But it was too late. The man's transformation had gone beyond control, his once-human instincts overridden by an uncontrollable hunger. With a guttural growl, he lunged at the closest person near him, a woman whose eyes widened in terror as she realized the danger too late.
The woman screamed for help, her cries echoing in the air, begging for someone to save her as she fought desperately to defend herself from the brutal attack. Her hands flailed in the air, desperately trying to push the man away, but his sudden surge of strength and relentless aggression overwhelmed her efforts.
The man's newly formed teeth, jagged and razor-sharp, sank into her flesh with horrifying ease, tearing through skin and muscle as if they were paper. Blood sprayed everywhere as the woman's screams changed into choking sounds. She couldn't fight anymore, and soon she stopped moving as life left her body.
As some individuals desperately attempted to pry the man away from the woman, panic spread through the scene like wildfire, making most bystanders flee towards their cars in desperate hope for safety. However, Emma knew deep down that it was already too late. She watched as the woman's struggling hands fell limp, her life slipping away before her eyes.
The man, now satisfied for the moment, lifted his blood-covered head with a hunger in his eyes that Emma recognized all too well. Without warning, he lunged at his next prey, the same people who had been trying to rescue the woman just moments before.
But the horror didn't end there. As Emma's gaze shifted back to the woman, she witnessed the transformation unfold before her eyes. Even with a gaping wound on her neck, the woman managed to rise to her feet, but her eyes, once filled with humanity, were now clouded over with an eerie emptiness. Black veins twisted across her pale skin, a horrifying sign of the dark influence that now gripped her body.
With a chilling scream, the woman joined the man in his relentless attack, driven by a primal urge for blood that defied all logic or restraint.
Emma let out a heavy sigh, her breath hitching in her throat as she surveyed the chaos unfolding around her. The cars behind her had already sped away, their passengers fleeing in terror after seeing the horrifying scene unfold on the highway. Meanwhile, the cars ahead were caught in a chaotic tangle, with each driver fighting desperately to break free from the horror.
With a grim determination settling over her, Emma knew that her only chance of reaching the safety of her forest home lay in confronting the nightmare head-on. There was no turning back now; she had to fight.
Stepping out of the RV, Emma wasted no time in stashing it back into the inner storage room. With the highway in utter chaos, driving seemed useless amidst the jumbled-up traffic and the nearing threat of the undead. She needed to rely on her own two feet.
From her inner storage, Emma retrieved a gleaming sword, its blade shimmering in the sunlight, a contrast to the grim reality surrounding her. It was a weapon she had brought during a rare moment of happiness in the mall, drawn to its elegant design and its sharp blade.
As she held the sword in her hands now, Emma couldn't help but marvel at its craftsmanship, the intricate patterns etched into the steel glinting in the dim light.
With a sense of determination flowing through her veins, Emma tightened her grip on the sword's hilt, feeling a surge of empowerment wash over her.
As she sprinted towards the nearest zombie, her heart pounded in her chest, the adrenaline fueling her every step. With ease, she adjusted her grip on the sword, the weight of it feeling like an extension of her arm.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
The zombie staggered toward her, its ugly appearance a disturbing mockery of a human. But Emma didn't back down; she had faced scarier things in the past, and she wouldn't let fear stop her.
With a primal shout, she closed the distance, her blade flashing in the sunlight as it arced toward the undead creature. The noise of metal hitting flesh rang out, a powerful declaration against the approaching darkness.
The zombie stumbled back, its bloody flesh parting beneath the keen edge of Emma's sword. With a swift strike, she delivered the finishing blow, removing the creature's head from its body in a spray of dark blood.
As the chaos unfolded around her, Emma remained steadfast, her focus unwavering as she carved a path of destruction through the undead masses. With each swing of her sword, she pushed further and further down the highway, the combination of screams and moans fading into the distance behind her. The sun beat down mercilessly, casting harsh shadows against the ground as Emma pressed on, her determination unyielding in the face of overwhelming odds.
As Emma emerged at the other end of the highway, her breaths ragged and her muscles aching from the exertion, she noticed three figures emerging from one of the cars. Despite the chaos, they had made the daring choice to abandon the false safety of their vehicles and follow her lead.
Their decision proved wise, for while the cars had initially provided a temporary safety, the entangled mess of cars had become a death trap as the undead closed in. The people couldn't get away and died inside their cars or the car’s window wouldn’t hold up and they became one of the undead too.
But these three individuals had chosen to take fate into their own hands, and as they approached Emma with a mix of exhaustion and determination in their eyes, she couldn't help but feel a surge of respect for their courage. She knows the old her will probably be hiding in those cars too.
With a mental focus born of necessity, Emma visualized the RV one mile ahead, tapping into the newfound ability granted by the reward system for her storage room. Even if she wasn’t in a place, she could still put it there.
With her destination firmly fixed in her thoughts, Emma wasted no time in springing into action. Seeing her run, the three people ran after her.
Even though they tried hard to keep up with Emma, they couldn't, feeling their determination fading as they grew more tired. And soon Emma couldn’t see them anymore. It wasn’t her duty to save strangers who provided no value to her.
Nestled within the familiar confines of her RV, Emma felt a wave of relief wash over her as she sank into the cushioned seat. The gentle hum of the engine provided a soothing background noise as she allowed herself a brief moment of relaxation.
Emma shifted into gear and started the engine, the vehicle rumbling to life beneath her. Gripping the steering wheel with steady hands, she navigated the winding roads with practiced ease, each turn bringing her closer to the safety of her forest home.
As she approached the gate, Emma's senses sharpened. With a flick of a switch, she activated the security measures, the spikes rising and the electrical currents crackling to life along the wired fence. Emma nodded, feeling satisfied that the fence was keeping her safe. She drove through the gate, knowing that it would stop anyone or anything that tried to get in.
As Emma drove the RV through the gate, the familiar "Ding" sounded in her head once more. Instantly, she shook off any remaining tiredness, ready for the new mission that might have come up.
"Secret Mission Unlocked. Zombies killed ninety-two out of one thousand," the message flashed in her mind. Emma’s eyebrows raised in surprise. Had she taken down that many zombies today? Not bad, she thought, good enough for this body anyway.
But the message didn't stop there. "New device detected," it continued, leaving Emma puzzled. Stepping out of her RV, she looked around, searching for the source of the new device. And then, as if on cue, the RV began to transform before her eyes, transforming into an apocalypse war car.
Emma watched in awe as her vehicle underwent the remarkable change, the voice in her head providing further explanation. "Reward: Update on device, turn into apocalypse war car."
But the message wasn't finished yet. "New Mission: Safety Measures Missing 0/10.”
And then, as quickly as it had appeared, the message vanished, leaving Emma alone with her newly transformed RV. With a mixture of excitement and determination, she climbed back inside the RV.