It seemed like any other day. The world carried on as it always did—some people were thriving, while others were struggling with sickness. Life moved forward, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
The television blared in the background as I got ready for school. On the screen, a reporter enthusiastically discussed the latest breakthrough in medicine—a supposed miracle cure discovered by a major pharmaceutical company.
"This revolutionary treatment is said to bring hope to those suffering from terminal illnesses," the reporter announced. "After extensive testing, the results have been overwhelmingly positive. Distribution begins today, and millions are eager to receive it."
The images shifted to show smiling scientists and patients celebrating this discovery. It was all over the news—this medicine was being hailed as the solution to countless medical problems.
I adjusted my tie, glancing at the screen while slipping on my jacket. Graduation rehearsal was happening today, and I didn't want to be late.
I turned off the TV, grabbed my bag, and headed out the door, the reporter's voice still echoing in my mind. It all sounded too good to be true, but who was I to question it?
As I stepped onto the street, the morning air greeted me with a light chill. It seemed like a peaceful day—birds chirped, cars passed by, and people moved about their routines.
I got a message from my best friend Nam Eunwoo, we've been friends since middle school and his family has been taking care of me since I'm alone already.
My phone buzzed in my pocket as I walked down the quiet street. Pulling it out, I saw the familiar name pop up on the screen—Nam Eunwoo, my best friend since middle school.
Eunwoo had always been the kind of guy who could light up a room. Friendly, athletic, and dependable, he was everything I wasn't. While I preferred to stay in the background, Eunwoo thrived in the spotlight. His family had practically adopted me after… everything. I didn't like to think about the past, but they had become the only family I had left.
Eunwoo: "Yo, are you awake? Don't even think about ditching rehearsal today. Also, I called dibs on you for basketball later."
I chuckled faintly and typed a quick reply.
Me: "Relax, I'm on my way. But don't count on me staying late. You know I'm not into basketball."
Almost immediately, my phone buzzed again.
Eunwoo: "Yeah, yeah. Don't be boring. Also, you better practice your speech. Mrs. Choi will murder you if you freeze on stage."
I sighed. Eunwoo had been teasing me about the graduation speech for weeks. I don't even want to write one, let alone deliver it. Public speaking wasn't exactly my thing, but Mrs. Choi, our homeroom teacher, had insisted.
Sliding my phone back into my pocket, I continued down the street. The faint unease I'd been feeling since morning lingered, but I brushed it off. Maybe it was just nerves.
As I rounded the corner near the pharmacy, something caught my eye. A man in a faded gray hoodie was slumped against the wall, his body trembling slightly. His face was hidden, but there was something about his hunched posture that sent a shiver down my spine.
I slowed my pace, glancing around the street. It was eerily quiet—no cars, no pedestrians, just the faint hum of a distant engine.
"Are you okay?" I called out cautiously, keeping my distance.
The man didn't respond. His head twitched slightly, and his hands moved erratically like he was trying to grab at something invisible.
Something about this felt wrong. Very wrong.
I reached for my phone again and quickly sent Eunwoo another message.
Me: "Hey, something's off. There's this guy outside the pharmacy acting weird. Shaking and stuff."
As I waited for a reply, the man's movements grew more frantic. His head jerked up slightly, revealing a face that made my stomach twist. His skin was pale and clammy, his eyes bloodshot and unfocused. Sweat poured down his face, mixing with what looked like… blood.
"Sir, do you need help?" I asked again, my voice firmer this time.
That's when he looked up fully, and I froze. His lips were cracked and covered in dried blood, his teeth bared in a twisted snarl. His eyes locked onto me with a strange, animalistic hunger.
Before I could react, he lunged forward, stumbling on shaky legs as he reached out with claw-like hands.
Instinct took over. I jumped back, nearly tripping over the curb.
"Stay back!" I shouted, my heart pounding.
The man fell to his knees, convulsing violently as guttural growls escaped his throat. Then, just as suddenly as he'd fallen, he rose again, his movements jerky and unnatural.
I didn't stick around to see what would happen next. Turning on my heel, I sprinted toward the school, my phone clutched tightly in my hand.
As I ran, another message from Eunwoo popped up.
Eunwoo: "What? Weird how? You okay?"
I typed back quickly, my fingers trembling.
Me: "Something's wrong with that guy! I'll explain later."
Sliding the phone back into my pocket, I pushed myself to run faster, the quiet street now feeling like the start of something far more dangerous than I could've imagined.
As I ran, my mind raced faster than my legs. The sound of my footsteps echoed in my ears, but I didn't dare look back. My chest tightened with every breath, the unease from earlier now blooming into full-blown fear.
Before I realized it, I was standing in front of the school gate, my lungs burning from the sprint.
"Hey! Over here!" a familiar voice called out.
I looked up to see Eunwoo waving at me, his cheerful grin quickly fading as he took in my disheveled state. "What happened? You look like you've seen a ghost!"
I slowed down, catching my breath, and walked toward him. My legs felt like jelly, but the sight of my best friend brought me a small sense of relief.
"There's… there's a guy on the street," I started, my voice shaking slightly. "He looked sick. Like, pale and trembling. I asked if he needed help, but… but he suddenly tried to attack me."
"Attack you?" Eunwoo's brows furrowed, concern flashing across his face.
"Yeah," I said, my heart still racing. "He lunged at me—like he was trying to bite me or something. I didn't stick around to find out what his deal was."
Eunwoo frowned, crossing his arms. "You're serious? Did he try to bite you? That's insane."
"I know what I saw," I replied firmly.
"Something's wrong, Eunwoo. He wasn't just sick… it was like he wasn't human."
Eunwoo stared at me for a moment, then sighed, scratching the back of his head. "You've been watching too many zombie movies, man." But despite his attempt at humor, I could see the worry in his eyes.
"I'm not joking," I said, my voice low.
Eunwoo's expression hardened. "Alright, let's keep our eyes open."
I nodded, my grip tightening on the strap of my bag. The uneasy feeling in my gut hadn't gone away, and I couldn't shake the image of the man's bloodshot eyes and jerky movements.
"C'mon," Eunwoo said, slinging an arm over my shoulder. "Let's get inside before Mrs. Choi chews us out for being late."
We entered the classroom, and it felt like any other day. Everyone was relaxed, laughing, and chatting, their faces lit with excitement. After all, we didn't have real classes anymore—just graduation rehearsals and the final orientation. It was the kind of day that felt carefree. For everyone else, at least.
I dragged myself to my desk and collapsed into my seat, feeling like I'd been hit by a truck. My mind was still stuck on what happened earlier. No matter how much I tried to shake it off, the man's bloodshot eyes and twisted movements kept replaying in my head.
Meanwhile, Eunwoo was already making his rounds, his loud laugh echoing across the room as he joined a group of our classmates. He fit in so easily, blending with the chatter and warmth. Watching him, I couldn't help but think, *Maybe he's right. Maybe I do watch too many movies.*
I pulled out my phone to distract myself, checking the time—10 minutes before the bell. Plenty of time to scroll through the usual nonsense on the app where everyone shared whatever was on their minds.
As I scrolled, a post caught my attention:
"Just saw someone from my window biting another person. Like, legit biting them. Should I call 911 or what? I have no idea what to do."
I froze, staring at the screen. My chest tightened, and my hands felt clammy. The words blurred for a moment as my mind tried to make sense of them.
The post already had a few comments:
"Are you serious? What even is this?"
"This sounds fake, bro."
"Call the cops if you're not trolling."
The timestamp said it had been posted just minutes ago.
My heart sank. Was this real? Could it have anything to do with what I saw earlier? My instincts told me it wasn't a joke. I read the post again, my grip on the phone tightening.
Before I could process it further, Eunwoo's voice snapped me out of my thoughts.
"Yo, you good?" He appeared beside my desk, giving me a curious look. "You've been looking at that phone like it's about to explode."
I quickly locked the screen and shoved my phone into my pocket. "Yeah, I'm fine," I muttered.
Eunwoo tilted his head, unconvinced, but didn't press further. "Well, if you say so. Don't get all moody today, alright? We're almost done with this whole school thing!"
I nodded weakly, trying to brush off the unease gnawing at me. But as the bell rang and everyone settled down, I couldn't stop thinking about that post.
Something was wrong. And deep down, I knew this was just the beginning.