I lay on the cold, unforgiving steps of the staircase, my body powerless and pinned beneath the weight of the infected. Their gnashing teeth sank into my flesh, each bite igniting a fire of agony that surged through me. I screamed, a desperate sound that echoed off the walls, but my cries were drowned out by the moans of the undead.
The pain was unbearable, but amidst the horror, a memory flashed through my mind—a moment from earlier that day when my friends and I had fought side by side. We had been so close to reaching safety, so close to escaping the nightmare. But then, when the tide of zombies surged forward, their fear had overwhelmed them.
"I'm sorry, but please, buy us more time!" one of them had pleaded, urgency lacing their voice as they pushed me away from the staircase. I had stumbled back, shock and disbelief washing over me as they rushed past, abandoning me to the chaos. Their faces twisted with terror haunted me now, fueling my anger as I lay there, helpless.
As the infected tore into me, I felt the betrayal cut deeper than any wound. Blood flowed from my mouth and nose, mingling with the salty taste of my own despair. The memory of their desperate plea burned in my mind, morphing into a promise of vengeance. If I survived this, if I somehow escaped this hell, I would make them pay for leaving me behind. I had risked everything for them, only to be pushed aside when they thought their lives were at stake.
Remember this, I thought fiercely, the words echoing in the recesses of my mind as I writhed in agony. If I survive, you will pay.
As I finished that thought, my vision began to fade, the world blurring into a swirling haze of darkness. The cold steps beneath me felt distant, and the sound of zombies grew muffled, as if I were slipping away from reality itself. Panic surged within me, mingled with the pain, but it was quickly drowned by a growing sense of acceptance.
I fought against the encroaching darkness, but It was relentless. Each gasp for breath became more labored, and I felt a warmth of blood pooling around me. The face of my friends flashed before my eyes, twisted in terror as they pushed me away. You'll all regret this, I thought, my heart heavy with rage and sorrow.
In those final moments, I clung to that rage, that promises of retribution. The world around me dissolved into shadows, but within those shadows, I found a flicker of resolve. I would survive, I would rise from this hell.
As the last remnants of consciousness slipped away, I whispered into the void, If I survived this you would pay. And then everything went dark.