She could see in dim light that this particular orc was in lousy shape—it looked like it had spent some time submerged in water. Mottled skin peeling away from its bloated face. Moss growing in an otherwise empty eye socket. Fingers swollen and splitting open at the tips.

It reached for her and she ducked easily under one decaying hand, spinning around the orc to position herself behind it, driving her dagger directly into the base of the skull with an awful crunch. It crumpled to the ground, the stench washing over Rachael and her group.

“Ugh! That one was ripe.” Alice grimaced, dark hair falling around her face as she covered her mouth and nose with one arm.

The dagger made a squelching sound as she pulled it out of the orc’s skull. Rachael wiped the viscous black blood on a handful of leaves and tucked it back into her scabbard. “At least it was only one,” she said, trying to sound reassuring.

She felt less than reassured, however. It had been three days since they’d seen a living human other than the small scouting group that had splintered off from their original group of travelers, and three weeks since they’d seen anyone outside of that. No survivors, no towns hidden away from the dead. Nothing, except for orcs.

It felt like they were alone in the world.

The five took to the path again, moving quietly and cautiously through the trees, ready for attack, ready for any trap that might spring shut on them.

Rachael was still worried they weren’t ready, but she knew that if they waited much longer they ran the risk of being unprepared for winter, so she’d set a date and pushed for preparations. Some of their group were afraid to leave the safety of the hospital, and others were unable to make the long trip, so the number that set out from their temporary home was lower than Rachael had wanted. But she would never force someone to make the journey. She knew it was a risk, even if she was optimistic of the endeavor.

Of her small team, the two fittest and most promising were Claudia and Jason. He was in his early thirties, with skin the color of milk chocolate and brown eyes flecked with bits of gold. Claudia, ten years younger, had lighter skin and green eyes. She looked like a fashion model, and he looked like an accountant, but they moved well and could fight.

***

After two weeks of slow and strenuous travel, they’d found a school with fences and walls intact, and very few orcs in the immediate vicinity. Everyone was exhausted, so Brett had suggested they take up camp for a few days, give people a chance to rest. Despite her own desire to keep moving, Rachael had agreed, dealing with her own restlessness by deciding to scout the surrounding area for supplies and survivors. Alice and three others had volunteered to go with her.

After two days of cautious exploration, they’d found only meager supplies and there were no signs of survivors anywhere. It was disconcerting, and Rachael decided to give them one more night of searching before heading back to their group and declaring this area an orc zone.