The sky was a pale blue, almost tinged with the fading light of the late afternoon. The group, weary but determined, walked down the cracked, empty street. They had just left a small town after scavenging what little they could find. With supplies running low, they kept their pace steady, but there was always a sense of unease—the world had changed, and no one could ever relax for long.

Rick led the way, his eyes scanning the area for any signs of danger. Behind him were Daryl, Glenn, Maggie, and the others—always alert, always on edge. The constant hum of walkers in the distance was a reminder that they couldn’t let their guard down, not even for a second.

Suddenly, Glenn’s voice broke the silence. “Rick, Daryl, look.”

They all turned toward him, and their eyes followed the direction of his gaze. Down the street, about a hundred yards away, they saw a woman walking slowly. She was alone, her steps heavy, dragging, as though she had been walking for miles. Her ragged clothes barely clung to her frame, and her face was pale, exhausted.

Rick’s expression immediately hardened. “She’s not alone,” he muttered, his eyes narrowing as he studied the scene. He could see them now—walkers trailing behind the woman like a shadow, lurching and stumbling in sync with her every move.

Daryl was already moving, his crossbow at the ready. “She’s drawing them to her. We need to help her.”

“Let’s go,” Rick said, leading the group forward. “Stay alert.”

As they approached, they could see the woman more clearly. Her face was gaunt, eyes sunken from exhaustion and fear, and her movements were slow, as though she was too tired to even acknowledge the growing horde behind her.

The walkers didn’t notice the group yet—they were too fixated on the woman, their hungry groans and gurgles filling the air.

Rick called out to her, his voice firm but not threatening. “Hey, are you alright? We can help you!”

The woman froze, her head snapping up in shock, eyes wide and fearful. She stumbled, trying to stay on her feet, but she seemed too weak to move any faster. Her breath came in ragged gasps, and she turned slowly to face them, her hands trembling.

“Please, I... I don’t know if I can do this anymore,” she whispered, her voice breaking.

The walkers behind her continued their steady pursuit, unaware of the group approaching. The woman had been too focused on walking, too lost in her own mind, to notice how close she was to danger. Now, she was surrounded—trapped between the growing horde and the strangers trying to help her.

Rick’s heart went out to her. “You’re not alone,” he said, moving toward her. “We can get you to safety. Just stay with us.”

But before she could respond, the sound of the walkers’ groans grew louder. She glanced over her shoulder, her eyes widening in horror as she saw the mass of undead closing in on her, their eyes fixed on the living woman before them.

Daryl raised his crossbow. “We need to move fast!”

The group sprang into action, moving toward the woman and clearing a path through the walkers. Daryl took down the first few with quick, precise shots. Glenn and Maggie were close behind, taking down walkers with their makeshift weapons. Rick’s hands were steady as he shot at the walkers coming too close to the woman.

But there were too many. The horde kept growing, and the woman’s exhaustion was clear. She wasn’t moving as quickly as the others, stumbling as she tried to keep up. It was like the world was closing in on her, her fear growing with every step.

The group was pushing forward, trying to protect her, but the situation was becoming desperate. Rick, his breath coming in short bursts, grabbed the woman by the arm, pulling her toward him.

“Come on, move!” Rick urged, his voice frantic.

But the woman shook her head, her voice trembling with fear. “I can’t... I can’t run anymore.”

Glenn reached out to her, but the walkers were closing in too quickly. “We need to get her out of here, now!” he shouted.

Suddenly, the woman let out a cry of distress as one of the walkers grabbed her from behind. She screamed, but before anyone could react, Daryl shot the walker in the head, saving her just in time.

“Stay with us!” Daryl growled, his grip on her arm firm as he pulled her along.

The group moved faster now, fighting their way through the walkers. They had to get to a safer place, but every direction seemed like it would lead them into another deadly encounter.

Finally, they made it to the edge of the street, where they could see a small alleyway leading to a narrow path. Rick motioned for everyone to follow him, and they quickly moved into the alley, using the buildings as cover.

The woman collapsed against the wall, panting heavily, her face pale with fear and exhaustion. She was trembling, barely able to hold herself up. Daryl knelt beside her, his expression softening for the first time.

“You’re safe now,” he said, his voice low but reassuring. “You’re with us now.”

Rick looked at her carefully. “What’s your name?”

The woman’s lips trembled, her body still shaking from the adrenaline and the fear. “Song Jihyo,” she whispered, barely audible. “I’m… I’m just trying to survive.”

Rick and the others exchanged a glance. They didn’t know who she was or what her story was, but that didn’t matter. She was part of their group now.

“You don’t have to do it alone anymore,” Maggie said, giving her a soft smile. “We’ll help you.”

Jihyo’s tired eyes looked at them, and for the first time in a long time, she allowed herself to believe that maybe, just maybe, she could survive this.

The group gathered around her, offering her water and food, and though the world outside was still filled with danger, there was a sense of quiet in the air as they huddled together.

In that moment, they were all survivors—together.

The End.