"This is from an emergency channel of a containment zone of recent events. Do not—repeat—do not engage with the infected people. Due to a virus outbreak, the containment zone has reported that both the infected and those outside the zone are incurable due to the virus being in the filtered drinkable water. As such be far away from those acting aggressively, do not—repeat—do not drink any red water..."
A spokeswoman has stated before looking at the mug beside her,
"Uh.. did anyone use the tap water to refill?"
A voice answered inaudibly, before bloodcurdling screams were heard behind the camera.
"I-Im... W-What..."
The spokeswoman started having a mental breakdown as if seeing something. Then—
Her eyes, for a split second, had a ringed halo at the pupils—red. She then began to get aggressive.
"Turn it off!"
A male voice demanded. The screen went black. Then went on to another news channel.
-
I was surprised.
The rest of my team members, were also surprised.
We weren't scared, just surprised.
"What the hell?" Zack spoke outloud first, breaking the silence that eloped the living room.
"That shouldn't be possible, ZV-SR09 shouldn't be tested outside the facility!" Luke was aggressive, as usual, but he was right.
"Lets just calm down, for now,"
I spoke calmly and softly. A ting of tiredness was there.
"I'm sure the core members are trying to find a cure, though how long it will take? Not sure." I shook my head.
"Additionally, the Black Rovers and other squadrons are probably dealing with the infected in the more... unfortunate.. circumstances." I added, the aggression went down.
"R-Right," Violet spoke with a nod. "Team leader is right. The core members have already started on a cure!"
"Im not sure myself..." Astra speak with caution,
"Not to be rude. It took seven years to reach to variant 9, it's so complicated that it will take another seven to actually make a cure. By then, the world would be in ruin."
I noticed a small smirk before it went away.
"Shit..." Luke grunted.
"Alright then, with that confirmation from Astra herself. We should probably prepare ourselves."
I spoke as I clapped a bit to get their attention.
"For a record, I barely remember much on survival stuff but we need to collect important supplies. Documentations, Clothing, Canned or Dry frozen food, toiletries, and anything to keep us entertained. Additional we should collect some sort of weapons to arm ourselves for when the infected come near us."
I announced clearly as possible, as calmly as possible—mainly for the certain aggressive man.
"Got it." They replied back, they scurried off to collect the needed things.
I gave a soft smile, 'Astra. What did you do?'
« That was 3 weeks ago.
It's been 3 weeks since everything went to hell.
3 weeks of survival itself; brutal truths, brutal lies, and brutal betrayals left and right.
– I've managed to secure a stay with shelter 6, a budding, yet already established place. With my team of course.
'Would you call this a team now?' I thought. I decided to write my thoughts down once things calmed down, I held a notebook.
– Just a few days before the whole infected came out, we were apart of a top secret project. It involved with the 'Crimson Halo' virus. Or that's what people are saying nowadays.
– Though..
I glanced to Astra. 'I've suspected she is involved with everything. I've noticed her... changes recently.'
– My team member from the project, I've been watching her movements the most. Everything she does and says, are always calculated.
– She also speaks to people, those who've started the shelter. Im not gonna point fingers just yet, not until she shows herself.
"Cassius, almost time to go." Zack called out.
"Got it." I placed the notebook in my backpack.
I immediately placed my backpack on and headed out with the others.
– We are apart of a scavenging team of 10, each person is responsible for themselves. Not only that, she speaks to the leader more often then she did to me.
– I feel like.. she is planning something. Zack and Violet are the only ones speaking to me, Luke? He ended up dying during the 2nd week.
– She only speaks when necessary. Calculated even.
"Hey, Cass. Do you think Astra is up to something? I've noticed ever since we joined the shelter that she has stopped speaking to us. She had also ditched us a 5 days into this hell." Zack whispered to me and Violet.
"Yes. If anything, be prepared." I replied back.
"Astra was also quick to participate in ZV's creation..." Violet added.
I grimaced at the thought, I noticed too.
It takes people to know one, it took me 3 years to notice of her activities during the project. She is clever enough to fool those around her.
'Just what is she planning...' I thought to myself.
– My intuition is telling me something, but i can't figure out what.
– I don't like dealing with people like her. Too difficult to maintain any relationships.
– Zack and Violet have caught on as well.
– I feel deeply uneasy. I'll quickly hid my current backpack, and make a different backpack of worthless things.
– Dr. Vale always said to follow your intuition abd gut feeling, no mater how good or bad a situation is.
We stopped at an neighbourhood of houses,
"We'll rest here for the night!" The scout leader announced. "We'll divide in groups again."
Me, Zack, Violet, Astra, and Max are always in the same group. Max is the leader and someone from the direct involvement of Shelter 6.
Once we got into a house, we split up to secure the place.
I found a hidden place when i was searching, as well as a bag similar to mine.
I grinned as I quickly placed my backpack in the hidden place, located in the bedroom I've claimed. The hanging picture.
I've also scavenged for some worthless things, placing it in the backpack to match the weight i was carrying then.
"Tch.." I grunted.
Placing my rifle, revolver and shotgun—ammos are in my correct backpack—beside it with a pocket knife hanging like my own.
"Thank god i have others in my backpack.." I muttered inaudibly.
"All clear outside!" Max and Zack shouted.
"Clear on ground floor!" Violet announced.
"All Clear in basement!" Astra announced.
"Clear up on second floor!" I added lastly.
We finally met in the livingroom, ate a ration of food—given by the leader.
I was suspicious, but still ate it. My body felt a wave of tiredness, I noticed Zack and Violet having a similar reaction. Max and Astra were fine.
'They didn't touch the food.'
I started to fall asleep, though, I heard Astra, barely.
"...Get...Infected...Go."
The last words after falling asleep.