Chapter 3: Beginning of the End

The morning announcement buzzed to life, Principal Takeda's voice, usually cheerful and sometimes booming, spoke in a barely calm, strained manner.

[This is the president speaking. As of today, school will be officially closed until further notice. All students are requested to return home immediately. I repeat, return home immediately.] 

The intercom buzzed out of activity, and the homeroom teacher looked about nervously.

"There's something going on, everyone is requested to go back home, and stay indoors." The teacher added, packing his own bag, a leather briefcase.

A collective gasp rippled through the student body, 

Ren could see some students hurriedly getting up with their bags and running to the door. While others engaged in hushed conversation, while preparing their bags.

"Outbreak…"

"Hospital…"

"Biting…"

He widened his eyes hearing these conversations and felt a deep pit in his stomach. "Yarigawa, looks like we are not going to fight today." He smiled at the captain of the Sojutsu club.

"Huh…" Yarigawa Yuki sighed softly, and nodded. "Seems like that." She replied grimly.

"Well, I'm out." The chill of the spring breeze hung in the air, Ren felt his body shiver as he got up. 

"Take care." Getting a nod from the Sojutsu captain, he pulled out his bag, slinging it over on his shoulder, Ren rushed to his locker.

The Kendo captain gently pushed the locker inwardly, and with a satisfying creak, the chrome metal door opened outward.

In a flash, he took his phone, body trembling when scrolled through his mother's missed calls.

Panic and fear began to set in, Ren could feel his heart drop instantly, the world around him spin.

'Mom!' 

Nothing left to do, he grabbed his shinai, a practice sword made of bamboo wood turned dull from use over time. There was no other thought in his mind except returning home.

——

Earlier this morning and for the past few weeks, the news only blared constant streams of violent crime and incidental reports and lengthy police explanations.

With each report he'd heard, Ren could feel a knot tighten in his gut. Can it just be a bad day? 

But as soon as Ren exited the train station, he began to taste it, the acrid coppery smell that permeated in the air, the tang ripped through his nose, earning a quiet gag. From his point, he could people exiting from buildings in a rush, cars screeched to halt, horns blaring at those outside taking to the streets in panic. The world around him had devolved into a terrifying nightmare.

He spotted it then, a figure with bloodshot eyes, its movements jerky and predatory. It lunged at a man, ripping through flesh with a sickening crunch. The man's scream, a horrific blend of pain and terror, sent shivers down Ren's spine. He fumbled for his phone, heart hammering against his ribs. A dozen missed calls from Mom. Panic clawed at his throat.

Ren witnessed all of this, his mind attempting to understand what he'd seen just a moment ago.

It couldn't be real, It just had to be a bad dream.

Some fucked up dream, but it all felt too real…

Feeling disillusioned, he tightly grabbed at his shinai, pocketed the still phone. The metallic tang in the air intensified as he sprinted down the sidewalk, weaving through the panicked crowd. Every scream, every screech of tires, sent a fresh jolt of fear through him. 

He wouldn't want to get jumped by those… things.

Ren lived on the outskirts of the city, a quieter neighborhood that now felt disturbingly deserted. Houses stood empty, doors left ajar, abandoned in a desperate escape. His breaths came in ragged gasps as he reached his street, the familiar two-story house looming ahead. Smoke curled from a broken window on the upper floor. 

His heart hammered a frantic rhythm against his ribs. Smoke. He was always reminded smoke was worse than fire itself. He sprinted towards the house, ignoring the heat singed against his exposed arms. The front door hung open, ripped from its hinges. Ren hesitated for a split second, the image of the news reports flashing through his mind – violence, chaos, a cover-up? 

But the thought of his mom trapped inside, alone, overpowered his fear. With a deep breath, he plunged into the smoke-filled house. The acrid smell choked him, making his eyes water. He called out, his voice hoarse, "Mom?! Mom, are you here?" The only answer was the crackling of flames somewhere deeper in the house.

"Fuck!" Ren cursed, he had no choice but to venture deeper into the flaming house. Coughing and gagging each breathe he took.

He coughed louder and more often as he entered the kitchen, the source of the fire. The ceiling above turned orange going up in flames, and on the floor he saw a figure, sprawled.

"Mom!" Ren shouted identifying his mother, getting twitches from the downed figure. He quickly knelt next to her and with a grab of her shirt, he pulled her out of the house.

"Graughk!" Ren immediately pumped her chest, imitating medical advice on some western medical dramas he had watched with his mother. He then shuffled about uncomfortably when his mother's body twisted and twitched uncontrollably.

He was reminded almost instantly, the lady from the train. And when his mother opened her eyes, he felt the full force of dread in his heart.

Her eyes filled with gentle warmth and love, now pierced through him, all that remained was rabid curiosity and deep hunger. She had the same look one those 'things' had.

Tears pricked at his eyes when she growled at him.

"Please…no…" Ren whimpered, he took a couple steps back. His gait shaky and unrefined unexpected of a kendo practitioner.

"Please don't do this to me!" He shouted, waving his wooden sword about, preventing his mother from charging him blindly, only the guttural growl remained in his ears. She got up, blackened feet and hands, soot and blood covered her form.

His eyes flickered, the same woman who took care of him and loved him when their father and husband left. The trips they'd taken, the memories of birthdays spent, his admiration for her, now lay wasted.

"FUCK!!!" Ren screamed, his eyes bloodshot with tears, "How could you die like this?" He pleaded with his mother, only to receive a lunge at him, though dropping to the ground.

"How am I supposed to kill my own mother..?" Ren dodged each strike at him skill-fully 

He couldn't get himself to raise his sword, but after much dilemma, he couldn't help but try.

"This isn't mom… It's just…" Anger and frustration filled his heart, and with a swing, he brought his sword down on her head.

"messed up…"

A loud thud, and he heard her body crumble to the floor akin to a puppet with it's string cut.

Ren fell on his knees. He glanced at his mother's fallen figure, tears pooling from his eyes.

"Mom?"

"…"

"I'm so sorry." He muttered defeatedly, "I should've been here sooner… I'm sorry for hurting you and killing you…" He apologised to her figure, blood pooled under her body.

"I'm sorry being such a bad son, please forgive me…" Ren choked a sob, he couldn't bear to look at her face again, and gently lifted her up, placing her inside the burning house.

He stood still, watching as the house collapsed under the immense heat, Ren watched as the heat touched his face.

The city in flames behind him, thick plumes of smoke rising from every corner, helicopters zoomed overhead, then a couple jets.

The world around him seemingly shattering, yet his own remained crumbled already.

——

Hello, thank you for reading. Let me know if there are any questions or issues with the chapters. Constructive criticism is much appreciated and welcome :)