New Dawn Chapter: 050

"True Beginning "

Tysone paid more attention to the passing of days. Everything seemed so normal and casual that it felt unbearable. Every time he went out, he kept a keen eye on the passers-by. Wouldn't it be tragic if he ended up being the very first victim of the zombie outbreak just because he decided to go buy some food at the wrong time?

Everything seemed bright and lively.

Families filled the streets.

Children played in the park.

Cars rolled along the road.

It was all rather idyllic.

And ironic. 

Tysone had settled in his new property. Renovation was made. A wired fence was installed, surveillance was put in place, generators were readied, and his supplies were placed in the lower levels. Food. Medicines. Cold weapons. Anything and everything that could be helpful after the start of the collapse had found their temporary homes in his new house.

Naturally, not all could be kept in a basement. Money, for instance, had to be converted into gold and silver bars since currency would become worthless. Also, toiletries, clothes, and the like, were kept in their proper place, rooms locked and secured so that the looting after the fallout won't be too extensive.

A separate room served as a repository for all the electronic gadgets Tysone bought and fiddled with. 

As for the entertainment aspect of the entire preparation, the tv's remained connected. Music players, a video console, and the internet were preserved. Though he didn't know how long they'd last when there'd be no one to run the power and maintain the connections.

His base of operations was complete. He wanted to invite Saya, Mai, and Miku over before it all went down the hill, but he didn't have a palatable excuse to use beyond telling the truth—which he was not going to do. 

Tysone decided to shoo away those thoughts from his mind. At least for today.

He dressed up nice. 

Mai had her debut, and he had backstage clearance courtesy of hers truly. The concert would be held in the morning, which gave Tysone an excuse to skip school. Well, not that he'd been going much lately. He had been feeling quite sentimental.

But he promised Mai he'd be there. 

By the time Tysone got there, a crowd of thousands had filled the seats in the arena. The concert wasn't really about Mai, it was just a stage for her to debut on among many other singers in a variety of musical genres. 

Someone was already on stage, singing. Mai had previously told him a timestamp of when she was about to perform. Thankfully, he made it in time. 

He slowly made his way past the crowd and towards a 'staff only' section, flashing the pass Mai gave him earlier.

Once he was finally cleared through, Tysone soon found himself inside the depths of the arena where hundreds of workers, employees, and members of the crew were preparing the event.

"Hey, can you point me to where the stars are?" He asked a guy carrying a box in his arms.

"They're down the hall on the left side of this floor. I'm assuming you're someone's relative or staff? Check at the front desk first if you want in."

"Thank you."

Tysone made his way deeper into the stage's bowels, looking for the room Mai was in. Though, fortunately, he didn't need to. He could pick that pretty face out from a thousand, no, a million miles away. He saw Mai's gorgeous self standing next to the door of one of the waiting rooms.

"Mai."

Mai's attention was drawn away from her manager and onto her friend, a big grin on her lips. "Hey, it's you! I thought you wouldn't make it in time. There was an accident on the road so it got congested, but it seems that you got through it quickly."

Mai bit her bottom lip and sighed. "I'm... nervous, a little."

"Big day ahead, right? Don't worry, I'm sure you'll be amazing." Tysone smiled.

She looked up, her gaze somewhat shaky. "It's just... what if I screw it all up? What if people hate my performance? Will I have to become invisible again? I don't want that..."

"Mai, there are going to be dozens of singers and bands performing here. No offense, but people will focus more on the headlining bands than a newbie. Just take a breath and enjoy your moment." He paused. "Just... don't do anything you're going to regret."

She rubbed her arm, looking away. "You're right... it's just that... I'm worried I'm gonna slip and make a fool out of myself. If that happens, I'm not sure if the fans will be forgiving. The media is even worse..."

"Don't worry about them. If they're not there to enjoy the performance, then why are they here?" He smiled softly. "I believe in you, Mai. You'll do just fine. Besides, if I see that you're about to slip up and say the n-word on live television, I'm gonna come out there and drag your ass back behind the stage, okay?"

She laughed a little, looking back at him with a relieved expression. "Alright... thank you." She moved, a little hesitant at first, but once she worked up her courage, Tysone found himself enveloped by a frail, trembling arms.

"..."

"You're a pain in the ass, Tysone." Mai huffed, pulling away. "But... I quite like you."

Tysone would have thought she was confessing, but the moment seemed too genuine and sincere. It was as though the feelings were being bared out to the open.

"Yeah... same here, Bunny Girl. Now, go. Kick their asses, make a name for yourself, and don't forget about your little people."

Mai nodded, a bright smile on her lips as she walked back to the door of her room. However, just as she was about to reach it, her steps halted. She turned back, looking at Tysone with a smile befitting an idol in the making. It was enough to make a man's heart stop.

"Cheer for me, okay?"

Tysone put a hand in the pocket of his hoodie and drew out a pair of small glow sticks. "I came prepared, missus. You go out there and put up an amazing performance. I'll be putting one up right behind you."

With that, Mai waved her hand in a cocky way and disappeared just as the crowd burst out in a thunderous applause. 

"There you are."

Amidst the chaos, a voice called out.

Tysone turned around, only to find Saya and Miku approaching him. He wasn't really surprised since Mai and Saya had been on more than amicable terms lately. He wouldn't go as far as to call them besties, but the atmosphere around them no longer felt tense.

As for Miku, she had been invited on Tysone's request.

"I was wondering when you'd appear. This place is packed." He said, lightly, eyeing her up and down before turning towards the stage.

Saya's outfit, though simple, fit her well. A simple white sundress adorned with a dark blue jacket, which was unbuttoned. It had been two years already or so since he first met her—she grew up beautifully. 

"You had quite the moment there with her." She said evenly, arms crossed. "Didn't want to interrupt."

Miku chuckled mischievously. "How many more women do you want in your life, Ty?"

"If I could have my say, then not more than necessary. You're all a pain in the ass, sometimes." He grinned, shoving his hands into the pockets of his hoodie. "But you're my pains in the ass, so I guess I can't complain."

Miku rolled her eyes.

Saya gave him a sharp look. "She's nervous. You were good to calm her down, but don't get too comfortable with that whole 'knight in shining armor' role. She's got to learn to handle this stuff on her own eventually."

Tysone shrugged. "I know. But today's her big debut, and if I can help her hold it together, why wouldn't I? Give the girl some leeway; she's been through a lot."

"..."

Saya sighed. 

"I haven't seen you in a while, you big oaf. Shouldn't you hug me too?"

She murmured under her breath.

"What did you say?" Tysone turned around. 

She immediately looked away. "Nothing."

He smirked, and much to her surprise, he made his way towards her and gently eased the younger, though now more mature girl, in his arms. "I heard you." He whispered, making her ears go red. "Who do you think I am? Takashi?"

"W-W-What? N-No, that's not what I… eeeek!"

Tysone lifted Saya high up in the air like a little child, and spun around sharply.

"Guys, it's starting!" Miku reminded them.

"Oh, right." He put Saya down, who needed a moment to find her balance. 

"Idiot!"

"Your idiot."

"..."

Meanwhile, on the stage, Mai had just walked up to the microphone. Her face was hidden by her hair, that only showed the glitter of her blue, determined eyes.

The crowd didn't unnerve her. She was long past the jitters of fright stage, but that didn't mean there weren't plenty more feelings going on at the moment.

Her breaths were slow, steady, but heavy.

She looked at the faces of those that crowded the place. Men, women, teenagers. Everyone came from different walks of life to share the one thing that had brought them all together in this place, that moment in time.

Music.

Her heart hammered against her chest, so much that it drowned everything out.

She gripped the microphone tightly.

The music began to slowly play out.

The drums. The piano. A beautiful harmonization that when it reached its climax, Mai opened her mouth. "——!!" However, her voice died out before the crowd could even hear it. 

Right in the front row of the audience, a man brutally assaulted his unaware neighbor. 

A spray of blood soared as teeth sunk into flesh, tearing it off with rabid ferocity.

Gasps echoed as the people backed away in fright, leaving a gap where only one man stood.

He was covered in blood and torn skin, his mouth chewing on the raw flesh that was in it.

Panic ensued as people tried to run away in fear. As for the frenzied, bloodied assaulter, he lunged for the ones closest to him, drawing more screams of panic and outrage. 

Two more people were bitten in the brawl before the man was finally subdued by the combined strength of multiple enraged men. 

Mai felt her entire body go numb, hands slackening around the mic. Even the music came to a sudden stop, like a record scratch on a vinyl record. 

"Mai."

A firm voice boomed out. She barely managed to turn before a sweeping force had her dragged off the stage. She stumbled along, looking up at Tysone's unusually serious expression.

The backstage was just as loud as outside. Incredulous exclamations filled the air. 

Security personnel rushed out along with paramedics, nearly bumping into them from the haste. 

Mai met Saya and Miku's equally panicked faces.

"W-What's going on?" Saya asked, uncertain.

The flurry of movements and footsteps behind them made the situation so much worse. 

"I—I don't know…" Mai breathed out, shaking. "Someone bit another man's neck, and… and there was so much blood…"

"What do you mean—"

"Save the questions for later." Tysone cut in ruthlessly. "We have to get out of here as fast as possible."

"Why?" Miku asked, peeking outside. "It looks like they've got him down. Shouldn't we be safe here? Especially with all this security in place—ohhh…"

A new wave of screams and panic erupted from the front rows of the arena. The sound wasn't just fear—it was terror. The kind of noise that makes your gut twist before your brain catches up.

Tysone followed Miku's gaze and saw it.

The man who had been subdued earlier wasn't subdued anymore. He stood, jerking and shivering like a puppet on tangled strings, blood smeared across his mouth and chest. But that wasn't what made the world tilt for Tysone—it was the empty, clouded eyes. 

The unmistakable lifeless gaze of something no longer human.

And he wasn't alone.

The two people who had been bitten earlier were rising too, their movements just as unnatural. One staggered forward, her jaw unhinged in a silent scream, while the other clawed at the crowd like a rabid animal.

Tysone's stomach dropped. It was happening.

The outbreak.

Author's Note:

If you're enjoying the story and want to read ahead or support my work, you can check out my P@treon at P@treon.com/LordCampione. But don't worry—all chapters will eventually be public. Just being here and reading means the world to me. Thank you for your time and support