The first infection

Chapter 4: "The First Infection"

The tension in Astraea was palpable, like the calm before a storm. The usually bustling streets were eerily quiet, and the city's neon glow felt dimmer. It had been two weeks since the first whispers of a mysterious illness had started spreading. At first, they dismissed it as rumors, the kind that fed off fear. But now, with the city news reporting erratic behavior and violent attacks in the outer districts, it was becoming impossible to ignore.

Cora sat on the couch, her face illuminated by the bluish light of the TV, flipping between channels with the remote, but every station seemed to be talking about the same thing. The spread was growing. No one knew what caused it, but it was clear that it wasn't a normal disease.

"They're saying it's some kind of rabies variant," she muttered, not turning from the screen. "Fast-acting. That's why people are getting so violent."

MC, standing by the window, looked out into the night. The city felt too quiet. He'd lived in Astraea his whole life, but never had he seen the streets so empty. "Rabies doesn't make people… like that." He turned to face her, a chill creeping down his spine. "Have you seen the videos?"

Cora nodded, eyes still glued to the screen. She was the calmest of the group, but even she seemed on edge now. "Yeah, I've seen them. But there's no way it's… what some people are saying, right? Zombies?" Her tone was half-joking, but her face betrayed her concern.

At that moment, Daisuke burst into the apartment, his face flushed with panic. "Guys! You need to see this!" He panted heavily, bracing himself against the doorframe. In his hand, he clutched his phone tightly, the screen glowing with a paused video.

MC exchanged a glance with Cora before walking over to Daisuke. "What is it?"

Daisuke didn't respond with words, instead thrusting the phone into MC's hands. MC pressed play, and the video started rolling. It was shaky footage, recorded on someone's phone, but it was unmistakable. A man, bloody and staggering, lunged at another person on the street. His eyes were wild, his mouth frothing, and he moved with unnatural speed. The screams from the victim were haunting as the man tore into their flesh, biting down with savage ferocity. The crowd scattered, but no one seemed willing or able to help. The attacker, after finishing his grisly work, stood up, his blood-soaked face contorted into a horrifying, vacant expression. Then he sprinted toward another passerby.

MC handed the phone back, his stomach twisting. "This isn't rabies."

"They're calling it the 'Red Plague' online," Daisuke said, his voice shaking. "People are saying it's spreading fast, and the infected—they don't stop. They're not like us anymore."

Cora finally turned away from the TV, her face grim. "What are we going to do?"

Before anyone could answer, there was a loud crash outside the window, followed by the unmistakable sound of shattering glass. MC's heart raced as he rushed back to the window. Below, the street was no longer empty. A small crowd of people had gathered, but something was wrong. They weren't moving like normal people. They were staggering, some limping, others crawling. And they were heading straight toward the building.

"We need to lock everything down. Now," MC said, his voice steely.

Daisuke rushed to barricade the door while Cora sprinted to close the windows. "How did they get into the city so fast?" she asked as she bolted the last window shut. "There was no warning."

"Forget how!" Daisuke shouted from the other side of the room. "What do we do if they get inside?"

As if in answer, a loud banging echoed through the hallway outside their door, followed by frantic shouting. It was Mika. "Let me in! Please!" her voice was high-pitched, laced with fear.

MC rushed to the door and unlocked it, pulling Mika inside just as something collided with the wall outside. She was pale and out of breath, her eyes wide with terror. "They're here," she whispered. "I saw them—our neighbors—infected. They… they turned."

MC locked the door behind her and looked at the others. "We're not safe here."

"Then where?" Daisuke asked, his voice breaking. "Where are we safe?"

No one had an answer.

A deafening crash echoed from the floor below. The infected had made it into the building. Cora grabbed a knife from the kitchen, gripping it tightly. "We have to be ready for them."

Mika looked like she was on the verge of collapse. "We can't fight them. I saw what they did to people. They're not… human anymore."

MC took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. "We don't have a choice. We fight, or we die."

The noises outside grew louder. The infected were making their way up the stairs, their guttural moans sending chills through everyone in the room. Each step they took seemed to resonate in the air like the countdown to the end.

As the group braced for what was coming, MC's mind raced. Just hours ago, their biggest concern was whether the illness spreading through the city was real. Now, survival was their only focus. He clenched his fists, steeling himself for the fight ahead.

"We can't let them in," he said, his voice firm. "No matter what."

The banging on the door started then, heavy and relentless. The infected had reached them.

Cora stood beside him, her knife at the ready. Daisuke held a chair, ready to swing. Mika was trembling but still moved into a defensive position. They were scared, all of them, but they had no choice but to stand their ground.

The door shook violently as the infected tried to break through. And then, with a final, ear-splitting crash, the door gave way.

It was time to fight.