The night gradually surrenders to the early morning light, a remarkable transformation unfolds on the desolate, trash-ridden street. The street, once cloaked in darkness, now begins to reveal its secrets as the first hints of dawn break through the horizon.

The sky transitions from an inky black to a deep shade of indigo, with faint streaks of pink and orange piercing through the edges. These delicate hues cast a soft, ethereal glow over the street, illuminating the discarded litter that had been concealed in the shadows. Abandoned plastic bags rustle softly in the breeze, their shapes taking on eerie, almost ghostly forms.

The barrel fires lining the street, now dimmed, seem to flicker hesitantly before extinguishing their feeble light altogether. Their dull orange glow, once a beacon in the night, is replaced by the pale radiance of the emerging sun.

The silence, once filled with the distant sounds of the night, is now punctuated by the gradual awakening of birds singing loudly serving as natures alarm clock.

Samuel stares as a group of three parades past them. Carrying patchy ripped backpacks, their raggedy clothing swayed with the cruel freezing wind. They were heading towards the entrance, Samuel eagerly watched as they stopped at the old Holden Kingswood parked on the side of the road. They threw their backpacks on top of the sun damaged blue bonnet, and then jumped on top of the Ute. With starving smiles they scoured through their bags sharing food around the group.

"Follow me." Samuel whispered to Tony, trying to keep quiet so Sage wouldn't wake up from his slumber.

With a sleepless night, Tony sluggishly followed Samuel towards the Kingswood. They were met with glaring stares as they approached the group, their faces stuffed with food. "Tahlia invited us." Samuel awkwardly spoke.

Smiles grew on their faces as one of the men jumped off from the Ute. His arms invitingly opened wide, "Welcome! Tahlia did mention you were attending. Come join, have something to eat." The man said, his voice was loud and enthusiastic. His small eyes opened as wide as they could as he happily escorted them to the Ute. His hair was an inky black, with large frizzy untamed curls, knotted and mangled. He was wearing a torn red and blue fleece poncho.

Tony and Samuel cautiously stepped towards the Kingswood, they leaned against the bonnet joining the group. They were both promptly handed two fresh apples and canned spam. "You two are new?" A woman asked sitting on the roof of the Kingswood, her muddy boots hanging down the front of the windshield. She had dark red hair, which was tangled in large knots. Her long overcoat reached down her legs, and was tightly wrapped around her waist.

"We got here a couple days ago." Samuel responded his voice muffled as he chewed a piece of apple.

"You must of seen the Whisperer. What did you think?" The woman wondered, her voice was thick and intimating.

Tony and Samuel both glanced at each other, "He was amazing. Never seen anything like it." Tony lied faking a large smile.

"Most people don't believe it until they see it. He truly is a god." The woman spoke, her face blushing in awe.

"I believe in the Whisperer!" The three shouted in unison, showing their devotion and love for their god.

Tony and Samuel awkwardly took another bite of their apples, dropping their heads low. Samuel gazed at the man who was sitting quietly on the corner of the bonnet. He looked middle aged, his short light brown hair beginning to grey with age.  The man was wearing a wide dark red scarf wrapped tightly around his neck. His right hand holding an apple, his left hand tucked deeply in his grey puffy jacket. The man's features seemed familiar.

A strong gust of wind blew past, pushing off the man's red scarf. He took out his left hand from his pocket revealing a stump. Glancing at Tony, they both instantly remembered him as one of the men they followed to the community. Samuel was surprised he hadn't succumb to the effects of the bite yet. "What happened to your hand?" Samuel asked rhetorically.

The man held his stump, his face cringing slightly in pain. "I was bitten rounding up the dead for the Whisperer." He answered, his voice depressed and shallow.

"You were bitten? How are you still alive?" Samuel wondered with a shocked expression.

"If you cut the limb off before the infection spreads you don't turn." The man answered hiding his stump back into his pocket.

"Where does the Whisperer hold the dead?" Tony wondered, attempting to seem uninterested.

"I honestly couldn't tell you. The Whisperer cares for them before his shows, I'm just the postman." The man responded shoving a spoon deeply into his can of spam, which was resting on the bonnet of the Ute.

The group fell into silence as they focused on stuffing their faces with food. Tony spoke, abruptly asking, "Does this old thing still run?" Tony wiped dust from the surface of the bonnet.

"She's a beaut isn't she? The old girl still runs. The engine is too loud though. Attracts the dead." The woman responded.

Samuel's eyes worryingly drifted across the street in search of Tahlia. She was no where to be seen. "Have you seen Tahlia?" Samuel asked the group.

"She left in a hurry. Not sure where she goes. Don't worry, she leaves often, the girl basically lives outside the walls." The woman responded chewing loudly at the same time.

Samuel's eyes drifted back to the street, intensely scanning for Tahlia. "She promised she would be here." He worryingly whispered to himself. "Thank you for the food. Something has come to my attention." Samuel added, leaving the Kingswood taking took the apple with him.

Tony appreciatively smiled at the group. Catching up with Samuel he walked alongside him, "Who is Tahlia?" Tony asked.

"Just a girl I met yesterday. She might be in trouble." Samuel responded.

"What about the Whisperer?" Tony pressured.

"What about him?" Samuel asked as they walked down the street together.

"We were just given massive answers. We have to look into them." Tony responded.

Samuel paused. Facing towards Tony, he stared directly into his eyes, "Maybe we should just give up. It's better living here then out there. Maybe we should just leave it alone." Samuel suggested.

"You don't mean that do you? These people are suffering. They need help." Tony said disappointed.

"They chose this life. Now if you don't mind, I need to find Tahlia." Samuel responded breaking away from Tony.

Samuel continued along the street, making his way towards Tahlia's bed. She wasn't there however. Her chipped mugs were neatly placed together on top of a cardboard box. A dirty flat pillow sat on top of a blanket spread across the cold hard cement. Samuel wondered how she slept at night.

Rummaging under her blanket for a clue uncovered nothing, just a line of ants marching toward their home in the cracks of the cement. Samuel turned her pillow over, noticing a sheet of paper tucked deeply in the pillow case. Stuffing his hand inside, he pulled out the folded paper.

Unfolding the crinkled sheet of paper revealed a coffee stained map of Collingwood, a gritty suburb only a couple blocks away from the community. A large circle, in red marker, surrounded an arcade called 'Pixel City' on the corner of a street. 'CLEARED AND SAFE' was neatly written above the circle in bold capital letters.

Samuel folded the map swiftly, tucking it into his back pocket. He rushed down the street over to his bed, tossing his backpack onto his shoulders. Sage, still lying in bed, groggily rolled onto his side and inquired, "Where are you off to?"

As Samuel tightened the backpack straps, he replied firmly, "I'll be back shortly." Paying little attention to Sage's question, he hurried to the entrance, speed-walking past the group still enjoying their breakfast on top of the Kingswood. Their eyes followed him as he swung open the gates and hastily departed from the community.

A sense of urgency gripped him like a vice. Samuel moved quickly through the desolate streets of the early morning, the remnants of trash and abandoned objects now visible in the gentle dawn light. The eerie calmness of the neighborhood, juxtaposed with the distant sounds of birds singing, added to his growing unease. His heart raced as he imagined the possible dangers Tahlia might face.

As Samuel approached Collingwood, each step echoed in his ears. A large green road sign with 'Collingwood' written in bright white text led him into the gritty historical suburb. The red circle on the map loomed larger in his mind, urging him to reach his destination. As he turned the corner, a smashed neon sign above the entrance of a building came into view. The text was unclear due to damage, but as Samuel grew closer he managed to fill in the gaps. The sign read 'Pixel City', the arcade which was circled on the map.

His panic intensified as he noticed the windows and doors had been barricaded with wooden planks. A biter stood outside the entrance, banging against the door, attempting to break inside. It's clothes tattered and ripped, almost like the residents of the community. It's skin was a pale grey, slowly losing colour from decay.

Samuel reached for his hatchet strapped to the side of his backpack. Firmly holding the handle in his right hand, Samuel crept behind the biter. Accidentally treading on a piece of broken glass, the biter became aware of his presence. Before it could react, Samuel immediately swung the hatchet. The blade cut cleanly through its jaw, decapitating the biter. The top of its head flung onto the ground, while its body timidly collapsed. A splatter of dark red blood and mushed brain covered the entrance of the arcade, slowly dripping down the door.

Stepping over the fallen corpse, Samuel attempted to pull open the door, however it wouldn't budge. The door was locked from the inside. Stepping back from the entrance, he glanced over to a side alley. Wondering through the dark alley, Samuel found a rusted ladder on the side of the building. Strapping his hatchet onto his backpack, he cautiously climbed one rung at a time, trying not to cut himself on the rough jagged metal. Pulling his body up onto the roof, he noticed a large skylight in the middle of the building. The roof creaked under each cautious step.

Samuel gazed down into the skylight. The dim morning light filtered through the dust-covered windows, casting eerie, fragmented shadows across the arcade floor. A once-vibrant and colorful space had succumbed to neglect and decay. The faded carpet bore the scars of countless footsteps, its once-bright patterns now muted and worn. Cracked and broken arcade machines lined the walls, their screens shattered or blank, their buttons covered in grime. The air inside looked heavy and musty.

Forgotten plush toys and tokens lay scattered on the floor, as if they had been abandoned in haste. The ceiling tiles sagged precariously, a testament to the passage of time and neglect. In the center of the arcade, a counter with a faded menu board displayed long-forgotten food items. Chairs and tables were overturned, and a sense of desolation hung in the air like a heavy shroud. Tahlia was nowhere to be seen.

Deciding to search deeper inside for her, Samuel pulled open the skylight window. Carefully dropping his body down through the window, he bent at his knees as he landed on the floor, attempting to keep as quiet as possible.

Once again reaching for his hatchet, he unstrapped it from his backpack and wrapped his fingers tightly around the handle. The sound of urgent footsteps boomed behind him. His head immediately pivoted towards the sudden frightening ruckus.

In the back corner of the dusty arcade stood broken arcade machines, all pushed against each other in a tight circle. A flutter of light poured out behind the machines, seeping through cracks and gaps. Someone was behind the machines.

Cautiously Samuel stepped towards the commotion. The booming steps became more eager and loud as he approached. A narrow gap between the barricaded arcade machines was the only way inside. His heart pounding loudly in his chest, Samuel timidly squeezed through the gap. His backpack got caught on a protruding piece of metal on the arcade machine, causing him to quickly collapse to the ground. His hatchet slipped out from his hand, sliding across the floor.

Samuel felt the presence of a body looming over him. Petrified to glance up the girl spoke, "Who are you?" Her voice sounded familiar. Carefully glancing up, he saw Tahlia standing over him with a large knife in her hands. She gasped in relief, "Samuel. You scared the shit out of me." Tahlia said dropping her knife.

Relieved he had found Tahlia Samuel smiled standing to his feet. Wiping dust from his pants he realised Tahlia was covered in blood. Her hands and arms bleached dark red. "What happened to you?" Samuel worryingly wondered.

"Help me." Tahlia pleaded her voice dull and depressed. Stepping to the side Samuel noticed a young girl, who looked no older than five, was laying on a makeshift bed. Her skin was pale white, laying motionless with blood intensely oozing out from her skinny bandaged leg. "I don't know what to do." She added tears watering in her eyes.

Samuel's heart sank as he saw the injured girl. He quickly knelt down beside her and assessed the situation. The girl's leg was badly wounded, her bandages soaked with blood. "What happened?" Samuel asked.

"I let my guard down. I was meant to protect her." Tahlia whimpered tears flowing down her soft cheek.

Samuel glared around the barricaded room, spotting a corpse laying on the ground in the corner. Blood was gushing out the side of his head from a deep knife wound. "It's my fault." Tahlia muttered under her timid breath.

Samuel stood to his feet, wrapping his arms comfortably around Tahlia, he stared deeply into her eyes. "It's not your fault. You did everything you could to protect her." Samuel consoled her. Tahlia cried into his shoulder. He carefully caressed her back whispering into her ear, "We need to get her back to the community."

Tahlia quickly pulled away shaking her head, "No. I've kept her away from that place. There's a reason why there isn't anyone her age. The people are monsters." Tahlia spoke declining the suggestion.

Samuel's face tinged with uncertainty. Placing his hand onto her shoulder he spoke, "There's no other choice. She's loosing too much blood." Tahlia's eyes gazed to the dying girl. Guilty she nodded her head agreeing.

Kneeling next to the girl, Samuel wrapped his arms around her. Carefully carrying her body. Tahlia led the way out through the arcade, taking the lock off the front door, they both rushed onto the desolate streets of Collingwood headed for the community. The morning sun had fully risen now, casting long shadows and revealing the full extent of the urban decay that had taken hold of the city.

As they rushed through the urban streets, Samuel glared down at the dying girl. She clung to him as her eyes slightly opened. Her trust in him was evident in her feeble young eyes.

Tahlia ran beside Samuel. Her eyes panicked as she scanned their surroundings for biters. Their footsteps echoed in the deserted streets as they picked up the pace.

Samuel could see the walls in the distance, a reassuring sight. They were almost there. "Open the gates!" Samuel called for help. No one listened to his pleas of help. "Open the fucking gates!" He yelled once more.

The gates remained closed as they reached the walls of the community. Tahlia frustrated, pushed the gates open herself. They both rushed inside calling out for help. A large crowd of people gathered around them. Samuel carefully placed the girl onto the ground.

"Help us!" Tahlia screamed.

A man stepped forward with a bag of medical supplies. Kneeling down next to the girl he examined the stab wound on her leg.

"What is the meaning of this?" A deep voice proclaimed from behind the crowd.

The crowd quickly dispersed. The Whisperer stood wearing his eccentric outfit. He glanced down at the girl bleeding out. "Step away from the girl." He instructed.

"What? She's going to die!" Tahlia argued.

The Whisperer laughed, with a large smirk he spoke, "It's her fate."

The man kneeling down over the girl shook his head in disbelief. Scared he was going to be hurt, he stepped away from the girl. Her wound was open wide, blood flowing onto the street creating a large puddle around her leg.

"She's just a girl!" Samuel desperately exclaimed.

The Whisperer's smirk turned into a gaping teething grin. Tahlia collapsed to the ground next to the girl. Her tears dropping onto the bitumen. The young girl's body laid still. Her skin whiter then salt. Her head slowly slumping to the ground. Her eyes rolled into the back of her eyelid. The young girl breathed her last breath.