Blood & Bloom: The Last Stand Of Hope

chapter 1

~☠︎︎°˖✧-2 years later-˖°☠︎︎~

XX-XX-2022

The city of Seoul, once bustling with life, now stood as a decaying monument to a lost world. The towering skyscrapers, once symbols of progress and ambition, now stood skeletal and empty. A thick layer of dust, tinged with the rust of decay, coated everything, muffling the sounds of the wind that whistled mournfully through the shattered glass.

Choi Soomin, her face etched with a mixture of weariness and determination, trudged through the desolate streets, her eyes scanning the crumbling structures for anything useful.

She was part of their group’s scavenging team, their faces weathered by hardship and survival. Each day was a struggle against the constant threat of the undead. The air hung heavy with the memories of that fateful day – the day the world changed. Soomin could still remember the initial chaos, the panic, the desperate people trying to escape the growing horde of flesh-hungry monsters.

Who would have thought that a student like her will need to survive in a zombie apocalypse.

~☠︎︎°˖✧-flashback-˖°☠︎︎~

The fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, casting a sterile glow over the bustling hallways of Seoul High. Soomin, her backpack slung over one shoulder, navigated the crowd of students with ease, her laughter mingling with the chatter of her friends. It was just another ordinary day, filled with the usual classes, gossips, and the fleeting thrill of whispered crushes.

After her class, as she rounded a corner, Soomin collided with a figure, sending her books tumbling to the floor. “Oh, i’m so sorry”, she mumbled an apology, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. The boy, Jungwon, the star section’s president, known for his effortless charm and academic brilliance, just smiled.

"No worries," he said, his voice soft. After he walked away, Soomin, who is flustered, quickly gathered her books. The brief encounter left her heart fluttering. She was just another face in the crowd to him, but she couldn't help but feel a flicker of hope that maybe, just maybe, he noticed her.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and violet, Soomin walked home, her thoughts still lingering on the encounter. When she got home, the familiar scent of her mother's cooking filled the air as she entered their apartment. Dinner was a whirlwind of chatter and laughter, her father recounting funny stories from work.

After dinner, she proceeded on reading her favorite book while her parents beside her watching the news. She hears snippets of news about the sudden violent actions of people and a possible outbreak, but she doesn't pay much attention to it. She fell asleep that night, her dreams filled with the warmth of family and the shy smile of a boy named Jungwon.

Little did she know, as she drifted into slumber, a darkness was creeping across the land, a darkness that would turn her ordinary world upside down. The next morning, the world she knew would cease to exist, replaced by a terrifying new reality. The apocalypse was coming, and Soomin, along with everyone else, was about to be swept up in its terrifying embrace.

~☠︎︎°˖✧-present-˖°☠︎︎~

While walking, a sudden, desperate cry echoed through the stillness, breaking the heavy silence. It was the unmistakable sound of a human voice, pleading for help.

Soomin's heart hammered in her chest. She knew that sound – the sound of desperation of people trapped and fighting for survival. "They're trapped," she whispered. Jay, their leader, was already on the radio, confirming their suspicions. A group of survivors were surrounded by zombies, and they were calling out for help.