[ 3 Four Paths 3 ]

[Location: Tipacil Highschool, USA, Earth, Milkyway, Virgo Cluster, Unnamed Universe, Dimension 20792]

[Time: 4:17 PM, May 21st, 2XXX, Untouched Timeline]

=+=

"So this is our enemy for this [Game]."

Jeremy had a flustered expression as he looked at the genius. "Hey Denzel, are you sure it's okay for Fallyn to just walk off like that? We might not even see her again."

"It'll be fine. She's a serial killer. If anything, these slow creeps will do practically nothing to her."

"But-"

Marianne wrapped herself around Jeremy's arm. "She'll be fine. Denzel said so. And he's smart."

"We need to get rid of one of these creatures first."

Jeremy and Marianne gave him a confused look. He saved the creatures just to kill one?

"Timothy, Justin pass me one of your metal bats." The boys handed him one.

"Just as I expected."

Some of the students questioned him what.

"The bat has a stat."

[ Name: Metal Bat

Damage: 20-25

Remarks: Useful in the Beginning. ]

"However," he aimed his vision at the school and ground, "it seems that the scenery doesn't have a set [Stat]. Perhaps, if the setting is essential to the [Game] it will be included? Too many questions, not enough answers. Screw that darned half creep."

Denzel swung the bat towards the original beast in a smooth motion. Splat. Parts of its flesh and bone fell onto the ground. Aiming again he hit it on what could be referred to as its neck. "What a natural born killer."

"Killer?" Jeremy asked pointing to the fallen beast.

"No, Fallyn. She gave us some help, pointing out its weak points. Its head, neck, and leg tendons."

Marianne scrunched up her eyebrows. "But Fallyn doesn't seem like the kind of person to give us free hints."

"You're right. Perhaps, something in her [Stats] might have encouraged her to help us." Denzel frowned as he tried to formulate an answer. "This is why I hate serial killers, you never know what they're thinking or who they will target next. Add in this 'System' and things become much more complicated."

Marianne reached out to grab Denzel's arm. She barely got a hold of his white t-shirt before he shook her off. "Don't touch me."

Marianne awkwardly backed off.

"So what did you find out?" Jeremy asked rubbing a scratch on his arm.

"Killing these creatures grant [Points] and changes our [Conditions] from being a sarcastic remark into something like [Active Player]."

Jeremy walked up to the carcass. "So killing zombies grant us [Points]? What are [Points] for?"

"Jeremy, I'm not searching for that answer right now. Do you believe I can magically make conclusions?"

"Would it be bad if I said yes?"

Denzel smacked his forehead in response to the statement. "I can't just find out how this stupid [Game] works. I need info and data!"

"So Dennie, how many [Points] did you get for killing the zombie?" A student in the crowd asked.

"Ten. But I think I'm gonna try killing another one to see if the number of [Points] I get will be the same." He aimed his bat at the monster who used to be a student.

"Wait a sec man! That is our friend, Mathias, and you shouldn't kill him." Two teens scampered out of the crowd in front of their "friend." One tried to reason with Denzel. "Didn't you say something about cures? How about you help him become human again!"

"You go take care of your 'friend' then. I'm going to experiment and accumulate as many [Points] as possible. Soccer, basketball, football, baseball team members, follow me! We are gonna find shelter and food!"

A chorus of yes sirs and of course captains came from various students as they assembled into a mighty group of two hundred. As Denzel organized the factions, Marianne slowly attempted to sneak into the group.

"Marianne! What the hell are you doing?"

"I was just wondering," she twirled her fingers around innocently, "if I could join your group."

Denzel rose one eyebrow up. "By sneaking in?"

"Nicely fitting in?"

"Listen, as much as I tolerated you in high school, we are now in the apocalypse, therefore I have no time to babysit you. Our group only lets useful people join. And," he swept his eyes over her figure, "you have nothing useful to offer."

"C'mon Denzel," Jeremy reasoned. "Let Marianne join if she wants. It's just one person."

"Mmhmm. Let me join. Please with a cherry- no two cherries on top!"

"And if she joins everyone joins. My group is made of soon-to-be warriors! Not thigh huggers like her." Denzel wrinkled up his nose in disgust. "If you want to make your own charity project Mr. Caretaker then you do you."

With that Denzel and his teams strutted out of the courtyard towards an unknown destination.

Jeremy adopted a worried look on his face as he glanced back towards the remaining school population. 400 kids and barely any of them were athletic. "Alright guys, I guess it's just us versus the apocalypse."

Inwardly, he contemplated his decisions. Was it wise to make a group of people with no physical talent? Fallyn had gone off on her own. Denzel was probably making an army. He glanced at his arm where Marianne had latched and Marianne was being Marianne.

"Let go."

She blinked her eyes filled with tears at him. "But why?" Her lip quivered as she made herself appear piteous. "You don't like me?"

He went to respond when he noticed a red mass out of the corner of his eye. "Holy sh!t!" Approaching the school building was hundreds of zombies. It was a mesh of blood and gore approaching like army ants. Luckily, they were able to spot the creatures due to their school's location on top of a hill.

"Guys! Start getting stuff! Get inside the school! Get basic stuff like food! There's a huge f!cking number of them."

Jeremy had his classmates each raid food from the cafeteria and toilet paper from the bathrooms. Others carried gym clothes or tools from the wood shop for preparation.

The students decided to split off into smaller groups of twenty and aim to arrive at the local supermarket by eight o'clock. Many wished each other for luck while others cried. It was time for a marathon that could be their last run.

Marianne watched as the groups left one by one. She was with Jeremy who should've had the largest chance of survival yet he chose to be the last to leave. She hated it so much. Didn't he care about himself? About her? "Jeremy."

"Yes?"

"Can we please leave now? I can see the zombies coming from across the street."

"Not yet. We need one more group to leave. Besides, we're the smallest group, we'll have the easiest time escaping. We are just eight people."

Marianne pouted. "But Bianca and Sasha are with us. They're fat and chubby. They won't be able to keep up with us."

Jeremy felt a headache coming. "Listen, stop acting like you're a princess. Bianca and Sasha may be on the heavier side but they're still friends."

"Your friends, not mine. Forget it. I'm just gonna join the group that is leaving now."

"Your decision." Marianne walked off with her hips swaying. Why wasn't he showing more concern for her? She was the most important person in the universe. Everyone should bow to her, including these pathetic excuses of zombies.

Jeremy watched as Marianne ran off with her new group. Everyone was divided now. It was time for him to go.

He looked at the members of his group. Himself, two big girls, a lanky nerd, and three physically deficient bookworms. He talked to himself mentally. I can do this, just gotta avoid alleyways and tight spaces. I am gonna help these people.

"Alright guys, let's go!" He had the nerd take front charge due to his long limbs he was able to get a head start. Following were the two big girls who were surprisingly quick, and the three bookworms held together as a small group. Finally, he ran behind to make sure everyone was on track.

"Vince to the left!"

"K!" The nerd quickly changed directions.

Jeremy monitored his position compared to the others and the zombies.

"Jeremy there a bunch of em if we keep going forward."

"F!ck, take a different path."

The group ran past various buildings to avoid the zombies. After running for five minutes, the group needed to take a break. They entered a nearby office building and quickly barricaded the doors with desks and chairs.

"They can't get in right?"

Jeremy nodded. He hoped the other groups were having better luck. He stopped and rested on a wall nearby a supply closet.

"Jeremy," Bianca and Sasha chorused.

"Yeah?"

"We just wanted to say thank you for taking us as the last group when you've gone ahead."

Jeremy smiled at them happily. "I believe that everyone should get a chance at survival. It doesn't matter if you're ugly or pretty, beautiful or ugly, fat or skinny, black or white, we're all humans. And this [Game] needs to end. We need to work together so that we don't disappear or suffer from whatever that Ruddy guy said."

Suddenly, he noticed a red blob exit the closet aim to bite Bianca. "No!" He watched helplessly as the creature bit her. He could see how her eyes widened and she went into a state of shock before wailing.

"No! You! Argh!"

The other six grabbed their weapons and hit the zombie down until it died making the floor red with blood. Bianca watched helplessly as tears welled up in her eyes.

"Kill me! Kill me now!" She sobbed as she backed off into a corner. "I don't want to become one of those things. Kill me!"

"No, I can't. I can't." Jeremy said. His hands clutching his head to shut out her crying.

"If you guys care about me as a friend or even as a classmate then kill me! I don't want to become one of those things!"

The other students backed away from her. None willing to free her from her demise.

"Please I- any of you!"

Slowly, from the cowering students. Sasha rose up. She glanced at her friend with cold eyes. It was difficult to believe the two had been best friends when Sasha approached her with a bat.

"Friends forever?" Sasha questioned.

A nod was her only reply before the bat came down.