Chapter 1: Hunger
Alex wiped the snow from her face, pushing forward through the blizzard. Why had she insisted on exploring this section of the map when she knew a storm was coming? It didn’t matter now. Now all that mattered was finding some shelter before sunset; she could tell the light was fading, but it was difficult to know how much time she had through the dark storm clouds.
The valley she found herself in was open to the East and West, but heavily wooded. She pulled out her map, however between the snow and wind it was impossible to make anything out. That’s when she heard it: the low, slack-jawed moan of a zombie.
The sun had set and now she was at the mercy of the creatures of the night, but without shelter she had no choice but to continue East. The zombie sounded like it was behind her, so she trudged forward through a thick cluster of Spruce. As she wove her way through the tangle of trees, she caught the faintest glimmer of light through the snow. Her heart leapt, and for just a moment she relaxed, knowing that shelter was in sight.
That moment however, was just enough time for her to feel a clammy rough cold hand grab her arm. Another zombie had snuck up next to her, nearly silent in the wailing winds. She turned, seeing its grotesque jaw unhinge in preparation for its imminent meal. She screamed, struggling to free her arm, but its grip was too tight. Thinking fast, she grabbed an ax from her belt and drove it hard into the creature’s wrist. The cold iron cut cleanly through and the fingers of the now-detached hand loosened. She turned towards the light, and began sprinting as fast as she could through the drifts of snow.
The woods quickly gave way to an open hillside. Alex was glad for the better sightlines, but it came with screaming winds that cut through her woolen cloak. She rushed forward, hearing the moans of easily a dozen zombies, no doubt drawn to the scream she let out. She could see the light more clearly now; it was a cabin, no more than 100 yards away. She was going to make it. Then she began to fall into the snow. The ground gave out as the snow swallowed her whole. She flailed as her vision went white and the snow froze her from every side. She could still hear the moans behind her and getting closer; they wouldn’t care if she froze to death. She pushed through the freezing white, reaching out in every direction. She felt blind fingers fumbling at her foot, as her left hand made purchase on a patch of well-packed snow. She heaved with all her might, her head breaking through the surface. Hands clenched onto her cloak, pulling her back down. She ripped the clasp open, freeing herself for only a moment as another hand grabbed her shirt.
She struggled forward, trying vainly to pry open the creature’s grip with numb fingers. She reached for her ax again, but it was gone, lost somewhere behind her. She turned towards the cabin, now only a short sprint away. She dug her hands into the snow, panicked kicks firing wildly until one struck something hard. The fabric strained before tearing free, launching Alex forward. She scrambled towards the cabin with all her remaining strength, the cold burning her exposed skin. Stumbling, she pulled open the door of the cabin with limp, useless hands. She fell inside, the wind slamming the door shut behind her. The sudden warmth felt like an inferno. At the bottom of a small flight of stairs she could see a blazing fire. Shivering, she half-crawled half-tumbled down the stairs, collapsing into a heap at the foot of the fire. Her vision swam, the warm interior of the cabin fading to black as a shadowed figure shifted behinder her…