The sky was a heavy grey, thick with storm clouds as August sat hunched over a makeshift radio transmitter inside the small farmhouse they had claimed as their temporary base. The crackling noise from the radio was all-consuming, filling the room like the hum of a thousand restless whispers. He had been attempting to tune the broken machine for hours, frustrated by the lack of any useful communication. But something inside told him not to give up—not yet. There had to be a signal out there. A signal that could lead him to Sabrina.

He had to find her.

The system had warned him earlier, its voice cold and distant, of Marcos's connections to Sabrina. That was no coincidence. The system’s sudden reveal had only deepened August’s suspicions. Sabrina had always been elusive, a ghost in the shadows of his past. But now, she was tied to everything. To the outbreak, to the system, to his survival. And the more August thought about it, the more he realized that if he wanted answers, if he wanted to understand the true extent of this nightmare, he had to find her.

With his hands steady despite the rising tension in his chest, August adjusted the dials on the radio. The static grew louder for a moment before it settled into a rhythmic buzz, like the distant rumble of thunder. He could feel his heart pounding in his throat. He held his breath, waiting.

The sound of a voice pierced the static.

"...Sabrina... come in... response... lab..." The words were fragmented, distorted, but unmistakable. His pulse spiked, and his hands tightened around the radio’s knobs, trying to adjust the frequency. The words came through clearer this time, but still broken, struggling to be heard over the crackling interference.

"…Sabrina... if you can hear this... the lab... coordinates... 9-4-2-1... don’t let them... get to... it..."

The transmission cut off abruptly, leaving August staring at the radio in disbelief. The last words echoed in his mind: Don't let them get to it. What was Sabrina hiding? What was this lab, and why was it so important?

The coordinates. They were the key. August quickly scribbled the numbers down on a scrap of paper, his mind racing. He had no idea where this secret lab was located, but he had a starting point. He had to go to the coordinates and find out what Sabrina was doing, what the lab meant to this whole godforsaken world.

He reached for his pack, grabbing his weapons and supplies, when the faint sound of footsteps reached his ears. It was Cara, coming up behind him, her silhouette framed by the doorway.

“Everything okay?” she asked, concern flickering across her features. “You’ve been at that thing for hours.”

August turned, forcing a tight smile. “I think I just heard from Sabrina.”

Cara’s eyebrows shot up. “Sabrina? You mean, that Sabrina? The one you said disappeared?”

“Yeah,” August muttered. “I got a signal from her. She’s in some kind of lab. I’m going to find it.”

Jude walked in from the other room, wiping sweat from his brow, his eyes scanning the room. "What’s going on? You look like you’ve seen a ghost."

"I think I have," August said, still holding the radio in his hands. He handed the piece of paper with the coordinates to Jude. "This is where Sabrina is. A lab. We need to go there."

Jude studied the coordinates, his expression unreadable. “I thought she was gone. And now, after all this time, you think she’s hiding in a lab?”

“She left us a message," August said, his tone low. "And I’m going after her. If I can find her, I’ll have answers."

Cara stepped closer, her eyes narrowing with concern. “Are you sure it’s safe? We don’t know what’s waiting for us out there.”

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“I don’t care,” August snapped, his frustration bubbling to the surface. “I have to know what’s going on, why all this is happening. If she’s still alive, she’s got answers.” He paused, taking a breath. “I’m going. Whether you two come with me or not.”

Jude shot a quick glance at Cara, who only nodded in agreement.

“We’re with you,” Jude said, his voice steady. “Let’s go.”

The decision was made. They were leaving the farm, setting off toward the unknown, chasing a ghost in hopes of finding something real. Something that might change everything. But as August packed his things and prepared to leave, a sense of unease crept over him. His instincts were telling him something was wrong. He couldn’t shake the feeling that something—something dark—was closing in on them.

Suddenly, a loud crash echoed from outside the farmhouse. The sound of something heavy hitting the ground.

August froze, his hand instinctively going to the handle of his weapon. “What was that?”

Cara peered through the small window near the door. Her face went pale. “Zombies... they’re coming. A whole damn horde.”

“Shit,” Jude cursed under his breath. “We’re not going to make it out in time.”

August’s heart raced as the distant groan of zombies reached his ears, growing louder. There were too many of them. They had to get out now.

“Grab your gear,” August ordered, his voice sharp. “We need to move, now!”

Cara grabbed her bag, and Jude pulled his weapon from the holster, his face grim. They had been too busy preparing for their next move that they hadn’t noticed how close the undead horde had gotten. They had to leave the farmhouse immediately, or they’d be overrun.

August led the group to the back door, keeping his movements swift and deliberate. The horde had already started to surround the perimeter, their disjointed movements closing in. The air smelled of decay, a thick stench that lingered in the back of August’s throat as they slipped out into the tall grass behind the house.

The night air was cool, but the weight of the moment pressed down on August like a suffocating blanket. He could hear the groans of the zombies getting louder, and as he turned to look behind them, he saw the first wave of them stumbling into the clearing. A few were shambling aimlessly, but many more were marching straight for the house.

“Go!” August shouted, leading the way toward the tree line. They had to move fast. The horde was too large, and they couldn’t afford to be caught in the open.

They ran through the trees, their footsteps muffled by the overgrown brush. But even as they moved quickly, August couldn’t shake the nagging sense that something was wrong. They were running into danger, and the weight of it hung on him. The system’s warnings about Sabrina, the lab, and now this... It was all too much. He couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was pulling the strings, that they were being led into a trap.

“Keep moving,” August barked, glancing over his shoulder. The horde was closer now, their relentless pursuit undeterred by the terrain.

Suddenly, August’s HUD flickered to life, the system’s voice cutting through the tension.

Warning: Zombies approaching from all sides. Estimated breach time: 3 minutes. Mission updated.

“Three minutes?” Jude’s voice was tinged with panic. “We’re going to be trapped out here!”

“We need to find cover,” August said through gritted teeth. His mind raced, trying to calculate their best route. But the system was no longer offering suggestions. It was up to him to make the call. He could hear the distant shuffle of the horde gaining on them.

Ahead, a dilapidated farmhouse came into view, its roof sagging under the weight of time and neglect. It wasn’t much, but it would have to do. The building could provide some temporary shelter.

“Over there!” August shouted, pointing toward the building.

They made a break for it, weaving through the underbrush as fast as they could. The wind howled in their ears, drowning out the sound of the undead’s groans. The farmhouse seemed like a mirage, a glimmer of safety in the distance. But as they got closer, August realized something—something crucial—that made his stomach drop.

The front door was wide open.

The hairs on the back of his neck stood up. He motioned for the others to stop, signaling for them to crouch low. Something wasn’t right. The house was far too quiet.

“Stay close,” he whispered to Cara and Jude.

They moved cautiously, their steps light and deliberate. August’s heart pounded in his chest, the silence around them unbearable. The horde was closing in, but he knew they couldn’t afford to be reckless now. They had to be careful.

Inside the farmhouse, the air was thick with dust. The faint smell of decay clung to the walls, and August’s eyes darted around the dark, empty rooms. But there was no time to explore. The zombies were getting closer, and they needed a way out.

But as August turned to look toward the back of the house, he froze.

There, in the shadows of the far room, he saw something that made his blood run cold. The unmistakable silhouette of a figure—standing motionless, watching them.

The figure stepped forward, revealing a pale, familiar face. It was Sabrina.