Carlos and Anna had been on the run for months, scavenging from the ruins of cities they once knew. They had learned to be wary of anyone who crossed their path, but they still had hope. One day, as they trudged through a particularly barren stretch of wasteland, they saw a faint light flickering in the distance. They looked at each other in surprise and curiosity. "Something's out there," Anna said, pointing towards the light. "Let's go check it out," Carlos suggested. As they approached, the light grew brighter until they saw a massive warehouse in the distance. They carefully made their way over, keeping their hands on their weapons. "Hello?" Carlos called out as they neared the building. Silence greeted them as they drew closer. Anna whispered, "It looks empty, but be careful." As they entered the warehouse, they heard footsteps coming from the other side of the room. Carlos quickly drew his weapon, and Anna reached for her makeshift knife. "Howdy, strangers," a voice called out. "Who are you and what do you want?" Carlos and Anna relaxed a little when they saw the source of the voice - a woman who looked to be in her mid-forties, standing in front of them. "We don't mean any harm," Carlos said, lowering his weapon. "We're just looking for a safe place to rest for the night." The woman sized them up, looking for any sign of deception. "Alright," she finally said. "But I'll need you to hand over any weapons while you're here." Carlos and Anna hesitated for a moment before reluctantly handing over their weapons to the woman. "Follow me," she instructed, leading them towards a corner with blankets and food. "There are a few others here too. We keep to ourselves and don't allow anyone who doesn't belong." They settled in for the night, surrounded by strangers who they were slowly starting to trust. As the night wore on, they listened to stories from their new companions about what they had been through during the pandemic and the collapse of society. "Hey, do you guys have any skills?" one of their new companions asked, catching Carlos and Anna off guard. "What do you mean?" Anna asked. The woman smiled, "We're always in need of people who can help with food, defense, and building. We're survivors. We're stronger together." Carlos and Anna exchanged a look of understanding. This was the chance they had been looking for, the chance to be part of something bigger than just themselves. "We're in," Carlos said, with a sense of excitement in his voice. As the group continued to talk and get to know each other, Carlos and Anna felt like they had found a new home. Somewhere they could belong and rebuild with the help of others who cared. The next morning, they got to work, gathering food and water and helping to fortify the warehouse against any potential threats. They worked tirelessly together alongside their new companions, the exhilaration of finally being part of a community pushing them forward.
As the days went on, the merged group worked together to thrive in the new harsh world. Anna focused on cultivating and harvesting crops, Carlos became a skilled hunter, and their newfound friends worked on fortifying their warehouse home with barricades and traps to keep out any unwanted guests. But their peace didn't last long. One day, while Carlos was out on a hunt, the group was ambushed by a larger group of rival raiders. Despite their efforts and valiant fight, the survivors were outnumbered and outmatched. Carlos returned just in time to join the fight, but it was too late. They were overpowered, and the group was captured.
