[ WP ] It 's been 8 months since the zombie apocalypse . You fell in with a tough as nails roughneck group . When in the city looting , you come across a scavenger . He 's your best friend from before the outbreak and your crew unanimously decides to execute him ( he is armed ) .

Rows upon rows of empty aisles. It's nothing we have n't seen before. Somehow we thought things would be different this time around. We split into groups to cover more space, our boots falling heavily on emptied cans and other long forgotten things, but this time we were convinced there was nothing left to find. Minutes passed. Hours passed. Some came walking back with only a handful of goods. It was n't enough. It would only buy us another day we told ourselves. 
 
 Something caught our eyes running. Was it *them*? We heard no warnings or shrieks and surely one of us must have seen them coming. No matter, there was no time to think. The store erupted into a flurry of shouts. Those far away came running back and those beside us drew our guns. I was the first to cock the hammer. I took aim and squeezed and the thing came crashing down. 
 
 The others came and looked over this fallen thing, crawling for sanctuary. It was n't one of them. It was a man. His pack had fallen by the wayside. It was full to the brim with goods. Another week, I thought. Surely this would help us pull through another week. 
 
 The man groaned as we turned him over, grasping his leg. He said little. He did n't beg for life nor did he ask for help. I stared at him for a moment. There was something about him. I recognized it. Beneath his bloodied face and the battled-stained clothing there was familiarity. As the group spoke in hushed tones behind me, I eyed the man. It was him. I knew him from before. We grew up together, went to school together, broke bread together. I thought he'd died when it all began. I was relieved. One of us had made it. But what I saw in him I could n't see reflected in his eyes. He just looked at me and then his pack. It's me, I thought. Please, say that you know me. 
 
 The others were getting excited. Maps, supplies, ammunition were all hidden away in this scavenger's bag. Everyone showed their ecstasy except me. One of us took the handgun and gave it to me. They whispered to me. As they gathered his things and walked away, I stood alone, left with the daunting task of putting him to grass. Some part of me wished I had n't seen his face, but another part screamed survival. If I let him go, these men would n't trust me. They'd cast me out or worse kill me. Tears brought my gun to the man's head. 
 
 In the final moment something lit in his eyes. I squeezed. 
 
 `` Alex.'' He whispered before his head cocked back and fell. What have I done?
