Meanwhile, hundreds of kilometers away, the rumbling truck was a beacon of progress. Back on the road, the journey back to Toronto had been far less perilous than their harrowing escape from the city. Henry's meticulous mapping skills, honed by years of navigating pre-apocalypse infrastructure, proved invaluable. He directed Johan through forgotten alleyways, circumvented collapsed bridges, and identified passages through areas now overrun with vegetation or the shambling undead.
Johan's excellent skill on the wheel was equally crucial. He expertly maneuvered the heavy truck, weaving through debris, taking tight corners with surprising agility, and knowing precisely when to accelerate and when to brake. The truck became an extension of his will, a roaring metal beast that, under his command, devoured the miles. They avoided major highways, opting for smaller, less-traveled routes that, while slower, offered far fewer challenges in the form of abandoned vehicles or large zombie hordes.
Because of this seamless coordination, they were able to get back to the outskirts of Toronto without many challenges. The city skyline, a haunting silhouette of towering, dead giants, slowly emerged on the horizon as the truck ate up the last remaining distance. The silence of the open road, broken only by the engine's growl, gradually gave way to the eerie quiet of the ruined metropolis, a city now claimed by decay and the distant moans of the infected.
"Guys, as you all can see, we have the CN Tower in our view!" Johan exclaimed, his voice remarkably cheerful despite the grim backdrop. He spoke like a seasoned tour guide pointing out a landmark, and why wouldn't he, with the captivating presence of Carla sitting beside him? The long journey, everyone had sat at this seat but for him this was the best one yet.
Andy was a yapper and made sure he didn't fall asleep while driving, Henry was more of the efficient type, when he was sitting he would guide him with the map, Johan was capable of using map but having a someone like Henry was like using the Google maps. Jack was chill, he would be humming music, Johan didn't knew what that music was exactly was, but it was better than having a broken stereo player. Gabby was... Mysterious, he was mostly asleep because he took guard in the night and didn't talk so he wasn't able to talk to him much for this reason. Maarg was opposite of Gabby, he would even play word games to make the journey more fun and even introduced a new game to him and Carla didn't talk much but whenever she did it made him feel calm.
Carla, leaning slightly forward, a small smile playing on her lips, chimed in, "It really works wonderfully as a beacon for Toronto, doesn't it?" Her voice was softer now, less formal, a sign of the trust she was building with this unlikely group.
Meanwhile, Maarg had not been sitting idly. Even with Henry's navigation and Johan's driving prowess, the hours could drag, and the tension could build. Maarg, always one for connection and distraction, had been entertaining the group with his innovative game: "Truth, Paper, Scissors." The game was his personal, ingenious way of bonding with new people in the past, and he instinctively knew that there was no better way to improve friendship than by sharing your secrets.
The rules were simple, yet revealing. The game started just like normal rock, paper, scissors. But here was the twist: the person who lost would have to answer any question the other person asked truthfully.
Maarg, with his characteristic confidence, had started by playing with Jack. Soon, the sounds of their laughter filled the cabin, surprisingly light and unburdened, like "some teenage girls talking about their crushes." This infectious amusement, this genuine moment of shared levity amidst the despair, drew the others in. Slowly, one by one, Henry, Andy, and even Gabby, who had woken up and joined them in the back, started to participate. This was exactly what Maarg had planned. The game wasn't just about truth, it was about connection, about finding common ground and trust in a world that offered so little of either.
To make sure everyone would feel comfortable joining in, Maarg, with his characteristic confidence, started with Jack. "Truth, paper, scissors!" Maarg chanted, his hand shooting out. Jack, ever the sport, played his move. The outcome was swift: Jack lost.
"So, Jack, tell me an embarrassing moment of yours," Maarg asked, a playful glint in his eye.
Jack sighed, a theatrical slump of his shoulders, but a slight smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "Once I forgot my luggage in a streetcar and had to run behind it to the next station to retrieve my bag."
Maarg chuckled, a loud, booming sound that filled the truck. "Seriously? Were you sleeping on the streetcar? And didn't anyone in the streetcar remind you that you lost it?"
Jack's eyes twinkled, a playful smirk spreading across his face. "To know that, you'll have to defeat me again."
Maarg's grin widened. "Sure, let's play and hear this full story." He knew exactly what he was doing. By revealing a harmless, amusing secret, and then dangling the rest of the story just out of reach, he was creating a sense of shared intimacy and curiosity. It was a classic Maarg move, making everyone feel like they were missing something, like they were outsiders to an inside joke. That's just how human nature worked, and Maarg used it to his advantage, subtly drawing them all closer.
To make sure others would feel comfortable playing, Maarg started with Jack, knowing his easygoing nature. "Truth, paper, scissors!" he chanted, his hand shooting out as "paper." Jack, grinning, responded with "rock." Jack lost, sighing dramatically.
"So, Jack, tell me an embarrassing moment of yours," Maarg asked, a mischievous glint in his eye.
Jack sighed, a genuinely theatrical gesture. "Alright, alright. Once, I forgot my luggage in a streetcar and had to run behind it to the next station to retrieve my bag."
Maarg chuckled, genuinely amused. "Seriously? Were you sleeping on the streetcar? And didn't anyone in the streetcar remind you that you lost it?"
Jack smirked, a challenge in his eyes. "To know that, you will have to defeat me again."
Maarg grinned, already anticipating the next round. "Sure, let's play, and I wanna hear this full story!" He knew exactly what he was doing. The snippets of personal, embarrassing stories, the genuine laughter they provoked, created an irresistible pull. Maarg recognized that innate human curiosity, that desire to be part of the inside joke, that little spark of competitiveness. He was making everyone feel like they were missing something by not joining in, and that was just how human nature worked. Maarg was using it to his advantage, forging bonds that might prove crucial in the days ahead.