Perkatory: Coffee, Zombies, and the Brewmaster System

The city slept uneasily beneath a blanket of oppressive silence, broken only by the occasional groans of the undead shuffling through the streets. Zoe stood just inside the back door of Perkatory, her heart thudding in her chest. She'd slipped on her reinforced boots and wrapped herself in a dark jacket, blending into the shadows. Her pack was lighter than she'd have liked, but she had to travel light for speed. Inside, it held two of her experimental brews, a flashlight, and various essential tools. She clutched a dagger she'd scavenged months ago—rusty but sharp enough to deal with the threats she hoped to avoid.

"This is a terrible idea," the Brewmaster System chimed in her head, its tone hovering between exasperation and amusement. "You're sneaking out without telling anyone, armed with nothing but coffee and misplaced confidence. Bravo."

Zoe smirked as she stepped into the alley behind Perkatory, her breath visible in the cool night air. "What they don't know won't hurt them."

"Unless you get eaten. Then it'll hurt everyone. Lovely leadership strategy, Carter. Really top-notch."

She ignored the jab, focusing on the narrow streets ahead. Her decision to sneak out wasn't born of recklessness—at least, not entirely. The Brewmaster System's shop couldn't supply everything she needed to take Perkatory to the next level. Rare ingredients were in the wild, growing in forgotten gardens, hidden in crumbling greenhouses, or guarded by creatures far worse than zombies, which she knew about from Erica's survivor's forum. She had to be bold if she wanted to ensure the city's survival.

"Where exactly are we going, genius?" the system asked.

Zoe scanned the faintly glowing map projected by the system in her mind. It highlighted a potential location for one of the rare ingredients—a flowering herb called Emberroot. The system had described it as "flammable in all the best ways," its properties made it ideal for enhancing her brews. But the nearest patch was nearly two miles away, in an overgrown park.

"To the park. Now shut up unless you have something useful to say," Zoe muttered.

"Rude," the system replied. "But fine. Lead the way, oh fearless leader."

The journey through the city was tense but uneventful at first. Zoe stuck to the alleys, avoiding the main streets where zombies tended to cluster. Every step felt deliberate, her senses heightened by the silence of the night. The Brewmaster System occasionally popped in with sarcastic remarks, but she appreciated the company, even if it was digital.

When she was halfway to the park, she spotted her first real challenge: a lone zombie staggering through an intersection. It hadn't noticed her yet, but it was blocking her path. Zoe crouched behind a rusted car, her mind racing. She didn't want to detour and risk running into more of them, but she also hadn't planned to fight.

Then she remembered the experimental brews in her pack. She pulled one out, its contents shimmering faintly in the moonlight. The label on the bottle read "Fury Brew—Version 1.0."

"Oh, this ought to be good," the system said, its tone dripping with sarcasm. "You're going to test an unproven combat brew against a zombie. Brilliant."

Zoe unscrewed the cap, ignoring the system. "If it works, we'll have something to help the people who don't have abilities. If it doesn't, well… I'll think of something."

"Your confidence is terrifying. Bottoms up."

The liquid burned as it went down, but not unpleasantly. Warmth spread through Zoe's limbs, and her muscles tensed with newfound strength. Her vision sharpened, and her heartbeat steadied. She felt… powerful. Confident.

The zombie turned, its milky eyes locking onto her. With a guttural snarl, it shuffled forward, its movements jerky but determined.

Zoe gripped her dagger and stepped into the open. "Alright, let's see what this brew can do."

The zombie lunged, but Zoe was faster. She sidestepped quickly, her enhanced reflexes making the creature's movements look almost sluggish. She struck with the dagger, aiming for its head, but the angle was awkward, and the blade glanced off its skull.

"Nice try," the system quipped. "Only took you, what, a second too long?"

"Shut up," Zoe growled, circling the zombie. She tried again, this time driving the blade into its temple. The zombie staggered but didn't fall.

"You're dragging this out," the system said. Midnight Hunt

Zoe smirked, adrenaline pumping through her veins. "I'm experimenting, you snarky toaster. Let me work."

With a swift motion, she wrenched the dagger free and plunged it into the base of the zombie's skull. This time, the creature dropped instantly, collapsing into a heap at her feet. Zoe stepped back, panting but exhilarated.

"Well, color me impressed," the system said. "Took you long enough, but I guess the brew works. You might even be slightly competent."

Zoe wiped the blade on her jacket and grinned. "I'll call that a success. We can make more of these for the people who don't have powers. Give them a fighting chance."

"Sure. Assuming they're not as slow as you," the system teased.

Zoe rolled her eyes and slid the empty bottle back into her pack. The boost from the Fury Brew was still coursing through her, making her feel invincible. But she knew better than to let it go to her head. She still had a mission to complete.

When Zoe arrived, the park was eerily quiet. The overgrowth had claimed most of it, turning the once-manicured lawns into a tangled mess of vines and weeds. Broken playground equipment jutted out of the ground like skeletons, and the air was thick with the scent of damp earth and decay.

Zoe crept through the underbrush, her eyes scanning for any sign of Emberroot. The system had described the plant as having bright orange flowers that glowed faintly in the dark, making it relatively easy to spot if she got close enough.

"Are you sure about this?" the system asked. "This place is practically a buffet for zombies. And you're the main course."

"If you're so worried, maybe help me look instead of cracking jokes," Zoe whispered.

"Fine. There's a faint heat signature about fifty feet to your left. Could be your Emberroot. Or, you know, something that wants to eat you."

Zoe adjusted her course, moving cautiously through the tangled foliage. She pushed aside a thick curtain of vines and froze. There it was: a cluster of Emberroot, its glowing petals casting an orange halo around the base of an ancient oak tree.

"Jackpot," she breathed.

"Don't celebrate yet," the system warned. "We're not alone."

Zoe's stomach tightened as she heard the faint crunch of leaves behind her. She turned slowly, her heart sinking. A glowing zombie stood at the edge of the clearing, its pulsing veins casting eerie shadows across its ashen face.

"Well, this just got interesting," the system said. "Good luck, Carter. You're going to need it."

The zombie snarled, its glowing eyes locking onto her. Zoe tightened her grip on the dagger, her mind racing. This wasn't just a mindless shambler. Glowing zombies were faster, stronger, and far more dangerous.

"Alright," Zoe muttered, setting her stance. "Let's see what you've got."