And the world did fall.
Purplish skies covered the horizon and flies buzzed around the city, hovering over the mangled bodies littered over the streets like a dark cloud. From a dark alley, a woman gripped the bloody baseball bat in her hand tightly. She watched the windows of a dilapidated building across her hiding place, searching for any sign of movement.
With an irritated click of her tongue, she pulled her phone from her pants pockets as it buzzed with a new notification. New notification from Drew!
Suddenly giggling at the sight of his name, she opened the message which redirected her to the Z.A.D app. "Patiently waiting for you, baby girl." She bit her lower lip, checking Drew's Z.A.D profile for the nth time. His luscious photos made her blush, ignoring the glowing yellow tag below the screen.
"I'm close, baby," she typed quickly, her heart pounding in her chest. "I hope you do not disappoint. You better not be a zombie!"
His reply came fast, making her heart jump with glee. "Haha! You come in and see."
Adjusting her short skirt and loose hanging shirt, the lady stared at her reflection. She felt a little disgusted at first, seeing how her hair wouldn't stay in place. However, reminiscing about how she had fought to stay alive for the past few weeks made her scoff. "Forget about looks. He promised he wouldn't mind," she murmured, fantasizing about the sexy stranger she'd been flirting with.
Chewing on the insides of her cheeks, she eyed the abandoned property yet again, her chest tightening with anxiety, fear, and partly exhilaration. Before she could swim deeper into her unwanted thoughts, her phone buzzed with another message. She quickly read it, her cheeks burning. "I can't wait to meet and finally ravish you, Louise." Drew's message was followed by a stream of kissing emojis, summoning another giggle to bubble out of her mouth.
"Shit!" she hissed, trying to calm her erratic heartbeat. Dismissing all her doubts, Louise ducked, staying low and on high alert as she approached the four story apartment. Shattered windows and gruesome body parts made her look away from the ground. On instinct, she gripped the bat tightly, readying to attack at any moment.
Convinced that she was not in any physical danger, Louise dropped her guard as she neared their meeting point. However, a strong, metallic smell immediately infiltrated her nostrils, halting her from going beyond the broken door. She eyed the dark interior and the short flight of stairs that loomed a few steps away from where she was standing. "Shit…"
One foot in and one foot out, she hastily opened her phone to swipe right on Drew's Z.A.D. profile, hoping to give herself some time to escape. Yet, a shrill, piercing scream echoing from outside gave her pause, freezing her thumb and leaving it hovering over her device.
Eyes wide and on the verge of panic, she jumped as the Z.A.D app flashed a single, terrifying word: RUN. Her hands shook, the device slipping slightly from her grip as she swallowed hard. She knew she needed to move, but her legs felt like they were cemented in place, every inch of her became paralyzed as she watched the yellow, hungry eyes emerging from the dark corners of the building. The color and excitement she felt from earlier vanished, replaced by a bitter taste and a lump in her throat.
"D-Drew?" Her voice barely rose above a whisper, cracking with fear. "This isn't very funny." She called out, hoping she was wrong and that she was not in real danger at all. But the heavy silence that followed felt thick and oppressive, leaving her to listen to the growing snarls from the street.
Cold sweat broke out across her brow, her breath coming in slow, ragged gasps. Louise's pulse hammered in her ears. She dared a glance through the sliver of space between the broken window, watching as the undead moved slowly, seemingly searching for her.
Finding herself trapped, she stood there motionless, unwilling to accept her tragic fate. Just then, the lone figure hiding in the shadows let out a low rumbling growl, causing her knees to buckle. Not wanting to see the predator that led her on, she closed her eyes, finding no reason to fight. Like a lamb waiting to be slaughtered, she braced herself for the worst.
"Duck!" a voice suddenly rang out, confusing her for several seconds before she figured out what was happening. The advancing creature before her had lunged forward but its vicious snarl was immediately cut off by the loud echo of a sickening crack. She stared at the monster's head falling on the ground, rolling helplessly by her feet while leaving a murky trail of liquid in its wake. Its body followed, crumpling on the floor with a heavy thud.
Stealing a glance behind her, Louise caught sight of a figure moving faster than she could blink. One moment, she was certain that she was right behind her. But at the next, she was fighting with the horde, killing each one with precision. The zombies fell in a grotesque heap, their rotten blood mixing with the dust and all kinds of particles created a horrific image.
"Hey!" Louise heard yet again, belatedly realizing that she was being addressed. "Do you have a death wish?" the woman hissed without breaking her concentration. "Get your ass out of here now!"
Her legs felt jelly, but she didn't need to be told twice. Moving toward the opening her savior had created, Louise couldn't help but cry. Her vision blurred and she stumbled on her feet. She crashed to the ground, the bat and her phone clattering out of reach. For a split second, panic overwhelmed her, watching as one zombie lunged hungrily in her direction. But before it could advance further, its head was detached by a sharp blade. She screamed, kicking the dead body away from her as a second figure appeared—a man who looked at her with wild, bluish eyes. "Come on! Let's get you out of here!" he urged, stretching his hand for her to take and gently pulling her back to her feet.
"Gabby! There are too many! Let's go!" The man called out, dragging Louise as they fled toward a tattered SUV with its engine running and doors open.
Louise absent-mindedly watched as the woman lashed out at the creatures that seemed to be closing in on her. She hastily pushed the last few undead toward the others, maintaining the small arc for her escape. With bated breath, Louise urged her on, catching the woman's gaze before she was thrown into the vehicle. The engine revved to life as soon as the other lady had joined them and the car sped off, leaving the advancing horde behind.
When things had calmed down and the engine slowed, Louise hugged herself, feeling ashamed and mad. But her thoughts were instantly interrupted by the woman who saved her life. She gave Louise a once over, examining her closely. "One question, one answer," she spoke, narrowing her gaze at her. "Are you infected?"
Louise opened her mouth to respond, but somehow words failed her.
"Uh, guys?" another man, the one driving the SUV called out. He pointed at the massive black trucks that rolled into view, followed by the sound of helicopters coming from above.
"Step on the gas, Ryker," the woman answered, extending her hand to Louise. "And you, hand me your phone."
"I… dropped it," she gulped nervously, her gaze following the bright beams of the military vehicles that were closing in on them. She had several seconds of hesitation before coming to a decision. Gulping nervously, she unlocked the door beside her.
"What are you doing?" the woman asked, reaching to stop her but the man with blue eyes held her back, looking at Louise with what she wanted to believe was understanding. "They can't help you."
Louise licked her dry lips, holding the other woman's intense stare before giving a retort. "And neither can you."