Pete and Dave had been friends since childhood, growing up in the small town of Willow Creek. They had shared countless adventures together, from exploring the woods to sneaking into the local abandoned mine.
But on this particular night, their friendship would be put to the ultimate test.
It started with a strange news report on the radio. A mysterious illness had broken out in the nearby city, causing people to become violent and aggressive. The authorities were baffled, and the situation was quickly spiraling out of control.
Pete and Dave exchanged a nervous glance as they listened to the report. They had always been skeptical of the government's ability to handle crises, and this seemed like just another example of their incompetence.
But as they continued to listen, they heard something that made their blood run cold. The infected people were not just violent - they were also... reanimated.
The radio crackled and spat, and then went dead. Pete and Dave looked at each other, their faces pale with fear.
"What does it mean?" Pete whispered.
Dave shook his head. "I don't know, but I think we're about to find out."
As they spoke, they heard a strange noise coming from outside. It sounded like footsteps, heavy and deliberate, crunching through the gravel on the driveway.
Pete and Dave exchanged a terrified glance. They knew that they had to get out of there, and fast.
They grabbed their backpacks and made a run for the door, but it was too late. The footsteps had reached the porch, and the door was shaking and rattling as something tried to get in.
Pete and Dave froze, their hearts pounding in their chests. They knew that they were trapped, and that whatever was on the other side of the door was not human.
Suddenly, the door burst open, and a figure stumbled into the room. It was their neighbor, Mr. Jenkins, but he was not himself. His eyes were cloudy and gray, and his skin was pale and decaying.
Pete and Dave screamed as Mr. Jenkins lurched towards them, his arms outstretched. They tried to run, but their feet felt heavy and unresponsive.
As Mr. Jenkins closed in, Pete and Dave knew that they were doomed. They were going to become just like him - undead, unthinking, and driven solely by a hunger for human flesh.
The last thing Pete saw was Dave's terrified face, and then everything went black.
When Pete came to, he was lying on the floor, his head throbbing with pain. He looked around, but Dave was nowhere to be seen.
Suddenly, he heard a faint moaning sound coming from outside. Pete's heart sank as he realized that Dave had been infected, and was now one of the undead.
Pete knew that he had to get out of there, and fast. He stumbled to his feet and made a run for the door, but as he reached it, he heard Dave's voice behind him.
"Pete... help me..."
Pete turned to see Dave stumbling towards him, his eyes cloudy and gray. Pete knew that his friend was gone, and that the thing in front of him was just a shell of what Dave once was.
With a heavy heart, Pete turned and ran, leaving Dave to shuffle and moan behind him. He knew that he would never see his friend again, and that their friendship was just another casualty of the zombie apocalypse.
As Pete ran through the deserted streets, he knew that he was not alone. There were others out there, others who had lost loved ones and were now fighting for survival.
And as he ran, Pete knew that he would never forget the horror of that night, the night that his friend Dave became one of the undead.