Good Night: An Apocalypse Story

As Stephanie and Harley arrived at Gigi’s cabin, they found him outside, packing his belongings onto his bike, clearly preparing to leave. The urgency in his movements suggested he wasn’t planning on coming back anytime soon.

They handed him the items they had recovered from the facility, and Gigi quickly inspected them, nodding with satisfaction. “Good work,” he said, strapping the items onto his bike.

“Where are you going?” Harley asked, eyeing him warily.

“I’m getting out of this zone,” Gigi replied, tightening the last of his gear. “After the hospital was destroyed, word's probably already spread. Everyone saw it. The Freaks will cause chaos now—raiders, settlements, the whole area is going to get a lot worse. I’d recommend you leave too, before the horde comes through here.”

Before Gigi could mount his bike and ride off, Stephanie stopped him, her voice cautious. “Wait—do you know a man named Vlad Dumitru?”

Gigi paused, frowning as he thought. “Vlad Dumitru…” he murmured, scratching his head. After a moment, recognition flickered in his eyes. “Yeah, I remember him. He was here about 15 years ago. Some of the other scientists and staff didn’t care much for him—they were envious, maybe even a little hateful. He was sent here by his father, who was some kind of big shot.”

Stephanie’s heart raced as Gigi continued. “Vlad volunteered his own daughter for the NHS project. I don’t know what happened to him after that, though. Lost track of him when things started going to hell.”

Stephanie swallowed, then spoke, her voice softer. “I’m his daughter. He died a year ago.”

Gigi's eyes widened, as if everything clicked into place. “Oh, that explains a lot,” he said, taking a step back and rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “If you’re looking for answers, you might want to check out other facilities. From what I remember, your grandfather—Vlad's father—was a big shot in the organization. He owned some of the facilities.”

The weight of Gigi’s words hung in the air. Her grandfather had been part of these facilities and now even the organization that made them from the beginning. It was a new revelation, one that sent Stephanie’s mind reeling.

“If you’re serious about finding out more,” Gigi added, “those facilities might hold the answers you’re looking for. But I’d be careful. The deeper you go, the darker the secrets you’ll find.”

With that final warning, Gigi climbed onto his bike, revved the engine, and with one last nod, he sped off, disappearing into the forest, leaving Stephanie and Harley standing at the cabin.

The next day, Stephanie and Harley were busy preparing for their departure. The cabin that had been their refuge was now being stripped down to the essentials. They carefully packed up their most important items—weapons, ammo, and tools—while deciding what to leave behind or sell.

They had accumulated quite a few supplies during their time in the area, but they couldn’t take everything. The extra gear, materials, and surplus supplies were loaded onto their bikes, but most of the excess—tools, parts, and anything they couldn’t carry—was traded at Matei’s camp and with Stella's underground network for extra ammo, small tools, and other crucial items they needed for the journey ahead.

After bartering and securing what they needed, they packed up their bikes and backpacks, making sure everything was secured tightly for the long trip ahead. The weight of their mission—to uncover the truth about the Nocturnis project and their own past—loomed over them, but they were ready.

With everything set, they gave one last glance to the cabin that had been their temporary home. It had served its purpose, but the world beyond awaited.

As they climbed onto their bikes, Harley looked over at Stephanie. “You ready?”

“Ready,” Stephanie said, her eyes focused and determined. With that, they revved their engines, the sound of the bikes cutting through the quiet of the forest.

As Stephanie and Harley left the familiarity of their territory behind, they had decided on their next destination—Berlin. With the fragments of information they had gathered, it seemed like the Berlin facility might hold some answers they were searching for. The weight of the revelations from Gigi still hung over them, but they were resolved to uncover the truth.

Stephanie was grateful that her father had taken the time to teach her about the geography of the world before everything had fallen apart. Despite the chaos that had taken over the planet, she knew exactly where Berlin was. Harley, too, had been taught well, and they both had a clear understanding of the journey that lay ahead.

As they rode side by side, the shock of learning about their fathers' involvement in the NHS Project still lingered, but time had given them some space to process it. The fact that they had been experimented on, without their knowledge or consent, and even with the agreement of their own fathers, was a bitter truth to swallow. But there was also an undeniable side to it that they couldn’t ignore.

“You know...” Harley began as they cruised down the road, the wind whipping past them. “It’s messed up what they did, but I’ve had time to think about it. And honestly, it’s better than being a Freak or... a normal human.”

Stephanie glanced over, her expression thoughtful. “Yeah, I’ve been thinking about that too. I’m still pissed...” she admitted, her voice trailing off, “but if we’re going to survive in this world, being part of a better species isn’t the worst thing that could’ve happened to us.”

They both shared a moment of silent understanding. They were still upset about what had been done to them, but in a strange way, they felt grateful for the transformation. Their abilities had given them an edge in a world that had fallen apart. Better to be Homo Nocturnis than a vulnerable human or a mindless Freak.

After hours of riding, the sun dipped below the horizon, and night began to fall. They needed a place to stop and rest. Soon enough, they spotted an old gas station off the highway, its faded sign barely visible in the dim light.

Stephanie pulled off the road, slowing to a stop. “We’ll rest here for the night,” she said, looking around. The gas station was abandoned, but it seemed secure enough for now.

They parked their bikes near the pumps and cautiously checked the area. After making sure it was safe, they set up camp for the night, the distant sounds of the wild world around them fading into the background.

With the stars starting to appear above them, they took a moment to rest.

As Stephanie and Harley shared a heated moment in the back room of the gas station, their passion rising, the world around them seemed to disappear. Harley was about to enter Stephanie, when suddenly, a loud noise interrupted the moment—hundreds of footsteps echoing from outside.

Both women froze, their instincts kicking in. They quickly pulled apart, adrenaline flooding their veins as they hurried to block the entrances. Grabbing rafts, crates, and anything they could find, they stacked them against the doors, barricading themselves inside the room. The tension was palpable as they peeked through a small window.

Outside, they saw the source of the noise—hundreds of Freaks moving past the gas station in a relentless march. The sheer number of them was terrifying, and for a moment, neither Stephanie nor Harley dared to breathe.

After what felt like an eternity, the Freaks finally passed, their heavy footsteps fading into the distance. Both women sighed in relief, their bodies still tense from the close call.

Once the danger had passed, they exchanged a glance, and the tension between them shifted back to something more familiar. With a small grin, Stephanie leaned toward Harley. “Where were we?” she whispered, her voice teasing.

With the barricades still in place, the two of them returned to their action, picking up where they left off as the night passed quietly around them.

The next morning, the world seemed much quieter. With the Freaks gone, Stephanie and Harley packed their things, making sure they were ready for the long road ahead. They strapped their gear onto their bikes and took one last look at the abandoned gas station before heading back onto the highway.

Their destination was clear: the border between Hungary and Romania. The journey to Berlin was still long, and they knew it wouldn’t be easy.

As Stephanie and Harley rode through the forested path, the road ahead seemed quiet and peaceful. But something caught Stephanie's sharp eyes—a small wire, barely visible, strung between two trees across the path. It was the same trap that had thrown her off her bike once before. She tried to warn Harley, but before the words left her mouth, it was too late.

Harley hit the wire, the force knocking her off her bike, sending her skidding across the ground. Instantly, Stephanie slammed on her brakes, stopping her bike as her heart raced. Without hesitation, she grabbed her rifle, already anticipating what was coming next.

From the trees, several raiders emerged from their hiding spots, weapons drawn and ready to attack. Stephanie took aim and fired, shooting one raider with a gun clean through the chest, dropping him instantly.

As Harley groaned, getting up from the ground, she saw another raider making a move toward the gun on the ground. Reacting quickly, Harley pulled out her pistol and fired, taking down the second raider before he could pick up the weapon.

There were still three raiders left. One of them, realizing they were outmatched, turned and bolted for the forest. His escape was short-lived as a Freak lunged out from the shadows, tackling him to the ground, and the raider's screams were quickly silenced.

The remaining two raiders faced off with Harley. One of them lunged at her, but Harley swiftly dodged his attack, countering with a solid punch to his face that knocked him out cold. The final raider, armed with a crowbar, swung at her, but Harley was quicker. She ducked beneath the blow and followed up with a powerful strike, knocking him unconscious as well.

With the immediate threat neutralized, Stephanie kept her rifle trained on the treeline, ensuring no other raiders were lurking nearby. The air was tense, but no more attacks came.

“You alright?” Stephanie called out, her voice sharp but concerned.

Harley dusted herself off, glancing at the knocked-out raiders. “Yeah, I’m fine. Looks like these guys weren’t much of a threat after all.”

Together, they secured the unconscious raiders.

After securing the situation, Stephanie and Harley decided what to do with the unconscious raiders. They dragged one of them to their bikes, planning to interrogate him later, while leaving the other behind to become Freak food, knowing full well that the forest was crawling with creatures that wouldn’t let the lone raider survive for long. They also took the fallen raiders' gun, adding it to their growing supply of weapons.

As night began to fall, they continued down the road until they spotted an abandoned building on the side. The structure looked old and run-down, but it was sturdy enough to provide shelter for the night. They pulled their bikes up and quickly checked the area to ensure it was safe before deciding to make camp inside.

The building’s interior was dusty and filled with the remnants of a life long forgotten—broken furniture, shattered glass, and peeling wallpaper. Despite its condition, it was a perfect spot to rest after the day's unexpected ambush.

After blocking the entrances and securing their perimeter, they settled down, the captured raider tied up in the corner.

“Looks like we’ll be sleeping with one eye open again,” Harley remarked, stretching out.

“Better here than out in the open with Freaks lurking around,” Stephanie replied, her voice tense but steady as she cleaned the newly acquired gun.