The third day after grandma turned into a zombie.

It was just an ordinary day.

I had no idea what the situation was in the village, and I didn't bother to ask. I figured only a few lucky ones would have escaped.

I stood in the square courtyard, where I could see the surrounding mountains directly. Today was another bright and sunny day.

During the meal, I happened to notice grandma's pant leg. She had changed into a pair of cotton pants today.

I asked grandma, "Are there zombies everywhere in the village now?"

Grandma's reaction today seemed a bit slower than yesterday. She said, "Well, you should stay at home. The government will definitely have policies. Our village is a bit remote, but they will definitely come, and everything will be fine when they arrive."

That's not good.

I replied dejectedly, "It will probably take some time. They will definitely focus on the big cities first, after all, there are so many people there."

"Hmm," she mumbled as she chewed on a dumpling.

After grandma left, grandpa appeared at my window again, like he was reporting for duty, but no matter how I tried to talk to him, he didn't respond.

I leaned my head on my hand and looked at him, thinking that he was just two years away from being honored as a "centenarian," but reality played this kind of joke on him.

Grandma passed away four years ago when she was 96. She died peacefully in her sleep.

She was healthy and didn't burden her children, living almost a century. Everyone said it was a happy death.

She left behind my tough grandpa, who could still help my third uncle's family build a canopy last year.

After watching him for a while, I averted my gaze and took out a pack of spicy sticks to eat slowly.

Before noon, grandma came back, and grandpa left silently.

She brought back two bags of snacks from the store, which surprised me.

"Grandma, are you emptying out the convenience store?"

"Since no one else is going to eat them, I brought them back for you."

I happily hugged the snacks and went back to my room.

After setting down the snacks, I felt a sense of emptiness in my heart. I didn't really need these things, but I still absentmindedly took a pack and opened the packaging, enjoying it.

"Don't eat it yet. We're about to have lunch soon."

I obediently replied, "Oh," and went to the kitchen to help.

In the evening, after grandma left, I stood hesitating at the front door, wondering if I should go out and take a look.

Although she locked the front gate, I could still go to the single-story houses.

Our village had four households in a row, and you could enter other people's houses through the single-story houses. My friends used to joke that thieves loved this kind of setup, stealing from four houses at once.

For the past few days, apart from grandpa climbing over the wall to get in, I hadn't seen anyone else. I assumed that there was probably no one left in the neighboring houses.

In the end, I decided to go up to the single-story houses.

The streetlights in the village had long been broken. It was considered highly efficient if they could be replaced within a year or two.

In this village without light pollution, when I looked up, I could see the stars clearly, as if it were a peaceful night like before.

I shone my flashlight into the alley. It was like a clean purgatory.

A three-meter wide alley, with a wall of bodies piled up along the front house's ditch, they were headless corpses stacked together like sandbags near a dam.

Instinctively, I held my breath, and when I realized what was happening, I almost suffocated myself.

I followed the single-story houses and went to the house of the neighbor to the west, which was next to West Street.

I stood on their single-story house and looked at the bodies that had been arranged on West Street. I was sure that it was done by my grandma.

On a chilly November night, with the night breeze blowing, I shivered and decided to go back home.

Suddenly, there were faint roars and banging sounds in thedistance. I turned my flashlight towards the source of the noise and saw a small group of zombies stumbling towards me.

My heart raced as I quickly retreated from the edge of the single-story house. I knew I had to get back to the safety of my own home.

As I ran through the dark alley, I could hear the zombies getting closer. Their moans echoed through the empty streets, sending chills down my spine.

I reached my house and fumbled with the keys, trying to unlock the front gate as fast as I could. Finally, I managed to open it and rushed inside.

I locked the gate behind me and leaned against it, trying to catch my breath. My hands were trembling, and my mind was racing with fear and confusion.

I had never imagined that my peaceful village would turn into a scene of horror. The reality of the zombie outbreak had finally hit me.

I went to the window and looked outside. The group of zombies I had encountered earlier was now wandering aimlessly near the entrance of the village.

My thoughts turned to my family. Were they safe? I hoped that they were hiding somewhere, away from the danger.

Days turned into nights, and nights turned into days. I stayed barricaded in my house, venturing out only when necessary to gather supplies.

Each time I stepped outside, the sight of the zombies reminded me of the grim reality we were facing. The once lively streets were now filled with death and despair.

I often thought about my grandparents, wondering if they were among the zombies roaming the village. It pained me to think that they had become monsters, but I knew I had to stay strong and survive.

I spent my days fortifying my home, setting up traps and barriers to keep the zombies out. I rationed my food and water, knowing that supplies were limited.

Loneliness engulfed me as I realized that I was the only one left in my family. I missed the warmth of their presence, their laughter, and their love.

But amidst the darkness, a glimmer of hope remained. I knew that as long as I was alive, there was a chance for survival.

I vowed to keep fighting, not just for myself but for all those who had been lost to the zombie outbreak. I would honor their memory by staying strong and finding a way to overcome this nightmare.

And so, I continued to survive, day by day, in a world where the dead walked and the living fought for their lives.