Ethan paused, his eyes drifting to the door they had to go through. Taking Lily along presented an obvious risk. The logical choice would be to leave her here, where he'd found her, while he went to look for her mother.

"Lily," he started, choosing his words carefully, "I think it might be safer if you stay here while I look for your mom. I'll come back for you as soon as I find her."

Lily's eyes widened. "But how will you even know what my mom looks like if I'm not there?"

Her words hit Ethan like a bolt of lightning, grounding his thoughts. He opened his mouth, ready to reassure her, but stopped. She had a fair point.

"Erm... Do you have a picture of your mom?" he asked.

Lily nodded, reaching into the pocket of her worn-out jeans. Her small fingers fumbled for a moment before pulling out a folded photograph. She handed it to Ethan, who unfolded it to reveal a smiling woman with brown hair, standing next to Lily in happier times. He memorized the face, handing the photograph back to Lily.

"Alright," Ethan began, handing back the photograph. "I've got her face memorized. You should stay here; it'll be safer."

Lily grabbed the photo, her eyes narrowing. "No! I want to come with you."

Ethan clenched his fists, trying to maintain his composure. "Lily, it's too dangerous out there. I can move faster alone, and I won't have to worry about keeping you safe."

"And what if you find her and she's hurt?" Lily shot back, her voice tinged with desperation. "What if she needs immediate help? You're not a doctor!"

Ethan's jaw tightened. "Oh yeah? Well, you're not a doctor either! You're just eight, remember?"

Lily's eyes blazed with a fiery mix of fear and defiance. "I just want to be there for her!"

The weight of her words bore down on Ethan. "You being there won't change anything. It will only increase the risk. You have to understand — "

"I understand that I don't want to be left behind again!" Lily interrupted, her eyes glistening but resolute. "I've been left alone before, waiting, not knowing anything. I won't do it again!"

Ethan felt his resolve waver. Her words pulled at a memory, a past experience of helplessness and isolation. "I get it, Lily. I really do. But if anything happened to you, I don’t know if — "

"You can't make this decision for me," Lily interjected, her eyes locking onto his. "It's my mom, and I have a right to be there for her!"

Ethan looked into her eyes, seeing a reflection of his own desperation mirrored back. He opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, a sudden noise interrupted them. A crash echoed from the hallway beyond the door, a stark reminder of the dangers lurking just on the other side. Both of their heads turned sharply toward the sound, and for a brief moment, their eyes met again.

Ethan's eyes met Lily's for a tense moment before he swiftly raised a finger to his lips, signaling her to be quiet. "Shh," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "We were being too loud. We have to stay quiet for a bit."

Both of them held their breath, listening intently to any sounds that might indicate their argument had attracted unwanted attention. Seconds stretched into minutes, and the oppressive silence filled the room. Finally, Ethan leaned in closer to Lily.

"Look," he whispered, "it sounds like whatever was out there has moved on, but we can't ignore what just happened. We need to make our decision now."

Lily stared back at him, her eyes searching his own as if trying to gauge his sincerity. "So what will it be? Are you taking me with you, or are you going to just leave me behind?"

Ethan sighed, his gaze still fixed on Lily. "Are you sure about this? I need to warn you one last time — it's going to be extremely dangerous out there. We might run into situations that are life-threatening."

Lily met his eyes, her own unwavering. "I'm sure. I'd rather face whatever is out there than be left behind again."

Ethan looked at her, noting the determined set of her jaw, the resolve in her eyes. It was a look he'd seen before, not in a child, but in adults who had already made up their minds.

"Alright," he whispered. "You can come. But you have to promise to do exactly as I say when I say it. No questions asked. Can you promise me that?"

Lily nodded earnestly. "I promise."

Ethan surveyed the room briefly, his eyes lingering on the door that led to the unknown dangers of the hallway. He turned back to Lily, a mixture of relief and apprehension knotting in his chest. "Okay, then," Ethan began, pulling his gaze away from the door to look at Lily. "Before we go any further, there's something we need to discuss. Up until now, I've only survived by running away from the infected."

Lily looked up at him, her eyes wide but attentive. "You mean the zombies?"

Ethan nodded, the word still unsettling to say out loud. "Yes, the zombies. But if we're going deeper into this building to find your mom, we can't just rely on running anymore. We should find weapons for both of us that we can use to defend ourselves with."

Lily's eyes widened further if that was even possible. "Weapons? But I'm only eight, you know!"

Ethan knelt down to her level, his eyes searching hers. "I know, Lily, but being eight won’t make you immune to danger. It's better to have something and not need it than to need it and not have it. Can you understand that?"

Lily hesitated but finally nodded. "Okay, I understand. What should we look for then?"

Ethan stood up, his eyes scanning the room. "For you, something sturdy but light enough to handle. A metal pipe, a piece of wood, anything like that."

His eyes caught sight of a maintenance closet in the corner of the room. Walking over, he pulled open the door and peered inside. After rummaging for a moment, he pulled out a short metal pipe and a screwdriver.

He handed the pipe to Lily. "Here, take this. You can use it to keep them at a distance."

Lily gripped the metal pipe, her small hands wrapping around it hesitantly. "Okay, I've got it."

Ethan nodded, holding the screwdriver in his own hand. "Good, let's make sure we can use these effectively. Don't swing wildly; aim for the head if you have to use it. But, let's hope it doesn't come to that."

Lily looked at him, her eyes sharpening with a new layer of maturity that seemed beyond her years. "I understand, aim for the head."

Ethan gave her a half-smile, a somber acknowledgment of the seriousness of their conversation. "Exactly. Remember, our goal is to avoid them. Only use this as a last resort."

A sudden thud resonated from the hallway again, louder and closer this time. The walls seemed to vibrate ever so slightly, and a shiver ran down Ethan's spine. His eyes locked onto the door as a low moan echoed, floating through the cracks of the doorframe.

He turned to Lily, his face stern. "We have to go now. Remember your promise. Do exactly as I say, alright?"

Lily clutched the metal pipe to her chest, her knuckles white. "I promise," she whispered, her voice tinged with both fear and determination.

Ethan exhaled deeply, every muscle in his body tensing in preparation for the peril that loomed beyond the door. His fingers touched the icy metal of the doorknob, hesitating for a heartbeat. He cast a final, lingering glance back at Lily, and with a resolute turn, swung the door open.