DEGREES OF DEATH
Daniel only wanted an ordinary day. Classes, a bit of hanging out, then home before the rain grew heavier. But that humid afternoon became the beginning of the apocalypse. Humans began attacking humans, and the transformation happened right before his eyes.
“Monsters don’t need a screen to be real.” Daniel said quietly. “And now they’re here. Everything Xavier talked about has come true.”
This was not an ordinary outbreak. The colder the air, the faster they evolved. An air conditioner left running could become a death sentence. Rain was no longer a relief, but a trigger for slaughter.
Trapped on the upper floors of the campus building, Daniel survives with Chania, Bianca, Xavier, and Kimberly. Five people with different fears, ways of thinking, and moral limits. Outside, the monsters grow faster. Inside, human decisions become even more dangerous.
Chania said, “He almost bit us.”
Daniel replied, “Not almost. He stopped being human a while ago.”
This is not a story about heroes trying to save the world. This is a story about survival as the temperature continues to drop. And about one rule that cannot be negotiated. In Degrees of Death, the ones who die first are not the weak, but the hesitant.
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Chapter: Part 10 – The Uninvited GuestDEGREES OF DEATHDaniel froze as he saw the red stain slowly spreading across the gray fabric of Satria’s hoodie. Without looking away, Daniel extended his left arm, signaling firmly for Xavier and the others to back away at once. The atmosphere in the room turned ice cold.“What is that?” Daniel asked. His voice was low, but razor sharp.Satria flinched, his eyes darting nervously to his arm. “No … it’s just a scratch from earlier,” he replied, trying to cover the stain with his other hand.“Take off your jacket. Now.” Daniel ordered flatly. There was no room for negotiation in his tone.Satria stepped back, a small, strained laugh escaping his pale lips. “It’s … it’s just from a wire fence when I was running. I swear, Niel, just a fence scratch. Not from them.”Daniel did not budge. Instead, he stepped forward, closing the distance while staying poised to strike. His eyes locked onto Satria’s with an intimidating intensity.“Take it off, or I throw you outside right now.” Daniel bar
Last Updated: 2026-01-28
Chapter: Part 9 – Day 2 of SurvivalDEGREES OF DEATHWhen they reached the front of the campus building, Daniel slowed to a stop and signaled Xavier to crouch. Running blindly now would only get them killed.“Quick, we need to get to the classroom as fast as possible, but don’t let them see us.” Daniel whispered, his eyes sweeping the area with sharp vigilance.He glanced back at Xavier, who was clearly struggling. “Hold the bag, Vier. Get your bat ready to knock anything away if it comes close, but do it quietly.” Daniel hissed, his stare pressing down on every word.Daniel took the lead, slipping between the shadows cast by the pillars along the outer corridor. Across the field, several undead figures still wandered aimlessly, their movements stiff and broken.“Don’t provoke them. They don’t know we’re here yet.” Daniel muttered to himself, trying to suppress the frantic pounding in his chest.Behind him, Xavier’s breathing was heavy and uneven. “The bag ... it’s really heavy, Niel,” he complained softly. His face was
Last Updated: 2026-01-28
Chapter: Chapter 8 – Searching for Food SuppliesDEGREES OF DEATHThe gray light of dawn slowly crept through the gaps in the faded curtains of classroom 2-B. A pale orange glow lingered on the eastern horizon, offering no warmth, only sharpening the bleak atmosphere inside the room, which now reeked of sweat and fear.Daniel’s eyes snapped open. “Morning already?” he muttered. He noticed the others watching him with worried expressions. Daniel frowned. “What is it?” he asked, confused.“Niel, sorry. I fell asleep last night, so…”“It’s fine.” Daniel replied lightly, as if nothing had happened. His gaze fixed on the barricaded door, then flicked toward Xavier, as if they were having a silent conversation.“Vier, we’re heading out to look for food and water for them. We can’t wait until the sun’s fully up. We need supplies to survive. You and I will search for drinks.”Daniel stood up immediately, his joints protesting after a night on the hard concrete floor. He gave short but firm instructions to the girls, who were waking with daz
Last Updated: 2026-01-28
Chapter: Part 7 – Searching for Food to SurviveDEGREES OF DEATHThe creature in front of him lowered its body, the muscles along its back twitching before exploding into a final leap aimed straight for Daniel’s throat. But Daniel’s survival instinct had not burned out yet. At the exact moment the shadow lunged, Daniel dropped flat to the floor, letting the creature slam into the metal door behind him with a thunderous crash.Without wasting a second, Daniel pushed himself up using his left hand. He no longer tried to pound on the locked classroom door. He had to find another place to take cover. Breathing hard, Daniel sprinted down the dark corridor, ignoring the stabbing pain that flared every time his foot hit the floor.At the far end of the hallway, the door to the Biology Laboratory stood slightly ajar. Daniel rammed into it with his right shoulder. Pain burst white across his vision, but he managed to force his way inside.BRAK!He slammed the lab door shut and yanked the metal bolt into place until it locked tight. Daniel c
Last Updated: 2026-01-28
Chapter: Part 6 – A Fatal MistakeDEGREES OF DEATHDaniel led the way, moving low along the shadowed wall of the indoor building. His body stayed crouched, his eyes sharp as they swept every inch of the dim parking area. When they reached the emergency metal staircase, he gave a brief signal. One by one, they climbed, Daniel’s hands gripping each step with careful precision to minimize the scrape of metal.They emerged into the pitch-dark second-floor corridor. Daniel removed his shoes, continuing in nothing but socks across the cold ceramic tiles to keep his movements silent.“Find the safest classroom. We need a wide vantage point facing the main road,” Daniel ordered flatly.They had barely gone a few meters when a harsh scraping sound shattered the silence. In front of classroom 2-B, two figures in torn campus jackets clawed at the wooden door until their fingernails snapped, leaving thick red streaks behind.“Finish them,” Daniel hissed.He lunged forward, swinging his aluminum baseball bat in a short, powerful a
Last Updated: 2026-01-28
Chapter: Part 5 – The Line ThinsDEGREES OF DEATHChania gave a small nod, though her face was pale. “I’m fine, Niel. Just a minor impact injury from the fall earlier.”Daniel exhaled roughly, trying to push away the anxiety creeping into his thoughts. He reached for the iron pipe still clutched tightly in Chania’s hands. “Use this,” Daniel said, weighing its heft. “Use its reach. Don’t let anything get closer than one meter to your position. Be careful. This thing is heavy. Swing it with your whole shoulder so your knees don’t lose balance.”“Okay,” Chania replied softly.Daniel noticed sweat slicking Chania’s grip on the pipe. “Wait. Your hands are too slippery,” he muttered.He stepped to the equipment table and grabbed the remaining roll of duct tape. With quick but careful movements, he wrapped the tape around the base of Chania’s pipe, creating a firm, rough grip.“Now hold it again,” Daniel said, handing it back and making sure Chania’s hands closed around the newly wrapped section. “Don’t let this go, no matt
Last Updated: 2026-01-28
