One week had passed.
Inside the bunker, time moved strangely. Days blended together in routines, training, monitoring the outside world, checking supplies, maintaining systems. The quiet stability of the bunker was almost unnatural compared to the chaos spreading beyond its reinforced walls.
But the screens in the control room showed the truth.
Viremont City was no longer the calm city it had been two weeks ago.
The infected numbers were rising every single day.
Mia sat in front of the surveillance monitors, watching the news feeds and social media clips being broadcast across the internet.
One particular video made her stomach twist.
It had been recorded by a neighbor through a window across the street.
The video was shaky, filled with terrified shouting.
A woman stumbled through the front door of a house.
Her daughter ran toward her.
"Mama?"
The woman suddenly lunged.
The camera jerked violently as the neighbor screamed in horror.
The infected mother attacked her own child.
The video ended seconds later.
Mia slowly closed the video.
Her chest felt tight.
Even though she had seen horrors like this before… it never became easier.
Behind her, the television news continued broadcasting updates.
Authorities confirmed several officers had already been bitten during attempts to control violent outbreaks in different districts of Viremont City.
Some officers had died.
Others had been attacked and eaten by infected crowds before backup arrived.
The situation was deteriorating fast.
Luis walked into the control room and noticed Mia's expression.
"You saw something bad again."
Mia nodded quietly.
"Yes."
Luis leaned against the wall beside the monitors.
"What is it this time?"
Mia hesitated before answering.
"A mother infected… attacked her daughter."
Luis exhaled slowly.
He didn't ask to see the video.
He didn't need to.
They both already understood how dark the situation had become.
Another update appeared on the television screen.
"In the past week, health officials have noticed a change in infection progression."
Mia immediately focused on the broadcast.
The reporter continued.
"Earlier reports suggested infected individuals would turn aggressive roughly twelve hours after exposure."
The footage shifted to medical experts discussing new findings.
"However, recent cases suggest the infection now progresses significantly faster."
Mia's eyes narrowed.
The reporter continued.
"Doctors now estimate the transformation period may occur within four hours."
Luis looked at Mia.
"That's… faster than before."
Mia nodded slowly.
"It's evolving."
Luis frowned.
"You sound like you expected that."
Mia didn't answer immediately.
Her thoughts drifted to memories she wished she could forget.
The future she had come from.
The one where she died.
Three months after the outbreak began.
In that future, the infection time had shortened drastically.
At the beginning it took hours.
Then less.
Eventually…
Minutes.
She remembered the day her parents were bitten.
It happened so fast.
The transformation had taken only minutes.
Mia clenched her hands slightly.
But this time things were different.
Her parents were safe.
They were alive.
Because she changed the future.
And she had also left Kevin behind.
The betrayal still stung when she thought about it.
But it had also opened her eyes.
She had been so foolish before.
Choosing Kevin over her parents.
Ignoring warning signs.
Trusting someone who didn't deserve it.
Now she understood how precious her family truly was.
The door opened behind them.
Helen stepped into the room holding her phone.
"I just talked to Daniel."
Mia turned.
"My uncle?"
Helen nodded with a relieved smile.
"They're safe."
Michael followed her inside.
"Your cousin and the kids are all fine."
Mia exhaled quietly.
"That's good."
For now.
But she knew safety outside the bunker was fragile.
---
Later that afternoon, the families gathered in the Ray family living area again.
The television showed a heated debate between officials and medical experts.
Some authorities had begun suggesting a disturbing method to stop infected attackers.
"Several witnesses claim the infected stop moving when the head receives severe trauma."
Olivia frowned.
"That sounds horrible."
Luis leaned forward.
"So destroying the brain stops them?"
Mia nodded.
"That's how it works."
Everyone turned toward her.
She spoke calmly.
"In the future where I came from… that's how people survived."
The room fell silent.
Michael slowly crossed his arms.
"So the head."
"Yes."
"Hit the head hard enough, and they stop moving."
Federick looked thoughtful.
"That means they're not alive in the normal sense anymore."
Mia nodded.
"They're not."
The television reporter continued speaking.
"Authorities are currently not authorized to use lethal force against infected civilians under current orders from the mayor of Viremont City."
Federick shook his head.
"That won't last long."
On social media, debates were already raging.
Some people demanded authorities shoot infected attackers immediately.
Others protested.
"They're still human," some argued.
"They deserve treatment."
Mia quietly spoke again.
"In the future… there was no cure."
The room went still.
Luis looked at her carefully.
"None at all?"
Mia shook her head.
"The virus spreads too fast."
Her voice grew quieter.
"People were bitten or scratched… and that was it."
She looked down at her hands.
"Population dropped dramatically."
Looting became common.
Food became scarce.
Violence spread everywhere.
People killed each other for supplies.
For shelter.
For survival.
Olivia stared at her.
"I can't believe the virus is adapting so quickly."
Mia nodded.
"It will get worse."
Federick leaned back in his chair.
"If it already evolved from twelve hours to four…"
He paused thoughtfully.
"Then it could evolve again."
Luis understood immediately.
"You mean… faster infected?"
Federick nodded slowly.
"Stronger. Faster. Maybe even more dangerous."
Mia considered the idea carefully.
"In the future I saw, zombies weren't intelligent."
She paused.
"But evolution is unpredictable."
Luis frowned.
"What else do we need to know?"
Mia thought for a moment.
Then she spoke.
"They are extremely sensitive to sound."
Everyone listened closely.
"They react to blood as well."
Olivia shivered slightly.
Mia continued.
"At night they move slower sometimes… but if they smell blood or hear movement, they become extremely aggressive."
Her voice lowered.
"They hunt like predators."
She remembered something else.
Something even more disturbing.
"Even the dead in cemeteries weren't safe."
Everyone looked confused.
Mia explained quietly.
"The infected virus can reactivate corpses."
Helen's eyes widened.
"You mean… the dead rise too?"
Mia nodded grimly.
"That's why destroying the head is the only way to stop them completely."
Luis thought about it for a moment.
Then he spoke.
"You should post that information."
Mia looked at him.
"Online."
Luis nodded.
"People need to know how to survive."
Mia hesitated.
But he was right.
If people understood the truth… maybe some could survive.
She opened her laptop.
"I'll post anonymously."
Her fingers began typing.
---
Anonymous Post – Survival Information
If you encounter infected individuals:
1. Avoid making loud noise. They are extremely sensitive to sound.
2. Blood attracts them quickly. Stay away from wounded individuals.
3. Infection spreads through bites and scratches.
4. Symptoms include red eyes, bleeding gums, visible dark veins, and aggressive behavior.
5. Destroying the head stops infected movement.
6. Avoid cemeteries or areas with large numbers of corpses.
7. At night infected become more aggressive when they detect fresh blood or human presence.
8. Travel quietly and stay in groups.
There is currently no known cure.
Mia stared at the screen for a moment.
Then she clicked post.
Somewhere in Viremont City, someone might read it.
And maybe…
Just maybe…
It would save a life.