The Walking Dead: Emily's Metamorphosis from Visions of Future Saga

In the gym.

Tim, acting swiftly, led us without delay to the safety of the warehouse.

He immediately began to examine the surroundings with extreme caution. Inside the warehouse, some people were already sheltered, trying to communicate with emergency services or their parents for help. We, following his example, also tried to contact as many people as possible, but, as had happened previously, the connection to telephone networks seemed to be failing.

We had previously tried to call our relatives, but for those phones located outside the central area of the city, establishing a call was completely impossible. And in the case of phones that were nearby, the probability of achieving a connection was considerably low.

Many expressed deep despair at not being able to establish contact with their loved ones. Meanwhile, the rest, who had tried to communicate with emergency services, seemed frustrated to find the lines constantly busy.

Apparently, what we feared so much was confirmed as a harsh reality; this situation was not only unfolding within the high school but was spreading throughout the city.

"Perhaps that's why the military was trying so hard to control the urban center," I reflected softly as I persisted in my attempt to call my father.

Getting no answer and only receiving a busy tone or messages indicating that the phones were off, I then decided to try to communicate with my friends and classmates who had stayed in the classroom.

To my fortune, the call finally connected.

"Emily, what happened? We heard some gunshots, are you all okay?" my friend Amy overwhelmed me with a barrage of questions.

"Amy, we're fine, but we're trapped in the gym. The soldiers brought us here just as we were about to reach the classroom. When we arrived, nothing had happened, but after a few minutes, a zombie attacked someone here, and a soldier opened fire on this creature, and instantly everyone lost control," I replied, noticing how my voice trembled uncontrollably.

"Are you serious?" she asked, her voice terrified.

"It's the truth... Now everyone is running in all directions, desperately trying to escape. We are protected in one of the sports warehouses," I confirmed with a resigned tone of voice. "How are you? Have you seen any zombies near your location?" I asked her, with genuine concern.

With the appearance of zombies here in the gym, I concluded that this situation could happen throughout high school and outside its limits. I felt deeply worried about my friends Amy and George, and about our classmates who had taken refuge with us.

"We're fine, though a bit uneasy. George is carefully watching the door with Louis. Yuki, Violet, Brody, and Minerva are preparing some defensive measures to protect us," Amy replied from the other end of the phone line.

"And Rony's dad?" I asked anxiously, realizing that Amy hadn't mentioned him at all.

"He left several minutes ago intending to look for you all. He said he saw some soldiers taking you away and prepared to go rescue you. He left after giving us some recommendations for our protection, he gave a weapon to George that he recovered from the body of the deceased policeman in the infirmary and gave a knife to Louis," Amy explained to me, her voice trembling slightly and some phrases she pronounced quickly due to her obvious nervousness.

"How long ago did he leave the classroom?" I asked her.

"About five minutes ago," Amy replied. "Hasn't he arrived yet?" she inquired.

"No, not yet. But he must be close," I said with a hint of fear in my voice.

"What's wrong?" Amy asked me, perceiving the change in my tone of voice.

"I'm really worried about him. I think the soldiers might try to shoot him," I replied.

"They wouldn't, would they?"

"They shot a classmate who had transformed right in front of everyone," I told her with an anxious tone of voice. The memory of the shot remained vivid and painful in my thoughts.

Amy's silence at the other end of the line was far more eloquent than any words she could have uttered. I could perceive her ragged breathing, the unmistakable sound of her own fear.

The idea that the military, in their desperation to contain the outbreak, could shoot civilians, even someone like Rony's father, who was only trying to help, was a brutal truth that had just hit Amy with full force.

"Emily... that's... that's terrible," she finally managed to say, her voice barely a whisper. "Are you safe there? Haven't the soldiers... haven't they done anything else?"

"For now, we are safe inside the warehouse," I assured her, though my voice didn't sound as convincing as I wished. I looked at Tim, who was listening intently to my conversation, his brow furrowed. He had already sensed the gravity of the situation regarding Rony's father.

"But people are going crazy outside," I continued, lowering my voice a little so only Amy could hear me. "There are more screams, and I think I saw other students... walking strangely, and with pale skin. The infection is spreading, Amy. This is much worse than we had imagined."

"What will we do, Emily? If Rony's dad doesn't reach the gym, how will you get out of there?" Amy asked, her voice on the verge of tears.

"I don't know, Amy. Tim is looking for a solution. But we must be prepared for any eventuality. Are you safe in the classroom?" I asked her, trying to sound as calm as possible, although my mind was a true whirlwind of panic.

"George and Louis are checking the door and the hallway. Yuki, Violet, and Minerva are looking for any object that can serve as a weapon or barricade, in addition to the protections I mentioned before," Amy informed me, her voice regaining some firmness as she described her companions' actions. "But we are worried about what might emerge from the first floor. The classroom is very close to the hallway."

"Don't worry, if they don't make noise, they won't be able to reach you," I reminded her.

"Yes, I know. Rony's dad had already warned us... It's just that now I'm worried about him. Will he make it?" Amy asked.

"We have to trust him completely, Amy," I told her, more with the intention of convincing myself than her. "He is strong and knows perfectly what he is doing. I just hope the soldiers don't mistake him for... for a zombie."

The idea that Rony's father could be injured or, worse, annihilated by the very military who were supposed to protect us, made my stomach knot. It was truly cruel irony.

My father had always maintained that, during a crisis, authority could be as dangerous as chaos itself. Now, I was experiencing it firsthand.

Suddenly, a loud crash echoed from outside the warehouse. It was the unmistakable sound of something heavy impacting the door. Tim turned sharply, his hand already positioned on the weapon hidden under his jacket. Marlon recoiled, his eyes completely wide with fear.

"What was that?" Rose whispered, her voice barely audible and trembling.

"I don't know," I replied to Amy, my voice now a whisper full of urgency. "Something is hitting the warehouse door. I must hang up, Amy. Stay safe. I'll call you if we manage to get out."

Without waiting for a response, I ended the call. The sound of the banging grew louder, more insistent. The stench of metal and death intensified noticeably, and a low, guttural growl filtered through the cracks.

Tim positioned himself firmly in front of the door, his weapon ready to use. His face was visibly tense; his eyes fixed on the point of impact. He knew for sure that what was on the other side was not a soldier trying to open.

It was something much more sinister.

The true nightmare, the one he had feared from the beginning, had reached our door. And this time, there was nowhere to take refuge.

However, the knocking abruptly ceased, only to be replaced by another type of impact, something more rhythmic and coordinated. Suddenly, the door burst open, not inward, but to the side, revealing not to be a zombie, but Rony's father.

His face was covered in sweat, but his eyes shone with fierce determination as he held a blood-stained knife.

"You made it!" I exclaimed, feeling immense relief washing over me completely; I instinctively hugged him, and he returned the hug tightly.

Rose suddenly lifted her head, her eyes full of renewed hope. Marlon and Sophie also looked at him with astonishment and deep gratitude.

"We have to leave! Right now!" Rony's father urged us, his voice deep and authoritative. "The situation outside is complete chaos. The military is losing control. There are more of those... those infected."

Without hesitation, Tim nodded and joined Rony's father at the entrance, providing us cover as we left the warehouse.

The gym was now an absolute nightmare scene.

The screams had intensified, mixed with guttural growls and the sound of desperate struggles. Some students ran aimlessly, others had fallen and were trampled by the panicked crowd, and a few, with empty stares and erratic movements, had already joined the ranks of the living dead.

"This way! Towards the emergency exit!" Rony's father shouted, pointing to a small, discreet door on the opposite side of the gym, near the showers. It was an exit that most students would not know.

We ran, dodging panicked people and clumsily stumbling zombies. Rony's father led the way, opening a path decisively, while Tim covered our rear with his weapon. Rose was clinging to my arm, her eyes fixed on the ground, desperately trying not to see the horror around us. Sophie and Marlon were right behind us, their faces pale but with unwavering determination.

A zombie, a former classmate, lunged at us from the side. Its bloodshot eyes and open mouth revealed dirty, rotten teeth. Rony's father reacted with incredible speed, stabbing the zombie directly in the head with his knife.

"Don't stop!" he shouted urgently.

We reached the emergency door. Rony's father kicked it open, revealing a dark hallway that led directly outside. The fresh air, though laden with the stench of the decaying city, was a momentary relief.

"Come on! Quick!" he urged, pushing us into the hallway. Just as Rose and I were about to cross the threshold, a zombie, which had been hidden behind some trash cans, unexpectedly jumped towards me. I didn't see it coming.

Rony's father, who was following us closely, reacted instantly. He lunged in front of me, skillfully interposed himself between the zombie and me. The zombie pounced on him, and after a struggle that seemed eternal, he managed to free himself from the zombie by pushing it hard to the ground.

"Rony's dad!" I cried, my heart shrinking with pure terror. Tim pounced on the zombie that was on the ground and stabbed it decisively in the head.

We all remained silent, trying to look at Rony's father to discern if he had been attacked, but the surrounding darkness prevented us from seeing his condition.

"I'm fine! Let's go! We must get out of here!" he told us, his voice tense, but still firm and authoritative. Relieved, we moved on without hesitation.

We quickly moved away from the gym. In the background, sporadic gunshots could be heard coming from the gym, but there were others echoing from the main entrances of the high school. We reached the area of the main buildings.

On the way, we encountered some wandering zombies that, apparently, came from the cafeteria or other facilities where our classmates and teachers had taken shelter. We all moved at a fast pace, but unlike before, our faces were no longer marked by desperation; instead, they now showed a glimmer of hope.

We went up the stairs of the main building to reach the classroom where the rest of the group awaited our arrival.

The hallway lighting, with its warm-toned lights, seemed to indicate the imminence of a moment of stillness amidst this chaos. Everything gave the impression that things would start to get better, but reality, at times, hits you hard and, moreover, revels over your being, just to mock your deepest expectations.

"What's wrong?" I asked Rony's father, realizing that he had stopped on the stairs. I had just noticed that, at some point along the way, Tim had taken the lead and Rony's father was guarding our rear.

"I can no longer accompany you, Miss," he said with surprising serenity. He tried to force a smile, but his eyes reflected a deep sadness.

"Why can't you come with...?"

I perceived it.

It was only then that I realized.

There was blood on his clothes.

His shoulder seemed to be the source of the bleeding.

Previously, due to the darkness of the hallway and the path to this point, no one had noticed. Also, upon leaving the hallway, they had surely already swapped positions with Tim.

Tim seemed deeply distressed; he was already aware of what had happened, but to avoid alarming anyone, he had said nothing until then.

My heart instantly tightened.

I felt my breathing become difficult.

My eyes began to cloud, a product of the uncontrollable tears that now gushed out.

I wanted to scream, but my voice seemed to be trapped in my throat.

Seeing Rony's father's face tore my soul apart. Guilt completely invaded me, and only recurring thoughts of 'What if?' flooded my mind, fueling my feeling of guilt. My hand reached out to him, my mind deceiving me.

I felt him fading away.

"No! We won't abandon you!" I exclaimed, trying to get closer to him, but Tim stopped me firmly. "There must be a way to save you," I added with contained fury, trying to free myself from Tim's grip.

"Emily, we have to go. He understands," Tim said in a hoarse voice, his eyes brimming with pain. He knew what that bite meant. There was no cure. There was no going back.

"It can't be!" I vehemently denied, trying to evade the harsh reality. "Everything was going well. We had already managed to escape."

Rony's father's gaze fixed on us.

There was no fear in his expression, nor resentment, which made me feel even more guilty. I wanted him to blame me, to at least look at me with some hatred, but there was a glimmer of relief in his gaze.

"Sonny... I... I'm sorry... It's all my fault," I told him between sobs, my voice barely managing to come out of my mouth. I had to make a monumental effort to pronounce each word.

"You don't have to worry, Miss. This is something God had planned for me, and I thank you for giving me the opportunity to save you," he said with his characteristic calm, his skin beginning to acquire a noticeable pallor due to blood loss.

"I... I didn't want... this..."

Rony's father looked at us one last time, with a mixture of love, resignation, and deep concern. "Take care of Rony, Emily. Please," he told me in a solemn tone of voice.

That request broke my heart.

The tone, his gaze, and especially, that it was the first time he had called me by my name, made it even more painful.

As Tim dragged me away, Rose, Sophie, and Marlon moved down the hallway, the last glimpse I had of Rony's father was his figure, leaning against the wall, watching us walk away.

His sacrifice had given us an opportunity, an opportunity we could not afford to waste.

And guilt would be a burden I would have to live with for the rest of my existence.

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[A/N: CHAPTER COMPLETED

Hello everyone.

We have our first bitten person.

Unfortunately, it had to be Rony's dad, Sonny. Those who have read the other novel will have already anticipated this, as it appears in the chapter from the perspective of Emily's dad, Ron.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I'm constantly trying to improve, and I think the improvement is showing.

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Read my other novels

#The Walking Dead: Vision of the Future.

#Vinland Kingdom: Race Against Time.

You can find them on my profile.]