Barely half a month remained before the apocalypse when the news networks picked up on a story that spread like wildfire.

  A reporter showed up on the hologram screen of the news before Lián Xīng, “Reporting live from outside of the Grand Hospital of City C. Not much is known about this strange new infection; our insiders have only been able to take some blurry photos of the infected. See here…” Images with the faces blurred of patients, showed them with their hands nearly inky black with a blue tinge, cloudy splotches of blue up and down the patients arms and legs. A flash of neon green eyes before the recording device’s picture went out. “The hospital is now under strict quarantine; no one goes out, and no one goes in. Supplies are handed to them by hasmat-suited outside employees. That’s all back to you…”

  Lián Xīng stared at the hologram of the news, whispering under her breath, “It’s early.”

  Why was the infection outbreak earlier than she was told? What had changed other than her? Or had it always started this early, but the mass infection worldwide didn’t happen until the said time?

  A hand on her shoulder startled her from her deep thoughts, and she looked up to see her grandfather looking over her shoulder.

  “It’s begun then.”

  She nodded. “Should we tell the children now?”

  “Tell us what?” Huáng Mùchén’s voice sounded from the doorway. “What’s going on?”

  “Mùchén?” Huáng Měi Lán came around the corner and wrinkled her brow as she looked around at everyone.

  Lián Xīng and Lián Liwei glanced at each other before Lián Xīng got up from behind the desk and knelt before the two five-year-olds.

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  “Some scary things will happen soon, but I want you two to know I’ll protect you no matter what.”

  Huáng Mùchén pointed around him, “That’s why you’ve been updating the house and making higher walls around Grandpa’s property.”

  Lián Xīng nodded, “And that’s also why I’ve taken you two shopping to get things you’ll like or need, because those things are going to be hard to get soon.” She sighed. “Things are going to get harder. It won’t be as easy as just calling someone for help or to get something anymore. When we venture out, we will risk dangers to get things we need.”

  For the next week, there was news that the infection was spreading to other countries, showing up in their hospitals. People started hoarding goods, and shops regularly ran out of goods. The Lián family was glad they had prepared so much ahead of time because things were only going to get worse.

  Until the news broke that was worse, the word ‘zombie’ was used.

  “I’m here alive in front of one of our local hot pot restaurants that just had a tragic event tonight by what people have started to call ‘zombies. ’ Perhaps the fear of this new epidemic has been underestimated. Tonight, several infected people caused a rampage. We have live footage from inside, I must forewarn our viewers it will turn some stomachs.”

  It was a meeting of less reputable characters; one of them noticeably stood out with his gloves, long coat, and hat that was sunk low over his eyes. He growled words, they came out more slurred each time he spoke. Quietly behind the video device, soft growl-like sounds were heard too, but the video taker seemed to ignore them. Just at the corner of the screen, you could see another figure with what looked like bluish welts on its face. What started as a jovial celebration resulted in guns drawn and the man in the coat lunging. At first, it just looked like a brawl, but as it intensified, two more figures leaped in, almost as if to defend the coated man. And then it got bloody. Arms were torn off, growls continued before the video taker was taken down.

  Despite the gruesome events, Lián Xīng saved the video; something about it bothered her. Something about the movements of the infected. They almost looked defensive.

  It didn’t take long for the news to be full of accounts of ‘creatures’, ‘mutated’, ‘infected’, or ‘zombies’ to spread. Panic had set in, not just in their country but the world.