Ring!!!!
Luke jerked awake, his chest heaving. The images of his nightmare clung to him—shambling figures with hollow eyes, bodies rotting as they lunged toward him. It took him a few seconds to remember where he was. “Damn it,” he muttered, rubbing his face. “This whole ‘zotes’ nonsense is messing with my head.” Luke woke up with a start, his heart pounding. Shadows of his nightmare clung to him—the twisted, half-decayed faces of zotes and the chaos they spread. He could still hear the sinister chant of the terrorist broadcast echoing in his ears: “We are the Zotes, and the world will kneel to our cureless plague.” He shuddered. “God, I need to stop reading those conspiracy threads,” he muttered, rubbing his face. Ring!!! The alarm screamed again, reminding him it wasn’t just nightmares that demanded his attention. “I’m awake!” he grumbled, silencing it. After some quick stretches and a half-hearted attempt at push-ups, he dressed and headed out, hoping to shake off the eerie feeling. Outside, a fellow classmate passed him with a pale, sickly look, barely managing a nod after Luke acknowledged his existence. Luke frowned. That was the third person he’d seen in this state in two days. “Is it just exam stress, or...?” he muttered under his breath. When he got to class, a notice on the door informed him the lecture was canceled because the lecturer had fallen ill. “Great. First nightmares, now everyone’s dropping like flies,” he muttered, pulling out his phone to call Mira. “Hey, Romeo,” her chipper voice answered on the first ring. Luke rolled his eyes. “Shut up. Are you free? Let’s have breakfast at our spot. My treat.” “Oh? Someone’s in a good mood. Alright, lover boy!” He sighed. “Don’t make me regret this.” --- Twenty minutes later, they were walking toward the canteen. Mira was in her usual chatty mood, cracking jokes about Luke’s terrible sleeping habits. “Did I ever tell you how you mumbled my name during the study group?” she teased. Luke groaned. “Let it go, Mira.” “‘Don’t go into the horde, Mira!’” she mimicked dramatically, laughing out loud arms outstretched. Before Luke could defend himself, a voice interrupted them. “Hey, Mira. 'sup?” Luke turned to see Akin leaning out of the passenger window of Charles’s Toyota Camry, smirking like he’d won something. Mira’s mood instantly shifted. Her smile faded, and she barely looked at Akin. “Hey, Akin,” she said curtly. “Where you off to?” Akin asked, completely ignoring Luke. “With a friend. To eat,” Mira replied, her tone sharp. “Why don’t you come with us? We’re heading to Golden Alley. Way better than that school canteen crap,” Akin said, his smirk widening. Luke clenched his fists, already annoyed. “She said no. Take the hint, Dennis.” Akin’s eyes flicked toward Luke as if noticing him, and his smirk disappeared. Luke noticed Mira’s lips twitch, almost like she was... amused? He frowned. “What the hell did you just say to me?” Akin said, getting out of the car. Charles followed, trying to calm him. A small crowd had started to gather, watching the standoff. Luke felt something flare up in him—recklessness, maybe, or just plain irritation. “You heard me,” he said. “What are you going to do about it, Dennis?” Akin’s nostrils flared as he stepped closer, his jaw tight. Luke didn’t move. “Leave it,” Charles muttered, tugging Akin’s arm. “Not worth it.” Akin glared at Luke for a moment longer, then backed off, muttering, “I’ll get even, Princewill. Count on it.” They drove off, leaving a trail of tension in their wake. --- “You didn’t have to do that,” Mira said as they continued walking. Luke scoffed. “You’re welcome.” Mira glanced at him sideways, her lips twitching again. “Still, I could’ve handled it.” “Yeah? You looked thrilled back there,” Luke said, shooting her a look. “Oh, nothing,” she said, walking ahead, her tone light but evasive. Luke shook his head. He’d never understand Mira. But as they stepped into the canteen, a chill ran down his spine. Akin’s threat had sounded too deliberate. Combined with the sick lecturer, the pale classmates, and his own restless nights, Luke couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t right on campus.June 9, 2030 Today was the day Luke's entire world unraveled. His sanity teetered on the edge, and his mental resilience would face its greatest test. The morning had started innocently enough, like any other day. Yet, beneath the surface, Luke was a bundle of nerves. The zotes had made their chilling promise clear: if Nigeria failed to meet their outrageous demands, they would release the UBEV. Luke tried to shake off the unease as he went about his morning routine, but every news alert on his phone was a reminder of the looming threat. Social media was ablaze with speculation, jokes, and outright denial about the virus's potential release. "People always joke until it’s too late," Luke muttered, scrolling through the chaos online. He hadn’t even stepped outside yet, but something in the air felt… off. A knock at the door snapped him out of his thoughts. "Yo, Luke, you good?" Collins’ voice called from outside. Luke opened the door to find his friend standing there, his usual
June 9, 2030 Luke tried the door, it wasn't locked but pushed as a student ran past it erratically. "Don't give me a scare like that man" Mira complained while sounding relieved herself. "Sorry but lets get out of here" Luke replied sounding worried. Luke's heart was still pounding as he and Mira rushed through the library’s back exit. The sounds of chaos echoed through the campus—the screeching, the distant gunshots, and the inhuman growls that made the hairs on his neck stand on end.It was pure mayhem outside. Luke witnessed betrayals of all sorts as everyone tried to survive. “its really happening" Luke said, his voice barely above a whisper, panic creeping in as he glanced back towards the library. They had to keep moving; they couldn’t afford to be caught in the open. . . . . . . . The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the eerily quiet campus as Luke and Mira hurried away from the library. The occasional scream and distant shouts were enough to keep t
The group moved through the campus, their breaths heavy and their nerves frayed. The eerie silence was broken only by the faint sound of distant screams. Luke led the way, his eyes scanning every shadow for movement. “There it is,” Jeff whispered, pointing to the storage building ahead. The old structure looked like it had seen better days, its peeling paint and broken windows giving it a haunting appearance. “Let’s get inside,” Luke said, quickening his pace. Jeff stepped forward with his trusty brick, smashing the padlock off with one swing. The door creaked open, revealing the dark interior. “Wait,” Mira said, her voice barely above a whisper. “Do you hear that?” Everyone froze. From inside came the faint murmur of voices. Luke motioned for the group to stay quiet as he pushed the door open wider. Inside, they found a small group of students huddled in the corner, their faces pale with fear. Among them was Akin, his sharp features unmistakable even in the dim light. “Akin?”
The storage building was eerily quiet. Inside, the air was thick with unease. The group had done their best to barricade the door, but the makeshift barricade of old shelves and desks didn’t feel strong enough. Favour perched on a crate, thumbing through the battered virology book he’d salvaged from the library. He mumbled to himself, occasionally glancing nervously around. Justin, unfazed as usual, was munching on a pack of biscuits he’d somehow stashed in his bag. “You seriously brought snacks during a zombie outbreak?” Collins snapped, his irritation rising. “What? Comfort food,” Justin said with a shrug. “You’d be amazed how thinking clearly works when you’re not starving.” Collins grunted, muttering something under his breath as he resumed pacing. Luke leaned against a wall, his arms crossed, eyes fixed on Akin and his small group of students. They had been in the building before the outbreak started, and that fact gnawed at Luke. Akin seemed too relaxed, too prepared,
The banging at the door grew louder, splinters flying off the barricade with each hit. The tension in the room was suffocating, a mixture of fear and suspicion thickening the air. Everyone held their makeshift weapons tightly, their eyes darting between the door and each other. Luke’s gaze fell once again on Akin, who sat unbothered, his arms crossed. His relaxed demeanor infuriated Luke. How could someone be so calm when chaos was clawing at their only line of defense? “Help reinforce the barricade!” Luke barked, directing his order at Akin and Charles. Akin didn’t budge. “And risk being the first one dragged out? No, thanks.” “You’re unbelievable,” Collins growled, stepping forward with the metal pipe in his hands. “Collins, not now!” Mira snapped, grabbing his arm. “Focus!” Jeff and Justin rushed to push a heavy cabinet against the door, adding another layer of protection. Favour fumbled with his book, muttering what sounded like prayers under his breath. Luke glanced at Mir
The orange glow of the evening sky spilled through the cracks in the boarded windows, casting long shadows across the storage room. The muffled groans outside had faded, replaced by the occasional scrape of undead feet shuffling across the pavement. Inside, the group sat in uneasy silence, their nerves fraying with every passing second.Luke stood by the barricade, his eyes scanning the darkening campus outside. His thoughts, however, were locked on Akin and his group, seated in the corner. The unease in his chest had only grown since Bayo's arrival.Bayo lay on a makeshift bed of torn-up jackets and cushions. His pale, sweat-soaked face twitched as he drifted in and out of consciousness. Jeff crouched beside him, carefully cleaning a jagged wound on his arm."He's burning up," Jeff said, glancing at Luke. "But he's alive. For now.""Alive and infected," Collins muttered, pacing the room. He tightened his grip on the metal pipe he carried. "We’re sitting ducks if he turns in here.""H
“Damn it! Of all schools, why hers?!” Joseph Erickson cursed, his hands gripping the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles turned white. The car roared down the highway, his foot pressing hard on the accelerator, daring the engine to give out. “If anything happens to her... I swear to God, those bastards are going to pay. Every last one of them!” he yelled, slamming the dashboard for emphasis. Joseph wasn’t just any soldier—he’d recently been promoted to sergeant, and he took pride in his discipline. But hearing that Mira, his younger sister, was trapped in a terrorist attack, all that discipline flew out the window. And zombies? The thought made him scoff angrily. Zombies sounded like a bad joke, but the situation wasn’t funny. “What the hell is the government even doing, letting things get this bad?” he muttered, punching the steering wheel. His phone buzzed on the passenger seat. He glanced at the screen before snatching it up and putting it on speaker. “Yeah, Dad, I’m not tu
Amos paced back and forth in the dimly lit room, the faint hum of the overhead bulb doing little to soothe his growing frustration. "What the hell is wrong with them!?" he spat, his voice sharp with anger. He dragged his hand through his disheveled hair, his breath coming in short bursts. "I told them to keep it quiet. Just stay in the shadows, but no—they had to involve those damned terrorists!" Amos’s mind raced, piecing together the fragments of chaos. The serum—the very thing he had sworn to keep hidden—was now at the center of this unfolding nightmare. How had Zotes learned about it? Worse, how had they turned it into a weapon? He clenched his fists, veins bulging against his skin. His phone buzzed, jolting him out of his thoughts. This time, the caller ID read Unknown Number. He hesitated, his thumb hovering over the screen before answering. "Who is this?" he barked. A gravelly voice responded, calm yet laced with menace. "Governor Amos. We've been expecting your call. S
Luke stood frozen, his thoughts racing as he tried to make sense of what he’d just witnessed. What the hell was that? Zombies don’t move like that. Are they even zombies? The memory of their precise, coordinated attack churned in his mind, leaving a cold weight in his chest. “Bloody hell!” Collins exclaimed, pacing frantically. “What was that? We’ve got to get out of here! We can’t stay in this death trap—we’ve been exposed!” Collins’ words snapped Luke out of his daze. He shook his head, forcing himself to focus. Across the room, Mira gripped a shard of glass so tightly her knuckles turned white. “Mira,” Luke said, his voice tight as he gently wrenched the glass from her hand. “Did you see that? They weren’t just attacking—they had a plan. They were working together.” “I saw it,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “It’s like...they knew what they were doing.” “They took Bayo,” Jeff muttered from the corner, his voice hollow. “Dragged him like he mattered to them.” “Val
Amos paced back and forth in the dimly lit room, the faint hum of the overhead bulb doing little to soothe his growing frustration. "What the hell is wrong with them!?" he spat, his voice sharp with anger. He dragged his hand through his disheveled hair, his breath coming in short bursts. "I told them to keep it quiet. Just stay in the shadows, but no—they had to involve those damned terrorists!" Amos’s mind raced, piecing together the fragments of chaos. The serum—the very thing he had sworn to keep hidden—was now at the center of this unfolding nightmare. How had Zotes learned about it? Worse, how had they turned it into a weapon? He clenched his fists, veins bulging against his skin. His phone buzzed, jolting him out of his thoughts. This time, the caller ID read Unknown Number. He hesitated, his thumb hovering over the screen before answering. "Who is this?" he barked. A gravelly voice responded, calm yet laced with menace. "Governor Amos. We've been expecting your call. S
“Damn it! Of all schools, why hers?!” Joseph Erickson cursed, his hands gripping the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles turned white. The car roared down the highway, his foot pressing hard on the accelerator, daring the engine to give out. “If anything happens to her... I swear to God, those bastards are going to pay. Every last one of them!” he yelled, slamming the dashboard for emphasis. Joseph wasn’t just any soldier—he’d recently been promoted to sergeant, and he took pride in his discipline. But hearing that Mira, his younger sister, was trapped in a terrorist attack, all that discipline flew out the window. And zombies? The thought made him scoff angrily. Zombies sounded like a bad joke, but the situation wasn’t funny. “What the hell is the government even doing, letting things get this bad?” he muttered, punching the steering wheel. His phone buzzed on the passenger seat. He glanced at the screen before snatching it up and putting it on speaker. “Yeah, Dad, I’m not tu
The orange glow of the evening sky spilled through the cracks in the boarded windows, casting long shadows across the storage room. The muffled groans outside had faded, replaced by the occasional scrape of undead feet shuffling across the pavement. Inside, the group sat in uneasy silence, their nerves fraying with every passing second.Luke stood by the barricade, his eyes scanning the darkening campus outside. His thoughts, however, were locked on Akin and his group, seated in the corner. The unease in his chest had only grown since Bayo's arrival.Bayo lay on a makeshift bed of torn-up jackets and cushions. His pale, sweat-soaked face twitched as he drifted in and out of consciousness. Jeff crouched beside him, carefully cleaning a jagged wound on his arm."He's burning up," Jeff said, glancing at Luke. "But he's alive. For now.""Alive and infected," Collins muttered, pacing the room. He tightened his grip on the metal pipe he carried. "We’re sitting ducks if he turns in here.""H
The banging at the door grew louder, splinters flying off the barricade with each hit. The tension in the room was suffocating, a mixture of fear and suspicion thickening the air. Everyone held their makeshift weapons tightly, their eyes darting between the door and each other. Luke’s gaze fell once again on Akin, who sat unbothered, his arms crossed. His relaxed demeanor infuriated Luke. How could someone be so calm when chaos was clawing at their only line of defense? “Help reinforce the barricade!” Luke barked, directing his order at Akin and Charles. Akin didn’t budge. “And risk being the first one dragged out? No, thanks.” “You’re unbelievable,” Collins growled, stepping forward with the metal pipe in his hands. “Collins, not now!” Mira snapped, grabbing his arm. “Focus!” Jeff and Justin rushed to push a heavy cabinet against the door, adding another layer of protection. Favour fumbled with his book, muttering what sounded like prayers under his breath. Luke glanced at Mir
The storage building was eerily quiet. Inside, the air was thick with unease. The group had done their best to barricade the door, but the makeshift barricade of old shelves and desks didn’t feel strong enough. Favour perched on a crate, thumbing through the battered virology book he’d salvaged from the library. He mumbled to himself, occasionally glancing nervously around. Justin, unfazed as usual, was munching on a pack of biscuits he’d somehow stashed in his bag. “You seriously brought snacks during a zombie outbreak?” Collins snapped, his irritation rising. “What? Comfort food,” Justin said with a shrug. “You’d be amazed how thinking clearly works when you’re not starving.” Collins grunted, muttering something under his breath as he resumed pacing. Luke leaned against a wall, his arms crossed, eyes fixed on Akin and his small group of students. They had been in the building before the outbreak started, and that fact gnawed at Luke. Akin seemed too relaxed, too prepared,
The group moved through the campus, their breaths heavy and their nerves frayed. The eerie silence was broken only by the faint sound of distant screams. Luke led the way, his eyes scanning every shadow for movement. “There it is,” Jeff whispered, pointing to the storage building ahead. The old structure looked like it had seen better days, its peeling paint and broken windows giving it a haunting appearance. “Let’s get inside,” Luke said, quickening his pace. Jeff stepped forward with his trusty brick, smashing the padlock off with one swing. The door creaked open, revealing the dark interior. “Wait,” Mira said, her voice barely above a whisper. “Do you hear that?” Everyone froze. From inside came the faint murmur of voices. Luke motioned for the group to stay quiet as he pushed the door open wider. Inside, they found a small group of students huddled in the corner, their faces pale with fear. Among them was Akin, his sharp features unmistakable even in the dim light. “Akin?”
June 9, 2030 Luke tried the door, it wasn't locked but pushed as a student ran past it erratically. "Don't give me a scare like that man" Mira complained while sounding relieved herself. "Sorry but lets get out of here" Luke replied sounding worried. Luke's heart was still pounding as he and Mira rushed through the library’s back exit. The sounds of chaos echoed through the campus—the screeching, the distant gunshots, and the inhuman growls that made the hairs on his neck stand on end.It was pure mayhem outside. Luke witnessed betrayals of all sorts as everyone tried to survive. “its really happening" Luke said, his voice barely above a whisper, panic creeping in as he glanced back towards the library. They had to keep moving; they couldn’t afford to be caught in the open. . . . . . . . The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the eerily quiet campus as Luke and Mira hurried away from the library. The occasional scream and distant shouts were enough to keep t
June 9, 2030 Today was the day Luke's entire world unraveled. His sanity teetered on the edge, and his mental resilience would face its greatest test. The morning had started innocently enough, like any other day. Yet, beneath the surface, Luke was a bundle of nerves. The zotes had made their chilling promise clear: if Nigeria failed to meet their outrageous demands, they would release the UBEV. Luke tried to shake off the unease as he went about his morning routine, but every news alert on his phone was a reminder of the looming threat. Social media was ablaze with speculation, jokes, and outright denial about the virus's potential release. "People always joke until it’s too late," Luke muttered, scrolling through the chaos online. He hadn’t even stepped outside yet, but something in the air felt… off. A knock at the door snapped him out of his thoughts. "Yo, Luke, you good?" Collins’ voice called from outside. Luke opened the door to find his friend standing there, his usual