Kai winced as blinding light stabbed through his eyelids. His head throbbed, and his body ached like he had been through a grueling workout. Groaning, he shifted slightly, the cold, sterile surface beneath him sending a shiver up his spine. Slowly, he forced his eyes open, only to be met with an unfamiliar white ceiling.
"What...?" he croaked, his voice hoarse and dry.
Sitting up was harder than it should've been. Every joint felt stiff, his muscles sore as though he hadn't moved in years. He glanced around, taking in the room. It was bare—too bare. Just four stark white walls and an operation table beneath him.
"Where the hell am I?" Kai muttered, rubbing the back of his neck as he swung his legs over the edge. His feet met the icy floor, and a hiss escaped his lips.
He stumbled to his feet, grimacing at the pins and needles shooting through his legs. He took a few hesitant steps, stretching his limbs until they felt somewhat functional. That was when his eyes caught it—a small door on the far wall.
Stay where you are, a voice whispered in his mind. It was his mother's voice, laced with worry and sternness. But Kai wasn't the type to sit still, not when he was surrounded by questions with no answers.
Taking a deep breath, he walked to the door and grasped the knob. It turned easily. Beyond the door lay a narrow hallway, dimly lit and eerily quiet. At the end of the hall was another door.
"This keeps getting weirder," Kai murmured, creeping forward.
He reached the second door, his anxiety mounting. With a deep breath, he pushed it open—and his breath caught.
Before him stretched a city unlike anything he'd ever seen. Towering skyscrapers bathed in neon lights, sleek hover cars zipping silently through the air, and massive screens displaying glowing advertisements. It was stunning, futuristic, and utterly alien.
But something was wrong. The streets were empty, devoid of life.
Kai stepped forward cautiously, his sneakers echoing against the metallic ground. "Where is everyone?" he whispered, scanning his surroundings.
Movement caught his eye. A group of humanoid robots glided into view, their metal frames gleaming under the city's lights. Kai froze.
One of them turned, its glowing red eyes locking onto him. Its voice boomed, mechanical and hostile:
"IMPOSTER DETECTED."
Kai's heart plummeted.
The robots sprang into motion, their steps eerily synchronized as they advanced.
"Oh, crap," Kai breathed. His feet moved before his brain could process, and he sprinted down the street.
The pounding of his own footsteps mingled with the metallic clanks of the robots chasing him. "Why are they chasing me?!" he yelled, his voice swallowed by the empty city.
Ahead, more robots appeared, cutting off his escape. They raised metallic arms, each one armed with sleek, glowing weapons.
Kai skidded to a halt, pivoting sharply and darting down an alley. His lungs burned, his legs screaming for rest, but he couldn't stop—not with those things on his heels.
The alley twisted and turned, a maze of narrow pathways and towering buildings. Finally, he found a shadowy corner and ducked into it, pressing himself against the cold wall. His chest heaved as he tried to catch his breath.
The sound of mechanical footsteps grew fainter, and relief flooded him. That relief was short-lived.
A gloved hand clamped over his mouth from behind. The sharp scent of chemicals filled his nose, and darkness swallowed him whole.
"He's waking up!" a voice rang out, loud and cheerful.
Kai groaned as consciousness returned. His head pounded, and his vision swam as he tried to focus on the faces looming above him.
"Where...?" he croaked, his voice weak.
He sat up slowly, taking in his surroundings. The walls were damp and grimy, the faint sound of dripping water echoing around him. It didn't take long to realize—he was in a sewer.
Across from him stood an older man with graying hair, a stern expression etched on his face. Beside him, a blonde woman whispered something, her tone hushed. After a brief exchange, the man stepped forward.
"What's your name, kid?" he asked, his voice rough but not unkind.
Kai hesitated. "Kai. Kai Xin," he said, his eyes darting between the strangers. "Half Chinese, half American. I live in California."
The room fell silent. The strangers exchanged tense glances, their expressions shifting from curiosity to unease.
"What?" Kai asked, his pulse quickening.
The man sighed. "You're not in California anymore, kid. You're in Florida."
Kai blinked, his mind struggling to process the words. "Florida? That's impossible. How—?"
Before he could finish, the man cut him off. "Tell me something, Kai. Have you heard of the Zomdroids?"
"The what?"
The man shook his head, a bitter smile tugging at his lips. "Of course, you haven't."
He gestured for Kai to sit, and though he hesitated, curiosity got the better of him.
"Ten years ago," the man began, "a scientist discovered a virus frozen in the Atlantic. They called it Zombie Light. It killed people—millions of them. But that wasn't the worst of it. When they tried to fight the virus, they created something worse. A Robot-mother P, they called her. At first, she was supposed to protect us. But then…"
The man's voice faltered, his jaw tightening.
"Once given a human heart from the dead, she attacked. She turned against us, creating more of her kind. Now, they rule the surface. The rest of us? We hide."
Kai stared at him, disbelief and confusion warring on his face. "That's insane. There's no way something like that could've happened in just ten years."
But as he looked around the room, at the haunted faces of the people who had saved him, he began to wonder:
What else don't I know?