Story 507: Village of the Fire

The ZETU squad stood on the edge of the scorched village. The charred remains of the Juggernaut smoldered behind them, casting ominous shadows in the faint moonlight. Though the survivors were safe, the eerie silence that followed felt unnatural, almost oppressive.

“Captain,” Riley "Quick Shot" Bennett said from her perch on a ruined rooftop, “movement at the far end of the village. Looks like more walkers... no, wait. They’re running. Fast.”

“Runners,” Sergeant Jenna "Blaze" Hart spat. “Because things weren’t bad enough.”

Captain Marcus Kane raised his shotgun. “We’ve seen this pattern before—these villages don’t fall to ordinary walkers. There’s something driving them.”

Ethan "Brain" O’Connor monitored his drone feed, his face illuminated by the flickering screen. “The runners are converging near the central barn. Heat signatures inside—more survivors, or… something worse.”