Zombie in a Net

The faint buzz of activity in Perkatory hummed in the background as Zoe sat at a table, her fingers lightly tracing the rim of her empty coffee cup. Across from her, Darren stood with his arms crossed, his posture tense.

"You're still not taking it easy," Darren said, his voice carrying a mix of concern and exasperation.

"I'm fine," Zoe replied, though the ache in her side begged to differ.

"Sure, fine," Darren muttered, leaning closer. "What about the glowing zombie you left dangling in a net trap for two weeks? What's the plan there?"

Zoe winced. She hadn't been able to stop thinking about it, the image of the creature flailing in the steel wire net burning in her mind. It had been a desperate move to save her life, but now it was a problem she couldn't ignore.

"I'm working on it," she said quietly, her eyes dropping to the table.

"Well, work faster," Darren shot back. "That thing's not going to stay put forever. What happens if it breaks loose?"

Zoe clenched her jaw, ignoring the sting of his words. He wasn't wrong.

"System," she muttered, summoning the Brewmaster System interface into view. "I need something to immobilize the zombie—fast. What can I make with the ingredients I already have?"

The Brewmaster System appeared with its usual flair. "Oh, Carter, always calling me for emergencies. It's almost like you can't survive without me."

"Cut the sarcasm and give me an answer," Zoe snapped.

The system hummed thoughtfully before presenting a recipe: "You could make Binding Brew. It creates a sticky, web-like foam that expands and hardens on contact, immobilizing the target. It's very versatile and very effective."

Zoe scanned the recipe. The ingredients were simple: ground coffee grounds (from her last roast), honey, and a few drops of cooking oil. She blinked.

"That's it?" she asked, her voice tinged with disbelief.

"Common, simple, and readily available," the system replied smugly. "Sometimes, Carter, you don't need rare ingredients. You just need to use your brain."

Zoe ignored the jab and turned to Darren. "I've got a solution. It's called Binding Brew. I'll brew it and use it to trap the zombie long enough for us to kill it."

Darren raised an eyebrow. "And it'll work?"

"It'll work," Zoe said with more confidence than she felt.

Darren nodded slowly. "Alright. I'll get a team together to secure the area and set up a fallback plan. But you're not going out there alone."

"I wasn't planning to," Zoe replied, a hint of a smile tugging at her lips.

The café became a flurry of activity as Zoe prepared the Binding Brew. She worked quickly but carefully, grinding the coffee grounds into a fine powder and mixing them with the honey and oil. The mixture thickened as she stirred, forming a sticky, viscous liquid.

The Brewmaster System chimed in. "Perfect consistency, Carter. Almost like you know what you're doing."

"Don't jinx it," Zoe muttered.

When the brew was ready, she poured it into a sturdy mason jar fitted with a spray nozzle. The jar felt warm in her hands, the faint scent of roasted coffee mingling with the sweetness of honey.

"Alright," she said, turning to Darren, who had just finished briefing the volunteers. "Let's go."

The team cautiously approached the steel wire trap, the glowing zombie still thrashing within its confines. Its veins pulsed with an eerie light, and its guttural growls echoed in the quiet.

"Everyone knows their roles," Darren said, his voice steady. "Stick to the plan. No one gets too close."

Zoe stepped forward, the jar of Binding Brew clutched tightly in her hands. The zombie's movements became more violent as it sensed her approach, its glowing veins flaring brighter.

"Stay calm," Darren said, his tone laced with the faint influence of his Charm System. The volunteers around them held firm, their weapons ready but their movements cautious.

Zoe uncapped the jar and aimed the nozzle at the zombie. The thick liquid bubbled slightly, its rich coffee scent wafting into the air.

"Here goes nothing," she murmured.

She squeezed the nozzle, spraying the Binding Brew in a wide arc. The sticky liquid shot out, hitting the zombie square in the chest. It expanded on contact, forming web-like strands that quickly hardened into a tough, resinous material.

The zombie thrashed, its growls turning into muffled snarls as the foam spread, immobilizing its limbs. It was completely encased within seconds, its glowing veins barely visible beneath the hardened shell.

Zoe stepped back, her breath hitching. "It worked."

"Time to finish this," Darren said. He gestured to Matthew, who stepped forward with a long pike.

With a swift, practiced motion, Matthew drove the pike into the zombie's head. The glowing veins flickered, then went dark as the creature slumped lifelessly within its resinous cocoon.

A collective sigh of relief swept through the group.

"Nice work," Darren said, clapping Zoe on the shoulder. "I'll admit, I had my doubts, but you pulled it off."

"Thanks," Zoe said, though her hands still trembled slightly.

As the team began dismantling the trap and clearing the area, Zoe and Darren stood off to the side, watching the others work.

"You did good," Darren said after a moment.

"So did you," Zoe replied, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Your system's not so bad after all."

Darren smirked. "Neither is yours. Though I'm still unsure how you put up with all the sarcasm."

"It's a gift," Zoe said dryly.

The two of them fell into a companionable silence, the weight of the day's events settling over them. The glowing zombie was gone, but questions remained unanswered—questions Zoe knew they couldn't ignore.

"We're not done yet," she said quietly.

"No," Darren agreed. "But at least we've got one less problem to worry about."

Zoe nodded, her gaze drifting to the horizon. For the first time in weeks, she felt a spark of hope. They had a long road ahead, but with their systems—and each other—she was starting to believe they might just make it.