Kato was in the middle of a problem, derivatives nonetheless when the lockdown alarm began to ring.
His phone was already in his hand by the time the second ring had started, messages were being typed through the group chat as the 4th ring ended.
Maren's text was first. Calculated and descriptive, she already had valuable information in a timely manner.
"One of the restaurants near us, that Chinese place that Leo loves so much, is under some kind of attack. No gunshots were heard but people seem to be attacking each other and first responders. Businesses and schools within a 10-mile radius have been put on lockdown, and schools within a 25-mile radius are on hold". -Maren
"No Shit!" - Amaia
"Fucking hell. What the fuck did I say Amaia? I knew I should've stayed home." - Elian
"I got bets on some dumb fuck with a gun" - Leo
"What did you not understand about 'no gunshots heard'. Leo. -Maren
"Just got off hold. We're on lockdown now. Gunshots just heard. Multiple actually and still ongoing not on school grounds tho sounds a bit farther away." - Emory
Kato turned off his phone as messages pinged though. Silent and vibrations off, he ensured his death wasn't going to be do to something as stupid as his phone going off.
"Everyone calm down and get under your desk. Remain silent and turn your phones off. Jonathon, yes you Jonathon", he rolled his eyes as Jonathon pointed to himself, "reach over to your left and turn off the light please".
Jonathon didn't look excited at being called out but he hastily got up and reached over to turn off the light. As he was doing so, someone banged on the door.
The air in the room stilled as different people let out short bursts of screams. Another bang was heard, this time more frantic but the door handle was never shaken.
The banging continued but no yelling or shouting ensued.
Then all went silent.
"Should I open the door?", Jonathon whispered as he moved his frozen arm from the light switch to the door handle.
"Now Jonathon, I know you have the capability of using your brain through that thick skull of yours. Why would you open the door?", the professor's voice got more shrill, as shrill as a whisper could be, the longer he talked.
"I- wha what if it's someone needing help?"
"No Jonathon. If they needed help they would have been yelling".
"Or they would have tried for the doorknob"
Jonathon's buddies were trying to convince him but he was clearly beyond saving.
Kato began backing to the top, back of the room as he inferred how the situation was going to unfold.
One more bang and Jonathon opened the door. The professors yell, students screams and friends pull, doing nothing to stop him. One student looked ready to tackle him but it was too late.
One second.
That's all it took for Kato's life to change forever.
One instance. One moment. One mistake.
Jonathon died instantly. The thing opened its mouth wide, yellow saliva dripping from its jaw as it let out an inhumane growl. Teeth with razor-sharp edges, veins that glowed yellow, and skin that looked hardened to armor, Jonathon had stood no chance.
The screams echoed in his mind. Jonathan's mouth was open in an ear-shattering wail. His hands tried to no avail to stop the blood flow, both hands covered the seeping neck wound as he hunched over. The monster had taken a chunk of his neck off. Sinew and blood gushing out, the attack continued until Jonathon was no more.
It attacked the professor next.
Kato was already scaling the window. Today was not his day to die, he'd make sure of it.
It was easier than it should've been to get the window open. Latch open, pressure applied, and just like that he was out.
The ledge was damp with morning rain and the wind howled in his ear as he took a tentative step outside of the classroom. The monster still rampaged, tearing student after student down. Eating at their chest and necks until they died- and got back up.
Zombies. He was dealing with zombies of all things.
He had to work faster. Some students had escaped through the open door as the zombies tore through their friends but others hadn't been so lucky. Which now made him unlucky because there were 15 zombies in the room and a diminishing number of students.
He slipped another foot onto the ledge and climbed out. He hugged the window to the best of his ability, but the horrid weather had increased his chances of falling to his death.
However, he'd take falling over zombies any day.
He moved slowly but surely across the building, reaching a point with enough ledges to hoist himself up to the roof.
The window he'd climbed through shattered, raining glass and zombies below. Only two landed on the ledge Kato had used but 2 was enough to put the fear of God into him.
They snarled upon seeing him. Fearing nothing, they rushed him at an alarming pace.
Halfway on the ledge, his eyes widened in horror as he looked at the grotesque beings flinging themselves his way.
Both his hands were occupied in his climb toward the roof but he extended one leg out in a timely manner. He managed to knock down one before it could even take a swipe at him.
The other dodged his next attempt. It swatted at his legs as it tried to pull him under.
Fight or Flight.
Flight.
He continued his ascension to the roof, ignoring the zombie's attempt at a midday meal.
Eyes up and forward, head slicked with sheen, he continued on upwards because anything else was a death sentence.
The breath of relief he exhaled, once he reached the top, was like nothing he'd ever felt before.
The adrenaline crash, the slow realization, the thought of his friends, everything came crashing onto him at once he was safe.
Standing up, his eyes widened as he brought his hand to face. He stumbled a bit before righting himself and taking a look once more.
The city was on fire.
He took out his phone and took a picture before opening up the group chat.
The chat had died down as each member stayed precariously inside of their classrooms.
"Guys" -Kato
"What"- Amaia
"What"- Leo
"What"- Maren
Picture Sent
"I think zombies are real. And I think we might be in a zombie apocalypse right now.
"You have got to be shifting me"- Elian
"Next time I'm staying in bed"- Liam
"Guys, I think the whole worlds burning"- Maren
"Lol of course it is"- Leo