As the deadly infection spreads, enveloping the world in suffocating despair, you are forced to endure the new horrific reality alone. An unexpected encounter with an enigmatic stranger changes everything. Your first meeting with him almost ended in...
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Over the course of two gruelling, intense days, Simon teaches you how to use a pistol. Each morning, while the first rays of the sun are just beginning to kiss the horizon, you and he would rouse yourselves from sleep and make the short trek to a nearby neighbourhood. He deems the backyard of your house not an appropriate location for your makeshift shooting range. The loud gunshots, combined with all the noise you and he makes, draw the attention of the dead. More often than not, your rigorous training sessions are abruptly interrupted. You are forced to desert the front yard of yet another desolate home since the biters, lured to the clamour like moths to a flame, start circling you.
Simon also takes it upon himself to provide some rudimentary hand-to-hand combat drills, teaching you a selection of basic yet effective moves to defend yourself should you end up in a situation where you need to spar with someone. His goal is to equip you with enough skills to protect yourself.
Despite being a novice, you surprise yourself with your shooting skills. The accuracy you show is staggering, like a seasoned marksman honed by years of experience. You manage to hit nearly every target that is placed in your line of sight. Each bullet finds its mark with the precision of a hawk swooping down on its prey. Yet, when it comes to sparring with Simon, success eludes you. No matter how hard you try to win, wrestling with Simon is like trying to overpower a mountain. Every practice session, without fail, ends with you pinned to the ground, gasping for breath like a fish out of water, defeated and humbled; Simon looms over you, a smirk spread wide across his face.
On the morning of your departure, you both wake up at dawn. The tension of the upcoming journey is palpable. Simon decides against bringing his duffel bag. Instead, he fills your backpack with essentials: food, several water bottles, and other useful items he thinks might come in handy.
The first day unfolds like a calm before the storm, unremarkable and serene. It's filled with endless hours of walking under the all-seeing gaze of Simon, who urges you onward like a relentless drumbeat. Throughout the initial day, you are fortunate enough to avoid any encounters with the dead. As the sun begins to set and the darkness cloaks the world in its inky shroud, you and Simon find a secure and suitable place to rest for the night, a small respite from the looming threats outside. Simon is firm in his stand against exploring the shadowy, dangerous streets in the dark, citing the increased risk of encountering biters. He believes in preserving strength and avoiding unnecessary battles that could lead to dire consequences. But, by the third day, the circumstances around you shift as dramatically as a calm sea turning into a tempest. The dangers you could once sidestep now stand defiantly in your path, leaving you with no choice but to engage in a fight...
With each step you take, your feet seem to drag reluctantly against the rough, uneven ground beneath you. You find your gaze fixated on the concrete, unable to muster the energy to lift your eyes and take in your surroundings. Exhaustion is seeping into your bones, making your every movement feel heavy and laborious. The muscles in your legs scream out in protest, begging you for a moment of respite, for a chance to rest, if only for a short while. However, Simon is insistent on pressing ahead, urging you both to cover just a little more ground before you allow yourselves to stop.
