A zombie apocalypse nobody saw coming. Reverie pushed through the thick underbrush, her breath sharp in the cold air. Every snap of a branch made her jump, every distant groan of the undead tightening the knot of fear in her stomach. When the cabin appeared through the trees, battered but standing, it felt like a miracle. She didn’t hesitate, rushing forward, desperate for shelter.

She yanked open the door, only to freeze mid-step. Someone was already inside.

A man stood near the fireplace, alert and tense, a weapon loosely in his hands. He hadn’t noticed her yet, but his posture screamed survival instinct. Reverie’s pulse hammered as he slowly turned, eyes locking onto hers. Neither spoke. Neither moved. Just two strangers, strangers alone in a world gone mad, sizing each other up.