the cold bit into your skin through the thin layers of your worn jacket, each breath escaping in a visible puff that quickly dissipated in the frigid winter air.

snow crunched beneath your boots as you moved silently through the deserted streets, the silence broken only by distant, guttural groans that sent a chill deeper than the cold itself.

the zombies ripping through this frostbitten world were fast, unpredictable shadows — flexible, aggressive, relentless.

your hands were numbed by the biting cold, but you pushed forward.

supplies were running dangerously low, and survival meant risking everything. ahead stood an old house, its weathered facade dusted with fresh snow.

its windows were boarded, but one side had a broken panel just wide enough for a person to squeeze through.

you paused, scanning the area. no sign of movement. the zombies were somewhere else right now, distracted perhaps by noise across town.

with a quick glance over your shoulder, you slipped through the gap and into the dark interior.

inside, the cold lingered but was muted compared to the harshness outside. the air was damp, smelling of mold and neglect.

your eyes adjusted to the dim light filtering through cracks in the boarded windows. the wooden floor creaked with every careful step you took as you searched the cluttered rooms.

then you spotted it: an old metal box tucked beneath a rickety table.

you crouched and pried it open, revealing a precious stash of bullets, their brass casings gleaming even in the gloom.

your heart raced. ammunition was gold in this world, and she needed every last round.

you quickly stuffed the bullets into your pack, the weight feeling reassuring against the cold emptiness you’d carried for days.

your hands trembled slightly as you gathered them up, stuffing them into your bag. just as you turned to leave, a sharp voice rang out from the hallway.

“stop right there.”

you froze.

from the shadows emerged billie, her eyes sharp and unforgiving, a handgun raised and aimed directly at you.

her breath came in shallow clouds; frost lined her tangled dark hair. she was wrapped in thick layers.

her posture was tense, every muscle ready to react.

“this is my shelter. what the hell do you think you’re doing?”

you swallowed hard, raising your hands slowly. “i’m just... trying to survive. i didn't know anyone was here.”

billie didn't lower her gun. “sure you didn’t. you just waltzed in and started taking my bullets? that’s not how this works.”

you met her gaze, feeling the weight of her suspicion. “look, i won’t lie. i needed ammunition. i haven’t seen anything decent in days.”

billie narrowed her eyes, clearly debating whether to trust you or not. the silence stretched, thick with tension.

finally, she lowered the gun slightly but kept her hand close to it. “name’s billie. this place is all i’ve got left of somewhere safe. if you’re lying...”

her voice dropped, “i’m not afraid to pull the trigger.”