Vitamin Z

Maya slammed her locker shut with enough force to make the row of metal doors rattle. Third week of junior year and she was already running on fumes and iced coffee.

"You look like the walking dead," said Jordan, appearing beside her with his usual effortless grin. "Rough night?"

"Rough week," Maya groaned, rubbing her temples. "AP Euro test, college essay drafts, plus my mom's been on my case about 'wellness.'"

Jordan laughed. "Same. I haven't slept properly since... actually, I can't remember when." His dark circles had dark circles.

They shuffled toward first period like the rest of the zombie horde filling Lincoln High's halls. Everyone moved with this glassy-eyed shuffle, phones glowing like little lifelines. Maya sometimes felt like she was watching herself from above, some distant version of who she used to be before everything got so... so much.

"Hey," Jordan said suddenly, stopping at his locker. "My mom got me on this new thing. She swears it helps with energy." He fished out a bright orange bottle and tossed her a gummy. "Vitamin D. Plus some B-complex situation."

Maya stared at the gummy like it was alien technology. "Your mom is giving you vitamins?"

"Desperate times, right?" Jordan popped one in his mouth. "Besides, anything's better than feeling like a zombie 24/7. We can't keep running on caffeine and spite."

Something about the way he said it made Maya pause. Jordan—perfect, has-it-all-together Jordan—was admitting he was barely holding it together too.

"You're a good friend, you know that?" she said, pocketing the vitamin gummy.

Jordan shrugged, but she caught his smile. "We're all just trying to survive the apocalypse, Maya."

The bell rang, and the zombie shuffle accelerated. But for the first time in weeks, Maya felt a little less dead inside. Sometimes it's the smallest things that remind you you're alive. Sometimes it's just a friend, a vitamin gummy, and knowing you're not the only one pretending to have it together.