Chapter 2: Dormitory Desolation

The flickering fluorescent lights of the dormitory corridor cast an eerie glow as Alex made his way back to his room. The encounter with the group of survivors had left a sense of urgency gnawing at his insides. He needed to gather his thoughts, assess his options, and perhaps find a way to contact his family.

His footsteps echoed through the silent hallway as he reached his room. With a shaky hand, he inserted the keycard and pushed open the door. The room was as he had left it earlier, but it felt different, transformed by the unsettling events of the night.

Alex's gaze fell upon his roommate's empty bed. Dave had gone to visit his family for the weekend, lucky enough to be away from the chaos that had erupted. Alex envied him for that brief respite from the horror that now gripped the world.

Sinking onto his own bed, Alex pulled out his phone once more, hoping that maybe the signal had returned. But as the screen remained stubbornly devoid of bars, his frustration grew. He felt cut off from the rest of the world, trapped in this nightmarish bubble.

He glanced around the room, his gaze landing on his laptop on the desk. Maybe there was something on the news, some information that could shed light on the situation. He powered on the laptop and waited impatiently for it to boot up.

As the screen flickered to life, Alex's heart sank. The homepage was a chaotic mess of headlines, videos, and images depicting the horrifying reality that had befallen the world. Cities in ruins, hordes of the infected, and stories of survival and loss dominated the screen.

He clicked on a news article, his eyes scanning the text. The Eclipsed Plague, as they were calling it, had spread rapidly across the globe. Reports suggested that it was transmitted through bodily fluids and had an alarmingly high infection rate. There was no known cure. Panic had ensued, leading to widespread chaos, looting, and violence.

Alex's hands trembled as he read on. The government's response had been chaotic and inadequate, with communication systems breaking down and authorities struggling to maintain order. The world he had known had crumbled, replaced by this new and terrifying reality.

Closing the laptop with a heavy sigh, Alex leaned back on the bed. He felt a mixture of fear, anger, and helplessness swirling within him. What could he do? How could he survive in a world overrun by the infected? And what about his family? Were they safe?

His thoughts were interrupted by a faint sound outside the room. He froze, his senses on high alert. It was a soft shuffling, almost imperceptible. Slowly, he got up from the bed and crept towards the door, his heart pounding.

As he opened the door a crack and peered into the corridor, his blood turned to ice. A figure was moving slowly down the hallway, its silhouette unmistakable. One of the infected. Its gait was unsteady, its movements erratic, and its eyes glowed with an unsettling hunger.

Alex's breath caught in his throat as he pulled back from the door. He needed to act fast. He grabbed his backpack and began throwing in essentials – a flashlight, water bottles, a first aid kit. His mind raced, his movements fueled by a primal instinct to survive.

With the backpack slung over his shoulder, Alex glanced around the room one last time. He knew he couldn't stay here. The dormitory, once a place of study and camaraderie, had become a dangerous trap. He needed to find a safer place, gather more information, and maybe, just maybe, find a way to make it through this nightmare.

As he stepped out into the corridor, he cast a final look back at the room that had been his sanctuary. The world outside was unforgiving and unrecognizable, a place where survival was paramount and every decision could mean the difference between life and death. With a deep breath, Alex set out into the unknown, his path illuminated by the dim glow of his flashlight and the unyielding determination to face whatever challenges lay ahead.