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There was no overhang on the buildings now, and Saff glanced up, scanning the rooftops on the opposite side of the street. If they continued straight, they’d be exposed to anyone with a semi-decent gun up there.
She looked back down just as they were coming to the end of the next block and slowed as they approached the end of the sidewalk.
"What are we doing?" the girl asked, anxiety seeping into every word. "What's wrong?"
Saff looked to their left down the street on that side. A single-lane road or alleyway that ran on the other side of these buildings, parallel to the main street they were on. If they went that way, there would be less room to escape if they were to come across any zombies, but they’d also be much less exposed.
She thought for a moment, then gave herself three seconds to decide, glancing from side to side.
"Turn left," she muttered. “And step down.”
They quickly crossed the open pavement to the other side.
Then they stepped up onto the curb and immediately turned down the narrow alleyway.
Saff looked up, checking the buildings around them, and then down the street. Dumpsters lined both sides, blocking most of her view. She slowed their pace, wondering if it would be a better idea to go back and continue along the main street.
But there was no telling who lurked along the rooftops of the shorter skyscrapers on the main street. She recalled the countless times Mike, and her father, had perched on top of buildings just like them scouring the streets below through the scopes of their rifles.
Staying hidden was still the best option.
They continued on, weaving around dumpsters and old broken-down cars until they came to a string of buses lined up one after the other, almost completely blocking the narrow alley.
Saff slowed as they approached.
"Stay here," she said, pulling her arm out of the girl's grip.
"What is it?"
Saff ignored the question, approaching the left back corner of the first bus.
Then she froze.
Voices.
Human voices.
But they were far enough away that she was confident they hadn't heard her—yet. She leaned to the left, trying to catch a glance, but most of the view was still blocked.
She dropped to the ground instead, flattening her chest to look beneath the vehicles. And this time, she could see them—at least four different pairs of feet on the other side of the last bus.
They spoke loudly, but not loud enough for her to make out the details of what they were saying. Not that it would matter, anyway. She knew from experience that sometimes, the most friendly conversations preceded the most heinous acts.
She watched for another few seconds before popping back up onto her feet. The people didn't appear to be on the immediate move, so they could probably go a different route and avoid running into them.
She turned and quickly made her way back to the girl.
"We’re going another way," she whispered, taking the girl's hand and wrapping it around her arm.
"Why?" she whispered back, fear laced throughout her voice.
Without another second's pause, Saff turned them and strode swiftly, but carefully, back down the alleyway.
"Were there infected people?" the girl whispered as they neared the end of the block.
"Humans," Saff muttered, slowing down as they reached the corner.
"Wait," the girl commanded, halting in place, her voice at full volume. "What if that’s the rest of my group? We have to go back. We have to talk to them."
