Chapter 1

20 years ago, an outbreak happened. Biomed Central, a research facility famous for making outside world type of medicines had a huge accident. There was a huge explosion that releases all animals' test subjects that they were using for new drugs they created. A month after that, the apocalyptic events started.

People that are reported being bitten by strange wild animals, started getting uncontrollable after 24 hours of being bitten. Attacking everyone on sight that moves or makes noise. Scratching, biting, and tearing fleshes. Then it went on and on just as quick as snapping your fingers.

Those who were bitten or scratched by the first ones started doing the same thing. Attacking anyone they see, as if they were rabid animals. Tearing fleshes and eating them. It passed on quickly just like how zombie movies do.

After six months, the whole world was in chaos and ruins. Everything crashed down. No one was given mercy. If you were bitten, expect to lose your sanity within 24 hours. The government tried to get hold of Biomed Central, but they were not found. Not even one staff. The humans tried to fight back. Army tried to push them back.

At first, the attempt was successful. Humanity found a way to defend itself. Turned out, causing a huge injury to the head will make them immobile. It was said that if you destroy their remaining brain, they will be dead for sure.

People fought with confidence, thinking that we finally have the key to ending the chaos. But as humanity keeps fighting back, the moving corpses found a way to evolve too. Now, there are a few things to consider. Just bashing their head in won't work anymore, especially if they are one of the evolved ones.

Humanity started categorizing them.

Day Walkers, are the ones that can move and hunt under the sun but became immobile at night.

Nocturnals are the opposite of Day Walkers. They are the ones that move and hunt at the night, then became immobile when the sun, sets in.

Sentients are what humans mostly feared. They are the ones that are still self-conscious after being bitten. Even though they also crave flesh, they're intelligent and fast. They know how to protect their head to avoid getting killed. They can move day and night. It was said that if you encounter them, then you already meet your end. No running or hiding will save you.

But there's another category that's still about to be discovered and learned. I don't know what it is, but maybe it will be the final breakthrough humanity is waiting for so long.

I let out a sigh and delete the last paragraph I made, before saving the file. Shaking my head as I close my laptop and shoved it in my bag.

"Gen! Hurry up, or the bus will leave us behind again!"

"Coming!" I shouted back, grabbing my bag and running out of my room. I even bump into Tris, a dorm mate. After saying sorry, I hurried down the stairs and out of the building.

I curse under my breath when I saw Olivia already boarding the bus. Slinging my bag tight into my shoulders, I run towards the vehicle. Almost tripped when I reached the door. The driver looks at me and shakes his head.

"Still not the morning person, Gen, I see." I smile sheepishly at him before boarding the bus.

"Sorry, Mr. Hale." I apologize before walking to the back of the bus, where there was only one left seat. Celine was already sitting right beside the window, also shaking her head in my direction.

"I told you to stop snoozing your alarm every day!" she said, playfully hitting my arm after I took a sit.

"Sorry. I just can't help it. I'm sleepy." I stated, trying to appease my way out of her scolding.

"You're always sleepy to the point I'm worried you're sick. But Dr. Iwaki already told us nothing's wrong with you, yet I can't seem to settle. You're always tired even though when you don't do much." Celine look at me straight in the eyes, looking all worried as always. I took her hand and hold it tightly.

"I'm fine, Celine. I promise. Besides, I'll tell you if I'm not feeling good."

"You better!" she said, squeezing my hand back. I nodded my head, and let go.

I look outside the window when she's finally not looking at me. Everywhere I look, all I see are buildings. Not tall like what I saw from magazines flying around the streets. After all, I'd never known what the world looks like before the apocalypse. I was born in its reigning time.

There are houses, mostly built from metals and iron found in the scrapyards. Some are even made only with tattered clothes sewn together and was held by long rods to support them. I'm fortunate to be living in the dorms made especially by the rulers of the City of Hope for the students. They say that students have more privilege inside the City of Hope, well, because the elders believe that one day, we were the ones that'll help rebuild the fallen time of Humanity.

The City of Hope. The last remaining standing city in London. It has been almost 12 years since I was saved by the Scavenger group of the City of Hope when they were out to find more supplies or rations. They told me I was found collapsed a few miles away from the City. Malnourished and nearing the Death's Door. After I was thoroughly checked for any sign of bites or scratches and was deemed clean, they finally decided where to let me stay, which ended up being Celine's family.

Her mother was the nurse that took care of me. She told me that they'll be willing to take me since their only child wanted a sibling. That child was Celine who was also six years old at that time. Things happened so fast. I was happy with my new home, I felt that nothing was going on outside the City. I even forgot how broken I was at what happened to Father Yosef, the person who also raised me after he found me in a dumpster.

But that happiness was short-lived. Jacob and Melissa, Celine's parents, were then sent outside. Jacob was part of the Patrol team. The ones that make sure no moving corpses are getting too near the borders of the City. Melissa came along to make sure that whoever was hurt can be taken care of immediately.

That was seven years ago. We were 10 when we were told they never made it back. After that, Celine and I moved into the small orphanage inside the City. We were monitored and schooled even before we were sent into dorms after we reach high school. The rulers of the City strongly believe that education must still go on, even though the lessons are mostly about the current situations of our world. Along with some lessons on how to survive.

Once the bus stop, Celine and I made our way straight to our first class, which was History, and most of our lessons are derived from books scavenge from outside the City. After we're done with the history of the previous world, we will then tackle the history of the outbreak.

I look in front of me. The school building, which they said used to be a huge city hall back in the days, remained in place. It was repainted, but there's was nothing left to do. There's no material to repatch some of the crumbling support. We just hope it doesn't come crashing down on us while we're inside.

"Have you finished the assignment for History?" Celine asked, taking a seat on our usual chairs after we arrive in a room that used to be an office.

"I finished it this morning," I answered, remembering how foolish I was for almost putting my secret into my report, nearly compromising my safety.

After all, no one knows how I survived outside alone. No one knows how crazy everything was that day. If they find out, it will be chaos. Panic will settle more. Overwhelming everyone with fresh discovery. Besides, it's not like I have an answer for them if ever they asked how.

The class started as always. The history lesson always starts with reminiscing about the day the apocalypse started. Some of the professors we have are not all professors from the past. The remaining ruler of the City of Hope just gathered those who can act as educators to the kids of the City.

There are only five subjects our class has. History, English, Math, and Survival which P.E is combined. In Survival, we are taught what to do when we're finally outside the City either to Patrol, find rations or supplies that can be gathered outside, or save people that were trapped outside the walls. Although, the latter rarely happens since the rulers deemed it dangerous. Especially with the fact that there are not that many people inside the City that can survive that long outside, hence, the reason the young ones are being taught about Survival.

In P.E, we are sometimes taught how to use artillery, such as guns, knives, bows, slings, and more. Any weapon we can use to defend ourselves from the Lurkers, a name the rulers of the City assigned to the undead since they're always waiting in the shadows for an opportunity to attack those who were unlucky to notice them.

Once the classes were done, we were all sent to help in the works inside the City, such as helping in the small clinics the City of Hope were able to make or helping divide the rations for every family inside the City.

"What did Mr. Wright task you to do this afternoon?" Celine asked, showing me her assigned card which always contained words sayings 'Clinic'. Celine loves helping in the clinic since Mom used to work there. Maybe that's also why she never gets any assigned work.

I smile at her before looking down at my card, shrugging, and showing her the words 'Records'.

"Is there a deliver today?" I nodded. Both of us know that Mr. Wright only assigned me on artillery records when there's a new delivery from the campsite outside the City, responsible for sweeping places where they can find weapons.

We parted ways and went to each place we were assigned to, which in my case was the main gate. Trucks are already coming when I arrive. I saw Mr. Wright standing on the side, watching the trucks come in. I was about to call him, but a bike squeeze beside the truck and stop right in front of Mr. Wright.

It was the man with the ash-gray hair that always come with the deliveries. As far as I know, he's the chief of their operation. The one who monitors everything, and makes sure they are going according to his plans.

I shrug and went on signing into the worker's attendance, which was mandatory to make sure everything is in order, before grabbing the supplies list. Mr. Wright saw me marching towards the back of the trucks where the supplies were being unloaded. He nodded at me, which I nodded back to before they went on to his tent. The man follows behind him.

It was a quick job since I've been doing it now for three years. Besides, all I need to check was the names on the craters to know what kind of guns are in there, along with specific ammunition.

"Ben, I didn't see any crater of grenades today, but there's a large increased in C-4," I called out to Ben, the one who unloaded the supplies. I made sure I wasn't mistaken before looking at him.

"Grenades been extremely hard to get by these few months. There wasn't even one found in the last recon. So, Chief issued an increase in the manual making of C-4." I nodded and wrote down what he said below the list I was checking as an additional note to report.

Once I was finished checking all the craters, I went to Mr. Wright's tent.

"Mr. Wright, this is Genesis. I finished the record." I called out, standing outside his tent.

"Come in." A subtle answer I heard from inside, before making my way in.

A table centered in the middle of the tent was the first thing I saw. Mr. Wright sitting behind the desk with his arms resting on the table, while the man earlier was standing in the corner. His body leaning on the drawers of files placed on the sides. I can only see him in my peripheral vision, but his stare was really visible.

"Genesis, I want you to meet our supplier. Lucien Wolf." This time, I gave the man a proper look, subtly nodding. He nodded back before taking a sip on the glass of wine he was holding. "Report?" I look back at Mr. Wright and give him the clipboard I was holding. He thanked me before browsing through them.

"As always, there is still the same count of craters when it comes to pistols. There are a few increases in revolvers since that was your order. Shotguns are mostly 12-gauge and DP-12. Rifles are minimal. There are a few additions to the AK-47, but it's still not enough. There's no supply of grenades this time, but there was a large increase in C-4."

"Yes, Lucien already briefed me on that one. Thank you, Gen. No need to sign down. You can go back now." I didn't ask anything, since it was already obvious they still have something to talk about.

Once I finished excusing myself, I make it out, but not before hearing Lucien asked Mr. Wright who I was. Maybe, my name wasn't enough for him, but it's not like I'm worth any curiosity.

I went to the Clinic to help Celine since I finished early. We went to a quick dinner in the Cafeteria hall before going back to the dorm and logging in before the curfew hits.

It wasn't very long before I fall asleep after taking a quick bath. After all, I can always sleep whatever time I feel it.

But it wasn't that long too before I was wildly awakened by the ear-piercing siren of the City of Hope. It was all it take for mayhem to erupt. Celine shot up from her bed, fumbling in the dark to see me. I grab her and light up the lamp.

We both flinch when gunshots started echoing outside. We tried to see what was going on through the window, but an explosion shakes the ground. Celine looks at me with terrified eyes, tightly clutching my hand. I caress the back of her hand, before letting out a breath to calm myself. Panicking won't help me in such a situation.

"Celine... Celine!" I called out, shaking her out of her trance. She looked at me, tears streaming down her cheeks.

It's been 13 years since the last time the City of Hope was breached by the Lurkers. I was still out there in the forest, oblivious to what was happening here, but Celine was born inside the City. She was four when the breach happened. I understand the trauma she had, but right now, staying alive is what matters.

"Celine, we need to move. Now!"

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