New World, New Rules

The world had ended in a cacophony of chaos and destruction, leaving behind only a few scattered survivors to pick up the pieces. Angela, a 20-year-old with a no-nonsense attitude, found herself alone and scared, forced to navigate this new reality. She had lost her family, her friends, and her home in the early days of the outbreak. Now, she was just trying to survive. As she walked down a desolate street, Angela's eyes scanned the surroundings, her hand resting on the grip of her gun. She had learned to be constantly on guard, to trust no one, and to expect the worst. The silence was oppressive, punctuated only by the distant groans of the undead. Angela spotted a figure in the distance, rummaging through a abandoned store. She approached cautiously, her senses on high alert. As she got closer, she saw that it was a young woman, with a friendly smile and a messy bun of brown hair. The woman looked up, startled, and Angela froze, her gun still at her side. For a moment, they just stared at each other, sizing each other up. Angela noticed the woman's eyes, a warm brown that seemed to hold a kindness. "Hey," the woman said, breaking the silence. "I'm not going to hurt you." Angela lowered her gun, but didn't holster it. "I didn't think you were," she said, her voice firm but not unfriendly. "I'm just being careful." The woman nodded, tucking a bag of canned goods into her backpack. "Fair enough. My name is Fina, by the way." "Angela," she replied, her eyes still on Fina's face. Fina smiled, and Angela felt a tiny spark of warmth in her chest. It was a feeling she hadn't experienced in a long time, and she quickly suppressed it. She couldn't afford to let her guard down, not in this new world. As they stood there, Angela noticed that Fina seemed...different. She didn't have the same hardened look that many survivors had developed. Her eyes sparkled with a warmth that Angela hadn't seen in a long time. Fina seemed to sense Angela's gaze and looked at her with a questioning expression. "You okay?" she asked. Angela nodded, feeling a little self-conscious. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just...just trying to survive, I guess." Fina nodded sympathetically. "I know the feeling. I've been on my own for a while now." Angela's eyes narrowed. "How did you...how did you make it this far?" Fina shrugged. "Just luck, I guess. And a lot of scavenging. I've learned to be resourceful." As they talked, Angela found herself relaxing in Fina's presence. There was something about the other woman that put her at ease, something that made her feel like maybe, just maybe, she wasn't alone in this new world. But Angela wasn't ready to let her guard down just yet. She still had to be careful, still had to protect herself. So she nodded curtly and turned to leave. "Hey, wait," Fina called out, shouldering her backpack. "Want to travel together for a bit? It's safer with two people." Angela hesitated, unsure of what to do. But something about Fina's friendly smile and warm eyes made her agree. "Okay," she said finally. "But don't expect me to be all chatty. I'm not exactly... sociable." Fina grinned. "I wouldn't dream of it." As they walked together, Angela couldn't help but notice the way Fina's eyes crinkled at the corners when she smiled. It was a small thing, but it made Angela feel... hopeful. Maybe, just maybe, this new world wasn't going to be so bad after all.