The ranger station had become a makeshift home for Maya and her group of survivors. The morning light filtered through the cracks in the boarded-up windows, casting long shadows across the dusty floor. Outside, the forest was alive with the sounds of nature, a stark contrast to the silence of the undead that roamed the town they had left behind.

Maya sat at an old wooden table, poring over a map of the surrounding area. "We need to find a water source," she said, her finger tracing a path to a nearby river. "It could be our best chance at staying safe."

Leo leaned over her shoulder, his brow furrowed in concentration. "What about food?" he asked. "We can't live on canned beans forever."

"We'll set traps, fish if we can. We'll manage," Maya replied, her voice carrying a confidence she didn't quite feel.

The group set out, their steps cautious but determined. The forest was dense, the underbrush thick with brambles that tugged at their clothes. They moved in pairs, keeping close as they searched for the river.

"Coach, do you think we'll ever go back to normal?" Sarah asked, her voice barely above a whisper as she walked alongside Maya.

Maya glanced at the young girl, her heart aching at the innocence lost. "I don't know, Sarah. But we'll find a new normal, and we'll do it together," she said, squeezing Sarah's hand.

They reached the river by midday, the water clear and cool as it flowed over smooth rocks. "This is perfect," Maya exclaimed, relief flooding her voice.

As they set up camp, the sounds of the forest enveloped them, a symphony of life that seemed untouched by the horrors they had faced. They worked together, building fires, setting traps, and boiling water to ensure its safety.

That night, as they sat around the campfire, the flames casting a warm glow on their faces, they allowed themselves a moment of respite. They shared stories of their lives before, of school plays and swim meets, of family dinners and lazy Sundays.

"It's strange," Jack mused, his eyes reflecting the firelight. "I used to hate the quiet, but now, it's like music to my ears."

Maya smiled, the flickering light dancing in her eyes. "It's the sound of survival, Jack. It's the sound of us, still being here, still fighting."

The group settling down for the night, the fire crackling and the river murmuring in the background. They were a band of survivors, bound by circumstance and forged by the need to live. And as they drifted off to sleep, the forest whispered its secrets, a lullaby for the brave souls who had found sanctuary within its embrace.