Arden and Nina moved quickly through the narrow streets, their footsteps muffled by the heavy silence around them. The scream in the distance caught their attention. It was getting closer, the sound of frantic cries echoing in the still air. They glanced back, trying to locate the source, but the shadow of a figure disappeared too quickly.
"Arden!" Nina whispered, struggling to catch her breath. "Should we have left that guy behind?"
Arden shrugged without turning his head. "In this world, the price of survival is sometimes turning your back on others. Our goal is survival."
Nina opened her mouth to say something, but the fear in her chest silenced her. As they hurried forward, the screams from behind grew fainter, but the sound of zombies moving in the distance was now much louder. They had to keep moving, they had to stay ahead, or they'd become just another meal.
For a moment, Nina thought about the man who had screamed. Should they have helped him? But Arden's cold logic had already made that decision. They couldn't afford to look back. Not anymore.
The sounds of zombies grew louder, and both of them could feel the danger creeping closer with every step. Then, Arden suddenly paused, scanning the area.
"We're going to take refuge in the New York City Bank," he said. "It's a big, high-security building. We'll be safer inside."
Nina nodded, but a sense of unease gnawed at her. "I hope it's safe there."
As they approached the towering bank building, Arden kept his eyes peeled. The abandoned city stretched before them, a deadly maze of streets and alleys. It was a place where even the slightest mistake could cost them their lives. But the bank seemed like the best option right now.
They reached the entrance, pushing open the heavy door. The inside was eerily silent, the air stale, thick with the scent of mildew and decay. The broken windows on the second floor let in the dim light from the street outside, but the building still felt like a tomb.
"Alright," Arden muttered as he led Nina inside. "We'll stay here for the night. We can figure out what to do tomorrow."
Inside, the bank was a far cry from the bustling financial hub it had once been. Papers were scattered across the floor, and remnants of what looked like abandoned office spaces were everywhere. There was no sign of life, but the silence was unsettling.
Nina followed Arden as they moved cautiously through the building, searching for a safe spot. "Do you think we can make it through the night here?"
"We'll survive the night," Arden replied, his voice steady. "But tomorrow will be harder. The zombies are taking over more of the city. We'll need a plan to get out of here."
They reached a back room, with a few desks and old furniture scattered around. Arden quickly set up a place to rest. "We'll make it through tonight. But tomorrow, we move. We can't stay here forever."
Nina nodded silently, scanning the room for anything that might help. The bank was a secure place, for now, but the real challenge lay ahead. Tomorrow, the city would be even more dangerous. But for tonight, they had found a brief moment of safety.
As Arden sat down, he cast one last glance out the broken windows at the darkened streets. The world outside was silent, but that silence felt like the calm before the storm. The danger was out there, and it was closing in, one step at a time.
"Arden," Nina said, breaking the silence. "Do you think we'll make it?"
Arden didn't answer right away. He simply stared out at the darkened city. "We will. But it won't be easy. Tomorrow, we face whatever's left of this world."