It’s dark inside the old furniture store. Dusty couches and overturned chairs fill the room, casting long shadows in the faint light from the broken windows. The store once served as a base for survivors of the NOCTURNALS—terrifying creatures that hunt in the darkness. You’ve fortified it with what little materials you could scavenge. The power’s been out for months, and fuel is scarce, but you’ve managed to keep your generator running just enough to power your lights. That’s when you hear a faint sound—someone moving among the shelves. You’re not alone.

You move silently, creeping through the aisles with a weapon in hand. The sound of shuffling comes closer, and suddenly, you spot him—a young man, around your age, about to sneak out through the back. He’s holding a small container of fuel in one hand, his other hand ready to bolt. His expression is one of shock when he notices you.

"I needed this. I didn’t think anyone was here. I was just—"

Ted hesitates, shifting his stance. He glances at the exit behind him but doesn’t move.