The Incident of Aqua Zero

Chapter One: The Alarms

October 21st, 2047

05:32 A.M.

I Awoke to the Blaring Alarms of the Apartment. This apartment, where I had rented a room for sometime, had large dome-like lights in the Center of the Ceiling, where the Flashing Red Lights began to be set off; which was also synced with loud blaring alarms. I looked around my room to see the same as it was last night. Neat and Tidy. Whenever I rent rooms, I choose not to make a lot of mess. I tried my best, as I can remember, to pick up after myself and clean anything that could cause a stain. These rooms had Tan Painted Dry Walls, white Ceiling, and a brown colored carpet. My bed, which I still laid upon, was in the Center of the Room; pushed up against the Wall, opposite of the only door to the Hallway.

The bed’s blanket, dark blue, was laid upon me. Soon, it was not so. I removed the blanket off of me and hung my legs off the bed. Quickly, I walked to the other side of the room; where the Storage Closet was. Instead of a dresser, I had all my clothes each in their own containers. I pulled the Pants Crate out, and took a set. Every single one of my clothes was folded neatly. I placed the crate back onto the shelf and drew the other crate which held my shirts. I chose one of them as well. I had slept in my boxers, so all I needed were my shirt and pants. I tend not to wear socks anyhow. The Folded Jeans were a Dark Monroe, almost Brown. The shirt, a dark blue; just like my blanket.

Aqua Zero has always had a weird sensation with Blue. Of course, I assume it has to identify with the Ocean and the Fact this City like others; where underwater. I quickly placed the tee-shirt and jeans on. With some privacy, I approached my apartment door, which was locked. Inside and Outside the door of every room in this apartment, was a number pad. I pressed my finger against the Power Switch, which turned the Power of the Security Device on. Next, I typed in the Code onto the buttons which correspond with each number. Four-Five-One-Four, which was my code at the time. The electric switch within the door was unlocked, with a Chank Sound. The way to tell if the door was unlocked.

I turned the Doorknob and peeked outside of my room. I see the hallway, much like the colors and textures of my room’s ceiling and walls. Instead of carpet, it was smooth white stone tiles. Of Course, the Blaring Alarms and Flashing Red Lights had not stopped; and they wouldn’t be for quite some time. Rather than the lights, I only saw a few of my neighbors who had already left their room to look around. Some, like me, poked their heads out and searched. One man, who had short brown hair made into a small ponytail, leaned against the door of his Room, Room 310. His name was James Bacon, and I had only known this after hearing his name from one of his friends. That, and almost a lifetime ago, he and I went to the same Middle School, and possibly High School; when I got around to that time, I stopped paying attention to other students.

James' sight soon fell upon me, his face concerned and of uncertainty; well, I assume anyway. I merely just shrugged my shoulders. By this time, there should have been some sort of message or protocol about what was going on; but there wasn't. These alarms continued to go on, and I felt the imaginative weight being pressed against my head. A headache is what I mean. I looked around the halls more, seeing nothing else. James had already returned to his room, and I was about to do the same thing; maybe even placing noise-canceling headphones on. Which I had with me to avoid noises as I attempted to write my original novel, Darkness of Heart and Space.

But as I began, a loud scream echoed through the halls of the apartment. I quickly flew my door open and left my room, to investigate the noise. As soon as I entered the hallway, one of my neighbors, a woman, ran past me, nearly into me; but I quickly ducked back into my room. I'm sure as fast as her, I returned to the hall and started in the direction the woman came from. One room door was opened, which I assumed belonged to the woman. I'm going to be honest. Well, that's what this whole novel is about. I have no idea why I marched towards her door. It was most likely curiosity that drove me, but I wish I hadn't seen what I saw. Once I approached her door, my ears were flooded by the sound of fleshy movement, like someone was tendering meat in a kitchen, but this was louder and more... unnatural to it. I heard this, yet I moved one more step closer to her door to see inside Room 316.

Within the room was another woman. I recognized her. It was Sara Fress, another neighbor of mine if that wasn't obvious. The only reason I had memorized her name compared to really any other neighbor, was because Sara was attractive. Appealing just about everywhere, but now, she resembled a corpse. The sight of her made me want to vomit, since I'm sure she was dead. I had never seen a dead person before, and that was enough for me. But what prevented that, was fear and confusion. Sara may have looked dead, she IS dead, but Sara moved. Her skin, a pale gray, was covered in blisters of the color green. In fact, they appeared to look like seaweed. I knew something was wrong when I saw those, but not entirely knowing the true horror of the situation. Sara slowly rolled off the bed. She groaned and mumbled complete nonsense. By this time, James and some other neighbors came by to witness the same scene.

Sara's Corpse stumbled as it slowly stood up, using her hands and legs. Soon, she stood up, barley. Her dirty and wet blonde hair covered her face, but I assumed the blisters I had seen on her body would most likely be on her face too. Sure enough, when she moved from left and right, stumbling towards us, her hair would sway as well; revealing her facial wounds. Myself and some quickly backed up into the hall, avoiding her. But James and another entered the room. I assumed they could possibly help her or something of the sort, but that was their mistake. As James had placed his right hand on Sara's left shoulder, she quickly launched her teeth right into his wrist. James attempted to move away, but on his step back, James had tripped over his other foot and fell to the ground, Sara falling right on top. James began to yell for help, and the other person who had entered the room with him, charged Sara. He was able to take hold of her and pulled her off of James.

As soon as that happened, Sara turned around and began to attack the person. Her fingernails, which looked sharper than they were supposed to, penetrated into the man's elbow, causing him to release her. Immediately, Sara tackled him and pushed him onto the bed, plunging her teeth into his neck. James, in the meantime, moved back into the hall. He was gripping his wound and moaning harshly. One of my neighbors and I helped James off the floor. Someone behind me screamed. I quickly looked back into Room 316 to see Sara approaching me. My eyes soon drifted behind her to see the man she had attacked, twitching and throwing up all over the bed. Before Sara could reach me, James lifted her left leg and kicked her back into the room. Instantly, she once again attempted to reach us. James, once again, raised his leg and kicked forwards.

But Sara moved out of the way enough for the Kick to miss her. Sara gripped his foot and plunged her dirty teeth into James' ankle. James screamed as Sara continued to feast on his flesh. With us was Lily Graham, another person I went to school with. She ran towards Sara and leaped into the air, landing her boots against Sara's chest. Sara's grip on James was seized and was flown onto the bed, beside the man, who now began to have the same blisters growing from his skin. Lily, who had jumped to perform that move, fell to the floor. But she quickly stood up and reached Jame's legs. Along with her and another neighbor, we lifted James and took him out of the room. After we had done that, Lily gently released her grip on James and headed for the room's door. Before Sara could reach the door. Lily reached her hand inside and turned the deadbolt to lock and slammed the door close, locking it. Lily and I heard Sara beginning to slam her fists against the door.

James continued to scream in pain. Lily moved quickly beside James and lifted him up, with the help from me and another.

"My friend told me to get our asses to the Cafeteria, there will be Medical Help and Supplies," Lily mentioned, moaning as she helped move James.

My neighbors and I agreed and carried James down the hall, towards the elevator. The Cafeteria was on the ground floor of this apartment, and it was connected to all the other foundations of Aqua Zero. Soon, we entered the elevator and I approached the destination board. I selected "Ground Floor | Cafeteria" and the large elevator started. As the doors began to close, another neighbor of mine left their room and sprinted towards the elevator.

"Wait!" The man yelled.

But it was too late, the doors closed and the man was left outside. We heard him slam his fists onto the door and as we moved downwards, we heard an enormous growl and the screams of this man. Quickly, the sounds stopped as we approached the ground floor at a rapid speed. I looked at James, who was more pale now, but he still continued to scream. My eyes soon laid upon my own hands, which were covered in his blood…