The Day My Dream Shattered
Chapter 1: Graduation
Graduation Day.
A day that was supposed to close one chapter of my life
and open another filled with light.
I left home early that morning, wearing a neatly pressed white shirt and a black tie that felt tighter than usual around my neck. My shoes were old, but polished. My reflection in the mirror looked… passable. Not impressive. Not weak either. Just ordinary.
My mother smiled as she handed me my bag.
Her eyes were tired, but proud.
My sister hugged me before I stepped out.
"Come back early," she said, laughing. "Graduate, hero."
For the first time in years, I believed things might finally change.
---
The college campus was alive.
Banners fluttered in the morning breeze. Students gathered in groups, laughing, taking photos, bragging about their future plans. The sky was clear, painfully blue—too peaceful for what was about to come.
I walked alone through the crowd.
No one noticed me.
That was normal.
I took my seat in the classroom near the back window. Rows of chairs filled quickly. Voices overlapped. Phones rang. The professor adjusted his glasses and began speaking about "new beginnings."
I tried to listen.
Then the first scream cut through the air.
Sharp. Raw. Terrified.
At first, we thought it was a prank. Someone laughing nervously. Someone shouting from another building.
But the screams didn't stop.
They multiplied.
Heavy footsteps thundered through the corridor. Doors slammed. Someone outside shouted a word that froze my blood.
"RUN—!"
A sound followed.
Not human.
A wet, broken growl—like bones grinding together inside a throat that no longer knew how to speak.
---
We rushed to the windows.
Near the main gate, figures staggered into view.
They looked human.
But only at a distance.
As they came closer, the truth became horrifyingly clear.
Their bodies were twisted at impossible angles. Limbs bent the wrong way. Clothes were torn and soaked dark with blood. Faces hung loose, jaws unhinged, eyes clouded and lifeless.
Some dragged broken legs and still moved.
Some ran.
Zombies.
The metal gate collapsed under their weight.
The monsters flooded the campus.
---
Chaos exploded.
Students screamed and scattered in every direction. Teachers tried—and failed—to maintain order. A girl tripped on the stairs, her scream cutting off too suddenly. Blood splashed against the wall.
I couldn't move.
I couldn't breathe.
The world I knew shattered in seconds.
The creatures burst into buildings, smashing glass, ripping doors open, chasing anything that moved. Their teeth tore into flesh. Their hands clawed and crushed.
No sirens.
No police.
No warning.
Just death.
---
Someone slammed the classroom door shut.
"LOCK IT!"
Desks were dragged forward. Hands shook as the lock clicked into place. A few students collapsed onto the floor, crying. Others frantically dialed numbers that would never connect.
I stayed seated.
Silent.
My hands were clenched so tightly my nails cut into my palms.
I had always been invisible here.
Short black hair, slightly messy.
A thin frame—not weak, but untrained.
Average height. Average face. Nothing worth remembering.
I wasn't popular.
I wasn't talented.
My grades were near the bottom.
People ignored me. Sometimes mocked me.
I had learned to endure it quietly.
---
But now—
Grades didn't matter.
Status didn't matter.
Dreams didn't matter.
In this world—
Only survival did.
And I had no idea
how long someone like me could last.
---
World & Scene Explanation (for consistency)
Background & Atmosphere
Setting: Modern college campus, peaceful morning contrast with sudden apocalypse.
Tone: Calm → unease → horror → despair.
Theme: The illusion of safety collapsing instantly.
Apocalypse Style: Sudden outbreak, no warnings, no hero arrival.
---
Main Character (Protagonist – Weak Stage)
Age: Early 20s
Height: Average (around 170–175 cm)
Build: Lean, untrained, slight shoulders
Posture: Reserved, often slightly hunched—used to being unnoticed
Face: Plain, sharp eyes when focused
Hair: Short black hair, slightly messy
Clothing: Simple graduation outfit—white shirt, black pants, worn shoes
Personality (Start):
Quiet
Observant
Emotionally restrained
Used to isolation
Core Trait (Hidden): High mental endurance