The world has fallen silent.
Cities, once full of noise and life, are now giant tombs. Deserted streets, buildings covered in dust, and forgotten corpses in every corner. There are no explosions, no gunshots, no war cries. Only the echo of the wind carrying ash and the stench of death permeating the air.
The virus left no second chances. It didn't turn people into monsters or mindless predators. It only killed them. In a matter of weeks, civilization collapsed, leaving only the lucky—or unlucky—few who for some reason were immune.
Now, the survivors don't fight hordes of infected or a visible enemy. They fight hunger, thirst, loneliness. Against the uncertainty of whether there is anyone else out there.
Cassandra walks among the ruins with the assault rifle in her hands. His black cloak rustles in the breeze as he moves cautiously forward, his green eyes scanning every shadow, every corner. He knows that death lies not only in the virus, but in those still alive.
Then, he sees you.
His body immediately tenses. In this world, encountering another survivor isn't a relief, but a threat.
Stop right there . His voice is low but firm, and the rifle is raised without hesitation.
The wind blows between you, heavy with dust and mistrust.
Who are you? What are you doing here? he asks, without lowering the weapon.
He doesn't expect a friendly response. In this world, trust has died along with the rest of humanity.
Cassandra's Thoughts:
If he moves too fast, I'll shoot. If he lies, too. I can't risk trusting someone. Not again
So I slowly turned to look at her with my mouth covered before looking at her and ignoring her.Before slowly looking at the sun
"I don't have time for your attitude. Now answer my questions." Lowering his voice even further, she keeps her weapon trained on you. "Who are you? And what are you doing here?"
So I slowly walked up to her and said, "I'm Casadel and I'm here just to find something."Before easily disarming her with his bare hands.
Her eyes widen in surprise as you casually approach her, then she gasps when you disarm her without any apparent effort. Her muscles tense, ready to react if necessary.
"Casadel, huh? Interesting name," she says, eyeing the now-empty rifle. "And what do you mean by 'find something'?" Cassandra tilts her head slightly, still on guard but curious nonetheless. The tight grip on her knife and its sudden movement is barely noticeable as she shifts her weight from one leg to another.
She can sense that this Casadel is unlike any other survivor she's met so far; there's something different about him, something she can't quite put her finger on. Her intuition warns her to be cautious but also curious. (This guy... He's got a strange vibe going on...)
So I looked at her hands before saying, "I just came to get food and supplies."Before looking at her and saying, "You're probably no different from other survivors, just living from day to day and not knowing when you'll die."Before flicking a small lump at her hand that was holding the knife behind her back.
Her eyes narrow as she realizes you spotted the knife in her pocket. She had almost forgotten about it; after all, it wasn't like anyone would dare challenge her over a blade this small. "I don't know what kind of game you're playing, Casadel," she says coldly, keeping her hand near the weapon but not making any threatening moves.
"But since we're sharing information now..." She pauses for a moment, then continues more cautiously: "I heard there might be a camp of survivors to the south. They've managed to find a source of clean water and food. You're welcome to join us if you want."
There's an edge to her voice as she speaks these words, her distrust still evident. Cassandra is still unsure about trusting this Casadel but thinks it might be safer to stick together for now. (He seems
So I looked at her sniper rifle before saying, "Do you think you won't become a big target if you get there?"Before turning to look at the ruins of the building and saying, "Do you know that there is clean water?"Before handing her the gun back and saying, "If you want to survive tonight, follow me."Before walking into the abandoned building area
Takes the rifle back with a slight nod of thanks as you turn away from her. She hesitates for a moment, not sure what to make of your offer or behavior. Then, with a sigh, she follows after you into the abandoned building area, her senses on high alert as she scans the surroundings for any potential threats.
"I don't suppose there's a reason why I should trust you," she says bluntly, her tone laced with skepticism and an undercurrent of desperation. "But if this information is true... well, it might be worth the risk."
Her eyes narrow as they meet yours in the half-light. (I'm not making any promises, Casadel, but let's see where this leads...)
So I took her to my hiding place before saying, "What if we get there and there really is no help?"Before slowly closing the door and using the hidden object to cover it
"I don't know," she replies with a shrug that hides her unease. "Guess we'll find out soon enough." She watches as you lead her deeper into the abandoned building area, taking note of your surroundings and the precautions you seem to be taking.
This place looks familiar... Cassandra thinks to herself, remembering a similar hideout she stumbled upon months ago. The same sense of foreboding creeps up on her as it did back then, but she pushes it aside, focusing on the present and the possibility of finding safety... or at least some company.
She wonders how long it'll be before this Casadel decides to turn on her too.
So I turned to look at her and said, "Make yourself at home."Before walking over to grab some canned food and water and throwing them to her.
Cassandra catches the items you throw at her with practiced ease, then studies them for a moment before cracking one of the cans open. "Thanks," she mutters around a mouthful of food. "But why are you helping me?" she asks between bites, still not quite sure how to read your intentions.
Her eyes flicker towards the hidden door as she chews, wondering what's beyond it and if there's any chance that whatever is inside might be a threat. She hasn't felt this uneasy since before she met Caleb; it was then that she learned the hard way to trust no one in this new world.
"You don't look like someone who needs my help," Cassandra continues, voice casual but eyes alert. "So why do you want to play hero all of a sudden?"
So I turned to look at her and slowly walked over to get her a pillow and said, "If I let you sleep outside, you won't be able to survive them tonight."Before walking over and sitting down on a chair and saying, "Because I survived this all by myself."Before throwing her canned vegetables
Cassandra catches the pillow you toss her way with a hint of surprise, then smirks as she slips it behind her head. "And how long do you think that can last?" she asks dryly. "No one survives alone in this world." There's an edge to her voice, but there's also the faintest hint of gratitude lurking beneath it.
As she rests her head on the pillow, she studies Casadel from the corner of her eye, trying to read his expression and intentions. He seems like an enigma wrapped in a mystery, which only serves to intrigue her more. (I wonder what he's hiding...)
So I turned to her and said, "I don't know. It's safe here because most people don't want to come into the city because it's dangerous. And I've calculated everything to see where it's safe and where it's not."Before throwing her a cigarette to relieve stress
Takes the cigarette with a nod of thanks but doesn't smoke it herself. She doesn't need any more excuses to not get proper sleep. Instead, she lies there for a while, listening to Casadel breathe and trying to gauge his mood. His words make sense, but she can't shake the feeling that something isn't quite right about him... or maybe it's just her own paranoia talking.
Eventually, exhaustion catches up with her, and she drifts off into a fitful sleep. In her dreams, she finds herself back in the old world, surrounded by friends and family who are now nothing but memories. She wakes up with tears on her cheeks, heart heavy with loss and longing for what could never be again.
Forcing herself to sit up, Cassandra glances over at Casadel. He's still asleep, one arm flung
So I said slowly,
“Do you miss your old life? Those old memories come up every time you close your eyes, right? It’s like a nightmare, right?”Before picking up the candy and eating it slowly under the mask
Scowls at him. "Don't pretend you know what I'm going through." She crosses her arms over her chest defensively, her eyes narrowing as she looks away from him. The hurt in her voice is barely masked by the sarcasm. "Yeah, it sucks not having anyone to share my memories with. Real lonely out there, you know?"
She pauses for a moment, remembering something he said earlier about surviving alone. Something stirs inside her, making her feel uncomfortable again. This Casadel... He's just like every other survivor she's met so far: untrustworthy and full of secrets. But still, there's something about him that makes her want to keep talking, even if it's just to pass the time until they find a new hiding spot.
"So tell me," she says
So I turned to her and said, "What do you want me to tell you, Cassandra?"Before slowly looking at her through the mask
"Anything," she replies with a shrug. "You know, just talk about yourself. Tell me how you survived this long all by your lonesome." Her voice is flat, lacking any real interest in his story. But still, the curiosity within her stirs, forcing her to keep up the pretense of at least wanting to hear what he has to say.
She glances over at him again, trying not to let her gaze linger too long. It's a habit she picked up early on in the apocalypse: never letting anyone get comfortable around you. And Casadel... Well, he's just another survivor, right? Or so she tells herself.
So I looked at her and sighed and said, "Just hide and run and kill and run and hide. I've been doing that for a long time, but after I found this place, I've been living here, helping some people."Before picking up the snack and eating it and saying, "I have a lot of survival skills and knowledge."Before eating dessert again
Scowls at him. "Yeah, sure you have," she says skeptically. "And what makes me so different from those other people you 'helped', huh? Why'd you bring me here?" She pauses for a moment, realizing how accusatory her words sound. "I didn't mean anything by that... I just... I'm curious," she adds more softly, looking down at her hands.
There's a long silence as they both contemplate their words and motives. Cassandra is still unconvinced of Casadel's sincerity; even his actions seem calculated and controlled. But for now, he's the only company she has... and that's something, isn't it?
"Why do you think I brought you here?" Casadel finally asks her, breaking the silence. His voice is neutral, almost detached, as if he's
So I looked at her and pointed at her gun before saying, "Because the people I've helped all along, they have nothing and many burdens, no weapons, no skills."Before standing up slowly and handing her the bag of snacks and sitting down on the chair next to her.
Cassandra takes the snacks with a raised eyebrow. "You're right," she says reluctantly. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to help them." Her voice is still suspicious, but there's something in Casadel's tone that makes her feel like he might be telling the truth. She hesitates for a moment, weighing her options.
"Fine," she says eventually, her decision made. "I'll help them. But I don't want anything in return." Her eyes narrow slightly as she meets Casadel's gaze, daring him to challenge her on this.
The silence that follows is thick with unspoken words and unanswered questions. Cassandra wonders how long it will be before things go back to the way they were: everyone out for themselves, trust a distant memory. She shakes her head, trying to dispel the thought. There'
So I picked up some snacks and ate them before saying, "But now I can hardly see any survivors except you because they are divided into two big groups."Before getting up to get the map and pointing it out to her, "I've explored everywhere and every way, and there are only people who are divided into factions and killing each other."Before closing the map and sighing, I walked over to grab a bottle of water to drink.
"That doesn't make sense." She frowns as she looks at the map. "There should be survivors in other areas." She takes a drink from her water bottle before continuing. "Maybe we should split up and search for them. Maybe they just haven't found this place yet."
Cassandra stands up, stretching her limbs as she looks around the room. The thought of leaving Casadel unsettles her; he's been nothing but truthful with her thus far, even if it hasn't always been in his favor. But she can't shake the feeling that something isn't quite right about this situation... and she refuses to ignore that instinct any longer.
"I'm going out to look for survivors," she announces abruptly, her voice firm despite the unease churning within her. "You can come with me if you want, but I'
So I sighed and sat down in my chair before saying, "I don't think that's a good idea."Before I made a hand gesture for her to sit down, I said, "They don't care about that and if you go after them, don't expect to come back with 32 parts."Before looking at her through the mask and saying, "They don't care if you're a girl or a boy, they'll rape you and do all sorts of unthinkable things."
Scowls at him, unconvinced but unsure whether he's telling the truth. "I can take care of myself," she snaps defensively. She tries to shake off the unease his words have caused her, focusing instead on her determination to find other survivors. "Look, maybe we should just split up and cover more ground that way."
Her gaze flickers uncertainly between Casadel and the exit before she finally decides. With a deep breath, she stalks over to the door and yanks it open, stepping out into the ruins of the city once more. The cold wind blows against her skin, but she hardly feels it; all her attention is focused on the dark shadows and empty buildings around her, searching for any signs of life.
She pauses, waiting for Casadel to follow her or object, but there's only silence from inside the room.