As I stirred, my eyelids felt as if they were sewn shut, imprisoning me in darkness. Sweat coated my body, and the putrid stench of urine, sweat, and a third mystery scent drenched my bed. I tried to will my arms to lift me, to break free from this suffocating stillness, but my body remained unresponsive. Panic gripped me, shattering my attempts at relaxation and serenity. The emotions I had suppressed to reach safety—fear, exhaustion, hunger, annoyance—rushed back with a vengeance.

I was trapped, a helpless witness to the world slipping away, my thoughts plunging into an abyss of despair.

"He's a Deadman, why'd you bring the cunt here?" a rough, worried voice stated, its tone laced with apprehension.

"He made it over here by himself. We said we wouldn't go help him, but he got here himself," a softer voice defended, the words carrying an undertone of unease.

The voices echoed in the air, a haunting chorus that seemed simultaneously distant and ominously close.

The memories of the centipede and wasp attacks replayed thousands of times in my mind, each iteration fueling new fears. Death loomed, casting its shadow upon me, overwhelming fear consumed me. I was scared. In response my body trembled uncontrollably.

Once again, I felt their relentless chase. I ran, but every step felt like running underwater, I moved slower as the phantoms picked up speed. The sting in my side throbbed in rhythm.

I fought to suppress my emotions, to overpower them with a single thought, a single feeling.

Survive.

It consumed my being. I had to keep going, to find Twin, to find Rome, Mom, Dad, little Sis, big Sis, the rest of our cousins. A question gnawed at my sanity.

What the fuck is going on?

Worry pressed upon me, but this time, it wasn't for my own survival. It was a concern for the well-being of those I love. I had to keep going.

My people need me.

With newfound determination, I forced my eyes open, tearing through the veil of darkness. I found myself confined in an enigmatic dorm room, atop a twin-sized mattress that clearly belonged to someone else.

Pushing myself up, I discovered my hands were swollen, my wounds tightly bandaged. A tattered and stained shirt laid across the dresser, while my pants, against all odds, remained relatively intact beside it.

Nearly naked, my soaked compression shorts stuck to my body creating an icky feeling.

I took a moment to examine my own body.

The sinewy muscles of my legs undulated beneath my deep bronze skin, veins pulsating and straining as they labored to carry life-sustaining blood throughout my being. It was an eerie sight, almost like seeing an army of ants marching through my veins.

The remainder of my body, however, had undergone a grotesque transformation. Bloated and swollen, with marks of a merciless assault. My gaze shifted towards the spot where the wasp had mercilessly struck me. A stained yellow bandage shielded the wound from the outside world. Trembling, I removed it, and a gasp escaped my lips. The area surrounding the sting was a disturbing shade of blackish-purple. I gingerly touched the skin, the sensation of touch alluded me. The texture was crackly, the flesh was peeling away.

Summoning my strength, I attempted to rise, but a wave of weakness stopped my momentum. I managed to find my balance, at an odd angle. I couldn’t fall, my body seemed to autocorrect my movement. Clinging to the dresser and the walls, I struggled to reach the door. My hand grasped the cold metal knob, and a warm, humid sensation reciprocated my touch. Losing my grip multiple times, I eventually turned the knob, and as the door swung open, confusion greeted me in the hallway.

Three figures stood there, their faces etched with horror, they couldn't fathom how I could even manage to stand in my current state.

"Waa... ttt..." My words faltered, my struggle to remain conscious evident.

The girl among them comprehended my feeble attempt at communication, swiftly retrieving a colossal flask from her backpack. She poured the ice-cold water into my mouth, and as it trickled down my throat, a soothing sensation spread throughout my entire body. It calmed me and my weakened form surged with energy.

"Food..." I managed to articulate.

"You're pushing it, buddy," One of the men in the hallway responded, my vision was a little blurred so I couldn’t quite make out what he looked like.

"There's no point in saving it. You've seen what's been happening to everything," the girl declared, her words heavy with resignation. She produced an open pack of cinnamon poptarts, revealing a fuzzy, moldy coating. "Look! These were my favorite flavor too."

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

My face scrunched up on reaction, cinnamon poptarts are disgusting.

Undeterred though, she made her decision, moving past me entering the room. She tore open three packs of ramen, filling a sizable bowl with water from the bathroom sink and placing it in the microwave.

I guess electronics still work.

I made my way back to the bed, settling down as I waited. The girl, however, never settled. She rummaged through a medical kit and tossed me a bottle of pills, which I barely managed to catch. I squinted, struggling to read the label as the words danced and evaded focus.

"Just take them all," she urged, sensing my confusion.

I struggled to open the container, I had to push the side in while turning the top, my hands slipped off repeatedly. She had her back towards me, but she seemed to sense my frustration. She came over and opened it with a delicate touch. Without hesitation, she dumped the pills into my mouth, forcing me to swallow with another swig of water.

BEEP BEEP BEEP!

She grabbed the bowl, dumped the flavor packets, stirred.

My stomach rumbled.

She handed me the bowl. I picked up the fork, hands trembling. She took it back, ready to feed me. I seized the blue bowl and drank it like soup. Hot liquid scalded my mouth, but warmth surged through me. Noodle juice splashed over me, a chaotic baptism.

We locked eyes our gaze filled with electricity.

"Thank you," I managed, but a smile eluded me.

"You're Jeice, right?" A statement masked as a question.

“I’m Camila” Her voice laden with confidence. I nodded, attempting to focus on her features.

Camila possessed a sun-kissed complexion and a soft countenance that was strangely soothing. Caramel brown eyes, bushy eyebrows and a hardened look too her. Her brown hair gathered in a messy bun.

I guess she caught a few of my games and that's how she knows me.

"You woke up today, didn't you?" Her words hung in the air.

Again, I nodded, my mind trying to understand what she implied.

"Allow me to explain. The world we once knew... it's gone. As you've already witnessed, everything is undergoing a uh…grotesque transformation. Everything grows larger and larger, while we continue to diminish, trapped within this vast, unfathomable ecosystem. According to them..." She paused, glancing upwards briefly. "On the first day, earthquakes, lightning, rain, flooding, all sorts of natural disasters hit earth after the meteors landed. On the second day, the mist thickened, some creatures fell into a slumber while others became enraged. They began attacking everything with no regard.”

She paused again and allowed me to process.

“I rose on the third day. And so it began. First it was the grass…it grew rapidly to neck height before slowing down. Then the former palm trees began to dance, some grew thicker others grew taller as they battled for sun and protection. Other vegetation began to spawn near buildings stabbing themselves in breaking the structures. Alongside the vegetation, the insects mutated and grew in size..." Her nostrils flared like a canine scenting danger. Her gaze shifted to the window, she motioned for me to look.

A bird, with proportions exceeding those of a shopping cart, landed and voraciously feasted upon the carcass of the wasp I had slain. The sun descended swiftly, casting a shadow of obscurity over the landscape.

"Then on the fourth, the animals awoke. Everything multiplied in size, capacity, and strength. A common housecat now rivals a lion in magnitude. We've had encounters with cockroaches and rats, managing to survive... though not all of us were so fortunate."

That would explain the eerie silence that permeated through the dormitory. No signs of life or movement, only the chilling void of emptiness.

"Wait," I interjected, attempting to grasp the timeline of events. "How long have I been out?"

"You mean today or in general?"

"Umm...Both?"

Instead of answering. She directed my attention to a wall etched with seven lines of varying lengths, each scribbled by different individuals.

A wave of realization crashed over me, engulfing the room in an unsettling silence.

"As I mentioned, I awakened on the third day, and with it came a power. Alongside heightened speed, reflexes, and resilience, my sense of smell has become uh…acute. Various scents converge, and I am slowly making sense of them. Earlier, I detected your fear and determination, which is why I waved you in." Her words possessed a cadence she spoke as an evil mastermind revealing their diabolical plan to hold a city hostage would.

"We think that those who awakened after the first day possess unique abilities, coupled with enhanced capabilities. And if you woke up today, it must mean you possess strength, an ability of some sort."

"Now you're probably wondering why I'm telling you all this and why were being so kind to you. In exchange for nursing you back to health... you will lead us to the dining hall."

Our eyes locked.

"You should really negotiate before helping," I honestly never wanted to go back outside, my fear shook my words. "Besides, I don't have any of these powers you speak of. I'm the same Jeice I always been." I still didn’t want to accept my reality.

In response, she strode toward the other bed in the room, her hand retrieving an object. With a swift motion, she flung one of those mood octopuses at me, you know the ones you can flip inside out to show if you’re sad or happy. It was purple and pink.

SHING! FWOOSH!

The sound cut through the air, interrupting my thoughts. My vision locked onto a surreal sight—time froze, sound exited, and a sharpened, blackened, serrated, blade hung suspended, mere inches away from my left eye. Panic surged through my veins, and I subconsciously jerked my head in the opposite direction. Even after my movement, my gaze remained fixed on the wasp stinger, as it lodged itself in the pristine white wall of the dorm room.

Time resumed at it's regular pace, and sound once again filled my ears.

“You crazy bitch.” I stood up and grabbed the stinger from the wall it left a yellow stain in it's place.

“I’ve…No...We’ve..” She motioned to the rest of the group. “Encountered that same wasp, we hit it with a metal bat and it remained undamaged. You…squeezed it's brains out with your own hands. You survived it’s toxins, you are not normal. We’ve seen people die facing that wasp.” She began to tear up with her words.

Her performance jerked at the kindness in my heart.

"“That still doesn’t mean I can protect a group of three and myself from whatever the fuck is going on outside," I protested.

"I didn't ask you to protect us. Just to escort us," she countered, her gaze unwavering. "Plus, your cousin might be there. Everyone’s evacuated there anyways."

If he's there, then my choice was obvious.

"Let's go then," I replied, making an attempt to rise. She, however, pushed me back down, her touch firm yet gentle.

"You need rest. You’re no use like that, especially at night. The most dangerous predators come out when the world goes dark."

I gave in, lying back down, tiredness washed over me. My wounds throbbed, pus oozed from my side, my head ached and for the third time, the world faded into an abyss of darkness.