Zombie Crush: Shadows of Survival

The gas station was quiet, except for the sound of Shiro's heavy breathing. The group watched him carefully, unsure if they could trust the injured man. Takashi sat close to the window, keeping an eye on the dark road outside.

Rika leaned closer to Kato and whispered, "Do you believe him? What if he's lying?"

Kato shook his head. "I don't know yet. But if he's telling the truth, leaving him out there would've been cruel. We'll watch him, just in case."

Shiro coughed weakly, drawing their attention. "Thank you… for helping me," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I've been running for days. I thought I was going to die out there."

"Where are you from?" Kato asked, his rifle still in his hands.

Shiro looked up at him, his eyes tired. "The city," he said. "I was hiding with a group of survivors. But the zombies… they broke through. I ran, and I didn't look back."

"You're lucky you made it out alive," Rika said, narrowing her eyes. "Most people don't."

Shiro nodded slowly. "I know," he said. "I've lost everyone. My friends… my family… They're all gone."

Takashi felt a pang of sympathy for Shiro. He knew what it was like to lose everything. But he also knew they couldn't let their guard down. The world was too dangerous to trust anyone blindly.

"We'll let you stay for the night," Kato said firmly. "But if you try anything, you won't live to regret it. Understand?"

Shiro nodded quickly. "I understand. I just need rest. I won't cause trouble."

The group exchanged uneasy glances but said nothing more.

---

As the hours passed, the group took turns keeping watch. Takashi sat near the window, his shotgun resting on his lap. Outside, the darkness seemed endless, and every small noise made him tense.

Rika joined him after a while, sitting cross-legged on the floor. "You look tired," she said softly.

"I'm fine," Takashi replied, though his voice lacked conviction.

Rika studied him for a moment before speaking again. "What do you think about Shiro?"

Takashi shrugged. "I don't know. He seems harmless, but… we've seen what people can do when they're desperate."

"Yeah," Rika said, her expression darkening. "I just hope we didn't make a mistake letting him in."

The two sat in silence for a while, the only sound being the faint rustling of the wind outside.

---

At dawn, the group gathered around Shiro, who looked a little stronger after some rest. Kato handed him a bottle of water. "Drink this," he said. "But don't get too comfortable. We move out soon."

Shiro took the bottle with trembling hands. "Where are you all going?" he asked.

"We're heading west," Kato replied. "Looking for safe zones."

"Can I… come with you?" Shiro asked hesitantly. "I don't have anywhere else to go."

The group fell silent. Rika crossed her arms and frowned. "We don't even know if we can trust you," she said. "You could slow us down—or worse."

Shiro lowered his head, looking defeated. "I understand. But I'm not a threat, I swear. I just… I don't want to be alone anymore."

Takashi glanced at Kato, who seemed to be considering the request. Finally, Kato sighed. "You can come with us," he said. "But you'll pull your weight. No freeloaders."

Shiro's face lit up with relief. "Thank you," he said. "I won't let you down."

Rika looked less convinced but didn't argue.

---

The group packed up what little supplies they had and left the gas station behind. The road ahead was long and quiet, the ruins of the world stretching out before them.

As they walked, Shiro tried to make conversation. "So… how long have you all been together?" he asked.

"A while," Kato said without looking back. "We've seen a lot and lost even more."

Shiro nodded, his expression somber. "I can imagine. This world… it's a nightmare."

"It's worse than a nightmare," Rika said. "At least in nightmares, you wake up eventually."

Takashi stayed quiet, keeping his eyes on the horizon. He wasn't sure how he felt about Shiro joining them. The man seemed harmless enough, but trust was hard to come by these days.

---

By midday, they reached an open field with a small abandoned farmhouse in the distance. Kato raised his hand, signaling the group to stop.

"We'll check the farmhouse," he said. "Could be a good spot to rest and look for supplies."

The group approached the farmhouse cautiously, their weapons ready. The door creaked loudly as Kato pushed it open.

Inside, the air was stale, and the wooden floor groaned under their weight. The group spread out, searching the rooms.

"Clear," Takashi said after checking the last room.

The group gathered in the living room, where a dusty couch and a broken table sat in the center.

"Not much here," Rika said, kicking at a broken chair.

"Better than nothing," Kato replied. "We'll rest for a bit before moving on."

---

As the group settled in, Shiro sat near a window, staring out at the empty field. "I used to dream about living in a place like this," he said quietly. "A small house, far away from the chaos of the city."

"Well, you got your wish," Rika said sarcastically.

Shiro smiled faintly but didn't respond.

Takashi watched him from across the room. Despite his doubts, he couldn't help but feel a little sorry for the man. In this world, everyone was broken in some way.

Kato stood up, breaking the silence. "Alright," he said. "Let's plan our next move. We'll need to reach the next town by tomorrow. It's a long walk, and we can't afford to waste time."

The group nodded, their resolve hardening. The road ahead was uncertain, but they had no choice but to keep moving.