When the world I knew ended, it didn't start with a bang. No mushroom clouds or panicked newscasters, just the cold logic of a laboratory, the quiet ambition of men tinkering with the threads of life itself.
I was supposed to be analyzing political theory, debating the flaws of democracy, not crouched in a darkened room with my makeshift family, whispering about creatures that exist only in horror movies. We have names for them now - the infected, the turned, the freaks - but back then, it was easier to pretend they were just another bad dream, a headline to quickly scroll past.
But bad dreams don't shatter your world with the calculated precision of scientists. The chaos started in Briarwood, a top-secret research facility tucked away like a dirty secret. They were meant to be our shield, pushing the boundaries of medicine to protect us. Instead, they built a monster that ripped through quiet suburbia, turning it into a bloody hunting ground.
Of course, I didn't know any of that then. I was just Abigail Sinclair, the poli-sci major with a knack for sharp arguments and a soft spot for those who couldn't fight back. Now, I'm just someone trying to survive, one breath, one desperate step at a time.
People say heroes are born in moments like this. Maybe they're right. But the rest of us, the ones not built for combat and grand sacrifices? We have a different kind of fight ahead. We have to salvage what we can of the world we thought we knew, find a reason to hope when everything seems lost. We have to prove that when faced with unimaginable horror, something in the human spirit refuses to be extinguished.
This isn't just about outrunning the infected, those grotesque parodies of what we once were. It's about who we choose to be when the old rules no longer apply.
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This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and events are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. All rights reserved. No part of this story may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the author.
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Warning:
This story contains graphic violence, social commentary, and difficult moral choices. While it presents hope amidst darkness, readers should be aware that characters will be pushed to their limits. The exploration of human nature can be both disturbing and inspiring.
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Death by Blood
Science FictionA single mistake unleashed a nightmare. From the secretive halls of Briarwood Research Complex, a bioweapon meant to cripple enemies has devolved into a horrifying plague, transforming humans into ravenous, decaying monsters. As cities crumble and s...
