1 Chapter 1

In the dimly lit room, a young man in his early twenties sits hunched over his desk, engrossed in the virtual world of The Walking Dead by Telltale Games. The sound of intense gameplay fills the air as the same show plays out on the television next to him. Between exhilarating moments, he absentmindedly munches on a bag of Lays chips, fully immersed in his dual screens.

Despite the initial appearance of a grimy and neglected space, a closer inspection would reveal a clean and organized environment. The man himself is in impeccable health, far from the stereotype of a reclusive individual. In fact, he prides himself on being a sociable gym enthusiast. The darkness of his room is simply a personal preference.

As the episodes unfold before him, he occasionally steals glances at the television to gauge his progress. In one crucial moment, the panicked cry of a beloved character catches his attention, causing him to lose focus. With frustration in his voice, he blurts out an expletive, realizing that a split-second distraction resulted in the loss of a cherished character. A heavy sigh escapes his lips as disappointment lingers in his mind.

Seeking a break from his intense gaming session, he rises from his chair and strides towards his inviting bed. Without hesitation, he pauses the television show, preserving the tantalizing storyline for later. Stretching to alleviate the tension in his muscles, he steps out of his room, eager for a change in scenery.

Unexpectedly, a wave of dizziness washes over him as soon as he sets foot outside his room. Perplexed, he steadies himself by resting a hand on the door frame. His gaze falls upon a solitary droplet of blood staining the floor, prompting a deep furrow in his brow. Instinctively, he touches his nose, finding a trickle of blood confirming his suspicions. Bewilderment gives way to concern as he grapples with the sudden onset of this inexplicable ailment.

Attempting to comprehend these alarming symptoms, he shakes his head gently, treading carefully as he ventures towards the pristine bathroom. The immaculate space emanates a clean and refreshing fragrance, reminiscent of a sanctuary untouched by human activities. Struggling to maintain his balance, he reaches the sink and splashes his face with water, hoping to alleviate the blood flow. But his efforts prove futile as the crimson liquid continues to escape, staining his chin and mouth anew.

Desperation replaces confusion as he gazes into the mirror, horrified by the gradual paleness spreading across his complexion. Panic sets in, and his thoughts race, unsure of what steps to take next. Making a swift decision, he hastens back towards his room, propelled by a growing sense of urgency. However, before he can even reach his destination, his body betrays him, causing him to collapse onto one knee.

With his vision becoming increasingly blurry and disorientation taking hold, he struggles to comprehend his surroundings. As he desperately attempts to crawl in the direction he believes his room lies, his hand fails to find any purchase, resulting in a devastating fall down the staircase. His head collides forcefully with one of the steps, rendering him unconscious. Ultimately, his fate is sealed, with either cause of his nosebleed or the head injury intertwining to claim his his life.

As he slowly regains consciousness, he finds himself disoriented and surrounded by an unfamiliar and eerie environment. Blinking away the grogginess, he realizes that he is seated in the wreckage of a car, positioned on a desolate road. The scene is hauntingly surreal, with numerous abandoned vehicles strewn about, some having collided with nearby buildings.

Nervously scanning his surroundings, he can't shake the overwhelming sensation that this place is far from any semblance of home. A surge of recollection rushes through his mind, reminding him of the unfortunate accident that led to his unconscious state. Falling down a flight of stairs, darkness embracing him, and now he awakens to find himself in a car brutally crashed into a towering powerline column.

His hand instinctively reaches towards his throbbing forehead, only to discover an open wound, blood trickling down his face. Panic and confusion start to set in as he attempts to free himself from the wreckage, his body trembling with the exertion. Safely exiting the car, he takes a moment to fully absorb his peculiar surroundings. The sight that meets his gaze intensifies his distress; mangled cars scattered along the road and pools of blood staining the street.

A cocktail of emotions swirls within him, a mixture of unease and apprehension, yet oddly familiar surroundings do not scare him. He grew up in a place where violence was a harsh reality, a norm that he, himself, had perpetuated by taking two or three lives. While the sight of blood fails to frighten him, it fuels his curiosity and adds another layer of bewilderment to his already perplexing situation.

Slowly, he begins to tread down the abandoned road, each step unraveling more questions than answers. Could this peculiar realm be a figment of his imagination? A comatose dream, perhaps? Or worse, has he perished and awakened in the depths of hell, forced to confront his wicked deeds? He shrugs off the seed of fear that attempts to take root within him, acknowledging that he wasn't exactly a paragon of virtue in his life.

His thoughts are interrupted abruptly as his gaze falls upon a figure kneeling nearby, hidden partially from view. Curiosity compelling him, he finds himself on the verge of calling out to the person, believing them to be his potential savior or, better yet, a guide to enlighten him about his current predicament. However, his eagerness is quickly diminished as a disturbing sight unfolds before his eyes.

The figure, whose gender eludes him, possesses an arm that appears ghastly, with a sickly green hue and flesh barely clinging to the bone. A heavy gulp lodges itself in his throat, freezing him in his tracks. Fear takes hold, urging him to abandon the idea of revealing his presence. Instead, a newfound caution guides his actions as he decides to stealthily approach the enigmatic individual from behind, desperate for confirmation of his suspicions.

Methodically closing the distance between them, he gradually lowers his body into a crouch, inching ever closer to the figure. As he draws nearer, the horrifying reality unravels before his eyes. The person in question is unmistakably deceased, a lifeless vessel animated solely by an insatiable hunger. A gruesome scene unfolds as the decaying figure feasts upon another corpse, confirming his darkest fears.

It is in this macabre moment that an unsettling certainty takes hold. He realizes, with a shuddering realization, that he has somehow transcended into a nightmarish realm resembling the apocalyptic world depicted in The Walking Dead. In this twisted and unforgiving reality, survival takes precedence as he braces himself for the trials and tribulations that lie ahead.