Tallahassee, United States
11:05 a.m.
— August 24, 2010
Instead of heading to the cafeteria, Jason walked toward a secluded table in the courtyard.
Melody arrived a few seconds later, followed by Jimmy and Madson.
The four of them sat down, and for a few moments, no one spoke.
Madson was the first to break the silence.
“I think Heather overreacted.”
Jason looked at her.
“Why?”
“Yesterday, after she called me, I searched online.” Madson pulled her phone from her pocket.
“I looked for news reports, accidents, police activity…
anything that might have happened on the street where she lives, but absolutely nothing came up.
Not a single picture, video, or news report.” She gave a relieved shrug.
“So it must have been some kind of prank or misunderstanding.”
Jimmy remained silent.
His gaze shifted toward Jason and then Melody, who exchanged a brief look.
Melody took a deep breath before answering.
“It wasn’t a prank.”
Madson gave her a crooked smile.
“Are you two going along with this too?”
Jason rested his elbows on the table.
“We saw some of the infected people.”
Madson’s smile vanished.
“Where?”
Jason quickly looked around to make sure no one was paying attention before lowering his voice.
“At Central Hospital.
The place has been sealed off, and researchers are working on whatever is happening.”
Melody nodded.
“They’re barely allowing anyone inside, and a large portion of the staff has been sent home over the past few days.”
Madson’s eyes widened.
“How do you know that?” She looked from one to the other, but then the firmness disappeared from her voice.
“My father…
My father is a psychologist there.”
The other three immediately gave her their full attention.
“He was supposed to be working normally, but on Sunday, they sent him home.
They said he wasn’t needed at the moment.” Madson lowered her gaze.
“When he came back, he was acting strange.
Really strange.”
Jimmy frowned.
“Strange how?”
“Quiet.
Frightened.” Madson shook her head.
“My mother tried to talk to him, and so did I, but he kept saying he was tired.
Then he would just stare off into space.”
Jason and Melody exchanged a silent look.
They understood immediately.
Madson’s father had probably seen the infected but had been forbidden from telling anyone.
Or perhaps he simply couldn’t find the words to explain what he had witnessed.
Madson took a deep breath, still trying to find a rational explanation.
“Even so…
dead people walking around?
That doesn’t exist.”
“We thought the same thing,” Jason answered calmly.
“Until we saw them with our own eyes.”
Silence settled over the table until Jimmy finally broke it.
“I believe them.”
Madson looked at him.
“Jimmy…”
He shook his head.
“After seeing the way Jason has been acting these past few days, after everything that has happened, and after Heather disappeared yesterday of all days…” Jimmy took a deep breath.
“I can’t keep telling myself it’s all a coincidence.”
Madson remained silent.
Doubt was still visible on her face, but her earlier certainty was gone.
Jason glanced at the school clock before turning back to the other three.
“There’s no reason for us to stay here anymore.”
Jimmy immediately agreed.
“I think so too.”
Melody nodded.
“If they’ve already reached Tallahassee, every hour matters.”
Jason pulled his phone from his pocket.
“I’m going to call my father.”
The others waited while he made the call.
Robert answered almost immediately.
“Jason?”
“Dad, they’re already here.”
Silence lingered on the other end of the line for several seconds.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.
One of our friends saw one of them last night, and Todd left with his uncle.” Jason took a deep breath.
“We’re leaving school early.
I still need to pick up the motorhome from Dennis.”
Robert answered without hesitation.
“All right.
I’ll finish moving the rest of the supplies into the warehouse.
The deliveries arrived a little while ago.”
Jason felt an immediate wave of relief.
“The armor too?”
“All of it, including the wetsuits.”
Jason closed his eyes for a moment.
“Great.
We’ll meet you at the warehouse.”
“Be careful.”
“We will.”
Jason ended the call.
Melody already had her phone pressed to her ear.
“Dad…” She waited a few seconds.
“I’m leaving school early.
Yes, Jason is coming too.” Melody listened to Donald’s answer and gave a faint smile.
“Understood.”
After ending the call, she looked at the others.
“My father said he’ll go straight to the warehouse after he finishes shopping.”
Jimmy took a deep breath.
“So this is it.”
Jason nodded.
For the first time since everything had begun, no one spoke about exams, practice, or classes.
School no longer mattered.
Their only objective now was survival, and beyond the school walls, time was running out.
It was already past noon when Jason, Melody, Jimmy, and Madson arrived at Dennis’s repair shop.
The place was strangely quiet.
Several vehicles were waiting to be repaired, tools were scattered across the workbenches, and an old radio played softly somewhere inside the building.
Jason looked around.
“Where’s Dennis?”
Jimmy frowned.
“That’s strange.
He’s usually working on something at this time.”
The four of them walked between the hydraulic lifts and partially dismantled cars, but there was no sign of him.
Melody pointed toward the back of the shop.
“The office.”
Jimmy nodded.
“He usually eats lunch in there.”
Without wasting another second, Jason broke into a run.
The others tried to keep up, but he was moving too quickly.
His heart pounded against his chest.
Only one day remained.
If Dennis refused, they might never get another chance.
When Jason reached the door to the small office, he didn’t bother knocking.
He shoved it open.
Bam!
Dennis, who had just opened his packed lunch on the desk, nearly dropped his fork.
“What the—”
He looked up in alarm.
Jason stood in the doorway, panting, sweating, and struggling to catch his breath. You are reading on novelping.com, the official source.
Jimmy, Melody, and Madson arrived behind him a few seconds later.
Dennis’s eyes widened.
“Jason?”
He immediately rose to his feet.
Only one thought crossed his mind: something had happened to Jimmy.
His gaze went directly to his son, but Jimmy was unharmed.
Even so, Dennis remained apprehensive and turned back to Jason.
“What happened?”
Jason was still breathing heavily.
Dennis quickly walked around the desk.
“Why aren’t you at school?”
None of the four answered immediately.
The silence only intensified the tension, and Dennis felt his heart begin to race.
He grabbed Jason by the shoulders.
“Jason…” His voice became firmer.
“Talk to me.
Did something happen to Jimmy?”
Jimmy stepped forward.
“Dad…”
Dennis didn’t even look at him.
He kept his eyes fixed on Jason.
“You came running in here.
You’re pale, and you’re covered in sweat.
Something happened.”
Jason finally managed to catch his breath.
He inhaled deeply and looked at Dennis, then Jimmy, and finally Melody.
He knew there would be no turning back after that moment.
“Something did happen.”
A chill ran down Dennis’s spine.
“What?”
Jason held his gaze.
“The world is ending.”
The office fell completely silent.
Dennis blinked several times.
He had expected to hear almost anything—an accident, a fight, a fire—but not that.
“What did you say?” he asked, unable to understand.
Jason took another deep breath.
“I know it sounds insane, but I need you to listen until I’m finished.
After that, you can decide whether you believe me.”
Dennis looked at Jimmy.
His son slowly nodded, and that was enough to make him realize none of them were joking.
Not Jason, Jimmy, Melody, or Madson.
Dennis pulled out the chair and slowly sat down again.
His lunch remained open on the desk, but he had completely lost his appetite.
“All right.” He crossed his arms.
“Convince me.”
Jason exchanged a quick look with Melody, took a deep breath, and began telling Dennis everything.
When he finished, Dennis remained silent for several seconds before letting out a humorless laugh.
“Jason…
you nearly gave me a heart attack by barging in here like that just to tell me some story from a movie?”
Jason didn’t smile.
“I’m serious.”
Dennis shook his head.
“Dead people walking around?
The end of the world?
That’s impossible.”
Jimmy stepped forward.
“Dad, he’s telling the truth!”
Dennis immediately turned toward his son.
“And you?” His voice hardened.
“You skipped school to take part in this prank?”
“Dad, this isn’t a prank!”
“Enough!”
The shout silenced Jimmy.
“I didn’t raise you to skip school and make up stories like this.
Jason has always been a good kid, but this has gone too far.”
Jimmy clenched his fists.
“Dad…”
“I don’t want to hear another word.”
Jason took a deep breath.
He needed to remain calm.
“Mr.
Dennis.”
The mechanic turned toward him.
“I don’t need you to believe everything I’m saying.
I just need you to spend tonight with us.”
Dennis crossed his arms.
“What?”
“Come to the warehouse and stay with us until tomorrow.
If I’m wrong, you can come home and never speak about this again.”
Dennis laughed once more.
“You’re asking me to abandon my home because you think zombies exist?”
Jason nodded.
“Yes, because tomorrow may be too late.”
Dennis slowly shook his head.
“This is insane.”
Jason felt desperation rising inside him.
Time was running out.
If Dennis refused, they might never get another chance.
He pulled his phone from his pocket.
Dennis frowned.
“What are you doing?”
“Calling someone you know.”
The call was answered quickly.
“Jason?”
“Dad…” Jason took a deep breath.
“Dennis doesn’t believe me.”
Robert remained silent for a moment on the other end of the line.
“Give him the phone.”
Jason held out the device.
Dennis hesitated.
“It’s Robert,” Jason explained.
The mechanic took the phone.
“Hello, Robert.”
The office fell silent.
Jason watched every change in Dennis’s expression.
First came curiosity, then surprise, and finally concern.
“You’re serious?”
…
“You’re taking Jennifer too?”
…
“And Jason?”
…
“I understand.”
Dennis rubbed a hand over his face.
“I never thought I would hear something like this from you.”
The conversation continued for several more seconds before Dennis returned the phone to Jason.
The mechanic remained still, staring thoughtfully at the floor.
Finally, he released a long sigh.
“I still think this whole story is completely insane.”
Jason remained silent.
“But I’ve known Robert for years.” Dennis raised his eyes.
“If he’s willing to take his family out of their home, then something is very wrong.”
Jason felt an enormous wave of relief.
Dennis stood.
“I’m not promising to believe in the walking dead, but I promise I’ll spend tonight with you.
And part of tomorrow.” He pointed at Jason.
“If nothing happens, you’re going to owe me one very good explanation.”
Jason smiled for the first time that day.
“Deal.”
Dennis looked at Jimmy.
“Stop looking at me like that.
I’m still angry that you skipped school.” Find the original chapter at g.com.
Jimmy gave him an awkward smile.
“I know, but thank you, Dad.”
Dennis shook his head.
“Let’s get to work.”
The five of them spent the next hour gathering everything that might be useful: toolboxes, hydraulic jacks, cables, spare parts, oil, filters, batteries, and power tools.
Everything was carefully loaded into the motorhome and the available vehicles.
Before leaving, Dennis took one last look at the repair shop.
He had spent nearly twenty years building that business, and now he was abandoning it without knowing whether he would ever return.
They headed to Dennis’s house next.
Jimmy went straight to his bedroom, opened his closet, and began putting clothes into a backpack.
When he finished, he opened the dresser drawer and found a small envelope inside.
He picked it up carefully.
The envelope contained several old photographs, including the last picture he had of his mother smiling.
There was also a birthday card she had written to him and a simple necklace she used to wear.
Jimmy stared at the objects for several seconds before carefully placing them inside his backpack.
On the other side of the house, Dennis was doing almost the same thing.
While gathering clothes and documents, he opened an old wooden box containing photographs of his wife, her wedding ring, and several letters he had never found the courage to throw away.
Dennis took a deep breath and picked up the entire box.
If he truly was abandoning that house, he wouldn’t leave behind the final memories of the woman he had loved.
A few minutes later, father and son returned to the living room.
Both carried backpacks, but they also carried their past.
When everything was ready, Dennis locked the front door for the final time.
He slowly turned the key, looked at the house, and then climbed into the vehicle.
Jason started the engine.
They still had one final stop before heading to the warehouse: they needed to pick up Madson and her parents.
After that, there would be no turning back.
Their final stop before the warehouse was the Carter family home.
When the group arrived, James Carter was already waiting on the front porch.
Dressed in jeans and a simple polo shirt, he looked exhausted, but it wasn’t the kind of exhaustion caused by work.
Since being sent home from Central Hospital, he had spent most of his time trying to understand what he had witnessed before being removed from the facility.
As soon as he saw Madson arrive with Jason, Melody, Jimmy, and Dennis, he realized something serious had happened.
“What happened?”
Madson took a deep breath.
“Dad, we need to talk.”
The six of them quickly entered the living room, and James listened to everything in silence.
Unlike Dennis, he didn’t laugh or call anyone crazy because, deep down, he already knew something was terribly wrong.
He had seen it himself.
The patients.
The sealed corridors.
The researchers.
The desperate doctors trying to find an explanation.
When Jason finished speaking, James continued staring at the floor before releasing a long sigh.
“I believe something is happening.”
Everyone remained silent.
“I saw those people,” James continued quietly.
“I saw patients who…
shouldn’t have been moving.
I saw my colleagues trying to speak to them, but it was like talking to a wall.” He closed his eyes for a moment.
“It was as though the person had disappeared…
and only the body remained.”
Jason and Melody exchanged a look.
It was exactly the same conclusion they had reached after speaking with Eleanor.
James looked at them again.
“But you’re exaggerating one thing.”
Jason raised an eyebrow.
“What?”
“The government,” James answered immediately.
“They still have the situation under control.
The Army will intervene, and so will the National Guard.
It may be difficult, but they’ll contain it.”
Jason shook his head.
“They won’t.”
“You can’t be sure of that,” James replied.
Before Jason could answer, Madson intervened.
“Dad…”
James looked at her.
“Do you remember Heather?”
He nodded.
“She called me last night and said she had seen dead people walking along the street outside her house.
Todd went to get her, and they left town last night.” Madson lowered her voice.
“I thought it was a prank.
This morning, I searched for news reports, but I couldn’t find anything.
Not a single line.”
James frowned.
Madson continued.
“If everything really was under control, why would they hide it?”
The question hung in the air.
Jason saw the exact moment James’s hope began to crumble.
The psychologist rested his elbows on his knees and stared at the floor for several seconds before speaking almost to himself.
“They’re hiding it…”
No one answered.
James slowly stood.
“Angela.”
Madson looked at her father, but James was already walking toward the phone.
Without wasting any time, he dialed his wife’s office number.
She answered after several rings.
“James?”
Her voice sounded surprised.
“You’re at work,” James said before taking a deep breath.
“Angela, I want you to come home immediately.”
Silence followed.
“What?
Did something happen?”
“It’s an emergency.”
Angela sounded even more confused.
“An emergency?
James, what happened?”
He quickly looked at Jason before answering.
“I’ll explain when you get here.
Just come home.”
Angela insisted.
“But…
James, I’m at the office.
I just got out of a meeting.
What’s going on?”
James rarely interrupted his wife while she was working.
In fact, Angela could only remember him doing it once before, when Madson had fallen during practice and broken her arm.
If he was calling her like this again, then something serious had truly happened.
Angela took a deep breath.
“I’m on my way.”
The call ended.
James slipped the phone into his pocket and slowly exhaled.
“We were lucky.”
Jason looked at him.
“Lucky?”
James nodded.
“She had just gotten out of a meeting.
If I had called five minutes earlier, she wouldn’t have answered.”
Silence returned to the living room.
Every minute felt more precious than the last.
James looked at Dennis, then at Jason, before finally taking a deep breath.
“Let’s pack our things.”
He turned toward his daughter.
“If you’re right, tonight will be the last night this house is just a house.”
No one answered.
There was no need.
Everyone already understood that the clock was ticking.
And for the first time, James understood it too.
I’m using AI to translate this story.
English is not my native language.
If you would prefer to read it without an AI translation, you can find the original Portuguese version on this same profile.