The cool night air hit Luke’s face as he stepped out of the tent, his jaw clenched with determination. His body still buzzed with the unfamiliar strength coursing through him, a constant reminder of his transformation. The encampment was quieter than usual, soldiers tending to their wounds and equipment after the earlier battle. Despite the calm, Luke could feel the unease hanging in the air, but he didn’t care. He had one goal: to save Mira.As he moved toward the edge of the camp, Major Erickson appeared in front of him, his face shadowed but his posture commanding.“Where do you think you’re going, Luke?” Erickson asked, his voice firm and unyielding.Luke stopped but didn’t waver. “You already know. I’m going to the campus to save Mira.”“You’re not leaving,” Erickson said, stepping closer. “Not like this.”“Try and stop me,” Luke shot back, his voice cold.Erickson held up a hand, his tone shifting slightly. “Listen to me, Luke. You don’t understand your condition. Whatever Akin
The night was heavy with silence, the kind that followed chaos. Governor Dennis sat stiffly on the edge of his cot in the dimly lit tent, his fingers tapping restlessly on the makeshift table. Outside, muffled sounds of soldiers reorganizing after the assault filtered in, but his thoughts were elsewhere. His eyes flicked toward the tent flap, where two armed guards stood watch, their presence a result of Major Erickson’s increasingly suffocating grip.Dennis clenched his jaw. Erickson had crossed the line. Detaining him the governor in this god-damned camp? Arresting his bodyguards like they were mere thugs? It was an insult veiled as a protocol.“This is for your protection as well as ours Governor,” Erickson had said earlier, his voice carrying a mocking undertone as he shook in anger. His words hinted at suspicions Dennis couldn’t completely dismiss. After all, Erickson was methodical, and Dennis… well, he had secrets to keep.Through a narrow gap in the tent, Dennis spotted moveme
The camp was eerily quiet, the air thick with the tension of a battle that had ended, yet left everyone on edge. Luke’s steps were deliberate, his enhanced senses sharpening every detail in the darkened expanse. The makeshift barrier ahead stood tall, a line of soldiers guarding the entrance to the campus. Their silhouettes were stark against the dim floodlights, rifles slung across their chests as they whispered among themselves.Luke clenched his fists, his heart pounding with a mixture of rage and determination. Mira was somewhere inside, taken by Akin. He didn’t have time for obstacles, least of all ones that wore the same uniform he once trusted.“Stop right there!” a voice barked, cutting through the silence. A soldier stepped forward, his weapon raised but not aimed. The man’s expression was conflicted, torn between his orders and the humanity still lingering in his eyes.Luke ignored him and kept walking.“I said stop!” the soldier repeated, louder this time.Luke’s gaze snapp
The darkness of the campus was oppressive, broken only by the dim flicker of emergency lights that cast long, ominous shadows. Luke moved with a purpose, his enhanced senses tuning into every sound, every movement. He started his search from the main campus building. He could hear the groans of the undead echoing faintly through the halls, their shuffling footsteps dragging against the cracked tile floors. The smell of decay hung in the air, sharp and putrid, making it hard to breathe.Luke’s pulse quickened, but his fear was buried under the raw determination that coursed through his veins. He wasn’t the same person he’d been yesterday. The nightmare that had woken him was no longer just a memory—it was a warning. Something inside him had changed, and now he felt it fully. He was stronger, faster, and sharper than he had ever been.As he entered a long corridor, a faint noise behind him caught his attention—a rasping breath and the scrape of claws on the floor. He turned sharply, his
Mira’s head throbbed as she stirred awake, the stale air of the campus hall thick and oppressive. Her eyes fluttered open to the dim morning light filtering through cracked windows high above. For a moment, she felt relief—she was alive. But that relief faded quickly as she realized her arms were pinned behind her back.She squirmed, her wrists chafing against the coarse rope that bound her to the back of a metal chair. The chill of the room seeped through her clothes, and a shiver ran down her spine. The wide expanse of the hall loomed around her, the faded banners of past orientation ceremonies hanging like ghosts from the rafters. Rows of empty chairs stretched endlessly, but her attention was drawn to a figure in the center of the room.A young student—or at least something that resembled one—stood there, unmoving, This was the zombie that was with Akin. Mira thought while remembering what happened the night before.The creature had once been human, Mira could tell. Her tattered d
The metallic clang of the doors opening startled Mira. Her heart leapt into her throat as the heavy footsteps echoed through the hall. She craned her neck, her bound hands making it impossible to twist around fully. The eerie silence that followed sent a chill down her spine.Then, Akin stepped into view.He was as imposing as she remembered—tall, broad, and unnervingly composed. His dark, sunken eyes locked onto her, and his lips twisted into a smirk that made Mira’s skin crawl. His once-clean uniform was now tattered and stained, and his movements carried an unnatural grace, almost like he was stalking prey.“Well, well, look who’s awake,” Akin said, his deep voice dripping with mockery. He strode into the room, each step measured, as though savoring the moment. Behind him, Sally, the zombie that had been watching her, straightened slightly, her vacant eyes flickering with recognition.Mira clenched her teeth, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a reaction. She wouldn’t let him
The morning sun crept higher, its weak rays filtering through the broken glass of the campus buildings. The university, once a bustling hub of life and noise, was now a graveyard of memories and decay. Joseph crouched low, keeping his footsteps as quiet as possible while his eyes scanned every shadow. He had been moving for hours, tracing faint signs that pointed him in one direction—toward the center of campus.His breath came slow and measured, the only sound accompanying him besides the distant groans of the undead. The faint rustle of leaves in the breeze felt like an unnatural intrusion in the silence. Joseph adjusted his grip on the rusted knife he carried, its dull blade comforting in his hand despite its limited use against the horrors lurking nearby.He wasn’t sure if he could fight Akin. But he was sure of one thing—he’d never forgive himself if he didn’t try. Mira needed him, and the thought of her alone and vulnerable fueled his resolve.Joseph paused as he neared what had
Joseph’s heart raced as he crouched behind the door, his breath coming in shallow, uneven gasps. Every sense was heightened, each creak of the floorboards above and below him making his skin prickle. He couldn't afford to make a sound. Akin’s mocking voice echoed across the room, breaking the silence like a crack of thunder."I know you're out there, Joseph. Don't think you can hide forever." Akin's tone was smooth and taunting, dripping with arrogance. "You think you can save her? Think again."Joseph’s fingers tightened around the knife in his hand, his grip almost too tight, the cold steel digging into his palm. His mind raced, but there was no time for hesitation. Mira was here. He had to get to her.“Come on out,” Akin continued, his voice rising slightly. “I promise you, I won’t bite. Not until we’re face to face, at least.”Joseph’s stomach churned. He wanted to rush in, to attack, to put an end to this twisted game, but he knew better. He couldn’t let his emotions cloud his ju
The warm evening sun dipped below the horizon, casting a soft orange glow over Lagos. Luke and Mira walked hand-in-hand along the quiet streets, the sound of their footsteps a comforting rhythm beneath the bustling city noises. It had been three months since they had been released from the detention facility, and things had finally started to feel normal again—or as normal as life could be after everything they had endured.Luke couldn’t remember the last time he felt this carefree. For the first time in a long time, there were no heavy burdens weighing on his shoulders. No government scrutiny, no terrifying fear of what the future might hold. He was simply Luke again, the young man who had fought to survive but also the man who could finally enjoy life.Mira glanced at him, a soft smile tugging at her lips. “You seem… different. In a good way.”Luke returned the smile, his eyes lighting up as he squeezed her hand. “I feel different. I feel like I’ve finally been given a second chance
The weeks had dragged on, the sterile walls of the detention facility becoming an oppressive reminder of the world that had come to fear Luke and Bayo. They were no longer the heroes who fought to survive—they were the weapons that had once been their salvation, now seen as potential threats to the fragile stability that the world clung to. The military’s tight control over them, the constant surveillance, and the relentless scrutiny from every corner of the globe had taken its toll. Luke’s mind was weary, and his body reflected the strain. Every day felt like an eternity spent in a cage, the lingering uncertainty about what the world would think of him once he was released only fueling the exhaustion that gripped his every waking moment. It wasn’t just about the physical confinement anymore—it was about how he would be perceived by a world that had watched him fight, watched him kill, and watched him struggle. His parents—Laura and Samuel—visited regularly. Their support was unwav
The chaos at Eko State University was broadcast worldwide, its devastation felt far beyond the borders of Lagos. In a quiet mansion in Ikoyi, far from the inferno, Morenike paced her living room. Her eyes were glued to the TV, where Rachel’s live coverage replayed the horrors of the past hours. Her son, Akin, was on every channel—a vision of destruction and fury. Clips showed him commanding infected hordes, fighting soldiers, and causing untold devastation. The media painted him as a symbol of the apocalypse, a man consumed by the infection yet capable of terrifying control. “No… no, this can’t be my Akin,” Morenike whispered, her voice breaking. She gripped the back of the nearest chair, her knuckles turning white. Her maid, Titi, approached cautiously. “Madam, maybe it’s best to rest. This news… it’s too much.” Morenike shook her head vehemently. “That’s my son. My boy. What have they done to him?” Her knees buckled, and she sank into the chair, tears streaming down her face.
The rhythmic hum of the helicopter's blades cut through the eerie silence of the Eko State University (EKSU) campus. Below, a scene of chaos was coming to a tense standstill. Bayo’s figure, barely distinguishable in the dim light, moved among the lifeless, shambling zombies. His exhausted yet determined strides guided them toward their designated points, keeping the horde tightly controlled. Soldiers and survivors huddled at a safe distance, their wide eyes shifting uneasily between the horde and the sky. Major Erickson stood near the frontline, his steely demeanor masking the weight of the decision he was about to execute. Luke stood beside Mira, her fingers laced tightly through his. They both watched Bayo with a mix of admiration and dread. Nearby, Luke’s parents remained quiet, their expressions frozen in the same disbelief mirrored by every other face. Erickson raised his radio. His voice carried a calm authority that belied the tension in the air. “Echo Base, this is Major Er
The battlefield was eerily quiet, save for the occasional groan of a wounded soldier. The once-mindless zombies now stood frozen, their lifeless eyes staring into the void. Soldiers and survivors stared at the undead in stunned silence, unsure whether to rejoice or remain on guard. The tension hung heavy in the air, a mix of relief and dread. Bayo knelt on the ground, his chest heaving as he struggled to catch his breath. He wiped sweat from his brow, his connection to the horde severed but still leaving a faint, nagging hum in his mind. He glanced around, his gaze meeting Luke’s. “You good?” Luke asked, stepping closer. Bayo nodded, though his exhaustion was evident. “Yeah... for now.” Major Erickson approached the group, his face set in a grim expression. He surveyed the scene, his sharp eyes taking in the scattered corpses of zombies and the soldiers who had fallen in battle. His radio crackled to life, breaking the uneasy silence. “This is Echo Base. Major, your package h
Rachel hovered in the helicopter, her camera zoomed in on the chaos below. Her live feed broadcasted to millions worldwide, capturing a battle no one could have imagined. Below her, the scene was apocalyptic: zombies clawing and thrashing, their hunger insatiable. In their midst, Luke fought with a ferocity that demanded attention. “This is Rachel, live from the heart of what might be the most pivotal moment in human history,” she said into her headset. “What you’re witnessing isn’t just survival—it’s war. And leading it are three individuals who may very well change the tide of this conflict.” The camera focused on Luke, his enhanced strength on full display as he tore through the horde. To the side, Bayo stood like an immovable wall, holding the zombies at bay through sheer will and some mysterious connection to them. Above it all, Akin stood on the roof of an overturned military truck, his commanding presence undeniable. His laughter echoed across the battlefield as he spread h
Bayo’s knees wobbled as the weight of the horde's relentless advance seemed to press down on his chest. The battlefield was chaos— filled with growls, screams, and the sharp sounds of gunfire. Every breath he took felt heavier, like something primal was clawing at the edges of his mind. His vision blurred momentarily as he stumbled back, clutching his head. “Bayo, what’s wrong?” Luke’s voice barely reached him over the noise. “I… I don’t know,” Bayo murmured, his words barely audible. The moment Akin had stepped forward, the air had shifted. There was a palpable charge, a sense of inevitability. And for Bayo, something else entirely—a flood of raw emotion that wasn’t his. At first, it was faint, like static on a weak signal. But now it roared through him with a ferocity he couldn’t ignore. He gritted his teeth, his head pounding with every passing second. Rage. Hunger. A deep, unrelenting hunger that burned hotter than anything he had ever felt. --- The horde pressed forward, t
Luke paced restlessly near the makeshift shelter they had found for Mira and his parents, hidden away in an abandoned building far from the chaos of the encampment. Mira sat beside Laura, comforting her as Samuel kept watch by the entrance. Bayo leaned against the wall, sharpening his machete, his eyes scanning their surroundings with the same sharpness as his blade. “You feel it, don’t you?” Luke said suddenly, breaking the silence. Bayo looked up, his expression unreadable. “Yeah. Something’s off.” Luke clenched his fists. His enhanced senses were screaming at him. Ever since the attack started, there had been an inexplicable pull—like a thread connecting him to Akin. It was faint at first, but now it was undeniable, like a beacon drawing him toward the source of the chaos. “What do you think he’s up to?” Luke asked, his voice low. Bayo sighed, sheathing his machete he had picked from a fallen soldier. “You know what he’s capable of, Luke. He’s not the same person you knew
The air reeked of blood, smoke, and decay as Major Erickson crouched behind an overturned truck, reloading his rifle with trembling hands. Around him, the remnants of his unit fought desperately to hold their ground against the horde. Their once-tight defensive line had shattered, replaced by chaotic clusters of men and women firing in every direction.Erickson’s radio crackled, static-laced screams filling the channel. He shut it off, his jaw tightening. There was no point in calling for reinforcements; they were on their own.From his position, Erickson could see the focal point of the horde: Akin. The boy was slumped against a steel barricade as Erickson had freed him in an attempt to escape with his prisoner but had to drop him to save himself as the zombie seemed to focus on him furiously,Akin lay on the ground in a sitting position his semi-conscious form eerily still despite the chaos. His head lolled as if the drugs coursing through his veins had tethered him to some half-drea