ONE MONTH AGO

It was eleven at night, and Samuel stood behind the front counter at the bottleshop, arms crossed. His coworker, Megan, stood beneath the large tungsten heater, radiating a bright luminescent orange.

Exhausted and bored, Samuel leaned against the counter, propping his weight on the tabletop. He had been working his regular six-to-twelve shift and felt the fatigue settling in. With little sleep from the restless night before, he struggled to keep his eyes open, occasionally succumbing to a yawn that stretched his tired muscles. The shop remained eerily quiet, devoid of customers, and the uneventful hours ticked away.

Feeling the weight of exhaustion on his shoulders, Samuel turned to Megan, hoping for a momentary distraction. Sensing his weariness, she approached him with a concerned expression and asked, "You look like you've got something on your mind. What's bothering you?"

Samuel lowered his head, desperately avoiding eye contact. His voice sounded soft and quiet, almost trembling under a hidden sadness. "I'm fine. Everything is okay," he replied.

Megan ducked her head and stared into his lost eyes. She knew he was lying; he had been quieter than usual during the shift. "Are you really okay?" Megan asked, stepping closer to him for support.

Samuel raised his head and gazed out into the void. Letting out a deep sigh, he threw his arms to his side. "I'm just having issues with my girlfriend, that's all."

Megan sat on top of the counter, crossed her arms, and smiled. "What's going on with you and your girlfriend?"

Samuel cleared his throat, his eyes beginning to water. "I'm just not happy at the moment. I've been trying hard to keep our relationship together, but she doesn't put in the same effort. She hardly talks to me anymore. She wakes up at four p.m. every day," Megan pouted her cheeks and squinted her eyes, cringing at Samuel's girlfriend's morning schedule.

"We have a chat for two hours, and then I'm off to work. While I'm at work, she usually plays video games. After a long night dealing with drunk idiots, I just want to get home, talk to my girlfriend, and relax a little. But when I do, she just responds with the driest answer, 'I'm gaming.' Then she wouldn't message me at all until she's too tired to play anymore, and she just says goodnight. That happens almost every night," Samuel confirmed, playing with a rubber band on the floor with his feet.

"Maybe you should talk to her about it. In a relationship, you've got to be able to bring up things like that," Megan responded, tilting her head inquisitively, awaiting an answer.

"Don't worry. I have talked to her about it. Many times. She always just puts it back on me, making it my fault. She always turns it into an argument. I feel like she doesn't listen to me. I feel like she doesn't respect me at all," Samuel confessed, secretly wiping a tear away from his cheek.

"Well, that doesn't sound nice. She sounds kind of toxic," Megan observed.

"Although I'm not happy, and I'm thinking of breaking it off, I still love her. And I want us to work. I just hope our trip to Melbourne rekindles something," Samuel hoped.

PRESENT DAY

An ear-piercing, haunting scream echoed outside their bedroom window.

Startled, Samuel immediately jumped out of bed, his mind racing to make sense of the disturbance. Brooklyn sat up beside him, her eyes wide with fear, mirroring his own unease.

"What was that?" Brooklyn asked, her voice trembling with nervousness.

Samuel slowly pushed the curtain away from the window, his gaze fixed on the darkened street. "It was probably just some drunk teenagers causing a ruckus. Go back to sleep," Samuel reassured her, trying to keep his voice steady despite the growing knot of unease in his stomach. He continued to peer outside, unable to shake off the sense of foreboding that lingered in the air.

Climbing back under the sheets, Brooklyn pulled them over her face, seeking solace in the safety of the blankets. Her knee latched onto Samuel's hip as she nestled closer to him, seeking reassurance in his presence.

As the night draped its inky shroud over the street, a figure emerged in the distance, casting an eerie shadow that limped along the pavement. With a slow and laborious gait, the enigmatic silhouette made its way across the deserted street, gradually dissipating into the obscurity of the night's embrace.

Samuel drew the curtain aside, stealing one final glance outside. Pulling the sheets back over his cold body, Samuel lay still, fixating on the ceiling above. The night enveloped him in an unsettling hush, interrupted only by the distant sirens from emergency services, their wails bouncing off the walls. A surge of adrenaline coursed through his veins, amplifying the thumping of his heart, its rhythm resounding in his ears.

Brooklyn's voice, muffled beneath the bed sheets, trembled with worry as she spoke, "The sirens haven't stopped all night."

"Maybe there's a fire somewhere," Samuel responded, his voice tinged with concern as he tried to maintain an optimistic tone.

Suddenly, a resounding thud reverberated through the floor, accompanied by the eerie symphony of creaking and scratching wood. "Someone, please help me! Argh! Help!" echoed the desperate screams of a woman in the hallway, just outside their apartment door.

Deeply hidden under the blankets, Brooklyn whimpered, frightened by the woman's deathly screams. Samuel slowly shifted himself out of bed, slowly touching his big toe to the carpet. Quietly he stepped out of bed, standing only on his toes.

"Where are you going?" Brooklyn asked, her voice trembling under the stress.

Samuel turned his head towards her. Placing his pointer finger over his lips, he gestured to Brooklyn to keep quiet.

He stepped out of the bedroom, relying on the walls for stability to prevent any potential falls. Gradually, he proceeded towards the front door. The moon light guiding his way, Samuel stood in front of the door, planting his feet onto the hard carpet. A peep hole was located in the middle of the door, which looked out at the hallway.

With a deep breath, Samuel grabbed onto the door frame, sluggishly moving his eye towards the peep hole. Peering out into the grey lit hallway, all he could see was the neighbouring apartment doors, shut closed, with not a single person in sight.

"What can you see?" Brooklyn whispered peeking her head out from the bedroom.

Samuel stepped away from the door, "There's nothing. I doubt there's anything to worry about," Samuel observed.

Brooklyn sighed with relief, she stepped out from the bedroom and walked into the lounge room, attempting to get closer to Samuel.

Just to be sure, Samuel decided to look once more. Connecting his eye with the peep hole again, he peered outward into the hallway. This time it wasn't empty.

A man stood right up against their door, gazing into the peep hole. His nose almost flush with the door. The man's eyes was a mixture of light and dark cloudy grey. His skin was pale white, almost like he's been dead for a couple days. Dark red blood flowed down from his wide torqued open mouth. Pieces of thick flesh like fabric was caught in between his jagged teeth. His teeth were grinding on top of one another, causing blood to drip out from his mouth.

Frightened, Samuel stepped backwards almost bumping into the cupboard behind him. His eyes were wide open, staring at the peep hole from afar. Brooklyn launched herself from the couch, her breath becoming heavier.

"What did you see?" Brooklyn asked nervously.

Fearful of making too much noise, Samuel ignored her question. Stepping back towards the door, his eye met with the peep hole one last time. Peering into the hallway, the man had vanished.

With a sigh of relief, Samuel leaned his back against the wall and put his large skinny hands on top of his head. His puffy, dark brown, large curled hair compressed under the weight.

"What was out there Samuel?" Brooklyn asked once again, her voice becoming frail and quiet.

Pushing himself off the wall, he sat down on the couch armrest next to Brooklyn who was visibly terrified. "There was a man out there," Samuel responded.

On the edge of her seat Brooklyn cleared her throat and asked, "What was he doing?"

"Nothing. Literally nothing. He was just standing there. Staring at the door," Samuel caught his breath, "He looked dead. Pale white skin, cloudy eyes, blood dripping from his mouth."

Brooklyn placed her hand onto Samuel's thigh. She gazed slowly up to his eyes, "Are you sure that's what you saw?" She pondered.

"I know what I saw," Samuel had a slight annoyance in his response. His eyes wondered back towards the front door, staring directly at the peep hole.

The sound of tires screeching along the street echoed through their small apartment. A sharp and abrupt bang reverberated through the walls. The screeching of tortured metal filled the air, a desperate cry of anguish that pierced through the surrounding chaos. The shattering of glass followed, like a thousand fragile hearts breaking in unison. The violent clash of twisted frames produced an unsettling cacophony of crunches and snaps, a grim dance of destruction.

The loud car crash was followed by multiple screams of terror and agony. Looking through their balcony window, Samuel and Brooklyn noticed dark grey smoke drifting up into the sky. The crash must of been terrible, causing the car to catch fire.

They were both unable to move an inch. Sitting stone cold on the couch, with their eyes on an angle, they stared through the window. The blackness of the night wasn't helping, only aiding to their terror.

"What is going on?" Brooklyn worried.

Samuel grabbed the television remote from the small wooden coffee table, which was sitting in the middle of the room. Turning the television on, the room filled with bright lights, flickering against the walls.

The television channel was just static. Fast running ants were gliding across the screen. Switching to channel seven, the news was broadcasting. A man was sitting alone wearing a messy tuxedo. His tie was loose, his hair was frizzy, and his jacket was undone. The man looked terrified as he stared towards the camera.

"A mysterious and highly contagious virus has been discovered in Australia, causing widespread concern among the population. The nature of this virus is still unknown, but reports suggest that it is spreading rapidly, causing severe symptoms in its victims," the news anchor tightened his tie, took a sip from his mug and cleared his throat.

Videos of protesters rioting the streets across Australia played through the segment. Multiple buildings were on fire, stores and houses were being looted.

"Authorities are urging residents to remain vigilant and take necessary precautions to protect themselves and their loved ones. The infected individuals have displayed unusual behavior and physical symptoms, leading experts to suspect that this may be an entirely new type of viral infection."

A short video showed Adelaide, Samuel and Brooklyn's home city. Streets were ruined, with cars flipped over and rubbish littering the streets. There was blurred bodies laying in the middle of the road, covered in blood.

"Citizens are advised to avoid close contact with anyone showing signs of illness, which include disorientation, aggression, increased body temperature, coughing and sneezing, vomiting, and shortness of breath. Additionally, it is recommended to maintain proper hygiene practices such as frequent handwashing and covering the mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing. Local hospitals and medical facilities are reporting a surge in patients presenting with symptoms resembling those associated with the virus. Health officials are urging anyone who suspects they may be infected to seek immediate medical attention."

The news anchor took another sip from his mug, he wiped sweat away from his forehead and looked back into the camera lens.

"As this situation continues to evolve, we urge the public to stay tuned to reliable news sources for the latest updates and follow the instructions provided by health authorities. It is crucial to remain calm and cooperative during this challenging time, as the collective efforts of the community are essential in containing the spread of this unknown virus. We will bring you more information as it becomes available. Stay safe, stay informed, and take all necessary precautions to protect yourself and those around you."

The news report cut off and changed to a static emergency alert. The city of Melbourne became louder, with the sound of speeding cars and terrifying screams.

Brooklyn was scared out of her mind. She reached into her pants pocket, fumbling for her phone. Her fingers shaking, missing every touch on the screen, Brooklyn quickly called her mother, Elizabeth. Her breath became heavy and loud. Brooklyn held her phone over her ear. Hoping her mother will pick up. However the phone call went directly to voicemail.

Brooklyn chucked her phone back into her pocket. She jumped up from the couch and ran into their bedroom. Soon after she came racing out with her luggage, all packed up and ready to leave. Without a care she instantly made a run for the front door.

"What are you thinking?" Samuel questioned as he stood up from the armchair. He stepped in front of Brooklyn stopping her from leaving.

"Get out of my fucking way" Brooklyn argued.

"We can't risk leaving. Didn't you hear anything they said?" Samuel angrily wondered.

"I couldn't care less" Brooklyn responded.

The emergency alert on the television suddenly switched back to the news anchor. He looked even more distraught and stressed then before.

"This will be our final report. It is with utter devastation to announce that the viral infection has rapidly spread across the globe. There are reports that the virus originated in France." The news anchor eerily stopped reading his notes. His face was engulfed with terror.

"The world is dying. We are alone. This is the end of the human race as we know it. All I can say is, stay indoors, keep your windows locked and covered. And for gods sake, what ever you do. Do.  Not. Get. Bitten."