The sunlight streaming through the windows did little to ease the tension in the house. The early morning stillness felt fragile, as though the world were holding its breath, waiting for the next calamity.
Evan stood at the kitchen counter, staring at the knife in his hand. The blade glinted in the light, and though it looked like any ordinary kitchen knife, it carried the weight of everything that had happened. His hands were steady now, but the memory of last night's encounter lingered—a visceral reminder of how quickly things could spiral out of control.
He exhaled sharply and turned to the others. Maya sat at the dining table, her tablet propped up in front of her as she scrolled through a seemingly endless stream of news articles. Her face was pale, and her fingers trembled slightly as she tapped the screen. Across from her, Sophia sat with her arms crossed, her expression a mixture of worry and determination.
"We need to figure out what's next," Evan said, breaking the silence.
Sophia looked up, meeting his gaze. "Next? We're barely keeping it together here, Evan. And after what we saw last night…"
"Exactly," Evan interrupted. "That thing we fought, the shard we found—it's not going to stop with just one warehouse. Whatever's happening out there, it's spreading. We can't afford to sit around and wait for it to come to us."
Maya set her tablet down, her brows furrowed. "I've been tracking reports all morning," she said. "More sightings of infected people, especially near the edges of the city. And there's talk about these… zones where the government's setting up barricades. They're calling them containment areas, but no one knows if they're actually helping."
Sophia frowned. "Containment areas? That doesn't sound good. If they're already doing that, it means they know something big is going on."
Evan leaned against the counter, his jaw tightening. "Which means we don't have much time. We need supplies—food, water, weapons—everything we can get. If things get worse, those containment zones could turn into death traps."
Sophia nodded reluctantly. "Alright. So what's the plan? Do we split up, or stick together?"
"Together," Evan said firmly. "It's too dangerous to go alone. We'll start with the convenience store down the street. If we're careful, we can get in and out before anyone—or anything—shows up."
The streets felt different in the daylight—less threatening, but no less eerie. The usual hum of activity was absent, replaced by an unsettling quiet. Evan led the way, his knife tucked into the waistband of his jeans. Sophia carried the metal pipe, her grip tight, while Maya followed closely behind, clutching a backpack.
"Stay close," Evan said, his voice low. "And keep your eyes open."
They moved cautiously, sticking to the shadows and avoiding the main roads. Every sound—a rustling leaf, a distant clatter—made them pause, their senses on high alert.
"Do you think there'll be people at the store?" Maya whispered.
"Maybe," Evan replied. "If there are, we'll keep our distance. We're not looking for trouble."
Sophia snorted softly. "Trouble seems to find us anyway."
Evan didn't respond. His focus was on the Genesis Framework, which hummed faintly in his mind, a constant presence he was slowly becoming accustomed to.
"Status," he thought, and the translucent screen appeared.
---
Name: Evan Kane
Level: 1
Experience: 75/100
Attributes:
Strength: 9
Agility: 8
Endurance: 6
Intelligence: 9
Perception: 10
Skills:
Hand-to-Hand Combat: Basic (0%)
Improvised Weapons: Basic (15%)
Survival Instincts: Basic (15%)
Combat Reflexes: Basic (1%)
---
The numbers felt more real now, like a tangible measure of his growth. He could feel the difference—the slight increase in strength, the sharper reflexes. It wasn't much, but it was enough to give him hope.
The convenience store was in sight, its glass doors hanging ajar. The shelves inside were mostly intact, though a few had been ransacked. Evan motioned for the others to stay back as he stepped inside, his knife at the ready.
The air was stale, carrying the faint scent of rotting produce. He moved cautiously, scanning the aisles for any signs of movement.
Sophia and Maya followed, their footsteps light. They worked quickly, filling the backpack with canned goods, bottled water, and anything else that seemed useful.
"We should grab some medicine if they have any," Sophia whispered.
Evan nodded and made his way toward the back, where a small pharmacy section was tucked away. He was reaching for a box of bandages when a low growl froze him in place.
The sound came from behind the counter. Slowly, Evan turned, his grip tightening on the knife. A figure emerged—a woman, or at least what had once been a woman. Her skin was pale and mottled, her eyes clouded and unseeing. She moved in jerky, unnatural motions, her head twitching as she sniffed the air.
Evan's heart pounded, but he didn't move. The Framework chimed in his mind:
"Threat detected. Evasion or engagement recommended."
The infected woman stumbled closer, her movements erratic. Evan raised the knife, his muscles tensing.
"Evan?" Sophia's voice came from the aisle behind him, soft but panicked.
"Stay back," he whispered.
The infected woman's head snapped toward him, her cloudy eyes locking onto his. She let out a guttural snarl and lunged.
Evan sidestepped the attack, the knife slicing through the air as he brought it down on her shoulder. She screamed, a high-pitched wail that sent shivers down his spine.
Sophia appeared beside him, swinging the pipe with surprising force. The impact knocked the infected woman to the ground, but she scrambled to her feet almost immediately.
"Why won't she stay down?" Sophia shouted.
Evan didn't answer. He focused on the Framework, which chimed again:
"Improvised Weapons: 15% → 20%. Progress detected."
With renewed determination, he lunged forward, driving the knife into the infected woman's chest. She convulsed, her movements growing weaker until she finally stilled.
Evan stepped back, his breathing heavy. The Framework chimed once more:
"Threat neutralized. Experience gained: 25 XP."
"Is it over?" Maya's voice trembled as she peeked around the corner.
Evan nodded, wiping the blade on his jeans. "Yeah. It's over."
Sophia leaned against the counter, her chest heaving. "That was… less intense, but no less terrifying."
They worked quickly after that, gathering the last of the supplies and retreating back to the house.
Back at the house, the three of them sat in the living room, the weight of the day settling over them. The supplies they had gathered were a small victory, but the encounter at the store was a stark reminder of the dangers that lay ahead.
"We can't keep doing this," Maya said quietly. "We need a better plan. Somewhere safer to go."
Evan nodded, though he didn't have an answer yet. His mind was racing with possibilities, but none of them felt right.
Sophia leaned forward, her elbows on her knees. "We're not alone in this. There are other people out there, trying to survive. Maybe we need to find them."
Evan's gaze fell to the knife in his hand. The Genesis Framework was his only real advantage, but it wasn't enough—not yet. He needed to get stronger.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, the house grew quiet once more. Outside, the city remained eerily still, but the faint howl of the infected in the distance was a chilling reminder that the worst was yet to come.
The quiet tension in the house was palpable as Evan stood by the table, staring at the incomplete shard Maya had found. Its faint glow seemed to pulse in time with his racing thoughts, a reminder of how little they truly understood about what was happening around them.
Sophia broke the silence, her voice low but edged with frustration. "Alright, Evan. Spill it. You've been acting... different. Like you know something we don't. And I'm not the only one who's noticed, right?"
She glanced at Maya, who nodded hesitantly. "You've been talking about things like you're getting instructions or… I don't know. And last night, with that creature in the warehouse, it's like you knew exactly what to do. That's not normal."
Evan sighed, running a hand through his hair. He had been debating whether or not to tell them about the Genesis Framework, but the discovery of the shard—and its potential—made it clear he couldn't keep it to himself any longer.
"You're right," he said finally. "There's something I've been keeping from you. Something that started after I touched that artifact at the institute."
Both Sophia and Maya leaned forward, their attention fixed on him.
"It's called the Genesis Framework," Evan began, his voice steady despite the weight of his words. "I don't know exactly what it is or why it chose me, but it's like… a system. A program that runs in my mind. It shows me things—stats, skills, abilities—and it's been guiding me, helping me survive."
Sophia frowned. "Stats? Skills? Like… a video game?"
"Kind of," Evan admitted. "It's not just numbers, though. It feels real. It's already made me faster, stronger, more aware. And during fights, it helps me react faster, like it's sharpening my instincts."
Maya's eyes widened. "So, all those times you seemed like you knew what was going to happen before it did—that was this Framework?"
Evan nodded. "Yeah. And it's not just about survival. It's tied to everything that's happening—the shards, the infection, maybe even the meteors. It keeps giving me objectives, like it wants me to figure this out."
Sophia crossed her arms, her expression skeptical. "And you're just now telling us this because…?"
"I wasn't sure how to explain it," Evan said. "And honestly, I didn't know if you'd believe me. But after finding this shard and seeing what it can do, I think it's time we all understood what we're up against."
He paused, meeting their gazes. "The Framework isn't just for me. The shards seem to be part of it. What they do or how they work I'm still not sure."
Sophia and Maya exchanged a glance, their expressions a mix of concern and determination.
"So, what do we do?" Maya asked quietly.
Evan's jaw tightened. "We learn everything we can about these shards. And we get stronger—together. Because whatever's coming, we're going to need every advantage we can get."
The room fell silent again, but this time, it wasn't the uneasy quiet of fear. It was the heavy calm of resolve, a shared understanding that the stakes had changed—and so had they.
The house still felt quieter than usual, the air carried a weight that hadn't been there before their supply run. Despite their success, the group was still trying to process what they had learned—and what they had barely escaped.
Evan sat by the window, sharpening the knife he had used during the trip. The repetitive motion helped him focus, though his thoughts were a storm of questions. The Genesis Framework felt more present now, like an extra sense that he couldn't ignore. It was becoming harder to separate his own instincts from the system's guidance.
Across the room, Maya unpacked their supplies onto the table, lining up the cans of food and bottles of water. "This should last us at least a week," she said, though her tone lacked confidence.
"Assuming we don't run into any more surprises," Sophia muttered, slumping into a chair. The pipe she'd wielded sat against the wall, dented from the fight at the convenience store.
Evan set the knife down, turning to face them. "We'll need to go out again before then. Supplies won't last forever, and we don't know how quickly things are escalating."
Sophia sighed, rubbing her temples. "Great. More zombies, more near-death experiences. Can't wait."
Maya frowned. "We're alive because we worked together. We need to stay focused. Complaining isn't going to help."
Sophia shot her a sharp look but said nothing. Evan stepped in before the tension could escalate. "Maya's right. The more we learn about what's happening, the better chance we have of surviving."
As Maya cleared the table, she froze, her eyes fixed on something in the pile of supplies. "Evan, come look at this."
Evan stood and walked over, his brow furrowing as he saw what she was holding. It was a small, dark shard, similar to the one they had found in the warehouse but smaller and less defined. Its surface shifted faintly, as though alive, but it didn't pulse with the same intensity.
"Where did you find that?" Evan asked.
"It must've been in one of the zombie's pockets," Maya said. "I found it in the backpack while unpacking."
Sophia stood and approached, her curiosity overcoming her exhaustion. "It looks like the shard from the warehouse, but… different."
Evan reached out, his fingers brushing against the shard's surface. The Genesis Framework activated immediately.
"Incomplete shard detected. Potential for upgrade: Combine five shards to increase grade."
Evan frowned. "The Framework just said something about upgrading it. We need five of these to combine them into something stronger."
Sophia raised an eyebrow. "Stronger? Stronger how?"
"I don't know yet," Evan admitted. "But it's connected to all of this—the infection, the zombies, everything."
Curiosity overtook caution. Evan set the shard on the table and motioned for the others to step back. He pressed the edge of his knife against his palm, drawing a thin line of blood, and let a single drop fall onto the shard.
The shard reacted instantly, glowing faintly as the patterns on its surface shifted. A new notification appeared in Evan's vision.
"Incomplete shard activated. Requires combination to reveal skill."
"Well?" Sophia asked, leaning in.
"It's not complete," Evan said. "We need more of these to combine them into something usable."
Sophia crossed her arms. "So what happens when we combine them? Does it give us more abilities, like your Framework?"
Evan hesitated. "Maybe. But if it does, we're not the only ones who can use them."
The weight of his words settled over the room.
Maya's voice was quiet but steady. "If these shards can make people stronger… that means others can find them too."
Sophia clenched her fists. "And if those others aren't exactly friendly…"
"Then we've got bigger problems than zombies," Evan finished.
The discovery pushed the group into action. If the shards were as valuable as the Genesis Framework suggested, they couldn't afford to waste time. Evan suggested searching the streets near the convenience store for any other corpses that might have dropped shards.
Sophia was hesitant at first. "Are we really going back out there already? We barely made it back last time."
Maya, however, was eager. "If we don't act now, someone else might find them. We have to stay ahead."
Evan nodded. "We'll be careful. In and out, just like before."
The streets were just as empty as earlier, though the sense of unease had only grown. Every shadow seemed to move, every sound a potential threat. Evan led the way, knife in hand, his senses sharper than ever.
The Genesis Framework chimed softly in his mind, displaying faint outlines of nearby objects and potential threats. He couldn't tell if the system was adapting to him or if he was adapting to it, but the connection felt stronger with every step.
They found two more corpses near the convenience store, their twisted forms a grim reminder of what they were up against. Each one carried another shard, bringing their total to three.
Back at the house, the group gathered around the table as Evan placed the shards side by side. Their faint glow intensified when brought together, as though reacting to each other's presence.
"Here goes nothing," Evan said, combining the shards with a thought.
The room filled with a soft light as the shards merged, forming a single, more defined shard. The Genesis Framework chimed again:
"F-level skill shard created. Skill available for activation: Enhanced Stamina."
Evan's eyes widened as the notification expanded, revealing more details:
"F-level skill: Enhanced Stamina (Passive). Improves endurance during physical activity. Requires blood activation to bind skill to a user."
Sophia leaned forward, her face lit with curiosity. "So, anyone can use it?"
"That's what it says," Evan replied.
Without hesitation, Sophia pricked her finger and let a drop of blood fall onto the shard. The light flared briefly before fading, and Sophia gasped.
"What just happened?" she asked, her voice shaking.
"Check yourself," Evan suggested.
Sophia stood and jogged in place experimentally. After a moment, her eyes widened. "I feel… lighter. Like I could keep going for hours."
"It worked," Maya said, her voice tinged with awe.
---
A Foreboding Revelation
The excitement of the discovery was short-lived. As the group discussed the implications of the shards, a distant noise caught Evan's attention. He moved to the window, his heart sinking as he saw movement down the street.
At first, he thought it was more infected, but as they drew closer, he realized these figures moved differently—more coordinated, more deliberate.
"They're not zombies," he said, his voice grim.
Sophia and Maya joined him at the window.
"Survivors?" Maya asked.
"Maybe," Evan replied. "But if they are, they're not here to make friends."
The figures stopped in front of a nearby house, their voices muffled but harsh. One of them carried what looked like a rifle, while another held a makeshift spear.
"We're not the only ones getting stronger," Evan said, his tone heavy.
The group exchanged uneasy glances as the tension in the room grew. The shards had opened a door to new possibilities, but they had also introduced a dangerous new variable.
"Stay quiet," Evan whispered. "And stay ready."