A/N: Because I am happy to receive more comments for the recent chapter, I am updating again today! ^0^ Keep the comments flowing, people! It fuels me to write more! Thank you and I hope you enjoy this one too! ^0^

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I see red. Nothing else. Just red. I looked down on my hands and it’s drenched with red liquid. Sticky red liquid. Blood? Whose? Mine? I checked myself and stopped to analyze if I’m hurting anywhere but no, I’m not. So where did all this blood come from?

I looked to my side and saw my dad sobbing uncontrollable tears. Why is my dad crying? Where is my mom? My dad screamed. A scream of an animal howling in pain and I knew, I knew what happened. I knew whose blood was on my hands. I knew where my mom is. I knew what I did.

I stared at them in horror. My dad was cradling mom’s head while she lay motionless on the floor. I tried to remember what occurred and my blood began to boil in terror.

When mom moved to bite dad on the neck, I acted on reflex and hit her head with the coat rack standing idly by the door. It’s made of pure iron so it’s solid and quite heavy. I grabbed it and aimed it at her head to stop her attack. I didn’t know why I did that. I just know that my mom is not my mom anymore and she’s trying to take my dad away from me. I can’t have that.

Without really thinking about it, I swung the coat rack to her and she sprawled lifeless on the floor without nothing else but a final gurgling sound before she hit the marbled floor beneath our feet. My dad ran to catch her but it’s too late. She’s dead. I killed her.

I will carry that sin, that guilt that I killed my own mother. That I killed the very womb that nurtured me and gave me life. I cursed myself for it. I hated myself for it. But my dad, I can’t lose him too!

I sobbed endlessly when my dad pulled me into him and said his apologies. How bad he felt that I had to do it. That I had to save him. Though he never said it aloud, he’s trying to tell me that he’s sorry that I had to kill my own mother. We cried and cried until we hear blood-chilling growling sound from outside. We both looked at each other with wide eyes. The zombies have entered our estate!

“Bolt the doors! Now!” My dad hissed and I didn’t have to be told twice. I ran to the door while he ran to switch off every light fixture in the house. We don’t know if pretending that the house is abandoned will make the monsters go away but isn’t how that is in movies? That these monsters can’t really smell us to know we’re there? They rely on sight and hearing, do they not? We bet our lives on this and stayed as still and as quiet as we can possibly be.

Morning came and thankfully, dad and I kept our lives. Although unlike any nightmare that goes away at the first ray of the morning sun, the zombies stayed and my mom is still dead.

I woke up feeling heavy on the chest and the sadness, guilt, and self-loathing eating me from the inside. The dream reminded me of that fateful night. The human brain could really pull harsh tricks on you - the things you wanted to forget the most are the things that are forever branded into your brain.

I got up from my bed and saw that my subordinates are still sleeping on theirs. Dawn just broke and we wouldn’t be called for duty for another two hours. I sighed and put on my training pants. Since I don’t think sleep is still an option after that nightmare, I should probably just hit the gym. That’s always been an effective method for clearing ones clouded mind, I discovered.

“You’re up early!” N, one of the alphabet agents greeted me.

Oh, I don’t think I’ve discussed the division of agents yet. Okay. So, there are 26 lead agents. All taking each letters of the English alphabet. I am M because I was the thirteenth successful test subject. Meaning, I was the thirteenth person who was compatible with the serum and came out of the capsule alive. N is the fourteenth, obviously. That’s why he got the fourteenth letter of the alphabet.

Each lead agent have two subordinates. You have met mine - M+ and M-. The designation goes the same for N and the other agents. His were N+ and N-, we call them the “odds”. That name didn’t actually make sense since positive and negative are neither odd nor even, right? But we decided to just leave it at that.

“Yep. Where are your odds?” I asked him as we make our way to the gym.  Staying fit is part of our duty. But I don’t think we need to be told that. How can we fight off zombies when our bellies are bulging and our stamina killing us before they got us? Not that they can kill us. Up to this point, there isn’t yet a way to kill those that have been injected with the serum. Not that I plan to stop existing anytime soon. Just throwing ideas here and there.

“Still snoring.” He replied with a small smile.

I laughed. “Yeah, mine too.”

“Well, I don’t think they’d be missed.” N said as we let our gaze roam around the gym on the floor where our quarters are.

The quarters of the agents are separated from that of the common people. We have some, what you can call, “privileges” so we have one whole floor all to ourselves. Actually, two. The top floor next to our sleeping quarters is where we assemble, perform training exercises, and socialize. We have cafes, game room where we can play billiards, bowling, basketball, volleyball, tennis, badminton, and we even have a swimming pool there. Swimming is part of the basic survival skills. It’s a requirement for agents that they know how to swim.

To tell you honestly, my greatest fear when I was still a normal human boy is swimming. You will never see me near any body of water. But look at me now, I am even one of the fastest swimmers in our league. Yep, we also have mini tournaments from time to time.

“Yeah. Seems like it.” I responded after seeing that the gym is half full with other agents and odds working out at this hour.

I heard greetings of “good morning” from each one of them and I greeted back. N and I started on the treadmill where we allow nothing but our thoughts to accompany us. This is what I love about working out. You get to let your mind rest from thoughts and worries… and memories, might I just add. You focus on your breathing, your body, and nothing else.

An hour has passed and I know that it’s time to wake my odds up and have breakfast together. N was working on the bench press when I told him I’m done and is headed to my quarter. He nodded and I was off.

When I reached my room, I saw that my odds are already up and has just finished showering. “Morning, boss!” Plus greeted me while Minus nodded his head and smiled.

“Good morning! I assume you’re not hitting the gym this morning, huh? It’s only an hour until deployment.” I checked my wristwatch and confirmed that it is, indeed, just an hour until we will be called to report for duty.

“Seems like it.” Minus said as he dry his hair with the towel.

“I’ll shower then we hit the mess hall.” I said before grabbing my towel and stepping inside the shower.

Fifteen minutes before deployment time, I told my odds to go on ahead and wait for me at the fly pad. That is, the place where agents hang around before their deployment time. That was situated at the top most part of HQ. Highest floor of HQ and the one closest to the ground. The roof was made of thick plexiglass so we have a view of the sky. Only agents are allowed in that part of HQ although the other residents also have their own version of “viewing dock” as well call it although it’s basically just on top of the ground. Well, that’s what you get if you’re living under the earth.

I still have fifteen minutes before deployment time and I know I have to use that time to see the one person I need to see at this time. I rode the elevator and descended eight floors down. Walking with sure steps, I reached room 1104 and gently tap the door. I heard the words “come in” and I proceeded to see my dad.

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A/N: What do you think of this story so far? Comments, please. I really really really need them to know if you’re liking what I’m doing with this story or not. Hehe. You know you can request scenes, right? I will see what I can do to incorporate that with the story and dedicate the chapter to you. How’s that? Comments please! Recommend this story to your friends, upvote, subscribe. Thank you for reading! ^0^