Chapter 1, Zombie Outbreak

Fortunately, being on the 18th floor is indeed very high, and so far, there have not been any particularly diligent zombies coming up to hunt for living people, so we remain quite safe

It was a Sunday, and my husband Canaan was resting at home. Now, every day we are grateful that it was a Sunday! Otherwise, we might never see my husband again.

But now, what are they? Patients? Madmen? The mentally ill?

A few years ago, I watched a movie titled "The Mist." In that film, the mist emerged from a ruptured space, accompanied by various terrifying man-eating monsters. A group of people was trapped in a supermarket, their mental state on the brink of collapse. In the end, the protagonist, along with his son and two others, managed to escape after enduring numerous hardships. However, they discovered in the thick fog that a gigantic monster, as large as a building, was passing by. At that moment, their vehicle ran out of fuel, leaving them in a desperate situation. In despair, he used the only handgun he had to end the lives of the other four.

We first opened the door inside and went together to the outer door, which was locked. We pressed our ears against the door to listen to the sounds in the corridor. Since this is the top floor, apart from delivery personnel, there are also cleaners, and no one has ever come up here. The couple living across the hall is in their forties and has no children. We rarely interact, only occasionally encountering each other in the elevator.

Our community is a gated one, with excellent greenery. Usually, there are very few people around, mostly parents taking their children to play outside. However, today, there are many more people downstairs, and they are swaying unsteadily, resembling the unconscious zombies from movies

Anyone who has had a small child at home knows that during this period, children often wake up several times at night to drink milk, have water, change diapers, or cry a little, needing to be picked up and comforted before they can continue sleeping. Canaan is a good husband and an even more responsible father; even though he works during the day, he still takes on the task of caring for Shuai Shuai at night.

As for me, I have always had a bold personality, which is why I earned a black belt in Taekwondo two years ago. Taekwondo emphasizes the use of legs, with the primary mode of attack being through kicks, focusing on speed and intensity. Although my leg techniques are not particularly impressive, as I prefer to practice my arm strength and hand power against punching bags in the dojo, I have a good understanding of the core principles of Taekwondo's offensive strategies.

Dad and Mom have never watched these horror films; they simply do not understand. These people can no longer be referred to as human.

To understand what is more important than food, one can survive a week without eating. However, if a person goes three days without drinking water, they will truly die of thirst

Time was of the essence, and I explained to my parents in the shortest time possible how zombies relate to books. They still found it hard to believe, but the reality unfolding under the blazing sun forced them to accept it; chaos had already erupted outside.

The problem is that there isn't a single bottle at home

The corridor was empty. I glanced at the elevator indicator light; the elevator was stopped in the underground garage, motionless. No one was using the elevator now! The door across the hall was tightly shut. My husband and I exchanged a knowing look and rushed to the iron door of the stairwell. The door was ajar; it was usually left open and never locked, though it could be locked. We peered into the stairwell; it was very quiet, with no sounds at all. Those miscellaneous items were piled up there, lonely. I whispered, "Honey, should we make some preparations?"

The television is on, but there are no entertainment programs left; only one channel remains, and the content being broadcast is completely the same. It features a middle-aged man with a cold expression, dressed in a Zhongshan suit, speaking. I have never seen this middle-aged man's appearance on any media, so he is likely not a host but rather a high-ranking leader.

Thus, this identical thick fog made my heart tremble involuntarily. I quickly held my child and moved away from the large floor-to-ceiling window on the balcony, in case a monster's tentacle might suddenly break through the window and abduct my son

My parents are supermarket enthusiasts and early market fanatics, buying so much every day that they can barely carry it back. As a result, both of our refrigerators at home are completely stuffed.

Canaan and I belong to the curious type of people. Upon hearing this, we immediately went over to watch. If we hadn't looked, it would have been fine, but once we did, my heart sank coldly; this was too abnormal! Moreover, this feeling was all too familiar! My husband and I share common interests, and our greatest hobby is watching various horror films, with our favorite being American dramas like "The Walking Dead"! Every time we watch, we get so excited that we often engage in heated discussions about the plot.

Our son Shuai Shuai showed no interest in our serious conversation. He was somewhat dissatisfied that his grandfather did not take him downstairs to play today, but soon his toys captured his attention, and he happily played by himself.

My husband, Canaan, runs a small company with friends. The income is modest, but it is sufficient to cover the family's daily expenses. Therefore, I am not in a hurry to seek employment again and plan to rest at home for two months before making any decisions.

Although shocked, my husband and I reacted very quickly. Regardless of what was happening below, we first rushed to the front door to confirm whether the corridor was safe

However, at 8:30, the sunlight dispersed the thick fog, which resembled a heavy cream cake, and the outside world regained its clarity. We all breathed a sigh of relief and no longer checked the news online, as there was a little one at home and too much to do. Canaan and Dad prepared breakfast for the adults and Shuai Shuai, while Mom read a picture book to Shuai Shuai. As usual, I took the vacuum cleaner to clean the floor, followed by mopping it with a damp mop. Shuai Shuai usually crawls all over the place, so maintaining cleanliness on the floor is essential. There was too much to do, with Canaan and Dad preparing breakfast for the adults and Shuai Shuai, while Mom read a picture book to Shuai Shuai. I, as usual, took the vacuum cleaner to clean the floor, then mopped it with a damp mop, as Shuai Shuai often crawls around, making it necessary to keep the floor clean.

My heart has been trembling, my eyes cannot leave the scene below, and my legs have become weak.

Suddenly, my heart feels so heavy! Hobbies are hobbies, and the reason I enjoy watching horror films is that we all understand those horrors are worlds away from us, having no relation to us whatsoever; they are merely entities within the movies. We have always lived in safety, which allows us to watch them so easily and joyfully

To be honest, we have great faith in the strength of our country's military. Whether it is floods or earthquakes, it is our most beloved individuals who rush to the front lines to resist dangers and rescue the people from peril! After hearing this statement, our family felt a sense of hope and was somewhat calmed down.

My parents were actually very anxious and unsettled, but seeing me and Canaan constantly comforting them, they forced themselves to remain calm in order to spare us worry. After soothing my parents' emotions, my husband and I quickly checked the food supplies at home, as we had no idea how long we would need to hide. With the outside in such chaos, even if the military intervened, it would be impossible to resolve the situation with so many infected zombies in a short time

Then he strangely called us over to take a look, saying, "It's odd, why are there so many people downstairs today"

After confirming that the 18th floor has been sealed off as an independent secure space, we withdrew and locked the iron door of the stairwell from the inside

Helpless, we hung up the phone and continued to observe the community. To be honest, as ordinary people, there is nothing we can do.

A family, in the midst of their busyness, completely cast aside the panic brought on by the morning haze.

Ten days ago, I was still a full-time mother at home, taking care of the baby with my parents. In fact, thanks to my parents' assistance, I did not need to resign; it was just that I was very busy at the time. My work had seriously affected my time with the baby. Work can be done at any time, but a child's growth is irreversible. For this reason, I recently resigned.

However, we soon discovered a serious issue! We usually prefer to boil water ourselves for drinking, so we do not keep bottled or barrel water at home. If the water quality becomes contaminated, we will indeed have no choice but to drink bottled water

This is a form of compassion. He did not want those four individuals to suffer at the hands of the monster. With only four bullets, he chose to face the final terror alone. However, the ending is quite devastating. The fog quickly dissipated, and the army came to the rescue. He was saved, but his child had already been shot dead by his own hand. This film left me feeling deeply depressed for a long time, and it has made a profound impression on my heart.

At this moment, it is he who issues the warning. I speculate that he is the type of leader who specializes in handling crises, usually low-key, yet actually holds significant power.

The warning content is not complicated, stating: "Dear citizens, an epidemic has occurred outside, causing infected individuals to exhibit symptoms of rabies. Please stay at home as much as possible and do not go out! Ensure your own safety! Additionally, if someone in your household exhibits these symptoms, please isolate them. Everyone is advised to wait for military assistance and not to act rashly!"

The layout of our community features only two households on each floor, and our unit additionally has a security door installed by the property management. This door is intended to prevent the other household from being affected in the event of a fire. Therefore, our home effectively has two security doors, making it relatively safe

Unknowingly, my strength has returned. I am a daughter, I am a mother. Although I have a husband, it is unlikely that I can rely solely on him to protect our entire family. I must become strong!

Our home is located on the 18th floor, which is the top floor. According to the unspoken rules commonly accepted in the country, it is only natural that the balcony on the top floor belongs to our family. We have also built a small, almost entirely glass-constructed greenhouse up there. During my leisure time, I can take my child to the top floor balcony to bask in the sun without worrying about being blown away by the wind. It is well known that sunlight plays a significant role in promoting the healthy growth of children

However, no one expected that this world would truly be engulfed by zombies

My husband and I returned home and securely locked both the outer iron gate and the inner iron door.

My husband and I exchanged a glance and simultaneously said, "No way?"

I actually forgot to mention that my husband has practiced Sanda and possesses a strong physique, although he appears somewhat lean. However, he is definitely a representative of strength and calmness.

At around 7 o'clock, the whole family had gotten up and was astonished to see the thick fog outside. My father also gave up on going to the morning market to buy groceries, as the refrigerator was already packed full. He was even more reluctant than usual to open the windows for fresh air. Turning on the television and computer, the news was filled with reports about the smog. Furthermore, I saw online that this sudden smog was a global phenomenon, with intense discussions taking place on foreign forums. Some people were even promoting doomsday theories, causing widespread anxiety among us.

It was very quiet outside, extremely, exceedingly quiet! My husband and I exchanged a glance and gently opened the iron gate outside.

At the very least, my spouse and I are not the frail types of modern human physique. During this period, we repeatedly attempted to call the emergency hotline and the mayor's hotline, but all were unreachable! It is easy to imagine that the outside world has already descended into chaos

After a brief introduction, I will explain what happened

Two refrigerators are filled with vegetables, meat, and fruits, along with three bags of rice that Dad just stocked up on, and over thirty steamed buns. Thanks to Mom's appetite, she loves eating steamed buns! Steamed buns do not require electricity, and we still do not know how much longer electricity and water will last

I am somewhat startled; the coastal city I am in is not the capital. Sandstorms and such are quite common, but I have hardly ever seen such dense fog in this city throughout my life

My husband and I have witnessed too many scenes like this, where when a zombie lunges at someone, that person is still shouting, "Get away! You lunatic! Crazy person!"

And now, when terror occurs right before my eyes, I no longer find it interesting at all; I only feel panic and despair

Our precious son is named Shuai Shuai. This little fellow has a round face and a lively demeanor, making him particularly endearing. He has just turned 11 months old and is very lively and quite mischievous. The core of our family now revolves around this little treasure, and our family of five enjoys the joys of life together

Then we continued to stand by the window and observe the scene below. At this point, we could already hear the sounds of screams. The sight before us was chilling! Several people were holding down one individual, who was screaming wildly, attracting the attention of other staggering individuals. Soon, the screams ceased. My father and mother were already in shock, repeatedly asking, "Are these people insane? Why haven't the police come?" My father and mother were already in shock, repeatedly asking, "Are these people insane? Why haven't the police come?"

There are still two large boxes of formula for my son. In fact, he has long been primarily eating solid food, but he is also happy to drink milk. He is not a picky eater, and I am grateful for that

Indeed! Why hasn't anyone called the police? Canaan quickly picked up the phone and dialed 110! But it was busy, constantly busy! This is abnormal; I have never heard of a situation where the emergency line is overwhelmed like this!

Only my chubby son, who shares the same heavy curiosity as his parents, stares with innocent eyes, showing no fear at all; he is a little fellow who does not understand what danger is at all

Although we often discuss what we would do if a zombie outbreak occurred here, deep down, we absolutely do not believe that such terrifying creatures actually exist in this world

In other words, the water available today at https://mhetushu.com may be sufficient for the time being, but what about tomorrow? The day after tomorrow?

Yes, it is indeed zombies! Although they are referred to as infected patients on television, Canaan and I firmly believe that they are zombies!

Do not be misled by how lively he appears at night; in the morning, he never sleeps in. Essentially, by five or six o'clock, he is officially awake. This "officially" means that no matter how you try to coax him, he is completely awake and refuses to go back to sleep.

My husband nodded, so the two of us quickly moved my father's large jar of pickled vegetables to the middle of the staircase. Along with an old sofa discarded by the neighbors, we piled it up in the middle of the lower level leading to our floor. This blocked the path from below. Then, feeling uneasy, I checked the space on the top floor; it was empty, and the door leading to the rooftop was locked. This was locked by the property management.

Due to the presence of elderly individuals and children, the household has prepared several large thermoses, filling them with boiled water for drinking and other uses every day. Today, the thermoses are completely full.

Because of this, every morning someone must accompany him to get up, whether to play, drink water, or have some snacks; in short, there is no chance to sleep again. This task undoubtedly falls to me, with Canaan taking the night shift and I taking the early morning. Our cooperation as a couple has been like this since Shuai Shuai was born. However, on that Sunday morning after getting up, I felt something was strange. Usually, although it is still dark outside, the distant lights are quite clear. Today, the floor-to-ceiling window seemed to be covered with a thick layer of white gauze, making everything invisible.

Around 10:00 AM, my father, as usual, looked out from the north window into the community courtyard to see if the children from other families were playing outside. This time of day is when he takes his grandson downstairs to play.

At that moment, a chest leaned in closer, and my husband silently held me tightly in his arms. He gently said to me, "Don't be afraid, have you forgotten? At least we are experienced, right?"

The box under the dining table is filled with a whole box of canned beef and fish, along with two boxes of canned beer. Well, this is my husband's habit. I usually scold him for eating these junk foods that can cause cancer, but now I really have to thank him! The shelf life is long enough!

Is it snowing? I leaned close to the sunlit window and looked out with all my might, but all I could see was a vast expanse of white, nothing else! Turning to the north window to look outside, the effect was the same; I couldn't see even half a meter away. This is not snow! Snow does not look like this; it is impossible not to see the building across the street!

Indeed, both of us are quite familiar with such scenes; we have watched nearly all zombie films and are very well-acquainted with their plots, especially the characteristics of these terrifying creatures