THE ONE WHO WAS LEFT BEHIND

The room had descended into sheer pandemonium. Screams echoed off the walls, merging with the sickening groans of the undead and the crashing of overturned furniture. Students stumbled over each other in their blind panic, desperate to escape the horror closing in on all sides.

Clay sat frozen in a corner, his legs trembling and his breaths shallow as he tried to make sense of the carnage around him. His heart hammered painfully in his chest as the chaotic movement became a blur of terror and despair.

Suddenly, Clay felt something latch onto his leg. His eyes shot downward, and he froze in horror. A woman—her face pale, streaked with tears, and contorted in agony—was clawing at him. Blood pooled beneath her as a zombie tore into her midsection, its jagged teeth ripping through her flesh. She reached out, her bloodied hand gripping Clay's leg with surprising strength. Her eyes pleaded with him as if he could somehow save her.

"Let go!" he screamed, violently shaking his leg to break free from her desperate grip. The sound of her groans mixed with the wet, guttural chewing of the zombie made bile rise in his throat. With one final jerk, he freed himself and stumbled backward, gasping for air.

Meanwhile, the chaos in the room intensified. Students shoved and trampled over one another as the zombies closed in, their haunting moans growing louder.

Nathan, standing near the barricaded door, lost what little composure he had left.

"Screw this!" he bellowed, rushing toward the door. With a forceful kick, he sent the tables and chairs blocking it flying. The sound reverberated through the room. He yanked the door open, and to his immense relief, the hallway was empty. Without hesitation, Nathan bolted, his two goons trailing behind him.

Albert, meanwhile, stood near the center of the room, wielding a bloodied baseball bat. His movements were controlled, deliberate, as he smashed the heads of advancing zombies. He spared a glance at the now-open door and then turned to Ms. Shirley. She clung to the back of his shirt, her eyes darting around wildly.

"Miss Shirley, we have to move!" Albert shouted, his voice cutting through the din.

"Everyone, head for the door!""We're heading out! Stay close to me!" he yelled over the din.

Ms. Shirley nodded, her face pale but determined. Albert grabbed her hand and began guiding her toward the exit, his bat still swinging at anything that came too close. A handful of students, spurred by his command, broke from their frozen terror and bolted after him.

Across the room, Clay was still sitting on the floor, his body trembling uncontrollably. The adrenaline pumping through his veins made his vision blur, but when he saw some of the students rushing toward the open door, a flicker of hope ignited in his chest.

Summoning all his strength, he scrambled to his feet and followed them, weaving through the chaos and narrowly avoiding the clutching hands of the zombies.

Just as the group poured out into the hallway. A thunderous noise echoed from down the hallway as Nathan came sprinting back toward them, his face twisted in terror. Behind him, a swarm of zombies poured into view, their collective shrieks a deafening crescendo.

"Run!" someone screamed, the single word shattering whatever fragile composure remained.

Albert, his jaw set, turned sharply to the right.

"Stairs! Go!" he yelled.

Everyone followed, their feet pounding against the tiled floor in a frantic stampede. Clay's lungs burned, his legs trembling as he forced himself to keep up. He dared a glance behind him. Nathan's lackeys were nowhere to be seen, likely devoured by the relentless horde.

As they ascended the stairs, the situation worsened. Zombies spilled into the stairwell from the upper floors, their distorted faces twisted in feral hunger. The first few students to reach them didn't stand a chance. The creatures pounced, their claws tearing into flesh, a student at the front was tackled to the ground, his scream cut off as a zombie sank its teeth into his neck. Blood sprayed across the walls. The stairwell filling with agonized screams and the sickening crunch of bone.

"Keep moving!" Albert roared, swinging his bat with brutal efficiency.

A sickening crunch echoed through the stairwell as he smashed a zombie's skull. But more were coming, their snarls echoing in the confined space. Nathan spotted an emergency fire axe encased in glass. Without a second thought, he smashed the glass with his elbow, ignoring the sharp pain and the blood trickling down his arm. He seized the axe and began hacking at the zombies with wild abandon.

The group pushed forward, step by agonizing step, as the zombies closed in from behind. Ms. Shirley was gasping for air, struggling to keep up with Albert.

"Where are we going?" she panted, her voice barely audible over the chaos.

"To the rooftop!" Albert yelled back, his eyes scanning for any sign of safety.

By the time they reached the fourth floor, their numbers had dwindled. Some had fallen behind, their screams echoing as they were dragged down by the horde. The group that remained was a mixture of raw terror and exhaustion.

The fourth floor had fewer zombies, but the ones that were there immediately turned their attention to the group. Their shrieks were deafening as they charged forward, their decayed faces twisted into grotesque masks of hunger.

A student pointed toward a door marked ROOFTOP. "There!" they screamed, their voice tinged with both hope and hysteria.

"Go, go, go!" Albert roared. The group surged forward, their steps uneven and frantic.

They sprinted down the hallway, the door to salvation growing closer with every desperate step.

Just as they neared the door, disaster struck. A figure lunged from the shadows, tackling Albert to the ground. It was one of the teachers, their face a grotesque mask of blood and decay. Its jaws snapped inches from Albert's face, its inhuman shriek reverberating in his ears.

"Help!" Albert shouted, his voice raw with exertion. He thrust his bat into the creature's mouth, its teeth sinking into the wood.

Nathan didn't even glance back. He pushed past the others, heading straight for the door. Ms. Shirley, however, refused to abandon Albert. Spotting a fire extinguisher on the wall, she grabbed it and swung it with all her strength. The heavy metal collided with the zombie's head, sending it sprawling to the floor. Another student kicked the creature aside and helped Albert to his feet. Together, they made a mad dash for the door.

Amid the chaos, Clay tripped. His knees hit the floor with a sickening thud, and he let out a sharp cry of pain as he felt the skin scrape off. Blood trickled down his leg, but the searing pain was nothing compared to the sheer panic that consumed him. He struggled to his feet, but his vision blurred with tears and exhaustion.

"Help! Please!" he screamed, his voice cracking. He looked toward the others, hoping—praying—that someone would stop to help him. Some look on his way. Their faces were familiar. They were his classmates. Their faces etched with fear, but none of them slowed down. They kept running, their own survival taking precedence over everything else.

Ms. Shirley passed him, her gaze briefly meeting his. Her lips trembled as if she wanted to say something, but she kept moving. Another student bumped into him as they ran, sending him sprawling to the floor again.

"Wait! Please don't leave me!" Clay shouted, his voice rising to a hysterical pitch.

He forced himself up again, his legs shaking as he limped toward the rooftop door. Albert stood there, ushering the last of the group inside. When Clay's eyes met his, relief flooded him.

Albert was waiting—he hadn't abandoned him. A small, hopeful smile broke across Clay's face, and he pushed himself to move faster despite the burning pain in his leg.

But just as he was within a few feet of the door, Albert's expression hardened. Without a word, he slammed the door shut.

Clay's smile vanished, replaced by a look of pure disbelief. He reached the door and pounded on it with all his strength.

"W-wait, Albert! Open the door! Please!" His voice cracked, and his fists left bloody smears on the metal as he banged on it.

Inside, there was only silence.

Clay's chest heaved as sobs wracked his body. He felt the weight of betrayal crush him. He had been so close—so close to safety. His fists slowed, his strength giving way to despair.

"Why… why did you leave me?" he whispered, his voice barely audible.

A low growl behind him made him freeze. He turned his head slowly, his tear-filled eyes widening as he saw the horde of zombies closing in. Their decayed bodies twitched unnaturally, their jaws snapping hungrily.

"No… no!" Clay screamed, scrambling backward against the door. His hands fumbled desperately for the handle, but it wouldn't budge. He looked back at the zombies, their putrid stench making him gag.

He closed his eyes, bracing himself for the inevitable. Images flashed through his mind—his childhood, the torment he'd endured at the hands of bullies, the dreams he'd never get to fulfill. "I don't want to die," he whispered, tears streaming down his face.

And then.....