Project 2115

Chapter 6: WBZ Off-Air

After several hours of enduring the moaning, clawing, and pushing against the barricade, the crew of WBZ began to feel the effects of battle fatigue. Lisa and Tom tried their best to encourage everyone, reporting live footage from inside the WBZ building and outside, capturing the zombies' movements. However, even they started to become mentally worn out and sleep-deprived.

As the end of the third day approached, everyone began sleeping in shifts. Around 6 AM on the fourth day of the crisis, a crew member named Jay saw something on the CCTV that chilled him to the bone. A zombie appeared to be changing, becoming more self-aware, looking at the CCTV camera with curiosity. It eventually stood up straight and stared directly at the camera, as if it were looking at Jay himself.

Jay yelped in pure fear, his panic evident as he began waking everyone who was asleep. The tall, 6'3" man. His unkempt beard and worn-out "America is Airsoft" baseball cap were familiar sights around the newsroom. Now, the normally imposing man shrank in fear, mumbling about how a zombie had changed and looked at him through a camera.

Tom and Lisa quickly checked the CCTV feed but saw no trace of the zombie Jay had described. They exchanged a knowing glance, realizing they had to share Jay's experience with the public, even if it could have been a delusion brought on by stress and lack of sleep.

As they went live, Lisa began, "Ladies and gentlemen, we have a potentially significant development to share with you. One of our crew members witnessed what appeared to be a change in a zombie's behavior, as if it had become more self-aware. We cannot confirm this at the moment, but we felt it was important to share this information with you."

Tom continued, "We urge everyone to remain cautious and vigilant. If this development proves true, it could represent a new threat in our fight against the undead. For now, we will continue to monitor the situation and bring you any updates as they become available."

In a world teetering on the edge of madness, the WBZ news team continued their mission to inform and protect their fellow citizens. They could not have known the true gravity of the situation they had just uncovered or the challenges that lay ahead. But one thing was certain: they would face whatever came their way, united in their commitment to the truth and their city.

As the live feed cut to the CCTV camera feed around and inside the building, a sudden CLANG was heard. Something had broken or given way. Everyone gasped, unsure what to do, looking to Lisa and Tom for answers.

Lisa shouted, "Turn on the live feed!"

Tom quickly informed everyone, "These may be our last minutes." The clanging grew louder, and suddenly a dull, cracking sound was heard beneath them. Lisa grabbed a nearby stapler, needing something to ground her from the fear.

Jay, in a panic, suddenly ran to the barricaded door, screaming, "We're all going to die in here!" A few other crew members tried to hold him down, knowing that if the barricade came down, it would mean certain death.

One crewman said, "Jay, stop! You'll kill us all—" before being interrupted by a creepy, sarcastic laugh. "Nooo, Jay, don't open the door." The horrifying sound filled the room. Tom, tears streaming down his face, turned to Lisa and said, "This may be our end, but we should try to get everyone to the rooftop." He turned to the camera, "Please send a rescue helicopter. We will do our best to block its path here."

A National Guardsman, whose sole job was to watch the live feed, heard the plea for help. He called over another soldier to relay a command. He reached for a piece of paper and wrote, "WBZ is going to fall. Send rescue transport ASAP, two gunners requested. No survivors if late."

The private read the command, his face turning pale. He saluted and said, "Orders received, sir!" before running off to post the command.

In the face of seemingly insurmountable odds, the brave crew of WBZ clung to the hope that help would arrive in time. The fate of the entire news team now hinged on the swift response of the National Guard and their determination to save those who had risked their lives to keep the people of Boston informed.