I must have fallen asleep sometime during the journey, because the next thing I know, Xiuying-jie is shaking me awake. I wipe the drool from the edges of my mouth.

There is a highly concerning crack on the windscreen. Normally I’m a light sleeper and would have woken immediately to the thud of something hitting the windscreen hard enough to leave those cracks. Is this another side effect of having my cultivation crippled or whatever?

The two cars have stopped for the night. There was a bit of an argument earlier among the adults but the side in favour of stopping and resting won.

We have made camp beside a small stream. Lu Yang uses his ability to start a small campfire after the needed firewood is gathered. A small stand is set up and a kettle hung from it, which Xiuying-jie fills with her ability. They both look a little tired after.

The boiled water is used to cook instant noodles. Ms Lu has somehow managed to find and catch the only fish swimming in the stream, so we all get a little meat to go with it.

Everyone’s sitting around the fire and talking quietly with each other. With the threat of zombies looming over us, no one can fully relax, but we try our best.

Kui Renshu entertains a wide-eyed Yaoyao with a dramatic rendition of an event that happened to him. Granny Yang sits beside Jin Hailin and chats with Ms Lu. Xinya-jie assists the injured Liu Guanjun with eating.

Lu Yang waves me over. I carefully carry my noodles over to where he sits with Xiuying-jie. The last thing I want to do is spill hot water on my hands.

“What’s that on your hand?” he asks, gesturing at my left hand with his chopsticks. I lift my noodles higher and twist my head around to see. He’s talking about the blue snowflake tattoo.

“Oh, Snowflake put it there,” I answer. Xiuying-jie pats the ground between her and Lu Yang. I carefully sit.

Lu Yang hums thoughtfully.

“Tell us more about the cores. Are they safe to eat?”

“Snowflake says you have to do, do, uh…”

Shit, what’s the word for meditation? I have no idea.

I set my noodle cup on the ground and take up the only meditative pose I know. I close my eyes and hum a single low note.

I can feel their incredulous stares boring into me. My face heats up and I’m just about to give up and laugh it off when Xiuying-jie makes a noise of realisation. She drops her fist into her palm.

“Chénsī?”

I really hope that means meditation.

“I don’t know what that means but probably?”

I pick my noodles back up and slurp them while Xiuying-jie and Lu Yang discuss something too quickly for me to understand. I instantly regret it.

Ow, hot!

“Xiuying-jie…”

She takes one look at my face before laughing.

“Slow down, no one’s going to steal your food.”

She creates a ball of water and guides it into my mouth. It soothes my scalded tongue and I smile at her gratefully. She ruffles my hair.

When everyone’s finished eating, Lu Yang sets up a watch schedule. I volunteer but he pats me on the head and tells me good children should obediently go to sleep. I want to protest at being called a child, but honestly, I’m really tired. The earlier nap helped, but I still feel like I could just crash for 24 hours straight.

Lu Yang and Xiuying-jie take first watch. Everyone piles back into the two cars. We didn’t bring any sleeping bags or blankets, so I pass around the clothing I took from the shop I first hid in.

Man, the apocalypse only started this morning but it already feels like it’s been years. So much has happened today.

I got separated from my family, met Snowflake, met new people, saw some of those new people die…

Well. I’ll be surprised if I don’t have any nightmares tonight.

If I have nightmares, I don’t remember them. I’m woken up by the sound of Xiuying-jie’s name being called. Xiuying-jie rubs her eyes and scowls at Kui Renshu.

“What?”

“A horde of zombies is coming our way!”

That wakes her up quickly.

She curses and starts up the car. Lu Yang’s car is already pulling back onto the road.

I look behind us and my breath catches.

Oh shit. Is that a tier-2?

Another one already? I thought our luck had been pretty good in that we’d only encountered one horde of tier-1s, but if that means we have to face another tier-2, I’d like the tier-1s back, thanks universe!

Xiuying-jie steps on the gas and we launch straight into 130km/hr. The tier-2 charges towards us but its bulk is fortunately not conducive to speed and we quickly leave it in the dust.

There is a collective sigh of relief when the reflection of the tier-2 finally disappears from the rear-view mirror.

A thought strikes me and I twist around in my seat. Kui Renshu, Liu Guanjun, and Ms Lu; they’re all here. Whew. For a moment I thought we’d left someone behind.

The radio connecting the two vehicles crackles to life.

“Hey, are you guys okay?” Lu Yang’s distorted voice asks. I pick the radio up and press the button.

“Yeah, we’re following right behind you!” Xiuying-jie answers. “Everyone’s here, so no need to worry!”

“Good, good! That’s good to hear!”

We drive for a relieved minute. Then Yaoyao’s voice comes on.

“Hi! Is this the other car?”

Aww, he’s such a cute kid.

“Hello, Yaoyao. This is the other car. How are you?”

“I’m okay. Um, I want to talk to Granny Yang!”

…What?

“Sorry, can you say that again?”

“I want to talk to Granny Yang!”

Okay, so he wants to talk to Granny Yang, and he’s asking through the radio, which means that he thinks she’s in this car, which means she’s not in the other car, but she’s not in this car either, which means…

Just to make sure, I ask, “Is Granny Yang not in your car?”

“No, silly, she’s in your car!”

…Shit.