The morning light filtered through the cracks in the building's walls, casting long, jagged shadows across the room. The night had been long and filled with restless sleep, interrupted by the occasional distant groan of the undead. Yet, for the first time in days, Lena felt a glimmer of something she hadn’t felt for a while: hope.
 Maybe it was because they had made it through the night. Maybe it was because they had found shelter. Or maybe it was because, despite everything, they were still together.
 But Lena knew one thing for sure: they couldn’t stay here forever. They had to keep moving, to find something better. The question was, where would they go next?
 The others were slowly waking up, stretching and groaning as they tried to shake off the weariness of the night. Adrian was the first to speak.
 “Is it morning already?” he asked, his voice rough and tired.
 “Yeah,” Kai said, looking out the cracked window. “It’s already bright. We should move soon.”
 Rafael stood up and dusted himself off, his face drawn and serious. “We need to make a plan. We can’t stay here. If the zombies find this place, it won’t be safe for long.”
 Lena nodded in agreement, the weight of the situation settling back onto her shoulders. They couldn’t afford to linger. They needed to move fast, but the question was: where to?
 “We’ve got to head west,” Rafael said. “I’ve heard there’s a bigger city that way. Maybe there’s a safe zone. We might find more survivors, or at least more resources.”
 Kai didn’t look convinced. “And if we don’t find anything?”
 “Then we’ll keep looking,” Rafael said, his voice firm. “We can’t stop now. Not when we’re this close to something. If we don’t try, then what’s the point?”
 Lena glanced at the others. They were all looking to Rafael now, waiting for him to lead them. She wasn’t sure if he had all the answers, but she knew one thing: he was their best chance.
 “Let’s move out then,” Lena said, standing up. She took a deep breath, and for the first time in days, her heart felt a little lighter. They had made it through another day, and that was all that mattered.
 THEY packed what little they had, taking only the essentials: food, water, and any weapons they could find in the old building. They hadn’t seen any zombies nearby yet, but that didn’t mean they wouldn’t show up at any moment. They needed to stay alert.
 As they left the building and stepped out into the harsh light of the morning, the landscape felt alien to them. Everything was different now—everything was foreign. There was no sign of life anywhere, just the constant feeling of dread hanging in the air.
 The road stretched out ahead of them, empty and desolate. They walked for hours, their footsteps echoing in the silence.
 Along the way, they saw signs of what was once a thriving community. Abandoned cars, overturned trucks, empty houses with broken windows. It was like the world had been swallowed whole by the chaos.
 “How long do you think this has been going on?” Adrian asked, breaking the silence. “How long have we been running?”
 “I don’t know,” Kai replied, her voice soft. “Feels like forever.”
 “I think it’s been about two months,” Rafael said, glancing at his watch. “But time’s been hard to keep track of. I know it’s been too long.”
 Lena felt a pang in her chest. Two months. That’s how long they had been running, trying to stay alive, trying to find something. But each day felt like a lifetime, each hour like a battle against the inevitable.
 Eventually, they came to a small town. It looked empty, abandoned—just like everything else they had seen. The streets were eerily quiet, with not a single soul in sight.
 “This place used to be alive,” Rafael said, shaking his head. “Where did everyone go?”
 They cautiously approached the town, keeping their guard up. Lena couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. The stillness in the air felt unnatural, like it was waiting for something to happen.
 “Let’s check the stores,” Kai said, her voice barely above a whisper. “Maybe we can find something useful.”
 They made their way into a nearby convenience store. The shelves were mostly empty, save for a few cans and packets of dried food. It wasn’t much, but it was something. Lena grabbed a few cans and stuffed them into her bag, grateful for whatever she could get.
 But as they were about to leave, they heard a faint noise from the back of the store. It was a low, guttural growl—something that made Lena’s blood run cold.
 “Stay quiet,” Rafael whispered, signaling for them to stop. “I don’t like this.”
 They slowly backed toward the door, but before they could make it out, the growl grew louder. And then, a figure emerged from the shadows.
 It was one of them—an infected. But this one was different. It was faster, more agile than the ones they had encountered before. Its eyes were wild, its mouth twisted in a grotesque grin.
 Without warning, it lunged at them, its claws slashing through the air.
 “Run!” Rafael shouted.
 They bolted for the door, but the infected was faster. It grabbed Kai by the arm, pulling her back into the store.
 “No!” Lena screamed.
 Without thinking, Rafael rushed forward, pulling out his knife and stabbing the infected in the neck. It let out a screech, releasing Kai, who scrambled to her feet and ran out the door.
 They didn’t stop until they were a safe distance away, panting and shaken.
 “Are you okay?” Lena asked, looking at Kai, who was trembling.
 “I’m fine,” she said, her voice shaky. “But that was too close.”
 Rafael looked at the others, his expression grim. “We can’t stay here. We need to move faster.”
 They all nodded, knowing there was no time to waste.