The man moved with unnatural speed, his legs propelling him forward like a predator on the hunt. His movements were jerky, yet calculated, as if he had been starved for days and now saw his meal standing before him. Nathan and his group froze in place, their bravado crumbling under the sheer terror of what they were witnessing.
Before anyone could react, the man lunged at one of Nathan's goons, tackling him to the ground with feral aggression. The scream that followed was blood-curdling, echoing through the abandoned building. The sight was grotesque—the man tore into the goon's neck with his teeth, ripping flesh and chewing on it with unrelenting hunger. Blood sprayed across the dusty floor, pooling beneath the writhing victim.
The group was paralyzed, rooted to the spot as the horrifying scene unfolded. The man gnawed on the flesh with a sickening crunch, his bloodied mouth dripping as he fed. It was like a nightmare come to life.
"Peter! Do something!" Nathan barked, snapping out of his shock.
Peter, another of Nathan's lackeys, ran forward, screaming as he grabbed the man by the shoulders, trying to pull him off their friend. "Get off him, you fucker! Let go!" he shouted, panic evident in his voice.
The man's attention shifted. He turned toward Peter, his face horrifying—pale and gaunt, veins bulging under translucent skin. His eyes were dilated and wild, and blood dripped from his chin, staining his teeth. Peter froze at the sight, fear seizing him, but it was too late. The man lunged at him, sinking his teeth into Peter's shoulder. Peter's scream was raw and primal, filled with agony. He turned his desperate eyes to Nathan. "Help me! Please!" he cried.
Nathan's breath hitched. The scene before him felt like something out of a horror movie, but it was real. Too real. He stepped back, his bravado completely gone. His face twisted in panic as he muttered, "Fuck this," before turning and sprinting away.
The remaining three goons hesitated, unsure whether to follow, until another noise drew their attention. The woman who had collapsed earlier was now rising. Her bones cracked loudly as her body twisted unnaturally, her skin pale and her veins dark and pronounced. Her eyes had the same crazed look as the man. She shrieked, a guttural sound that made the hairs on Clay's neck stand on end, before launching herself at one of the remaining goons.
That was the breaking point. The group scattered, each running for their lives. Clay, summoning every ounce of strength he had left, forced himself to his feet and bolted. The terror he felt now dwarfed anything Nathan had ever inflicted on him. His legs burned, his lungs screamed for air, but he couldn't stop.
The sounds of pursuit followed him—heavy footsteps, shrieks, and guttural growls. He glanced back and saw the man and woman chasing them with relentless speed. But what made his stomach drop was the sight of Peter, the goon who had been bitten, rising from the floor. His movements were jerky, unnatural, and his eyes now held that same bloodthirsty hunger. He joined the chase, his bloody shoulder swinging as he ran.
Clay turned back, pushing himself harder. He had to get away.
The group burst into the nearest building, their shoes skidding across the polished floor. Without a word, they bolted for the stairs, the sound of pursuit growing louder behind them. But when they reached the top, they stopped dead in their tracks.
The scene before them was chaos. Students were attacking one another, biting and tearing at flesh like wild animals. Blood stained the walls and floors, and the air was filled with screams and cries for help. One student was pinned to the ground, their limbs flailing as another gnawed on their arm. Another stood in the corner, chewing on a piece of flesh, oblivious to the carnage around them.
"What the hell is going on?" Clay thought, his mind spiraling. Was this the end of the world? Was this how everything collapsed? Just an hour ago, life had been normal. Now, it was like stepping into a nightmare.
A guttural shriek snapped him out of his thoughts. The man was closing in on him, his eyes locked on Clay like a predator sizing up its prey. Clay felt his body go cold. He wanted to run, but his legs wouldn't move. He was frozen, paralyzed by fear.Just as the man leapt toward him, a blur of motion cut through the chaos. A powerful kick sent the man flying backward, crashing into the woman behind him. Both tumbled down the stairs, landing in a heap at the bottom.
Clay looked up, dazed, and saw the school's council president, Albert, standing over him with a baseball bat in hand.
"Follow me!" he shouted, his voice cutting through the panic. Without hesitation, Clay and the others followed him. Even Nathan, who never took orders from anyone, obeyed.
Albert led them to the science lab. He knocked three times on the door, and it creaked open just enough to reveal Ms. Shirley, the science teacher. Her face was pale, but her eyes were sharp and focused. "Hurry, get in!" she whispered urgently.
The group scrambled inside, and Ms. Shirley quickly locked the door, dragging tables and chairs to barricade it. Clay's eyes scanned the room, taking in the terrified faces of more than ten students. They were huddled together, their expressions a mix of fear and suspicion.
One student, clutching a pair of scissors, pointed at the newcomers.
"Why did you let them in? What if they were bitten?"
Nathan's temper flared. "What the fuck did you just say?" he snapped, stepping toward the student. The boy shrank back, trembling.
"Enough!" Ms. Shirley hissed. "This is not the time for fighting." She turned to the group. "Let me check you all for bite marks."
One by one, she inspected them. When she reached Clay, she paused, her eyes narrowing at the bruises on his face.
"What happened to you?" she asked. Clay looked away, his gaze dropping to the floor. "I… I fell down the stairs," he mumbled.
She raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced, but said nothing. She moved on to Nathan, her eyes lingering on the faint traces of blood on his knuckles.
"None of them are bitten," she finally announced.
"Are you certain, ma'am? W-what if—" the student began to ask, but his words were cut short as Nathan grabbed him by the collar.
"You're really starting to piss me off. Do you want me gone that badly? How about I just beat your ass up and toss you out there with those motherfuckers?" Nathan snarled. The student gulped, trembling in fear.
"Enough, Nathan. Let him go," Albert interjected firmly, placing a hand on Nathan's shoulder. Nathan hesitated for a moment, glaring at the student, but eventually released his grip and stepped back.
"What's happening out there?" one of Nathan's goons, Elijah, finally asked, his voice trembling.
"This doesn't make any sense. Just an hour ago, everything was fine. Now… now people are eating each other!"
Ms. Shirley sighed, her face grim. "I don't know. I wish I had answers."
A girl with glasses spoke up hesitantly.
"I think… I think it started in the clinic. I was there earlier. Ms. Chan, the nurse, was coughing up blood, and she had these huge scratches on her legs. She collapsed right in front of me. I ran to get help, but by the time I came back, everything had gone crazy."
"Scratches?" Ms. Shirley repeated, her expression darkening. "You mean… it's not just bites?"
The room erupted into chaos. Everyone is panicking.
"Who got scratched? Who got bitten? Get out!" someone screamed, their voice breaking with fear.
A loud, heavy banging on the barricaded door silence everyone in the room. The sound was deep and resonant, like something heavy and relentless slamming against the wood. Everyone froze, their breaths catching in their throats
Thud!
Thud!
The pounding grew louder, more insistent.
"What… what's that?" a girl with pigtails whispered, her voice trembling as she clutched the arm of the boy beside her.
No one answered.
Everyone's attention was fixed on the door, their imaginations running wild with the possibilities of what might be on the other side.
Ms. Shirley raised a hand to silence the murmurs, her face pale but her eyes fierce.
"Stay quiet," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Everyone held their breath, staring at the door, waiting for whatever was on the other side to make its next move.