Bed Of Chaos
Looking around, confused, the last thing I remember is getting home after a stressful day at work.
Now I'm here.
A white room.
Too clean.
Filled with equipment I have no idea what it's for.
It feels like I'm walking underwater. My body doesn't respond properly, everything feels heavy, delayed.
I take a deep breath.
The air goes in… but it doesn't help.
It takes me a few seconds to take my first step.
Slow.
Unstable.
I almost fall, but my body adjusts on its own. Like it knows what to do before I do.
I walk through the room, observing more carefully.
It looks like it was looted.
Tables overturned, equipment on the floor, broken glass everywhere. It reminds me of a crowd during a big sale… except no one here walked away with anything.
They just died.
There are bodies on the ground.
Some near the tables, others in the middle of the room.
White clothes.
Scientists… I think.
None of them move.
I walk closer to one.
Stop.
Just stare.
Something is wrong.
I can't explain what it is, but I know it shouldn't be like this.
I look away.
Keep walking.
At the back of the room there's something that looks like a large laboratory freezer.
Closed door.
Reinforced glass.
As soon as I get close…
something inside me changes.
My body freezes for a second.
Then pulls.
Like something inside is calling me.
My hand moves on its own.
I open it.
Cold air spills out.
And with it… a strange smell.
Metallic.
Heavy.
My blood heats up instantly.
Literally.
It feels like something is running through me, too fast.
I look inside.
Broken vials.
Glass everywhere.
Something leaking across the shelves.
Dark.
Thick.
Whatever was in here…
got out.
And killed everyone.
My vision flickers.
Once.
Twice.
My head feels heavy.
My body won't respond.
I try to hold onto the door, but my hand slips.
Everything goes dark.
…
I don't know how much time passed.
When I open my eyes again, I'm on the floor.
The first thing I notice is the silence.
The second…
my body feels better.
Much better.
That feeling of being stuck in mud is gone.
I stand up slowly.
This time, without difficulty.
My movements feel… right.
Natural.
I take a deep breath.
The air still feels strange, but it doesn't bother me anymore.
I look at my hands.
Clean.
No shaking.
I open and close my fingers a few times.
Working.
I look back at the room.
The bodies are still there.
But now…
something feels different.
I stand still for a few seconds.
Watching.
Waiting.
…
One of them moves.
Barely.
Almost nothing.
But I saw it.
My body reacts before I do.
I take a step back.
Stay still.
The body moves again.
Clearer now.
A hand drags across the floor.
Slowly.
It starts to get up.
Wrong.
Very wrong.
The movements are slow, uncoordinated.
The head tilts to the side.
The eyes… don't focus on anything.
And yet it comes toward me.
No rush.
No stopping.
I don't feel fear.
That's strange.
Anyone would.
But I just…
observe.
When it gets close enough, I move.
Fast.
Faster than I expected.
My hand goes straight to its neck and pushes hard.
The body slams against the wall.
A dull sound.
But it doesn't stop.
Its arms reach for me, trying to grab.
My body responds.
I squeeze.
Harder.
I feel something give under my fingers.
A crack.
The head twists.
The body loses strength.
Falls.
Silence.
I keep watching.
Waiting for it to get up again.
It doesn't.
…
Something inside me shifts.
Different.
Stronger than before.
I look at the body.
My gaze moves to the chest.
To the blood.
My hand moves.
I don't think.
I just act.
I kneel.
My fingers sink into the flesh without resistance.
Warm.
Thick.
The smell intensifies.
And my body reacts.
Like it's been waiting for this.
I feel something move through me.
Fast.
Like a faint shock.
I stop.
Look at my hand.
Covered in blood.
But I don't feel disgust.
No discomfort.
Just… normal.
I stand up.
My body feels even better now.
Lighter.
Stronger.
Subtle.
But different.
…
Then I hear it.
More sounds.
Not just one.
Several.
Dragging.
Coming from the corridors.
I look around quickly.
I need to leave.
There's a map on the wall, behind cracked glass.
I move closer.
Look.
Lines.
Sectors.
Levels.
I don't know how, but I understand the basics.
This place is big.
Very big.
Multiple elevators marked.
One larger in the center.
Others spread out.
Separated sectors.
Nothing directly connected.
Strange.
I raise my hand.
Break the glass without thinking.
Take the map.
Quick look.
Memorize what I can.
Drop it.
I don't need it.
I turn toward the exit.
The sounds are closer now.
Clearer.
More of them.
I leave the room.
The corridor is long.
Lit.
Too clean for a place full of dead people.
I take a few steps.
Then more.
Not running.
But not stopping.
Something inside me already decided.
Staying is not an option.
As I move, I notice something else.
I know where I'm stepping.
I avoid open areas.
Avoid noise.
Choose better paths.
I don't know why.
But my body does.
And I trust it.
Ahead, I see a larger door.
Metal.
A panel beside it.
Above…
an indicator.
Elevator.
I stop in front of it.
Just look.
For some reason…
I don't want to use it.
Not yet.
…
Behind me, a sound.
Different.
Faster.
I slowly raise my head.
Turn.
Something is coming.
And this time…
it doesn't seem slow.
It doesn't drag itself.
It stops in the middle of the corridor, a few meters away.
Its head moves slowly.
Like it's searching.
Different from the others.
The eyes aren't empty.
They're… trying to focus.
I don't move.
Hold my breath instinctively.
It takes a step.
Then another.
Still awkward.
But not loose like before.
There's direction.
There's intent.
It stops.
Its head turns toward me.
For a second… I think it saw me.
My body reacts first.
I step back.
Slow.
Silent.
It doesn't advance.
Just stands there.
Its nose twitches slightly.
Smelling.
…
Then it turns away.
Starts walking.
Not toward me.
But close enough for me to understand.
This one is different.
I can't treat it like the others.
I look at the elevator.
Then the corridor.
More sounds.
The dragging ones are still coming.
But this type…
is already waking up.
Staying here is a waste of time.
I press the elevator button.
Nothing.
I wait.
For a second, I think there's no power.
Then the panel flickers on.
A number.
Moving.
Going up.
…
There's something inside.
I wait.
Eyes on the corridor.
Seconds pass slowly.
The sounds grow.
More dragging steps.
More movement.
Then—
A dull impact from inside the elevator.
I freeze.
Another one.
Stronger.
Something hits the door from inside.
Not one.
Several.
…
The number keeps going up.
Like nothing is wrong.
I take a step back.
Thinking.
Fast.
If it opens…
I'll have to fight.
Or run.
Or—
The number stops.
The elevator arrives.
Silence.
For a second… nothing happens.
Then the door starts to open.
Slowly.
I get ready.
Body low.
Weight balanced.
Ready to attack.
The gap widens.
And I see.
A body.
On the floor.
Another on top.
Still.
Motionless.
But the smell…
stronger.
Much stronger.
Something inside me reacts instantly.
Hunger.
But not normal hunger.
I hold back.
Don't enter.
Observe.
Wait.
One of the bodies moves.
Barely.
A hand drags.
The head lifts.
Slow.
One of the dragging ones.
Two more begin to move.
Still slow.
Uncoordinated.
But getting up.
If I wait longer…
I'll have to deal with all of them.
I move in.
Fast.
Before they fully stand.
The first tries to grab me.
I dodge.
Grab its arm.
Pull.
Off balance.
Slam it into the wall.
Use its body to block the other.
The movement feels natural.
No thinking.
Like I've done this before.
My hand goes straight to its neck.
I squeeze.
Crack.
It drops.
The second comes.
Slower.
Weak.
I advance.
This time I don't stop.
My hand goes straight through its chest.
No hesitation.
Warm.
Thick.
I feel it again.
That reaction.
Stronger.
Clearer.
I pull.
Something comes with it.
I don't look.
Just feel.
The body stops instantly.
Silence.
I breathe.
Look around.
The others aren't fully up yet.
Still on the ground.
I don't wait.
Repeat.
Fast.
Direct.
One by one.
No difficulty.
When it's over, the elevator is silent.
Heavy smell.
Bodies on the floor.
I stand still for a few seconds.
Feeling.
My body is better.
Lighter.
More… aligned.
Like it's adjusting each time.
I look at the panel.
Buttons.
Multiple floors.
I don't know exactly where I am.
But I remember the map.
Security.
Equipment.
Weapons.
Closer to the surface.
Farther from here.
My hand moves to the panel.
I pause.
Thinking.
If I go up…
I might find more of those.
Faster ones.
But staying here solves nothing.
I press it.
The doors close.
The elevator begins to rise.
Smooth.
Silent.
I lean against the wall.
Look at my hands.
Still dirty.
But it doesn't bother me anymore.
None of this does.
That's the strangest part.
…
The elevator keeps going up.
And I get the feeling…
that up there
it won't be any easier.
The elevator stops with a slight jolt.
The doors open and I step out.
The corridor ahead is silent.
Strangely silent.
None of the chaos from the lab.
No moving bodies.
No dragging sounds.
Just the faint echo of my own steps.
I look around.
Administrative and surveillance rooms.
Mostly empty.
Some doors open, others closed.
No one in sight.
Bodies scattered across the floor.
Employees who probably left to contain the outbreak.
This area was abandoned quickly.
Still…
I don't relax.
Some of the bodies begin to move.
Slowly.
Almost imperceptible.
The clumsy ones.
Dragging arms.
No focus.
A few others… slightly better.
More stable.
Watching.
Nothing fast.
Nothing chasing.
I don't feel fear.
Just attention.
I keep moving.
Step by step.
Controlled.
Avoiding the worst paths.
Letting them be.
I don't need to fight.
Not yet.
I remember the map.
Arsenal.
Opposite side.
Closer to the surface.
That's my goal.
I move through the rooms.
Papers.
Chairs.
Nothing hiding anything.
My body adjusts with every step.
Faster.
Sharper.
More aware.
Old instincts guiding everything.
Silently.
I pass through a surveillance room.
Some of them look at me.
But don't move.
Just watching.
Measuring.
I move again.
No need to fight.
Just move.
Silent.
Precise.
Each step makes me more confident.
No hesitation.
No fear.
Just calculation.
And instinct.
At the end of the corridor…
I see it.
The arsenal.
Reinforced metal doors.
Panel to the side.
My objective.
Weapons.
Equipment.
Something to survive.
The corridor is empty.
No sound.
No movement.
Just silence.
And for the first time since I woke up…
I feel in control.
Not perfect.
Not complete.
But enough to know
I'll get there.