The soft roar of the waves grows faint as we make our way deeper into the underbrush of Barrier Island. We landed at its southernmost point. The lab we are searching for is said to be isolated somewhere in this forest.

Val flicks fronds out of her hair, plants her hand on her hip, and frowns at the tangle ahead. “How big are these woods? Are we going to find it today?”

Rod glances at his tablet. “Half a square mile. If I’m right, we’ll spot the lab in an hour, maybe two. It should be in the middle of all these trees. Terrains harsh; strangers don’t come snooping here.”

Asher tilts his head back, wiping sweat off his temple before drinking deeply from his water jug. “How rough are we talking?”

Rob taps his screen with deliberate focus. “Seasonal flooding makes for swampy conditions throughout the entire territory.”

“Great.” Asher exhales, taking the rear. “Remain vigilant, everyone. Slow and steady. We’ll arrive in no time.”

Jesse claps his hands as we continue on our trek. “Alright. It is my pick.”

Val sighs, rolling her eyes and swatting a vine away as she matches my pace. “Come on! You always choose the same thing.”

Jesse grins. “I’ll go first. I spy something green.”

“Dude! Do you see where we’re at right now?” Rod deadpans, spinning to glare at him.

Jamie is to Jesse’s left and watches as Rod walks backwards. “He does this on purpose, you know. He knows it pisses you off.”

“Yeah, payback is a bitch, bro.” Rod stumbles over a fallen tree limb.

“The fun is in the challenge, guys.” Jesse gives his best innocent stare to the group. “Someone play with me.”

I bite my lip to keep from laughing. I can’t help but speculate as I peer into the canopy above. “Is it the leaves?”

“Too obvious, Iz. Try again.” Jesse scoffs.

Val cranes her neck to obtain a good view of our surroundings, including where we have just come. “Is it that branch you practically ran into a few seconds ago?”

“Nope.” Jesse shakes his head. “I’ll give you a hint: It is in front of me.”

“The moss under foot?” Jamie points to a small fuzzy patch on a nearby trunk.

“Great hypothesis, but no.” Jesse quirks an eyebrow at her, and she blushes.

Everyone goes silent as we all look around. Every shade of green speckles the forest, from the foliage overhead to the mossy grass under our feet.

Asher breaks the silence. “Rod’s backpack.”

Jesse’s answering smile is wide. “Asher wins.”

Rod frowns down at his bookbag and then scowls. “Alright, whose turn is it now?”

“I spy a red object,” Asher states, his gaze never wandering.

Jamie’s eyebrows shoot up at the mention of the color, her eyes darting to the dark spaces in the woods. Her anxiety is the same as mine. The game offers a little reprieve from the monsters that could be lingering in any shadow. The danger is never far from our minds. My stomach twists at the thought.

“No blood or zombies,” Asher reassures her.

Her shoulders sag as she breathes a sigh of relief. “Thank goodness.”

Val chews her bottom lip, scanning the ground. She brushes a branch out of her path before guessing. “Jesse’s shoes?”

I gawk at his sneakers. They’re white with a stripe across the side. “Huh, I didn’t even notice.”

Asher shakes his head.

Jesse tries next. “Jamie’s water bottle?”

Jamie beams after taking a sip. There are tiny strawberries that dot the flask. Apparently, her favorite fruit.

“No,” Asher responds.

Rod pivots on one foot and surveys the team. “Izzy’s shirt?”

Asher smiles. “Still no. Anyone else?”

We all glance about and then blink at him with blank expressions. He chuckles. “Berry bush. Three o’clock.”

I squint into the brush in the direction Asher gives, stepping forward for a better look. Sure enough, vines of little berries are nestled in between oaks about fifteen paces ahead. “Impressive.”

Asher winks. “I try.”

***

“Are we there yet?” Val sounds exactly like a whiny five-year-old. “We’ve been walking for almost three hours.”

I’m exhausted. The hike turned into a soaked mess after fifty minutes in, cutting our fun short. It took an hour to navigate the swampy terrain and get back on track. My legs ache and sweat sticks my hair to the nape of my neck.

Rod consults his tablet. “Should find it soon; we’re within the parameters.”

“About fucking time.” Val fans herself.

The evergreens are thin, and soon we’re standing at the edge of tall fencing labeled “restricted zone” every ten feet. Barbed wire coils out in all directions at the very top. The laboratory itself sits sixty meters inside. Its walls are blanketed in moss and vines, neglected and half-swallowed by age.

Jesse hauls his backpack to the dirt and digs through it, yanking out a pair of heavy-duty scissors. He snaps them open and shut. “It’s a good thing I brought the wire cutters.”

He and Asher make quick work of the fence, cutting a hole big enough for us all to fit through.

Rod steps up to go first. “Now, remember, watch for traps. There could even be IEDs in the surrounding area. Who knows what we could be up against? Stay alert and be safe.”

We each step through the narrow opening in single file, careful not to nick ourselves on the jagged ends left from the wire cutters. Once inside, we regroup past the fence, ready to move forward.

“Hey, guys?” Val shades herself from the midday sun, glaring at something in the distance. “I think we have company.”

We turn to stare at each other as one, moving together so we can all see. I shield my face from the light. My stomach drops when I spot them. Six zombies lurk in the building’s shadow. At least two are Ragers, their bodies practically vibrating under the weight of the virus. The other four appear to be in the final stages, drool flowing steadily from their gaping mouths. And they are all heading our way.

Rod pulls his sword from its sheath. “Well, this just got interesting.”

Editor: Lucy Cafiero