Chapter 1: Betrayal
“Run!”
A scream echoed through the deserted street. Several figures, fleeing in disarray, were pursued by thousands of relentless zombies. Their vacant, bulging eyes were bloodshot white, their tattered clothes ragged, their mangled limbs emitting a foul stench. The grotesque horde pressed closer, their decaying bodies a horrifying wave.
“There’s a car ahead! Hurry!” a voice cried out, surprised and hopeful.
Instantly, the group changed direction, sprinting towards a vehicle.
“No, the zombies are catching up!” Su Mo gasped, her voice strained, her breath coming in ragged gasps as the relentless pursuit closed in.
“What do we do? What do we do? I don’t want to die!” A thin girl, Qian Li, the most timid of the group, cried, her eyes wide with terror and tears.
On the empty street, no one answered her. Only the pounding of frantic footsteps filled the air.
As the zombies closed in, Qian Li trembled, her pace faltering. Her foot caught on a piece of debris: “Ah…”
The others glanced back at Qian Li, their faces etched with fear and a flicker of conflict. They caught a glimpse of the approaching horde and, without hesitation, continued their desperate flight.
This was the apocalypse. Friendship and morality were luxuries. Survival was the only imperative. Living was paramount. There was no blame, only the harsh reality that weakness was a death sentence. This was the law of the jungle.
Lying on the ground, Qian Li watched her companions mercilessly abandon her, hate blossoming in her heart.
Suddenly, a loud voice boomed, “You go to the car. I’ll draw the zombies away with Qian Li. They’re too close; we can’t reach the car.”
Without a second thought, Su Mo turned and pulled Qian Li to her feet, dragging her in another direction. The others, seized by a desperate urgency, charged towards the vehicle.
Qian Li, initially bracing for death, felt a wave of fear. But Su Mo had turned back to save her. She knew Su Mo would never abandon her. “Mo Mo, thank you,” she whispered, her voice trembling with relief.
The wind howled in their ears. Su Mo smiled faintly. “You’re my only sister. No need for thanks between us.”
In Su Mo’s heart, her parents were gone, her only brother had died protecting her. Only Qian Li remained by her side. She considered Qian Li as her own sister.
Perhaps it was trust, perhaps the urgency of escape, but Su Mo didn’t notice the strange glint in Qian Li’s eyes.
A screech of tires, sparks flying, cut through the air. “Quick, get in, hurry!”
Su Mo and Qian Li’s eyes lit up with hope. The door of a van swung open, revealing a dirt-smeared boy, hesitant to leave the vehicle. His gaze, fixed on the closing zombies, was filled with desperate urgency. “Su Mo, hurry!”
Su Mo looked at Qian Li’s injured foot, then at the approaching horde, her breath ragged. She gritted her teeth, releasing Qian Li’s hand. “Run! I’ll buy you time.”
Turning, Su Mo stood firm, raising her hand. A purple light pulsed, the stench of decay intensified, and a determined look hardened her features. “Lightning Strike, go!”
“Don’t waste your abilities!” a furious shout erupted from a boy in the passenger seat.
But it was too late. A thick purple bolt of energy, crackling with immense power, surged towards the zombies. He glared furiously at Qian Li, who was already nearing the van.
Su Mo tightened her lips, seeing Qian Li safely inside the vehicle. She poured every ounce of her energy into the attack. The thick purple lightning, draining most of her power, slammed into the leading zombies, gouging a massive crater in the ground.
Seeing her chance, Su Mo, fueled by her remaining strength, desperately ran towards the van, her relentless pursuers quickly filling the crater.
The van slowly pulled away. The dirty boy’s eyes were wide, his hand outstretched, urgently calling, “Hurry!”
Su Mo, gasping for breath, lunged for his hand, but missed several times, her strength fading. The van accelerated, the zombies drawing closer. Suddenly, a zombie lunged at her.
“Su Mo!”
A scream of terror and panic erupted. Just as she thought she would die, at the very last second, Su Mo leaped, grabbing the van door and seizing the life-saving hand.
Turning, she saw the lunging zombie crushed underfoot by the surging horde, a wry smile touching her lips. It seemed her luck still held.
She finally stepped into safety, Qian Li pulling her inside. The boy started to close the door, and a wave of relief washed over Su Mo.
Then, disaster struck. A scream pierced the air, her grip slipped, and she tumbled out.
Her eyes widened, staring at the van speeding away. A voice echoed softly in her ears: Your existence is my nightmare.
_______________