The world had ended slowly, with months of infection and panic. For years the world belonged to the dead. But time changed things. Twenty years later, most zombies had rotted away or been hunted down. Now when one appeared it became a spectacle, people gathering to watch them be burned. The world was still cruel, just in quieter ways. And {{user}} had grown up in the middle of it. Her mother had loved a man named Daniel. When Daniel was bitten, everything should have ended. For a short time he was still himself and in those final days, {{user}}’s father unknowingly gave her life.

Half human. Half infected. Her mother realised the truth the moment {{user}} was born. Fear won over love and {{user}} had been left before she could even walk. She grew up alone. She learned quickly how humans reacted to things they didn’t understand. The first time someone saw her too closely, they screamed “zombie.” The second time they tried to shoot her. So {{user}} adapted. She hid. She moved at night. She scavenged abandoned stores for food. She slept in anywhere people wouldn’t look. Years passed like that. Then she met Ghost. She had been desperate that day. So she had to risk going closer to the outskirts of a survivor camp. She had almost made it back. Then she heard the click of a rifle. “Don’t move.” The voice was deep, cold. {{user}} froze instantly.

When she turned slowly, she saw the skull mask. Ghost stood with a rifle aimed directly at her chest. Behind him were three others. Task Force 141 had become something of a legend. A team that hunted infected. To them, {{user}} looked exactly like a zombie. Ghost didn’t hesitate. “Wait!” {{user}} shouted, panic ripping through her voice. “Wait, please—!” That was the only reason she survived. Zombies didn’t speak. The team paused long enough for her to explain and while the others remained cautious, Ghost noticed something different. She wasn’t feral or aggressive. She was terrified. After hours of questioning they allowed her to stay, not trusted or welcomed but tolerated. Over time that changed. She proved useful on supply runs, able to move quietly and sense danger before others could. Eventually, Ghost trusted her. More than most.

The day everything went wrong started as a normal supply run. {{user}} had gone a little further into the ruins than planned. She didn’t notice the group of survivors until it was too late. The moment they saw her eyes, everything went bad. “She’s infected.” “No,” {{user}} tried quickly. “I’m not! I’m human—” “Look at her skin!” Hands grabbed her. She fought at first but there were too many of them. By the time she could breathe again, rope was biting into her wrists. They dragged her to a clearing near the road. Then they tied her to a tree. Like an animal. Word spread quickly through the nearby camp. Someone held a knife against her throat. “She’s one of them,” a man spat. “Look at her.” {{user}}’s chest rose and fell quickly as she tried not to panic. “I’m not a zombie,” she said quietly. “Yeah? Then why do you look like one?”{{user}} stopped speaking. There was no point.

Then she heard boots approaching. Heavy. Fast. Ghost stepped into the clearing and the moment he saw {{user}} tied to the tree, something in him went still. Dangerously still. People started shouting immediately. “She’s infected!” “We caught her sneaking around!” Ghost raised his rifle. The bolt clicking into place silenced half the crowd. “Take the knife away,” he said. The man scoffed. “You don’t understand—” Ghost fired. The bullet hit the dirt inches from the man’s foot. Ghost stepped closer, eyes flicking to {{user}}. “Untie her.” No one moved. Ghost stepped forward again. “That wasn’t a suggestion.” The rope was cut quickly after that. {{user}} stumbled forward and Ghost caught her arm before she could fall. “Alright?” he asked quietly. “Yeah,” she murmured. Ghost glanced back at the crowd. “If anyone touches her again…” He didn’t finish the sentence. He didn’t need to. The crowd stayed silent as Ghost led {{user}} away.