Chapter 3: Back to School

The sun shined right into our eyes. We kept running, out onto the road and beyond. We had to get away from the school, we couldn't stay there any longer. Isman stopped to breathe, his breathing shallow. "What's wrong Isman?" Monika said worried. Isman struggled to get the words out of his mouth. "I..." he broke down crying "left my watch at school...". Monika replied "I... I'll go get it you guys, stay here" Dan replied "If you're going then I'm going too." Monika looked sternly at him "I will go. Someone needs to stay with Isman." Dan felt defeated, he knew he couldn't leave his friend by himself, he also knew that Monika might be in danger. "But... what if you get hurt?" Dan replied worried, "I don't want to lose you.". She replied "You won't, trust me." And ran off before anyone could stop her. Isman sat there and said "I'm s...sorry." Dan hugged him and replied "It's not your fault."

The school hallways were empty, whatever had happened was dealt with already. She knew where Isman left his watch. She just hoped nobody would be there, she walked onwards and heard a noise behind her. She turned around but saw nothing. "Okay... this is getting a bit scary" she whispered to herself. The doors to the hall were ahead of her. She heard another noise much nearer this time, she turned around and saw a boy, blood dripping from his mouth. He mumbled something and then cried. "P.please help me..." he pleaded. Monika just walked backwards, not keeping her eyes off the boy. "Please..." he pleaded again. Monika stopped and replied "I don't know how...". The boy shouted "Help me!" and ran after Monika. She quickly turned around and ran for the hall doors. She glanced back and saw the boy was catching up with her. It was useless, he was too fast. She thought of something and stopped, the boy came running at her still, her heart raced but she knew this was the only choice she had. The boy was a few feet from her, she got ready. The boy kept running and she jumped to the side, the boy didn't stop in time and slammed into the hall doors, which opened and he fell inside. Monika quickly closed the doors and grabbed a broom which she slotted inside the door handles. The boy banged on the door screaming and Monika backed away. She knew the plan wouldn't last long so she ran down the hallway back to the entrance. She knew that there was another way into the hall so she ran down the opposite hallway. She heard a boy screaming some distance from her. She ran into the adjacent room and closed the door. She looked around the room for something that could protect her. She saw a soldier laying on the floor, dead. She gagged and wanted to throw up. She heard the boy again but much nearer shouting mockingly "Come out, there's no need to hide from me! I'm friendly, trust me." He sounded like a mad man. She looked back at the soldier, swallowing the bile in her throat. She searched him for weapons, surely he had some. She ripped open his jacket, it was even more revolting, his skin was deathly pale and blood streaked his skin, there was an open wound, blood soaking it, it made her gag again. She felt like crying but stopped herself. She had to control herself. She had to find something to protect herself with. She proceeded to look around the area, it was an office, not comfy but not uncomfortable looking. Vase filled with flowers on a table, she continued to look around, there were chairs but they were welded to the floor. She looked at the bookcase, she wouldn't be able to push it, her only choice was the vase. She quickly and quietly approached it and grabbed it. But it wouldn't budge, she was confused, she checked under but it wasn't welded onto the table. She looked inside the vase, there were flowers but instead of soil, stood blocks of metal. She picked one of the blocks up and weighed it in her hand, it was heavy, she could throw it at the boy but it wouldn't do much. She heard the boy, much nearer, too near. She instinctively looked behind her. He stood there, smiling, door ajar. How did he get in without her hearing? "Oh, you look so precious." he said, "I almost feel pity for you." Monika prepared to attack but the boy grabbed her arm before she could. "Your skin is so soft" he said and grabbed her by her hips. He drawed in closer for a kiss but she slapped him "You pervert!" she screamed. What was happening? One moment he wanted to kill her and the next he wants to try and seduce her. The virus or whatever it was, clearly messed up his brain. He looked suddenly angry, and grabbed her throat, she clawed at his hands but it was no use. She couldn't breathe, her mind was racing. The boy smiled, and licked his lips. Her vision was going dark, she couldn't think properly. It was too late for her, she was dying. The boy let go and she fell to the floor, unconscious. The boy went up to her "Time to..." he couldn't finish his sentence. "Boo." replied a man behind the creature and hit him in the head with a brick. He grabbed Monika and slumped her over his shoulder.

Dan paced back and forth worried. She was in there for more than half an hour. What had happened to her? Did the boy get her? Isman looked guilty. Dan turned around to face him, "I, I'm sorry." Isman replied and started to cry. Dan replied "It's not anyone's fault, lets just go inside and find her okay?" Isman wiped a tear off his face and nodded. The school was in the distance, it didn't look so pretty anymore. They walked across the road. Down the path and towards the entrance. Through the doors and inside. Dan looked at both the hallways. He thought and finally spoke "We will have to split up." Isman looked horrified by the idea. "Isman, if we both go looking for her together, we may not be able to save her" Isman felt defeated, he knew that he had to. Otherwise, she might die because of him. Dan replied "I'll go left, you go right. Be careful." Isman nodded and ran off to the right. Dan walked down the left.

Isman's heart thumped rapidly, he wasn't ready for this. What if the creature came out? What would he do? He was weak he told himself. He kept walking, every step he took made his heart beat faster. He saw the classrooms as he passed by, all empty, at least the lights are on. He thought to himself. He kept walking forwards, not daring to look back.

Dan was less scared, but more worried about the safety of Monika. He checked every class he passed and didn't see her. He did find his backpack that he left and grabbed it. He saw something disturbing, the laptop was on and text appeared on its screen. He ran up to it, the text read "Contagion released." he saw something new pop up. "UNAUTHORISED USER ||||||| " He felt a searing pain in his head and fell to the floor. He clutched his head and screamed "Stop... Stop!" He began sobbing and began to fall unconcious.

The man who was holding Monika heard the scream and began running towards it. Monika held over his shoulder, still unconscious. He needed to get there fast he thought to himself. Otherwise, the boy might die.

Behind him, a soldier on the floor started getting up slowly, and moved in a strange manner. Foam surrounded his mouth and his eyes were unfocused and dilated. The zombie virus was spreading fast. He had already turned. And the man was completely unaware of the zombie following him.

Isman was near the hall, he went through the doorway slowly and stopped. There was a stray broom at side thay was snapped in half. Sharp, jagged edges protruding from it. He went up to it and grabbed it, his hands trembling. He could use it as protection he thought. He looked around and saw where his watch was he inched forward with his makeshift weapon not keeping his guard down. He was nearly there when a soldier began inching their way up onto their legs. Isman froze, the soldier also had foam around their mouth and dilated pupils. He looked right at Isman but seemed to look right through him. Isman unfroze and reached out for the watch, the zombie started walking towards him in a lazy manner. Isman grabbed the watch and began to run. The zombie heard him and began to scream chasing after Isman.

The man was where Dan was, he thought to himself, great another person for me to carry. He heard a low guttural growl from behind him and cursed to himself. He slowly put Monika down and turned to face the creature. The soldier had its jaw hanging with foam surrounding it, he looked like a dog with rabies, but with a human body. It was disgusting and the man had to supress the bile in his throat from erupting into a full scale vomit. He fumbled for his handcannon, which was a gun that could pretty much pulverise any organic matter in a matter of seconds. But, it wasn't there. He cursed to himself and got himself into a fighting stance, the zombie spoke "I wouldn't try that. You don't have a handcannon, and I do." The man still kept his stance. The zombie looked at him and laughed like a maniac. "You annoy me" he said, his expression changed and he was furious "I command you to desist!" The man laughed sarcastically "I don't take orders from zombies" And ran towards the zombie. He kicked the zombie in the stomach and it didn't seem hurt by it. He smiled and wiped the foam off his mouth, he lashed out with his foot and brought the man crashing down onto a desk. He looked at the zombie and grabbed the chair behind his head, he brought it crashing down on the zombie's skull and the zombie seemed momentarily stunned. The man rolled off the desk and landed on his feet. He lashed out with his foot and landed a blow on the zombie's chin. The zombie rugby tackled the man into a wall. And the man dropped to the floor. The zombie put a foot on the man and grabbed the handcannon, pointing it at the man's head. "Any last words... soldier?". "Hi!" Said a voice behind the creature, the creature barely had any time to register the new attacker before it was hit in the head with a laptop. It fell to the floor with a grunt. The handcannon clattered to the floor. "You'll pay for this you little bitch." the creature said grinning. The man who was on the floor got up quickly and grabbed the handcannon. The creature stood up and wiped the blood from his mouth. He screamed and charged at Monika. They both fell to the floor. The creature began to strangle her and she clawed at the creature's hands. With one last effort, she jammed her thumbs into the creature's eyes, she kept pushing them further and the creature let out a howl. She pushed the creature and it fell to the floor. She got up and ran to the man, who shielded her with his hand. "Get back" he told her and she nodded. The man advanced towards the creature and held out the handcannon. "Game's over" he said. Thr creature began crying, "P-Please, s-spare me." The creature's lips began trembling. The man didn't hesitate, he pulled the trigger and the creature was turned into a pile of ash in a blink of an eye. The man turned around and saw Monika was hunched over Dan who was sitting up. He was clutching his head. The man came over to him. He asked Dan "What happened? Are you alright?". Dan replied "I, I don't know. I- I saw a computer that said some sort of..." he clutched his head and began to cry in agony. "I... it said something and... let out this noise. I... woke up here... my head..." The man came over to him and checked his pupils. His eyes were red and the man checked his forehead. He muttered to himself and went over to the computer which was destroyed and on the floor. The computer that Monika had used to slam the creature in the head. He checked some components that lay scattered on the floor. He looked up at Dan, "I know what happened." He fumbled his pockets for something and brought out a pack of pills. He replied "Wait here". Monika nodded. The man left the classroom.

He went to the nearest water fountain and grabbed a cup from the side, he filled it with water. The icy, cold water dropped into the cup. Slowly but surely, the cup filled up. He grabbed it and was about to walk back to the class when a scream erupted from behind him. He ran to the class and handed Dan two tablets and the cup of water, "Drink it, and stay quiet" he daid to Dan. Dan hesitantly took the water and tablets. He drank some water and swallowed the tablets. "I'll be right back" The man replied. He left the classroom again and saw Isman running towards him. He aimed his handcannon just above Isman's head and shouted "Duck!", Isman did as he was told and the man pulled the trigger. The creature behind Isman disintegrated into a pile of ash, which fell gently to the floor. Isman ran into the man and hugged him tightly. The man fell into Isman's hug. He patted Isman's head and replied "It's okay. You're fine." Isman slowly retreated from the hug and so did the man. "Follow me" the man replied.

Monika sat on the floor, Dan laying in her lap. Dan looked worse than he looked before. She saw the man emerge into the class with Isman next to him. She was relieved, but even more concerned for Dan. She said, with worry, "Dan's a lot worse than he was before. I..." The man interrupted her "He's fine, its the effects of the medicine, he'll be better in a few hours." She reluctantly nodded. Dan groaned, he started to gag. The man came over and helped him up. He brought a bin from nearby and Dan leaned over it. He started vomitting, the vomit was putrid and had an unusual dark colouring to it. Monika asked "Why is his vomit that colour? And what do you mean by medicine? I thought we were immune to any disease. I thought there weren't any doctors too." The man looked at her, "I'll explain later. Now is not the time for questions. We need to get out of here before the other zombies wake up." Monika seemed startled by that thought and gulped. She didn't want to get attacked by more of those things. Dan stopped vomitting and got up slowly. He could barely walk. The man came up to him and picked Dan up. Dan seemed surprised but his fatigue got the best of him and he dozed off on the man's shoulder. "Lets go." the man replied. And the group walked out.