Jake groaned under the weight of his gear. The hiking pack dug into his shoulders, and the duffel bags dragged at his arms.
Pathetic.
He'd been a recluse since high school—no job, no life, just wasting away in his apartment. Now, his weak body was paying the price.
Then he spotted it: a black scooter lying on its side, keys still in the ignition. Nearby, a skeleton in tattered clothes—its owner hadn't gotten far before the zombies took him down.
Jake righted the bike, kicked the engine to life, and loaded his gear. The noise drew stares from nearby zombies, but none attacked.
He sped down the road, the only living thing bold enough to make noise. Survivors peeked through curtains, but no one called out.
Soon, he reached Riverside Heights—a high-end gated community where the rich parked their Ferraris and Lamborghinis. The kind of place Jake could never afford.
The gate was open. The guard booth? Empty.
He rode straight in, heading for Building 6, Apartment 1401—the address he'd memorized from an old class roster.
Nina . The girl he'd crushed on for years.
The power was out, so the elevator was dead. Jake left most of his supplies by the bike, taking only a few snacks and water as he climbed the stairs.
The building was eerily quiet. Most of the rich residents were probably vacationing overseas when the outbreak hit. The ones who'd turned were trapped inside their luxury condos.
At the 14th floor, he knocked.
No answer.
He pounded harder.
The noise drew zombies from the floors above and below. They shuffled toward him, then lost interest when they saw him.
"Nina? You in there?"
Silence.
Gone?
Just as he turned to leave, the door creaked open.
A woman in an orange silk robe stood there, long legs bare, eyes wide with shock.