On top of my school's desolate roof, I, Desmond Mori here leaning against a guard rail staring out into the vast skyline, reminiscing a certain memory that has become the source of an untold amount of frustration.
"Why couldn't they tell me sooner? I mean, at least I wouldn't have made a fool out of myself…! Sigh, so much for childhood friends."
Looking up into the sky, I say to no one in particular.
It's been about two weeks since I ended our friendship. I ignored their calls, visits, I even changed classes.
I basically cut all ties with them. Well, at least until I managed to get my emotions under control. Because if I was to meet one of them right now, I'm afraid I might lose myself to anger and do something I'll badly regret.
"Damn, I seriously want a cigarette."
"Cigarettes are bad for you bro. Play games instead, they relieve stress way better."
Hearing a voice from behind, I quickly turn around and spot a boy.
"Geez, Andy, I thought you was a teacher! You scared the hell out of me!"
"My bad, my bad. I was just wondering where you were. You wasn't in class when I visited."
Andy said as we gave one another a one armed shoulder bump.
Andy was a slightly overweight boy the same age as me, 17 years old. He had dark brown hair and brown eyes that looked really small due to his fat cheeks.
Our friendship has been going on since the sophomore year of high school, which was roughly a year ago. We're now Juniors.
When we first met, we instantly hit it off with each other, we had a lot in common. We both like paintball, online survival games, reading light novels. Hell, we like the same type of porn! We even trade with each other!
Haha, I can honestly say that me and him actually have more in common than my childhood friends... Well, one of them since the other one is a girl.
"I've only decided to skip that class. She's in there so I don't wanna get near her right now."
Even more so because I sit right beside her.
"Well, that's understandable. It's not everyday you catch your childhood friend kissing your crush after all. I would get pissed too."
"Uh, I think you're misunderstanding here."
"Eh, How so? Aren't you angry about those two going out."
"Don't get me wrong, I'm a little salty about the going out part but that's not what pissed me off."
"Oh, what was it then?"
"What really pissed me was that they didn't tell me they was going out! Do you know when they started dating?"
"Nope. When?"
"Four months ago! Four fucking months ago! You have no idea how hard I was trying to go on a date with her."
I tried to invite her out to the movies but was declined with a 'some other time'.
I tried taking her out to eat alone but it always countered with 'coincidentally' meeting David or she'll say something came up and she couldn't make it.
"I should have noticed these signs sooner. At least I would have known I was fighting an already won war! D-did they do this to make fun of me? Aren't they supposed to be my childhood friends? F*CK!"
Imagining them laughing at my stupidity made me kick the guard rail in anger.
"H-hey, don't take it out on the guard rail! It did no wrong!"
Andy said as he hastily tried to prevent me from kicking the slightly dented guard rail.
It was only after kicking it for two more minutes did I finally calm down.
Sitting on the ground, I rub my foot and said with a face tinged with pain.
"My foot hurts!"
"No sh*t Sherlock. Of course it's going to hurt after kicking something metal. Sigh, Come on."
Andy gave a remark before stretching out his left hand to pick me up.
With a smirk, I grab hold of his hand with my right and help pull myself up.
"Thanks."
"No prob. You calm now?"
"Yeah, that little fit of anger helped me relieve a good amount of stress."
"That's good. We can't have you suspended when it's nearing the end of the semester can we? Anyways, are you returning to class?"
Andy asked. I replied lazily.
"No. I'll take a nap in the garden shed over there. I already have a palette ready."
I said while pointing towards at a somewhat run down shed not to far away from us. Inside it, I made a palette consisting of old sacks and bags of soil. I'm quite proud of it.
"...Are you sure it won't collapse? It looks like it's on its last legs."
Seeing my temporary resting area, Andy gave a retort.
"Hey, I'm not a picky person. As long as it doesn't fall while I take a nap I'm happy."
"True enough...Damn, it's 11:28. If I run fast enough I might make roll call! Catch you later!"
Andy nervously said as he rushed towards the stairs immediately after checking his phone for the time.
After watching him jump over the first flight of stairs and down to the third floor below me, I walk towards the shed.
Upon entering...
"...You better no fall on me okay."
I couldn't help but become nervous. As for why, it's because i noticed that the 2x4's that's used for the frame of this shed is either rotten or half rotten.
Damn you Andy! Making me cautious like this! I'll get you back later.
Fortunately, the moment I laid down onto the palette, I quickly fell asleep. Thank God for teenage laziness.
=====
'..Ahh!
'R...un a...way!'
'Help...me!'
"Hmm…?What was that sound?"
I said a little drowsy due to waking up just now. Was that screaming?
"It's coming from below."
Putting my ear to the floor, I concentrate on my hearing to pick up any sounds. And what I heard sent cold shivers down my spine!
'I don't...want to...die! Ahh!'
I heard the muffled screams of a girl, sounds like she's being attacked. Not long after, I heard a boy's voice roar in anger. Is that her boyfriend?
'No Macy…! Get away from...her you...sons of bi*ches! Agh!'
What followed after that was a deathly silence that made my heart squeeze with anxiety.
"I-I need to check what's going on. But first…"
Standing up with a back full of cold sweat, I search for a weapon. There's no way in hell I'm going down there unarmed, I'm not an idiot. Scratch that, I'm half an idiot. Any smart person wouldn't want to go near what I heard.
"What a good find!"
After rummaging through the shed, I managed to find an old and little rusted multi purpose shovel. Other than digging, it had a slightly dull bladed edge for cutting and a serrated edge for sawing and chopping. It even folds up to save space.
The gardener must've bought this a long time ago save money on gardening tools.
"Well, I'm sure he wouldn't mind if I took it. It's an emergency."
I opened the door to the shed and walked towards the guard rails.
"...You can't be serious?"
And what my eyes laid witnessed to made me feel like this was a twisted and terrible nightmare.
"They're eating people!"
Down below, on the school grounds… Students and teachers alike were attacking and eating each other! Some tried fighting back while others were overwhelmed.
There's blood everywhere!
KABOOM!
Sights of smoke clouds and sounds of explosions followed along with screams of agony could be heard far beyond the school grounds too.
" So this isn't only happening at school? It's happening everywhere...Shit! What about Sara and the rest?"
All of a sudden, the thought of them being attacked and eaten sprouted huge amounts of worry and fear within me. Which is quite ironic considering what they did to me. I shouldn't care about them anymore.
But despite thinking this, I quickly take out my smartphone, and attempt to call David.
Ring! Ring! Ring!
'You are not able to connect to this phone number. Please try again later.'
BEEP!
Damn, he's not answering. What about Andy?
Ring! Ring! Ring!
'You are not abl-'
BEEP!
Then what about Sara?
Ring! Ring! Ring!
"Please answer."
A second later.
"Hello?"
"Sara? Thank God! Where are yo-"
"Just kidding! Leave a message after the be-"
BEEP!
…
...
"F*CK! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?"
I just got played by a damn answering machine?! A damn answering machine?! How dare it give me false hope!
I want to smash my phone so bad that I can hear it creaking because I'm gripping too strongly.
Are they dead?
No, calm down, Desmond, calm down. You need to think about this calmly. Now's not the time to panic.
Even if they don't pick up their phones, they could still be alive. No, they are still alive. David is an adept street fighter due to our middle school days, so fending those 'infected' off down there shouldn't be a problem for him. And as much as I would hate to admit it, with Sara there being his girlfriend, he'll work extra harder. Tch, must feel great playing the hero.
As for Andy, he played a lot of paintball and apocalyptic online survival games with me so he should know how to handle this situation. Not to mention, he's quite the nimble fella despite being so big. If he can dodge hails of paintballs, then these slow moving 'infected' should be a piece of cake to him.
"Now as to where they're hiding? I don't have an answer to that. I'll just have to go to each of their classes and search."
Looking at the scene of carnage below, my hands start to subtly shake and my teeth quietly chatter.
I'm scared. So scared that I want to just stay up here and call for momma.
But knowing that my friends are down there and probably in a precarious situation, I can't turn a blind eye.
Therefore...
"You guys better be safe. I'm on my way!"
Clenching the shaking hand that was holding the multi purpose shovel,
I resolved myself to enter 'Hell'.