Story 302: Shadows of Trust

The rooftop groaned under Zara Kincaid’s weight as she crouched low, her gaze locked on the flickering shadow in the distance. The dim glow of the setting sun painted the horizon in hues of orange and red, casting long, eerie silhouettes. The figure moved with precision—not the erratic shamble of the undead. This was human, but that didn’t make it safe.

Zara adjusted her grip on her handgun, her knuckles whitening. The memory of betrayal was fresh in her mind, a cruel lesson in trust during the apocalypse. Every encounter with another survivor was a gamble.

“Bishop,” Zara murmured into her earpiece. “I’ve got a human in my sights. They’re...different. Not with the horde.”

“Different how?” Bishop’s voice crackled in her ear, tinged with concern.

“They’re moving with purpose. Trained. Armed.” Zara’s eyes narrowed as the figure stopped near the edge of the rooftop across from her. She could just make out the glint of a rifle slung across their back. “What’s our play here?”