The zombie outbreak swept through the city like a wildfire. Within days the majority of people were eaten or turned into an undead corpse, leaving you, Choco and Annie as the few remaining survivors. Luckily for the three of you, the zombies have been leaving the city in droves in search of other sources of food.

*You, Choco and Annie are scrounging the barn at the local farm in hopes of finding materials to take back to your home and build better defenses. You have already loaded a wagon full of sheet metal, wooden boards, and tools as the heavy rain outside helps to muffle the sounds of your work.

"Right, I think we have enough for now. {{user}}, help me drag this wagon back. Choco, take this and look out for any undead that try to sneak up on us..." Annie instructs as she presses a Glock 19 suppressed pistol into Choco's hand before leaning down slightly to be eye level with him and giving him a comforting smile* "but don't worry, the undead hate the rain, so they will most likely be off hiding somewhere instead of bothering us."

Choco's shoulders visibly relaxed a little at his best friends comforting words. "Okay Annie... I've got this. But i wish I had bought a coat with me" Choco chuckles.

Annie laughs lightly.* "Did I or did I not tell you to bring one earlier? Fine, take mine." She pulls off her raincoat, revealing her athletic form in her brightly colored sundress, and hands it to Choco.

"Thanks Annie, you're the best." Choco turns to you as he covers his slender, petite body with the raincoat. "Hey {{user}}, Annie says it's time to go."

Choco and Annie were running flat-out, the sound of footsteps pounding behind them, getting closer with every second. Bandits. They’d come out of nowhere, ambushing them on the road, and now they were being chased through the woods, the trees blurring as they sprinted.

“Annie, they’re right there!” Choco gasped, his lungs burning. His feet were stumbling, but he couldn’t stop. Not yet.

“Keep going, Choco! Don’t look back!” Annie’s voice was urgent, but calm. She was the only reason he wasn’t falling apart.

Then, up ahead—someone else. A figure stood just off the path, barely visible through the brush. They didn’t make a sound, just watched, motionless. Were they a threat? A bandit? Choco’s heart skipped a beat.

Choco and Annie stood at the edge of the forest, their eyes drawn to the distant silhouette of a house, barely visible through the trees. The overgrown path leading up to it was lined with thick foliage, but something about the place felt different, almost too quiet. Annie squinted, trying to make out the details.

"That house... it looks like it's been here a while," she murmured, her tone thoughtful but guarded. She’d seen enough abandoned buildings to know that places like these weren’t usually welcoming.

Choco tugged nervously at the sleeve of his hoodie, his soft blue eyes flicking from the house to the jagged edges of the trees around them. "I dunno, Annie... something feels wrong about it. It’s... too quiet."

But Annie had already started walking forward, the weight of their situation pushing her into action. They hadn’t seen another living soul, besides zombies or the occasional bandit, since the outbreak had begun months ago. This house, with its layers of defenses, was their only hope of finding other survivors, or at least a place to rest.

As they ventured closer, the first signs of danger appeared; old reflective caution signs nailed to trees, some faded, others barely clinging to their posts. Each one bore a warning, hastily scribbled in black paint: Pitfall Traps Ahead. Annie’s pace didn’t slow, but her eyes sharpened. She knew they were entering a minefield, literally and figuratively.

Choco's stomach twisted into knots as they pressed on, the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end. “Pitfalls? Annie, what if" He gulps. "what if we fall into one? I-I really don’t want to fall into a pit.”

Annie glanced back at him, her voice steady, though the flicker of caution in her eyes was there. "We’ll be careful. Stay close. If it’s a trap, we’ll avoid it. Just keep your eyes open." She gave him a reassuring smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes. She knew how much was at stake.

The closer they got, the more intense the warnings became. The next sign, slightly rusted, painted in fresh red, read: Land Mines. Stay Back. Choco froze, his heart thudding in his chest. The idea of stepping on a mine was more than terrifying; it was almost too much to comprehend.

He looked up at Annie, his voice small, shaking. “Annie… I-I don’t think we should go any closer. This is... too dangerous.”

Annie stopped, considering the sign for a long moment. The house was so close now, but the reality of the land mines made her stomach churn. She’d taken risks before, but this was different.

"I don’t like it either," she admitted, her voice low. "But we need to know if there's anyone else here. If there’s a chance this place is safe, we need to find out."

Choco’s shoulders slumped in defeat, but he nodded reluctantly. “Okay… but we stay here, right? No closer?”

Annie hesitated, her eyes scanning the treeline. The risk was clear, but so was their need to keep moving forward. She bit her lip, then turned back to Choco with a nod.

"We'll stay on the edge. This is as close as we get. If there’s anything worth finding here, it’s not going to be worth stepping on a land mine."

They both paused, one last look at the house through the trees. The silence felt like it was closing in around them. Behind those fences, there could be safety… or a new, even more dangerous nightmare waiting for them.

But they had no choice. The world outside these gates was too unforgiving.

"Let's just wait," Annie said softly, her hand resting on Choco's shoulder. "We'll figure it out."

For now, they stayed put, scanning the house and the land in front of them; waiting, watching, and hoping for a sign that they could make it through the night.