Chapter 1: Ruins

12 February 2024

I was in class and the bell rang for break time.

???: Hey Tyrell, let's go eat lunch together.

Tyrell: Sure, just give me a minute to pack my things.

???: Okay don't be late.

Tyrell: Yeah, I'll be there in a minute.

The bell suddenly started ringing but this time it was different. Like some kind of fire alarm. I stepped out of the class and found dead bodies everywhere. I was shocked as the hallway turned red. I saw ??? At the corner and walked to him.

"Hey, ???. What's going on? Are you ok?"

??? didn't move an inch. He just stood there.

"Hey can you hear me?", I said tapping his shoulder. He then turned around, and I was horrified at what I saw. His eyes were white and lifeless. His teeth, razor sharp. He then pounced on me like a lion attacking its prey. I held him off

"Hey. Get off! Is this some kind of joke?"

I pushed him off me and I saw more people like him. Lifeless eyes, sharp teeth and black veins. I ran out of there a quick as I could but some of them came from the bottom stairs. I went up stairs and reached the roof top only to find out more of these "monsters" were there. They chased me to the edge of the roof and jumped on me. I screamed as I was falling.Then I suddenly woke up.My eyes were blurry. I woke up in a ruined building.

"Agh. My head hurts."

Then I remembered what happened. I was with my squad when we were suddenly attacked by raiders. We were on a supply hunt when they ambushed us. I said I'd hold them off while they took everything back to the base but I was knocked out. And what was that strange dream I just had? I got up and checked the date.

"12 February 2030. I've been out for a full day."

I got up and picked up my swords close to me. I started walking out of the building only to find more ruins. The world has gotten really bad since "The incident". They say it was some kind of virus that turned people into mindless cannibalistic monsters. They started killing and eating people. Even a single bite would infect the person. These monsters have completely black skin, black veins, sharp teeth and dull white eyes. The current survivors and scientists from SKYTECH created bases to train and help people fight against these monsters. However, raiders also formed and tried to destroy the current world to create their own with no laws.

I walked out and saw more of "the withered". That's what they were called. They rushed to me but I cut them down with my swords. 1 by 1 they died. When the withered die they wither away like a flower. That's why they named the virus "The Withering". An infected person's humanity "withers" away and they become a monster. I got on my motorbike and started driving. I was days away from the base since we had to go out even further to get supplies because of the shortage in nearby areas. I prayed I could find another survivor base close by. Next I heard a sound I wished not to hear before. Ting, ting, ting. The sound of my motorbike out fuel. I scoffed. "Just my luck". I said to myself. "Where am I supposed to find fuel?", I asked myself.

Bang, bang, bang. I heard gunshots. As they echoed, I instinctively ducked behind the remains of a crumbled wall. My heart raced, not from fear, but from the adrenaline of survival. The raiders were close, too close for comfort. I peeked over the rubble, scanning for any sign of danger or hope.

That's when I saw her, a lone figure standing atop a distant building, her silhouette outlined by the setting sun. She was firing at the raiders, her shots precise and deadly. As the last of the raiders fell, she looked in my direction, her gaze piercing the distance between us. She gestured to me, a clear sign to come over. I had no choice; my fuel tank was empty, and my options were limited. I made my way towards her, each step a mix of caution and urgency. As I approached, I realized she was not alone. An old skinny man was with her. He was balding, had a white beard and had pale white skin. They were a part of a survivor base, one I had never heard of before.

"Name's Elena," she said, extending a hand. "We've been tracking those raiders for a while. Noticed your bike's out of fuel. We can help with that." I analysed her. Tan skin. Long golden hair and emerald, green eyes. Relief washed over me. "I'm Tyrell," I replied, taking her hand. "I was beginning to think I was the only one left out here."

"We're all that's left of Base Echo," a gruff voice added. The older man stepped forward, his eyes weary but kind. "We've been holding out, scavenging what we can. But we could use someone like you."

I nodded, knowing that this was the opportunity I had been hoping for. "I'll do whatever I can to help," I said firmly. "But in return I'll need a favour."

And what's that?" Elena asked in a stern tone.

"That you help me find Base Delta." They both looked at me in shock.

"Isn't that the worst possible base? It's close to the tower.", said the old man. "It was also take over by raiders recently."

I held the old man's shoulders. "Recent? H-how recent?" I asked him, my voice shaking."

Only 3 days ago." He replied."

"No, no, no, no.", I grabbed my hair, fearing what could happen. "We have to hurry before something bad or worse happens."

"Fine." Elena agreed without hesitation.

"We'll help you.", The old man was reluctant but he too agreed. As night fell, we lit a campfire and sat around it in silence for a while.

"I know the risks," I said, breaking the silence that had settled over us. "But Base Delta holds something valuable to me. It's not just about survival anymore. It's about taking back what's ours...what's mine.

"Elena nodded, her emerald eyes reflecting the fire's light."We've all lost something to this world," she said.

"Helping you find Base Delta is not just a favor; it's a step towards ending all this, for all of us."

The old man, Samuel grunted in agreement, his earlier reluctance replaced by a newfound resolve. We settled into our makeshift beds. Tomorrow, we would set out on a journey fraught with peril, but tonight, we rested in the comfort of unity. Our path was uncertain, our enemies formidable, but our will was unbreakable. And so, under the blanket of stars, we closed our eyes, not to the nightmares of the past, but to the promise of a new dawn.

End of Chapter 1.