Deadman Crawling [m×m]

PROLOGUE

The moment the disease spread like wildfire, the government immediately shut down for the nth time in just that one year— quickly declaring the country in a state of emergency as people in mass began to run wild in panic.  No explanation from government officials was given.  No explanation for the sudden outbreak of the unexplained disease followed.  Just meek silence answering the people's fear.

All that was known from the outbreak and the disease itself came from media reports.  All which stated that it was highly contagious, extremely dangerous, and very well the end of everything everyone has ever known or loved.

And even that was cut off within the first week of the infection.

The media and all news outlets suddenly shutting down, the connection with the rest of the world snapping and leaving everyone in the dark with nothing but static.

The only thing that he remembers being mentioned and emphasized was the onset of the disease.  Warning people to stay away from those infected and to never take a chance because it all begins with an onset of seizures.  Seizures that cause all vital organ activity to stop.

Within minutes the ceased beating of the heart would reanimate and restart, pumping infected blood throughout the infected's veins and throughout their body until everything was destroyed and replaced with death.

Warm skin became cold and pale with a grayish deadly hue to it.

A strong stench of death emitting from their rotting corpses following after as they deteriorate.

Everything, just everything, became wrong about them.

Everything was just slightly off about them.

Their eyes become hollow, dull, and lifeless.

Lips pale and cracked.

Skin bruised with purple and blue all over and no sign of ever healing.

Almost as if they were dead.

And for a few brief moments they were and yet they walk, they groan and moan and attack.

It's a terrifying disease that eats away at the person, kills them and brings them back as a monster, an uncontrollable and insatiable beast.

Worst part yet— there is no known cure.

Of course there wouldn't be, not when the origin of such a disease is so obscure.  When no one knows where it even came from.

And although the infected appear weak, slow, and dim, they are anything but.

They are fast when motivated with fresh meat, when the sound of a healthy heartbeat reaches their ears, when rich untainted blood tickles their rotting noses.

And it all happens begins with a single bite, just one.

So keep moving.

Keep low.

Keep quiet.

Keep alert.

And always remember that no place is safe, only safer.

Otherwise you'll become the next Deadman walking.