I walk along the beach, my smell making me blend in with those horrid creatures.
I slide past a group of zombies standing outside my hut, moving slowly to avoid making too much noise. I carefully slip the key in its keyhole, twisting it, and slipping inside. After quietly closing the door behind me, I let out a heavy sigh, defeat hitting me like a truck.
Grrrg.
my stomach growls again, a reminder of my hunger.
I drop my knife and bow on the floor, frustration rising as I realize that I've lost my fishing rod.
My throat is dry, and my head pounds from exhaustion. I lock the door, setting the key on the wooden desk before switching the lights back off.
It's better to rest now. I'll search for food and water in the morning.
Lying on my bed, I cant help but wonder: what'll happen to those mindless monsters outside when the sun rises? They seem to spawn at night, but would they just disappear in the morning?
The thought of it makes my head throb. I can't think right now. I need sleep.
...
Bang... Bang.Bang.
I wake up in a cold sweat, my breath ragged and heavy.
These nightmares are becoming a problem. The worst part is, I can never remember what they are about once I wake up. It's super infuriating.
Why are these nightmares becoming so frequent? Back at the estate, I'd rarely ever get nightmares. Maybe being surrounded by so much death is making me go crazy. I can still picture the faces of the first two men I helped kill. I don't think I can ever forget them...
Bang. Bang. Bang.
The noise brings me back into reality. What was that?
I jump out of bed, grabbing my bow and my knife. Peering out the window, I find that it's still dark. It seems like only a few hours have actually passed.
I look down at the shore. The zombies are congregating, all moving toward the jungle. It seems like they have found some prey.
I run out of the small hut, slamming the door behind me as I sprint towards the woods. There were other people nearby!
I rush past the many slow-moving zombies, running towards the noise. Their disgusting scent and blood still lingers on me from a few hours ago, allowing me to navigate through the horde with relative ease.
If I was lucky, these people might have some food or water. Then a sudden realization hit me. Would they want to share?
Bang.
A flash of light cuts through the darkness, followed by a sharp pop. The zombie in front of me collapses, its brains splattered across the grass
"Holy shit!" I hiss, ducking behind a nearby tree.
Bang. Bang. Bang.
More zombies drop, but the swarm is never ending. Whoever these people are, they seem to be using those old blasters, what did my teachers call them? Guns?
I peek around the tree again, attempting to spot there location.
Bang.
A streak of light zips past my face, missing it by mere inches. My heart pounds as I jerk back behind the tree, a look of horror forming on my face.
I almost just died.
Bang. Bang.
Two more shots ring out, slamming into the tree, sending wood and bark splintering into the air.
Then silence.
Were they out of bullets? Were they reloading? I had no clue, but I needed to move. Staying still was not an option.
I push off the tree, bolting towards the source of the shots. I shift from tree to tree, weaving through the forest, attempting to not get spotted.
Bang. Bang.
More gunfire cracks through the air, yet I can't tell where the bullets land.
I can practically feel the adrenalin running through my veins as I reach a denser part of the forest-a great place to hide.
I pause scanning my surroundings, trying to spot someone, or something. Looking up, I spot something massive. High above me, a large tree house like structure spans across a decent amount of the forest. It's not just a small platform like most treehouses, but like a massive fortress in the canopy.
"Hey! let me up!" I yell, my voice hoarse from exhaustion and desperation.
"Who are you?" a quiet feminine voice full of concern, and caution asks.
I glance back behind me. The zombies are closing in. Luckily, they don't seem to know how to climb.
"Im a fellow prisoner!" I yell, desperate to get up. Sure, the zombies wont attack me, but I also really need food. If these guys have guns, they probably have food, and hopefully even water.
Another deeper, and more masculine voice speaks up. "Why weren't those infected attacking you?"
I sigh.
"I can tell you later, but please let me up. We can make some sort of trade" I scream, annoyed by their questions.
For a moment, only the groaning of the zombies fills the air. Just as I start to think that they will leave me down here with the infected, a rope ladder rolls down from the tree house.
A girl with bright orange hair, green eyes, and cute freckles peeks her head out from the trap door above.
"Climb up. Quickly!"
I don't hesitate. My muscles burn as I haul myself up the ladder. It seems like my body is still ridden with fatigue.
There's no way they built this place, how did they find it?
Releasing a grunt, I pull myself onto the tree house's wooden floor.
Just like it looked on the outside, the treehouse was quite large. It did indeed stretch across multiple trees, just like an interconnected fortress. Compared to my flimsy beach hut, this place was like a mansion!
It had polished floors, sturdy walls, and even balconies where I assume they had been sniping from.
Four people stand inside, all watching me carefully.
The orange-haired girl catches her breath. She looks the same age as me, maybe even a little younger.
Next to her stands a well built, decently handsome man, probably mid 20's or early 30's. He has short, slicked back black hair and aims a revolver at my head.
In the corner was a much older man with a thick white beard, and heavy mustache. He seems built, but also a little overweight. Either way, he carries an old bolt action sniper rifle in one hand, and a knife in the other giving him an aura of authority.
Finally, my eyes land on a woman with brown hair, and enchanting emerald eyes. She's extremely beautiful, yet doesn't even come close to matching Aurelia in terms of looks. She watches me with a weird intensity, probably assessing and calculating.
"Start talking," the old man growls. "Why don't those abominations attack you?"
I swallow hard. I need to play my cards right.
"Like I said," I answer, meeting his gaze. "I'm here to make a trade."