Alex stealthily made his way to the back of the building, tapping lightly on the window. "It's me," he whispered.
The window slid open, revealing a girl with short red hair and warm brown eyes. Her face lit up with relief and joy. "You came!" she whispered, pulling him into a hug and a quick kiss.
"Are you okay, Alicia?" Alex asked, concern evident in his voice.
"I'm fine. Are you alone?" she inquired, glancing around.
Alex nodded. "How are we going to escape the school? Do you have a plan?"
"I have a plan. Don't worry," Alex reassured her. "Get your stuff; we're leaving."
Alicia hesitated for a moment before speaking softly, "Alex, is it okay if I bring them along? They are the reason why I'm still alive."
Five more figures appeared behind Alicia, three guys and two girls. Alex looked at them curiously. "Are they your friends?"
"Yes, they are," Alicia replied with a smile.
"Okay then, let's try to escape this place, shall we?" Alex said, extending his hand.
With careful coordination, Alex helped each person down from the window, ensuring they landed safely on the ground. They were a motley crew, bound together by their shared struggle for survival in the midst of chaos.
Near the fences, Alex dialed a number on his phone. "Hello? It's Alex. Is the plan still on? Can you pick us up?" he whispered urgently. As he spoke, three zombies emerged from the shadows.
"Hold on, my girlfriend will talk to you," Alex said, handing the phone to Alicia. Meanwhile, he and the three guys readied themselves. Gripping his baseball bat tightly, Alex signaled for silence and motioned for them to stick close.
The zombies advanced, their groans filling the tense air. Alex swiftly swung his baseball bat at the nearest zombie, stunning it, then followed up with a crushing blow to the head, sending it sprawling. But it wasn't down for good. With a sense of unease, Alex dealt a final, decisive strike, ensuring the zombie wouldn't rise again.
Amidst the chaos, one of the guys struggled as a zombie pushed him to the ground, attempting to muffle his cries. Alex rushed to his aid, bringing down his bat on the zombie's skull. The other two guys joined the fray, fighting desperately against the relentless onslaught of their former classmates.
"We don't want to kill you, Luke! Please, wake up!" they pleaded as they tried to fend off the frenzied attacks of their zombified friends. Luke, lost to the infection, continued his aggressive assault, forcing Alex to intervene again and again, each swing of his bat a mix of determination and regret. Eventually, they subdued Luke, but the emotional toll of fighting their peers was evident on their faces.
"I'm… sorry" Alex said with regret as he just killed their friend, it was silent. "You… don't have a choice" they answered but it's clear that they didn't liked what Alex did.
Meanwhile, Inside the car, tension hung thick in the air as I debated with the teacher about our route. "We should go around the campus," I urged, my concern for Alex and the others palpable in my voice.
The teacher, focused on the quickest route, countered, "The highway is nearer! We can make it there." She glanced at me, her expression a mix of understanding and concern. "Are you still clinging to Alex?"
I stayed silent, she sighed. "You're really, a good friend aren't you" she said smiling
Then a sudden phone call, vibrate my phone. "It's Alex!" I exclaimed, "Hello?" I greeted first
"Hello? It's Alex. Is the plan still on? Can you pick us up?" The urgency in Alex's voice was clear as he whispered
Before answering, I took a deep breath and shouted "Where the hell are you!? You son of a bitch!?" In anger
After a moment, a girl's voice came through the phone. "Umm… I'm sorry. But we're in the back of building A," she explained, her voice tinged with relief at making contact.
My anger dissipated, replaced by a sense of determination. "And who are you?" I asked, wanting to confirm their identities before committing to a rescue.
"I'm Alicia," the girl replied.
I exchanged a glance with the teacher, a silent agreement passing between us. "Alright, we'll come and pick you guys up," I confirmed, a sense of relief washing over me as we made plans for our escape.
We hurriedly made our way towards Building A, the tension in the air palpable as we navigated through the deserted streets. My mind raced with thoughts of Alex, hoping they were safe and unharmed.
As we approached Building A outside the fences, the sight of Alex and his group waiting near the fences filled me with a mix of relief and concern. They looked worn out, but they were alive, and that was all that mattered.
"We're here!" I called out as we pulled up beside them. The relief on their faces was evident as they quickly climbed into the car.
As I stepped out of the car, the gravity of the situation sank in. There were six of them now, and our vehicle could only comfortably accommodate three people. I couldn't help but feel a pang of worry and frustration.
Approaching Alex we excused ourselves, I couldn't hide my surprise. "I didn't know that there are six of you guys in total!? I thought you were only with your girlfriend?" I asked, trying to make sense of the sudden increase in numbers.
Alex sighed, the weariness evident in his eyes. "The circumstances have changed when I got there. Please, Siah. Let's take them, you're the one who agreed. The more, the stronger we'll get," he reasoned, his voice tinged with urgency.
"I know that, but dammit, Alex. Do you think we can fit inside this car? Look at it, we can only fit three!" I argued, gesturing towards the cramped interior of the vehicle.
Just then, the teacher's voice cut through our conversation, urgency lacing her tone. "Get inside! The horde earlier are here!" she shouted from the car, her eyes scanning the surroundings for any signs of danger.
Frustration and concern battled within me as I glanced back at Alex. "You take responsibility for them," I said firmly, knowing that we couldn't leave them behind but also grappling with the practicality of our situation.
Alex nodded, his expression determined. "Yeah, don't worry. We'll figure it out," he replied with a reassuring smile, his gaze meeting mine with a sense of determination.
With a sigh, I nodded in reluctant agreement, knowing that we had to act fast to ensure everyone's safety. The challenges ahead were daunting, but together, we had to find a way to overcome them.
I gestured for everyone to quickly get inside the car. The urgency of the situation was palpable as we squeezed into the limited space available.
As everyone squeezed into the car, it was clear that the limited space was a challenge. "This is going to be a tight fit," I muttered under my breath, casting a glance at Alex. He nodded in agreement, acknowledging the cramped conditions.
With some creative maneuvering and a lot of shifting around, we managed to get everyone inside, albeit in a very snug arrangement. The backseat was particularly crowded, with bodies pressed closely together.
The teacher wasted no time, stepping on the gas pedal as soon as everyone was inside. The car moved forward, navigating through the debris-strewn streets with caution. The sounds of groans and shuffling feet echoed outside, a constant reminder of the imminent threat lurking in every corner.
"Sorry for the lack of space," I apologized to the newcomers, feeling a pang of guilt at the discomfort they were experiencing. "We'll try to make this as comfortable as possible."
Despite the cramped quarters, everyone remained remarkably composed, understanding the gravity of our situation. The priority was getting to safety, and for now, that meant enduring the confines of the car until we reached our destination.
"I should be the one apologizing, don't you think?" quipped the teacher, a hint of sarcasm in her tone.
"No, ma'am! We're already grateful for you taking us in, even if it's a bit cramped," Alicia chimed in.
The teacher chuckled. "It was just a joke, don't worry."
"What's the plan now?" Alex inquired, shifting the conversation back to our next steps.
"We need to find a safer place," the teacher said, her voice steady despite the urgency of our situation. "Somewhere far away from any settlement, preferably if it has walls or fences"
I nodded in agreement, my mind racing with possibilities. "Do you have any ideas?" I asked, turning to Alex and the others for input.
Alicia spoke up from the backseat, her voice tinged with worry. "My house is nearby. Though it's no in a secluded area, but we have walls that coumd find temporary safety."
Alex and I exchanged glances, considering the suggestion. "It's worth a shot," Alex said, his tone hopeful yet cautious. "I've been there, and I can say that it's a good choice we might consider settling in"
"Let's first check it first before deciding" I said
"There, take a right turn there and inside the Alley" Alicia said
The car picked up speed as we made our way towards Alicia's house. The journey was tense, every passing moment filled with uncertainty and apprehension. But amidst the chaos, there was a glimmer of hope that we might find refuge and a chance to catch our breath.
Navigating through winding alleyways, we eventually reached our destination—a spacious three-story house surrounded by tall, sturdy walls that seemed to shield it from the chaos beyond. Its windows were dark, and the surrounding area seemed eerily quiet. The sense of relief mixed with apprehension as we approached the entrance.
Alicia and Alex went out the car to open the gate. As we move the car in their garage, Before we could fully settle in, the door to the house swung open, and a middle-aged man emerged, his face stern and determined as he held a loaded shotgun.
"Stop right there," he commanded, pointing the weapon in our direction.
Alicia, recognizing him immediately, rushed towards him. "Wait! Wait! Wait! Father!" Alicia shouted
The man's expression softened, a mix of relief and disbelief crossing his features as he embraced his daughter. "Alicia? Thank goodness you're alive. We thought we had lost you," he said emotionally, his voice trembling slightly.
"I'm safe now, Father. And it's because of them," Alicia replied, gesturing towards us.
"I see…" her Father said, then turned his attention to us, his gaze assessing but no longer hostile "I apologized for the rudeness" he apologized lowering the shotgun
"No need to apologize, sir. It's completely understandable given the circumstances," the teacher reassured him.
"Thank you," he said sincerely, acknowledging the gesture of understanding.
The tension eased as we were welcomed into the safety of their home, where we could finally take a moment to breathe and process everything that had happened.