The sun was setting, casting a warm golden glow over the forest. Kira was in the makeshift kitchen area, stirring a pot of stew over the fire, the aroma of cooked vegetables and meat wafting through the air.

Well, one could hardly call it a kitchen. After all, it was just a bonfire that doubled as a kitchen flame to cook over.

Shinon and Rico sat on the ground nearby, chopping up some fresh vegetables that they had scavenged from the resource room. They worked in silence, their movements synchronised as they worked together.

Kira looked up from her cooking, smiling at the two men. "Thanks for helping me, guys," she said. "I really appreciate it."

Shinon looked up, smiling back at her. "Of course, Kira. We’re happy to help."

Rico nodded in agreement, his focus on the task at hand. "Yeah, it’s the least we can do."

"Other than goofing around, you mean." Kira laughed.

As they worked, the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of pink and orange. The forest was quiet, except for the occasional rustle of leaves and the crackle of the fire. Some animals could be heard in some distance, but nothing unusual.

Kira added some spices to the pot, stirring them in carefully.

"So, what did you guys do today?" she asked, looking over at Shinon and Rico.

"While you were showering for hours," Shinon smiled and glanced up, wiping his hands on his pants. "We were working on the soil, preparing it to plant some crops."

"Haha!" Rico laughed. "He got you there, Kira!"

"Oi! Personal hygiene is paramount to one’s survival, especially in these times!" Kira pouted, but a look of approval soon appeared on her face. "That aside, growing our own crops is great. We could definitely use some fresh vegetables around here."

She continued, "I don’t know about you guys, but I was sick of eating fruits and berries daily! Also, I can use my abilities to grow them quicker!"

"Of course, you’ll have to help them grow because I don’t have any faith in my or Shinon’s farming skills." Rico laughed, holding out a handful of chopped carrots.

He mumbled with a mouthful of carrots, "We found some good stuff today, all thanks to finding a resource room. Now if you only managed to cook something decent with all this stuff, we’d go to bed happily!"

Kira snatched the carrots from him, adding them to the pot.

"I’m sure I will," she said, smiling at them.

As they continued cooking, the conversation flowed easily between them. They talked about their plans for the future, about what they would do if they ever found a safe place to settle down.

They spoke of their families, their hobbies, their hopes and dreams. Well, Kira and Rico did, while Shinon mostly remained silent. Kira apparently had a twin sister she hadn’t seen since they separated five years ago following a zombie attack. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

Even then, she was sure her sister, Mira, was alive and well somewhere, along with their parents.

As for Rico, he was an orphan, so he didn’t have anyone to look for except his comrades from the army. However, he wasn’t delusional enough to think all of them were alive and well.

"First off, they were still serving. At least, to the best of my knowledge, they were till the day of the outbreak," Rico mumbled. "The government must have deployed them somewhere and well... I guess we all know what happened to the first responders."

"What about you, Shinon? What do you want to do once all this is over with?" Kira asked, pointing at him with her spoon.

"Me? I guess I’ll do what I do best." He smiled. "Create some random shit."

The fire crackled, and the stew simmered, filling the air with a warm, comforting aroma. The three of them worked together in silence. The only sounds were the soft murmurs of their conversation and the clink of their utensils.

Finally, the stew was ready. Kira dished out bowls for each of them, the steam rising in fragrant tendrils. They sat around the fire, eating in comfortable silence, savouring the taste of the food and the company of their companions.

Shinon had created special utensils using the metal bar he got from Sarah, and similar to his water jar, the cutlery shared unique properties. Anyone who ate from them saw increased stamina regeneration and relief from usual ailments such as cold, jaundice, diarrhoea etc.

As the night settled in around them, they continued to talk, the fire casting flickering shadows across their faces. For a moment, they forgot about the dangers that lurked outside their makeshift home, the zombies and the uncertainty of their future.

They were just three people enjoying a warm meal and life’s simple pleasures. And for that moment, it was enough. However, the moment did not last for long.

The sound of rustling leaves suddenly broke the peaceful silence of the forest. Shinon, Rico, and Kira stopped eating and looked up, their senses on high alert.

As they listened, the rustling grew louder and more urgent. It sounded like someone was approaching their campsite. Shinon reached for his sword while Rico and Kira drew a machete and pistol.

Suddenly, a woman stumbled out of the forest, her clothes torn and bloody, her body covered in scratches and bruises. She was panting heavily, clearly injured and in distress. She took a few steps toward them, her face twisted in pain.

"Help me," she gasped, collapsing to the ground.

"Hey, are you okay?" Kira called out, rising to her feet and moving toward the woman.

But before the woman could reply, a zombie emerged from the trees, grabbing her from behind. The woman screamed, thrashing against the zombie’s grip, but it was too late.

The zombie sank its teeth into the woman’s neck, and she fell to the ground, still and silent. The zombie turned its attention to Shinon, Rico, and Kira, its eyes glazed with hunger.

"What the hell..." Kira mumbled.

"Get ready, everyone!" Shinon exclaimed, bringing his sword forward.