How Zombies Survive in the Apocalypse

“This should suffice.”

Aiden parked their vehicle in front of a motel situated north of Santa Rosa.

The Sunset Motel.

A motel bearing a commonplace name that could likely be found hundreds of times across the United States – this would serve as their temporary shelter for the day.

“I’ll scout the town interior. I’m leaving the perimeter securement to you two.”

There was approximately an hour remaining until sunset.

A timeframe that was far from generous for reconnoitering this small town.

Therefore, Aiden divided the tasks accordingly with his companions – he would arm himself and venture into the town’s interior alone.

“…”

The road Aiden entered was named Route 66.

A four-lane thoroughfare that couldn’t be considered particularly wide.

However, it served as Santa Rosa’s main street, with various government buildings and shops lining its path.

Not long after departing from the Sunset Motel, Aiden discovered a restaurant.

A single-story building with ochre-colored walls resembling sculpted clay.

Instead of a conventional sign, the restaurant’s name was painted in red across its facade.

While an unfamiliar architectural style compared to his former home of Pittsburgh, that wasn’t what had caught Aiden’s attention.

It was the sight within that restaurant-

A lone zombie lying sprawled across one of the tables.

“Over there…”

Upon noticing it, Aiden immediately approached the restaurant’s interior.

For a zombie to be present in such a location…

It implied one of two possibilities:

Either there were survivors in this town or mutants were lurking nearby.

To determine the correct answer, Aiden brazenly peered through the wide-open glass windows, surveying the interior.

The restaurant featured a standard layout – a counter on one side, tables and chairs for two or four people arranged across the main dining area.

Moreover, there didn’t seem to be any apparent dangers inside.

Not a single mutant, let alone an ordinary zombie, was visible.

Aiden entered through the open entrance.

The faint scent of an abandoned building wafted into his nostrils – that distinctive musty odor.

“…”

Aiden examined the zombie sprawled across the table.

Upon closer inspection, its leg appeared to be broken.

He crouched down for a more detailed assessment, but the precise cause of that injury eluded him.

Whether it had been crushed by something or received an impact…

Even as a former doctor, deciphering the traces left on a decomposing, non-human body was an impossible task.

Eventually, Aiden abandoned that analysis and shifted his gaze elsewhere.

Next, he observed the zombie’s hands.

Its fingers were also broken, but such fractures and severed digits were common occurrences for zombies who lacked any self-preservation instincts.

There didn’t seem to be any notable clues to discern from its hands either.

Having reached that conclusion, Aiden proceeded to inspect the zombie’s head.

Its skull appeared outwardly intact.

Aiden had expected to find some form of fracture or damage.

However, upon direct examination, that wasn’t the case.

The zombie’s skull remained uncompromised.

“Hmm…?”

Puzzled by this unexpected finding, Aiden tilted his head slightly.

For a zombie to cease functioning, its brain should have been destroyed – yet its skull was perfectly intact.

A nagging suspicion prompted Aiden to check the zombie’s jaw area.

And there, as he had anticipated, distinct markings were clearly visible – the entry point of a blade.

The telltale signs of Aiden’s favored technique: thrusting a longsword upwards from beneath the jaw to bypass the skull and pierce the brain directly.

A method that avoided excessive force capable of shattering the skull while providing the utmost stealth if approached quietly.

However, it required considerable skill and physical strength to execute properly… which the individual who had dispatched this zombie seemed to possess, based on the evidence.

“Did a survivor pass through here?”

It was the only logical conclusion – this zombie had undoubtedly been killed by a human.

Aiden swiftly examined the surrounding area for any additional traces.

While he couldn’t easily discern how long this zombie had been abandoned here… judging by the accumulated dust, it had likely been over a week at the very least.

Flick!

Aiden retrieved his flashlight and inspected the floor.

Reasoning that if someone had entered this dust-laden establishment, their footprints would undoubtedly remain.

And his deduction proved accurate.

Near Aiden’s current position, faint footprints of a similar size to his own were visible.

Moreover, those footprints belonged to a single set.

Meaning only one adult had entered here.

“Hmm…”

Unmistakable evidence of human presence.

However, it didn’t necessarily confirm the existence of survivors in this town. It could have simply been the traces left behind by a passing wanderer.

Therefore, Aiden exited the restaurant while keeping that possibility in mind.

But shortly after…

“…There’s another one.”

Aiden muttered those words upon entering a tavern while continuing his town reconnaissance.

Within the various establishments – Mexican restaurants, grocery stores, and more – lining Route 66… Smilar traces could be found scattered throughout, ranging from relatively fresh to disturbingly aged.

And the footprint sizes all appeared to belong to the same individual.

In other words, all the traces spanning over a month’s time across this town seemed to have been left by a solitary person.

Naturally, Aiden arrived at a reasonable conclusion:

There was a lone survivor residing in this town.

“…”

Should he attempt to make contact, then?

Aiden briefly pondered that prospect.

The potential benefits were undoubtedly substantial – the opportunity to replenish their blood supply, for one.

However, those surviving in such isolated locations often shared a particular characteristic:

An extreme aversion towards outsiders.

Struggling to endure alone in this zombie-infested world was an undeniably arduous endeavor.

Yet for those who had chosen that path, there were bound to be compelling reasons behind their solitude.

Even so, Aiden’s group couldn’t afford the luxury of avoiding such individuals out of caution.

In these western deserts, where human presence seemed to have evaporated like a mirage, Aiden couldn’t simply disregard this rare crimson oasis they had chanced upon.

“The most likely place for them to reside would be…”

So Aiden began searching for locations a survivor might inhabit, initially considering government buildings and banks.

While excessively spacious for a single individual, their robust construction made them ideal for fortifying into a personal stronghold – far sturdier than ordinary residential dwellings.

Therefore, Aiden headed to the town’s city hall first.

A three-story structure built from brown bricks.

However, the entrance leading inside was wide open, with zombies visible through the shattered windows.

“Kieeeee…”

Clearly not a place a survivor would inhabit.

Even so, Aiden ventured into the interior.

His objective was to locate a detailed map of this small town.

Which he promptly found in an easily accessible area.

A massive wall-mounted map of Santa Rosa, too large to be conveniently removed, occupied the center of the city hall’s lobby.

“…”

Aiden studied that map intently.

In addition to the locations of various government buildings, it clearly marked the positions of banks and other key sites with meticulous detail befitting its considerable size.

However, since he couldn’t take it with him, Aiden simply committed the information to memory before exiting.

He continued his search through the other government facilities.

Next was the post office directly across the street.

However, the modest post office building seemed to have been the site of an accident – a vehicle had crashed through the front, with over half its chassis embedded within the structure.

Not an environment conducive to finding survivors or useful supplies.

Aiden promptly shifted his attention elsewhere.

He subsequently inspected the courthouse, library, and two separate bank buildings, but they were mere dilapidated ruins devoid of any noteworthy findings.

“…Not here either, it seems.”

The final location Aiden visited was the police station.

Yet the situation there was similar.

Beyond the shattered entrance, likely breached by some impact, only dim shadows and corpses were visible within the darkened interior.

Clicking his tongue in frustration, Aiden raised his gaze towards the sky.

The deep hues of dusk had already painted the heavens in crimson, heralding the imminent arrival of nightfall.

Regrettable, but this might be his limit for today.

Aiden decided to return to their temporary shelter.

“Over there…”

However, in the process of leaving, Aiden happened to pass through a small shopping district.

Amidst the row of buildings, both large and small, lining that street, one particular structure caught Aiden’s eye.

It was a modest pawnshop.

“A pawnshop, huh…”

Aiden scrutinized that building more closely.

Its walls, constructed from smooth white stone, appeared sturdy enough to withstand any attempts by zombies to breach them.

Moreover, unlike the other structures, the windows and entrance were reinforced with exterior steel bars, leaving no gaps or openings.

Arguably more fortified than even the bank he had inspected earlier.

Additionally, the interior visible through those windows was conspicuously dark.

The windows had been covered with opaque black curtains.

And yet, this pawnshop blended seamlessly amidst the surrounding abandoned shops.

While no apparent entry points into the interior were visible, its exterior appeared indistinguishable from the other deserted buildings in the area.

No barricades or signs of human activity whatsoever.

As if intentionally camouflaged to avoid drawing attention, untouched by human intervention.

It was from that peculiar pawnshop that Aiden sensed… something, prompting him to approach it cautiously.

As he neared, a long object suddenly protruded from the window obscured by those black curtains.

The barrel of an extended rifle.

“Leave.”

A curt warning followed, spoken in a low masculine voice.

Aiden raised both hands, signaling his lack of hostile intent.

“I’m a junk dealer, so-“

“Not needed.”

The unidentified man curtly cut off Aiden’s words in a harsh tone.

Just as Aiden had suspected, it seemed.

The man refused to engage in any dialogue or trade with Aiden whatsoever.

If persuasion was required…

“…”

After a brief glance towards the sky, Aiden slowly retreated.

Whatever method of persuasion might be necessary, now wasn’t the time nor place to attempt it.

Nightfall was already imminent.

There was insufficient time remaining to pursue any further actions.

So Aiden obediently withdrew for the time being.

There was no need to be hasty.

He had already identified the man’s hiding place.

All that remained was to make another attempt the following day.

And so, Aiden departed from the street where the pawnshop was located.

Until he had completely exited that area, the rifle barrel continued tracking Aiden’s movements from within the pawnshop’s interior.

* * *

The next day…

“So you intend to approach him directly?”

After hearing Aiden’s account of the survivor present in this town, Arian posed that question.

Aiden nodded in affirmation.

“But you said he refused to even speak with you. Isn’t that too risky?”

“It’s a risk we’ll have to take. We can’t afford to carelessly squander even a single person’s worth of blood at this juncture.”

Arian let out a small sigh.

She couldn’t refute that aspect.

Ever since crossing into the western regions, the preciousness of their blood supply had become acutely apparent to her as well.

“Then we should accompany you.”

“You two…?”

Aiden had intended to attempt contact with the survivor alone once more today.

Since it involved a single individual, he had judged that multiple people might only raise the survivor’s guard unnecessarily.

However, Arian raised a different perspective on the matter.

“You never know. You mentioned finding that person’s hideout yesterday. If they’re truly meticulous, they might have a secondary base or traps set up, right?”

“That’s…”

Aiden let out a contemplative hum in response to Arian’s observation.

Based on the traces of zombie hunting activity, the survivor residing here was clearly no amateur.

Moreover, their choice of hiding spot and the manner in which it was camouflaged from the exterior suggested an exceptionally cautious disposition.

Arian’s speculation was a reasonable assumption to consider.

“…You may have a point.”

Ultimately, Aiden accepted Arian’s proposal.

If the survivor had indeed prepared any traps, her assistance would be invaluable in detecting them. Even if they had simply relocated their base, Arian’s aid would be crucial in locating the new position.

And so, Aiden, Arian, and Sadie headed towards the small shopping district where the pawnshop was situated.

“Over there.”

At the end of that street, Aiden indicated the building housing the pawnshop.

Upon noticing it, Arian raised an eyebrow slightly.

“It’s vacant?”

She testified that not only the pawnshop’s interior but the entire shopping district was devoid of any human presence.

Had they truly relocated their base already?

Or had they simply ventured out for a morning scouting excursion?

To ascertain the situation, Aiden approached the pawnshop’s entrance.

He grasped the door handle and pulled.

The door slid open with ease, far too effortlessly.

“…They really fled.”

The interior was already empty, devoid of any traces – as if it had been unoccupied from the very beginning.

“Now what?”

“We’ll have to search for them. But they likely haven’t ventured outside the town limits.”

“If we’re searching, where should we begin?”

Even with Arian’s abilities, indiscriminately scouring the entire town would be inefficient.

At worst, they risked passing each other without ever making contact.

Therefore, Aiden attempted to deduce the most probable locations where this man might reside.

“At this hour, the chances are high that he’s out scouting.”

“Should we start with the shopping district or along the main roads, then?”

“No, this is someone who has been residing in this town for more than just a day or two. Those areas would have been the first places he thoroughly scavenged.”

“The residential areas, then?”

Aiden nodded, but Arian’s brow furrowed slightly.

“But the residential districts cover too vast an area.”

As was common for small towns, Santa Rosa’s layout radiated outwards from the central shopping district, with residential neighborhoods spreading in all directions.

Searching those areas would essentially amount to scouring the entire town.

“They are expansive. However, even within residential districts, there are locations more conducive for scouting.”

“Is that so? They’re all just regular houses, aren’t they?”

“Not necessarily. What about apartments?”

Aiden pointed out.

Of course, the apartments in this small town wouldn’t be high-rise complexes like those found in major cities.

However, they were still communal residential buildings capable of housing over ten families within a single structure.

Which made them far more efficient for resource gathering compared to thoroughly checking each individual house.

“I suppose that’s true. But do you know where any apartments are located?”

“I do.”

Aiden recalled the map he had seen at the city hall the previous day.

The few apartment complexes within this small town had been marked as points of interest, so their approximate locations remained in his memory.

“Let’s focus our search on those apartment buildings first. Does that sound reasonable?”

His companions nodded in agreement.

With their plan decided, Aiden’s group departed from the small shopping district, heading eastward towards the lake area where the apartments were situated.