Story 505: Village of the Damned

The ZETU team moved cautiously through the broken gates of the abandoned village. The scent of rot and burning wood lingered heavily in the air, carried by a cold wind that rustled the shattered rooftops. The once-quaint cottages now stood in eerie disrepair, their walls smeared with dried blood and ominous claw marks.

“Eyes peeled,” Captain Marcus “Iron Will” Kane ordered, scanning the area with his shotgun raised. “We’re not alone here.”

The faint glow of fire in the village square cast dancing shadows over the horde of undead shambling aimlessly. Some wandered into walls, while others clawed at the ground, digging for nothing.

“Blaze, what’s your read?” Kane asked.

Sergeant Jenna “Blaze” Hart knelt beside a pile of scorched bones. “Looks like someone tried to fight back, but they didn’t last long. The fire took a few, but not enough.”