Shit hits the fan

Do you love her? Easy answer right?

Not really. After your ex cheated on you just before coming here you kind of closed your heart off, which is probably the reason you don't have a girlfriend and didn't ask Sam if she liked you.

Her piercing blue eyes, wide open in wonder and hope, are so captivating that it's impossible to look away. "Sam I-" You don't get chance to finish. The fire alarm activates followed immediately by the headmaster over the P.A. system.

"All students," he coughs quite violently away from the mic before continuing. Your head jerks up to stare at the speaker box in the corner of the room. "You are all required to evacuate the Ravenwood campus and go straight back to your homes. Police and military enforcement will come around and collect you to be transported to an emergency bunker, East of Ashfield."

The fire alarm cuts out abruptly. Screaming can be heard from in the corridor. You heart hammers in your chest. Keep calm, stay focused. Nothing to worry about yet. You try to instill confidence in yourself. Sam grabs your hand, her palm is sweaty or maybe it's your own.

"Stay safe stu-" A blaring white noise erupts through the speaker and then cuts out. The screams can be heard more clearly from the corridor now.

"We should leave." You say, focusing your voice to stay even.

"Mmh." Is all she agrees with. But agreement all the same you unlock and open the door of the first aid room. You both freeze at the shrill cry of a blood curdling scream. Sam steps back, releasing your hand. You turn and see her grabbing the first aid box. She swallows her fear and turns to look at you. "We might need this, som- someone might be hurt."

You just nod. You don't plan on investigating the screams but knowing that you may need it later, you decide not to say anything. You join hands again and step out into the now deserted corridor. The halls are now quiet allowing your footsteps to echo throughout. It's so strange to feel this way at college but you can't help it.

*

While your older sister was technically not supposed to tell you what happened in the other country, she must've figured if it gets here then you'd be better off knowing. So on her second night back she called you up to meet in town. The two of you had a goodnight overall but she seemed more distant than previously.

You took a quiet walk through a park that evening and as the sun was setting you both sat on a bench to watch the orange embers fade behind the clouds and the skyscrapers. Finally you asked her. "What's wrong?"

She burst into tears. Your older, stronger and braver sister held onto you and cried her eyes out as you tried futilely to console her. Eventually, after several long minutes, she stopped crying.

"Over there was horrible. That virus is being down played like it's no big deal. The governments are trying to keep it under wraps while preparing for the inevitable, but I don't think it'll do much good." She takes a deep breath and continued. "My closet friend turned on me once she became infected with it. We'd known each other for twelve years and she turns on me within minutes of being infected with that... I had to stop her..."

The rest of the night was very silent as you walked back to her car, she drove you back to your apartment. Before you got out she pulled you in for a tight hug. "If. No, when it gets here. Do not let them bite you. Not you or anyone around you." Bella kissed your cheek and finished with, "I love you little brother."

*

If that is really here, right now. We have some major problems. You lead Sam by the hand to the nearest fire escape, all the while keeping a steady pace. You exit the college by a door on the front of the building so you can see the long path to your right leading all the way to the entrance in the wall.

The city behind the wall is in disarray. Plumes of smoke filled the early morning sky from multiple buildings. Traffic could be heard all around, loud engine revs and blaring horns beaming back and forth from the jungle of the city.

You stop moving, the sight of the city being processed, you suddenly think upon what's actually inside the college. Could the virus be inside? Then you think about Lucy. Is she still inside? You pull your smartphone from your pocket and scroll through the contacts for your sister and press call straight away.

She answers. "Oh my god! Michael you're okay. He's okay." She says that last bit away from the phone. "You are okay?"

"Yes I am. Are you out? Where are you?" You ask out of more relief than panic.

"I'm in Bella's car. Me and my friend. Some teachers were chasing us through the college, once we got out back, Bella was there and... saved us. We got over the wall and in her car when more people showed up."

"Not people, infected." Bella chimes in.

"They weren't right Michael. They're all twitchy and pale. Some even had, well... um. Nevermind. But we had to get out of there. I'm sorry we left..."

"Hey it's okay, as long as you two are safe I'm fine that you left."

"Michael. Remember what I said to you?" Bella asks.

"Yes." You nod although she can't see it.

"Good. Get back to your apartment and lock it down, I'll come get you tomorrow morning. Hopefully everything will be more settled. Right now though I can't risk driving back, there's too many out on the streets." She sighs. "Noise attracts them after all. Stay safe little brother, I love you."

"Yeah, see you tomorrow." You hang up your phone and put it away. "Sorry Sam. I had to know if Lucy was okay."

"No problem. Should we get going? I don't really like just standing here. The whole city looks like it's under attack and it's..." You grab her hand.

"Let's head home, it'll be safe for awhile and then we can figure out what's actually happening and where to go from there." She quietly nods. As you take the first steps away from Ravenwood college, the clock at the top of the tower begins to chime.

Nine O'clock, the world ends.