At dawn, after staying up all night glued to YouTube videos about a news story he couldn't get out of his head, Bruno realized it was time to get ready for school. While he pulled on his uniform he muttered under his breath:
— This is messed up! Now this CWD thing spreads through the air? We're screwed, damn. The only good news is, so far it's only adults getting infected… shit. I can't wait for this damn thing to hit here, kill everyone and be over. But I'm no fool. Pocketknife up my sleeve, you know. What if it starts infecting everyone…
In the kitchen, Samira, a chubby-cheeked little girl with long curly hair, was already up. Of Bruno's three sisters she was the middle one. Despite her practical ways, she clung to her older brother — as did Haissa, the youngest. Both adored Bruno, even if they thought his habit of talking to himself or laughing for no reason was strange. He was odd, but also protective, funny and smart — things they loved about him.
Samira, as always the first to get ready, was making buttered bread. Then she went to Bruno's room, grabbed the blanket he hung like a door and said:
— Morning! Hanne still hasn't gotten up to get ready. Yesterday she said she was going to skip today…
Finishing his backpack, Bruno answered without hesitation:
— Don't worry, I'll go wake her up.
Leaning against the wall, Samira offered:
— If you want, I can wake her.
He shook his head as he left the room and called back:
— Don't. If you do that she'll beat you up like last time. I've got it — I'll handle it!
Without ceremony, Bruno stepped into his sisters' room. Hanne slept hard, but he had an infallible tactic. With a mischievous grin he began to give light slaps to her forehead.
— Wake up, you lazy shit! Get up!
Hanne's eyes flew open. She huffed, her face screwed up and her voice full of rage as she snapped:
— Cut it out, you fucking fag! I already said I'm not going today! I talked to Mom, she said it's fine!
Anger flared in Bruno like fire, and he muttered insults as he stormed out of the room, heading straight for his mother's.
When he reached his mother's bedroom, Bruno burst in, breathing hard, his footsteps announcing his irritation. Without ceremony he spat out:
— Hey Mom, this is ridiculous! Me, Samira and Haissa go to school every damn day, and that lazy bitch Hanne won't even lift her ass out of bed to wash the damn underwear she wears. It's not fair! I'm going to class against my will while that cow lounges at home all day?
Nádia, Bruno's mother, rose slowly, eyes half-closed as if she'd been ripped from a deep sleep. Her face showed a mix of fatigue and coldness that didn't last long. In a quick motion, the palm of her hand landed on her son's face with a sharp, powerful slap.
With her finger jabbed straight at Bruno's nose, she spoke in a firm, authoritative tone:
— Listen here, brat. It'll be a cold day in hell before some punk who still hasn't left diapers raises his voice at me! Now grab your things and go to school, before I give you a beating! Hanne is my problem, not yours — get out of here!
Bruno said nothing. He scowled, grabbed his backpack and left the room reluctantly. As he and Samira crossed the front door, Nádia's shouts echoed down the hall:
— Hanne! Get your ass out of bed right now and start doing something! If you're not going to school, you're not going to sleep in late. Goddammit, you're already driving me crazy and stealing my sleep this early!
The sound of the shouting made Bruno laugh. A mischievous, almost sadistic chuckle escaped his lips. Samira shot him a disapproving look and murmured:
— That's cruel, Bruno. You got Mom all riled up just to make Hanne's life a living hell… That was really mean.
With a self-satisfied grin and eyes glinting with mischief, Bruno looked at his younger sister.
— That's how manipulation works, Samy. Bet your ass that tomorrow Hanne will be the first one out of bed for school. Even if I got slapped, that little shit is screwed today.
Samira just shook her head, half in disbelief, but said nothing. Bruno walked her to the school gate. After a casual wave goodbye, he continued down the hill toward his own school, his steps light, as if he had just won a personal battle.
***
10:30 a.m., Monsenhor Antônio José Ferreira State School…
Hello, to whoever's reading this crap called my life. My name's Bruno Mohammad. By the way, you wanna hear a spoiler? Well, fuck you. Go to hell and just follow the damn story, alright?
So, here we are: second-year classroom. A total mess. In one corner, the wannabe gangsters acting all tough; in the other, the shitty wannabe funk kids banging on the desks like it's some kind of dance floor. In the center, a bunch of skirt-chasers yelling as if they desperately needed attention. And in the back of the room… me. Dying of sleep, bored out of my mind, counting the seconds until I can go home, jerk off, and sleep like the world doesn't exist. But damn it, the worst part is it's still gonna take forever.
***
Suddenly, the classroom door swung wide open. The principal stormed in. The noise stopped immediately. Students scrambled to their seats, trying to look innocent as she marched in, red-faced and sweating like crazy.
Bruno banged his forehead on the desk and muttered, almost weakly and even more fed up:— Hell! Now this crap's gonna trap us here for like half an hour past the bell. Shit. Fuck it.
Principal Regina, clearly at the end of her rope, started pacing back and forth, hands on her hips, her voice loud enough to wake anyone pretending to sleep:— My God, is this a high school class or a bunch of hooligans? Look at you all… acting like a bunch of grown-up idiots!
She scanned the room, checking everyone's reactions. Everyone looked scared and attentive—except one. In the back, Bruno yawned like this was the most boring thing in the world. Scribbling absentmindedly in his notebook, every move screamed that he didn't give a damn about what she was saying.
Regina squinted, her face red with irritation. Without a second thought, she stomped over to his desk and slammed her hand down on the wood, making a loud thump that made Bruno jump.
Leaning slightly forward, her eyes locked on him, Bruno stared back with a mix of defiance and barely contained anger.— Bruno, you listening? Take off those headphones and put that pencil down! Not the time for doodling. Seriously, second-year class, Ms. Kátia's feeling sick and you're acting like a bunch of monkeys in here!
Bruno turned his face to the side, pure contempt on his expression, resting his head on his hand as he muttered, loud enough to be heard:— I'm not messing up the class. So fuck off, Satan…
The explosion was instant. The principal's face went even redder, her voice rising a notch that made everyone shrink in their seats.— Listen here, Bruno! Who do you think you're talking to? Let me make this crystal clear: this scolding is for the whole class. And if you talk to me like that again, you'll get another suspension. Got it?
Suddenly, the teacher, who until now had seemed just another fading figure in the classroom chaos, began clutching her own neck. Her eyes, once indifferent, lost all color, turning into dull, lifeless orbs. The veins in her face bulged grotesquely, while a viscous, reddish drool, pus-like in appearance, trickled from the corners of her mouth. Her convulsive movements and guttural moans alarmed the students, but no one knew how to react.
Principal Regina, panicked, rushed toward the teacher. Phone in hand, she tried to call an ambulance, but didn't even get a chance to complete the call. A gust of wind swept through the room, sending papers flying. Suddenly, Regina began coughing violently, as if something invisible was stuck in her throat. Her coughing escalated into high-pitched, desperate screams. Clutching her head with both hands, she sank to the floor, almost collapsing, writhing as though consumed by a pain no human should ever endure.
The students' horrified silence was quickly replaced by an even more terrifying sound: screams erupting from every corner of the school. It was as if hell had descended onto Earth. Teachers, staff, all the adults were screaming, moaning, and foaming at the mouth. The crashing of furniture, shattering windows, and inhuman shrieks filled the air. It didn't take long for the schoolyard to descend into utter chaos, with children and teenagers running frantically in all directions, many climbing the broken walls in desperate attempts to escape.
The infected adults, lifeless eyes and frothing mouths, launched into frenzied attacks, biting and tearing chunks of flesh from the younger students. Blood sprayed everywhere, painting walls and floors in trails of pure terror.
Bruno stood still for a moment, observing everything with a fixed gaze and a smile that mixed disbelief with a touch of madness. His mind, though numbed by the brutality unfolding around him, was already calculating what needed to be done. He scanned the room, trying to plot an escape route before it was too late.
When the infected teacher rose and charged at him with animalistic ferocity, Bruno reacted instinctively. He grabbed a desk and hurled it at her with all his strength, sending it crashing to the floor with a sickening thud. Adrenaline surged through his veins, his heart pounding so fast it felt like it might explode.
Larissa, a classmate with long blonde hair and bright eyes, was sunk in despair. Hair disheveled and tears streaming, she tried to reach the door, only to be intercepted by the principal, who now seemed more like a wild beast than a human.
Meanwhile, two newly infected students lunged at Bruno. Without thinking, he grabbed a chair by the legs and lifted it overhead. In a violent, circular swing, he struck them both, knocking them down before they could reach him. Panting, hands trembling from the tension and adrenaline, Bruno let out a nervous laugh. It was almost forced, but it helped him cope with the storm raging inside.
He glanced to the side, spotting his best friend, João Paulo, frozen amid the chaos, eyes wide.— Yo, Jão! — Bruno shouted, a mix of urgency and excitement in his voice. — Run, get the hell out of here, man! That thing we were talking about earlier? Looks like it just started, damn it!
Then Samantha, a short, dark-haired girl, ran behind the principal and threw the classroom door wide open. The chaotic sounds of the school spilled in, merging with the students' desperate screams. That moment made terror tangible. Those still unharmed inside the room bolted for the exit, shoving each other aside, unaware that the real nightmare had already taken over the outside.
The hallway had turned into a pandemonium. Students ran in every direction, fleeing from teachers and classmates, now marked by deep, savage bites. The floor was soaked in blood, the courtyard a scene of total panic.
Bruno turned around and saw the horrific scene: both the teacher and the principal were on top of two students trying to escape. They tore at flesh, ripping chunks of meat as blood sprayed, splattering the floor and walls around them. Bruno moved instinctively, but a sound from the back of the room caught his attention.
Larissa was there, curled up between desks and chairs. She cried uncontrollably, repeating over and over that this couldn't be real. Her eyes, red and brimming with tears, stared blankly at some distant point, completely detached from the chaos around her. The principal, now utterly unhinged, spotted the easy target and lunged toward her.
— Not happening, Satan! — Bruno shouted, a mix of joking tone and psychotic expression. — No way you're biting her, damn it!
He grabbed one of the nearby desks and hurled it with all his strength at the principal. The desk struck her body, narrowly stopping her attack on the defenseless Larissa. Without wasting a second, Bruno vaulted over chairs and desks as if the classroom had become an improvised parkour course. His agility was astonishing, and he reached the principal before she could recover.
With precision, he leapt onto her back, locking in a tight rear-naked choke as they tumbled to the floor. The sound of their bodies hitting the ground echoed through the room, more like a wild struggle than a human fight. Adrenaline surged through Bruno; his hands trembled, but he didn't stop. Straining, he managed to reach the pocketknife hidden in the sleeve of his hoodie.
Gripping the handle tightly, he pulled the blade with his teeth. Without hesitation, he drove the knife into the principal's eye, his intention clear: pierce her brain and end this nightmare once and for all. The impact made a sickening, dry sound. Yet she still moved.
— What the fuck? Not enough yet? — Bruno yelled, his voice a mix of rage and desperation.
He pressed his foot against the knife handle, forcing it deeper into the principal's skull until she finally went still.
Meanwhile, Iago, a classmate Bruno respected, confronted the teacher. With a brutal motion, he snapped her neck with a crack that reverberated through the room. Then he ran to shut the door, barring any other infected from getting in.
Bruno stood up, panting, drenched in sweat, his gaze sharper and fiercer than ever. He walked over to Larissa, still frozen in the corner, and crouched down to her level. His eyes met hers, conveying something between concern and urgency.
— You okay? Can you move? — he asked, his voice quieter now, but still charged with adrenaline.
Trembling, Larissa just shook her head slowly. Bruno knew the danger wasn't over yet, but at that moment, all that mattered was getting out alive.
She rose unsteadily, legs shaking as if ready to give out. Her eyes were still glassy, fixed on Bruno's bloodied hands, impossible to ignore. Her voice came out shaky, thick with disbelief and fear:
— You… killed her…
— Nah, I just put her to sleep forever… But what the fuck kind of stupid question is that? — Bruno replied, a wicked expression on his face and a chilling, unsettling smile.
As she spoke, Larissa began losing control of her own body. A wave of numbness swept over her, her breathing quick, irregular, almost suffocating. Her chest heaved as if she were desperately trying to draw air that wouldn't reach her lungs. Bruno watched with a familiarity no one else in the room could understand. He knew exactly what was happening.
He approached slowly, without hurry, crouching in front of her to stay on her level. With one still-trembling hand, he rested it gently on Larissa's shoulder, as if anchoring her to reality. His other hand hung by his side, still smeared with the dried blood of the principal.
Bruno smiled—not a comforting smile, but something more enigmatic, almost insane, a stark contrast to the chaos around them. He looked into her eyes—those terrified, lost eyes—and said nothing. He simply held her gaze, letting the moment speak for itself.
A few steps away, Iago watched the scene unfold. To him, it seemed different. The way Bruno looked at Larissa suggested something intimate, a moment that could easily end in a kiss. Convinced it wasn't his business, he turned his attention and moved toward the door.
Carefully, he cracked it open to check the chaos outside. The instant his eyes landed on the hallway, a loud sound echoed through the room—a sharp smack. Iago spun around, thinking Larissa had finally reacted and hit Bruno, but what he saw left him stunned.
Larissa was turned to the side, a red mark already forming on her cheek. The one who had delivered the slap was Bruno, his expression carrying no remorse, just a mix of calm and a sadistic smile. Before Larissa could say anything, he broke the silence with a firm, almost cutting voice:
— So, you feel better? 'Cause if not, I can give you another one!
Larissa blinked a few times, still in disbelief at what had just happened, but strangely, her body seemed less frozen, less on the verge of collapse. Bruno stood up slowly, his movements still charged with adrenaline. He glanced at his own bloodied hands, flexing his fingers as if processing what he had just done. A faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth as he spoke:
— Yeah, I killed her, but damn… what a weird feeling this is inside me. — He turned his attention back to Larissa. — Hey slowpoke, take a good look around, really pay attention to the damn room, and listen to the noise outside. — He made a vague gesture toward the door. — Wake the hell up, 'cause it's chaos out there.
She took in the room, completely wrecked—desks and chairs overturned, blood smeared across the floor—and the muffled sounds of pandemonium in the hallway continued. Outside, screams and the sound of bodies colliding indicated that the nightmare was far from over.
Bruno sighed, wiping the knife on his torn shirt while watching Larissa, waiting for a reaction.
Feeling a numbness in his arms and a terrible pressure in his chest, he pressed a hand to his heart, trying to gauge just how fast it was pounding. Mind foggy, he murmured to himself:— Fuck… but what a weird feeling is this? Is this what people feel after killing someone? Interesting!
Larissa, still frozen from the shock of what had just happened, stared at Bruno's left hand, soaked in blood. Unable to hold it in, she vomited right in front of him. When she finally stopped, she straightened up and screamed:— You're a fucking murderer!
Bruno flinched for a moment, tilting his head back. Looking around at the students' bodies sprawled across the floor, he let out a bitter laugh and replied, with a tone full of scorn:— Murderer? Wrong. I'm the tiger that takes down every gazelle that dares to cross my path. And instead of judging me, you should be thanking me for wasting my precious time saving your pathetic little life, you moron!
Larissa went silent, her eyes wandering over the horror around her, hope already slipping away. She didn't understand what was happening or how everything had turned so monstrous so quickly, but through her tears, she whispered to herself:— What the hell is going on? Why is all this happening to me?
Bruno heard her and, thinking she was talking to him, snapped, exasperated at the cliché question:— Seriously, are you dumb or just following some shitty cliché script?
Annoyed, Larissa got up and walked past Bruno, throwing him a blazing glare before spitting out with disdain:— Hey Mohammad… fuck you, man!
Bruno, visibly irritated, replied with restrained anger:— Seriously, do you need help getting out of here or not? Just say it, damn it!
Larissa looked at Iago, who responded with a shrug and a hand to his chest, making it clear he wasn't going to take care of her. With few options, she turned her glare on Bruno, eyes full of hatred, and said, almost disgusted:— Fine! Just help me get out of here.
Bruno flashed a wicked smile, quickly hiding it before Larissa could notice. He replied, cold and direct:— Alright. Stay right behind me and don't get in my way.
Iago stepped closer to Bruno, sounding deflated:— Man, we're fucked! Outside is total chaos…
Larissa lifted her right arm, trying to grab Bruno's clothes. He noticed immediately and stepped back, his expression full of scorn, replying sharply:— Bug, don't you dare touch me! Trying to hold onto me and get in my way? Forget it, I'm not chivalrous enough to make you feel safe while you're bothering me!
Iago, laughing, made a joke:— Whoa, look at this guy! Turned all touchy-free now, huh? Haha…
Bruno, visibly irritated, shot back immediately:— Fuck off!
Larissa, clearly uncomfortable, murmured in a low voice:— Sorry… I'm still really scared.
Bruno grinned, a twisted, psychotic smile, his tone dripping sarcasm:— Too bad! That's exactly how it should feel—sign you're still clinging to life. Congrats!
He spun around and grabbed a chair, thinking it would be the best way to defend himself against the infected outside. With Iago at his side, they took the lead, chairs in hand, bursting out the classroom door. They started running, Bruno leading them toward the school kitchen, swinging at every infected that crossed their path. The number of infected around them rose fast, and, furious, Bruno shouted:— It's so damn easy in shows and movies… Fuck this shit!
Suddenly, a scream of pain cut through the chaos. Larissa, a few steps behind, was grabbed by the hair by an infected. Bruno, up ahead, kept clearing the way, while Iago, just a couple of steps from Larissa, reacted immediately. With a quick motion, he positioned himself between her and the monster, forcing it to release her hair. With one hand, he twisted the infected's arm until it let go, while the other hand shoved it back, hitting its face. The monster bit his hand, but Iago didn't flinch. Larissa ran toward Bruno, who, seeing her, grabbed her by the hair and yanked her forward, forcing her to keep moving.
Bruno glanced back briefly, seeing Iago being surrounded by infected. He watched without a flicker of emotion, as if he already knew what was coming, and commented flatly:— Damn… He's dead.
Larissa, furious and desperate, threw a clumsy punch at Bruno's face, making him let go of her hair. He said nothing, just grabbed her by the clothes and shoved her forward, ordering:— Keep running, goddammit!