If I had to pinpoint the exact moment my life went from "meh" to "we're all gonna die," it would be the day I realized my neighbor Adrian had better survival instincts than me. And that's saying something, considering Adrian once tried to microwave a metal spoon.
But let's rewind a bit.
I was leaning against the rusted railing of my apartment balcony, staring out at the decaying skyline of New Arcadia. Once a beacon of progress, now a city slowly unraveling at the seams. The streets below still pulsed with life, but there was an unease in the air, something thick and unseen that lingered like a storm waiting to break.
The Eclipse Strain had started as a whisper. A promising new step in human evolution, a biological marvel created by Viratech Industries, meant to push the boundaries of human potential. The media called it the next stage in medicine, a breakthrough that could extend lifespans, eliminate disease, and reshape humanity itself.
But things never go as planned.
A month ago, rumors surfaced about failed test subjects patients showing erratic aggression, memory loss, and rapid cellular mutations. Then came the disappearances. Entire districts sealed off by quarantine orders. Black vans sweeping through the city at night, never returning.
And then, the first outbreak.
New Arcadia had been one of the last major cities to hold out, maintaining a fragile illusion of control, but I knew it was only a matter of time before everything collapsed.
Still, for now, life went on. People still clung to their routines, as if ignoring the problem would make it disappear. But the streets were emptier than usual. The local convenience store had more empty shelves than stocked ones. And worst of all the sirens never stopped.
I sighed, running a hand through my dark hair before turning away from the view.
My apartment was barely lived in. A half-packed duffel bag sat near the door my escape plan in case things spiraled too fast. A few books and old research notes lay scattered on my desk, remnants of a life before the world turned upside down.
I'd once been a biotech engineer, a promising mind in genetic research. Ironically, my former employer was Viratech itself. I had walked away three years ago, long before the Eclipse Strain made headlines. But deep down, I had always known something wasn't right with the company.
Maybe if I had stayed, I could have stopped this before it started.
A sharp knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts.
I frowned, crossing the room silently. I grabbed the knife from the counter a habit formed over the last few weeks and checked the peephole.
It was Adrian Carter, my neighbor.
The man looked nervous, constantly glancing over his shoulder as if expecting something to lunge out of the darkness behind him.
I hesitated before unlocking the door.
"Elias, man, you gotta see this," Adrian said, breathless, shoving his phone in my face the moment I opened the door.
A live news feed flickered across the screen. The words "EMERGENCY BROADCAST" flashed in red, accompanied by aerial footage of a burning city block. The camera zoomed in on figures in the street, their movements unnatural, bodies twitching as they lurched after civilians.
Then came the gunfire.
A military barricade opened fire on the swarm of infected, but it barely slowed them down. Some dropped, but others kept moving even with bullet wounds riddling their bodies. The scene cut to a news anchor, her face pale as she struggled to deliver the report.
"…quarantine has failed… citizens are advised to evacuate… government forces are losing control… these creatures exhibit inhuman speed and resistance to injury…"
My stomach tightened.
It's started.
Adrian's voice shook. "They're saying it's everywhere now. Chicago, London, Beijing… we're next, man. What do we do?"
I exhaled, gripping the doorframe as my mind calculated options. I had known this day was coming, but seeing it unfold in real time sent a sharp jolt of reality through me.
"We leave," I said, stepping back inside and grabbing my duffel bag. "We have to get out of the city before it's too late."
Adrian swallowed, nodding quickly. "Yeah… yeah, okay."
Then.....the screaming started.
From somewhere outside, a woman's voice pierced the air, raw and filled with sheer terror. Then another. And another.
We froze.
A moment later, the street below erupted into chaos.
I rushed to the balcony, looking down as people sprinted in every direction. Among them were figures that didn't move like humans should.
Their bodies twitched and jerked in unnatural spasms, limbs contorting at strange angles. Eyes blackened, skin paling to a sickly gray. Their movements were erratic, some crawling on all fours, others running with inhuman speed, latching onto screaming victims.
I watched in horror as a man was tackled to the ground, his assailant tearing into his flesh with bare teeth. Blood sprayed onto the pavement.
Adrian choked back a curse. "Oh my god."
The Hollowed had arrived.
A deep boom rattled the air an explosion somewhere in the distance. The entire city was coming apart.
I clenched my fists. No more time to think.
"We need to move. NOW."
Adrian snapped out of his shock, nodding quickly. "Where do we go?"
My mind raced. The highways would be clogged, the city perimeter would already be on lockdown. The best chance of survival wasn't in New Arcadia it was outside it.
"The old rail tunnels," I said. "They're abandoned. If we follow them, we can bypass the checkpoints and get out before the city falls."
Adrian hesitated, glancing at the chaos below. "That's suicide, man. We don't know what's down there."
I zipped up my bag. "We know what's up here. And I don't like our odds."
Another bloodcurdling shriek filled the night as a Hollowed creature launched itself onto a car, its body twisting in a blur of impossible speed. The driver barely had time to react before the windshield shattered, and then the screaming stopped abruptly.
Adrian looked like he was going to be sick. "…Alright. Let's do it."
I didn't waste another second.
As I turned to grab my gear, I caught a final glimpse of the emergency broadcast still playing on Adrian's phone.
The anchorwoman's voice was shaking, her eyes wet with barely-contained panic.
"This… this may be my last report. If anyone out there is listening the virus is not natural. It's evolving faster than we can comprehend. If you can hear me, do not stay in the cities. Run."
Then....the signal cut to static.
Outside, the screams of the dying blended with the growing, nightmarish howls of the Hollowed.
And New Arcadia began its descent into hell.
As we descended into the darkness of the rail tunnels, the distant echoes of chaos above faded, replaced by an eerie silence. But deep within the shadows, something stirred a low, guttural growl that didn't belong to any human.
I tightened my grip on the flashlight, heart pounding.
Adrian," I whispered, "we're not alone down here.