Until Dawn (a MAICHARD fanfic)

1. 9 Weeks Later

MAINE

I still remember when all of this started. I still remember what happened inside my room the day the infection spread. 

Ten years ago, a few minutes past midnight, my dad arrived home, already looking sick. I didn't think anything of it because he said he just needed to rest.

Things started to change when I woke up a few hour later  with him standing beside my bed, making weird noises. Next thing I knew, he was trying to bite me.

I covered him with my huge blanket then ran to their room. That's where I saw my mother lying on the bed in a pool of her own blood gushing from her neck.

I rushed towards their bedside drawer and pulled out the gun my dad told me he kept there. My dad was able to follow me back to their room while my mom started making the same sounds my father made earlier.

The last thing I remember was hearing two gunshots and my boyfriend, Den, carrying me out of the house.

I shot my parents and left them there to die.

I know I should feel some remorse but it was them or me back then but I really wished it was me, instead.

I still couldn't believe that I am still alive even after ten long years. I was only 15 when all hell broke loose and I didn't like how the world ended.

Also, I didn't like that whatever the apocalypse throws at me, I still manage to survive, effortlessly, even if I didn't want to.

"Bangon na." I heard someone knock from behind my door. "May pupuntahan tayo."

I stood up and walked towards the door. I didn't want to answer it because I knew what was waiting for me. "Ang aga naman Shaira. Pwede namang mamaya pa."

"Malayo kasi pupuntahan nayin diba. Bihis na. Kailangan maaga tayo." Shaira said. She's the leader of the rebel group my boyfriend joined. Well, ex-boyfriend.

"Kailangan naman talaga maaga. Kasi pag nakita ka na ng mga sundalo, sure na papatyin ka nila. You're wanted everywhere. It's a miracle they haven't killed you yet." I said as I grabbed my gear and walked towards her.

"They haven't killed me yet kasi ako lang, ang team ko lang ang may progress sa mga research na ginagawa natin." She tied her brunette hair into a ponytail, showing off a beautiful face underneath those curly locks. "You know, CDC gave up, right?"

"I know. WHO na lang yata ang kumikilos. Still no progress. Although, wala naman na tayong alam becausr radio frequencies are dead." I said. We started walking towards the exit of the building where I was staying at.

"Everyday, mas namamatay ang mundo natin dahil dito sa infection na to. Kaya dapat makahanap na ng cure." She said. Her eyes gleamed with hope as she looked back at me. "Alam mo naman siguro na posible na to diba?"

"Oo." It was all I could say.

Then everything flashed back, the day I was bitten.

"I'm not going to leave you again."

That was the last sentence Den said to me before saying thet he loves me, because after that, we just sat atop a building watching the sunset, waiting for our turn to become like one of those things that attacked us.

Unfortunately, I didn't become one. The worst part is that I had to shoot him because he started attacking me when he turned into a mindless infected.

"Maine, get down!" Shaira whispered as she pulled me to the back of one of the dumpsters.

"Anong nangyayari?" I asked her but before she could answer, an explosion happened.

"Fuck. Kailangan na nating umalis. Di ka safe dito." She grabbed my arm then pulled me towards the alley where we hid.

"Paano yung mga tao mo?" We were now sprinting, trying to get to a safer area.

"We can't do anything. Mas importante ka." She said.

Shaira suddenly stopped running when we reached the the street at the back of the building we just passed by.

"Fuck. They're everywhere." She said while peeking from the corner. "Mukhang pupunta pa sila dito."

"Anong gagawin na..." I stopped midsentence because I heard another explosion from where we came. It was followed by echoing footsteps and commands. "Shaira, they're coming."

"Shit!" She exclaimed.

I looked around trying to find an escape but we were surrounded by walls and huge buildings. When I turned around, I almost screamed when I saw the inside of the window behind us.

"Shit! Shaira!" I blurted out.

"What?" I pointed inside the window and at that moment, she knew we were doomed. But a few minutes later, she had an idea.  "Pumasok ka dun sa malaking basurahan. Dali!" She said.

When I got in, she positioned herself beside me, then threw a rock at the window. The glass broke and everyone who was near us heard it.

The military who was in front of us and behind us rushed towards the window but as soon as they looked in, a horde of infected jumped out and attacked them. They scrambled in different directions, most of them getting bitten by the infected.

"Wag kang gagalaw. Keep quiet." Shaira whispered. We both peeked out of the huge dumpster and waited.

The infected were gone and so were the military. A few of them remained lying lifeless on the ground.

When Shaira felt like the coast was clear, we jumped out of the dumpster.

"MAINE IWAS!" She pushed me. As I dropped down on the ground, I saw a wounded militray man, still alive his gun pointed at Shaira. He was trying to shoot me but hit her. She took a bullet to the side.

He was about to shoot Shaira again but before he was able to, I shot him first. As soon as he dropped dead on the ground, I rushed towards Shaira and checked her wound.

"Shit." There was a lot of blood but, fortunately, her wound was superficial. "Mababaw lang. Kailangan matahi."

"Ikaw, maiwan ka dito. Masyadong delikado na sumasama ka sa akin. Masyado kang importante. Hahanap ako ng ibang maghahatid sa'yo." She said. She held me as I helped her walk.

"Saan mo ako iiwan?" I asked. I kept looking around, trying to see if someone was still following us.

"Doon sa kwarto na pinagtataguan ng mga gamit ko na ipapadala sa ibang lugar. Halika na."

In the back of my mind, I was lucky to be alive again.