Pandora Christmas - v9

Inspired by Phoenix Point In 2012, Antarctic researchers unearthed an ancient virus buried beneath the ice—predating dinosaurs, capable of rewriting DNA. They named it Pandora. The discovery was buried under classified reports. In 2024, a colossal iceberg fractured, releasing a dense red mist into the ocean. Scientists dismissed it as a natural phenomenon. By December, the mist reappeared, spreading inland at night, clinging to water vapor. By dawn, it vanished. Governments assured the public it was harmless, a meteorological anomaly. But behind closed doors, scientists were alarmed. Mutated marine life washed ashore. Coastal towns went silent. Strange radio signals came from lost ships. On Christmas Eve, the mist rolled in thicker than ever. By morning, it was gone. But so were thousands of people.