The Day It All Began

A bone-chilling scream pierces the silence. "SOMEBODY PLEASE, HELP!" The desperate cry is followed by a series of deafening explosions, each one sending tremors through the building and rattling it to its core. Zero jolts awake, the sound of breaking ceramic echoing as chips from the bowl he left on the nightstand scatter across the room.

"What the fuck?" he mutters, groggy and disoriented. His body aches with exhaustion. As he tries to stretch, his muscles are tight, but another violent tremor shakes the building, knocking him off balance. Frustration and adrenaline pump through his veins as he springs out of bed and stumbles to the window.

"What the hell is going on out—" His voice trails off, the words dying in his throat as he takes in the scene outside. The streets are engulfed in thick, choking smoke, obscuring the horizon. Flames dance wildly, devouring everything in their path.

People are fleeing in sheer panic, their screams of terror blending into a cacophony of chaos. But it's the creatures that truly freeze Zero in place—massive, grotesque beasts the size of cars with ash-gray skin stretched tight over skeletal frames. They move with unnatural speed, galloping on all fours like twisted versions of animals. Their elongated limbs give them an eerie, nightmarish grace. Packs of them roam the streets, hunting in tandem.

Zero watches in horror as one of the creatures pounces on a fleeing man, its claws tearing into him with brutal efficiency. The street runs red as the monsters feast, their snarls and the wet sound of flesh tearing filling the air. A wave of dread crashes over Zero, his heart pounding in his chest.

"Shit, shit, shit!" he curses, the urgency snapping him out of his paralysis. He spins around, frantic, searching for his phone. His mind races, but his hands fumble, the panic only intensifying.

He stumbles into the bathroom, the door creaking as he pushes it closed. But before it can latch, the room is bathed in a sudden harsh light. Zero whips around, his eyes landing on the TV as it flickers to life, its screen glowing a blinding blue. An ear-splitting siren wails from the television, the emergency broadcast vibrating through the apartment.

The sound is unbearable, a high-pitched scream that claws at his nerves. But the alarm barely has time to register before another explosion rocks the building, this one closer and more violent. The walls shudder, the lights flickering ominously before plunging the room into darkness. The TV screen dies with a final, eerie flicker, leaving Zero in pitch black, the roar of destruction outside the only sound remaining. Panic grips Zero as he fumbles for his phone, his hands shaking uncontrollably.

"What is happening?!" The thought races through his mind, his breath quick and shallow. He presses the power button, the screen flickering to life and casting a faint glow in the dark room. The sight that greets him only deepens his dread—dozens of missed calls and messages, all from Maeve. His heart lurches. With trembling fingers, he immediately dials her number. The phone rings, each tone dragging on, stretching time unbearably thin.

"Pick up, fuck, please pick up!" he whispers, his voice cracking with desperation. The walls tremble, the sound of destruction outside growing louder and closer, the ominous rumble of collapsing structures and distant screams of terror pressing in on him, suffocating. Finally, the ringing stops—but it isn't her voice he hears. The call goes to voicemail, the hollow beep echoing in his ear, amplifying his panic. "No, no, no," he mutters, his pulse pounding in his temples, the phone feeling heavy in his hand, a lifeline slipping away. Frantic, Zero scrolls through the unread messages, his eyes darting over the words as he clutches the phone tightly.

10:30: Snuck into ur apartment to steal some kisses from u

10:31: your breakfast is on the kitchen counter, love u

12:31: z are you seeing this?? turn on the news

12:35: R u okay???

12:45: our boss is letting us go home I'm heading to parents house, pls respond

Zero's eyes lock onto the last message from Maeve, the timestamp glaring at him—over an hour ago. The words blur as fear seizes him. "I have to go find her," he mutters. He forces himself to stand, his legs feeling like they're made of lead. The world outside trembles as if caught in an endless earthquake, the ground shifting beneath his feet. "Fuck," he breathes, trying to summon the courage to step out of the small, fleeting safety of the bathroom.

With a burst of determination, Zero throws the door open and bolts into the kitchen. The room is a mess, debris scattered across the floor, furniture toppled and broken. He frantically searches for something—anything—to defend himself with. His hand lands on the cold steel of a large butcher knife. He grips it tightly, feeling its weight and trying to draw some strength from it.

The apartment is barely recognizable, shattered glass and fallen shelves making it look like a war zone. The walls creak ominously. Zero knows the building is on the verge of collapse. There's no time to waste. He rushes to the door, flinging it open, and charges into the hallway. The narrow corridor is strewn with rubble, and he stumbles over it as he makes his way to the stairs. His breath comes in ragged gasps.

"Maeve is like five minutes away on foot. I think I can make it. I just—" His thoughts are abruptly cut off as he reaches the bottom of the stairs. His blood runs cold. There, in the middle of the parking lot, is one of the creatures. Its head is shaped like a jagged diamond, gleaming with cruel sharpness as it surveys the area. The creature's grotesque body hunches over a lifeless form, tearing into it with savage abandon.

Zero's stomach lurches as he sees the creature lift its head, blood and viscera dripping from its jaws. He nearly collapses, horror and nausea threatening to overwhelm him. But a surge of adrenaline pushes him forward. He forces himself to stay upright. Clutching the butcher knife, he starts to move, inching his way toward the street using the parked cars as cover. The silence is oppressive, broken only by the occasional sound of the creature's feast. Zero's heart pounds in his ears as he creeps closer to the street. He's almost there when his foot accidentally nudges a tin can. The metallic clink echoes in the stillness.

Zero freezes in place. The creature's head snaps up, its eyes locking onto the noise, blood and raw flesh hanging from its maw. Panic surges through Zero. Without a second thought, he bolts. He sprints into the street with every ounce of strength he has. Behind him, he hears the creature's heavy footsteps. The sound of its pursuit turns from a jog into a full-speed chase. The ground seems to shake beneath him.

The world narrows to the sound of his own frantic breathing and the beast's rapid approach. The beast closes in, each thundering step smashing through debris that Zero is desperately trying to navigate. His lungs burn, his legs feel heavy as he struggles to keep up the pace. The decision to leave the apartment now feels like a death sentence.

His body is pushed to the limit, fight-or-flight instincts kicking in as he hurdles a large chunk of rubble. But he knows he can't keep running. The creature is gaining on him. Zero's breath catches in his throat as he turns to face the beast, his heart pounding in his chest. His hand clenches around the knife, shaking but determined. The monster's massive form looms over the rubble, its diamond-like head gleaming ominously in the flickering light.

With a chilling growl, it leaps toward Zero, maw wide open. Panic overtakes him, and he slashes wildly, the blade slicing through empty air, missing its target by mere inches. In a heartbeat, the creature's arm shoots out, its claws wrapping around Zero's face with crushing force. The world tilts as he's slammed into the concrete.

The impact sends shockwaves of pain through his body. His vision blurs, darkness creeping in at the edges as consciousness starts to slip away. Desperation fuels him. With a last-ditch effort, he swings the knife wildly. The blade bites into the creature's arm, a sickening shriek of pain erupting from the beast as blue blood oozes from the wound. The monster recoils and stumbles back. Zero seizes the opportunity. Half-conscious, his body acts on pure instinct. He rolls under a nearby car, gasping for breath as his mind races.

The world feels surreal; a nightmare come to life. But the reprieve is short-lived. The creature, enraged, charges at the car. Its bloodshot eyes narrow as it sticks its head underneath, jaws snapping wildly, trying to get at Zero. He watches in horror, paralyzed as the creature's fangs gnash inches from his face. Suddenly, the car begins to lift, the metal groaning as the creature heaves it off the ground with its monstrous strength.

Zero's heart pounds in his ears. The fear is almost paralyzing. Time seems to slow as he watches the car tip to the side, revealing him completely exposed and defenseless. His life flashes before his eyes—memories of Maeve, the strain with his father, his mom's face, her smile. "I'm going to die," the thought echoes in his mind, cold and final.

The beast prepares to lunge, its maw wide, ready to tear him apart. But before it can strike, a brilliant blast of iridescent red light streaks through the air. It slams into the creature with devastating force. The monster is hurled backward, crashing into a pile of rubble with a bone-rattling thud. It howls in agony, the light leaving a smoldering, charred wound that tears through its body. The flesh is seared and smoking, the acrid scent of burnt flesh filling the air.