The sun was setting over the mountains of Mindanao, casting long shadows across the dense forest. The air was thick with humidity, and the chirping of insects filled the air. In the small town of Bukana, nestled between the hills and the coast, life was peaceful and unhurried. That peace was about to be shattered.

...

Isabela "Isa" Cruz wiped the sweat from her forehead as she tended to the small garden behind her family's nipa hut. The tomatoes were coming in nicely, and she smiled at the thought of the fresh salad they would have for dinner. Her younger brother, Tomas, was playing with their dog, Bantay, a few meters away, his laughter mingling with the sounds of the forest.

"Isa! Can you get me some water?" Tomas called out, his voice full of energy as he threw a stick for Bantay to fetch.

"Sure, Tom," Isa replied, standing up and brushing the dirt off her hands. She walked into the kitchen, where her mother was preparing dinner. The aroma of adobo filled the small space, making Isa's stomach rumble. "Mom, do we have any cold water left?"

Her mother, a sturdy woman with a kind face, looked up from chopping vegetables. "Yes, dear. There's some in the jug. Make sure you give some to Bantay too. It's a hot day."

Isa nodded and filled a clay jug with water, then headed back outside. As she approached Tomas, she noticed Bantay barking furiously at something in the forest. The dog's fur was standing on end, and he was growling low in his throat.

"Tomas, what's Bantay barking at?" Isa asked, a note of concern in her voice.

"I don't know. He just started barking all of a sudden," Tomas replied, looking towards the trees, his small face scrunched up in confusion.

Isa squinted into the fading light, trying to see what had spooked the dog. She saw a figure stumbling through the underbrush, moving erratically. As it came closer, she realized it was a man, his clothes torn and his face covered in blood.

"Help... me..." the man croaked, reaching out towards them before collapsing to the ground.

"Tomas, stay back!" Isa shouted, pulling her brother behind her. She cautiously approached the man, who lay motionless. "Sir, are you okay?"

The man didn't respond. Isa's heart pounded in her chest as she checked for a pulse. There was none. Just as she was about to step back, the man's eyes snapped open, and he lunged at her with a guttural snarl. His movements were jerky and unnatural, filled with a terrifying strength.

Isa screamed and fell backward, narrowly avoiding his grasp. Bantay barked and growled, biting at the man's legs. Her mother rushed out of the house with a broom, fear etched on her face.

"Get away from my daughter!" she yelled, striking the man with all her might. The man barely flinched, his eyes wild and unseeing. Isa scrambled to her feet and, with Tomas clinging to her, ran towards the house.

"Mom, come on!" Isa shouted, her voice shaking. Her mother struck the man one last time before following them into the house. They slammed the door shut and bolted it.

"What was that?" Tomas whispered, his eyes wide with fear.

"I don't know, Tom. I don't know," Isa replied, holding him close. Her arm throbbed where the man had bitten her, and she could feel the blood soaking through the bandage. "We need to get to the hospital."

...

Two hours later, Isa sat in the waiting room of the local hospital, her hands shaking. Her mother had driven them there as soon as they could, but not before the man had bitten her arm. The bite was deep, and blood had soaked through the makeshift bandage.

"Tomas, are you okay?" Isa asked, her voice trembling.

"I'm fine, Isa. But what about you?" Tomas looked at her with wide, frightened eyes.

"I'll be okay. The doctors will take care of me," she reassured him, though she wasn't sure if she believed it herself. The hospital was unusually busy for this time of day, with people rushing back and forth, their faces grim.

Just then, a doctor walked into the waiting room. His face was grave. "Isabela Cruz?"

"Yes, that's me," Isa said, standing up.

"Come with me, please," the doctor said, leading her down a hallway. He stopped in front of a room and gestured for her to enter. Inside, a nurse was setting up an IV.

"We need to clean and stitch that bite, and you'll need antibiotics to prevent infection," the doctor explained. "But there's something else you should know. The man who attacked you... he wasn't just injured. He was infected with something."

"What do you mean, infected?" Isa asked, her heart racing.

"We're not sure yet, but we've had reports of similar incidents across the region. People becoming violent, attacking others. We're investigating it, but you need to be careful. If you feel any different, any symptoms at all, let us know immediately."

Isa nodded, fear gripping her. "What kind of symptoms?"

"Fever, dizziness, aggression. Anything unusual," the doctor said, his tone serious.

Isa's mother squeezed her hand. "We'll keep an eye on you, Isa. Don't worry."

...

Back at home, Isa lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. Her arm throbbed where the man had bitten her, and she couldn't shake the doctor's words from her mind. She had insisted that her family sleep in the other room, just in case.

The night was eerily quiet. Even the usual sounds of the forest seemed muted. Isa's thoughts were a whirlwind. What had happened to that man? What was this infection? She had seen the look in his eyes—there was nothing human left in them.

Around midnight, she felt a strange heat spreading from the bite wound. She sat up, feeling dizzy. Her vision blurred, and she struggled to stay conscious. Panic set in as she remembered the doctor's warning.

"Mom!" she tried to call out, but her voice was weak. She stumbled out of bed, nearly collapsing. With great effort, she made it to the door and opened it.

Her mother rushed in, eyes wide with concern. "Isa! What's wrong?"

"I... don't feel right," Isa managed to say before collapsing into her mother's arms.

Isa woke up in the hospital again, but this time the atmosphere was different. The usually bustling place was eerily silent, and the lights flickered intermittently. She looked around, disoriented, and saw Tomas sitting by her bed, tears streaming down his face.

"Isa, you're awake!" he exclaimed, relief flooding his voice.

"What happened?" Isa asked, her voice hoarse.

"You collapsed, and Mom brought you back here. But something's wrong. The hospital is... strange," Tomas said, his voice trembling.

Isa tried to sit up, wincing at the pain in her arm. "Where's Mom?"

"She went to find a doctor. But that was a while ago," Tomas replied, looking towards the door.

Just then, they heard a blood-curdling scream from down the hall. Isa's blood ran cold. "Tomas, we need to find Mom and get out of here."

They crept down the dark hallway, the sound of their footsteps eerily loud. They reached the main ward and saw chaos. Patients and doctors were either dead or transformed into the same kind of creature that had attacked Isa. She spotted her mother, cornered by one of the infected.

"Mom!" Isa shouted, rushing forward.

Her mother turned, eyes wide with fear. "Isa, no! Stay back!"

But it was too late. The creature lunged at Isa's mother. With a burst of adrenaline, Isa grabbed a nearby metal stand and swung it with all her might, hitting the creature in the head. It fell to the ground, motionless.

"We need to go, now!" Isa said, helping her mother to her feet. They ran towards the exit, Tomas close behind. As they burst out of the hospital doors into the night, the full moon illuminated the town of Bukana. Fires burned in the distance, and the sounds of screams echoed through the streets.

The world had changed. And there was no going back.