The morning light filtered through the thin curtains of Evan's room, casting muted rays across the walls. He sat on the edge of his bed, head in his hands, trying to make sense of what had just happened. His pulse was steady now, but the voice—the cold, mechanical voice—still echoed in his mind.
"Genesis Framework activated. Initialization complete."
It felt too real to dismiss as a dream, yet too impossible to believe. The voice wasn't the only thing troubling him. Ever since that moment at the exhibit, when the artifact's hum resonated through him, something in him had changed. The world seemed sharper now. He could hear the faint buzz of electricity in the walls, the rhythmic tapping of Maya's fingers on her tablet in the next room.
He glanced at his hands. They looked the same as always, but they felt… different. Stronger. More aware. It wasn't just his senses—his entire body felt like it was humming with latent energy.
The memories of the glowing lines and infinite network from the artifact flashed in his mind again. He exhaled sharply, trying to focus.
"What the hell is happening to me?" he muttered.
The house was unusually quiet. Maya was usually the first one to wake up, but it seemed like even she was taking a rare moment to sleep in. Evan decided to use the time to clear his head. He reached for his phone to check the news but hesitated. There was a strange reluctance, as if a part of him already knew that whatever he found would only reinforce the growing unease in his chest.
Instead, he stood and walked to the window. The streets below looked the same as they always did—rows of tightly packed houses, a few people rushing to catch the maglev bus, and the occasional drone zipping by overhead. But something felt off. The air was heavy, and the muted chatter of the city seemed quieter than usual.
A faint chime echoed in his mind, startling him.
"Status interface available. Command: Open status."
The voice was the same as before, cold and detached. It was back, and this time, it wasn't just a fleeting whisper. He stumbled back from the window, his pulse racing.
"Open… status?" he said hesitantly, unsure if he was losing his mind.
A translucent screen materialized before him, glowing faintly and hovering in the air. His jaw dropped, and he blinked several times, but the display remained steady.
The Genesis Framework:
The screen was minimalistic, with neat lines and clean text:
---
Name: Evan Kane
Level: 1
Attributes:
Strength: 8
Agility: 7
Endurance: 6
Intelligence: 9
Perception: 10
Skills:
Hand-to-Hand Combat: Basic (0%)
Improvised Weapons: Basic (0%)
Survival Instincts: Basic (0%)
Experience: 0/100
---
"Holy…" Evan whispered, unable to finish the thought.
It felt like something out of a video game, but this was no game. He reached out instinctively, and the screen shifted as though responding to his intent.
The attributes and skills were self-explanatory, but they left him with more questions than answers. What did the percentages mean? How was he supposed to gain experience? And most importantly, why him?
He swiped his hand, and another tab appeared, but its contents were blurred and unreadable. A small lock icon glowed faintly in the corner.
"Unavailable until further progression," the voice stated, as if anticipating his curiosity.
His head swam with questions. Was this connected to the artifact? Did anyone else experience this, or was it just him? He needed answers, but for now, all he had was this screen—and the unsettling realization that whatever was happening was far beyond his control.
The sound of Maya's voice snapped him back to reality.
"Evan! Are you awake?"
He hurriedly dismissed the screen—though he wasn't sure how, it vanished with a simple thought—and opened his door to find Maya standing there, her tablet tucked under her arm.
"Finally," she said, brushing past him and flopping onto his bed. "You've been acting weird since yesterday. What's going on?"
Evan hesitated, searching for the right words. He couldn't tell her about the Genesis Framework—not yet.
"Nothing," he said, leaning against the doorframe. "Just tired."
Maya rolled her eyes. "You're always tired. I'm serious, Evan. Something's going on, isn't it? The meteors, the artifact, and now all these news reports…"
"What reports?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.
She held up her tablet, scrolling to a news feed. Headlines blared warnings about strange occurrences—unexplained blackouts, clusters of animals found dead in unnatural patterns, and increasing meteor activity.
"It's getting worse," she said quietly. "Do you think… do you think this is all connected?"
Evan wanted to reassure her, to tell her it was just a coincidence, but the words wouldn't come. Because deep down, he felt it too.
Sophia arrived later that morning, her usual confidence tempered by a hint of unease. She carried a grocery bag, explaining that she thought the stores might start running low on supplies if the strange events continued.
"Better safe than sorry, right?" she said, though her forced smile betrayed her worry.
The three of them gathered in the living room, the air heavy with unspoken tension. Sophia sat cross-legged on the floor, sorting through canned goods, while Maya scribbled notes in a notebook—her way of processing the chaos. Evan stood by the window, his gaze fixed on the street below.
"Do you think it'll get bad here?" Maya asked, breaking the silence.
Sophia glanced up. "What do you mean?"
Maya hesitated, then said, "I mean… what if this isn't just some weird weather or freak accidents? What if it's something bigger?"
Evan turned to face them, his jaw tightening. "We'll deal with it. Whatever happens, we'll deal with it."
His words hung in the air, both a promise and a challenge.
The quiet of the day was shattered by a sudden, piercing scream from outside. All three of them froze.
Evan was the first to move, rushing to the window. A man was staggering down the street, clutching his arm. Blood dripped from his fingers, leaving a crimson trail behind him.
Sophia joined him at the window, her eyes wide. "What happened to him?"
"I don't know," Evan said, his voice tense. "Stay here."
"Evan, wait—" Maya started, but he was already moving.
Evan pushed the door open and stepped outside, his heart pounding. The man was now slumped against a lamppost, his breathing ragged.
"Hey!" Evan called, approaching cautiously. "Are you okay?"
The man's head snapped up, and Evan recoiled. His eyes were bloodshot, his skin pale and slick with sweat. He bared his teeth, which were stained with something dark and viscous.
"Help… me…" the man rasped, but his voice was guttural, almost inhuman.
Before Evan could respond, the man lunged at him with startling speed.
Time seemed to slow. Evan's senses sharpened, the world around him becoming a blur of motion and instinct. His body moved on its own, sidestepping the attack with a fluidity he didn't know he possessed.
The man crashed to the ground, snarling like a wild animal. Evan's breath hitched as he realized this wasn't just some injured bystander—something was wrong, deeply wrong.
The Genesis Framework's voice echoed in his mind: "Skill unlocked: Survival Instincts (Basic). Progress: 5%."
Evan didn't have time to process the words. The man lunged again, and Evan grabbed a nearby metal pipe, swinging it with all his strength. The impact sent the man sprawling, but he didn't stay down for long.
"What the hell are you?" Evan muttered, gripping the pipe tighter.
From the doorway, Maya and Sophia watched in horror.
"Evan, get back inside!" Sophia shouted, but he didn't move.
Something deep inside him had awakened, and for better or worse, he wasn't going to run.
Evan tightened his grip on the metal pipe, his knuckles whitening as the infected man staggered back to his feet. The man's bloodshot eyes locked onto him with an animalistic intensity, his movements erratic and jerky, as though his body were fighting against itself.
For a moment, Evan's mind screamed at him to run. But something deeper—something instinctual—kept him rooted in place. The Genesis Framework's voice echoed in his mind again, steady and cold:
"Host under threat. Reflex calibration engaged. Skill progression available: Improvised Weapons."
The infected man lunged. Evan didn't think—he moved. The pipe came down in a swift arc, slamming into the man's shoulder with a force that surprised even him. The infected stumbled but didn't fall. Instead, he snarled, a guttural sound that sent a chill through Evan's spine.
"What's wrong with him?" Maya's voice rang out from the doorway, panicked but distant in his mind.
Evan didn't answer. He shifted his stance, the pipe feeling oddly natural in his hands, like an extension of himself. His muscles moved with precision, as though guided by an unseen force. When the man lunged again, Evan sidestepped with ease, delivering a sharp jab to his ribs.
"Skill progression: Improvised Weapons (5% → 10%). Attribute bonus: Agility +1."
The screen flashed briefly in the corner of his vision, but he barely registered it.
The infected man's breathing grew ragged, his movements slower but no less aggressive. Evan knew he couldn't afford to hesitate. This wasn't a person anymore—whatever had happened to him had stripped him of humanity.
Summoning his courage, Evan gripped the pipe with both hands and swung with all his strength. The blow connected with the man's temple, and he collapsed to the ground, motionless.
Evan stood over the body, his chest heaving. The pipe slipped from his hands, clattering onto the pavement. For a moment, there was silence, save for the distant hum of the city.
Then the Framework spoke again.
"Threat neutralized. Experience gained: 25 XP."
Evan stumbled back, his mind racing. The screen reappeared, displaying his updated stats.
---
Name: Evan Kane
Level: 1
Experience: 25/100
Attributes:
Strength: 8
Agility: 8 (+1)
Endurance: 6
Intelligence: 9
Perception: 10
Skills:
Hand-to-Hand Combat: Basic (0%)
Improvised Weapons: Basic (10%)
Survival Instincts: Basic (5%)
---
It felt surreal, like he was trapped in a nightmare. But the blood on the pavement and the ache in his muscles told him otherwise. This was real.
"Evan!"
He turned to see Maya running toward him, Sophia close behind. Maya stopped short when she saw the body, her face pale.
"Is he...?" she began, her voice trembling.
"He's dead," Evan said flatly. "I didn't have a choice."
Sophia's eyes darted between Evan and the corpse, her expression a mix of fear and concern. "What happened to him? That wasn't normal."
Evan shook his head. "I don't know. He was… infected or something. He wasn't himself."
Maya knelt beside the body, her fear momentarily overridden by curiosity. "Look at his skin," she murmured.
Evan followed her gaze. The man's veins were dark, almost black, and his skin had an unnatural sheen to it, like it had been stretched too thin.
"This isn't a normal infection," Maya said, her voice steadier now. "This looks... wrong."
Evan's stomach churned. He thought back to the news reports Maya had shown him earlier—the strange deaths, the meteor showers. Was this connected?
A faint sound broke the tense silence: a distant wail, followed by another, closer this time.
"What is that?" Sophia asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Evan scanned the street, his senses sharper than ever. The Genesis Framework activated in his mind again, displaying faint outlines in his peripheral vision. Two figures were moving erratically down the street, their silhouettes distorted.
"We need to go," Evan said, his tone leaving no room for argument.
"What about him?" Maya asked, gesturing to the body.
"There's nothing we can do for him," Evan said, gripping her arm and pulling her to her feet.
Sophia grabbed the fallen pipe, her hands trembling but determined. "Let's move."
The three of them hurried back inside, slamming the door behind them. Evan locked it and pressed his back against the wood, his heart pounding.
"What the hell is happening?" Sophia demanded, pacing the room.
Evan didn't answer immediately. His mind was racing, piecing together the fragments of what he knew. The artifact, the Framework, the infected man—none of it made sense, but it was all connected. He was sure of that much.
"We're not safe here," he said finally.
Sophia stopped pacing, her eyes narrowing. "What do you mean?"
"I mean this isn't just some random attack," Evan said. "Something's happening out there. People are changing. And it's spreading."
Maya sat on the couch, her knees drawn to her chest. "You think it's the meteors, don't you?"
Evan hesitated, then nodded. "Maybe. Whatever it is, we need to be ready."
The next hour passed in tense silence as they gathered supplies. Sophia took stock of the groceries she had brought earlier, while Maya scoured her tablet for more news. Evan found himself pacing the living room, the weight of responsibility pressing down on him.
Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the infected man's face—the raw hunger, the inhuman movements. And every time the Genesis Framework whispered in his mind, it reminded him that this was just the beginning.
"Hey," Sophia said, breaking the silence. She held out a knife, its blade gleaming in the dim light. "I found this in the kitchen. Figured you might need it."
Evan took it, the weight of the weapon unfamiliar but strangely comforting. "Thanks."
Their eyes met briefly, and Sophia's expression softened. "You did what you had to out there. Don't beat yourself up about it."
He nodded, though her words did little to ease the knot in his chest.
---
As night fell, the city outside grew eerily quiet. The hum of drones and distant chatter had been replaced by an oppressive stillness. Evan sat by the window, watching the empty street below.
Maya joined him, her voice soft. "You think this is going to get worse, don't you?"
He glanced at her, his jaw tightening. "Yeah. I do."
She nodded, her expression solemn. "You're not alone in this, you know. Whatever's happening, we'll figure it out. Together."
Her words brought a flicker of comfort, but the weight of responsibility remained heavy on his shoulders.
Sophia appeared behind them, holding a flashlight. "We should get some rest. We'll need it."
Evan nodded, but sleep felt like an impossible luxury. As he stared out at the darkened city, a single thought echoed in his mind.
This was only the beginning.