Silence suffocated the room.
Ethan's pulse hammered as he scanned the bloodstained walls. Something else was here.
Not outside. Inside.
Blaze's fur bristled, golden eyes locked on the farthest corner of the room—where the shadows were too deep.
Then—a breath.
Soft. Raspy. Not human.
Ethan's grip on his rifle tightened. "Come out."
Noah raised his gun. Olivia moved into position.
And then—it moved.
The Turned
A figure stumbled forward. Once human. Not anymore.
The infection had warped it beyond recognition—joints twisted, bones protruding beneath pale, rotting flesh. Its fingers had elongated into claws, and its eyes…
They were still human.
And filled with agony.
The dying woman gasped. "H-He was… one of us."
Ethan didn't hesitate. "Not anymore."
The creature lunged.
Fight or Die
Noah fired first—a direct hit to the chest. The thing barely flinched.
Blaze struck next, electricity crackling as he slammed into it. The monster reeled, but didn't fall.
Then it moved—too fast.
It was behind Olivia in an instant.
Claws slashed. She dodged, barely—her jacket ripped, blood beading on her arm.
Ethan aimed for the head. One clean shot.
The bullet struck—but the creature didn't go down.
Its mouth twisted into something almost like a smile.
And then—it spoke.
"You can't stop it."
A chill raced down Ethan's spine. They don't talk. They NEVER talk.
What the hell was happening?
The Final Shot
Olivia didn't hesitate.
She emptied an entire clip into its skull.
The thing finally dropped, twitching violently before going still.
Silence returned, thick and suffocating.
Ethan exhaled. "That wasn't normal."
Noah wiped sweat from his brow. "No kidding."
Olivia reloaded. "We need answers. Now."
Ethan turned back to the dying woman. She knew something.
But she was barely holding on.
She grabbed his wrist, her grip unnaturally strong. Her lips trembled as she forced out her final words.
"It's waking up."
Ethan frowned. "What is?"
Her eyes darkened.
"The first one."
Then—she was gone.
Ethan's stomach twisted.
The first one.
The original infected. The source.
And if it was waking up…
They were already out of time.