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and tore into their victims like wild dogs. The worst for Mike was watching the slaughter of children. He was forced to look away from the sight of mothers and fathers literally dying to save their screaming little ones as they were brutally torn apart.
    People that been walking back to their cars turned around to see the source of the commotion. Those near the ship stood transfixed and watched the gruesome spectacle. More than a few had their cell phones out and were taking pictures and video, surely to post on a social media account. This lack of self-preservation would prove fatal for many.
    “GET THE FUCK OVER HERE!” Mike finally choked out, his voice cracking at the edges with alarm. “People are jumping from the goddamn ship … and … killing people.”
    “What?” the three others said in unison as each jumped up and ran to the window.
    No one needed binoculars to see that chaos reigned supreme at the Port. Eric, Reid, and Ashley watched the ebb and flow of the crowd, some trying to get a look at what was happening while others were desperately fighting for their lives or that of a family member.
    Mike raised the binoculars to his eyes again and panned the crowd. He spotted the Terra Corp security team as they made their way back to the first responders’ staging area. They were bunched into a tight knot and liberally used the butts of their rifles to keep any close jumper away. The rest of the crowd didn’t fare so well. The police and emergency medical personnel tried to keep the jumpers away from the crowd, but Mike could clearly see there were not enough to make a difference. He watched helplessly as the crowd was overwhelmed.
    Mike and the others, shocked into silence, quietly watched from the safety of the parking garage as people in the crowd, just a few blocks removed, were pulled down one by one. They watched in disbelief as the passengers of the Sunset Rose tore their families apart with hands and teeth. Ashley finally turned away and ran to the wastebasket where she promptly puked out her breakfast.
    “Oh my God! What the hell is happening down there?” she cried in dismay.
    “It looks like the cruise line forgot to serve breakfast today and they have some hungry passengers, Ash,” Reid joked. He was the quiet type, but had a bad habit of putting a comedic twist on any situation, no matter how inappropriate.
    “You sick fuck,” she almost screamed at him.
    “Sorry Ash, I was just trying to break the tension,” Reid said apologetically to his friend.
    Eric turned to Mike with real concern on his face. “Mike, things are getting …”
    “Holy shit!” Mike yelped, “The guy the kid mauled to death is getting back up!”
    Ashley threw up again. Reid stood there, torn between comforting Ashley and going to take a look for himself. “Dead people don’t get back up,” Reid stated logically as he attempted to comfort his friends.
    “Maybe he wasn’t dead yet, but no way should he be standing after that,” Mike said uncertainly.
    Everyone, except for Ashley, who headed for the bathroom, now stood at the window and stared with morbid curiosity and horror at the disaster occurring just a few blocks away. Things had gone from bad to worse. Men, women, and children that had been pulled down and ripped apart were slowly rising again minutes later. Once risen, the cycle repeated itself. Mike realized he was watching the live version of Dawn of the Dead , but his mind kept trying to tell him it must be a dream. This is no dream , it’s mankind’s worst nightmare turned reality .
    The police shot blindly at the crowd, more to protect themselves than any other reason. Even from the parking garage’s higher vantage point, it was difficult to tell who presented a real danger until someone attacked. Even blocks away they could hear the muffled screams. Mike’s heart went out to the parents that tried to protect terrified children, many torn from their parents’ grasp and ripped apart right in