Whispers of the Unknown

Chapter 8

On the other side...

The three men, now aware of their surroundings, continued their silent march through the dimly lit corridors of Building 4. Wonu, lost in his thoughts, almost missed the overturned chair that lay in their path. His near stumble caused a small ruckus, sending a ripple of tension through the group, who quickly scanned their surroundings for any signs of danger.

Their collective exhale echoed through the corridor as they realized there was no immediate threat. Resuming their trek, they successfully secured the second-floor gate behind them, a small triumph in their arduous journey.

The atmosphere, however, remained tense as they retraced their steps, searching for the female members of their group.

*beep*

*beep*

*beep*

The rhythmic beeping from Eight's phone pierced the silence, prompting the group to freeze. As Eight furrowed his brow while reading Alyssa's urgent messages, a sense of foreboding hung in the air.

Eight's Point of View (POV)

A shocked gasp escaped my lips as I absorbed the contents of Alyssa's distressing messages. The two beside me questioned my reaction, and I could only manage a brief glance before plunging into a sprint.

"Why? What happened?" Wonu asked, matching my pace.

"Alyssa sent me a message. She said... *sh*t*... I lost signal! Let's go!"

Pounding footsteps echoed through the building as we raced toward the unknown fate that awaited our friends.

__________

Meanwhile, in the room where the girls sought refuge...

Alyssa, unaware of the impending danger, stared at her phone in frustration. The lack of signal felt like an invisible shackle, preventing her from reaching out to the one person she needed the most.

"What happened? The guys seem unaware of our situation," Belle expressed concern as she settled in a corner.

Little did they know, a relentless infected had picked up Alyssa's trail, driven by a frenzied hunger for flesh.

*knock*

*knock*

*knock*

The ominous knocks on the door disrupted the room's fragile tranquility. The girls, now alert and tense, turned their eyes toward the entrance.

Assuming it was their male companions, Alyssa cautiously opened the door, only to be met with the terrifying sight of an infected, its eyes devoid of reason. Reacting swiftly, she blocked the door with her body, preventing the creature from entering.

"When I count to three, help A.M. stand up and exit through the other door. Hurry!" Alyssa instructed, straining to maintain her barricade.

"One..."

The girls helped A.M. to her feet, anxiety etched on their faces.

"Hurry, Alyssa! How are you even going to—"

"Two..."

"Wait, how will you manage on your own?" Remalyn worriedly asked.

"Just do it!"

"Three!"

They rushed through the other door, leaving Alyssa alone to face the impending threat, her heart pounding in her chest.

On the other side...

The three men continued their desperate run, the urgency of the situation intensifying with every step. Eight's concern deepened as they saw the three girls approaching, one of them in need of assistance.

"Where's Alyssa?" Eight worriedly asked while observing the girls, a growing sense of dread gnawing at him.

Unaware of Alyssa's sacrifice, the group continued toward the room, only to be met with a harrowing sight—a swarm of infected attempting to breach the barricaded door.

Eight stopped abruptly, realization hitting him like a freight train. He attempted to break free from his companions' grip, a guttural scream escaping his lips.

"Let me go! Alyssa—"

"Eight, enough! Alyssa did that for us, for our safety. Do you think we wanted that to happen?" Remalyn said, her voice a mix of compassion and firmness, restraining him.

Eight writhed against their grip, the weight of loss crashing over him like a tidal wave. The group crumpled to the unforgiving floor, a collective defeat settling upon them as they mourned the sacrifice of one of their own. The dim light cast long shadows on their grieving figures, and the air resonated with the silent echoes of a tragedy that had unfolded in the cold embrace of the corridor.

*beep*

*beep*

__________

CHAPTER END

SEE YOU IN CHAPTER 9, EVERYONE!