Chapter 7 Triggered

• Liam had already seen plenty of shambling corpses crawling through the streets, but the bishop lurking inside the church was something else.
• The infection had affected him differently, changing him into something straight out of a horror movie.
• As Liam heard the crunching of bones, the smell of rotting corpses mingled with bile drifted in the air, and he felt like puking.
• Although at first the church had seemed like the best place to seek shelter, after seeing the infected bishop prowling within, he had no intention of heading inside.
• “There is no way in hell I’m going in there,” he mumbled. “What the hell even is that thing?”
• Just as Liam was about to turn back, his system screen flashed open.
• [Experimental Antidote nearby.]
• [Head into the church to locate the antidote.]
• [Infection level rising!]
• [Next dosage required in: 5 hours and 12 minutes.]
• Liam looked down at his bleeding leg and realized why his infection level was rising. Those bites were bad news for him, and even with the first dose of the antidote, it wasn’t enough to stave off the infection.
• However, he was absolutely certain that heading into that church was going to get him killed faster than the infection.
• “There is no way I’m going inside the church. I mean, just look at that thing?” He gasped. “All I have on me is a damn flashlight, and that abomination looks like it could rip me in half with its bare arms!”
• [New infected variant detected nearby.]
• [The host can extract its DNA to unlock a new adaptation.]
• [New custom objective: Clear the church by defeating the bishop!]
• [Reward: Undefined.]
• The chance to obtain a new adaptation barely excited Liam. He was far happier staying far away from the church than fighting that ungodly bishop.
• “I am completely unarmed and bleeding all over the place. Fighting a twisted infected enjoying its meal sure sounds like a freaking terrible idea,” he muttered.
• [Experimental Antidote is within range.]
• [The host should head into the church to locate it.]
• Liam cursed his blasted luck. He knew he needed the antidote to stop himself from turning, but he couldn’t think of a single way to take down that hulking abomination lurking inside.
• As he was still watching the infected bishop, he suddenly had a different idea.
• “What if I just sneak into the church and avoid that damn abomination? I bet it wouldn’t even notice me if I stayed quiet. I only need to locate the antidote. Killing that bishop is none of my business.”
• Liam parted the wooden doors slightly and was about to squeeze in through the gap when he felt an arm on his shoulder and froze.
• “Screw me!” he snapped, expecting to encounter another hungry infected. But as he turned around, his eyes settled on a familiar face.
• It was his only friend, Nora Johnson.
• “What the hell are you doing here?” she asked, pulling him away from the door. “The bishop has turned. I already had the brilliant idea to hide inside the church, but it’s a bad plan. He may look distracted by those corpses, but he has an excellent sense of hearing. You are going to get ripped to pieces as soon as you set foot inside the church.”
• Liam gulped the airy lump in his throat and walked away from the door to hide with Nora under an awning.
• The heavy downpour had turned into a mere drizzle by now, but the winds had picked up speed.
• “I can’t tell you how glad I am to see you in one piece,” he said, wrapping her in a hug. “I tried calling you, but there was no answer.”
• Nora pulled away and looked at him with tear-streaked eyes.
• “I left everything behind and just ran like hell. My parents…are dead. My dad turned first. We tied him to a chair and tried to give him medicine, thinking it was just some bad kind of flu, but he bit mom and tore off her left ear. She turned an hour later and…tried to bite me. I slammed the doors in their faces and never looked back.”
• “I am sorry,” Liam sighed. “It’s like all hell has broken loose.”
• “Where’s Aunt June?”
• Liam shook his head, his eyes brimming with tears. “She didn’t make it. Turned like the others.”
• “I guess we are all that’s left—”
• Nora stopped abruptly as her eyes fell on the tattered rags covering the wounds on Liam’s arm and leg.
• “You’ve been bitten, too!” she cried.
• “It’s okay.” Liam tried to hold her to comfort her, but she stepped away with terror in her eyes.
• “Stay the hell away from me!” She backed away and swiftly pulled out the Colt Python tucked in her jeans. Aiming it at Liam, she warned, “Don’t even try to take another step.”
• Liam took his wraps off and showed her the bite marks. By now, the bleeding had stopped, and his wounds were already starting to mend.
• “My wounds are getting better, see?”
• Norah, however, remained doubtful.
• “That doesn’t mean you won’t turn!” she snapped back. “I have seen the news. No one survives the bite from the infected.”
• Liam calmed himself and nodded. “I know that as well, which is why I am trying to find the antidote. It’s inside the church.”
• “What antidote?” Nora asked in complete disbelief, her gun still aimed at Liam.
• “An experimental antidote that can stave off the infection,” Liam replied. “I need it to stop myself from turning. But I need your help.”
• Nora’s eyes narrowed as beads of sweat trickled down her neck. She wasn’t ready to buy Liam’s story about the antidote.
• “You think someone left an antidote inside the church?” she scoffed. “Do you think we are in a damn game? Or do you take me for a fool?”
• “I don’t know how it got there, but I am sure the antidote is inside this church. You need to trust me, Nora.”
• Nora rolled her eyes. “You are just trying to buy time and save your hide. But those bitten never get better. I know it!”
• “Then pull the damn trigger and end it!” Liam snapped back at her. “If you don’t trust me, then shoot me in the head. I am going to turn anyway, so it’s best if you kill me now.”
• Nora’s sweaty finger lingered over the ice-cold trigger as her heart raced inside her chest.
• Even though Liam was her closest friend, she knew he was infected, and once he turned, he wouldn’t hesitate to bite her to death.
• “What’s it going to be, Nora?” Liam asked, looking straight into her eyes. “If you are not going to help me, then shoot me and put me out of my damn misery. Do it now!”