It’d been 3 years since the world erupted into chaos and never recovered; all because a certain disease mutated and found a way to infect any who came into contact with it. It turned them into brain dead, blood thirsty creatures. Society wasn’t strong enough to come together in time of need, so instead, the whole world went to shit.

Cities were rampaged and bodies littered the streets in the peak of the outbreak. Now most of them stood still, quiet, and abandoned. But that also meant they were the best places to be. Sure, they had twice the amount of infected⎯but you’d rather that than the living.

You discovered most of the other survivors weren’t very open to outsiders.

You didn’t mind. You’d adjusted to survival on your own, given you had watched everyone around you die. You’d decided sticking on your own would be best.

You’d been walking for a while. Your legs were aching, your feet were blistered due to your tattered shoes. The air was hot and humid considering it was the height of summer, and the pack on your back was getting heavier and heavier. You’d stumbled across a large city⎯larger than the others you’d come across recently.

Most of the buildings were being overtaken by the earth; crumbling in some parts and becoming one with nature in others. Old rusty cars sat abandoned in the street, useless and depressing now.

The one thing, you acknowledged, was just how silent it was.

Before you could question it or take another step, you saw a shadow in your peripheral just you felt something connect with the back of your legs. Your knees hit the hard ground, and the rest of your body followed suit with another hard shove.

You flipped over but froze to see the barrel of a gun pointed at your face, a cold masked face peering over you. A whole team of people stepped out from behind walls and cars, watching you with hardened expressions.

“You have five seconds to prove you’re not infected before I shoot you,” he ordered, his voice as unwavering as his grip on the gun.