Chae Rin's POV
Su Hyeok was suddenly touching the volleyballs, and the racks. Shaking them as if testing how strong they were.
"What is it?" I ask him confused, Joon Yeong getting up as I speak.
"What are you doing?" He asks.
"Don't you think we can get out using these?" Su Hyeok asks, a few people now standing up to ponder on his idea and think if it would make sense or not.
"How so?" I ask waiting on an explanation, he looked at me for a brief second.
"We can tie the carts together in a circle and go inside to escape" he explained, everyone started to move to gather materials.
"Joon Yeong, what do we need?" I ask him, he stops in the middle of the room looking around.
"We need string or something to tie them together in a circle" he explains, grabbing a few jumping ropes, On Jo and I made sure to tie them really tight around the carts, placing the gym mats inside so that the zombies couldn't grab us through them.
Cheong San found a drill, him and Dae Su making holes in some pieces of wood to make the top of the carts.
"Ya. I don't think this will work" The new girl objected.
"We should flip it completely and hide underneath" she said, moving the covers of the carts to exemplify her thoughts.
"No. We should stand up" Wu Jin complained.
"Ya. You think the zombies can't climb this?" She scoffs.
"This is enough" he continued.
"Don't be stupid. Untie them all. Let's redo them" She ordered them but Joon Yeong took his stance.
"Forget it. It's too short if we close the lids. What? You want to crawl? Must she pull rank right now?" He grumbled annoyed, hand moving to put the lid back to normal, but she slammed it.
"Ya, what did you just say?" she asks him, venom seething through her words.
"If you don't like it, make your own" He replies shortly.
Going around the cart she uses her hand to push his face to the side, I immediately stand straight, eyes leaving On Jo as I look at them.
"Ya" she calls out to Joon Yeong.
"What's wrong with you? Stop that" Wu Jin complained, grabbing onto Joon Yeong's shoulders.
"Ha Ri. Stop her" He asked of his sister who stood on the side watching.
"Say that again" The shorter girl in front of them sneered again, eyes staring straight at Joon Yeong.
"So what if you're older. Stay out of our way" He repeated, she went to hit him again but he grabbed her hand. And with that she kicked his shin.
"Fuck you" He cussed angry.
"Fuck you?!" She spoke louder, I moved to grab onto Joon Yeong as Su hyeok grabbed the girl who got more and more agitated.
"Get out of my way" She warned pushing him away, but he didn't.
"Cut it out" He told her.
"Joon Yeong, stop" I told him grabbing his shoulder.
"Who the hell is she to tell us to redo it?" He questions angrily staring at me and Su Hyeok.
"Who the hell is she?! You rude prick" She continued to provoke.
"You're coming with us, right?" Su hyeok asks her.
"You're the ones coming with us" She retorted, I sigh...
"We're not leaving the seniors, right?" Su hyeok tried to reason with Joon Yeong who agreed on it.
"We're going together anyway. Why are we fighting so early on?" I question, looking at the two.
"So do as I say unless you want to die"The girl said ignoring my words. I sigh, shaking my head at Su Hyeok, shaking my hand in a dismissing manner.
"We want to make it high so that we don't die" Joon Yeong irritatedly explained to the girl.
"Enough already" Su hyeok ordered the two as he looked up.
"We already lost so many due to conflicts. How many more do we need to lose for us to stop fighting over these things?" I ask looking between the two.
"We can't lose any others. We shouldn't fight among ourselves" Su Hyeok continued, his own eyes tearing up, alike mine.
"I'm not fighting to die. It's because I want to live" Joon Yeong stabs back.
"Then do as I say, asshole" She snarls.
"Can you please?! We don't even know you, and we don't have a way to trust you. You have to understand our side too. We were by ourselves this whole time" I annoyingly turned to look at her.
"Then let's go separately. Make it yourself" Joon Yeong says angrily storming away as the girls calls out to him in anger. Su Hyeok holding onto the girl's shoulders as she screams at the poor guy.
"Let me go, fuck. Do you think I'm doing this because I want to die?!" She yells, pulling away from Su hyeok, I exhale frustrated.
Nam Ra finally inputting herself as she pushed a cart away, getting everyone's attention, including mine as I smirk at the girl, who looks as calm and cold as ever.
"Let's vote on it" she simply states.
"And who are you?" the new girl asks, finally acknowledging her.
"The classroom president"
~~~~~~~~~
And now, here we stood, everyone facing the exit door where Nam Ra stood.
Everyone else either standing against something or sitting on somewhere.
I was standing beside Cheong San, who was... must to my displease behind that new girl.
She knew what she wanted, and she fought for it. Often times it sounded bad, and came out wrong which angered the others. Myself included, but I couldn't help but recognize how strong of an intuition she had and how much she trusted herself. And I, quite frankly liked it.
Although she could've been a bit nicer with the way she said some things.
"Let's vote on it then" I murmur, arms crossed over my chest as I leaned my shoulder onto the crates behind me.
"One. We split up" Nam Ra speaks up, loud enough for everyone to hear.
"Stop looking at everyone else's choice and make your own. This is about your life, don't let others choose for you" I state as I watch the others turn around, to assess on other's opinions and choices.
Wu Jin, Dae Su and Hyo Ryeong turn back around in silence upon my words.
"Two. We go together" Nam Ra continued. Everyone immediately puts their hands in the air.
"We'll go together then. Next vote" I state clapping my hand.
"Is it smart to vote? On life and death matters and just follow the majority? What if we collectively decide to do the wrong thing?" Dae Su voices out his opinion, I nod looking down.
"That's true... but there's also something called collective intelligence. 2 heads are smarter than 1" I explain looking at him.
"There are too many unintelligent people here" Dae Su argued looking at the girl in front of Cheong San.
"What are you looking at?" she mouths angrily.
"Then what do you want to do? Should we vote about voting? " Hyo Ryeong argued back.
"Ya, how did you kids survive until now" The new girl sneered.
"Sorry, but will you butt out? We're doing this because you started the fight" Dae Su threw at her.
"Ya. Give me an arrow, so I can stab him" she threatened.
"We'll move onto the next item" Nam Ra said, ignoring the fights happening between the groups.
"One. Make the outside high" she said.
Joon Yeong raises his hand right away, Su Hyeok following suit.
At the end there were 5 votes, Dae Su, Joon Yeong, Su Hyeok, On Jo and Cheong San whose hand was lifted by On Jo.
"Ya. Lift your hand" On Jo whispered at me.
"I know Joon Yeong's smart, and I do trust him, but it wouldn't be the first time that zombies climbed over..." I whispered to her.
"Five votes" the prez stated, arms still crossed over her stomach.
"Two. Fold the lid and make a box" She finishes.
There were 5 votes, and it became a tie.
Myself, the new girl, Ha Ri, Hyo Ryeong and Wu Jin voting on that option.
"What the hell? You said it's better to stand them up" Dae Su calls out Wu Jin for his change in sides.
"I changed my mind" The boy said back.
"Option one and option two had the same amount of points" Nam Ra points out.
"It's a tie... Nam Ra, I know you don't want to, but you have to untie it. You need to vote" I say extending my hand for her.
"I'm for option one" Nam Ra says, eyes not wavering.
"Fuck" The new girl cussed.
"Ya. Let's make it" Joon Yeong calls out to everyone, to hurry the process of finishing the carts.
"Ya, don't resent me later. The zombies will really climb over" She says, a warning tone in her voice as he approaches her.
"I'll lead the way and take responsibility. You stand back" He said assertively, eyes glaring at her.
"That prick" she cussed.
"Ya, Joon Yeong. Wait a second" I called out hurriedly walking to his side, leaving Cheong San's.
"What is it?" He asked confused.
"What do you mean take responsibility?" I question him, he looks away.
"I meant what I said"
"Ya... We had a deal. No more sacrifices! Stop trying to put yourself in danger!" I scolded.
"I made the plan, and it was accepted. If it fails, it's on me. I should take the fall for it" He explains.
"Nobody's going to take the fall. Because the fall won't happen. I won't allow it to" I scowl.
"Be careful, your boyfriend is sending daggers my way" He shifts uncomfortably at Cheong San's stare from besides us.
"He knows what I want to get across. And so do you" I point at him glaring.
"No more sacrifices. I will bring you back to life just to murder you if you do anything" I threaten.
His hands raise in the air as if I was holding him at gun point, before he moved along to help the others.
I sigh looking around the room.
"Why are you sighing so much?" He asked.
"It's been only a few days... but we already lost... I don't want to see anyone else die, Joon Yeong -" I mumbled, my head turning to look at Cheong San's who too looked at everyone in the room.
"He won't die. No one will. We'll make it" He interrupted. I nod, somewhat wanting to believe that he was right.
----
3rd Person's POV
"You have to tie the knots together"
"Here too?"
"-i hope we aren't doing something stupid"
"My hands hurt"
"Just do it"
"Hey, that looks good. Hand it to me"
"We're dead either way"
"Ya. Come here"
"Me?"
"Ha Ri almost killed me"
"Ya" Cheong San called out to the murmurs around the storage room, nobody paying attention to it.
"Ya, Dae Su"
"A candy bar" He finished, holding up the bar he had just found behind some protective gear inside some smaller crates.
Everyone's head immediately turned to the boy in awe of the find of food, however small it was.
Dae Su and Wu Jin were the first ones to walk towards Cheong San, needing to see the chocolate up close to believe it even existed.
"Let me see" Dae Su exclaimed, taking the chocolate from the smaller boy's hands as he examined it for the expiration date.
"Can we eat it?" He rhetorically asked as he looked for the date.
"It's past the expiration date" he observed.
"Can't we just eat it?" Su Hyeok asked closer now to the boys.
"If it doesn't have mold, then eat it" Chae Rin shrugged, everyone once more gathering around as they made a somewhat circle to eat a little of the chocolate.
Dae Su opened the chocolate, mouth already watering at the sight of it's brown color.
"Ya. You have to take tiny bites" He warned the group as he handed the chocolate to a nervous Wu Jin, already out of breath.
"Me first?" he nervously asked.
"We all need to have a bite. Okay?" Dae Su told the group.
Taking a... slightly bigger than 'small' bite he muches on it, much to Dae Su's dismay.
"Damn it. I said to take a small bite" he groaned.
"I only ate this much" Wu jin whined.
"Fuck. Selfish prick" Dae Su complained, Wu Jin passing the chocolate to On Jo who takes a small bite of it passing it on to the Mi Jin.
"I already ate" Mi Jin cooly says, passing it on to Hyo Ryeong, who takes a bite, handing it to Nam Ra who simply gives it to Su hyeok who takes a bite, eyes closed enjoyed the taste.
Cheong San bites down before passing it on to Chae Rin.
"I'm not craving" She smiles passing it to Ha Ri
"I already ate too. Here" She said, her too passes it on to the next person who so happened to be Dae Su.
Mouth watering as he watched the chocolate go around, and sadly...
Before Joon Yeong had a chance to taste the chocolate eats it, even licking the wrapper.
"Ya" Wu jin calls out to his friend, hands crossed over eachother as he walks to Dae Su in shock.
"What?" He replied confused.
"Joon Yeong..." Chae Rin murmured pointing besides Dae Su, at a sad eyed Joon Yeong.
"Joon Yeong didn't eat" Wu Jin tells him, his face turning to the friend besides him, eyes sad as he stared back at him as if a dog whose bone had been taken away.
"How could you eat it all?" Wu Jin reprimended him.
"Dae Su..." Chae Rin sighed once more, facepalming.
Dae Su immediately stops leaning on the crates, standing up straight as he looks around, before his eyes settled on Joon Yeong.
"I... I thought I was the last. I'm really sorry" The tall male stuttered.
"damn it" Mi Jin sighed.
"Let's just put on our protective pads" She says, somewhat feeling bad for the younger male.
Wu Jin pats his friends shoulder, which isn't of much since he had at least tasted the chocolate.
"That asshole" Mi Jin complained.
"Joon Yeong, you wear the best protective pads" Chae Rin tried to console her friend as she too pat his shoulder.
Everyone worked their best to make sure everything was done right and that it was all tightly secured around their most important parts and where it was easy for the zombies to get.
Chae Rin had just finished helping Mi Jin, using it as an opportunity to get closer to the female, who seemed much more relaxed, and less defensive.
The two females even helped Wu Jin who seemed to only trap himself with the straps of the protections.
"Cheong San, let me help you" The girl smiles jumping in to help her lover who nodded with a soft smile.
"Take your shoes off" She points at them lowering herself to the ground but he pulls her back up.
"what?" she confusingly asked him raising an eyebrow.
"Let's do you first. Arm" He insisted, grabbing onto the girl's arm, pulling it straight out as he placed the gear on her.
"I don't need it, remember?" She chuckles lightly, the male blushes, halting his movements.
"On Jo, come here" she called out to the shorter girl who struggled as she tried to gear herself up.
As the trio stood together, Chae Rin helped the two, not a single gear going to her as she continuosly refused them.
That also gathered the attention of the 2 new members of the group who asked about it.
"I, uh... I'm immune to it" she says avoiding their eyes.
"What does that mean? How do you know you're immune?" Ha Ri asks looking straight at the girl who shyed away.
"I was bit... I also fell from the 4th floor. I don't die" She mumbled, causing both shock and a slight hinge of fear upon the girl's faces.
"I'm in complete control though! Really!" She hurriedly stated.
"Tell me, I uh... can control it... me?" She said unsure.
"It's true, her and Nam Ra are the ones who can keep us alive for the most part of the time. They know what we don't" Su Hyeok defended, I nodded agreeing.
"I'm sorry" Ha Ri apologizes, Chae Rin looked at her, in utter confused.
"That you went through it. Must've been hard" She smiled sincerely at the girl.
"It's fine, really. You get used to it. It isn't all that bad. I can't die, I also have better senses like hearing and smelling" she smiled, the other laughing at her enthusiasm.
"Cheong San, lower that one" The girl quickly went back to serious as she watched the gear on everyone's body.
Reaching her, well she too was confused on what they were, but lovers for sure.
She lowers his arm gear before moving to adjust On Jo's.
"You stay besides me, at all times. You hear me? Don't go anywhere by yourself" She told the other who nodded agreeing to it.
"If anything, call me" Chae Rin spoke up so the group could hear.
"I can't die, and they don't bite me. If you're in trouble, call my name! Remember the promise we made. Ha Ri, Mi Jin, you two are now included in it too. No more sacrifices. No playing heroes. No doing anything that could lead to bites. I'll take care of those, okay?" She watched the group.
"Then who will protect you?" On Jo questioned.
"I will. I'm my own protector and savior" she smirked back with a wink.
"Is everyone ready?" Joon Yeong asked the group, standing in front of the door.
"I'm opening the door" he announced.
"Wait... It'll work right?" Dae Su asked him.
"It will" He assures him.
"I'll lead. You take tail" Su Hyeok informs Cheong San, handing him a baseball bat, the shorter one nodding at him.
"I'll open it"
"Fuck. I hope you're right" Mi Jin cusses.
"I've seen countless zombies. They don't have the intelligence to climb over" He states, voice cold.
Su Hyeok and Joon Yeong gripped onto the door handles, Joon Yeong unlocking it as the two nodded in union before bursting it open.
Here we go...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~