The wind was biting, sweeping across the rooftop like a chill that had taken up residence in the very bones of the city. August’s eyes never left the figure on the other side of the rooftop, the one who had been waving frantically just moments ago. The distant sounds of moans and scraping feet echoed through the empty streets below, but in the distance, the figure had now come into clearer view—a woman, young, and frantic, her clothes torn, her face smeared with dirt and dried blood.

"She’s in trouble," Jude muttered under his breath. His voice was strained, a mix of exhaustion and unease. They’d just barely escaped the last wave of zombies, and now they were faced with a new dilemma. The woman needed help, but the danger of aiding someone in this world was clear. People weren’t always what they seemed in the aftermath of the outbreak. Trust was a commodity few could afford.

August glanced at Jude, who was leaning heavily against the rooftop’s wall, trying to steady himself. Blood dripped from his shoulder wound, staining the edges of his worn jacket, but despite the pain, his focus never wavered.

"Let’s do it," August said, his voice low and decisive. "We help her. But we’re quick."

Jude didn’t argue. Instead, he nodded, wiping the sweat from his brow as they both made their way toward the edge of the building. The woman continued waving, her movements erratic, almost frantic. It was clear she was scared—too scared to think straight. But that didn’t make her any less of a risk.

"Who are you?" August called out, his voice echoing in the wind, trying to be heard over the growing chaos below.

The woman looked up, eyes wide with desperation. "Please! Help me! I—I’m trapped, they’re coming for me!" Her voice cracked with panic.

“Stay calm,” August shouted, his heart racing as he glanced over his shoulder. The distant sound of the zombie horde was unmistakable, and it was getting closer. "We’ll get you out of there."

Jude was already moving toward the edge, his fingers twitching as if they were ready to pull the woman up from the ledge. But August held out a hand, stopping him.

"Hold on," August said, his voice tight. “Let’s make sure she’s not leading us into a trap.”

Jude gave a short, weary nod, but August could see the frustration in his eyes. Every minute they wasted could be their last. The horde was out there, and they were getting closer. The wind had begun to howl, a constant reminder that time was running out.

The woman’s voice rose again, this time with an edge of hysteria. "Please! Please! If you leave me here, I’ll die! I’ll be dead like the rest of them—please don’t leave me!"

August swallowed, his instincts gnawing at him, urging him to think. He had no idea who this woman was or what she wanted. People could be dangerous in this new world, driven to madness or greed by the horrors they’d witnessed. But one thing was clear: if they didn’t act now, she would be lost—and so would they.

"Okay," August said, his voice steady despite the storm of doubt in his mind. "We’ll help you. But you stay low. We move fast."

Jude seemed to hesitate, a look of concern crossing his face. “You sure about this?” he asked, his voice low. "We don’t know her. We don’t know what she’s been through. What if—"

"We have no choice," August interrupted, his gaze locked on the woman’s pleading eyes. "She’s in danger, and if we leave her, we risk getting cornered by the horde ourselves. We do this now, or we might not get another chance."

Jude exhaled, clearly not happy with the decision, but he didn’t argue further. They had already made their choice.

August and Jude approached the edge of the rooftop, making their way toward the woman. The air was thick with tension as they closed the distance. The woman continued to wave, her movements frantic, as she looked down, scanning the alleyways below. Her breaths were quick, shallow, as though the weight of the world was pressing down on her chest.

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“I’m coming for you!” August shouted to her, trying to calm the growing storm in her eyes. "Hold on!"

She nodded, but it was clear that her fear had taken hold of her. She was no longer thinking straight, just reacting to the chaos around her.

In a desperate attempt, she made a final jump, reaching toward the edge of the roof to get to them. But she was too far from safety, and in her panic, she miscalculated her move. The edge of the building was slippery, and her hands slipped as she tried to grab the ledge.

August’s heart dropped. The woman’s screams filled the air as she fell toward the ground below. But before she could hit the ground, he acted on instinct. Without thinking, he reached out for her, grabbing her arm and pulling her toward him with all his strength.

The woman’s body slammed against the edge of the roof with a sickening thud, but August held her fast, pulling her up just in time. She collapsed against him, gasping for air as her hands clung to him in sheer panic.

"Got you," August said, his voice harsh. “You’re safe.”

But the relief was short-lived. The sound of footsteps, loud and unmistakable, echoed from the building’s lower levels. August felt his chest tighten as he recognized the telltale shuffle of undead bodies, their growls rising in the distance.

"Jude, we need to move. Now!" August snapped, his voice urgent.

Jude, who had been scanning the area, turned back with wide eyes. "They’re here," he said grimly. "We’re not alone anymore."

With that, the three of them—August, Jude, and the woman—turned to flee. But the path to safety was no longer clear. Zombies were already flooding the rooftop, coming from every corner, clawing their way to the top. The edge of the building had been their only chance of escape, and now it seemed they were trapped, surrounded on all sides.

"Quick!" August urged, grabbing Cara by the wrist and pulling her toward the far side of the roof. He had to think fast. He had to get them out of this mess before the zombies closed in.

Jude, still grimacing from his injury, followed closely behind. The two of them reached the roof’s far side, but the situation had turned even direr. Zombies were crawling over the roof now, their twisted bodies rising like dark shadows against the flickering light of the streetlamps below.

Cara stumbled, her leg buckling beneath her. “I—I can’t,” she gasped, her breath ragged. "I can’t do this."

“Come on,” August urged, grabbing her by the shoulders. “We’re almost there. You can make it.”

But just as August pulled her forward, he heard a loud shriek that sent a chill down his spine.

Cara screamed.

She twisted in his arms, her foot caught under the gnarled hand of a zombie, dragging her back toward the edge of the roof. The creature was a hulking mass of decaying flesh, its fingers digging into the soft flesh of her ankle, pulling her closer to the impending doom of the horde below.

“Cara!” Jude shouted, rushing to her side. He pulled at her, trying to pry the zombie’s fingers from her leg, but the creature’s grip was vice-like, and Cara was already losing strength.

August’s heart raced. The zombies were closing in, their dead eyes fixed on the woman’s screams. He couldn’t let her die. Not like this. Not after everything they had been through.

Without thinking, he took a step forward, brandishing the knife the system had gifted him. His hand trembled, but there was no time for hesitation. He knew the risk—knew how close they were to the edge of disaster.

With a swift motion, he drove the blade deep into the zombie’s skull, his heart pounding in his chest. The monster recoiled, but it didn’t let go of Cara. Its hands, stiff and cold, held her tightly, pulling her closer.

"No!" Cara screamed, fighting against the creature’s grip, but it was no use.

August gritted his teeth, stepping closer to the zombie, his hands shaking. This was the moment. He had to make it count.

With a final, brutal shove, August yanked the creature off her, tossing it aside with all his strength. The zombie crumpled to the floor, its body twitching in its final death throes.

But Cara was still on the ground, her face pale with fear and pain.

“Cara! Are you okay?” August asked, his voice trembling with a mixture of relief and concern.

But as she looked up at him, her eyes filled with terror, he knew their nightmare was far from over. The horde was still coming—and they were surrounded.

Just as they thought they were safe, a new, terrifying sound rang out—the unmistakable growl of something far worse than the zombies. Something that would be their greatest challenge yet.