Sanctuary | Chanbaek

Chapter One

It had been just over two years since the beginning of the end of the human race, and almost three weeks since Byun Baekhyun had seen any survivor or military personnel. He didn't know the state he was even in, let alone the town name. Any signs that could have given him a hint had been ruined or removed. It was the same as every place his weak body had stumbled through since he mustered up the bravery to leave his home. Ever since it got out that the government was behind the outbreak, the military had been doing their best to get rid of anything that Baekhyun, or any survivor, could find familiar. It was easier to control people when they were confused and desperate. Staying in one place wasn't safe anymore. Between the military raids of neighborhoods and survivors looting encampments at gunpoint, constant migration was the best chance at survival.

Baekhyun wasn't even confident in how it all started. Television signals were blocked only a couple of days after they first started reporting, and the power grid went to shit soon afterward. To the general public, nothing was known about why the experiment existed or how the government even planned to utilize it. Similar to all the classic zombie movies he had seen growing up, you wanted to avoid being bitten by any means necessary. If they sunk their teeth into you it was only going to be hours before you became like them. Unlike the movies, the government did not have sanctuaries for those who survived, no place where they could live together and make a new community. The reality for him was if he was spotted, he was dead. He'd seen it with his own eyes and the first time made him sick, now it was just as much a part of life as the mouth-foaming creatures that he also hid from. Scariest of all, the infected were smart, they could see and smell and hear and run. They were designed to be hunters and people like Baekhyun were the prey.

He had very much enjoyed being a city boy, spoiled by the luxuries of an air-conditioned condo and hot water. Going out to drink with his friends on the weekend and worrying only about trivial things like which movie to see at the theater that weekend. He was not a survivalist by any means and he would have never imagined himself as one of those adrenaline junkies on a reality television show, dropped off in the middle of nowhere and forced to survive. But now, that's the only choice as to who he could be, minus the camera crew, immediate medical help in an emergency, and the promise of life. No, his life could end at any second and nobody would be there to remember it.

He finds himself twisting the ring around his finger on his left hand. The band was simple yet lined with small diamonds and there was a flip in his stomach when his eyes landed on it. He bit down on the inside of his lip and picked up his pace a little, shoving his hands in his pockets to get the subject out of his brain. His life before didn't matter anymore, this was his life now and he couldn't let himself feel emotions that would get in the way of his survival. He couldn't let himself be naive... not anymore. He had accepted a long time ago that it was his destiny to be alone.

His possessions were left behind, all he had was his fiance's pistol strapped to his hip and a backpack slung over his shoulder. The pack was currently on the lighter side, only holding some spare fabric in case he needed makeshift bandages and a couple of food items he could find as he traveled. Scavenging was not his forte, he would admit. He was scared to go into homes and stores, scared to find one of those... things, waiting for him inside. It was by pure luck he had made it as long as he had, and he knew it.

The small town was quiet and the sunset was coming. He knew he was going to have to find shelter soon before it was too dark to see properly. The creatures weren't loud, they didn't gargle and groan and rarely bumped into things. They could sneak and stalk their prey. He had become pretty sure that they could also see rather easily at night. The reminder sent a chill straight down Baekhyun's spine and he wondered if there would ever be a moment he didn't feel like he had eyes on him, like something was lurking just around the next curve in the road.