Zombie?

As Malachi drove on the dark, lonely road, several thoughts flashed through his mind. 

Apart from dimming the lights inside the car, Malachi believed that keeping the exterior lights off was the safer choice. 

He was uncertain of the current state of the world, and with zombies and potential monsters like the one they encountered earlier, turning on the car's lights in an area surrounded by woods might make them visible targets.

Malachi relied on the moonlight, along with his incredible eyesight, to navigate the road. 

While it wasn't as bright as daylight, it provided enough illumination for Malachi to see the road when he concentrated. He had turned on the interior car lights only when he sensed that Mia seemed uncomfortable in the dark, as indicated by her accelerated heart rate. 

Malachi was concerned that Mia might have developed trauma from the day's events, which was understandable for someone accustomed to a peaceful life.

With his hands on the car wheel, Malachi subconsciously turned to look at the wrapped crystal heart he placed in the cup holder on the front seat. 

Malachi's face twisted into a frown as memories of battling the monster dog flooded his mind once more. It was clear to him that his life was unlikely to return to peace and tranquillity anytime soon. 

The thought concerned Malachi, but it also fueled his determination. Regardless of the chaos around him, the safety and well-being of his family remained his top priority.

As he continued to steer the car, Malachi kept a vigilant eye on their surroundings. 

He was on the lookout for anything familiar or any landmarks that might help him determine their current location. 

Anna had driven them into the unknown, and while not knowing their exact whereabouts troubled him, Malachi understood that returning the way they came was not an option. 

Going back would expose them to the dangers they had encountered, including the zombies. 

Additionally, Anna didn't recognize the way back. They had no choice but to press forward and hope for a safer destination.

Malachi held no blame for Anna; she had acted swiftly to ensure her family's safety when the zombies first appeared, and that took precedence over knowing their exact destination. 

Malachi recognized the chaos that had likely unfolded on the highway when the undead had emerged. Anna's ability to remain composed and guide her family to safety under those circumstances was commendable.

With his left hand on the steering wheel, Malachi reached for the control to turn off the interior car light. With everyone else in the car sound asleep, there was no need to illuminate the interior. 

Malachi could navigate in the dark and felt a false sense of security with the car now blending into the surrounding darkness, making it less likely to attract unwanted attention.

Yet, the absence of attention did not guarantee the absence of danger, and Malachi remained alert to potential threats lurking in the shadows.

As Malachi drove down the desolate road, his keen eyesight detected something ahead of him. Uncertain of what it might be, he gradually brought the car to a stop, focusing intently on the indistinct figures a few metres in front. 

The exceptionally bright moonlight aided Malachi's vision as he peered through the darkness.

Squinting to the point where his eyes resembled slits, Malachi strained to see what stood before him. 

It took a moment, but he managed to make out the figures. 

Though still unclear due to the distance, they appeared to be humanoid. 

Malachi's initial thought was to wonder who had the courage to stand openly in a world gripped by chaos. However, his daughter's words quickly resurfaced in his mind.

Zombies.

Malachi's heart grew heavy as he concentrated harder on the three figures up ahead. The distance was significant, over 40 metres, and the fact that he could even make out figures at such a range in the darkness was remarkable.

'Humans or zombies?'

If those three figures were indeed zombies, it could only mean one thing: Malachi was drawing nearer to an urban area. This conclusion arose from the fact that the road from the filling station to his current location was desolate, and it seemed constructed for ease of travel through the woods. 

The dozen or so minutes Malachi had spent driving had not brought him into contact with any other humans. He also considered the possibility that the zombies could have roamed a significant distance away from urban centres.

However, Malachi didn't think this was the case. 

The empty and lonely road he had been travelling on for several minutes left a distinct impression on Malachi. This led him to believe that if the three figures in front of him were zombies, they might have wandered a bit far from the urban areas, assuming zombies were capable of doing so.

If Malachi's assumption was accurate, being close to an urban area had its pros and cons. 

On the positive side, it meant he was closer to civilization, or whatever remained of it, but the downside was that an urban area housed more people, potentially leading to more zombies and increased danger. Additionally, Malachi couldn't easily reverse his path on this road.

As he contemplated how to confirm whether the figures ahead were zombies or not, an idea suddenly struck Malachi. He felt much better now and decided it was an opportune time to use his unique ability. So he did. 

When the world shifted through Malachi's eyes, the situation on the road ahead shifted as well.