NOVEMBER 5TH

929PM

“This is **not** a test.” The television speakers rang with a nauseating signal. Phoenix stirs in his sleep until the piercing noise awakens him.

“This is your emergency broadcast system, initiating a nationwide lockdown. The Omnivirus outbreak is no longer containable. All efforts to isolate and neutralize the virus have failed.

The undead, Infected with Omnivirus walk amongst us, they have been confirmed to be attacking cities across the country. The Infected beings are hostile, highly contagious and feast upon human flesh. Stay indoors, do **not** engage, and do **not** invite strangers inside. Do **not** attempt to help the infected, if you get bit or scratched, you **will** die.

Due to these recent developments, **all** police, fire, and emergency medical services will be discontinued and government operations have ceased authority, effective immediately to ensure the safety of the public.

If you are hearing this broadcast and are still alive, you are **not** alone.

For those seeking refuge, a sanctuary has been established at Cypress Hospital. Supplies are limited, help is not guaranteed if you are sick. Movement is dangerous. Travel only if absolutely necessary and if you have a clear path. Use extreme caution.

This may be the last broadcast.

May God be with us all.”

Phoenix stares at the red glowing TV screen with his cherry lips slightly parted in shock, the agonizing monotonous voice repeats the service announcement. The remote lays on the sofa beside his thighs, his hands reach to snatch the remote. He clicks the channel button, _tap_, _tap_, _tap_, _tap_. Every channel in sync, the red message mass broadcasted. He mutes the volume to sit in silence, his mind raced with thoughts of the unknown as he stares blankly at the carpeted floor.

_What am I supposed to do?_

A rapid beat of knocks pound against his front door, “Nix, open up!” It was his best friend and roommate, Maverick. Phoenix slowly pushes himself up from the couch, slowly inching towards the door. The thumping of Maverick’s knocks grew louder and increasingly impatient as he pleads, “C’mon man, shit is getting really weird out here!” Phoenix places his hand upon the doorknob peaking through the peephole at him. “Mav.. have you seen _them_?” Phoenix asks hesitantly, observing the parts of Maverick he can see.

No bites, no scratches. Exactly how he looked this afternoon when he left for work, just a panicked expression washed over his face.

“While I was driving home from work, through the city there’s mobs of them— the Infected. I think that’s where most of the attacks have been happening. The emergency service was going off as I pulled up.” Maverick places both of his hands against the door and lets out a heavy exhale, “I didn’t get bit, I promise. You can check me.” Phoenix realizes he’s been holding his breath this entire time and heaves out all of the air in his lungs.

_This is my best friend, I can trust him._

The door swings open and Maverick rushes inside, locking the door behind him. “I’m good, look.” Maverick holds up his arms in defense, allowing Phoenix to see all of his body. There was nothing suspicious and the energy in the room eases into a roaring silence after a wave of apprehension. Phoenix felt better not being alone. “I’m glad you made it home.” Phoenix murmurs sincerely as they both walk into the kitchen. “The emergency broadcast said there’s a santctuary at the hospital,” Phoenix began, “We can head there with other survivors.” It was a dangerous plan, but they didn’t have any supplies to survive.

“Do you think we can make it?” Phoenix asks as Maverick sat down at the kitchen table, “I don’t know, Nix, maybe. You know my granddad left me those guns but I’ve never shot a person before!” Maverick responds with a heavy sigh. He was nervous, but he couldn’t let Phoenix see that. “Should we drive?” Phoenix suggests, “At least as close to the hospital as we can get.” Maverick slowly bobs his head, lost in thought he loses his bright eyes for a moment. “Good idea, if we stay off of the main roads maybe we could get really close. You know, off of Whittier Road.” He agrees, envisioning the route in his mind.

“I’m going to grab my guns so you can feel which you prefer.” Maverick gestures towards the hallway and begins to stand from his chair but Phoenix reaches his hand out to stop him. “I don’t think I can Mav. You know how to shoot, I don’t want to waste your bullets.” Phoenix confesses, shame swarms him. “Don’t worry about that, when it’s life or death you better be able to shoot. Just not me.” Maverick says jokingly as he swats his hand playfully at Phoenix.

Suddenly, there is a noisy thump down the hallway. The rooms falls chillingly silent, everyone’s attention draws to the hall, “Nix, did you hear that, too?” Maverick swallows his nerves and stands up from the chair. “It sounded like it came from the bathroom.” Phoenix whispers, his brown eyes glued to the hallway. Beneath the table, his palms began to sweat.

Maverick retrieves the biggest knife from the block, stealthily he creeps towards the bathroom, the floorboards creak with age beneath his steps. His movements sly and limber like a fox. Phoenix stalks his movements carefully, he was uncertain if he should follow or stay here. Maverick disappears down the hallway from Phoenix’s line of sight and the house stands still.

A high pitch shrill rattles the apartment followed by a heavy thud. For a moment, the world is frozen in time. “Maverick?!” Phoenix hollers before he jumps into action, snatching a knife from the block and rushing in Maverick’s steps. A young woman stands above Maverick kneeling on the ground with a hand on his head. Her black velvet hair falls disheveled around her face staggered with alarm— she holds a baseball bat in her hands ready to swing. “What the fuck are you doing?!” Phoenix shouts as he shoves her body against the wall, “Hey!” She yelps out, her arms wildly swing the bat at Phoenix but he blocks her swing with his forearm.

Phoenix uses one arm to swiftly pin her hands above her head. The hand other fumbles nervously with the knife, “Calm down! Can you trust me?!” His deep voice bellows out near her face. Her body shudders against the wall as he hovers over her with the knife in her face, “I trust you,” She says as his knife points to her throat. Her voice trembles through his ears like the mewl of a cat, tears sting her eyes as his blade presses against the heartbeat in her neck. “Let go of your bat. If you try anything, I’ll kill you myself.” Phoenix instructs, the bat clutters to the floor behind him. Phoenix kicks it down the hallway towards Maverick’s bedroom.

Maverick grunts and slumps down against the door as he holds his head. Phoenix pushes himself back slowly away from the girl, removing the knife from her throat. “You got in through the fire escape?” He asks rhetorically, noticing the window was partially opened. Her eyes dart quickly between Phoenix and her bat kicked down the hall. _It might be best for me to just be compliant_, she thought to herself.

“Yeah. I actually live upstairs but my boyfriend came over and he was acting really weird.. so I left through the fire escape. I’m sorry, I know that I broke into your place but— he had a knife.” She motions towards Maverick and gulps nervously, “My name’s Aurulia.” Her tangent ended, her cheeks flush with a rosy pink color.

“Phoenix, that’s Maverick.” Phoenix points to himself and Maverick using the sharp end of the knife. Maverick groans in response, “Fuck you, that wasn’t cool. Breaking into my house and beating _me_ with a bat?” Maverick rants as he stands wobbly from the floor. “I know, it’s just that service announcement and my boyfriend really freaked me the fuck out. I’m sorry.” Her tone is completely apologetic, no longer a bat-wielding warrior, Aurulia begins to soften up. “I really wasn’t thinking.”

Maverick rubs his hand tenderly against his head and mumbles out: “Yeah, whatever, shit happens.” Maverick clears his throat, “Are you going to make yourself useful or are you going off on your own?” His voice gruff with urgency, squinting his oceanic eyes into Aurulia’s intimidatingly. “What’s the plan?” She asks nervously, “We’re going to the hospital, the announcement says thats a place of refuge.” Phoenix answers and Aurulia begins to fidget with her nails anxiously.

“But it’s probably too dangerous to head that far into the city, are you sure?” She asks with a sour face, they nod simultaneously. Phoenix adorns a weary smile, “You’re more than welcomed to go back upstairs with your Infected boyfriend.” Phoenix offers, motioning with his knife towards the window she came in from. “I-I can help. I just don’t want to die.” She admits, “I didn’t want to leave my boyfriend, alone and sick, but I didn’t want to die, either.” Aurulia’s voice grew quieter with every word she spoke.

“I almost wasn’t going to let my best friend inside today because I didn’t want to die, either.” Phoenix discloses abashedly, looking over at Maverick with a cheeky grin. He smacks his lips together and flicks up his middle finger at Phoenix. “Listen, nobody’s going to die today. We’re all going to make it to the hospital alive!” Maverick reassures the two of them, his presence naturally calms the soul.

“I’m gonna get the guns.” Maverick announces as he walks over to the bedroom, Phoenix motions for Aurulia to follow him into the living room. They stand in front of the red glow of the television screen, the white letters of the message standing out amongst the background. Though there is no sound coming from the television, the room rumbles with noise.

“Aurulia, here.” Maverick returns her the bat with a little smile of forgiveness. “I won’t hit you again, I promise.” Aurulia finally smiles and grips the bat between her fingers. “So.. we have two Remington pumps and a Python. Neither of them carry many bullets, but I have enough ammo.” Phoenix exhales through his nose and grabs one of the shotguns. “You can carry two guns. You know I can’t shoot.” Phoenix reminds Maverick through the grit of his teeth, so that Aurulia cannot hear.

“I can.” Aurulia’s voice cuts in, _she heard,_ he mentally groans. “You hit me with a bat, how can I believe you won’t shoot me with my own gun?” Maverick asks with his eyes narrow. She shrugs, “You won’t, you’ll just have to trust me.” Phoenix smiles at her words, slightly bowing his head in approval. “Alright, don’t make me regret this.” Maverick hesitantly passes her the gun and extra bullets.

“My car is parked directly outside the main entrance, it’s a blue truck.” Phoenix retrieves his car keys and stuffs them into his pockets. “Let’s head out!” Maverick announces as he marches towards the front door. The door shudders open and everybody files out of the apartment into the corridor

The off-white florescent lights beam down the hallways, an echoing silence fills the walls. The group quickly treads down the hallways, every step purposeful and cautious. The stairwell reeks of a sickly sweet scent that makes everyone gag. At the end of the stairs, one of the Infected lay on the ground with a bullet wound between the eyes.

“Is everybody ready?” Phoenix asks with his hand places against the cool metal handle of the front door.

“Ready,” Maverick affirms with conviction, “Ready.” Aurulia says as she tucks the pistol into her pants. Phoenix nods his head and pushes open the front door to the apartment complex, prepared to experience life and death. The obstacle is the way through.

_Ready_.