The engineering workshop was unusually quiet.
No one mentioned the Hunter.
No one wanted to.
Its claw marks still scarred the concrete floor, a silent reminder that the infected were changing.
Elias stood before the whiteboard, adding another line beneath the list of survival rules.
Threat Level: Unknown.
He underlined it twice.
Across the room, Noah crouched beside an old emergency radio he had salvaged from the campus security office.
The casing was cracked.
One antenna was missing.
Its battery had long since died.
“You really think this thing still works?” Liam asked.
Noah shrugged.
“It worked well enough to survive twenty years in storage.”
“It hasn’t been twenty years.”
“Feels like it.”
A few survivors chuckled.
It was the first laugh since Kevin disappeared.
Noah pulled off the back panel.
“Wires are fried…”
“Speaker’s intact…”
He looked at Elias.
“I need power.”
Elias nodded toward the workshop generator.
“We’ll bypass the battery.”
Within minutes, the two engineers had stripped old wiring from a welding machine and connected the radio to the emergency generator.
Noah flipped the switch.
Nothing.
He frowned.
“Come on…”
A burst of static exploded from the speaker.
KSSSHHHHHHHHH…
Everyone turned.
Emily slowly stood.
Sarah held her breath.
Noah carefully adjusted the frequency.
More static.
Then—
“…Hello…”
The room froze.
A man’s voice emerged through the interference.
“…If anyone can hear this…”
“…This is Captain Daniel Ross of the Australian Defence Force…”
Hope flashed across every face.
“We are conducting evacuation operations across the Sydney metropolitan area.”
“If you are a survivor…”
“Remain calm.”
“Proceed to the nearest designated evacuation point.”
“Military personnel will escort civilians to secure shelters.”
Emily burst into tears.
“We’re saved…”
Another survivor laughed through sobs.
“I told you they’d come.”
Even Liam smiled.
Outside these walls…
Humanity still existed.
The transmission continued.
“…Food…”
“…Medical treatment…”
“…Protection…”
“…You are not alone.”
Then—
Static.
The radio fell silent.
For several seconds…
No one spoke.
Then the workshop erupted.
“We have to leave!”
“The military’s alive!”
“They’ll save us!”
People hugged.
Some immediately began packing their belongings.
Hope spread through the workshop faster than panic ever had.
Noah grinned.
“I’ve never been happier to hear static.”
Yet Elias remained silent.
He replayed the message in his mind.
Every word.
Every pause.
Something bothered him.
One hour later…
The radio crackled again.
KSSSHHHHH…
Everyone gathered around.
Captain Ross’s voice returned.
“…Hello…”
“…If anyone can hear this…”
Elias slowly looked up.
The message continued.
Word for word.
Every pause.
Every breath.
Every cough.
Exactly the same.
Emily frowned.
“…Didn’t he say that already?”
The recording reached its end.
Static.
Silence.
No questions.
No responses.
No change.
Elias walked to the radio.
He checked the frequency.
Nothing unusual.
Then he looked at Noah.
“Did you notice?”
“What?”
“It wasn’t a conversation.”
Noah blinked.
“…It was a recording.”
Sarah crossed her arms.
“Maybe they’re replaying it.”
“They might be.”
Elias nodded.
“But if rescue teams are active…”
“…why isn’t anyone answering?”
Silence settled over the room.
That evening…
The whiteboard gained a new section.
Things We KnowThe infected are evolving.The military is broadcasting evacuation instructions.Helicopters are still flying.
Then Elias added another heading.
Things That Don’t Make SenseNo rescue helicopters have landed at the university.No one responds over the radio.The broadcast repeats exactly every hour.The Hunter appeared before the signal.
Noah read the list.
“You think they’re connected?”
“I don’t know.”
“But I don’t believe in coincidences.”
Night fell.
The radio repeated the message.
Again.
And again.
Every sixty minutes.
Never changing.
Never responding.
Never acknowledging anyone.
Emily smiled each time she heard it.
To her…
It meant hope.
To Elias…
It sounded like bait.
Far beyond the university…
A military helicopter flew through the darkness.
Its searchlight swept across deserted streets.
Groups of desperate survivors waved frantically from rooftops.
The helicopter never slowed.
It never landed.
It continued toward the western outskirts of the city.
Toward a fenced military checkpoint.
Above its gates hung a single illuminated sign.
EVACUATION CENTER – CIVILIANS ONLY
Behind the checkpoint…
Rows of white transport trucks waited in perfect formation.
The gates slowly opened.
Another convoy of rescued civilians entered.
The gates closed behind them.
None of them came back out.
The story is finally starting to take shape, and I hope you’re enjoying the journey so far.
Things may seem small right now, but every encounter, every mystery, and every decision will matter as the story continues.
This is my first novel, so I’m still learning and improving with every chapter.
Thank you for reading.
Love to hear your thoughts, theories, and feedback.
What do you think is coming next?