Jacob quickly checked the comments on the live video.
"Is this real or is it a prank?"
"It doesn't look like a recorded video. Just what happened to the streamer?"
"What kind of bear was that?"
"Guys, I think the streamer is dead for real."
Jacob scrolled down the comments, but he didn't find any useful information.
He was still filled with shock from the gruesome scene he had witnessed. It looked so real and the streamer's screams were still ringing in his ears. "There's no way that's real…" He tried to convince himself.
Jacob absentmindedly scrolled through the social media app and watched more videos in hopes that he could forget the bloody scene from earlier. However, it kept replaying in his mind like a broken cassette tape.
Jacob sighed and turned off his phone. He then grabbed the cigarette he had dropped on the ground.
The city was very strict in enforcing its rules about cleanliness and there were CCTVs everywhere. He didn't want to be forced to clean the streets so he stood up and threw the cigarette into the trashcan. "What a bad day…" He muttered while rubbing his temples.
Today was Monday, his most hated day of the week. He really wanted to quit this job, but he still had to pay off his rent-to-own apartment.
Suddenly, his phone vibrated. He grabbed it from his pocket and checked the notification. It was actually an emergency warning from the government.
[Please return to your homes and stock a large supply of food. There is a virus that affects numerous wild animals and they are aggressively attacking the people they see. The cause of the virus is still unknown at this moment, but it is highly contagious so please exercise caution at all times. The local leaders will issue a lockdown to ensure everybody's safety. The country is doing its best to learn more about the virus. In these troubled times, we hope that everyone will stay calm. We will issue another warning soon. Stay safe, everyone!]
Jacob felt his body turning cold after reading the emergency warning. He couldn't help but recall the live video he had seen. The more he thought about it, the more he believed that it had something to do with the emergency warning sent by the government.
Jacob quickly entered the bakery.
"Sir, did you receive the message from the government?" Alice came running to him with an urgent look on her face.
Jacob nodded his head gravely. "It seems like this isn't a drill. You should pack your stuff and go back home."
Alice became more nervous when she heard his words. "Okay, sir."
Jacob headed to the staff room to get his bag.
Upon entering the room, he found Mark changing into his working clothes.
"Uh, s-sir!" Mark stammered while looking at him.
"Did you receive the message from the government?" Jacob asked.
"Huh? What message?" Mark was visibly confused by his question.
"Check your phone." Jacob replied as he grabbed his bag.
Mark grabbed his phone and he was surprised when he read the message. "This… What is going on, sir?" His fat face jiggled as he turned his head to Jacob.
"How should I know?" Jacob shrugged his shoulders. "You should go back home. I'll deal with the rest here." He still had to inform the owner of the bakery about the situation so he had to remain.
Mark grinned when he heard that he could go home. He excitedly stripped off his working clothes and put on his regular attire.
Jacob shook his head upon seeing this. 'This guy is hopeless…' He went out of the staff room with the a in his hand.
The owner of the bakery was an old couple. They had other businesses under their names and the bakery was just one of them. Jacob informed them about the emergency warning from the government. He also told them that he would temporarily close the shop until the government lifts the lockdown. The old couple were considerate people and they also understood the gravity of the matter. They even told Jacob that he could bring some of the food from the bakery.
After his conversation with the owners, Jacob wanted to inform Alice and Mark about the good news, but they had already left. "Those two… they didn't even bother to say goodbye." He snorted.
Screech! Bang!
There was a loud screeching of car tires that was followed by a crashing sound.
Jacob almost jumped up in shock when he heard the noise. He walked by the window and stared at the commotion on the street.
There was a bus that had crashed into a building. He could hear people screaming from across the street. The curious pedestrians went closer to the bus and some people even helped the trapped passengers inside.
"Help!"
"Someone is dead!"
"There is still a guy breathing here!"
Jacob went out of the bakery and locked the door. He wanted to know what caused the accident so he walked closer to the bus.
Jacob asked one of the onlookers. "Hey, buddy. What happened here?"
"I don't know. I just came here as well." The person replied while shaking his head.
Jacob saw many injured passengers being lifted out of the bus.
Soon, the paramedics arrived at the scene to provide first aid to the wounded passengers. The ones with severe injuries were taken to the ambulance to be transported to the hospital.
The police also came to handle the situation. They told the crowd to move away from the bus.
"That is…" Jacob noticed something familiar on one of the injured passengers. It was a middle-aged man dressed in a black suit. He was lying on a stretcher while the paramedics were giving him emergency treatment.
Jacob saw a small blooming flower on this guy's nape and the veins on his neck were slowly becoming darker.
Jacob's skin crawled upon seeing this.
Suddenly, the eyes of the middle-aged man turned black. He emitted a growling sound as he slowly arched his body in a weird posture.
"Grawr! Urgahh!"
Jacob unconsciously took a step back when he heard this growling sound from the middle-aged man. The live video from earlier appeared in his mind again, making him feel more uncomfortable.
'Something is happening! I have to leave!' Jacob turned around and headed back to the bakery with hurried footsteps.