I'm sitting in a chair behind my desk just right next to the windowsill, facing east. At ten o'clock in the morning, the sun is shining bright, sending rays of warmth through the wide panes of glass. This side of the class is overseeing a large hill that stood in the middle of the city of Mabangle, like a giant tortoise that has slept there for so long that a lush jungle grew on its shell.
I remembered when I was hoping to get back on normal days. My perception of time paced up, in a wait for the end of this pandemic. There were numerous times when the authorities planned to put the school system back to work, but each time they did, another variant struck the country. The disease mutates, getting stronger, and stranger. It's a fortune that we're this close to one full day spent at school, despite knowing zero about the tomorrow.
It's the first break time. I looked over my surroundings and everything felt like two years before, when I was still in the tenth grade. A group of guys is going to have a meal, gathering in the back of the class. Some others are still doing their tasks, full of ambitions. I have brought a meal box myself, but the breakfast is still keeping me full. Instead, I went thinking about the news last night.
"Serx, do you think it's real?" I asked intending to trigger a discussion.
"That wouldn't be real, just as the COVID-19 before!" A guy with a slight village accent spoke up. Alex Antonsen. He is one of the people in his village that is considered safe from disease. Although a case was reported ten months ago, it's still making him disbelief the whole pandemic.
Several people looked at him, wondering why. It's the first time since the last pandemic a century ago, that everything can be this horrible. Even though it seems like no one had ever been infected in the entire class, they are still filled with concern.
"Ha, maybe some sort of sci-fi stuff, if it's true." Serx said.
"Look, I was thinking since the beginning of the pandemic if this can go any worse, and now this happens."
"That time, it was delirium."
"Yeah, and might be worse. A virus that infects the lung can go over the brain, that's some indication of-"
"Wait!"
Something tremendously loud that sounds like a car crash exploded from the road in front of the school. A burst of 'woahs' came out of the students. Everyone left their workings and immediately gathered to the window panes. From there, the crash site is visible.
An accident had happened. A minivan was gotten in a crash with a pick-up car. The van got a portion of their front-engine ripped off, it's pluming smoke. Both of them are severely messed up. Metal pieces and shattered windshield are scattering the asphalt. Usually, people and passersby would quickly come to give the first aid and try whatever they can to clean the mess. But, no. It does not happen this time.
Everyone looked at them in pity. And my gut feeling started to tell me that something isn't right. The road was eerily silent. It confused the students who are witnessing the crash for several minutes. Weirdly, there are not single passing vehicles as if something is blocking the road, jamming the traffic.
"Should there be anyone coming? Or should somebody call an ambulance?" A boy spoke up.
"This road is kind of dangerous, man." Anton said. "So many small accidents occured here, don't you remember?"
The boys started to come up with a couple of predictions when the school bell rings the class dismission tone. Shortly after, the sound speakers in all classrooms activate, giving an announcement.
"All students, teachers, and workers have to leave the school. Get to the evac vehicle right on time they arrive. I repeat all students, teachers, and workers must go to the evac vehicle!"
Nobody has clue as to what is happening. The students went to quickly grab their books and put everything back into their backpacks. From the corridor, students are running in every direction. Panic consumed this place while here, inside the classroom, some people are still arguing with each other.
"Guys now's 10:16. Should we wait?"
"Hey, if there are zombies, they will get us first before we can get into the cars! Aren't you thinking?"
"What? How zombies? Maybe just some sort of earthquake or volcano eruptions. We don't know."
"Clear your minds and just go there now!"
I don't know. But my gut feeling constantly convinces me that there must be something bad, or big trouble. I went to the windowpane once more, and my eyes caught something; the driver survived. He slowly pushed the cabin door open, which is filled with crooks and out of shape. He comes out of the wrecked car, slithering on the road. Over his body are numerous scratches and wounds behind his torn clothing. It's again a pity that no one came to aid.
"Serx!" I called him, "That news, evac vehicle, and car crash. What could go wrong?"
While I do wonder a lot about it, he seemed calm and even. But I can't tell if he's being genuine or just pretending.
"Hmm." Serx replied shortly.
A teacher running through the hallway yelled out to every classroom he comes across, "Go downstairs, they will come at 10:20!"
The noises of chatter and fast footsteps are getting more intense in the ear, giving a steady supply of panic. Time's now 10:18, two minutes left. We decided to go downstairs to the first floor, preparing for the comings. The staircase is only ten meters north of the big, metal gate where numerous students have gathered at. They are slipping their gaze through the metal bars, watching the road.
Faint sounds of car engines can now be heard. The evac vehicles are coming.
"Sir, what happened?" A student asked.
"You will see. But when this gate opens, run as fast as possible, and quickly get to the vehicle."
"How many vehicles will be there, by the way?"
"Surely, it can contain all students. No second thought, okay?" The teacher said.
The engine noises are getting closer and closer, destroying the quietness. After a brief moment, the convoy of vehicles finally showed up. They hastily made a neat parking row on both sides of the road.
"RUN, NOW!"
The inner gate opens, and everyone went running out to the outer gate. The students flooded the area, like a dam being opened. Some people could quickly reach the vehicle, but some clueless, curious guys are sparing some time to approach the crash site. Everything seemed like a usual car crash to them until all of a sudden, the van's back door slammed open. The people inside the van rushed out in a very strange way.
They started chasing the students. Crowds broke apart, like a herd of sheep being chased by a savage, rabid wolf. Several students are falling, which triggered a domino effect. Screams exploded from every direction and I'm just here; trotting, being both confused and fascinated at the same time while students are running in the fray past me.
Zombies are not an all-out myth. I think.
Roaring engine noises of aircraft engines are filling the air. A squadron of planes is seen cruising above, and helicopters are passing by. Their noise intensified the atmosphere of havoc. But despite the constant surge of fear, I can still find a little spark of fun and joy. My heart's racing, pumping adrenaline throughout my whole body amid this tense situation.
"Aahhh!"
That one van people got one of the students. He is seen to cough and attempts to spit at the victim. I didn't have time to think about how different this people from the average fictional zombies before I grabbed a loose rock and throws it hard at a close distance which hit the head, disorienting him.
The student looked at me for a while. Her eyes were full of confusion behind the messed-up hair. She couldn't process what had just happened, froze in place. And the attacker is covering with his palm the part of his head where the rock collided, and stumbling in pain. His body tried to get back on his feet, swaying left, right, left, right, like a drunk man.
Then he suddenly sprang to a dash towards me. I sprinted out to the sidewalks, with no further plan except to get away from the infected man. Intense breathing noise, combined with asthma-like wheezing can be heard from behind, instilling terror. I was running around a couple of dozens of meters from the outer gate until abruptly, I tripped over broken pavement. I slammed to the hard, stony surface. Pain and shock spread through my chest.
And the zombie is getting closer. He sprinted. His footsteps pounding hard on the sidewalks. I'm using my hand to paddle backward, pulling myself back while being bathed in fright.
In the corner of my eye, I saw an evac vehicle approaching at a fast pace. I have a strong urge to scream for help, as I'm still unable to stand up and run. But then, my expectation came true; it came to a halt several distance behind me. It's a car that looks like an ambulance, but without the notable sirens and strobe lights.
I kept crawling backwards, trying to keep the distance as much as I can. But it doesn't last long until the infected suddenly leap into the air. And just at the same time, I saw a long piece of wood flying across me. It connected with the zombie.
And a tall, young man.
"Get in, there's still a space beside my seat." The man said.
Still, in outright shock, I rushed to the car and pulls the door open. And there's nothing that shocked me more than to find Serx inside, occupying the one seat in the driver's cabin. Felt crazily glad to see him. He gave an awkward chuckle. He must've seen everything before his eyes, now.
"Told this man to stop. We still need a pandemic groupie up there!" Serx spoke.
It feels a bit tight after I get in and closed the door, but that's not a problem. The same man with the wooden stick entered the cabin, and into the driver's seat.
I see the infected struggling to stand himself up. He did some crazy, erratic movements that no longer seem human.
"Gas! Gas!" Serx yelled. The driver puts in the gear and steps on the pedal. The vehicle speeds up as the zombie starts to get back on his feet.
No one except our driver knows where to go. In the street, chaos and turmoils began. People are getting chased by another in a terrifying way, similar to what happened at the school. Several people, probably the infected threw themselves onto the front windshield of a sedan. It suddenly lost control and hit a motorcycle near us. In the intersection, a boxcar was overthrown, blocking the way.
This explains why the road was so empty since the class started. Our vehicle keeps speeding. We passed a hospital and the situation is worse.
"That's right." Serx said. I think it's the moment he realized that the news and my assumptions were correct.
"That's thrilling." I replied with a chuckle.
"By the way, where are we going? My home went north." He asked the driver.
"Now your house isn't safe anymore."
"So where?" asked Serx with a slightly raised voice.
"Safe zones, your parents probably have been there, and so will you. As a hint, there's a big port. You know that crashed van? That was one group of people trying to go there." The driver explained. "Good for you to ask, dude. I don't want to get accused for kidnapping."
"So, how is this even possible? The pandemic has just ended." Serx said.
"Now, how about the elite globalist and their sophisticated hidden tech?"
It's not much of a joke despite how silly the driver and Serx laughed. I do sometimes think that such peculiar stuff exists somewhere. A spike in the meat of reality, something that is not a mere telltale. A year ago, political uprisings happened in many big countries. Conflicts arose. And then this virus.
"A lot of opinions are coming from the public. Some have thoughts like yours. Some say it's just natural and that is coronavirus fusing itself with rabies. But, yeah, I'm not sure. Hoax and fake news can spread so fast, right?" The driver explained furthermore.
I nodded in response.
"Look, Dave," Serx said, showing a website opened on his smartphone. "There are various long-dormant bacteria and viruses, trapped in ice and permafrost for more than 20 million years ago. Global warming can melt them off, releasing them."
Clouds of dust and smoke are fogging the streets near the city's central park. On our right stood a huge mosque, tens of people ran into and out of the complex, take turns. From the speakers on the minaret came loud sound of repeated Takbirs and intense prayers. Sounds of ambulance sirens and car horns are filling the ear in a caccophony of random screams. The street's insanely crowded. Accidents became a common occurrence, sometimes my heartbeat jumps from hearing the piercing metal to metal hit and crashes.
This is a large intersection we're on. We have just crossed the redlight when an infected person suddenly showed up in front of our vehicle. The car brakes hard, shattering my tense daunt. Our car nearly hit him but a truck passes from the right, crashing the infected away from our sight.
"We gotta go."