The staircase groaned beneath her weight as Arin fled from the madness behind her. Each step echoed like a countdown, every breath sharp and ragged.
She didn't look back.
She couldn't.
The chaos below was a nightmare soaked in blood and screams. The infected weren't just mindless they were something worse. Faster. Smarter. Hungry.
Her heart pounded, but beneath it, something else stirred a rhythm that was unfamiliar, electric.
A voice.
Not aloud, but in her head.
Clear. Precise. Alive.
[System Activated]
Welcome back, Arin Vale.
Level 1 Survival Mode Engaged.
Objectives:
1. Secure a safe area.
2. Gather supplies.
3. Protect yourself at all costs.
Commands available: "Status," "Inventory," "Map," "Skills."
Type your command or ask for help.
Arin froze on the stairs, breath catching.
Her eyes darted around the empty landing.
Is this real?
She bit her lip and whispered, "Status."
[System]
Vital signs: Stable.
Adrenaline: Elevated.
Stress levels: High.
Skill set: Basic survival instincts active.
Current location: East Wing Stairwell, Greenview High School.
Estimated infected in vicinity: Unknown.
The system was neither cold nor distant.
It was like a lifeline something solid she could grip in a world crumbling beneath her.
Her fingers twitched.
"Inventory," she typed mentally.
[System]
Inventory:
Broken ruler (weapon)
Cell phone (damaged)
Backpack (empty)
Notebook (unused)
Her mind raced.
She was alone. Vulnerable. But not helpless.
The system wasn't magic. It wasn't a cheat code.
It was a tool and a partner.
And if she learned to use it, maybe… just maybe…. she could survive.
A soft ping startled her.
New Objective: Find food and water. Gain XP for every successful task.
The idea of XP made her smirk like some game she used to watch others play. But now, it was real.
Her gaze flicked to the stairwell leading upward.
She had no idea what waited above but staying below meant death.
She moved quickly, checking each classroom she passed.
A few desks, a cracked window, a broken chair.
Not much.
But then—
A small first aid kit, half-hidden under a desk.
She grabbed it, heart hammering.
[System]
Item acquired: First aid kit (+10 XP).
Health bonus activated: Minor wound healing over time.
New skill unlocked: Basic First Aid.
Her breath slowed.
She knelt, ripping a strip of cloth from her shirt to wrap around a fresh scrape on her arm.
The system's voice was calm, steady, like a guide who never judged.
She could almost forget the blood dripping down the hallways.
Almost.
Footsteps echoed behind her.
Arin froze, heart skipping.
She hid behind a door, clutching the ruler tight.
The footsteps stopped.
A voice called out, trembling, "Is someone there?"
---
Arin's mind raced.
Should she answer?
The system pulsed gently.
Warning: Unknown human presence. Caution advised.
---
"Who's there?" the voice repeated.
She hesitated.
This was the first real human contact since it all began.
---
The door creaked open slightly.
A boy tall, messy hair, eyes sharp but wary peeked in.
Arin held her breath.
He looked at her, then stepped back, whispering, "We have to get out of here…"
Trust. Or danger? the system prompted silently.
Arin's fingers tightened around the ruler.
This was her world now.
Every step, every choice mattered.
And survival wasn't just about killing monsters.
It was about knowing who to trust.
Could she trust him?
No she couldn't she couldn't trust anyone with her decision set in stone she ignored him took to her feet and ran and surprisingly he didn't pursue after her.
Few Days Later
The school had changed. Not just the silence or the shadows, but something deeper something that twisted the walls and air into a new kind of danger.
Arin moved like a ghost through the empty corridors, each step measured, silent. Her eyes scanned every classroom, every broken locker, every scrap of forgotten paper on the floor.
Her fingers traced the cracked window glass, cold and rough beneath her touch.
The system pulsed softly in her mind, a constant rhythm now.
[System Reminder]: Supplies low. Find food and water.
Her stomach growled. Hunger gnawed like a dark beast.
---
Down the hallway, faint footsteps echoed farther away, but not far enough to ignore.
Arin froze, pressed herself against the wall, breath steady but sharp.
A group of voices carried through the halls low, cautious, organized.
She peeked around the corner.
A small band of survivors moved with purpose armed, alert, the way people tried to look when everything was falling apart.
At their front was a figure she barely caught: tall, strong, shoulders squared like a leader. His movements were precise, calculating.
He didn't see her.
Not yet.
Her heart hammered.
She wanted to step back into the shadows, disappear.
But part of her couldn't look away.
There was something familiar about him. Not from her life before. Something in his presence that stirred something inside her something fierce and curious.
---
The system whispered softly.
Unknown group detected. Leader identified. Observe with caution.
Arin pulled back, blending into the cracked brick wall.
She watched as they stopped near the cafeteria.
Her eyes flicked to the cracked floor beneath their feet.
She was always ahead always one step faster.
Her hand closed around a half-empty water bottle she found under a desk.
Small victories.
She moved on, weaving through classrooms, gathering what little she could: canned food, bottled water, a worn backpack she'd spotted in the library.
The system pinged.
[Inventory Updated]: Food (3 cans), Water (1 bottle), Backpack (1).
[New Objective]: Fortify shelter.
Arin ducked into the gym a vast space with shattered windows and scattered equipment.
It was far from safe, but it was a start.
She barricaded the doors with overturned benches and gym mats, her breath loud in the stillness.
Her mind flashed back to the poison, to the betrayal that nearly killed her.
She touched her neck a faint scar, a reminder.
Zara's face haunted her thoughts.
But for now, she had other fights.
Outside, the survivors she saw earlier packed up their gear and moved on.
Arin watched from a distance, silent and unseen.
The leader paused, glancing around, his eyes sharp like they could cut through walls.
For a moment, their gazes might have met just a flicker.
But then he turned away.
She let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.
They were close.
Yet miles apart.
Her system buzzed again.
[Warning]: Danger proximity increased.