It was called the Phantom virus, or more colloquily known as death's poison. At the beginning we had not even realized that we were being attacked. It left no physical symptoms at all, neither a cough nor a headache. It didn't have any restrictions. Anyone, from new born infants to millionares with the best medical care at their fingertips were infected.Unfortunately after loosing at least a thousand people did they realize that this was an unknown virus that had the ability to painlessly kill someone within 48 hours. Once infected, your pupils will turn colour, depending on that would be whether you had a chance to live or not. It was straightforward, as if the virus was boasting that we had no chance at all, red pupils meant you'd live on and white meant that you would die. Unfortunately for humanity, there was a very rare chance of getting a red pupil. All over the world expertise scientists and specialists spent nerve-wracking hours fumbling about desperately trying to concoct a cure. Everyone was in a frantic state as news of their loved ones passing nearing arrived. Most had been swooped by depression as they instantly began regretting their life choices. Some splurged and lived their last to the fullest, not that the economy was doing quite well either. With the disruption and sorrow, the world seemed to become more chaotic. People who knew they were going to die turned to a life of crime, most had disappeared or isolated with their families and some had even reached insanity after being hit by the harsh truth of reality. As your time would come closer to its end, regrets of one's heart and mind and all the guilt of your conscious that were buried deep below were unearthed. In the end, after the span of one month, the savage virus that had spread rapidly consuming billions of lives was suddenly gone leaving behind mere crumbs of the population. Beloved families were torn apart, friendships that had been built over years were ruined, and bonds that were stronger than iron were severed with a secret cheat code that death had used. The survivors gathered, finally putting aside the petty discrimination of society, and formed an alliance - The Crimson Cadre, who supported and strengthened each other vowing to re establish what was once known as planet Earth, home of humans.
46 years later...
Aria sprinted foward and caught the bus just in the nick of time. Late as she was, the bus was mostly empty. She found a seat in the far left that seemed isolated enough from the other passengers and settled down. That had become a norm ever since the PVO (Phantom virus outbreak). Even though the most of the world was up and running again, people just kept to themselves and carried on with their daily mediocre lives. Every citizen of Crimson Cadre was required to attend daily check-ins held every morning in each sub-zone, they were then free to continue as "normal". Aria was from amongst what was known as the uncharted generation. Firstly, they hadn't seen the hardship that the world had faced nor the Phantom virus in action, and secondly, no one was truly positive that this generation would be immune to it, all they could do was hope. However, she was extremely educated about it as her mother was one of the original Crimson Cadre who rounded up humanity. Which is the reason why she was currently on the bus, headed of to her first job as part of the CC...
As expected, the main HQ was nothing short of incredible. Systematically built for every possible scenario, ready to take action all while still keeping everything in check constantly scanning for even the slightest sign of the Phantom virus. This day was everything she ever hoped for, a chance to finally help influence and support this new world. Her first day on the field as a testing site agent (she would be there to do the daily check-ins in her sub-zone, a job for all rookies) started off horribly. As her team was getting strapped with gear and ready to set up a new testing site suddenly the entire earth went silent. Everyone looked at each other in confusion but a split second later a high pitched ringing filled the air followed by a deep scratched voice. 'Humans, you have until sunrise tomorrow to surrender your planet to me or face an old friend whom which you all hoped was long gone, venenum mortis.' Spoke the voice before letting go leaving behind the noise of people panicking and fearful. An extra terrestrial life form had just threatened their existence in the most horrific way imaginable. No amount of preparation they had done could have countered this.
Venenum mortis, it meant death's poison, and unfortunately almost everyone knew that. Aria dropped everything and ran home. By the time she got there she was shocked to find her once fearless mother now fretfully packing, ready to escape without her. Her head felt like it was spinning. She had always been so hopeful that humanity was stronger than any threat to it's existence, but now it had seemed like there was no strength at all . As the streets buzzed with cars leaving, her mother asked her come along. She refused to, like a child arguing with their parents, she wanted everyone to rally up their strength and fight back. In moments when she had looked back, her mother was gone, she had become impatient. The shock froze her body, and she fell to her knees on their front lawn overlooking civilization. In a matter of minutes their egos and courage had disappeared. A young girl who was once hopeful that humanity could overcome anything, watched right before her eyes as a threat from a larger kind made them give. She was left alone, abandoned by her mother, just as the others had abandoned planet Earth.
