Adrian browsed the internet and scoured his newsfeed with relevant information. He saw news covering the sudden mass hysteria this afternoon.
Not only that, it's not only happening in the Philippines, it's happening to other countries. The United States, China, Japan, Korea, Europe, every major nation and their cities were experiencing the same event.
He scrolled down and saw GMA News covering a live speech of the President.
He tapped on it and watched it.
"We are aware of the developing events happening in every major city in the Philippines. I am advising my fellow countrymen to stay indoors at all times and wait for help. I have already mobilized the Armed Forces and the Police to swiftly respond to the situation. And also, I am declaring a state of emergency to the whole country effective immediately," the President continued.
"Do not spread misinformation. Stay calm and remain indoors. Help is—"
The audio crackled.
For a second, the image distorted into blocks of color. The President's face froze mid-sentence. Someone shouted off-camera. The microphone picked up hurried footsteps.
The feed cut to static.
Adrian blinked and refreshed the stream.
Nothing.
He tried again. The page wouldn't load.
Then for the last time, the page itself told him that the live video had ended.
He backed out and opened another news app. The headlines were updating too fast to read properly.
BREAKING: Major cities under lockdown
Reports of violent attacks nationwide
Hospitals overwhelmed
Clips were autoplayed. Shaky phone footage of police forming barricades, then abandoning them as crowds surged. Another video showed soldiers firing into the air while civilians scattered. Somewhere overseas, a helicopter hovered above a freeway choked with abandoned vehicles.
Every feed showed the same thing. What should have been a work of fiction, were now happening in real life.
Wait, how about his family? He has a little sister, a mother, and a father. His little sister, at this hour, should be in her school. His mother and father went on a vacation on Boracay. Which means…his little sister is in danger.
He pulled up his contacts in his phone and tapped Bea's icon. It rang once, and twice, and thrice.
The line clicked.
"Brother?!"
Her voice came through broken and shaking. He could hear people screaming in the background. Something slammed loudly, followed by a burst of crying.
"Bea!" Adrian pressed the phone tighter to his ear. "Where are you? Are you okay?"
"I—I'm in school!" she sobbed. "Brother, they're outside! Everyone's running, they're biting people—" Her voice cracked. "I'm scared…"
"Hey, hey, listen to me," Adrian said quickly. "Where exactly are you right now? Classroom? Hallway?"
"We're in the classroom," she said between breaths. "Teacher locked the door. Some students are crying. We can hear them outside… Kuya, they're banging on the doors…"
"Shit…" Adrian cursed under his breath. So that means her only protection right now was the door, and once it gave away, zombies would flood in the room and kill everyone.
"Brother…am I going to die?"
"You are not going to die!" Adrian said, louder than he meant to. He forced himself to steady his voice. "Listen to me, Bea. Stay inside that classroom okay? Do what your teacher told you. I'm going to come…"
"Really brother?" Bea asked with a hopeful tone.
Adrian couldn't reply. How was he going to save his little sister? He was too far away. By the time he would reach the school, it might be too late. And not to mention the fact about how he would get there alive? It's too dangerous, it's impossible.
"Brother?"
Adrian's tears trickled down his cheek. He was powerless. It was too careless to say that and give her hope.
He collapsed to his knees while Bea was speaking through the phone.
"Brother…are you still there?"
"I'm here…" Adrian answered in a low voice.
He wiped his face with the back of his hand, forcing air into his lungs.
"Are you going to come…brother? How would you come here?"
"I don't know…I'll find a way," Adrian replied, his voice breaking. "What room are you in?"
"Room 2304…" Bea answered.
"Bea, I don't know if I could make it there. But if you find a chance to escape there with your teacher or your classmate, you take it. I will come there regardless and find you…"
Deep inside, Adrian doesn't know if he could make it there. He just escaped what seemed to be impossible odds and him returning there meant death sentence.
But he knew this could also calm her down. A tiny bit of hope could make a person keep going.
"…Okay…" Bea whispered.
He could hear her breathing slow just a little, like she was holding onto those words.
Suddenly, the line was cut off. He quickly looked at the display of his phone to figure out why and he saw that his promo had expired.
Then a sound came from above, he looked out of the window and saw a helicopter approaching the rooftop of the building. From the looks of it, it looked like an army Black Hawk helicopter.
Wait he could get up there, be rescued, and then inform the authorities to rescue his little sister and her teacher and classmates. A renewed hope flared in his chest.
Adrian shot to his feet and he ran.
His shoes slammed against the marble as he sprinted down the hallway, eyes scanning every sign above the doors.
There.
A metal door at the end of the corridor.
ROOFTOP ACCESS. He slammed his shoulder, opening it forcefully. Inside, there's another stair leading up to the door leading to another metal door.
Adrian took the steps two at a time, lungs burning, the helicopter's roar growing louder with every stride. The stairwell vibrated faintly under his feet.
He reached the top landing and grabbed the handle.
Locked.
"Come on…" he muttered, rattling it hard.
The door didn't budge.
There was a narrow reinforced window set into the metal. Adrian pressed his face close and looked through.
People.
Eight of them stood on the rooftop — men and one woman in business suits, clothes whipping in the rotor wash. Two armed guards stood near the helipad.
They saw him.
One guard snapped his weapon up, aiming straight at the door.
Adrian flinched instinctively and threw both hands up.
"I'm not infected!" he shouted through the glass. "Open the door!"
The people outside exchanged quick looks. The helicopter thundered overhead, drowning out most sound. Adrian pounded the door again.
"Please! Let me in!"
One of the suited men, older, gray-haired, stepped forward. He leaned toward the guard, speaking sharply. Adrian couldn't hear the words, but he could read the intent.
The guard didn't lower his weapon.
The old man shook his head.
The guard gestured toward Adrian, uncertain.
The answer came fast.
A firm, dismissive wave.
No.
Adrian felt his stomach drop.
He slammed the door again. "I'm clean! Look at me! I'm not bitten!"
The guard's pistol tracked his movement through the window. The woman in the group turned away, covering her mouth as the helicopter settled lower.
The old man didn't look at Adrian again.
He focused on the aircraft.
"Please!" Adrian shouted. "Help me!"
But they still ignored him.
They hopped inside the helicopter one by one.
"Wait! Please!"
Moments later, the cabin door slid shut.
The engine whine rose.
Adrian's hands slid down the metal. "No… no, no…"
The helicopter lifted, wheels clearing the pad. Dust and grit blasted the window, rattling the frame. Adrian squinted through the swirling haze as the aircraft banked away, shrinking into the sky.
Silence followed. He couldn't believe it.
How could they abandon him even when they saw him begging for help?
"FUCKING SHIT!"
Adrian kicked the door, frustrated. Pain shot up his leg, but he barely felt it.
"They just—" he breathed hard, words dying in his throat. "They just left…"
Then—, there was a sound. Adrian froze as he looked down on the stairs and saw a zombie in a janitorial outfit, and he was also staring back at him.
It smiled creepily and climbed up the stairs in a jerky, uneven crawl.
Adrian's grip tightened on the fire extinguisher.
"Stay back!"
The zombie lunged.
He swung.
The extinguisher smashed into its shoulder instead of its head. The impact spun it sideways, but it didn't fall. It slammed into him with dead weight.
Adrian hit the rooftop door hard.
The air burst out of his lungs.
Cold fingers clamped onto his shirt. The zombie's face snapped forward, jaws opening wide. He smelled rot like he could puke from it.
"Get off!" Adrian shouted.
He jammed the extinguisher between them just as the teeth came down. They scraped metal instead of flesh with a shrill grind. The vibration rattled through his arms.
The zombie pushed harder.
Adrian's boots slid on the concrete. His back scraped against the metal door. The creature's face strained toward his neck, jaw working, drool stringing from its teeth.
He shoved upward with everything he had.
For a heartbeat, nothing changed. Then the pressure shifted.
The extinguisher jammed hard under its chin, forcing its head back. Adrian pushed again, harder this time.
"Get off!" he gasped.
The zombie lost balance.
Adrian twisted his hips and drove forward. The creature stumbled sideways, its grip slipping just enough for him to wrench free. He staggered, nearly falling, but kept his footing.
The zombie lunged again.
Adrian didn't hesitate.
He swung.
The extinguisher smashed into the side of its skull with a dull, heavy crack. The head snapped sideways. The body reeled but didn't drop.
He swung again.
This time the impact rang through his arms. The zombie collapsed onto the stairs, limbs folding under it. Its head struck concrete with a hollow thud.
Adrian raised the extinguisher high and brought it down once more, squashing its head.
Adrian stood there, chest heaving, arms trembling, staring at the body sprawled across the steps. Sweat dripped into his eyes. His ears rang from the force of his own heartbeat.
He waited.
The zombie didn't move again.
Slowly, he backed up until his shoulders hit the locked rooftop door.
He just killed a zombie. It used to be a human but it turned into a monster. Which means, there are more in this building. He didn't expect there would be zombies on this floor but he is not safe in the building anymore.
He rose to his feet and left the staircase, still carrying the fire extinguisher. He looked for a room and there was one at the end of the corridor.
The glass door was half-open.
Adrian stepped in slowly.
The office was quiet like it has never been occupied. Possibly it's a new office space.
He backed toward the door without taking his eyes off the room.
Then he reached behind him and pulled it shut.
The latch clicked.
Adrian immediately locked it.
He tested the handle once… twice… making sure it wouldn't open. Satisfied, he dragged a rolling chair over and wedged it under the handle for good measure.
Only then did he turn back inside.
His grip tightened around the extinguisher as he swept the room with slow steps. He checked behind cubicles, peered under desks, glanced into the pantry. Every shadow made his pulse jump.
Nothing.
Adrian exhaled.
Safe, at least for now.
He set the extinguisher within arm's reach on a desk and leaned forward, palms braced against the surface. His arms trembled from the fight.
But how was he going to get out of here? Much more survived?
He looked around and since the office was fairly new, there's no food supply here that could keep him going. He doesn't even know the layout of the building and exploring around would be dangerous.
"Am I going to die here?"
Then, something mysterious appeared.
[Congratulations! You have been chosen by the administrator to possess a Modern Weapon Gacha System!]
Adrian blinked. He looked at the floating holographic interface before his eyes. He instinctively tried to touch it but his fingers went though like dipping your hands into the surface of the water.
[In this Gacha System, you will be able to test your luck and win ten rewards per draw.]
Reading that, Adrian felt this was too familiar. He was an avid anime watcher and light novel reader. This sounds like a main character receiving cheat powers. Is it the same case here?
[Would you like to take a spin?]
The system asked.
A tab appeared, this time a yes or no prompt.