Episode 8: Mass Panic

The Jakarta sky, usually illuminated by city lights, was now filled with smoke and the flashing red glow of emergency sirens. Towering buildings stood like silent witnesses to the destruction unfolding. On the streets, abandoned cars sat with doors wide open, some engulfed in flames, while lifeless bodies lay scattered—some motionless, others twitching in sudden, unnatural jerks. They had changed.

Aisyah stood frozen at the doorway of her house, holding her breath. Her body tensed as her eyes caught sight of a figure staggering in the distance. The creature's body was gaunt, its skin a sickly bluish pale with a gaping wound across its throat. Its jaw hung slack, releasing a low, guttural groan that sent a piercing chill through Aisyah's head. The stench of dried blood mixed with the damp night air.

"This isn't a dream," her mind trembled.

Her fingers clenched tightly around her phone, struggling to stay calm. Her hands shook as she read a message from Delisha, sent just minutes ago:

Delisha: "Don't be alone! Meet at the Blok M parking garage. We need to move now!"

Aisyah lifted her head, staring at the chaos outside. Screams echoed from another part of the city, followed by shattering glass and sporadic gunfire. She knew that if she stayed here any longer, she might not make it out alive.

But her legs refused to move.

The zombie before her drew closer. Its vacant eyes locked onto her, sensing the presence of fresh prey. Its mouth opened wider, and the growl grew louder.

"Oh God!" Aisyah gasped, stumbling backward, nearly tripping over a wooden chair on her porch.

Panic surged through her mind. Option one: run. But where? The streets were overrun. Option two: fight? Impossible—she had no idea where to strike to stop that thing.

Before she could make a decision, the roar of a motorcycle engine cut through the air from behind her.

"Get on, now!"

Aisyah whipped around. Gathan!

The man was clad in a black jacket, smeared with streaks of blood on the sleeves. His face was tense, his eyes darting around, searching for danger. He gripped the clutch with one hand while the other reached out to her.

"Don't just stand there! Now!"

Without a second thought, Aisyah grabbed his hand and jumped onto the back of the bike, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist. As soon as she was seated, the motorcycle shot forward at high speed, leaving the zombie clawing at empty air.

Cold night wind lashed against Aisyah's face, but it wasn't enough to calm the terror gripping her chest.

"What the hell is happening?" Her voice barely carried over the roaring engine.

Gathan didn't answer immediately. His jaw tightened before he finally spoke. "I don't know. People just… changed and started attacking. Everything turned into chaos."

Aisyah bit her lip, her mind racing. "What about the others?"

"Azzam and Nizam are already heading to the parking garage. Jasmine's on her way too. But Delisha... she hasn't sent another message since her last text."

A sharp pang of dread shot through Aisyah's chest. "We have to find her."

Gathan didn't respond right away. As they neared an intersection, he suddenly hit the brakes. The motorcycle screeched to a halt, nearly throwing them off balance.

"What?!" Aisyah shouted.

Gathan jerked his chin toward the road ahead.

A group of zombies clogged the street, blocking their path. Some were crouched over bodies, hungrily tearing into flesh.

Aisyah clamped a hand over her mouth, nausea rising.

"Oh my God..."

Gathan clicked his tongue, gripping the handlebars tighter. "We need another way out."

Before they could turn around, one of the zombies lifted its head, nostrils flaring as if sniffing the air. Its pitch-black eyes locked onto Aisyah's.

And then—it sprinted.

"HOLD ON TIGHT!" Gathan shouted, twisting the throttle.

The motorcycle surged forward, weaving between burning cars and leaping over curbs. The rear tire skidded as it hit shattered glass, nearly sending them sprawling. The zombies behind them were running—faster than they should be able to.

Aisyah glanced over her shoulder, eyes widening. "They're getting faster!"

"I KNOW!" Gathan growled, desperately scanning for an escape route.

Across the city, Jasmine was running, lungs burning as she dodged clawing hands reaching for her. Sweat trickled down her forehead as she clutched a blood-stained baseball bat.

Her eyes darted around, searching for a safe place.

"I won't die here," she whispered, heart pounding.

Just as she turned into a narrow alley, a strong hand yanked her inside.

"Jasmine, in here!" a deep voice commanded.

Jasmine nearly swung her bat before recognizing the speaker. "Nizam!"

"We have to go, now!" He pulled her into a small shop with a half-closed rolling door. Inside, Azzam and a few others were strategizing.

"We can't stay here forever," Azzam said grimly. "We need to make it to the parking garage."

Jasmine swallowed hard, gripping her bat tighter.

"But... the streets are crawling with them."

Silence filled the room.

Then, Nizam spoke—his voice quiet but firm. "Then we fight our way through."

Outside, Jakarta continued to crumble. Screams, explosions, and the deafening hum of helicopters merged into a haunting symphony of death.

The store where they had taken refuge now felt like a trap. The air inside grew heavier, the stench of blood and sweat mixing with the rotten smell creeping in from outside. Flickering neon lights cast eerie shadows on the scattered empty shelves.

Aisyah pressed her back against the wall, her heart pounding so hard she thought her chest might explode. The growls of the zombies grew closer.

"Are we really safe here?" Nizam murmured, his voice hoarse, almost a whisper.

"There's no such thing as a safe place anymore," Azzam replied, his sharp gaze fixed on the trembling front door.

BANG!

The store's entrance shook violently. Something outside slammed against it with brutal force. The impact made the remaining shelves rattle, a few items toppling to the floor.

Gathan cursed under his breath. "Damn it. They know we're in here!"

Jasmine bit her lip, gripping her blood-stained baseball bat tightly. She turned to Gathan. "We need to get out before they all get in."

"Where?!" Nafisah's voice rose in panic, her eyes filled with raw fear. "There are more of them outside!"

As the others argued, Aisyah and Delisha exchanged glances. They both knew staying here wasn't an option.

"We should go upstairs," Delisha whispered.

Aisyah swallowed hard. "But if they realize we're up there—"

"It's still better than being here," Delisha cut her off. She grabbed Aisyah's hand tightly, pulling her toward a small staircase in the corner of the store.

Behind them, the zombies finally broke through.

CRASH!

The front door gave way.

Human screams mixed with monstrous growls. Some zombies began crawling inside, their bodies twisted unnaturally, some even missing limbs. Their eyes were hollow, yet filled with savage hunger.

"OH GOD! RUN!" Gathan shouted.

Jasmine was already moving.

But Aisyah and Delisha could not afford to hesitate. Holding their breath, they rushed up the stairs.

Their footsteps echoed against the old wooden steps. Aisyah stumbled once, but Delisha kept pulling her forward, forcing them to keep going.

Below, the sound of collapsing shelves and shattering objects filled the air. More zombies were swarming in.

As soon as they reached the upper floor, Delisha hurriedly pushed a small cabinet in front of the staircase to block the entrance.

"This won't hold for long," she panted.

Aisyah looked around. The upper floor turned out to be nothing more than an empty room with a single small window. There was no way out except going back down—where the zombies already awaited.

"Delisha..." Aisyah's voice trembled. "We're trapped."

BANG!

Something slammed against the cabinet they had used as a barricade. The vibrations shook the floor beneath them.

"Oh god!" Aisyah clamped a hand over her mouth, stifling a scream.

Heavy footsteps echoed up the stairs.

The zombies were coming.

Delisha bit her lip, sweat trickling down her forehead. Her eyes darted around, searching for anything—anything they could use to survive. But there was nothing. Just walls, dusty wooden floors, and that one small window.

BANG!

The cabinet shifted slightly. The sound of scraping nails and bloodthirsty groans grew louder.

Aisyah began sobbing softly. "Delisha... I don't want to die here."

Delisha swallowed hard. She was scared. Terrified. But she couldn't let fear consume them.

"We're not going to die," she said firmly, though her voice wavered slightly. "There has to be a way out."

But when she turned to the window, her hope wavered.

It was too small.

BANG!

The cabinet slid again.

Aisyah covered her ears, shaking in fear. But Delisha refused to give up. She ran to the window, trying to pull it open.

Locked.

"Damn it!" she cursed, kicking it hard. But the window didn't budge.

Meanwhile, behind them, the sounds of approaching death grew closer. They could hear the zombies' claws scraping against the wood, their jaws clacking together as if already savoring their prey.

BANG!

The cabinet nearly tipped over. Now, the first zombie's head peeked through the narrow gap.

Its hollow black eyes locked onto them.

Aisyah held her breath, her body frozen.

Delisha gripped Aisyah's hand tightly. "Listen to me, we still have time."

"B-But…"

Delisha shook her shoulders. "Trust me, okay? I'll find a way out of this."

BANG!

This time, the cabinet nearly collapsed. The first zombie began crawling into the room, followed by more behind it.

In panic, Aisyah screamed.

"Aisyah!" Delisha tried to pull her back, but Aisyah was paralyzed with fear.

Then Delisha's eyes landed on something on the floor—a metal rod. She lunged for it, gripping it tightly.

"I won't let them touch us," she muttered, steeling herself.

The first zombie was almost fully inside. Its mouth gaped open, dried blood staining its chin.

Aisyah stepped back, pressing her back against the wall.

Delisha raised the metal rod higher.