Several seconds passed—
Then more.
The feed didn't improve.
It got worse.
---
On the monitors—
Order collapsed.
What had started as scattered infection—
Turned into something else.
Systematic.
Infected bodies moved differently now.
Not wild.
Not blind.
Direct.
They closed distance fast, grabbing, forcing contact, dragging others down mid-air. Some tore into targets with raw force—
CRACK—!
Others held them in place—
Long enough.
For the worms to spread.
Green fluid smeared across skin—
Hands—
Faces—
Then—
More burrowing.
More screaming.
"GET IT OFF—!"
"NO—!"
A man slammed into a rooftop, rolling, clawing at his neck as his body jerked—
Then snapped still—
Then moved again.
Wrong.
Below—
People ran.
Some didn't make it.
Some turned.
And joined.
---
Inside the lab—
Samantha broke first.
She turned away from the screen, her hand coming up toward her mouth.
"…goodness…" she muttered, voice unsteady. "…this is horrible."
Amanda didn't hesitate.
