The flickering light of the lantern cast dancing shadows across the dimly lit room as William and Samantha settled back onto the worn couches, their eyes fixed on Dusty as he stood before them with a determined expression.
"I found something too," Dusty announced, his voice steady despite the weight of the moment.
As if on cue, Sarah stepped out from the shadows, her presence sending a shockwave of fear rippling through William and Samantha. "She's a zombie!" They jumped to their feet, their hands instinctively reaching for their swords, ready to defend themselves against the perceived threat.
But Dusty's voice cut through the silence like a knife, his tone firm and commanding. "Stop," he called, his gaze unwavering as he locked eyes with his friends. "She's not like the others."
William and Samantha hesitated; their swords still gripped tightly in their hands as they exchanged uncertain glances. But the look in Dusty's eyes told them everything they needed to know – this was not a time for violence, but for understanding. They pause and wait for their friend to explain why there is a zombie standing in the base that they considered so safe.
"She's not like the others, she can think, she can communicate," Dusty continued, his voice softening with compassion. "She needs our help, and we need to help her."
William and Samantha slowly lowered their swords, the tension draining from their bodies as they look at each other bewildered, lowering themselves, they sink back onto the couches.
"Now this is going to be a story," William said, trying to relieve some of his tension. Dusty motioned for Sarah to join him on the couch he was sitting on, her hesitant steps echoing in the quiet confines of the room.
As she sat beside him, Dusty turned to his friends, his voice filled with conviction. "While I was exploring near the library today I saw Sarah standing in the distance. Rather than attacking me she tried to communicate, she lead me into the library'" Dusty recalled. "In the library Sarah she showed me this magazine," he explained, holding up the dusty tome for them to see. "It explains everything. The article describes the virus that turned people into zombies... how it stripped away their humanity, turned them into mindless killers. But Sarah... she's different."
William and Samantha listened in stunned silence as Dusty recounted what he had learned from the book. Sarah's eyes flickered with fear as she watched them, her uncertainty palpable in the air, knowing that her future, in fact her entire life, rested on the words Dusty was saying to the others in the room.
"William, Samantha," Dusty said, his voice tinged with urgency. "We need to help her. She's not a threat to us. But I can't do this without you" He goes on to add more: "I know what the zombies have done and the death they have caused. While it might seem our only solution is to fight back and kill them all, we cannot lose site of our humanity. Sarah can feel, she fears for her life and she understands that her future is in our hands. Please consider what I am asking."
William and Samantha exchanged a hesitant glance, their minds racing with questions and doubts. But as they looked into Sarah's eyes, they saw something they hadn't expected – they saw the fear, the vulnerability, and a desperate longing for acceptance.
"What... what does she eat?" Samantha asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Sarah's head dropped, her shoulders slumping with shame. She points to the scare on her throat so they understand her difficulty speaking, "Human flesh, sometimes," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "But I hate it."
William and Samantha recoiled in horror, their eyes widening with disbelief. But before they could react, Dusty interjected with a hint of levity in his tone. "As long as you don't eat us, all is good," he joked, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
Sarah nodded eagerly, her eyes wide with relief as she understood Dusty's words. She may be a zombie, but she was not a mindless monster – she was a survivor, just like them.
Looking at each other, William's and Samantha's minds still reeling from the revelation of Sarah's true nature. But as they looked into her eyes, they saw a flicker of hope, a glimmer of humanity that refused to be extinguished.
"Okay, but I have a lot more questions" William said, his voice filled with determination. "She can stay, but she's sleeping on your side of the room."
Samantha nodded in agreement, her gaze softening as she reached out to squeeze Sarah's hand in a silent gesture of acceptance. "Do Zombies even sleep?" Samantha asked.
Sarah nodded her head yes.
With the decision made, Dusty breathed a sigh of relief, a sense of gratitude washing over him at the sight of his friends standing united in the face of this new experience. In this world of darkness and despair, they had found a glimmer of hope, a flicker of light that refused to be snuffed out. Their humanity was still guiding them in their decision making.
As they settled in for the night, the flickering light of the lantern casting long shadows across the room, Dusty grabbed a pillow and blanket off the bed. He turned toward Sarah with a smile, he knew they fear she had faced and how his friends decision would have been a load off her troubled mind. "Sarah you can take my bed, I'll grab the couch. Tomorrow we will have to find you a bed of your own."
Dusty couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude for the unlikely companionship they had found in each other. In a world torn apart by chaos and despair, they were each other's greatest allies, bound together by a bond that transcended the boundaries of life and death. As William said, there are many more questions they need to ask and answers that need to be found. For now, at least, there were four of them, with one more by their side, things would be even safer for all of them.
With that comforting thought lingering in his mind, Dusty closed his eyes and let the darkness of sleep wash over him, knowing that no matter what trials lay ahead, they would face them together, united in their determination to survive.