Adrian stepped carefully onto the metal rungs of the fire escape, his breath ragged, arms trembling from exertion. He had no time to rest.
The ladder led down into a narrow alley, dimly lit and smeared with blood. Bodies lay scattered across the ground, the air thick with the metallic scent of death. He held his breath, scanning his surroundings.
The city had become a massive graveyard.
Out on the street, the infected wandered aimlessly. Some tilted their heads as if sniffing for prey, while others crouched over corpses, tearing into flesh with a grotesque hunger. Their skin was a sickly gray, their eyes bloodshot and vacant, driven by an insatiable madness.
Adrian knew that the slightest noise could draw them to him.
He climbed down the last few steps and landed in the alley, his boots pressing into congealed blood. A fresh corpse lay beside him, its chest torn open, intestines spilling onto the pavement. He fought back the nausea rising in his throat, taking a steadying breath before slipping toward the main road.
He needed weapons, supplies, and most importantly—a safe place to regroup.
A convenience store stood ahead, its glass doors shattered. Inside, shelves had collapsed, and merchandise was strewn across the floor. Moving cautiously, Adrian stepped in and began searching. He picked up a kitchen knife, testing its edge, then grabbed a few bottles of water and some protein bars, stuffing them into his backpack.
Just as he turned to leave, a low, ragged breathing came from behind a shelf.
His grip on the knife tightened.
A man lay slumped against the shelving unit, his face drenched in sweat. A deep bite wound marred his shoulder, the surrounding flesh darkened by infection.
"Help… me…" The man's voice was hoarse, filled with desperation.
Adrian's knuckles whitened around the knife handle.
He knew what this meant.
The man was infected.
Adrian's mind screamed at him to leave, yet hesitation gripped him. This was still a person, still conscious, not yet turned into one of those things.
"Please…" The man's trembling hand reached out. "I don't… want to become… one of them…"
Adrian stood still for a few seconds before slowly taking a step back.
"I'm sorry."
The man's eyes dimmed, a bitter smile crossing his lips. "Don't… let them catch you."
Without another word, Adrian turned and walked out of the store.
He knew there would be more choices like this—more moments where survival and morality clashed. And each one would shape the road ahead.
As he stepped onto the empty street, the wind carried the scent of rot and death.
The apocalypse was only beginning.