NecroSync

The next morning, Nathan woke up before Jake. Despite the slight hangover he felt, he decided to get up and prepare something simple for breakfast. Nothing too fancy, but enough to ease any lingering discomfort from the previous night's drinking. The quiet of the apartment wrapped around him as he turned on the stove, feeling a little unsettled after the events of the past few days.

The clinking of utensils against the pans and the aroma of scrambled eggs with toast began to fill the air, drifting over to the couch where Jake was still asleep. Jake stirred under the blankets, blinking a few times as he tried to orient himself to the time and place. The morning light streaming through the windows seemed far too bright for his still-sleepy eyes. Hearing the sounds coming from the kitchen, he got up out of curiosity and shuffled toward the source.

As he reached the hallway, he found Nathan standing in front of the stove, focused on finishing the cooking. Jake scratched his head lazily and leaned against the doorframe, his hair disheveled and his eyes still slightly puffy from sleep.

"Since when are you a morning person?" Jake joked in a raspy voice, though a yawn broke through mid-sentence.

Nathan glanced up at the sound of his voice and gave a small smile.

"Put on the news," he said as he plated the food and placed it on the table. His tone was more serious than usual.

Jake raised an eyebrow but didn't question it. He grabbed the remote from the couch and turned on the TV. Almost immediately, the screen lit up, showing the news anchor, who this time looked far more tense than the day before. His face, usually composed and professional, now reflected deep concern.

The two friends stopped what they were doing and moved closer to the table, watching intently.

"We are reporting that, according to one of our field correspondents, the attempt to capture the animal spreading rabies has failed," the anchor announced, pausing to look directly into the camera with a grave expression. "Additionally, based on the information we've obtained, this infection is transmitted through bites and causes symptoms of extreme aggression."

Nathan and Jake exchanged a glance but remained silent. Jake crossed his arms, while Nathan felt a growing sense of unease pressing against his chest.

The anchor continued:

"We urge everyone to avoid contact with anyone acting strangely, and if possible, stay in your homes while authorities work to contain the situation."

The footage on the screen shifted, showing deserted streets and police officers patrolling with weapons in hand. In other clips, emergency response teams moved frantically, though the chaos seemed difficult to control. A shiver ran down Nathan's spine. There was something about all of this that didn't add up, as if the authorities weren't telling the whole truth.

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The sound of a notification on his phone pulled Nathan out of his thoughts. He blinked, as though waking from a dream, and pulled the phone out of his pocket. On the screen, he saw that one of his friends was livestreaming. He frowned. That friend, while not particularly close to him, was always looking for attention on social media.

"Streaming at this hour?" he muttered, a mix of confusion and curiosity in his voice.

He opened the livestream, and the screen showed his friend walking through an alleyway with his usual group. They seemed relaxed, joking and laughing as they chatted about new clothes and other trivial topics. Everything appeared normal, but something about the setting wasn't right. Nathan noticed how empty the alley was. A murmur of alarm began to stir in his mind.

Suddenly, a man appeared at the far end of the alley. He looked... off. His movements were clumsy, uncoordinated, as if he were drunk or under the influence of some drug. His swaying posture was unsettling, and every step seemed to take an immense amount of effort.

One of the friends in the video raised his voice, calling out from a distance:

"Hey! Are you okay?" he shouted, sounding concerned.

The response was chilling. Instead of answering, the man let out a guttural growl and started running toward them. Nathan felt his body tense as he watched the man's expression on the camera. His eyes were lifeless, empty, as though all traces of humanity had been stripped away. As he got closer, the camera captured a clearer view of a deep, grotesque wound on his arm. It was a bite, jagged and raw, with torn flesh still oozing blood.

"Run!" someone from the group screamed, their voice trembling with panic.

The camera shook violently before falling to the ground, but the livestream continued. Nathan watched as the man tackled one of the boys. Bloodcurdling screams erupted from the screen, followed by a sickening, wet crunch as the attacker sank his teeth into the boy's neck.

Nathan dropped the phone as if it had burned his hands. He stumbled back a step, his face pale and his eyes wide with shock. His mind struggled to process what he had just seen, but the horrific images kept replaying in his head like a nightmare he couldn't escape.

Suddenly, gunshots and screams from outside shattered the silence, snapping him out of his trance. Nathan and Jake exchanged a quick glance and rushed toward the balcony, their hearts pounding in their chests.

When they opened the balcony doors, the cold morning air hit their faces, making them shiver. What they saw left them frozen in place.

The streets of Crystal City, which just the day before had been peaceful and orderly, were now plunged into absolute chaos. People were running in terror, chased by others who moved erratically—just like the man in the video. Desperate screams filled the air, mingling with the wail of sirens in the distance and the echo of gunfire reverberating through the city.

Abandoned cars clogged the main roads, some with their doors left open and their hazard lights still flashing. In the distance, a column of black smoke rose into the sky, marking a fire that no one seemed to be containing.

Nathan gripped the balcony railing, a mix of confusion and terror washing over him.

"What the hell is happening?" he whispered, barely able to form the words.

Jake stood beside him, staring silently at the unfolding chaos. His fists were clenched, his jaw tight. The usual calm that Jake exuded was nowhere to be found.

The two friends stood there, motionless, as the world they once knew began to unravel before their eyes.

And as the chaos unfolded, they realized this was just the beginning.