view. It growled, searching for the source of the noise, but failing to locate them. Maeve clamped her free hand over her mouth, stifling any sound. Jordan pressed closer to her, and she felt a surge of small comfort.

The nearness of the infected made her stomach churn. It wasn't just the threat it posed; the foul odor it emitted was overwhelming. As it rushed past, the stench filled the air, making her gag before she could even process it. Words failed to capture how pungent the smell was. The creature — what had once been a person — had dried blood caked on its face. It had oozed from its eyes, nose, and mouth. Dark veins were visible in its forehead, showing all the down its face to its neck. It wore a few layers of clothing.

The infected let out a horrific scream, contorting its body in unnatural ways. It bared its greening teeth, scanning the area with frantic intensity. It was desperate for a meal and ready to attack anything in sight.

Maeve trembled. She had a knife, but what good would it do against a horde of infected? Jordan cautiously peeked around their hiding spot. The infected had lost interest and was stumbling away, wheezing and growling as it went.

"We need to find Ellie and Riley right now," Maeve whispered, relieved that the infected seemed far enough away. "Did you see how many there were?"

"They'd be fine, Mae. They're smart, they know how to evade and avoid.. And if they can't, well they have each other." Jordan looked at her.

"It's not that I don't have trust in them," she said, her brows knitted in concern. "You saw those infected!"

He placed a firm yet gentle hand on her shoulder. "I know you're worried, but we need to look out for ourselves first," he said, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. "Once we find a safe spot and the danger passes, we'll go look for them."

"But–"

"They're strong; they'll manage."

As much as she wanted to protest, he had a point. Ellie was tough, most of the time, especially when there was danger. And Riley? She probably dealt with worse every day. But it was her sister, for crying out loud! The worry never left her. As they navigated the mall, the sight of so many infected was alarming; they could easily be underestimating the numbers. It sent pure fear down her spin.

And the infected were incredibly fast. She feared they'd be ambushed before they even felt secure.

"Mae," Jordan grasped her hand, locking eyes with her. "Are you with me?"

Panic surged through her. Her mouth was dry, her tongue felt heavy. When did she become so conflicted? Her body shook, and the dread sensation chilled her nerves still.

Summoning her resolve, she nodded. "Yeah."

"Good," Jordan glanced around the sign again, scanning the plaza. "First, we get out of here, then we can worry."

"Okay."

A wave of cold washed over her as she rose. Her knees buzzed with sharp tingling, as if tiny needles were pricking her from within. She stayed close to Jordan, amazed she could even stand. Fear gripped her tightly, and if she were honest, she felt closer to danger than ever before. Just being a few meters away had rattled her; she didn't want to experience that again.

"Is it gone?"

"I think so," Jordan replied, moving cautiously from behind the sign. He kept his gun trained on the area. "Yeah—it's clear."

"Are you sure?"

"I don't see it around anymore, so yeah," he said, lowering his gun. Just then, he noticed Maeve was about to collide with a rusty trash bin. "Hey, careful!"

"EEKK!" she yelped, tumbling to the ground.

The trash bin toppled over with her, creating a loud metallic crash that echoed through the plaza like a cacophony of pots and pans clanging together.

"Are you okay?" He rushed over to her sprawled figure.

"That hurt like hell!" Maeve spat, shooting daggers at the trash can that was rocking back and forth. "Damn it! I've never hated a place more than this one."

"Yeah, you're fine," Jordan said with a light-hearted tone, reaching for Maeve's outstretched arm when a piercing scream shattered the air behind him.

"JORDAN!"

He turned just in time to see a body lunging toward him, closing the distance rapidly. The infected lashed out, shrieking with every ounce of breath it had. Jordan grunted, struggling to hold it back,his muscles straining against its relentless assault. Its monstrous growls reverberated off the walls.

"Jordan!" Maeve shouted, pushing herself off the ground and sprinting to help him.

"Mae!" He barely dodged the infected's snapping jaw.

"GET AWAY FROM HIM!" She leaped onto the infected's back, driving her knife deep into its neck before it could shift its focus to her. She plunged the blade into its jugular repeatedly. Blood sprayed from the wound, splattering Jordan and painting her hands dark red. The infected gurgled, its unnatural strength waning, though it still clawed at her arms. At last, it collapsed, lifeless. She pulled her knife free and tossed the body aside.

"Damn you infected things!" she hugged, wiping the blood off on her jeans. "Are you clean?"

Jordan patted himself down, and then nodded. "Yeah. I'm clean."

"Good," she said, trying not to look at the blood on her hands. "We should get out of here."

Before they could make another move, the silence was shattered by a chorus of shrieks and screams echoing from the hallway behind them. It sounded like there was more than just one.

"Oh God..." Maeve barely managed to whisper as five figures came barreling around the corner, charging straight for them.

"Shit! Move, move, MOVE!" Jordan yelled, shoving her in the opposite directions of the infected.

She sprinted ahead, with Jordan close on her heels. "I HATE this place!"

"Just run!"

"I AM!"

"Go right! Go right!" Jordan urged, pointing emphatically at a pair of barely ajar doors marked with an exit sign.

Maeve lunged toward the door, pushing again it with all her might. A cry of frustration escaped her when it wouldn't budge. She slammed her shoulder into it repeatedly, but it remained stubbornly in place, rattling ominously.

"Dammit, it won't open!" Panic seeped into her voice.

"Let me do it!" Jordan quickly moved to her side, and they heaved against the door. It groaned in protest, and they could hear the sound of objects tumbling over on the other side. TIme felt like it was against them; the opening was just wide enough for one person to squeeze through at a time.

"Go now!" Jordan pulled out his gun again.

With no time to argue, Maeve nodded and slipped through the narrow gap. The door handle scraped painfully against her side as she hurried to get through.

"I'm through!" she shouted.

Her heart raced with dread when he didn't respond. All she could hear were the horrifying scream of the infected and the sound of Jordan's gunfire. She caught a fleeting glimpse of Jordan being cornered by one of the infected, its grip tightening as another one approached from the front. Then came more gunshot, followed by a chilling silence.

"Jordan?!" she yelled, panic rising within her. Just then, he emerged, squeezing through the narrow gap. "Oh, thank goodness, you're safe!"

"More are coming!" he warned, shoving the debris against the door to re-barricade it. "We need to get upstairs! To the scaffolding!"

"Where the hell is that?!"

"Less talking, more running!" Jordan said, propelling her toward the staircase.

She didn't need to be told twice. The distant cries of the infected were growing louder, and she could hear them throwing themselves against the doors they'd come through. Neither of them wanted to end up as food for those things. She sprinted up the stairs, with Jordan leading the way on the final ascent.

"Keep going!"

"You're hurt!" She noticed the crimson stain spreading across his left shoulder, the edge of his collar, and part of his sleeve. Another wave of panic surged within her.

"I'm okay! We have to get out of here!"

She bit her lips, channeling all her focus into avoiding becoming a meal for the undead. Adrenaline coursed through her veins, mingling with a paralyzing fear. Infected were swarming, their guttural roars echoing as they slammed aginst the metal gates of shuttered stores and makeshift barricades in the dimly lit corridors. Some shops had a few infected pressing against the gates, and it was a miracle they hadn't broken through, despite their relentless strength. The fear they'd manage to get through was overwhelming.

They couldn't evade them forever, nor could they keep running.

Maeve gasped in terror, barely managing to sidestep a wild thrashing figure.

"Hold tight!" Jordan shouted, breathless. "There's the scaffolding!"

As they ran down a broader hallway, they spotted a large window, which was under construction. The plastic tarp fluttered in the morning wind. They were running out of time.

"Damn it! There's more coming!"

"Shit!" Jordan swore, desperately scanning for another way out.

"Over there!" Maeve pointed to a gap in a boarded-up furniture shop window. She needed a boost, but there was no way to know if infected was inside.

"Are you kidding me?" Jordan rushed to her side. "This is INSANE!"

"Well, do you have a better plan?!" she shot back.

He opened his mouth to protest but quickly changed his mind, moving to lift her toward the opening. His hands gripped the soles of her shoes as he hoisted her up while she scrambled through the shattered window above. She vanished, and Jordan's heart raced in his chest. With the infected closing in, his fear intensified.

"Maeve?!" He shouted with a tone of desperation.

In the brief moment she vanished from view, time stretched unbearbaly. His heart raced, pounding in his ears, and a wave of dread coursed through him. He grimly raised his pistol, counting his bullets. A shaky breath escaped him as the weight of impending doom settled heavily on his chest, leaving his breathless.

Just one.

One damn bullet.

"Maeve?" He called out again, but silence answered him.

This was it. He was going to die here, overwhelmed by the infected. Hope slipped away. He thought about Ellie and Riley, hoping they'd escaped the mall.

"Jordan!" Maeve's voice broke through the darkness.

Her figure emerged from the shadows, reaching out to him. At that moment, she appeared like an angel with a ring of light behind her. He leaped up, grasping her arms as she pulled him up.

"Thank God," he gasped. "I thought you were gone."

"I'd never abandon you!" She said, somehow balancing on a precarious stack of dressers and a chair, straining to pull him up with all her strength. "God, you're heavy!" she grunted, clenching her teeth.

He struggled to push himself up, the metal gate offering almost no friction. His body was jerked backward with a violent pull. Both teens screamed. An infected had latched onto Jordan's leg, shrieking and dragging him down.

"GET OFF ME!" Jordan shouted, stomping the infected's head with each word, driving the heel of his boot into its face.

The infected let out a bone-chilling scream, snapping its jaw at him just before Jordan's boot came crashing down on its forehead, delivering a fatal blow. Its body flopped back, and both teens winced as it hit the ground with a sickening thud. Its jaw lay shattered, detached from its head.

Maeve snapped back to reality, pulling with all her strength, leaning back as Jordan finally managed to scramble through the opening. She grabbed him under the arms to help him forward, but her grip faltered.

The teenagers collided heads with a sudden crash, sending them tumbling off the chair and dresser, plunging to the floor.

"Oof!"

Maeve landed on the ground first, flopping awkwardly just as Jordan came falling down on her, prompting a yelp of pain from her. He quickly stammered, "Shit, sorry, Mae," just as the furniture decided to topple around them rather than on top of them. Jordan threw himself over her, acting as a shield against the falling debris. Almost instantly, they began to cough violently from the cloud of thick dust that came off the old furniture.

"You okay?" Maeve asked, the worry flooding her as she noticed him swaying above her.

He looked unwell—pale and drawn, as if he'd just seen a ghost. Taking a deep breath, he glanced down at her. "Yeah...I think...I'm alright."

"Are you sure? You don't look like it." She wriggled out from beneath and pushed herself up.

"We just got chased by infected. Of course, I'm going to winded, Mariposa."

"Right." She bit her lip, her gaze dropping to the floor. "Sorry."

When she looked back at him, he shifted his crimson-streaked shoulder, wincing at the movement, his face twisting in discomfort.

"Are you alright?" she inquired once more, reaching out to him.

"I'm okay," he replied, flinching from her hand.

Alright, she thought, feeling a twinge of hurt. "We need to clean and bandage that shoulder," she said, remembering their harrowing escape. "You might've—"

"It's just a cut. I'll be fine."

She frowned at his sudden tone. "Don't take that tone with me, mister. I'm only trying to help."

He winced again. "Sorry. It just really hurts."

"I'm sure we can find some clean rags around here somewhere. Are you hurt anywhere else?"

"I think I twisted my ankle, but other than that, I'm good."

She breathed in relief. For a second there, I thought he'd been bitten. Then she gestured for him to undress so she could access the damage.

He stripped off his shirt, and surely enough, there was a large gash on his left shoulder. It didn't look like infected did it, which was very relieving. More than likely, he fell into something sharp during that small fight before the staircase.

"What do you think, Doc?" He waited.

"It doesn't look too deep," she carefully reached for the cut. "We still need to wrap it."

She inspected it closer, making sure there wasn't anything lodged in the skin. She leaned back, and stopped touching the cut. She knew some first aid, this should be a quick fix if they could find decent rags and a little bit of alcohol. Too bad they didn't bring Winston's liquor with them, that would've worked just as well as rubbing alcohol.

"You're cute when you're in thought." Jordan light-heartedly flirted.

"You know what would make me cuter?"

"Playing nurse?"

She shot him a look.

"Okay. Sorry."

"Do you have any alcohol in your bag? If not, that's okay."

"I don't think so."

"Anything we can do to wrap your shoulder?"

"Uhhh..." Jordan grimaced, pulling his backpack in front of him. "I think I have a scarf my mom gave me."

She rummaged through his stuff. "This blue one?"

"Yeah."

It wasn't ideal, but it'd do until they could get proper medical treatment. They'd have to go to the Fireflies.

"Okay, let's fix you up and then go find Ellie and Riley."

"Sounds like a plan."

I made some serious, story-altering changes. Jordan's death didn't happen because his role in Part 2 is required and plot inducing.