The Darkening

The city was once beautiful, with gleaming towers of metal and glass stretching towards the sky. But now, it was a shadow of its former self. The streets were barren, the buildings crumbling, and the air thick with pollution.

James and Maya had been walking for hours, searching for any sign of life. They had left the safety of the bunker in the hopes of finding other survivors, but so far, they had seen no one.

As they turned a corner, they saw something that made them stop in their tracks. In the distance, they could see a group of figures shuffling towards them. At first, they thought it was a group of survivors like themselves, but as they got closer, they could see that something was very wrong.

The figures were twisted and distorted, with mottled skin and sunken eyes. They were the Infected, the survivors who had succumbed to the Nexus and become something else entirely.

James and Maya turned to run, but it was too late. The Infected had already spotted them, and they began to run towards them, moaning and groaning as they went.

James and Maya drew their weapons, preparing to fight for their lives. They knew that they had to be careful, as the Infected were fast and unpredictable.

The first of the Infected reached them, and James swung his weapon with all his might. The blow connected, but it did little to stop the creature. Maya fired her weapon, hitting the Infected in the chest. It stumbled back, but quickly regained its footing.

More and more of the Infected swarmed towards them, and James and Maya fought back as best they could. They backed up slowly, trying to put as much distance between themselves and the horde as possible.

Finally, they managed to break through the Infected and run down a side street. They didn't stop until they were sure they were out of danger.

James and Maya leaned against the wall, breathing heavily. They knew that they had to keep moving, but they were exhausted and scared.

As they continued down the street, they saw something that gave them hope. In the distance, they could see a faint light. It was small, but it was something.

They quickened their pace, following the light until they came to a building. It was an old church, and the light was coming from a single candle in a window.

James and Maya approached cautiously, unsure if the building was safe. They pushed open the door and stepped inside.

The church was empty, but it was clean and well-maintained. It was a stark contrast to the rest of the city, and it gave James and Maya a sense of peace.

They sat down in one of the pews, staring at the candle in the window. For the first time in a long time, they felt a glimmer of hope.