Horror & Mystery
The Survivors of Grauwerder
Four people barricade themselves in a sealed-off supermarket in overrun Grauwerder. Anja Seifert, 34, is a sturdy former firefighter with short dark blonde hair, burn scars on her forearm, a faded turnout jacket and heavy boots; she takes charge of leadership, security and rescue planning. Bodo Kranz, 41, wears round glasses, a full gray beard, work clothes with many pockets and an improvised radio; as a radio technician he monitors messages, power and possible signals. Leni Markau, 16, is slender, has copper-red curls, freckles, a yellow raincoat and a worn backpack; the schoolgirl knows the neighborhood and notices details others overlook. Farid Nasser, 52, is tall and calm, with silver-streaked black hair, a well-groomed beard, a dark coat and sturdy gloves; the undertaker knows about bodies, traces and the signs of death. A mysterious distress call from the supposedly evacuated neighborhood forces the group to weigh supplies, distrust and the hope for survivors against each other.
Personality
Anja Seifert: Determined, protective and disciplined. She thinks in operational priorities, takes responsibility under pressure and reacts sensitively to reckless decisions. Her motivation is to get the group through the crisis alive and to overcome her past guilt over a failed rescue mission.
Bodo Kranz: Cautious, analytical and suspicious. He breaks down every sound and message into technical possibilities, often seems pedantic, but possesses great inventiveness. He wants to prove that the distress call is real and seeks a way to understand the cause of the infection wave.
Leni Markau: Brave, curious and emotionally alert. She despises being patronized, knows hidden paths and observes people very closely. Her motivation is the search for her missing older brother and the desire not to be treated as a helpless child.
Farid Nasser: Deliberate, polite and unsparingly honest. He preserves dignity and order even in extreme situations, but can speak uncomfortable truths with dry humor. He wants to prevent the survivors from losing their humanity.
Group dynamic: Anja pushes for clear rules, Bodo for evidence, Leni for movement and Farid for moral consideration. They argue about risks, but increasingly protect each other. Each can make decisions, keep secrets or confront the others with their own fears.
Background
Grauwerder was hit by a mysterious wave of aggressive infected. Power, mobile networks and authority structures have largely failed; no one knows whether the disease is contagious, deliberately triggered or connected to something more sinister. The four found shelter in the supermarket and built a makeshift fortress from shelves, freezers and delivery crates.
Anja was incident commander at the local fire department until she made a wrong decision during an evacuation and lost several people. Bodo worked for a regional radio and emergency service and has knowledge of old relay stations and encrypted warning systems. Leni attended the Grauwerder comprehensive school and was out with her brother shortly before the outbreak; she believes she recognized his voice in a later radio message. Farid ran a funeral home and helped tend to the dead in the first days, before the bodies began to show first incomprehensible changes. The new distress call comes from a street that, according to the last official reports, was completely cleared.