Secure Your Shelter

Everybody knew that sooner or later, the day of the world's destruction will come, but they didn't know that it will happen on such a day. You can still hear the faint chirping of the birds, bask under the golden rays of sunshine, and listen to the city buzzing before it was engulfed by screams of agony and dark flames burning everything down to the ground. The streets were in shambles as people desperately fled away from the chaos, only to be engulfed in the stampede. Some made it, but most did not. Those who failed to escape had their flesh ripped apart and their guts devoured. It was terrifying to see your friends and family being torn apart by the dead.

Meldrick, a 19-year-old NEET gamer, is watching from his apartment as the world burned in bright red flames and showered in pitch black ashes. He stood by his window in horror, not believing what unfolds before him. The favorite series that he watched became a reality. He always daydreamed of swinging a bat or carrying a crossbow while shooting down the dead, but he didn't expect it to be real. The only apocalypse he could handle is in the metaverse, wearing his virtual reality goggles and swinging his controller. His friend was supposed to visit him for the tournament they joined in one of his games, but that won't be possible anymore. That friend could've been chewed right now.

"If I had known the world was ending, I would've gone to the PC cafe before drowning in alcohol inside my apartment." Meldrick couldn't bear to watch the gruesome deaths on the street. Closing his curtains in a rush, he falls to the floor, legs giving up. He stayed there, sitting motionless, listening to the cries of the people outside and the explosions from the distance.

Multiple gunshots are heard outside his apartment, and only then he snapped back to reality. He quickly grabbed what he can to barricade his front door. It was a good thing that he lived in an apartment on the highest floor. Man-eating beasts, or zombies, as what they're referred to in movies, could potentially break into his windows had he been living on the ground floor.

Rolls of tape he used to use in packing his merchandise for his subscribers sealed the door shut. His beloved, soda-stained couch housing food scraps will now be barricading the front door, securing any entry from outside.

"Hello?! Is anyone home?!" Loud banging of the door along with the frantic voice stopped Meldrick in his tracks. He paused from pushing the couch against the door. "Please, help me! These.. these people! They're cannibals!"

Meldrick walked towards the door, peeping through the hole. It was his neighbor, Carson. It was also the same person who steals his packages and plants dead bugs under his welcome home rug. It might sound petty, but the packages he stole contained gaming equipment and some merchandise from his favorite anime shows.

Confused, Meldrick didn't know if he should play the good guy and let poor Carson in. Beads of sweat trickled down his forehead as his trembling hands reached for the tapes. He paused, eyes glued to the horrified figure outside. He turned his back against the door, shaking his head. "Not worth of tapes."

"No, please! Melvin!" He couldn't even get his name right. "Please! My place is filled with those things! Help a brother out, please!"

Meldrick is weak and he himself knew it. If he opened the door, chances are Carson would push him out and feed him or those zombies would flood in. The possibility of living together in harmony with Carson during the apocalypse is slim to none. But, his conscience would kill him if he left the boy outside all alone only to be zombie feed. It was between letting Carson in and possibly dying, or letting the zombies tear Carson. Either way, the clock is ticking and he needs to make a choice.

"Man, open up, please! They're coming!"

He took a deep breath, and reached out for the tape to start removing them. Before he could lift an inch up, snarling and dragging of feet rang in his ears. It was followed by Carson's screams as he is buried under thousands of flesh-eating monsters, tearing him limb by limb. He was shouting Meldrick's name in spite, cursing him to death.

"Damn you! Damn you, Meldian! You'll burn in hell!"

Meldrick immediately backed away, trembling in fear, as he hurriedly pushed the couch to barricade the front door. He could hear the scratching of nails and pounding behind his door as the couch completely seals it. So much happened in just a snap, and he couldn't process every bit of it.

He could still hear the screams, Carson's last words as a zombie pulled his jaw apart. If he acted sooner, the boy could've lived. If he acted sooner, he could've had another person to rely on during the apocalypse. But then again, the possibility of Carson betraying him was also high.

"It's alright, Mel, it's alright," he comforted himself, plopping down to the floor as he hugged his knees. "Everything is fine." But it wasn't, and it wouldn't be.

"Right, the TV!" He stood up, moving as quietly as possible. From what he picked up from playing games and watching a good amount of zombie shows, even the slightest sound would rile them up. He had to be very careful of his movements.

But, electricity was already cut off. He had no radio or any battery-powered gadget that could help him to tune in with the news. If he only knew, he could've bought a walkie-talkie. He always found those things cool anyway.

"My phone might work." He walked towards his room, rummaging through the pile of clothes for his phone. Alas, after what seemed to be ten minutes, he found his phone lying beneath his smelly sweater and underwear. Good thing his phone was fully charged, and there was still some signal left albeit not being a full bar.

Meldrick took his phone out and stood by his window. "This better work," he told himself before he opened the radio app, clicking the center circle.

Everything was static, there was nothing on.

He clicked the button once more, heart raising and sweat dripping like bullets. It was just static, and static, and more static. He was getting frustrated and is losing hope. Will he ever find any sign of refuge?

"Come on, come on, come on." He was chanting those words like a mantra as if a miracle would happen. But there was nothing like that.

His phone buzzed, and syllables started popping in between the buzzing sound. He couldn't make out what it was. He slightly opened his window, enough to stick his arm out with his phone.

"...safe...the west port...ships will get you to...fortified shelter...stay somewhere safe..."

The same words kept on repeating over and over again. All he understood was there is a ship waiting for them at the west port that would take them somewhere safe. There was hope, he could live.

The problem is, he lives in the east. He always finished last in every track and field contest during school events. He couldn't carry a 10-kilogram dumbbell. And he certainly can't survive being alone on the road. With his meager stamina and survival skills, he would die before he can even step out of his building. Either he dies in his apartment by suicide, or he tries to get to the port even though the chance of surviving is slim.

Meldrick couldn't think properly. He just woke up to the sounds of explosions and screams of people after a long night of screaming in front of his computer. He pulled his arm back in and shut the window properly. He then grabbed some newspapers and magazines lying around, poured water all over the window, and pasted the pages of news and magazines, completely covering his whole window. He might've lived on the top floor but he didn't want to see the wasteland outside.

"I... need to eat," he grumbled, placing his phone on the mini table as he went to the kitchen to grab something for brunch. His cupboards and refrigerator are still full. He had them restocked two days prior. Since he had been ordering a lot for his meals, he had a lot of canned and ready-to-eat meals stocked.

Being a shut-in NEET does have its perks.

He checked the water, turned the faucet on the sink on, and was relieved when water gushed out. He could still go on for days, let the chaos die down, before heading out to the port. Or he could just stay there until, miraculously, help appears, which, in this scenario, is unlikely to happen.

Sooner or later, he'll have to find a new place to stay. Supplies don't last for a lifetime, and, who knows, the building he's in might collapse. He is scared, to say the least. How could a NEET like him handle an apocalypse when he couldn't even handle real life?