The freezer door banged shut with a final thud, like it was sealing off the world.
The girl had just made it, and in total freak-out mode, she banged on the door like crazy, yelling, "Open up! Do it now!"
But no matter how hard she pounded, it was like talking to a brick wall—no response, as if the door was sealed for good.
Despair started creeping up on her as she remembered her boyfriend's stern look and the chilling sound of the door slamming shut.
The same dude who swore to keep her safe was now the one who ditched her. What a low blow! She was silently fuming at him.
Just then, a chilly wind hit her from behind. She spun around and almost jumped out of her skin.
Zoe was right there, less than fifteen feet away, ready to jump at any moment.
Panicking, the girl shoved Emma, who was right beside her, hoping to slow down the zombie.
"Ah—" Emma let out a yell as she hit the ground hard.
Zoe pounced, pinning her down, her claws digging into Emma's wrists on the floor.
Emma wriggled and squirmed, but it was no use; she felt totally trapped.
"Hehehe~~" Zoe chuckled in a creepy tone, probably thrilled from their recent zombie feast with Zane, munching on who knows what. Her laugh was bone-chilling.
Emma caught a glimpse of Zoe's wild eyes up close and felt a wave of despair. She just wanted it all to end, so she stopped fighting, shut her eyes, and braced for the worst.
But after her creepy laugh, Zoe didn't bite; instead, she let go of Emma and lunged at the other girl.
"Ah!" The girl shrieked as agony shot through her neck.
Zoe had clamped down on her throat, the pain so intense it sent her into convulsions.
Her eyes filled with terror.
She couldn't figure out why the zombie skipped Emma and went straight for her. But soon, her screams stopped, and she blacked out.
Emma was still on the ground, eyes shut tight.
She wondered why she wasn't feeling any pain.
Was she already gone?
But that didn't seem right; she probably wasn't dead yet.
Curious, she slowly opened her eyes, and as things came into focus, she saw a tall figure standing over her.
The guy had pale skin and was ridiculously good-looking, staring down at her.
"Boss?" Emma's eyes popped open in surprise, recognizing him as Mr. Zane from the supermarket where she used to work.
She never thought she'd bump into him here!
Turns out, Zane's reason for sparing Emma wasn't much about their past connection.
He just figured she was sharp and efficient at work, and he needed someone to handle chores like cleaning, laundry, and dishes.
It seemed dumb to just off Emma when he wasn't exactly short on supplies.
He decided to keep her around for a bit.
"Get up," Zane commanded in a firm tone.
Emma sensed something was off; Zane looked like he had turned into a zombie, with the massive Jake loyally by his side.
Her legs were jelly, but she managed to stand, leaning on the wall for support.
"Boss, are you... are you alright?" Emma asked, treading carefully.
"Mm," Zane grunted, probably still buzzing from taking out Ava earlier, then asked, "Wanna come back to work?"
"I... I would! Absolutely!" Emma nodded fast, catching on that this was her ticket to staying alive, so she jumped at the offer.
Even though a lot was still up in the air, keeping herself alive was top of the list.
Working for Zane used to be about snagging some cash, but now it was straight-up about staying alive!
After getting her answer, Zane didn't waste any more time on her and strolled past, heading to the freezer door with Jake in tow.
The "supplies" he was after were behind that door.
Jake marched up to the freezer door and started throwing his massive fists at it.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!" Each punch was like a sledgehammer, shaking the ground and making dust rain from the ceiling.
The freezer door, stubborn as ever, didn't budge under Jake's furious assault, instead sending shockwaves right back up his arms.
Behind the door, the trio huddled close, nerves on edge, holding their breath like even the air was too scared to move.
"How are these Zombies so dang strong?" The kid's eyes were bugging out, his face all scrunched up in fear and confusion, his voice tight with tension.
The chef, though freaking out on the inside, kept his cool and reassured, "Chill, our freezer door's as thick as Jake's skull, a solid five centimeters of white steel."
"Not even a monster truck could bust through, let alone some Zombies. How could they possibly handle it?" His words managed to dial down the panic a bit, like they'd just grabbed onto a lifeline.
But outside, that big dude—Jake, he wasn't about to throw in the towel, still hammering away at the door like a man possessed. But guess what? That door was as solid as a rock, not giving an inch.
"Roar—" Jake's furious roar echoed like a wild beast, swearing that once he got in, he'd rip everyone inside to pieces. But reality was a tough cookie, and he couldn't even make the door wiggle.
Just then, Zane's eyes lit up with a cunning spark, thinking: If muscle won't cut it, time to switch gears. He was about to make his move when suddenly, Emma came over, her eyes sparkling like she'd just had a brilliant idea.
"Boss, I got the keys to the freezer," Emma piped up.
Zane paused, then silently gave her props: Emma was proving herself to be a real gem, coming through big time. He took the keys, signaled Jake to back off, and then went to handle the stubborn door himself.
Inside, the trio heard the racket outside suddenly stop and felt a wave of relief, like they'd just hit the jackpot.
The chef couldn't help but gloat, "Told ya, those Zombies couldn't hack it, they must've bailed." The kid nodded, thinking they were finally safe and that the Zombies would scatter, letting them get back to the warehouse in peace.
But just as they were patting themselves on the back, the sound of the lock 'clanking' filled the air, like someone was unlocking it. Panic surged through them like wildfire.
"How is this happening?" The chef's eyes nearly popped out of his head, his face a mask of horror. The kid turned white as a ghost, hardly believing what he was hearing. The girl started shaking like a leaf, blurting out, "How can the Zombies unlock doors?"
As the lock clicked open, Jake shoved the door with all his might, and with a loud 'clang,' it swung wide open. The stuff inside was all over the place, and the three were smacked with the harsh reality of their situation, scared out of their wits.