The young man was walking briskly to his workplace after leaving the cafeteria. Just as his phone began to ring, he took it out of his pocket and held it to his ear.
— Director, where are you? You're taking too long — said the concerned voice of his secretary on the other end of the line.
The young man loosened his tie slightly with a mechanical movement, as if the knot was beginning to choke him. His response, however, was calm, almost indifferent..
— I'm close. Prepare me a change of clothes.
There was a brief silence on the other end of the line, long enough for his secretary to try to process the request.
— Clothes? Did something happen?
The young man let out a tired sigh and, with a hint of annoyance, replied as his fingers brushed the edge of the still-damp stain on his shirt.
— Someone spilled coffee on me.
There was a brief silence, but this time it was followed by an open, warm, carefree laugh.
—Did someone dare to do that to the great director?
He closed his eyes for a moment, restraining the urge to frown.
—Just do as I asked —he muttered resignedly.
After a brief exchange and some pleasantries, he hung up the call, putting his phone away. It was then that something jolted him. His brow furrowed, his body tensed almost imperceptibly. His fingers dipped into the empty pocket and a dull discomfort settled in his chest. He checked the other pocket quickly, but didn't find what he was looking for.
Damn.
A grimace of frustration came over his face as he realized he'd left his secretary's card forgotten in the cafeteria. He clicked his tongue, annoyed with himself. Wasting no time, he spun on his heels with a determined movement to return for her, his sleek silhouette silhouetted against the bustling street.
Just as he was a few feet from the establishment, a deep, dry rumble shook the air, vibrating in his bones like a distant roar that shook the very earth. He stopped dead in his tracks, his breath catching in his throat. For an instant that seemed eternal, his senses sharpened and every fiber of his body tensed. A plume of black smoke rose quickly from a nearby street, rising into the sky like a dark omen.
Before he could process it, the screams began.
A chorus of piercing shrieks filled the streets, tearing through the calm with a violence that made his skin crawl. His gaze darkened and he turned quickly toward the source of the chaos. People, once busy going about their daily routines, were now running uncontrolled in all directions. Some were stumbling, others were brutally shoving each other without looking back, as if an invisible shadow was devouring them.
From the cafeteria, Arika and Reize had also heard it. They looked at each other uneasily before rushing out into the street.
—Run! Run! —shouted a man with a wild look on his face, mercilessly shoving anyone who got in his way.
The young man raised an arm and managed to stop one of the fleeing men. His grip was firm, authoritative.
—What's going on? —he asked in a low, controlled voice, but with an edge of urgency that he could not hide.
The stranger looked at him with wild eyes and a cold sweat on his face. His breath was ragged and his body trembled uncontrollably.
—The…the people… —he stammered in a whisper— they're... they're eating each other…
A shiver ran down her spine like an electric current. He let go of the man with a jerk and spun quickly, seeing Arika and Reize in front of the cafeteria. They too had heard the screams and were now standing motionless, bewilderment painted on their faces. His chest tightened and without a second thought he ran towards them, with firm, determined steps.
He grabbed them by the wrist with force and pulled them both into the room.
— Come in now! — he commanded in a voice that brooked no reply.
The three figures slipped inside and as soon as they crossed the door, he slammed it shut, locking it with trembling hands. For an instant, the world seemed to stop. All that remained was the choppy sound of their shaky breaths, bouncing off the walls of the cafeteria.
The young man leaned his back against the door and let his head fall back, exhaling loudly, trying to control the rush of adrenaline that shook his body.
Arika and Reize watched him with frowns, confusion clearly reflected in their eyes.
— What the hell is wrong with you? — Reize cried, his voice strained and charged with disbelief.
He looked up slowly. His face, always composed and serene, was now grim, hardened by the gravity of what he had just witnessed.
—Something is not right …
Outside the premises, the screams continued to echo in the distance. And with each passing second, they grew closer.
The young man inhaled deeply, trying to calm the unbridled beating of his heart. He ran a hand through his hair, tousling it a bit, and forced himself to focus. She couldn't let herself panic.
He slowly walked over to the window and glanced outside.
What he saw turned his insides inside out.
Only a few feet away, a woman lay on the ground, her legs still convulsing weakly. Above her, a figure was leaning over her, sinking his face into her abdomen. He was not robbing her. It was something more gruesome. It was tearing at her flesh with its teeth, chewing with inhuman ferocity. Blood splattered the sidewalk, forming dark puddles that seemed to swallow the light.
Arika and Reize, who had come up behind him, were petrified at the sight.
—My God… —Reize muttered, putting her trembling hands to her mouth. Her face lost all color and her lips trembled, unable to contain her fear.
Arika, normally calm and controlled, felt her strength leave her. A dry lump formed in her throat and her legs gave way slightly as she took a step back.
The young man abruptly looked away from the window and, with quick, clumsy movements, pulled down the blinds with a jerk.
—Don't stand there! Close all the doors and make sure nothing can get in! —His voice rang out with an authority that shook them out of their stupor.
Although still stunned, Arika and Reize reacted to the firmness of his tone. They hurried to close each entrance, securing the doors and blocking even the secondary exits with whatever they had at hand.
As they worked, he pulled out his phone with still unsteady hands and dialed his secretary's number. The tone rang twice before the familiar unconcerned voice answered:
—Director, what's wrong? Why isn't he here yet?
—Listen to me carefully —his voice, this time, was an urgent whisper—. No matter where you are now, seek shelter immediately. If you don't find one, come to my location as quickly as possible.
—What are you talking about?
—Don't ask questions. Just do as I say. Something terrible is happening in the city.
The silence that followed was tense, thick as a slab.
—Director... you're kidding, right?
Before I could respond, a dull rumble echoed from the other end of the line. Then a scream, high-pitched and piercing, pierced him like an icy needle. And then... the call went dead.
He froze, the phone's dark screen reflecting his hardened expression and his pulse hammering mercilessly. With a knot in his stomach, he hurriedly texted his location, even though he knew deep down that it would probably never be received.
Arika and Reize returned to the counter with burning cheeks and bated breath.
—We locked everything down. There's no way anything's getting in —Arika reported, though her voice reflected more concern than relief.
The young man barely nodded, his jaw muscles tightening. Before he could utter another word, the shouting in the street brutally intensified.
The desperation of the people was palpable.
—Please help me!
—No... no! Get away from me!
—God, I don't want to die!
Shrieks of terror filled the air, mingling with indescribable sounds: frantic footsteps, pounding against doors, sobbing and the chilling sound of flesh being torn.
Reize swallowed hard and looked at him in despair.
— We have to help the people — she said, her voice broken but determined.
—No — he shook his head immediately, his gaze cold.
—But!
—We can't! — he interrupted her with unrelenting firmness—. I know it sounds selfish, but there are already too many of those... monsters out there. If one gets in, it's all over. We can't risk it.
Her words fell like a weight on his back. Reize clenched his fists helplessly, while Arika remained silent, pressing her lips tightly together.
Outside, the chaos continued. Blood stained the streets, people were falling and not getting up. The three closed their eyes, covering their ears with their hands as they tried to block out the screams, the pleas, the unimaginable scenes.
And then, as if the world held its breath....
Silence.
An icy emptiness took over the atmosphere. Arika shivered and Reize whispered in a trembling whisper:
— Are they... are they gone?
No one answered. Because deep inside, all three of them knew the truth.
That silence was not a respite.
It was the calm before the storm.