Chapter 8
The quiet hum of the city beyond their barricaded refuge was a faint reminder of the chaos they had narrowly escaped. Inside the worn but sturdy building — seven floors tall, nestled in the city centre — the group gathered around a small makeshift table, the soft glow of a single lantern casting shadows on their tired faces.
Dan leaned back, rubbing his temples. "Alright, I used my unspent points to boost strength and agility. Needed to be faster and stronger to keep us alive. But…" He paused, voice low. "I didn't realize how bad the adrenaline surge would hit me after. That's why I passed out — my body just gave out from the overdraw. Definitely won't be pushing that skill without resting next time."
Jade nodded, still clutching her daggers. "I spent mine on agility — need to stay quick, especially when things get tight." She glanced toward the windows, alert as always.
Eli adjusted his glasses, voice calm but firm. "I went for strength and endurance. If I'm going to be in the thick of it swinging this hammer, I've got to hold my ground."
Mia smiled slightly, folding her arms. "I boosted endurance and agility. Gotta keep moving and keep going without crashing. Someone's got to keep us steady."
Dan looked around, a plan forming. "This building has seven floors. We've secured the lower ones, but we need to clear the upper floors and make sure we're safe. It's right in the city centre — if this place falls, there won't be anywhere else safe to go."
Jade's eyes hardened. "Let's finish cleaning the rest of the floors, set up better defences, and find any supplies we can. We can't afford to lose this place."
Mia nodded. "Agreed. And let's keep watch shifts tighter. No more surprises."
Eli grinned wryly. "Alright, then. Time to get to work."
fter their meal, the afternoon sun cast a warm glow through the cracked windows, but inside the building, tension simmered. The group gathered their gear, checking weapons and making sure their radios were charged. Dan took a moment to explain, "I passed out because I kept the Adrenaline Surge skill active too long. It gave me a huge boost but overloaded my system. I'm fine now, just need to be careful."
Jade tightened the straps on her twin daggers. "We can't rely on that kind of thing too much. We need steady strength."
Mia loaded her spear, her eyes sharp. "No more splitting up — we watch each other's backs."
Eli adjusted his hammer, glancing at the stairs leading to the 4th floor. "Let's clear this place floor by floor. One step at a time."
With their plan set, they moved cautiously up the stairwell, alert to every sound. The 4th floor was darker, the air heavy with decay. Suddenly, low growls echoed from a nearby room. The infected had gathered here.
The group tensed, weapons ready. As the door creaked open, a small horde lunged forward. The battle was fierce — Mia's spear thrusts kept enemies at bay, Eli's hammer crushed with brutal force, Jade's daggers moved with deadly precision, and Dan's machete sliced through the chaos.
Despite the danger, they fought as one, pushing back the infected, clearing the floor inch by inch.
The infected surged forward like a tide of rotting flesh, snarling and snapping with desperate hunger. Dan swung his machete in wide arcs, cutting down the nearest attackers with ruthless efficiency. Each strike was precise, fueled by the adrenaline still coursing through his veins.
Mia planted her feet firmly, spear stabbing through the gaps between the infected. She moved fluidly, pivoting and thrusting, keeping the horde at bay while searching for openings. "Keep them off me!" she called, deflecting a clawed hand with the shaft of her spear.
Eli hefted his hammer with practiced strength, smashing skulls and breaking bones. His heavy swings echoed through the floor as he shouted, "Back off!" every time an infected got too close.
Jade darted between them, twin daggers flashing. She targeted weak spots, slashing tendons and throats with swift, deadly strikes. Her agility kept her safe as she weaved through the enemy's grasp.
Despite the numbers, the group moved as a seamless unit, protecting each other's flanks and pushing forward.
"Almost clear!" Dan shouted, dodging a lunging infected and slicing downward, severing its neck.
But more groans came from the hallway.
"More incoming!" Eli warned, pounding his hammer against the floor to rally the others.
Together, they braced for another wave, ready to fight until the last infected fell.
The last of the small horde fell silent, their bodies twitching on the floor. Suddenly, a deep, guttural growl echoed through the end of the hallway.
From the shadows emerged a bloated, mutated infected —a grotesque mass of swollen flesh and twisted limbs. Despite its size, it charged forward with surprising speed, barrelling toward the group each step slightly shaking the ground.
Dan raised his machete, ready to face it head-on.
Mia's eyes hardened. "Dan, no way you're tanking that thing. Let me handle this."
Without hesitation, she gripped her spear and hurled it straight at the bloater's face. The spear struck true, embedding deep in its swollen cheek. A sickening hiss and bubbling came from the wound.
The bloater staggered, its body swelling rapidly, veins pulsating as it began to rupture.
"Everyone, get inside—now!" Mia shouted.
They scrambled into a nearby dorm room, slamming the door behind them just as the bloater exploded in a violent burst of guts and blood. The shockwave rattled the walls, but no one was touched or splattered.
Catching their breath behind the barricade, Jade muttered, "That was way too close."
Dan wiped his brow. "Thanks for saving me back there, Mia. That thing looked like a death sentence."
Mia gave a quick grin. "Someone had to keep you alive, tank or not."
The group took a moment to steady their breathing, the tension still thick in the air. Outside the dorm room, the corridors were eerily silent, the explosion having scattered most of the infected—or so they hoped.
Dan nodded toward the hallway. "Let's finish clearing this floor. There might still be a few hiding."
With cautious steps, they spread out, checking rooms and closets, dispatching the stragglers who had avoided the initial waves. Jade's daggers flashed in the dim light as she quickly took down a crawling infected lurking behind a broken dresser. Eli's hammer came down with a sickening crunch on a half-rotted corpse slumped in a corner.
Mia grimaced as she wiped sweat and grime from her brow. "Ugh, that bloater was disgusting. All that swelling and bursting guts—makes me want to puke."
Eli snorted, shaking his head. "Yeah, that thing looked like it belonged in some horror movie. No way I'm getting close to anything that fat and foul again."
Dan chuckled, the edge of their humor easing the strain. "Let's just hope we don't run into another one."
Once the floor was secure, they regrouped, sharing quick nods of relief. The danger hadn't passed, but the worst was behind them — for now.