The first encounter

The door creaked as Taesoo pushed it open, the metallic tang of blood hitting him like a wave. His heart pounded in his chest, but his face remained calm, his expression unreadable. Behind him, the classroom was deathly silent, every pair of eyes glued to his back.

The hallway was dimly lit, the fluorescent lights flickering ominously. Taesoo stepped out cautiously, his sneakers barely making a sound against the tiled floor. The first thing he noticed was the trail of blood—thick and dark, smeared across the walls and pooling on the ground. His stomach churned, but he forced himself to focus.

"Hello?" he called out, his voice steady but low. There was no response, only the faint hum of the flickering lights.

He took another step forward, his eyes scanning the hallway. Then he saw it.

A body.

It was slumped against the wall, its head tilted at an unnatural angle. Taesoo's breath hitched as he recognized the face—it was one of the cafeteria staff, a kind woman who always smiled when handing out meals. Her eyes were wide open, staring blankly at the ceiling, and her throat… her throat was torn open.

Taesoo clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms. He forced himself to look away, his mind racing. *What could have done this?* he thought. *An animal? A person?*

Before he could process the scene, a low groan echoed from further down the hallway. Taesoo froze, his instincts screaming at him to run. But he couldn't. Not yet. He needed to know what they were dealing with.

He crept forward, following the sound. The groan grew louder, more guttural, accompanied by the wet, squelching noise of something moving. Taesoo rounded the corner, and his blood ran cold.

There, crouched over another body, was… something. It looked human, but its movements were wrong—jerky and unnatural. Its head snapped up at the sound of Taesoo's footsteps, and their eyes met.

Taesoo's breath caught in his throat.

The creature's face was pale and gaunt, its eyes milky and vacant. Blood dripped from its mouth, staining its torn clothes. It let out a guttural snarl, its lips pulling back to reveal bloodied teeth.

For a moment, time seemed to stand still. Then the creature lunged.

Taesoo's body moved before his mind could process the danger. Years of martial arts training kicked in as he sidestepped the creature's clumsy charge. It stumbled past him, its momentum carrying it into the wall. Taesoo didn't hesitate—he spun around, his foot lashing out in a precise roundhouse kick that connected with the creature's ribs. The force of the blow sent it sprawling to the ground.

The creature snarled, its movements erratic as it scrambled to its feet. Taesoo's eyes narrowed, his mind calculating. *It's slow, but relentless. Aim for the head.*

As the creature lunged again, Taesoo dropped low, sweeping its legs out from under it. It crashed to the ground with a sickening thud, but it was already trying to rise. Taesoo didn't give it the chance. He stepped forward, his movements fluid and precise, and drove his heel into the creature's temple. The impact was brutal, the crack of bone echoing through the hallway.

The creature went still, its milky eyes staring blankly at the ceiling. Taesoo stood over it, his chest rising and falling as he caught his breath. He stared at the lifeless body, his mind racing. *What the hell is this thing?*

The sound of shuffling footsteps snapped him out of his thoughts. He turned, his eyes scanning the hallway. More groans echoed in the distance, growing louder with each passing second.

Taesoo's jaw tightened. He couldn't stay out here—not alone, and not unarmed. He glanced around, spotting a fire extinguisher mounted on the wall. He grabbed it, the weight of it solid in his hands. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing.

He sprinted back toward the classroom, the extinguisher clutched tightly. The door was still open, his friends' terrified faces peering out. "Taesoo!" Ji-eun screamed, her voice trembling.

"Close the door!" he shouted, his voice sharp with urgency. "Now!"

Minho and Hyejin scrambled to obey, slamming the door shut just as Taesoo reached it. He leaned against the door, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath.

"What… what was that?" Minho asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Taesoo shook his head, his mind still reeling. "I don't know," he admitted. "But it's not human. Not anymore."

The classroom erupted into panicked whispers, the students' fear palpable. Taesoo pushed himself off the door, his expression grim. "We need to barricade the door," he said, his voice firm. "And we need to do it now."

His friends nodded, their faces pale but determined. Together, they began moving desks and chairs, stacking them against the door as the sounds of groaning and shuffling grew louder outside.

Taesoo's mind raced as he worked. *What the hell is going on?* he thought. *Is this some kind of virus? A bioweapon?* He didn't have answers, but one thing was clear: they were no longer safe.

As the barricade took shape, Ji-eun grabbed his arm, her grip tight. "Taesoo," she said, her voice trembling. "What do we do now?"

He met her gaze, his eyes steady despite the chaos. "We survive," he said simply. "No matter what."