CHAPTER 1 | The Leakout

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1999, March 17th, started out as a seemingly ordinary day in Russia. Denzel went about his routine, surrounded by the usual sounds of cars, trains, and birds chirping. However, everything changed when he turned on the TV and discovered that there had been a nuclear plant leak in their local area. Panic set in as Denzel realized the gravity of the situation. Determined to escape the danger, he rushed to the nearest airport, hoping to leave the affected region behind. The leak had already claimed the lives of hundreds of millions of people in Russia, leaving those remaining frustrated and anxious.

Once aboard the plane, Denzel tuned in to the radio, hoping for some updates on the situation. The news revealed that the government officials were struggling to contain the disaster, and to make matters worse, storms were brewing in the sky, posing a threat to the aircraft's safe flight. Suddenly, a powerful thunderclap shook the plane, causing it to lose control and hurtle towards the ground.

"Help! What's going on?" Denzel cried out in fear.
"We're going to die," the pilot responded grimly.

Passengers on the plane screamed as they experienced the terrifying descent, their speed increasing with each passing moment. Denzel decided to play "Closed Eyes" on his cellphone, preparing himself for what he believed would be his journey into the afterlife. As he faced the final moments of his life, a strange sense of calm came over him, and he began to laugh and smile, reminiscing about his cherished memories with friends.

The plane ultimately crashed, plunging everything into dead silence. The crackling sound of burning flames and the rain pouring from the clouds filled the air. Miraculously, Denzel survived the impact, although he felt dizzy as he took his first steps into this brand new life. To his astonishment, he discovered that he had been saved by a pile of people who had tragically perished in the crash.

"Whoo, I thought..." Denzel trailed off, his voice filled with a mix of relief and disbelief.

As he collected himself, Denzel noticed someone familiar approaching him with a bat. Reacting swiftly, he jumped up and started running, trying to escape. The thick smoke from the wreckage obscured his vision, and in his panic, he tripped and fell. It was then that he realized the person chasing him was his old friend, Kurvie.

"Oh, please don't kill me," Denzel pleaded, breathless from his sprint.
"Man, if you don't want to die, then I'll take that cellphone you've got. I'm a music lover myself! Listening to 'Closed Eyes'? Aren't you?" Kurvie replied, a mischievous glint in his eye.

"Are you...?" Denzel started to ask, interrupted by Kurvie's response.
"Yes, it was me. You're in the countryside now, where animals have been acting strangely lately," Kurvie explained.

Denzel and Kurvie began talking, catching up on their past experiences, as the darkness gradually enveloped the outside world. Kurvie made a decision.
"Alright, Denzel, my friend! Let's get you home," he announced.
"You're treating me like a 3-year-old," Denzel retorted, half-jokingly.

However, upon reaching Kurvie's barn, they discovered it had been destroyed by the inclement weather.
"Now what?" Denzel asked, feeling a sense of uncertainty.
"Let's just make a tent, shall we?" Kurvie suggested, making the best of their circumstances.

After a few hours, as they slept inside their makeshift tent, they were awakened by the sound of approaching figures. Kurvie instinctively played "Murder in My Mind"

on Denzel's cellphone and grabbed his shotgun, preparing for the worst. Denzel, startled by the sudden noise and Kurvie's actions, experienced a brief moment of panic.

"What the...?" Denzel managed to utter.

In a desperate fight for survival, Kurvie managed to eliminate a significant number of the approaching individuals. However, he soon ran out of ammunition for his shotgun. Fortunately, Kurvie found an old car nearby, and they quickly made their escape. Denzel turned on the radio, tuning in to a broadcast titled "Disaster."

As they sped along a bumpy highway, their attention was diverted, leading to a collision with an outpost. Denzel woke up first, finding himself in what appeared to be an abandoned house. Two people, Audrey and Jomarie, were also there, tending to their wounds.

"Kurvie, Audrey? What the heck?" Kurvie exclaimed, surprised by their presence.
"Bro, relax. You gotta thank them," Denzel said, acknowledging their unexpected rescuers.
"Yeah, you fricking bastard," Audrey chimed in, still a bit frustrated.

Denzel looked at Jomarie, trying to remember where they had crossed paths before.
"Who is she?" he asked Kurvie.
"It's Jomarie, remember from middle school?" Kurvie reminded him.

"Oh, what a small world," Denzel remarked, feeling a mix of surprise and relief.
"Ough, hey!" Kurvie interjected.

Jomarie turned up the volume on the radio and was shocked by the news she heard. "Russia is now officially a dead country. A special disease has turned people into zombies or the undead. The radiation from the broken nuclear facility is the cause..." a voice on the radio announced.

"That's why they were chasing us," Denzel said, connecting the dots.
"Yeah, you dumb monkey," an unknown voice added.

Denzel turned to the source of the voice, only to realize it was France, another old friend from middle school.
"Alright, this is fricking awesome. What's next? Iverson?" Kurvie exclaimed, expressing a mix of disbelief and anticipation.
"Did someone say my name?" Iverson responded, joining the conversation.
"Oh, you've gotta be kidding me," Kurvie groaned.

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