Trust and teeth

The banging at the door grew louder, splinters flying off the barricade with each hit. The tension in the room was suffocating, a mixture of fear and suspicion thickening the air. Everyone held their makeshift weapons tightly, their eyes darting between the door and each other.

Luke's gaze fell once again on Akin, who sat unbothered, his arms crossed. His relaxed demeanor infuriated Luke. How could someone be so calm when chaos was clawing at their only line of defense?

"Help reinforce the barricade!" Luke barked, directing his order at Akin and Charles.

Akin didn't budge. "And risk being the first one dragged out? No, thanks."

"You're unbelievable," Collins growled, stepping forward with the metal pipe in his hands.

"Collins, not now!" Mira snapped, grabbing his arm. "Focus!"

Jeff and Justin rushed to push a heavy cabinet against the door, adding another layer of protection. Favour fumbled with his book, muttering what sounded like prayers under his breath.

Luke glanced at Mira, then to Jeff and Collins. "We can't stay here. If they break through, we're trapped."

"We are soo dead..." Justin muttered feverishly.

As if waiting for Justin's word the banging stopped.

"What the hel.." Collins whispered peeping through the barricaded window.

"What's that?" Luke asked anxiously while moving to see what's wrong.

"They are going away?" Collins muttered confusedly as if asking a question.

"That was abrupt, just like they were called or something" Luke murmured staring at the infected staggering away.

Mira closed up on them bristling "what are you guys doing?" get away from the window before you are spotted again" no sooner had she spoken when the barricade rattled, but only lightly this time. Jeff and Collins moved to the front, gripping their makeshift weapons, while the rest of the group tensed.

"Hold on," Luke said, stepping closer to the door. He pressed his ear against the wood, listening carefully. The groans outside were different now—softer, almost human.

"Wait," he whispered. "I think it's one of them... but not like the others."

"Not like the others?" Collins asked, his brow furrowed.

Luke motioned for them to stay back as he carefully shifted a small gap in the barricade to peek outside. What he saw made his stomach turn.

A figure stumbled in the fading light, its movements sluggish but not entirely mindless. The boy—he couldn't have been older than eighteen—was covered in blood and scratches, his clothes torn. He clutched his side as he staggered closer to the door, his eyes darting around, wide with terror.

"Wait a second," Mira whispered, stepping closer. "Isn't that Bayo? He was in our circuit theory class last semester part time."

Luke narrowed his eyes. "He's still human?"

"Barely," Favour said, his voice trembling. "Look at him. He's infected."

Collins let out a low growl. "Then why are we standing here? He's a threat."

"He's sick, not undead!" Luke snapped. "Look at him. He's not attacking anyone."

The group hesitated, the tension thick in the room.

"Open the door," Luke said firmly.

"Are you insane?" Collins barked.

"Trust me," Luke said, meeting Collins' glare. "We need answers, and he might have them."

Reluctantly, the group shifted the barricade enough for Luke to pull the boy inside. Bayo collapsed onto the floor, coughing violently. His skin was pale, his breathing shallow.

"What happened to you?" Luke asked, kneeling beside him.

Bayo's eyes flickered open. "They... they injected me...no they attacked the school. Everyone ran, but I couldn't keep up. I've been hiding ever since."

"Why didn't you turn?" Favour asked cautiously.

"I don't know," Bayo whispered. "It's like... I feel it inside me, but it's not taking over. Not completely."

Luke exchanged a look with Mira. "He might be immune."

"Or he's a ticking time bomb," Collins muttered, keeping his distance.

Before anyone could respond, the sound of slow, dragging footsteps echoed down the hallway outside. Some crazed students had followed Bayo to the building but had stopped just short of the door.

"Looks like he led them here," Justin said grimly.

Luke stood, motioning for everyone to quiet down. "They're not many. We can handle this."

The group fell into position, Jeff and Collins taking the lead while Mira and Justin flanked them. Luke stayed back with Favour and Bayo, keeping an eye on the boy.

The infected outside moved slowly, their decayed forms barely illuminated by the fading evening light. They seemed weaker, less aggressive, as if they'd been wandering for too long without sustenance.

"how's that possible? the infection just spread today" Luke unconsciously muttered out loud.

Akin shifted uncomfortably at the corner.

"They're thinning out," Mira observed.

"Good," Collins said, gripping his pipe. "Easier to put them down."

The group waited until the infected were close enough, then struck. The fight was short and brutal, with Jeff and Collins taking out most of them. When the last of the infected fell, the group stood in the hallway, breathing heavily.

"We need to figure out what's going on," Luke said, wiping sweat from his brow. "Why are they acting differently? Why didn't Bayo turn? Why did they look like they've been infected for months"

"And what the hell does Akin know about all this?" Collins added, glaring back at the storage room.

Luke nodded, his gaze drifting to the boy slumped against the wall. The answers were out there, but they'd have to fight for every single one.

As the night settled over the campus, the group tried resting more questions than ever weighing heavily on their minds.