The sanctuary of New Dawn had become a tapestry woven from the threads of countless lives, each survivor a strand strengthened by the bonds of shared purpose. Yet, as the days passed, a shadow grew within the walls, a whisper of unease that threaded its way through the hearts of the community.

Maya felt it too, a subtle shift in the air, a tension that tugged at her instincts. She found herself walking the grounds more often, her eyes searching for the source of her disquiet.

"Something's not right," she confided in Leo as they patrolled the perimeter. "It's too quiet, and the new arrivals... some of them seem restless."

Leo nodded, his usual humor subdued by the gravity of her words. "I've noticed it too. Especially with Eliza. She's been asking a lot of questions about our defenses, our routines."

Their conversation was interrupted by a commotion near the main gate. Rushing over, they found a group of survivors gathered around Helen, who was trying to calm an agitated newcomer.

"He's gone! My brother, he's missing!" the man cried out, his voice laced with panic.

Maya stepped forward, her presence commanding attention. "When did you last see him?" she asked, her mind already racing through the possibilities.

"Last night, before the curfew. He said he was going for a walk to clear his head," the man explained, his eyes wild with fear.

"We'll organize a search party," Maya declared. "Leo, get Jack and Sarah. We need to find him before he gets too far... or before something finds him."

As the search party ventured into the forest, the sanctuary behind them felt like a distant memory. The woods were dense, the underbrush thick with secrets. They called out for the missing man, their voices echoing among the trees.

Hours passed with no sign of him, the forest giving up none of its mysteries. It was Jack who eventually stumbled upon a clue—a piece of cloth caught on a thorny bush, unmistakably from the missing man's shirt.

They followed the trail, which led them to a clearing where the ground was disturbed, signs of a struggle evident in the churned earth.

"Over here!" Sarah's shout drew them to the edge of the clearing, where they found the missing man, unconscious but alive. Beside him lay a walkie-talkie, its static whisper a chilling reminder of their vulnerability.

They carried him back to New Dawn, where the community breathed a collective sigh of relief. But Maya's mind was elsewhere, on the walkie-talkie and the implications of its presence.

That night, as the survivors gathered around the fire, Maya addressed them with a somber tone. "We are not alone in these woods," she said. "Someone is out there, watching us, and we must be ready."

The survivors of New Dawn looking to Maya, their faces a mix of fear and resolve. They had faced the undead, the elements, and the unknown. Now, they faced a new threat, one that was all too human.