'They wore uniform grey, their expression hard and distant, their muscles taut with expectation, as if at any moment they were ready to lead an assault, to carry out orders, to kill, to die. And yet they were. Kingston had trained these children to kill at a word, to obey their masters without question. They were machines, the ultimate weapons in modern warfare. Children, as young as seven and as old as eighteen, stood impeccable and fearless, but it was what was hidden in their minds that was to be feared most of all.' Nineteen-year-old Charlotte Owens has entered her final year at Kingston Academy and, together with her best friends, she plans on making it through the year in one piece, away from the scrutinising eye of the headmaster and the founder's son. However, when she discovers that she has been thrust into the role of Head Girl, working alongside a boy she can hardly stand, not only are her plans for anonymity destroyed, but her plans for making it through the year at all seem to be in danger of becoming a wistful dream. Charlotte finds herself faced with the monstrous task of learning to play a game for survival in a world that seems determined to destroy her. Not only fighting for her life, Charlotte must also fight to gain control over the genetic alterations that plague her mind, in an effort to become the soldier she must be. A dark and tense tale of the battle between good and evil, Altered brings to life a strange and deadly world full of power and intrigue, as well as casting light on many secrets that so many hoped would remain undiscovered. This is Book One of Altered

I was breathing hard by the time I felt the hands grabbing me, trying to rip my flesh apart. They pulled me down with their weight. I screamed. I felt them sinking their teeth into my flesh as I screamed louder, not caring if more came, as I was already going to die. I suddenly felt them being pulled off me. I sat up and saw man killing the zombies that were just piling on me. As the man turned around I noticed that he looked like he couldn't be much older than me, maybe 21. He had blood all over him but I don't imagine I look any better. He walked over to me and stuck out his hand to help me up. I took him up on his offer. After I stood up I noticed how many zombies truly were after me, there were maybe 10 or 12 bodies laying on the ground. I looked at the man and suddenly realized that I was bit and if he didn't leave soon I could end up attacking him, though I doubt that he will have any problems with being able to protect himself. "You need to leave. I don't want to hurt you." He just laughed at that and came closer to me inspecting my arms that looked horrible with bite marks all over them. All of the sudden I felt really dizzy, next thing I know is I'm on the ground. That's when the seizures hit My name is Ireland, and I've been living as a zombie for 9 months now. This is how I turned and how I survived. #1 in nightstalker started: 12-15-18 All credits are given to @CrystalScherer for letting me use her zombie ranks and some of her characters from the book 'The Virus Within'.