Tried making a friend with a zombie but they ignored me 0/10 game!
Just kidding.
I think this has the germ of a great idea. Kind of like 'hide and seek', which if randomised could provide additional replayability. You could easily add a over-arching game story and then individual narratives to each person you find. Add in some quests, maybe have zombies chase you or not if you want a chill game - Yeah lots of potential here.