New Year Virus

Chapter 2

But in that fleeting moment, a blood-soaked woman stumbled towards us, her eyes wide with terror. Her voice trembled as she pleaded for help, her words barely coherent amid her gasps for air.

"Please... help me," she managed to utter, her voice filled with desperation. "I... I was attacked. They're... they're everywhere!"

My instincts wavered between compassion and self-preservation. My mind raced, torn between wanting to offer assistance and the chilling realization that she could be infected, posing a grave threat to our own survival.

Before I could make a decision, a man emerged from the shadows, his movements erratic and animalistic.
He pounced on the vulnerable woman, sinking his teeth into her flesh with a horrifying ferocity. The air filled with her agonized screams, punctuated by guttural growls from her attacker.

Lisa's grip tightened on my arm, her eyes wide with terror and disbelief. "We have to go," she whispered urgently, her voice quivering. "There's nothing we can do for her now."

Nodding in agreement, I fought back tears of helplessness and horror. I slammed the car door shut and started the engine, desperately pushing the image of the woman's suffering out of my mind. We accelerated away from the gruesome scene, leaving behind the haunting reminder of the world's descent into madness.

As we sped away from the horrific scene, my eyes were drawn to the rearview mirror, my curiosity piqued by the woman we had left behind.

Time seemed to slow down as I watched her transformation unfold before my eyes. The once-terrified woman rapidly deteriorated, her face contorting with an otherworldly rage.

"Lisa, look!" I exclaimed, my voice trembling with disbelief. "She's changing!"

Lisa turned her gaze towards the mirror, her eyes widening with a mix of fascination and horror. The seconds ticked by agonizingly slow as we witnessed the woman's metamorphosis. Her eyes grew vacant, an eerie glaze replacing the spark of humanity that once resided within them.

"12... 11... 10..." I counted under my breath, unable to tear my eyes away from the chilling spectacle. The countdown hung in the air, each passing second serving as a cruel reminder of the impending danger that awaited us.

And then, in an instant, the transformation was complete. The woman's demeanor shifted entirely as she lunged towards another unsuspecting person nearby. The ferocity in her actions was unsettling, her newfound strength overpowering her victim in a merciless onslaught.

I clenched the steering wheel tightly, my knuckles turning white with tension. "We have to be careful, Lisa," I warned, my voice laced with urgency. "They turn so quickly. We can't afford to let our guard down."

I fumbled with my phone, desperately trying to make a call, but to no avail.

"No signal," I muttered, my voice laced with frustration.

Lisa turned to me, her expression filled with concern. "Maybe the network towers have been destroyed," she suggested, her voice tinged with unease. "It's possible that communication is completely disrupted."

I nodded, a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. The absence of a signal meant we were cut off from the outside world, isolated in this terrifying landscape. Our connection to our families, our lifelines, had been severed.

As the car moved forward, the last drops of petrol ran dry, bringing us to a halt. The engine sputtered, its growl fading into silence. Panic welled up within us as we realized we were still stranded in the heart of the city, with darkness in the streets.

"It's 1 am," I noted, glancing at my watch. "We need to find shelter. We can't stay out in the open like this."

Lisa nodded in agreement, scanning our surroundings for any signs of temporary refuge. "We should look for a nearby building or somewhere we can fortify ourselves," she suggested, her voice tinged with urgency. "We can't risk being exposed in the darkness."

As we cautiously stepped out of the car, drawn by the glimmer of hope that emanated from the nearby supermarket,

we entered a scene of chaos and desperation. The once bustling store had become a battleground of survival, with people frantically searching for food and supplies.

Shelves had been ravaged, their contents scattered and trampled underfoot. The air was thick with the scent of fear and desperation, mingling with the remnants of shattered glass and overturned displays. The sound of panicked footsteps and muffled cries filled the air, blending into a cacophony of despair.

Lisa and I exchanged anxious glances, realizing the gravity of the situation we had stumbled into. We joined the throng of desperate individuals, carefully navigating through the sea of people cying for resources.

The atmosphere was tense, with fleeting glimpses of humanity amidst the chaos. Some individuals attempted to help one another, sharing meager supplies or offering a reassuring word.

Others resorted to selfish acts, pushing and shoving in a bid to secure their own survival.

With each passing moment, the realization sank deeper that this was a world where basic necessities had become scarce, and the fight for survival had reached its most primal state.

"Stay close to me," I urged Lisa, my voice barely audible over the commotion surrounding us. "We need to find what we can and get out of here."

Nodding in agreement, Lisa gripped my arm tightly as we scoured the aisles for any remaining supplies. We snatched up non-perishable food, water bottles, and whatever essentials we could find, our actions driven by a desperate need to secure our own survival.

As we hurriedly filled our pockets with supplies, I instructed Lisa to head towards the first aid section.

Her task was to gather whatever medical essentials she could find, while I focused on securing food for our immediate needs. The urgency of our actions echoed the gravity of our situation.

Amidst the chaotic scene, a heart-wrenching cry pierced through the air.....