Zombies should be in movies!

Disclaimer: This Chapter will include gore, cannibalism, and death. Some readers

might be uncomfortable with these topics, so please read with caution.

People, Places, and everything else are all fictitious.

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"Gah, seriously? I was counting on my phone to last a bit longer," I grumbled, irritation coloring my words. I had been hoping to talk with Athena a while longer; knocking back drinks alone at home just felt pathetic.

Each step on the walk back seemed to stretch out, especially under the flickering streetlights that cast eerie shadows. The darkness swallowed up the streets, making them feel like ghost towns, especially at this ungodly hour. With every step, my pace quickened, a creeping sense of urgency nudging me forward.

Then, out of the blue, a voice shattered the silence.

"Hey! Somebody! Help me, please! My leg- it's killing me!" The cry pierced through the night, making me spin around. The voice sounded familiar, maybe someone I'd crossed paths with at the store earlier.

"Oh my gosh, ajeossi, what's happened?" I dashed towards him, worry etching lines on my face as I knelt by his side.

"This lunatic just came outta nowhere and-" He started, but his words dissolved into pained moans.

"Came out of where?" I prodded.

"This nutjob bit me!"

"Bit you? What the... hold up, bit you?" My voice wavered as the realization hit, my eyes widening in horror as I inspected the wound. It was a gnarly bite mark, pulsating ominously and growing darker by the second. Suddenly, fragments of earlier encounters flooded my mind.

I instinctively recoiled, a chill running down my spine. "Wait, where are you going? Aren't you going to help me?" The man's voice trembled with desperation and frustration.

"Um, hate to break it to you, but I'm gonna pass on that," I muttered, my voice barely audible.

"What!? Can't you see how bad this is? Don't you have an ounce of compassion?" His tone grew more frantic, tinged with accusation.

Then suddenly, he lunged forward.

Panic surged through me as I turned to flee, my heart pounding in my chest. "You crazy jerk!" I spat out, but when I stole a glance over my shoulder, I saw him closing in, his footsteps thundering behind me.

"Shoot, my phone's dead. Can't call for help," I cursed, the weight of the situation sinking in like a stone, amplifying the dread that gripped me. I grip my phone tight, shouting for help. But to no avail.

"Leave me alone you freak!" I yelled back again, but suddenly, more people seemed to emerge from the shadows of the empty streets - all heading towards me. "The hell dude!?"

"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!!" The man yelled, his pace seeming to fasten. "AAHHH-!!"

"GRAAAHH!!! HAHAHA! BOO!" Ha-ru's yell from the corner sent a jolt through the room, catching Ha-rim off guard. Annoyed, I quickly covered my ear, shooting a glare in Ha-ru's direction.

"How immature... Anyway, what happened next?" Ruby's voice cut through the tension from behind me. I turned towards her, sighing. "I just kept on with my shift, like the store would excuse me..." I murmured, earning a small chuckle from Ruby.

"I still can't believe that happened to you. I'm just glad you're safe now," Ruby said, her hand stretching out on the desk.

"Yeah, it was such a bizarre encounter. And then, she tried to break free from the police," I continued, my gaze fixed on the desk. "What's even weirder is that she bit the officer trying to get her into the car."

Ruby's expression shifted to one of concern. "Bit the police? That IS weird," she muttered.

Lost in thought, I mused, "I wonder if she's an escapee from an asylum or something," resting my chin on my palm.

Suddenly, a sharp knock echoed through the classroom door. "Hello, is Derhood, Ruby Nathaniel here? I need to speak to her urgently," the teacher's voice called out. Ruby promptly raised her hand. "I'm here!"

Ruby excused herself before rising up from her chair and walking towards the teacher. Together, they exited the classroom, leaving me seated alone.

Uninterested in striking up conversations with others, I remained seated, feeling socially awkward.

"Yikes, told you - you shouldn't have stayed up late. Now you missed the bus," I overheard the familiar chatter of our classmates but had no inclination to join in, though I kept a close ear.

I discreetly eavesdropped on their conversation while intentionally averting my gaze. "Yeah, but hey, I got to witness something weird earlier." - "Oh? Spill the tea."

"There was this guy that was acting really freaky. Like, he was twitching and stuff. His whole body. And he was groaning as well. His skin was really, really pale," the student from the other seat explained.

"...!"

I couldn't hide my surprise. I probably even flinched. The description was an exact match for the same woman I had encountered last night. Had my classmate seen the same person? But hadn't that woman been arrested just last night?

"Oh? And then what?"

"I ignored him, but just as I was entering the school gate, I swear I saw him bite another person. Then that person collapsed, foaming at the mouth. It was creepy!" The girl's voice revealed a shiver, setting an eerie tone.

"Ew, That's disgusting. Why didn't you help?" Another student chimed in, her disgust palpable. "Well, I was already inside the school, and the guard wouldn't let me out anymore, plus... he seemed to be persistent on not letting me out.." the girl simply shrugged, treating the matter as inconsequential.

Suddenly, an unnaturally pink-haired boy eagerly jumped into their conversation, his curiosity piqued. It was Akito. I can recognize that dyed hair anywhere.

"And then, and then, and then?" he huffed, excited about the story. "Oh... that was all I could see... sorry," she responded, leaving him disappointed.

"Aw, man. But Min-ji, did you ever consider that the person you saw was acting like a zombie?" he exclaimed, his voice brimming with enthusiasm.

"Zombie? Don't be silly. Zombies don't exist," the other girl replied dismissively. Min-ji nodded and turned her gaze to the boy. "Yeah, zombies are only in movies. That guy was probably on drugs or something," she reasoned.

The boy couldn't hide his disappointment with their responses. "You guys are so boring!" he whined, clearly expecting a more thrilling explanation.

Suddenly, Akito's head snapped towards me; who had been silently eavesdropping on their conversation the whole time.

Startled, I flinched before quickly averting my gaze. However, the persistent boy dashed over to my desk. I could only hold my breath and accept what was about to come...

"Hey, hey, Wilson~!" he chimed in a childish tone, towering over my desk with a massive grin.

Reluctantly, I turned my attention towards him. "..What?" I muttered, pretending as if I wasn't listening earlier.

"What do you think?" Akito asked eagerly, leaving me slightly confused. "Think about what?" I inquired, head tilted in confusion.

"You know, about the guy! Do you think he was a zombie?" The boy prodded with curiosity. "Huh? What guy? What are you talking about?" I murmured, my mind racing with thoughts of why he was addressing me. What do I have to do with this? God forbid a woman listening in on gossip.

'Akito. That's his name, I think? why is he talking to me?' I wondered.

Akito is one of the males in our class, I don't really socialize and pay attention to him. I mean, the boy is really childish and would often pull pranks, which I fell for multiple times. So I hold some grudges for that.

'...Eugh I still remember that cafeteria food...'

"Don't pretend. You were listening to the conversation, right?" he persisted, his tone pressing. I gulped, barely able to muster a response. "Uhm... no...?" My words came out in a whisper.

"Ehhh? You weren't? But..." Akito seemed taken aback by my denial, clearly expecting a different answer.

Just then, the classroom door swung open. "Okay, class please settle down," the teacher's voice rang out.

The childish boy let out a frustrated sigh before hastily retreating to his seat.

I breathed a sigh of relief, but an unsettling feeling crept over me as I sensed judging eyes lingering on me. 'It's okay Athena, it's okay. You can't see their faces anyway.'

"Alright, now that everyone's seated properly, I'll begin my lesson. Quiet down now." The teacher stated, putting down her documents on the table before facing the whiteboard and writing math solutions. I sigh at the sight, getting my brain juice all ready.

─────⊹⊱✠⊰⊹─────

Not even halfway through the lecture, a girl seated in front of me raised her hand. ""Professor, can I go to the restroom?" she hurriedly asks. The teacher stares at her blankly.

With a frustrated exhale, she tries again, "May I go to the restroom?" The teacher nods, monotone, "You may, but please be quick." She nods, rushing out of the room.

As she's about to leave, the teacher adds, "Oh, and Violette?" She turns back, expectant.

"You don't have to ask. You're in college. Just leave if you have to, no need to be polite." The teacher deadpans.

Violette freezes, awkward silence hanging heavy before nodding and slipping out of the classroom. I cover my mouth, trying not to let out even a small peep of laughter.

Right after her departure, another teacher peeks into the classroom, addressing the teacher, "Han Gyosu-nim, can you come with me for a second? I need to discuss something important." The teacher's distressed expression is evident as she stands by the door.

Nodding, she excuses herself from the class, trailing the teacher outside.

Barely a minute passes after the teacher exits, and the once quiet classroom erupts into noise as students scatter.

I tap my pen on the table, bored. Ruby still isn't back. I should probably look for her.

The classroom grows noisier, I take it as my sign to get outside for some quiet. Maybe I can buy some snacks - or something.

I get up from my chair and exit the room, I pull out my phone to play music using my earplugs and put them in. Now, if I was a Ruby, where would I be... let's see...

I passed the principal's office, hovering over the door to peek if Ruby was inside. Unlucky for me, she wasn't. "Where'd they go? It's been more than 30 minutes..."

"Ruby!" I call out at the hallways, but to no avail. She wasn't anywhere. "Ugh.. should I just wait for her?" I thought, already turning around to head back. But as I did, multiple students were already running past me.

"What the... HEY! Watch it!" I yell out to a guy that shoved me past, but he didn't even bother to look back. "What was that about? It's like a group of kindergarteners running to see their parents damn," I murmur.

At that moment, the school's speakers reverberated with the principal's voice, conveying a blend of concern and composed assurance in his tone.

"Attention students. A group of violent assailants had entered the school. They are biting, chasing, and harming any students they see. Please, under any circumstances avoid exiting your classrooms and remain barricaded. Please also refrain from getting in contact with students who exhibit these symptoms:"

"Coughing"

"Oddly pale skin"

"Uncontrollable twitching"

"Throwing up or foaming in the mouth"

"Nose bleeding and weird posture."

"Huh..?" I let out a gasp, my hand instinctively reaching to cover my mouth.

The principal continued on to repeat what he had just said, and asked the students to find somewhere to hide and to not panic. The world seemed to stop.

"Damn...- damn it! Ruby!" I managed to stammer out, snapping out my frozen state and quickly running towards any classroom and offices I come across.

"No, no, no." I murmur under my breath each door I opened. "Ruby! Ruby where are you!?" I shout in desperation, my voice overlapping with the sound of heavy footsteps and other students shouting for their friends.

This isn't good. This isn't good. This isn't good.

By just mere seconds, the rate of students running out of their classrooms increased more and more. I tried to ask why they're running out despite the instructions given by the principal - but everyone didn't have enough time to explain what was happening.

"Hey!! Atleast tell me what you're running away from!?" I yell out to one of the students, making them look back.

"I DON'T KNOW WHO YOU ARE, BUT YOU HAVE TO RUN AWAY FROM THE FIFTH FLOOR. RIGHT NOW. IT'S DANGEROUS." They yell, before fleeing. "Wha- hey wait!"

'Just what is happening!?'

I silenced the music on my phone and began dialing Ruby's number, frantically scouring the entire floor for her. "GOD DAMN IT, RUBY, PICK UP!" I mentally yelled to myself.

Racing to the other side of the floor, where everyone was fleeing from, I was met with a horrifying sight of blood splattered everywhere - on the floor, on the walls, staining everything.

As I dashed through the chaos, I collided with another person, extending my hand to help them up in a reflex. "I'm sorry, are you okay?" I asked, only to be stunned when I realized it was Celeste.

"Ugh, get out of the way, Athena! Seriously, why are you even running back here!? Are you stupid!?" Celeste yelled.

"That's enough. What happened? Tell me," I urged, stepping closer and shaking her shoulders. "I-get off! We don't have time to talk around, you know!"

"Fine. Let's go then." I tightly grabbed her arm and began to drag her away, but Celeste attempted to stop me. "WHAT NOW?" I snapped back.

"Can you relax!?" She exclaimed, to which I retorted with equal fervor, "HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO RELAX CELESTE? THERE'S BLOOD EVERYWHERE. I CAN'T FIND RUBY ANYWHERE - HECK I CAN'T FIND OUR CLASSMATES ANYWHERE!"

Celeste flinched, looking down. "Our.. our classmates.." she murmured. I look at her, horrified. "What? What happened? Are they okay? Where is everyone?" I ask urgently.

"I-I don't know..." Celeste began to murmur, but I had reached my limit. I slapped her face, then shouted, "STOP IT, CELESTE! LOOK AT ME CLEARLY. WHERE IS EVERYONE?" My voice reverberated, she looked back at me, clearly shocked.

"I- I SAID I DON'T KNOW!! Everyone ran away! M-Misaki! She began... she began biting everyone-AND-and-and then Hye-won tried to protect the girl she bit and- AND THEN SHE BASHED HER HEAD IN AND EVERYONE WAS SCREAMING AND CRYING AND I- I DON'T KNOW ATHENA I DON'T KNOW!! ALMOST HALF OF OUR CLASS IS PROBABLY DEAD!!!!" Celeste yelled with a shaking voice, a hint of grief and rage in it.

"What...?" I let out before swiftly pulling Celeste with me, darting towards the lower floors in the hope of encountering Ruby or anyone else there. "W-wait, we can't-" Celeste tried to protest.

"And why not!?" I yelled, still dragging her along, determined to keep moving forward despite her objections.

"Ell- Ellie is still there! Athena, please, let's go back! PLEASE!" Celeste began begging me to return to the classroom. I stared at her in shock. "Celeste, we can't! Ther-" Suddenly, a loud agonizing scream echoed from the hallways behind Celeste. I took that as a sign not to go back.

"I'm sorry, but we have to go," I insisted, tugging the girl with me towards the stairs. With students still rushing down, the path ahead was crowded, making it difficult to run. I kept Celeste close, ensuring I could easily push her out of the way as we moved forward.

As we emerged from the fifth floor, I scanned the surroundings frantically, searching for Ruby. My eyes landed on a familiar face - Min-Ji. "MIN-JI! Where is everyone!?" I yelled out, and she looked at me in a state of panic.

"Athena! They're- AHHHHH!!!" Min-ji's screams pierced the air as multiple students piled up and lunged at her. "Hey-what are you guys doing!?" I yelled, desperately trying to run towards them to save my classmate, but Celeste grabbed hold of my hand.

Before I could demand Celeste to let me go, I witnessed with horror as the students began cannibalizing on Min-ji. "Oh... oh... my god..." I uttered in disbelief.

"Celeste, what is this!?" I yelled back at her, my voice trembling with shock and fear.

"This is what I was talking about!! Can you understand now!?" Celeste yelled back with rage, her words echoing with a chilling truth that sent shivers down my spine.

"I-... I need to find Ruby... I need to-" I interrupted Celeste, removing her arm from mine and beginning to search the floor frantically.

"Athena, are you dumb!?" Celeste yelled back in frustration.

"CAN YOU SHUT UP FOR ONCE!?" I snapped back, my patience wearing thin as I focused on finding Ruby.

I sprinted forward, but suddenly a student stumbled into me, causing both of us to crash to the ground. Covered in blood, the student no longer appeared human, their bloodshot eyes scanning me menacingly before a guitar smashed into their head, sending them flying out of view.

Standing over me was Ha-ru, extending his hand. "Athena, get up," he instructed, and I reluctantly accepted his help. As soon as I was on my feet, he forcefully pushed me towards Herson and dashed towards a nearby classroom, signaling for us to follow quickly.

"Heya," Herson greeted as he looked at me. "...Hi?" I responded, before being promptly dragged towards the classroom by the urgency of the situation.

Herson shut the door behind us, and Yu-jin did the same with the other door after entering, carrying Celeste. I looked around the group, shocked, then at the classroom, realizing the gravity of the situation sinking in.

Celeste shouted at Yu-jin to drop her, and with a defeated sigh, Yu-jin complied. As soon as Celeste was released, she sprinted towards Elena, engulfing her in a hug. I watched the two, my anxiety intensifying with each passing moment.

"Looking for me?" a voice called out, and I looked up to see Ruby. Without hesitation, I immediately embraced her tightly. "RUBY! I thought you were-" I managed to say between shaky breaths.

"Gone? No way," Ruby joked, and despite the dire circumstances, I couldn't help but crack a smile; a huge weight on my shoulder seemed to disappear.

"What happened?" I asked the group, but they all looked away. It struck me that only a few of us from our class remained, which left me baffled. Had what happened to Min-ji happened to them too?

"Well.." Elena started, but couldn't get the words out of her mouth. "Our class.." Nathan whispered, his arms crossed - looking away from us. He seemed to be in a pissy mood.

"I'll explain, it's okay." Hana said with a sigh. I nodded.

"After the announcement, Misaki began exhibiting the symptoms.. and everyone was having an argument..."

. . .

"Wait, no... Min-ji, you said you encountered someone who acts like that, right?" Akito looked over at her.

"H-huh? Me? I- uh, yeah, I did... What does that have to do with anything?" The girl responded defensively.

Celeste could only stare in silence until she felt someone put a hand on her shoulder. She looked over at Elena, who wore a concerned expression.

"Celeste, I overheard Athena and Ruby talking about something like that too. All the symptoms connect... could it be just one big coincidence?"

"But if they're not a group of crazy people, then what are they?" Ha-rim questioned nervously.

"Zombies!" a certain pink-haired individual shouted, startling both Celeste and Elena. "ACK!" they both exclaimed in surprise as they saw Akito sitting on the floor in front of them.

"What?" Celeste mumbled blankly.

"They're zombies! No other option! They bite, they groan, they have weird postures, they're definitely zombies!" Akito chimed in, clearly excited.

"Seriously? Did you read a textbook about zombies or something? Use common sense, zombies don't exist. They're fictional," Herson stated.

"Yeah, I mean, zombies are only in the movies, Akito. I hope you're not so delusional and know what's reality and what's fictional, right?" Ha-ru mocked in an annoyed tone.

Akito frowned.

Suddenly, a loud cough erupted from a student in the classroom, drawing all eyes towards the source. "W-what? Why's everyone staring?" the girl uttered between coughs.

A boy pointed out, "Didn't the announcement say we should keep our distance if someone's coughing?"

"What?! I'm just sick! I have nothing to do with that stupid announcement!" the frustrated girl muttered, her voice strained with exasperation.

In response, everyone began to shift seats, creating a palpable distance from the coughing girl. "Oh, come on!" she yelled in annoyance.

"Quit teasing her, guys. Misaki is just sick," Amira, the girl in front of her, intervened.

"Finally, someone who's not stupid!" The girl's outburst was interrupted by another fit of coughing, punctuating the tension in the room.

"Are you really okay, Misaki? Why didn't you go to the nurse's office when we had the chance?" the concerned girl asked, her voice filled with genuine worry.

"Oh, ahahha... I didn't think clearly. Sorry," Misaki admitted between coughs, her voice growing weaker with each breath.

"Hey, look at her, she's all pale. And she's been coughing ever since. What if she infects us all?" Fear tinged the whispers that circled the room.

Amira let out an exasperated sigh before approaching Misaki and kneeling down beside her. "It's okay, just drink some water," she reassured, her voice a soothing balm amidst the rising tension.

Misaki followed Amira's advice and took a sip from her water bottle. But as soon as she put it down,

"Ah... Misaki? Are you sure you're okay? Your nose is bleeding." The joking tension in the room suddenly shifted to a more eerie, foreboding atmosphere, as the realization of Misaki's worsening condition settled over everyone present.

"Uh..okay.. I don't like this anymore. Are you really doing okay?" Hana asks the girl, the room fell into silence.

"M-maybe it's just the heat," Misaki stammered, dabbing at her nose, her hand smeared with blood.

A male student's voice pierced the silence, panic lacing his words. "She's showing three symptoms! We need to get her out! What if it's another outbreak like C**id-19?"

Amira shot him a sharp glare. "Ignore him, Misaki. He's just being a jerk," she reassured, but before she could finish, Misaki slumped into her arms, clutching onto her tightly.

Amira blinked in surprise, looking down at Misaki's pale face in her embrace. "Misaki? What's going on?"

"AGHH!! IT HURTS LIKE HELL! GET OFF!" A bloodcurdling scream rang through the air as Misaki sank her teeth into Amira's shoulder, tearing off her flesh.

"MISAKI? HEY- HEY WHAT ARE YOU DOING? GET OFF OF HER!" Nathan yelled, stepping close to the girls.

Misaki's once familiar visage morphed into something grotesque, her eyes gleaming with an otherworldly hunger.

"Nathan, move!" A girl's voice rang out, as she charged towards Amira and Misaki, wielding her bag as a weapon. With a swift strike to Misaki's head, she attempted to fend off the transformed creature.

She then picked up a chair and proceeded to strike Misaki's head again and again. But despite the constant strikes, the girl seemed to continuously move around — unaffected.

Maybe it was seconds, but the girl's continuous moment stopped, and she began groaning..like asking for help. Then, everything was silent.

The girl breathed shakily; the room fell silent in shock, the only sound being her labored breathing. Blood splattered everywhere as she let go of the chair, making a loud clunk. The pool on the floor spread as her fingertips dripped with blood.

"M-MISAKI!! Why would you do that!? What the hell is wrong with you!?" Min-ji's voice cracked with fear and disbelief.

"It wasn't my fault! She was biting off Amira's shoulder! And she was showing symptoms! She's probably a zombie! Look at her! Does she look like she'll spare any of us!?" The girl's voice wavered, tears welling in her eyes.

"Fuck off, don't use zombies as an excuse like Akito!" Ha-ru snapped, his agitation evident.

"Hey-!"

"You just murdered someone! Oh my god...." Celeste's voice trembled as she moved closer to Elena.

The girl surveyed the room, met with cold stares and frightened expressions.

"Y-you guys don't understand! Amira! Are you okay!? Does the bite hurt badly!? Amira? Amira, hey!" She shook Amira, desperation evident in her voice. "H-hye-won..." she stammered out.

"Yeah!? It's me! Yes! It's gonna be okay, I'll call the emergency services immediately!!"

The only response they received was a groan. "Huh? Amira?" Amira's attention snapped to the sound of the girl's voice.

"ACK-!" She lunged at the girl's cheek, biting and tearing off the flesh from her skull. Just like Misaki, she no longer was human.

"OH MY GOD!" A girl yelled in disgust as she watched the gruesome scene happen before her. Those present began to panic as most of them got up from their seats, trying to get away from the nightmarish situation.

"AH!!" The injured girl screamed, dropping to the floor, her cries echoing through the room, her hands clutching the torn remnants of her face.

As the pain overcame her, she fell into a silent shock, her body twitching uncontrollably.

Amira charged towards the other students, sinking her teeth into the guy she had caught.

"Get away from her!! Exit the classroom!" Herson instructed. "No, you can't! The announcement said to avoid doing that because there's more outside!" The class president, Nathan, stopped them.

"Hey, jerk! I don't want to die, let me out of here!!" Celeste's voice was full of desperation as she frantically tugged at the door, her fingers trembling in fear.

"But we-"

"AHHHH!!! HELP!! YUNOO IS BITING MY LEG! AHH!!! OH GOD-" The girl's screams pierced the air, her pain-filled eyes brimming with tears as she fought the searing agony.

"Get off the door, asshole! You're going to kill us all!" Haruko's frustration boiled over, his voice full of panic.

Yu-jin took quick action, swiftly pushing open the second door. "You idiots! Exit here!" He commanded. The crowd ran forward, propelled by a mix of fear and survival instinct, they rushed out of the classroom, their terrified footsteps echoing through the corridor.

They joined other students, who were also fleeing in a collective bid for safety, leaving the horrifying scene behind.

"What the hell! Where are the teachers!?" A distressed voice echoed the shared concern of many.

"We better stick together, it's better if there's a lot of us," Elena suggested, her voice surprisingly composed amidst the fear, a stark contrast to Celeste's frantic screams.

"Hey, you asshole! You could've massacred all of us, are you not thinking!?" Celeste's accusation was aimed at Nathan.

"WELL, HOW WOULD I HAVE KNOWN THAT THEY'D START BITING EACH OTHER!?" Nathan retorted sharply.

"..wait.. Celeste, shut up!" Ha-rim muttered under her breath. "Excuse me!?" Celeste's voice rose.

"I— I mean—"

"Elena, look out!" Hana's warning interrupted the tense exchange, causing Elena to startle as a bloodied student pushed her forward.

"ELLIE!!" Celeste's cry pierced the chaos as she sprinted to save Elena, only to be pulled away by Herson. "GET OFF OF ME! GET OFF, GET OFF!!"

"I think they're attracted to sounds," Hana suggested, quickly taking out her phone and cranking up the volume before playing music. She tossed it across the floor, luring the horde of zombies toward the noise.

"Hurry! Go down the stairs!" Athena demanded as they all scrambled downward. But their path was not without danger, as a student ahead of them was immediately attacked by zombies. "Ah! There's more here!" Hana exclaimed, scanning their surroundings.

"It's fine! Just use the tactic I used earlier! Come on, hurry up!!" Hana instructed urgently, everyone clutching their phones tightly.

"Hell no!"

"No way!"

"I need my phone!"

"I'm not sacrificing my phone for all of you!"

"Forget it!" Hana sighed in frustration before pointing to an open classroom with a clear line of sight through the panicked students and the pursuing zombies.

"Hurry! Run over there!" With a shared understanding of the gravity of their situation, the group rushed, knowing that their very lives hung in the balance.

"Wait, Celeste, where are you going!?" Herson's voice cut through the chaos as Celeste broke free from his grasp and sprinted back toward the stairs, pushing past startled students in her path.

"I'M COMING BACK TO SAVE ELENA!" Celeste's voice rang out, her defiance evident as she flashed her middle finger at Herson before dashing back up the stairs.

…

"So I'm guessing that's when I bumped into you?" I ask Celeste. "Yeah.. I tried looking for Elena but she wasn't there. So I tried to go back but I bumped into you." She explained.

"Ji-hyun managed to save me in time… then we ran back to use the emergency stairs. Fortunately we saw everyone else passing so we decided to follow." Elena explained.

Celeste nodded. "I don't really know how to feel right now.." I murmur, though they didn't say it, I can tell everyone else was also overwhelmed.

Ha-rim slumped down his corner.

"Those zombies are sooo cool!" Akito's tone was disturbingly casual, earning him incredulous stares from everyone around him.

"Yeah, and I bet that when everyone from our class was getting cannibalized it was also sooo cool, right!?" Ha-ru's rage boiled over as he shouted, only to be calmed by Herson's reassuring touch on his shoulder.

"This isn't real... zombies should only be in movies... How is this happening?" Ha-rim's voice was barely a whisper, his disbelief palpable as he tried to rationalize the surreal events unfolding before them.

"Guys, that's enough. In any case, we should figure out how to get out of here," Ruby stated firmly.

"Right... Maybe we can use one of the fire exits?" Ji-hyun suggested, her voice laced with uncertainty. "Do we really have to get out there again? Shouldn't we just wait for rescue? You guys saw how our class was ripped to pieces by those… whatever they are into pieces. Do we really risk it?" Nathan interfered.

"That's true..." I muttered, my mind racing as I tried to formulate a plan.

I strode over to the teacher's desk, my hand gripping it firmly. "Uh, can I get everyone's attention for a moment?" I announced, the weight of all eyes turning toward me.

"Oh, I gotta hear this," Ha-ru remarked with a mocking tone, sending a shiver down my spine. But I couldn't back down now.

As I looked out at the group, their faces seemed to blur and glitch, unsettling me and making it difficult to focus.

Well, here goes…