I had been wondering about college on the day the world fell apart.

It could have been any other day. I sat at work with my best friend Ren, who was coloring with some of the kiddos. Our shift at the daycare we worked at had started an hour ago and I sipped on coffee as parents brought their children in, waving and smiling, before dropping them off and heading to work. The early morning sun poked in through the windows, birds twittering loudly outside.

"I just don't know if it's right for me," I told Ren, turning to help one of the kids. "I don't even know what I want to do yet." I put the lid on a cup of water for Cassidy, an adorable four-year-old in our class. Her small hands reached up, making grabbing motions, and I handed the drink to her.

"Sank you!" she thanked me before taking her cup and sitting down to continue her art. I ruffled her hair affectionately and joined them at the table, resting my chin in my hand as Ren and I continued our conversation.

"It would still be a good experience," Ren replied, passing a blue crayon down the line as he chatted with me.

"An expensive one," I grumbled; Ren only shrugged his shoulders. "There's still some time to think about it," he told me with a smile. "The deadline is more than two months away. I just want you to find something that will make you happy."

"Look! Look!" Theo shouted, interrupting and lifting his drawing to show us. "Ms. Maisy, isn't my dinosaur scary?"

Putting on a shocked face, I let out a pretend shriek of fear. The children giggle and I put aside the concerns with the future. Ren's words reassure me and remind me that I don't need to decide right away. After all, right now's pretty good. I relax as I listen to the chatter of the young kids, a sound that has now grown familiar to me.

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If you had told me when I was in school that I would be watching snotty brats for a living, I would have laughed in your face. But when Ren started working here at Sunny Days Daycare, he wrangled me in, telling me how cute the kids were and how I needed money anyways, why not start here? I could always quit when I find something better. I took it, needing money to repair my always failing car, expecting to hate it.

That was two and a half years ago. I had a surprisingly good time, watching these kiddos. Of course, there were definitely downsides, but I feel like I got off lucky. I work with Ren in the Lilac Room, where the kids are 4-5 years old. Which means I got to work with my childhood friend and don't have to change poopy diapers. That's a win for me.

I had started when I was only 16 and now that I was graduated, I was contemplating the bigger plan and whether I wanted to move on. Looking down, I smiled fondly at the kids while they laughed and played.

Nine in the morning, after morning snack and right before we go outside to play; that was when it started. 

The five kids of Lilac room were lined up to go outside when everyone's phones received a message at the same time. Ringtones trilled and smartphones buzzed; all the adults paused, confused. Normally they weren't allowed on their phones unless there was an emergency, but Maisy decided to check just in case. She wasn't the only one; several other teachers pulled out theirs too.

Each phone revealed the same message and each adult's face wore the same expression of confusion.

"What...?"

A blue text box took up the majority of the screen.

A Rift has appeared! Prepare to Attack and Defend.

Beginning in....5:00 minutes

Rift Rank: D

Time limit: 1 hour

Species: Zombie humanoids

Rewards: None

Failure: Death