1 So, we're not getting ice-cream then? -1

The sound of people screaming and cars speeding along the road wakes me instantly. It's nothing out of the ordinary, as the city is usually busy in the early morning, but this is just chaotic. Grabbing a red flannel, jeans, and underwear from my suitcase I groggily stumble to the hotel bathroom to shower.

After around an hour or so of standing under the hot water a person, who I can only assume is my friend Dakota, starts banging on the door telling me to hurry up. Reluctantly stepping out, I quickly dress and walk out of the bathroom. I pull my blonde hair next to my face, fiddling with the strands as I sit down on one of the blinding white beds.

I find Dakota sitting cross-legged on the floor, eyes fixated on the TV in front of them. The volume of the program is so low I can only just hear the murmurs of the reporter as I sit on the bed.

"Kota, you can watch that at home, hurry up and get ready so we can get some..."

"Shh," They interrupt, still staring wide-eyed at the TV. They've never really been the type to watch the news so I lean in closer, trying to listen best as I can.

"This is a public emergency, I repeat, all citizens are suggested to leave the city or stay in their buildings! Do not under any circumstances engage with infected individuals or travel out of the city on foot" The womanly voice on TV obnoxiously repeats.

I freeze in my place, public emergency? This is Australia, the worst thing to ever happen here was a fricken emu war. We're not prepared for these things; we're only planned to deal with bushfires and droughts!

"Umm… I'm gonna…" They stood up from their spot on the floor, "I'm gonna call my dad… and… uh… see what's going on." Taking their phone out of their pocket and walking away from the TV.

So… there's a public emergency and all we are being told is to not talk to anyone 'infected', great, just great.

"Baylee," They quickly turn to me, "Lock the windows and close the curtains"

What? Why do I need to lock the windows? Can Emus fly now? We're on the fourth floor, it makes no sense at all. Locking the window, I get a glimpse of the sidewalk below, the pavement stained a deep red, almost black substance, BLOOD!?!

"D…Dakota?"

They turn around "What?"

"Please tell me I'm imagining things" This can't be blood; no-one could survive losing that much blood…

"What the hell are you going on about?" They press their face against the window to see the sidewalk "Oh… umm… it could be tomato sauce?"

"It's blood, I'm not hallucinating. There's actual blood on the sidewalk. There's someone's blood on the pavement that I walked on yesterday! THERE IS HUMAN BLOOD ON THE FLOOR THREE STOREYS BELOW ME! I can't do this, why now? Why not in fifty years so it doesn't matter? I haven't even finished high school, how the hell am I meant to know what to do! How's the construction of a cell or pi going to help me now!"

"Dude, chill." Dakota puts a hand on my shoulder to attempt to calm me down.

"What about Leah? And my mum? They don't know!" My sister and mum are probably already out doing something right now, what if that was their… no, it can't be.

"I'll call her, it'll be fine." They take their phone out of their pocket and put it on speaker.

Realising I'm going to go bald if I keep playing with my hair I pull it into a messy side-braid and wait for the familiar annoyed voice to answer.

Until the ringing stops and we are only replied with a beep.

"no answer? she's probably still asleep."

"I'm going over there, I need to tell her what's going on." She never watches the news, and neither does my mum for that matter. There is no way they'd know.

"Whatever. I'm staying here though, here's the key card."

I walk out of the hotel room with nothing but the two key cards, the hall is deserted and like a ghost town. You'd think this hotel was abandoned by the lack of lights on and people.

Knocking on the door of the room I begin to wonder if this really could be a hoax, a prank played by the government because they're bored. With how often our prime minister changes, I honestly don't know anymore.

A loud groan comes from inside, she isn't a morning person, so I brush it off and grab the spare key from my pocket. I swipe it against the small scanner and turn the handle.

"Leah? Mum?"