Dawn of the Dead

Chapter 1

Daphne's Pov:

I stare at the computer screen watching words type across the screen and my fingers typing away at the keyboard. I was writing a report for this week's finances, they weren't looking very good and I knew that McKenna was not going to be happy with this report. I cringe just thinking of the last time of numbers looked this low. She pulled me into her office to yell at me about how I need to get my floor motivated better to work better if I want to keep my job. She continued saying that I was pathetic and she didn't even know how I got my job and that if I didn't get with the program then I was going to be fired. I can't control the customers. Business just hasn't been the same the past year, we're hitting a rough patch. If this continues I know the company will be looking at claiming bankruptcy in a year or two if business doesn't pick back up. 

I stop typing and sigh, knowing my luck I will have to start looking for a new job after I send this report. I couldn't really afford that though. Rent was due soon and so were other bills, I would have enough in savings for a month or two but after I'll be in huge trouble. I close my eyes and try to relax for a second , the sound of the office was not very relaxing. There were phones going off every couple seconds, people typing away on their keyboards, co-workers talking on the phones to customers, the fax machine going off letting everyone know there was a fax coming in. It was a busy place and stressful as hell. I was one of two managers on this floor, the other was Kyle who was a complete jackass. He didn't give a s**t about his workers and everyone knew he got special treatment from McKenna because they were sleeping together making him essentially untouchable.

Kyle had tried to come on to me a couple times and I turned him down. McKenna caught wind of it and ever since she has been targeting me and holding my job over my head; threatening to fire me everyone two weeks. She used to not care about my job or how finances were looking before Kyle. If I was honest I wouldn't be to devastated  to find somewhere else to work. I would have quit awhile ago if it wasn't for this job paying so well. It's hard to find a good 20$ an hour paying job in Colorado Springs. Hell anywhere in Colorado really. I didn't have a degree and I worked hard to get where I am, I had to convince McKenna.. practically get on my hands and knees to get her to promote me. I was really her only choice since no one else in the company wanted the job and she needed someone ASAP. 

I do my job very well and make sure that everything gets done when it needs to be. It's hard sometimes though, I'm basically doing a job that takes two managers since the other one is in McKenna's office all day doing absolutely nothing. I open my eyes and look back at my screen. The report was half way done; I sigh and got up from my chair. I left my office to head to the breakroom to get some coffee, I needed all the energy I can get if I was going to keep working without falling over for the next 4 hours. When I walked into the room I see that it was empty, thank f*****g god. I didn't feel like putting on the manager act for anyone right now, not until I had my cup of coffee. I went to the coffee maker and set to work on making my cup of joe. While I waited for it to finish Kyle choses that moment to walk into the breakroom, I tense up waiting for him to say something. 

He ignores me and walks over to one of the couches in here and lays down. He doesn't look too good; he's a little pale, he's sweating, his blond hair was a mess and he's got his eyes closed. I slowly walk over to him but making sure to keep my distance from him, "Hey Kyle, you ok?"  His eyes popped open. The blue eyes that every girl in the office swoons over were bloodshot making it look like he hadn't gotten any sleep the night before, he was glaring at me. " Get the f**k away from me Daphne. " I shrug and walk away from him, " Fine be a d**k Kyle, but I think you should go home you aren't look to good." He doesn't say anything and I take one more glance at him. Should I tell McKenna so she could try to send him home or should I just leave this alone? Making up my mind I forget my coffee there and  head to McKenna's office. 

Her office was at the end of all the cubicle on the left side of the room, he walls were glass and everyone could see in. She was sitting at her desk staring at the computer screen when I knocked on her door. When she heard my knock she glanced him, her gaze turned into a glare when she saw it was me. She was a red head with the temper everyone associated red-heads with. She waved her arm signaling to me to come on in, I took a deep breath and open her door walking into her office. " What is it Ms. Cross"  I stood in front of her desk with her brown eyes glaring at me, I huffed, " Kyle is laying on the couch in the breakroom looking like he's gonna pass out. " She raises her eyebrow at me.

" So you come to my office to both me because Kyle is taking a nap in the breakroom?" her tone showing that she isn't happy that I was here in the first place. I shake my head, " No, I'm here telling you about Kyle because he looks like he needs to see a doctor. He's sweating, pale, and his eyes are bloodshot. He must have the cold that was going around the office." She rolls her eyes at me and flicks her fingers at me indicating me to leave. " I don't have time for this Ms. Cross. Kyle is a grown man if he thinks he is well enough to come to work then he can. Go and finish your report. You have other things to do other than worrying about what Kyle is doing." I close my eyes and clench my teeth. " Yes McKenna. " I turn to walk out of her office when she says, " Oh and it's Ms. Fox to you Ms. Cross" I turn my head and glared at her. I nodded my head and continued the walk back to my own office. When my office door was shut I closed the blinds to my office windows so my employees couldn't see in. I paced back and forth in my office furious with McKenna, when I first started working with her she wasn't a b***h at all. She was very nice and always treated me like we were equals. But all that changed because of Kyle.

I stopped pacing and shook my head. It was definitely time to look for a new job, I know she's going fire me when she gets my report back and not a moment later. I go to my computer and pull up a new tab, for the next hour I start looking for new employment. I was interrupted when my phone was starting to vibrating, I stop what I was doing and look down at my phone. Expecting it to be a call or weather warning I turn it on, but what it says across the screen confuses me.

Warning! Citizens' are to remain inside and off the streets. Citizens' are to go on lockdown. If any are feeling ill they are to isolate themselves from others. Do not approach sick individuals. Do not go to hospitals. 

I frown at the message, what the f**k? I get up from my desk and open my office. I hear everyone's phones go off and people are talking to each other asking what was going on. I scan the room looking for anyone who looks even remotely sick, before I can finish Betsy one of my employees comes up to me. " Daphne do you know what's going on?"  I shook my head and she deflates, she was a petite little blond who was in her 30's. She starts wringing her hands, " What do we do? I have kids in school. I can't be stuck here, my husband isn't home to go get them."  I think for a moment, maybe she has time to get them and get home before the lockdown really sets into place.

" You have my permission to leave and go home. I would hurry though before the lockdown really sets into place." I tell her, she nods her head quickly and takes off towards the elevator. I raise my hands and call for everyone's attention, all eyes are on me very quickly. " Alright! Anyone with kids you have my permission to head on to grab them and head home, don't come into work tomorrow. We will contact you later. Everyone else you will stay here until we know what is going on. Anyone who is feeling sick you are to head to the breakroom and stay there. Don't touch anything." I watch as everyone starts moving. When there are fifteen left in the office and the rest heading home or to the breakroom I run my eyes over them to see who's left. My eyes stop on  man, " Mark I want you to go to the supply closet to grab gloves and disinfectant to clean everyone's pods. " The man nods, he starts to head over to the closet. I rest my eyes of a woman in front, "Sadie go with him and help him out." She follows Mark. 

" Alright I'm going to go talk to Ms. Fox you all just sit tight." Everyone just starts talking with each other quietly and I head back towards McKenna's office. When I was in front of her office I could see she was staring out the window down at the street. I knock on her door and she turns her head to look at me, she nods her head and I enter her office. " McKenna do you know what's going on?" she turns back to me and she looks ghostly pale. " Daphne, something is very wrong. Come look." I walk over to her side looking out the window. We were in the middle of downtown, usually traffic was busy all day especially in the mornings and at Five. But what I see is just ridiculous, at first I was confused on what I was supposed to be looking for. Then I see people running... people banging on windows of cars....people attacking others...no not attacking... eating. 

I gasp and brought my hands up to my mouth. Oh my god. I look at McKenna, " We have to lock the breakroom, I put all the sick people in there. " Her eyes widen and nods her head. We start running out of the office and run back out to the floor, everyone was still where they were when I left them. They all turned their heads to see what was going on, I stopped in front of the crowd. " Alright we have to lock the the breakroom and pile all the dam furniture in front of the door." Everyone was looking at each other confused when someone spoke up, " Uhh... why?" I shake my head. We don't have time for this. "Just do it!" Everyone went into action someone close the door and looked it from the outside, immediately the people who were in there started banging on the door demanding to be let out. We started piling a bunch of furniture in front of the door. 

Just as we finished, a women inside started screaming bloody murder. Oh god... someone is one of those things from on the street.