Nightmare on Aisle 13 - Part I

Day of the System - Highschool Gymnasium

Sarah approached her father, Mark, and the other leaders of their group, expressing her concerns about staying in the fortified high school gymnasium indefinitely. The escalating quakes and the deteriorating structural integrity of the building added to her worries.

"We can't stay here indefinitely. We need to find a safer place, somewhere with better defenses and resources. The quakes are also getting worse. How long would it take for the gymnasium to collapse on top of us? We aren't safe here," Sarah brought her thoughts to the group.

"We know, but where else could we go? It's a warzone out there. The damn undead are now roaming the city," John, an older guy armed with almost a whole arsenal of guns, said.

"I'm not sure. But we are about 40 people. Our food supplies won't last more than three days. And I have a feeling that if we stay here too long, we won't be able to get out. Even during the last few hours, we were traveling, the zombies kept getting stronger and stronger as time passed. The last one I killed was a level 5 zombie," Sarah said.

Mark wore a pensive expression as he listened to the ongoing arguments and concerns of the group. After carefully considering everyone's input, he formulated a plan.

"I think I have an idea. We'll stay here for now, but we need a dedicated watch to monitor the interior and exterior situations. Heading towards the city center would be too dangerous. As John pointed out, it's a warzone out there. However, Sarah is right about the zombies growing stronger. If we don't take action and become stronger ourselves, our chances of survival diminish. Here's my suggestion: let's create small volunteer groups that are willing to fight and kill zombies to level up. Every three hours, a group can be sent out to engage zombies, scavenge, and return," Mark proposed.

After careful consideration and some adjustments, the group agreed that this plan offered the best long-term prospects. They decided to communicate the plan to all the survivors in the camp and gauge their interest in joining the leveling groups.

Sarah, Elizabeth, Emily, and Mark were already determined to be part of the volunteers. To their surprise, little Lily also expressed her desire to join. As an almost-teenager who had chosen the Healer class, her enthusiasm caught everyone off guard.

Ultimately, four groups of four were formed, comprising the volunteers who would venture out daily to level up. Sarah and Emily found themselves on the same team, accompanied by a young male warrior and another teenage caster.

Mark took charge of leading his own team, ready to face the challenges that awaited them outside.

After a day of rest, the next morning arrived, and the four-person groups prepared for their turn to venture outside. Mark found himself in the same group as Lily and Elizabeth. Sarah's group was the first to be sent out, and they had decided to make their way to the nearby Walmart to scavenge supplies. Sarah had her sights set on the sports section, hoping to find additional arrows for her bow since she had been recycling the ones she had.

As the group of four exited the school, they observed the mostly deserted streets, occasionally spotting zombies roaming about. The streets were littered with victims' lifeless bodies, and many houses had crumbled due to the earthquakes.

As they continued their journey toward Walmart, they encountered multiple zombie attacks along the way. Wielding a long steel pipe as a weapon, the young man utilized his warrior class skills. He had also wrapped his arms and legs with thick blankets, securing them with tape to protect against scratches or bites.

Emily contributed to the team's defense by using her minor healing buffs, providing an extra boost. Together, the group fought their way through the streets, making their way towards the Walmart. After about an hour, they arrived at their destination but sensed an unsettling aura around the place. Approaching the entrance, they noticed the sliding door locked due to the power outage. With some effort, they managed to open it enough for them to pass through one by one. However, before entering, Sarah's danger detection skill, Hunter's Sense, triggered to an extreme degree, resulting in a significant increase in levels.

[Congratulations! Your skill (Hunter's Sense) has reached level 2.]

[Congratulations! Your skill (Hunter's Sense) has reached level 3.]

"Stop," Sarah urgently halted Philip, the group's warrior, just as he was about to squeeze through the door.

"What's the matter, dear?" Emily inquired.

"I have a hunter class skill that functions as a danger detection system, alerting me when creatures of the same or higher levels than me are nearby. However, right now, the feeling it gave me suggests that there are numerous creatures of that nature inside this building. We should have flashlights ready in case it's too dark in there. One person should always keep an eye on our rear to prevent any surprise attacks from behind," Sarah explained, concern etched on her face.

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Day of the System - Walmart

The day of the system's arrival casted a shadow of uncertainty over the bustling Walmart. It was around 12:45 when the store experienced one of its busiest periods due to shoppers preparing for the long weekend. People were scattered throughout the aisles, grabbing items off the shelves and waiting in long queues at the checkout counters.

Then, in an instant, everything changed.

The foreboding initiation message appeared in front of the shoppers and employees. A collective hush fell over the store as eyes darted across the words, trying to decipher their meaning. Confusion and curiosity mingled in the air.

Within minutes of reading the message, a strange energy permeated the atmosphere. It was as if an invisible force had been unleashed, gradually seeping into the consciousness of those present. A disquieting sensation settled in their bones, an unease that intensified with each passing second.

Then, without warning, a chilling grunting sound echoed throughout the store. It was a cacophony of anguish and transformation, an agonizing symphony that pierced the air. One by one, like dominos collapsing, over a third of the shoppers and employees succumbed to the pain, crumbling to the ground as their bodies underwent a horrifying metamorphosis.

Their once-lively faces contorted in pain, their skin turned pale and started craking, their eyes glazed over with an insatiable hunger, and their pupils started to turn white.

The remaining individuals, both customers, and staff, were not spared from the unnerving ordeal. They, too, felt the weight of the strange energy, though not to the same extent. A tingle of discomfort coursed through their veins, but that was mostly it.

Panic ensued as chaos erupted within the store. Zombified people started attacking everyone around them. Some people fought desperately to defend themselves, wielding whatever makeshift weapons they could find amidst the aisles of consumer goods. Others frantically sought an escape route, desperately pushing through the panicked crowd for survival.

However, as the event unfolded, the ground beneath their feet began to tremble. The peaceful shopping environment was shattered by the sudden onset of earthquakes, shaking the building and adding another layer of chaos to the events. Shelves toppled over, sending products crashing to the ground, further fueling the pandemonium.

Amidst the growing panic, the lights flickered and then abruptly went out, plunging the store into darkness. The sliding doors at the entrance, deprived of power, snapped shut and locked in place. The trapped survivors, unable to escape, found themselves trapped within the confines of the Walmart, their hopes of finding safety fading with each passing moment.

People fought and clashed against the zombies in the dimly lit store with their makeshift weapons. Others, their courage waning, sought shelter in the aisles or behind toppled shelves, hoping to remain unnoticed.

By the end of the brutal ordeal, the once-vibrant store was transformed into a murder scene. The majority of shoppers and employees had either met their demise or succumbed to zombification. The ones lucky enough to escape at the beginning remained to face their new reality outside.