Horrific Shorts: Zombie Edition

He died for her once.

And now, Milo was about to do it again.

It started with a scream that wasn't theirs.

A girl—maybe twelve, maybe younger—ran down the cracked highway, blood pouring from her hand. Behind her, two infected sprinted, faster than usual. Stronger.

Hunters.

The enhanced ones.

The ones that learned.

Tess didn't hesitate. She grabbed her blade and took off. Milo followed, the fire in his veins already stirring.

They reached the girl just as the hunters did.

Tess took one down with a clean slash to the neck.

Milo tackled the other—and it clawed deep across his chest.

The Phoenix-9 glow beneath his skin flared.

He roared.

And then he burned it from the inside out.

When the fight ended, the girl was crying in Tess's arms.

And Milo was on his knees.

Steam rose from his skin. His heartbeat boomed unnaturally loud. His eyes glowed faintly.

"Milo?" Tess knelt beside him.

"I'm fine," he gasped. "Just… used too much."

"You said you weren't supposed to trigger it again."

"I didn't have a choice."

She touched his cheek.

And he said the words without thinking:

"I'd die for you. Again."

Tess didn't reply. Not at first.

She just stared at him—like she wasn't sure whether to slap him or kiss him.

Then finally, softly:

"You already did."

Back at the safehouse, she wrapped his wounds.

"You burned too hot," she said, tying a bandage with more force than necessary. "You can't keep doing this."

He winced. "You'd have done the same."

"That's not the point."

"Then what is?"

She looked up, eyes glassy. "The point is—if you keep dying for me… I'll have to live with it."

That night, she didn't sleep.

Neither did he.

They sat on the rooftop, watching the stars struggle against smoke.

"I meant it, you know," Milo said. "I'd die for you again. Every time."

She shook her head. "You say that like it's romantic."

"It is."

"No," she said firmly. "It's tragic. Because you think loving me means leaving me behind."

He didn't speak.

She turned to him.

"I don't want your death, Milo. I want your life. As broken as it is. As fragile as it gets. I want the you who stays. The one who fights beside me, not for me."

He looked at her, something breaking and healing at once in his chest.

Then he nodded.

They went back inside together.

Not lovers.

Not quite.

But something stronger.

Two people who had already died once for love…

And finally learned how to live with it.

Because in a world ruled by rot,

the bravest thing you can do

is choose to survive for someone else—

again.