Night had already fallen over Viremont City when Chelsea finally left the headquarters of Alps Builders.
Kevin had tossed his apartment keys to her earlier with his usual careless attitude.
"Go to my condo," he said. "Grab some clothes. Mine and yours."
Chelsea didn't like the idea of going out alone, especially with the disturbing news spreading everywhere. But Kevin didn't seem worried at all, and she didn't want to argue.
Besides, she had her own thoughts about the situation.
The underground parking garage felt unnervingly quiet as she walked toward Kevin's car.
Her footsteps echoed softly across the concrete floor.
Chelsea quickly got inside the vehicle and locked the doors before starting the engine.
The silence made her uneasy.
For a moment she just sat there, gripping the steering wheel.
"It's fine," she muttered to herself.
The news always exaggerated things.
At least that's what she kept telling herself.
She drove out of the garage and headed toward Kevin's condominium.
---
Kevin's condo building stood in one of the wealthier residential districts of Viremont City.
Normally the area stayed lively late into the evening.
Tonight felt different.
Some restaurants were already closed.
Police cars occasionally passed through the streets.
Chelsea swallowed nervously as she parked outside the building.
The earlier news reports replayed in her mind.
Bites.
Violence.
Infected people attacking others.
She shook her head.
"People are just panicking."
Still, she hurried inside the building and took the elevator up to Kevin's floor.
When she unlocked the condominium door, the familiar smell of Kevin's place greeted her.
Messy.
Expensive.
And completely disorganized.
Chelsea stepped inside and immediately headed to the bedroom.
She pulled a large duffel bag from the closet and began stuffing Kevin's clothes into it.
Shirts.
Jeans.
Jackets.
She barely folded anything.
"Typical Kevin," she muttered.
He always relied on other people to clean up after him.
Once the bag was nearly full, she zipped it shut.
Then she moved to the small closet where she kept a few spare outfits for when she stayed overnight.
Chelsea began pulling out dresses and casual clothes.
But then her hand paused on something else.
A delicate black lace lingerie set.
Her lips curved into a slow smile.
Her thoughts drifted to Kevin.
The empty office building.
Long quiet nights.
Her expression turned mischievous.
"Why not?"
She carefully folded the lingerie and slipped it into the bag.
Chelsea zipped it again, feeling oddly pleased.
Then she headed toward the kitchen.
Kevin's food supply was disappointing.
The pantry shelves were almost empty.
Still, she grabbed whatever she could find.
A few instant meals.
Snack packs.
Bottled drinks.
She stuffed them into another bag.
"Kevin really should've stocked up," she muttered.
Finally, with both bags ready, she headed for the door.
---
The elevator ride down felt strangely quiet.
When Chelsea stepped outside into the parking area, a cool night breeze brushed against her skin.
She walked toward Kevin's car.
Her keys jingled softly as she pressed the unlock button.
The headlights blinked.
That was when she noticed something.
A woman standing several meters away near the edge of the parking lot.
Chelsea slowed.
The woman looked… wrong.
Her body was slouched forward.
Her head hung low.
Her hair partially covered her face.
Chelsea frowned.
"Is she drunk?"
She tried to ignore it and continued toward the car.
Her keys made a small metallic sound as she grabbed the handle.
Click.
The door unlocked.
At that exact moment..
The woman's head jerked upward.
Chelsea froze.
She could see the woman's face now.
Her eyes were almost completely red.
Thick saliva dripped from her mouth.
Her lips twitched in a strange, hungry expression.
It was the look of a predator spotting prey.
Chelsea's heart slammed in her chest.
The woman suddenly sprinted toward her.
Fast.
Too fast.
"Oh my God!"
Chelsea yanked the car door open and threw herself inside.
She slammed the door and locked it instantly.
The woman crashed against the side of the car with a deep, animalistic growl.
Her hands slapped against the glass window.
Her mouth pressed against it.
Chelsea screamed.
The woman's teeth scraped across the glass as she snarled like a wild animal.
Her red eyes stared directly at Chelsea.
Hungry.
Desperate.
The woman slammed against the car again, drool dripping down the window.
Chelsea's hands trembled violently.
"What the hell is wrong with her?!"
The woman clawed at the door handle, growling like she wanted to tear the metal apart.
Chelsea fumbled with the keys and started the engine.
"I need to get out!"
The engine roared to life.
But the woman had moved in front of the vehicle.
Reaching.
Snarling.
Chelsea panicked.
She slammed her foot on the accelerator.
The car lurched forward.
THUD.
The woman was thrown onto the hood before falling to the ground.
Chelsea gasped when she saw blood smear across the windshield.
"Oh God…"
Her breathing became frantic.
She quickly reversed the car and sped out of the parking lot.
But when she glanced into the rearview mirror..
Her stomach dropped.
The woman was moving.
Slowly at first.
Then suddenly..
She stood up.
One of her arms bent at a horrible angle.
Bones clearly broken.
Yet she started running.
Chasing the car.
Chelsea screamed.
"No—no—no!"
The woman sprinted after the vehicle with terrifying speed despite her injuries.
Chelsea pressed harder on the accelerator.
Eventually the figure disappeared behind her.
But her hands still shook uncontrollably on the steering wheel.
"What was that…"
---
Later that night inside the bunker, Mia sat quietly in the monitoring room watching the news.
Her expression slowly darkened.
The broadcast showed flashing police lights and barricaded streets in Viremont City.
The reporter spoke urgently.
"Authorities confirm that the number of infected bite cases in the city has increased."
Mia leaned forward slightly.
So it had begun.
Footage showed police closing several streets after multiple reports of violent attacks.
People were running through the background.
Ambulances arrived one after another.
"Several areas are now under temporary lockdown," the reporter continued. "Residents are advised to remain indoors and avoid unnecessary travel."
Another warning appeared on screen.
"If you see individuals displaying symptoms such as bleeding gums, dark veins, or aggressive behavior, do not approach them."
Mia crossed her arms.
The outbreak was spreading exactly as she expected.
But something bothered her.
Some victims would hide their bites.
People would avoid hospitals out of fear.
Afraid of being labeled infected.
Afraid of quarantine.
And that fear would make everything worse.
Outside, parts of Viremont City were already descending into chaos.
The infected numbers were still small.
But many people had already been bitten.
And the night was far from over.
Mia stared at the screen quietly.
The nightmare had already begun.