chapter 4:

The sun had long set by the time Geno and his group made it back to the safety of Tokyo Area 49. They entered the massive gate, which was guarded by heavily armed soldiers, and proceeded to their designated living quarters.

Geno had been assigned to a small room with a single bed and a small window. It was modest but comfortable enough. He sat down on the bed and let out a deep sigh, feeling the weight of the day's events.

"Are you okay?" asked a voice from behind him. Geno turned to see his friend and fellow survivor, Kaito, standing in the doorway.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Geno replied, though he knew he wasn't. The image of the infected woman's eyes staring blankly at him still haunted his mind.

"I know it's tough out there," Kaito said, walking over to sit next to him. "But we're still alive, and that's all that matters."

Geno nodded, grateful for Kaito's words. He knew they were lucky to have made it this far, but he couldn't help but feel a sense of despair for what the future held.

"What's our next move?" Geno asked, breaking the silence.

"We need to rest and regroup," Kaito said. "But tomorrow we'll need to head out and scavenge for supplies. We can't survive on what we have for much longer."

Geno knew Kaito was right. The limited supplies they had scavenged from the outside world wouldn't last forever. They needed to find more food, water, and medical supplies if they were to stand a chance.

"Alright, I'll get some sleep," Geno said, lying down on the bed. "See you in the morning."

Kaito nodded and got up, leaving Geno alone in the room. Geno closed his eyes and tried to clear his mind, but the events of the day continued to play on repeat.

As he drifted off to sleep, he made a promise to himself that he would do whatever it takes to survive, no matter what horrors awaited him outside the safety of Tokyo Area 49.