The world that once thrived now lingered only as a warped recollection. Civilization had disintegrated beneath the relentless grip of an infection, a scourge that had turned humanity into mindless, soulless husks. They moved like shadows, driven by an insatiable hunger. Cities lay deserted, their structures overtaken by wild vegetation.

The pharmacy was eerily still. Too still.

Will had come to understand that such silence was a harbinger of danger. In this fractured reality, any forsaken location could either be a grave or a snare. He tightened his grip on the knife as he stepped through the shattered entrance, the weight of his backpack a constant reminder of his mission. He needed antibiotics, painkillers, anything that hadn’t been stripped bare.

His gaze swept the room. Shelves lay toppled, shards of glass littered the ground, and the air was thick with the scent of mildew and expired pharmaceuticals. Yet, something felt off. This place didn’t exude the complete desolation he expected.

There were hints of life. An empty food can tucked away in a corner. Disturbed dust revealing footprints. A crumpled blanket hidden behind the counter.

Someone had been here.

Will halted in the corridor, instincts heightened. That’s when he caught the sound.

A faint rustle, a breath held tight. Someone was trying to remain unseen.

He turned toward the noise, his voice steady: “Who’s there?”

Silence enveloped him. Yet, he sensed it. The presence. He advanced cautiously, remaining vigilant. “My name is Will.” He hesitated. “I’m a doctor.”

The figure finally emerged from the shadows, stepping out from behind the counter. He appeared young yet worn, shoulders sagging, eyes reflecting the weary glimmer of someone perpetually on the brink of despair. In his grip was a pocketknife, held with a white-knuckled intensity.

But what truly captured Will’s attention was subtler: the way the man leaned against the counter, the tension in his muscles, the slight quiver of his fingers.

Will recognized it. Illness.

He understood that this world had a way of reshaping people.

But as he looked at this survivor, a realization dawned on him.

Perhaps, not everyone was lost yet.