*Shatter*

  The sound of camera man's smartphone breaking reverberated in viewer's ears as the screen turned black with no sound.

  Immediately it was swapped with the collage of the remaining eight videos, meanwhile the news anchor started commenting of what could have happened

  [8:28 A.M]

  This abrupt screen distortion jolted Shraiyen's family back to their senses, as with each passing second the gravity of the situation sank deeper in their hearts.

  Father had turned the volume off right now and the whole dining hall was swallowed by silence, both the siblings were still standing facing the television, Shailani clenching her brother's hand since start with the grip getting tighter as she progressed into a state of unease.

  Mother was standing beside father's chair, looking at her face right now, which usually held a refined and ladylike composure, one could tell in just a few breaths she was on the verge of loosing her cool and falling in a state of panic.

  And that is exactly what happened, slowly her grasp of the chair slowly loosened as her legs suddenly went out of strength to support her weight, as she fell, both her hands covered the face that was already showing signs of teary eyes, she started sobbing saying loudly "What....what will we do now".

  There had been no change in his father's posture, he was still leaning slightly forward with his hands supporting his face, but even from the side, Shraiyen could easily tell the expression on his father's face had turned pensive with his eyes drooped down contemplating the situation.

  Situation was turning tense with each second passing, Shailani also started getting tearful, she was looking at her mother, who currently was crying. Yet, amidst it all, Shraiyen's eyes were still locked on the screen, occasionally he took a glace at his parents. He alone stood there with a face betraying not even a trace of worry, instead his heart felt excitement, PURE excitement, right now his heart was pulsating so loud, that had it not been his mother's cry echoing through the room one could easily have heard the unnaturally rapid heart beating of his.

  Whom in this world have never once heard or seen about this exact same situation, people running and biting others mindlessly, that's the exact plot for zombie apocalypse. But those are a work of fiction merely in stories, movies or games, such thing neither once happened in reality nor people ever could've imagined a situation like that becoming a reality. However if the current source of their dread that merely was twelve kilometers away from them not a zombie apocalypse then what was it ?

  If such a peril looming over them would not be the cause of their spirit breaking then what would be. If the attention was to be diverted on the television, the news was still showing videos of people running, biting, screaming, jumping with now being more than twenty video footage and if the attention to be diverted outside, one could hear the screaming and crying of peoples as some came out on the road and some shouting from their house.

  So then why....why did Shraiyen stood there with a serene face hiding his excitement as the edges of his ears turned red due to increased blood flow.

  "I...don't know..what to do..what should..what should we do....should we lock ourselves in basement? Wait this is it...YES we should lock ourselves in the basement" after all this time finally his father spoke his thoughts, his words heavy and his voice on the verge of breaking but he had to hold it in.

  "Foolish father !!!" one could've almost hear Shraiyen's inner scream, still he only glanced at his father as he again focused on the videos that the news was showing.

  "It sounds*sob* reasonable, in that case we might*sob* be able to protect ourselves until the government capture these people" after her collecting her scattered thoughts and calming herself down mother responded.

  With an internal sigh finally Shraiyen joined the conversation "What are the chances of government or military rescuing victims from specifically our location among all the states, when our state isn't even the central one?

  They indeed will help civilians through one way or another, however what surety is there that they'll go out of their way to help a few civilians stuck like us in their own homes.

  *sigh*

  It's better to wait for sometime and see what orders the central government issues.

  If there is no update whatsoever then let's take the matter of our own survival in our own hands." saying this he freed the hand his sister was holding and proceeded to leave the dining room after patting her head.

  As the proverb goes, "people involved in the situation are baffled while the spectators observe clearly" *1, these few lines helped his parents direct their thoughts towards one direction as they nodded agreeing to his words, they soon started discussing a little more calmly but of course a trace of worry was visible on their face.

  ...

  [8:42 A.M]

  Arriving in his room, he reached for his phone, it was ringing when he had opened the door earlier.

  Currently there were nine missed calls from Sharvyn and multiple messages. It seems like he was trying to contact him since the news regarding outbreak had started.

  "How is your family holding up after seeing the news?" finally the one way communication ended as Shraiyen responded

  "Got bit already I presume.

  If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

  As I see no other possible reason why you won't respond for so long at a time of emergency.

  Do you understand just for how long I was trying to contact you, my parents are panicking since the news showed that video, they are suggesting to to flee this area somehow."

  "I was watching the news with my parents in the hall that's why I couldn't hear the phone ringing, sorry.

  Anyway, where would they flee? almost every state is facing the same situation.

  We should be happy we aren't surrounded by them YET.

  My parents were saying to hide in basement.

  Just come at my place with your parents and your pup."

  "Hmmm coming at your place might be good option, talking with each other might help them calm down too, we are coming in ten minutes.

  Wait why bring my dog too?"

  "Are you planning to abandon her even before a tragedy befallen on us, bring her, you can carry her in your arms it's no big deal"

  "You aren't trying to jinx us...are you?

  Alright Alright I'll bring her"

  ...

  "I've contacted Sharvyn to come here and bring his parents too, it might help you reach a conclusion regarding what to do."

  "Huh? What was the need to add more to my worries? Can't you see how dire the situation has become?"

  "Tsk Tsk you can't even think of a logical and praise worthy solution, at the very least I'm helping you by putting more people beside you so you can discuss your pathetic idea of 'hiding in a damn basement' with them."

  Shraiyen stayed silent with no change in his posture or attitude as if he didn't even hear what his father had said, being stuck in a slowly approaching life or death situation any person will start getting aggressive in such cases it's better to not rile the person more and thus Shraiyen chose to avoid what his father said, only mumbling in his mind.

  "Honey, they might have some plan, plus it would benefit us being in group than being alone. Also Sharvyn is our son's only friend, let them come."

  "...was no need to mention 'only' " Shraiyen left the room grumbling to himself.

  "Well....okay, not like it's a problem but if something happens wouldn't it be increased responsibility?"

  ....

  [8:57 A.M]

  Continuous knocking were heard at the main door followed by five to six ringing of doorbell.

  Shraiyen was the first to reach, after seeing through the cam, he opened the door and respectfully greeted Sharvyn's parents, his gaze then landed upon Sharvyn who was holding an almost soft toy looking puppy, taking the puppy from his hand into his own, he slowly asked Sharvyn in a low voice "Were they opposing your idea of coming here?"

  "Quite so" Sharvyn responded sneering as if he knew what question Shraiyen was going to ask.

  *Sigh*

  After sighing Shraiyen placed all his attention upon the breathing fur ball he was holding in his hand, in his possession right now was a four month old Shiba breed puppy, her silk like fur looked like they were sunbathed in the golden light of the sun, half a finger long cone shaped ears and eyes filled with curiosity as well as mischievousness perfectly represented her playful, naughty, stubborn and over confident personality, paired with almost never stopping tail wagging that represented her excitement as if she was seeing everything and everyone for the first time in her life. Shraiyen patted the puppy for three to four minutes straight, still standing outside as if today was no more than a normal day even when in his surroundings people were crying and shouting. A person even had ran passing his house with a look of intense panic.

  "Let's go inside or everyone will be angry." Sharvyn broke the silence between seeing as how absorbed Shraiyen was pouring his affection for a dog.

  "Hmm? Ah yes yes, let's go" Shraiyen responded with a gentle smile as he moved behind Sharvyn closing the door with one hand and still holding the puppy with other hand.

  ....

  [9:03 A.M]

  "Where were you brother?" Shailani reached her brother as soon as both of them entered the guest room, she then respectfully greeted Sharvyn, her voice felt anxious and a look of worry was on her face but she wasn't crying.

  "Nowhere, I was just patting her, do you want to hold her?" In a calm and collective tone Shraiyen responded, he didn't smile as smiling in such a tense environment will be considered mentally questionable.

  "No no, come sit" rejecting to hold the puppy Shailani grabbed her brother's hand tightly with both of her small palms as she lead him to a sofa where they sat together, looking carefully there was slight shaking in her hands, indicating clearly how scared she was but still she tried her best to keep her composure.

  Both their parents saw the event happen but commented nothing, they had much more serious topic at hand to discuss about.

  Shraiyen and Sharvyn's parents had known each other since their children were five. In front of each other, they had maintained a very friendly and family like nature, even frequently visiting each other's houses. But behind each other's back especially in their house they badmouthed and hated them, the only reason they were still adhering to this friendly relation facade was because of their children.

  Right now they were talking to each other either willingly or unwillingly, still they discussed their ideas of how to evade this situation with their children listening to them silently.

  "We are getting no where like this, leaving the state is impossible, we have been watching the news, moving in the direction of Ashwanta Institute is near impossible, we can't move back as what would follow after fifteen kilometers of urbanization is a dense forest whose range is nearly four kilometers. Both the states on our left and right are already under attack plus there is a huge chance that the connecting highways are already crowded." Finding someone else mistake is rather easy, as soon as Sharvyn's parents had proposed the idea of leaving, Sharvyn's father rejected it in an instant.

  "Then is hiding in the basement a brilliant idea? We would be literally trapp—"

  [9:07 A.M]

  *Beep* *Beep*

  As Sharvyn's father was responding back in a slightly agitated tone a forced notification sounded on everyone's phone simultaneously, this was a forced SMS sent by the government to turn on any sort of television or open the government powered app on phone or even turn on a radio and play any channel.

  All four adults rushed to the dining hall as fast as possible turning on the television, right now all channels were playing same broadcast.

  A complete black screen, on it series of red colored text appeared displaying 'NATION WIDE EMERGENCY'. On the below right side of the screen was the emblem of Goddess of Bharathis and on the upper left corner was the symbol of 'Government of Bharathis'.

  Soon a series of a white text started appearing below the emergency message followed by the male voice narrating the same message, "This is not a drill, this is a nation wide emergency, We repeat, this is a nation wide emergency, nearly twenty out of twenty seven, We repeat nearly twenty of twenty seven state of Bharathis are under some unknown civil attack, attacking civilians have disregarded their safety and wish to harm others. Do not face the civilians that are attacking you, try to evade them and run, we repeat do not come in contact with civilians attacking you instead run. Due to current lack of military power we order the civilians of Bharathis to seek shelter in your nearest military cantonment, We repeat seek shelter immediately, seek shelter immediately in the nearest military cantonment or else WE WON'T be able to protect you, seek shelter or WE WON'T be able to protect you. Entry of each cantonment will be closed based on the severity of your locality, anyone left outside won't be able to seek any military protection, leave your belongings, no belongings will be allowed. We repeat again —"

  *Thud*