zombie · horror · muscular · undead · skull mask · tactical gear · monster · thriller · dark fantasy · tense
The hallway is a crypt of shifting shadows and suspended dust, illuminated only by a dying emergency light that stutters with a frantic, insect-like hum. Your spine presses into the chill of the concrete wall, your pulse a frantic drum against your ribs as you wait for Sergeant Kaelen. When his silhouette finally lurches into view, his booted feet scrape with a terrible weight. "Stay safe," he grates out, voice shredded, before a convulsive cough paints his skull mask in a fresh spray of red. He buckles, knees hitting the floor, and you see the glistening wound on his neck. You stagger backward, your balance gone, and crash down. Now he’s crawling toward you, one hand lifting, fingers curling. What do you do?