As the crisis is unfolding, Arin's younger brother wakes up. He was a young boy who looked exactly like his sister. He saw his sister sitting on the floor, she looked terrified. He calls for her in concern.
"Sister, What happened?"
Suddenly, Arin's mind becomes clear. She saw her brother sitting on the bed. She tried to get up, but her legs gave up. After two or three tries, she got up and sat on her brother's bed.
She then put her hands on her brother's shoulder and said, "Kevin, Listen to me, zombies have appeared. We need to go to a safe place".
Upon hearing this, her brother laughed, "Good Joke Sister". He caught the grim look on his sister's face and then stammered, "You are joking, right?".
"No, I am not. Look outside.", Arin said with a stern face. She needed to be strong for her brother.
As Kevin peered out the window, the grim reality of the situation unfolded before his eyes. The scenery outside was ominous, with broken buildings silhouetted against a darkened sky. Flames danced among the ruins, casting an eerie glow on the desolation. The air was thick with tension, and the world seemed to crumble under the weight of an unprecedented catastrophe.
His eyes widened with terror as he took in the grotesque sights—Zombies, with eyes burning in a red hue, mindlessly roamed the streets. Their grotesque appearance sent shivers down Kevin's spine, and he struggled to come to terms with the surreal horror unfolding outside.
At that moment, the innocence of childhood was replaced by a stark realization—this was no longer a safe haven.
It was a scene taken straight out of a tragic novel.
All of a sudden, the room door was banged open. It was the kids' parents. They were also shocked. Arin's dad said,
"Kids, we need to get out of here. It is not safe here". He was composed as he was the head of the family.
Arin grabbed her brother and ran behind her parents.
As the family huddled together, Arin's mother voiced the grim reality they faced, "We need to be careful; we don't know what is ahead of us." Her words carried an undertone of fear, but she, just like Arin's father, maintained a composed front in the presence of the children.
Arin's dad, the head of the family, took charge with a determined demeanor. Understanding the severity of the situation, he gathered all the supplies he could find within the confines of their home. The air was charged with a mix of tension and urgency as he distributed a knife to each family member.
The weight of the cold steel in their hands served as a stark reminder of the scary journey they were about to embark upon. The ordinary family, who were once shielded by the comforts of their home, was forced into a situation where survival necessitated such extreme measures.
Kevin was scared when he held the knife, he stammered, "Should we use the knife for killing". Her dad brutally answered, "Yes".
An ordinary family was forced to make such extreme decisions. It was just the day before when everything was fine. Their world was turned upside down.
Arin wanted to experience something interesting in her life, But this was not it.
Some time passed, and her dad formulated a plan. He said with a stern look, "So kids, this is the plan. First, we head to the basement and get into our car. Second, we drive past the zombies and head towards the airport. It takes two hours from here. Third, we get onto the plane, which is scheduled to leave for the safe base Arin's friend sent."
"But, Dad it is too dangerous. What if something happens and we might not survive?", said Kevin with fear. His whole body was shivering.
"Kevin. We must survive in this, and to make this possible, we must take risks.", said Arin's dad with a stern face. He was determined to survive and protect his family.
"But, DAD!", shouted Kevin.
Suddenly, there was a bang at the door. Arin went to look through to check who was there. It was a young woman from the floor below; she had come all the way there.
She cried, "Please, Open the door! The monsters are chasing me! Help me!". As Arin went to open the door, her dad shouted, "DON'T". It was too dangerous.
Arin hesitated for a moment, torn between empathy for the terrified woman outside and her father's stern warning. The urgency in the woman's voice sent shivers down Arin's spine, making her want to help. However, her father's concern for their safety prevailed.
Seeing Arin hesitate, her mother stepped forward and gently pulled her away from the door. "We can't risk it, Arin. Our priority is to keep ourselves safe and find a way to that safe location Monica mentioned."
The woman outside continued pleading, her desperation evident, "Please, I have nowhere else to go. They're right behind me!"
Arin felt a lump in her throat, torn between the human instinct to help and the harsh reality of their situation. The monsters she had believed to be mere figments of fiction were now a terrifying reality outside their door.
Her dad, resolute in his decision, added, "I know it's hard, but we can't jeopardize our safety. We need to stick together as a family and make it to that safe base."
The woman's pleas faded as the family retreated from the door. Arin couldn't shake the feeling of guilt, but the ominous sounds outside served as a harsh reminder of the danger they faced.
As they gathered their belongings and prepared to leave, Arin stole one last glance at the closed door, wondering about the fate of the woman they had been forced to turn away.
The game of survival had just begun.