"Is it over?"
"No, I don't think so"
As if on cue, Daniel started to spasm all over, startling Alex and Melanie who were by his side. Mel was the first to act. She turned to face him, and Alex stepped away from the man, a worried look on her face.
"Daniel! Daniel! What's wrong?" Daniel's body dropped onto the floor, knees first and his seizure only grew worse. Mel knelt down beside him, frightened, afraid to lose her husband.
They had been lucky enough to be staying in an estate, where there were no high-rise buildings, but the three of them began to wonder if maybe they were being too optimistic.
Sarah took the initiative and started a seizure first aid routine on Daniel, while the frightened Alex, Mel and quiet Adrien worriedly stood a step back to give the patient breathing space.
"Someone call for help!"
Adrien took out his mobile phone, tried to switch on the screen but, "It won't turn on."
He looked to Alex and Mel, who had also brought out their mobile phones, and from the looks on their faces he could tell that the same thing was wrong with theirs.
This went on for thirty seconds straight right till Daniel's seizure stopped, but then his body suddenly went completely quiet.
Sarah went ahead and checked his pulse by his neck only to come up with nothing. Her eyes widened, and then glistened, tears threatened to spill from her eyes.
She turned to look at the other three in the room. And when they saw the look on her face, they all knew.
They felt their hearts stop for a moment, as they watched the man they all knew, respected and loved die right in front of them.
A quiet choke was heard first as Mel's light sobs began to echo in the otherwise quiet room.
Before any words could be spoken however, Daniel's body stirred a moment later, his eyes suddenly opened, but the black pupils were no longer there, his eyes were now completely white.
His skin had gone completely pale, the glint of recognition the rest of the people in the room were expecting to see on him never came.
"Daniel?" Melanie asked, an expectant look adorned her devasted features
Instead, a bone chilling grin appeared on Daniel's face. The expression he wore was anything but pleasant. It was the kind a predator would give to its prey when about to hunt it down.
He let out a subtle growl, flexed his abdomen and then lunged at Melanie, headed straight for her head. Startled, Mel tried to jump back and tripped on her own feet before awkwardly tumbling to the ground, causing 'Daniel's strike to miss her entirely'
She scrambled to get back up and made some distance between the 'monster 'and her. His lunging hand arm got a hold of a vase of roses stationed on a small desk in the room.
'Smash!'
A loud breaking sound echoed in the room as the ceramic vase splattered onto the floor.
"Get back that is not Daniel!" Adrien spoke as he pulled the frozen pair of Sarah and Alex. They were still within his reach. Mel had scrambled to get away from him when he first attacked.
'Daniel' looked back at the retreating trio, a malevolent glint in his eyes.
Doom! PA! PA! PA!
His body suddenly grew in size, doubling in height and mass, instantly bringing down the ceiling above them before doubling up again, straight up shooting through the roof.
HISSSSS!
Adrien, Sarah and Alex collectively drew in a cold, sharp breath, their hearts breaking. Even though Adrien had said it before, they did not want to believe it, but with the proof right before them. He was no longer human. The bulging, hulking mass in front of them was not the man they once knew.
"Get out of the house now!"
Getting their wits about them, they began to run towards the front door, breaths hitched. They were still mostly functioning on the adrenaline, on autopilot. It was difficult for them to process what was going on.
From the time the apocalypse descended, up to what was happening to Daniel, not even an hour had passed.
Adrien, Sarah, and Alex sprinted down the driveway, their breaths coming in ragged gasps. The ground trembled beneath their feet as the monstrous figure that was once Daniel tore through the house, debris flying in all directions.
Adrien looked back at the house to find the gigantic 'human' bringing down the whole house and walking towards them. He could feel his heart beating faster and faster every minute.
"Keep moving!" Adrien shouted; his voice barely audible over the cacophony of destruction behind them. "We need to find shelter!"
They reached the end of the driveway and darted into the dense forest that bordered the estate. The trees provided some cover, but the sound of Daniel's transformation and the destruction of the house still echoed through the air.
Signs of the fissures and destruction were visible everywhere, tress uprooted, plain patches of land were made in various places of the forest where land seemed to have 'appeared out of nowhere. Rubble and plants mixed in the devastation.
As they ran deeper into the forest, the adrenaline began to wear off, and the reality of their situation set in. Sarah stumbled, her legs giving out beneath her. Mel and Alex quickly helped her to her feet, their faces etched with worry.
"We can't stop now," Adrien urged, his eyes scanning the surroundings for any sign of danger. Loud booms continued to echo on their trail "We need to keep moving."
Sarah nodded, her face pale and streaked with tears. "I know, but... my brother?"
"I'm sorry Sarah but he's gone. We all saw what he's become." He spoke, his gaze shifting to Mel and Alex, to get the point across to them as well. They all looked equally devastated.
"Why are you so...Calm?" Alex suddenly snapped.
Adrien didn't answer, he just calmly looked her in the eye. An awkward silence took hold of the atmosphere. the silence went on for seconds before Adrien spoke again.
"Let's move, not the city though. I imagine Daniel is not the only person to..., well you get what I'm trying to say."
"So, what, we just keep running and hope we get lucky enough to stumble upon a safe place, or some sort of refuge?" Alex's voice quivered, betraying her fear and exhaustion.
"Yes," Adrien replied firmly, "We need to stay away from populated centres. If Daniel is a sign of what's happening, the cities will be crawling with… whatever that was. We'll keep to the outskirts and search for anything defensible."
Mel squeezed Sarah's hand tightly as they resumed their relentless pace through the dark forest, branches scratching their arms and legs. The sounds of destruction faded gradually, but the haunting image of Daniel's transformation lingered in their minds his laughter, that horrific grin.
As Adrien, Mel, Sarah, and Alex navigated through the thick underbrush, a sense of unease lingered. Each snapping twig sounded overly loud in the seemingly deserted forest.
It was well after hours by now. Exhaustion was starting to seep in.
Hours passed, filled with silence and a near-constant anxiety, when, in the distance, they heard a faint sound, roars and mechanical noises and collective footsteps that hinted at something more organized in the dead of night.
"Do you hear that?" Alex whispered, a mix of hope and caution lighting her eyes.
"Yes," Adrien replied, straining to catch the sound. "Let's move quietly toward it."
They moved carefully, sticking to the shadows provided by the trees. Eventually, they reached a slight clearing, and from there, they spotted a group clad in military gear, patrolling cautiously.
The sight sent a rush of relief and apprehension through the group of four—it felt like a double-edged sword.
As they watched, the soldiers communicated through hand signals, scanning the area with tension etched on their faces.
One of them, a tall figure with dark hair and a serious expression, seemed to shout something.
"Stay back, let's observe first" Adrien urged, but as he turned to lead the group away
SNAP!
A sudden movement shattered the tension. One of the soldiers had noticed them.
"Hold it!" the soldier shouted, aiming his weapon in their direction. "Identify yourselves!"
"We're survivors!" Adrien called out, raising his hands to show they meant no harm. "We're just passing by!"
The soldiers exchanged glances, their expressions softening slightly. After a tense moment, the same soldier stepped closer. "You're lucky we didn't fire. The forest hasn't been safe."
"We know," Mel said, stepping forward cautiously. "We saw… things, horrors. We lost someone to it." Her voice trembled slightly.
"You mean our fellow humans turning into those, monsters..."
"Damn, how did you survive that? Those things are stronger than your normal human." another soldier said, lowering his weapon but keeping it at the ready. "We've been searching for survivors and taking care of the beasts. The military has been trying to evacuate folks to a base nearby. If you're with us, we can get you to safety. Follow me."
The four exchanged glances. With a silent nod from Adrien leading the way, they permitted themselves to follow.
As they trekked through the woods, the soldiers guided them with an urgency that suggested they were on a tight schedule. They traversed winding trails; the air was filled with the scent of pine and dirt mingled with something more man-made a whiff of diesel and steel.
After about an hour, they approached a clearing that housed a makeshift military camp, complete with tents and barricades. The area buzzed with activity; soldiers and civilians were milling about, sharing resources, helping those who needed medical attention. It was still the day after everything went to hell after all.
Behind the makeshift camp was the old military base they all knew as an old landmark. The military base close to Metropolis.
"Welcome to Camp Bastion," the soldier—the one who had first spotted them—said with a hint of pride. "It's not perfect, but it's safe."
As they entered, a medley of voices greeted them. Adrien took a moment to absorb the scene, relief washing over him like a tide. Families were gathered, children were laughing, and the persistent sound of generators hummed in the background, a reminder that life—however precarious—continued.
The resilience of children knew no bounds. Most of them had probably lost friends, family and relatives, and yet here they were, laughing and playing in the middle of a planet wide disaster. It was even though they were the most probable to cry and weep first when those close to them died, they were also quick to recover.
Considering that people were camping outside the walled structure, the inside was most probably completely packed with people seeking refuge by now.
"Get these folks some food and water," the soldier instructed a nearby medic, whose eyes widened slightly at their state. "."
Adrien was only now noticing that their clothes were now torn in various places, probably from the chase and running through the forest. Bruises and grime covered their skin where and clothes.
"Thank you," Sarah whispered, her voice cracking as she finally allowed herself a moment of vulnerability in the face of safety.
A younger soldier, a man in his twenties escorted them to a tent set aside for new arrivals. Once inside, they offered the group food and blankets. And, for the first time since the apocalypse began, they felt a glimmer of comfort wash over them.
They all let out a collective sigh of relief as they crashed onto different corners of the moderately sized tent.
"I can't believe we made it," Mel murmured, sinking onto a makeshift bed as exhaustion overtook her. "..."
"Yeah"
It was then the reality of the situation set in.
Daniel had 'died' essentially. They could not consider him alive anymore. That much was clear.
"...So, wh... what will happen to us now, what should we do?"
"We have to stick together," Adrien affirmed, a newfound strength swelling in his chest. "We have to do all we can to survive, remember what that woman from before said?" They all nodded.
Adrien hesitated, before continuing, "And hopefully we don't have to face another confrontation like the one with Daniel."
Noone touched the food they were given. It just wouldn't go down as well. So, they silently grieved in silence, the occasional sobs echoing in the tent.
Until eventually Mel, Sarah and Alex drifted off to sleep, maybe hoping that when they woke up the next day, it would all be nothing but a terrifying nightmare.
Adrien remained wide awake and alert in his sleeping bag. His hands folded below his head for a makeshift pillow. He was staring at the roof of the tent, numerous thoughts churning inside his head.
"What to do?"
Even as he was lying there on the hard floor, he found his heart still beating continuously fast, it hadn't slowed down from before.
'Am I... excited?' He found himself wondering. It was a weird feeling, a foreign feeling. A concept he hadn't touched upon in ages.
Maybe it was wrong to feel excited considering everything that had happened. But his intuition told him that this was only the beginning. Even more so considering the weird voice that had echoed before the destruction began.
Removing his right hand from under his head, he brought it up to his face, scanning the bruises on his fingertips from all the lab work. He then twisted his palm upward, and straightened his arm, and grabbed at something invisible.
HUUUUUUUU!
Letting out a long breath, he closed his eyes.
'Stay strong'
Giving himself a silent vow, he soon fell asleep and joined the others in dreamland.