At that moment, Sam quickly left his apartment and headed toward the ground floor where all the building's residents had gathered.
The voices were overlapping, faces were pale, and panic controlled everyone.
Someone said, trembling: — My God… this is a nuclear explosion!
Old Nicholas shouted with firm anger: — Close the windows and doors in all apartments! No one leave anything open!
A huge man named Victor, known as a profligate gangster who knew only violence, stomped his foot on the ground and said with indignation: — Damn it! I came here to have fun with girls, and in the end something explodes? To hell with this situation!
A boy named Saz said sharply: — Shut up, if you please. The old man is ordering us to close the windows and doors now. Everyone return to their apartment immediately.
Victor looked at him with a gaze full of contempt: — And who are you to order me?
Layla said tensely: — His words are correct, by the way…
Anger intensified in Victor's eyes: — I will not go.
And before he could finish his sentence, one of the girls who was with him in the room suddenly came out.
There was something strange in her face… something unnatural.
Her body convulsed, and her hand extended in an inhuman way, then she rushed with terrifying speed toward one of the residents and sank her fingers into his neck.
The sound of tearing was heard… then the man fell to the ground motionless.
Everyone froze in horror.
Nicholas moved with a speed unexpected for his age, pulled out a pistol, and fired a single bullet directly at that strange thing above the girl's head.
The head partially exploded, and the girl fell dead.
A heavy silence prevailed.
Victor looked on in shock, then shouted: — Move! Close the doors and windows! Now!
Everyone rushed toward the upper floors in utter chaos.
Except for one person.
Sam was standing calmly, carrying a cup of tea he had previously bought from a vending machine.
He did not run. He did not scream. His facial expression did not change.
Layla approached him and said with clear tension: — Why don't you go with them?
He said coldly: — My room door and my apartment window are closed.
Then he looked at her: — And you? Why are you still here?
She said, in a fearful tone carrying a touch of seduction: — I am afraid, Sam…
He looked at her for a moment, then took a sip of the tea and said: — The taste of this tea is bad.
She stopped, stunned.
Then he added: — And if you are afraid, what do you want me to do?
Layla stared at him, unable to believe it.
She expected that her flirtatious style would make him defend her, or at least stay by her side… but she was completely wrong.
She never imagined Sam would be this cold.
She moved closer to him: — I am so afraid… I don't know what to do, Sam.
He took another sip of tea and said with indifference: — I advise you to go to Victor.
— He likes people like you, Layla.
He walked away from her and calmly went up to the upper floor, heading to his apartment, to close the doors and windows as he should.
As if the blood that was shed moments ago… meant nothing to him.