What Happened?!

'Come on, Ace! You can do it! Keep calm and don't struggle! You can get out of struggle!'

<plunk>

The sound of something that fell to the water was heard in the room. Trace, a seventeen year old girl was finally relieved. A trace of joy could be seen in her face.

"Finally! I survived! Now, time to go to school. I don't want to miss the quiz and fail that subject, even though I usually end up crying because I can't understand a thing teacher says."

Trace said with a hint of helplessness in her face. She immediately washed herself and her hands before finally going out of the comfort room.

She was met by her mother and a few maids outside.

"Tracey-boo, are you alright?! Is you stomach still aching?! Do we need to call a doctor for you?!"

Astrid Villegas, a model, worriedly scanned her daughter for any wounds. The helplessness in Trace's face increased.

"Oh for crying out loud, Mom. I'm fine! You're at it again. I just need to poop. Nanay Sophia, can you please call Tatay Frank? I need to go to school already."

Trace asked an old maid next to her mother. The old maid bowed before leaving. Her mother is still scanning her for any superficial wounds, and it is giving Trace the headaches. It's like this all the time she complains to her mother.

Early this morning after she took her bath, her stomach ached, and her mother happened to be in her room to wake her up for school. She hurriedly went to the comfort room to release her load, and the rest happened.

Her mother tends to be overprotective since her birth, being the only child of their family. Her uncle Clyde, the older brother of her mother, has no family and dedicated his life to the family business, making her the only heiress.

"Tracey-boo, you know very well that father will scold me once he sees a single scratch on you. I need to be a responsible mother even though I'm away most of the times."

Her mother explained. Due to her job as a fashion model in France, she's rarely home. Trace will follow her during Christmas breaks and Summer breaks to make up for the time they were away from each other. Most of the times, Trace will be surrounded by maids in the mansion.

"I'm already seventeen, Mom. I'll be fine. You go work well. When Christmas comes, I'll follow you to New York."

Trace said with a warm smile in her face. Seeing the smile in her daughter's face, Astrid can't help but sigh in relief. She's been worried for this daughter of hers everyday. Being a single mother is hard, especially since she can't watch over the growth of her child because she's always away.

Astrid turns around to get her pouch from a maid. The other maids has a baggage on their hand, the luggage of Astrid for her trip to New York this time. She'll be a model for the upcoming Christmas Collection of a famous fashion designer. Her original plan was to wake up Trace, bid her goodbye to her beloved daughter and leave. Never did she thought that the 'stomach ache incident' will happen, increasing her worry for her only child.

"Alright, you win Tracey-boo. I'll ask your Uncle Clyde to look over you for the week. After you bid farewell to your classmates and teachers, you can then follow me. Study hard and don't let me down, okay, Tracey-boo?"

A sermon came out of her mouth. Trace nodded obediently then followed her mother outside. Nanay Sophia carried a bag and a lunch box outside while Trace is getting on a car with her mother. Astrid will bring her to the school first before heading towards the airport.

"Nanay Sophia, we'll be leaving now."

Both Astrid and Trace said to Nanay Sophia. The old maid just nodded respectfully to her boss and her boss's daughter before they headed to the car. But before they can mount the car, an earthquake happened.

Everyone ducked and covered themselves while the shaking of the Earth happened. Luckily, it only lasted for a few seconds, and the damage wasn't visible. After checking that her daughter's fine, Astrid asked everyone if they're alright. Fortunately, everyone just got some scratches.

The mother and daughter duo then proceeded to leaving with the car.

On the road, a couple of songs were played for the 30-minute drive. Trace's school is Hope High School, a prestigious school known over the whole region. Both poor and rich students study here in the hopes of being well-known in the province and for a good future. It is located in the capital of the province, 25 kilometers from Trace's hometown.

Only the song played can be heard inside the car. Astrid and Trace are both seated at the back seat, while Tatay Frank's driving the car. Rain drops are flowing in the car window and Trace's gaze is locked on the sky outside.

Noticing her daughter's gloomy aura and the drizzle outside the car, Astrid felt a pang in her chest. This happens, every single time she goes abroad. She can't help but feel sad during the parting between her and her daughter. But she knew that they'll be together again after a few days.

"Mom, can I ask you about something?"

Trace turned to her mother, separating her gaze from the outside world towards her beloved mother. Astrid looks at her daughter expectantly, trying to figure out why her daughter wanted to ask something.

"Tell me about it, Tracey-boo.. I'll try to answer it."

Astrid said. She already has an idea on what her daughter wants to ask.

"Where is Dad? Is he really dead?"

The drizzle outside poured harder when Trace asked this. Sadness and longing can be traced in her voice.

"I told you a thousand times already, Tracey-boo. I don't know. He just... left me."

A hint of bitterness from Astrid's voice can be heard. Trace was about to say something when the car stopped unexpectedly. The inertia caused by the suddenly break almost made the mother and daughter duo fly to the front. Good thing and they both had their seatbelts on.

"Tatay Frank, what happened?!"

After she made sure that Trace is fine but a little dizzy, Astrid suppressed her shock and anger to ask the driver up front. The pitiful driver almost turned pale from seeing the stuff happening in front of the car. Astrid noticed the driver's expression and looked towards where the driver is looking at.

On the road, weird looking people were chasing others, abandoning their cars. Some even slipped due to the slippery road created by the drizzle. Those weird people will bite the slipped people and tore their human skin. All in all, it it a gross sight.

Wide-eyed, Astrid's heart beat fast, thinking of one possible meaning to this phenomenon. Zombie Apocalypse.