3. Survivor

August decided to pursue going out when he saw that the streets were crowded with zombies. Plus, he forgot that he was in Manila, which was miles away from Cavite. Where his family resides. He went back to his room. Planning his way back to Cavite. 

It was already bright outside when August woke up the next day. He blinked and saw new words. 

“Energy restored.”

August sighed. He decided to eat the biscuit he saw and drink water for his breakfast. “System, map,” he said. He just thought that he could make a voice command and call it a system. Because it was what was in the first place. A system where he doesn’t know where it came from. 

The map of the city came out in front of him. August groaned when he saw that there were zombies again in the park. Something might have lured them inside. But he noticed something was odd at the building.

“System, building details.” 

Location: Auditorium

Supplies: Food, water.

Zombie: 0

Survivor: 1

“Human?” August stood up. That might be the reason why there were zombies again in the park. “Is it me or are there other survivors here?” 

“Host is not counted.” 

August gasped. “Show me the location of the survivor.”

One blinked and the location of the survivor was shown. He was just three rooms away from him. He didn’t even notice when someone entered the place. August shook his head and decided to go to the room.

“Hello?” August knocked on the door. It was locked and he couldn’t go through. “Hey! I’m okay. Please open up!” 

The door was opened and a man peeked. “Get inside now!” the man said. 

August looked at the hall but he didn’t see anything. He saw that the man was terrified, so he decided to enter. The man immediately closed the door. 

“Who are you? Are you okay? Are you bitten?” August asked. He looked at him and saw that he was still wearing a uniform from a fast food chain. He stared at him and saw that there were words showing up on his side like the zombies he fought last night. 

Name: ???

Type: Human

Level: 1

Agility: 15

Strength: 10

Vitality: 10

Intelligence: 25

Weakness: Can be killed easily with weapons. Sickness. Bite.

August frowned at seeing his stats. 

“I’m Jude. I’m good. I’m not bitten.” 

August blinked and saw that the name Jude was written in his profile. ‘Cool.’

“That’s good. I have food in my room. Do you want to go eat?” 

“Water? Do you have one?” 

“Yes.” 

Jude looked at the door. “Are there zombies here?”

“No. The stage is safe.” 

The two of them went to his room. August offered him the biscuits and water he took last night. Jude immediately ate it as he hadn't had any meal since last night. He didn’t have time because the restaurant he was working at was already full of zombies. 

“What happened to you?” August asked. 

Jude sighed. “Everything went fast. I was serving a family at my work. Then a customer fell down. We thought he was just having a heart attack. But when… My co-worker tried to check on him. The customer came back and bit him.” His voice broke. “I-I saw him eat Niel as some meat was served to him. We tried to stop it. But there were other customers who fell down and started attacking each other. I tried saving some but I saw that even in the street there were some like it. People were attacking each other. Eating each other like some animals. Their eyes were white. They look different. Then I saw the park. I saw that there were no zombies. I ran here and saw this stage. Every person I tried to save was gone. They are all bitten.” Jude stopped and took a deep breath again. “Do you know what is happening? What are they? Why are they eating each other?”

August pointed the radio beside him. “They said that it was zombies.” 

“Zombies? How is this possible?” 

“I don’t know. But our government was not telling us anything. They were just asking everyone not to go out of their houses.” 

Jude suddenly cried. “No… My family. I have a wife and a daughter! I need to check on them!” He stood up and was about to leave the room. But August stopped him. 

“What? How? Haven’t you seen what was happening outside?” 

“I can’t stay with them. I need to check if they are okay. I can’t abandon them!” 

“Okay! I know you are desperate. But you need to think about what you are going to do.” August blinked and the map of the city showed again. “Where are they now?” 

“Baseco.” 

August groaned when he realized where it was. Baseco was crowded by a lot of settlers. He wouldn’t be surprised if he saw that it was swarming with a lot of zombies. 

“You will die if you go there. Come with me instead. I am going to see my family in Cavite. They live in a subdivision. I know for sure that they are safe there.” 

Jude smirked and removed August’s hand. “Your family is lucky that they are safe. But mine wouldn’t. So I need to check up on them no matter what.” 

“You wouldn’t last a day outside. You see, but just in front of this stage, there are a lot of zombies already. What more if it’s the whole park?”

“I don’t care, Mister! But I need to get my family together! My daughter is only four years old! If these zombies are real, then I should save them no matter what! If you are not going to help me, Then let me be and go to your family!” Jude said. He went out of the room.

August sighed. He knew exactly that it was a suicide mission if Jude went out alone. He would die. Manila was the most crowded place in the Philippines. In no time, it will be the zombie capital of the country too. 

“System. How many zombies are in Rizal Park now?” 

“Total zombies, one hundred plus and counting. There are more zombies going inside the park.” 

August sighed. “Okay,” he said. He took the radio and water. Then he went out of the room and followed Jude.