The Endgame Chronicles (by Hugh White) novel Chapter 39

Chapter 39

On the third evening, something happened.

Hayley had just finished her work at the base. She had gone to check on the dogs when she saw them from a distance, sprinting ahead faster than she had ever seen.

They looked so excited, it was almost unreal.

She climbed the broken wall she had always used as a lookout, Summer by her side, and raised her eyes toward the horizon.

A line of green military trucks was rolling out from the city.

The moment she saw them, Hayley understood. Their owners had finally come back.

The dogs charged toward the convoy, barking wildly. The soldiers in the trucks looked startled, and one of the vehicles at the rear slowed to a stop.

A young man jumped out of the driver’s seat and immediately hugged one of the dogs. The others surrounded him, yelping with joy. One of the dogs even bolted to their old camp, grabbed a piece of beef, and proudly brought it back to him.

The man looked surprised to see fresh meat, but his smile faded quickly. He gently pushed the dogs away, returned the beef, and walked back toward his truck.

They had received orders from base: they had to save every bit of space for supplies and survivors.

The dogs had been abandoned on purpose. No matter how much it hurt, orders had to be followed.

The pack realized what was happening and rushed at the truck.

Even from far away, Hayley could hear the soldiers’ panicked shouts.

“Ah! Dogs!”

“Get back!”

“Don’t let them touch you-they could be infected!”

“Close the doors, hurry!”

The man who had hugged one of them scrambled back into the truck. The dog sprinted after him with the beef still in its mouth, desperate for his arms, but was met instead by the slam of a cold metal door.

The engine roared, and the truck sped off to rejoin the convoy.

The dogs chased after it with everything they had, but the distance only grew wider until they

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Chapter 39

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couldn’t keep up anymore.

When they finally limped back from the highway, one by one, the spark of hope they’d had that morning was gone. Their tails drooped, their eyes empty. They had no masters anymore.

That was the apocalypse-brutal, merciless. No one really had a choice.

If it were remotely possible, they would’ve let the dogs stay. But faced with survival, the base had chosen to prioritize the people.

Hayley stepped out in front of them and said, “This time, you’re coming with me.”

She looked at them one by one.

“I told you I’ll never abandon a single one of you. Just give me your trust.”

She wasn’t trying to be some saint saving the world. She didn’t want survivors. She wanted dogs.

The defeated pack hesitated as they looked at the human who had appeared before them. They fell silent.

Then, Front Legs-the one she had spent her precious points to heal-stepped forward. It circled her once before lowering itself at her feet with a soft whine.

That was all it took. The rest of the dogs surged forward, pressing in around her.

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