The creatures came faster and faster, but we ran, driven by pure survival instinct. My legs felt heavy, but fear pushed me forward. Ellis was right behind me, his breath coming in ragged gasps. Ayan and Davis sprinted ahead, while Kaori and Miu stayed close to Mr. Alex.
As we reached the school entrance, we heard screams behind us. Some students weren't fast enough. I saw one girl trip and fall, the creatures quickly swarming her. I forced myself to look away and keep running.
We managed to get inside the school and slammed the heavy doors shut. Mr. Alex and Ayan pushed a nearby bench against the door to block it. The sounds of the creatures' growls and scratching at the door sent chills down my spine.
"We need to find a safe place," Mr. Alex said, his voice shaking but firm. "Let's head to the science lab. It has strong doors and only one entrance."
We moved quickly and quietly through the halls, trying to avoid making any noise. The school, usually so full of life, felt like a ghost town. Every creak and echo made us jump.
When we finally reached the science lab, Mr. Alex checked inside to make sure it was empty. We all slipped inside, and he locked the door behind us. We pushed tables and cabinets against the door for extra protection.
Inside the lab, we all slumped to the floor, catching our breath. The fear was still there, but at least we had a moment to rest. My mind raced, trying to process everything that had happened. How did this start? Why couldn't the creatures get into the school, but the infected inside turned anyway?
"Does anyone have any idea what's going on?" Kaori asked, her voice trembling.
Mr. Alex sighed. "I'm not sure. It's like something is protecting the school from the outside, but those already inside are still turning into... those things."
We all sat in silence, trying to make sense of it. Then, Ellis spoke up. "Maybe it's something about the school itself. Like, maybe the school has some kind of barrier or protection spell."
"That sounds crazy," Davis said, shaking his head.
"But look at what we're dealing with," Miu replied. "Nothing makes sense anymore."
"We need answers," Mr. Alex said. "There might be something in the school's history that can help us understand this. We should look in the library."
"How can we get there without those things catching us?" Ayan asked.
"We'll have to move carefully," Mr. Alex said. "Stick together and stay quiet. We need to know more if we're going to survive this."
With a plan in mind, we gathered our courage. We knew we couldn't stay in the lab forever. We needed to find out why the school was different and how we could use that to our advantage.
As we prepared to leave the lab, I took one last look at my friends. Their faces were pale and scared, but I knew we had to stay strong for each other. The real fight was just beginning.
---
We carefully opened the lab door and slipped into the hallway. The silence was eerie, every small noise amplified in the empty school. We moved in a tight group, keeping close to the walls, and listening for any sounds of the undead.
As we approached the library, we heard a crash from down the hall. Our hearts raced as we turned to see one of the creatures, a former student, staggering towards us. Its eyes were hollow and its skin hung in ragged strips. Ellis stepped forward, gripping a fire extinguisher he had grabbed earlier.
The creature lunged at us with surprising speed. Ellis swung the extinguisher with all his strength, smashing it into the zombie's head. The creature crumpled to the floor, but we knew the noise would attract more of them.
"Move!" Mr. Alex shouted, and we ran for the library.
We reached the doors and pushed them open, quickly closing and barricading them behind us. The library was dark and musty, filled with rows of bookshelves. We spread out, searching for anything that might explain the school's strange protection.
"Look for old records or anything about the school's history," Mr. Alex instructed.
We had just begun our search when we heard a loud crash from the entrance. The creatures had followed us, and they were trying to break in. The door buckled under the pressure of their attacks.
"We need to hurry!" Kaori shouted.
Just then, the door splintered, and the zombies began to pour into the library. Panic set in as we scrambled to defend ourselves. Ayan and Davis grabbed chairs, swinging them at the advancing horde. The sound of bones breaking and flesh tearing filled the air.
Miu found a heavy bookend and used it to smash a zombie's head, the sickening crunch of bone echoing through the room. Blood sprayed across her face, but she didn't flinch. Ellis swung the fire extinguisher again, taking down another attacker.
"Over here!" Mr. Alex shouted, pointing to a door at the back of the library. "It's a storage room. We can barricade ourselves inside."
We fought our way through the chaos, reaching the door just as the zombies overwhelmed our defenses. One of them grabbed Davis by the arm, its teeth sinking into his flesh. He screamed in agony, and I could see the terror in his eyes.
"Help him!" Kaori yelled.
I swung my makeshift weapon at the zombie, but more of them were closing in. Davis pushed us away, his face twisted with pain and fear. "Go! Save yourselves!"
With heavy hearts, we slammed the storage room door shut, locking Davis outside. His screams were cut off as the creatures tore into him. Tears streamed down my face, but there was no time to grieve. We had to survive.
Inside the storage room, we found old school records and journals. Mr. Alex quickly rifled through them, searching for any clue. The rest of us pressed against the door, trying to hold it closed as the zombies pounded on it.
"Here!" Mr. Alex said, holding up an old journal. "It talks about a ritual performed when the school was built. Something about a protective barrier to keep evil out."
"Why didn't it protect us inside?" Miu asked, her voice shaking.
"It says the barrier only works against external threats," Mr. Alex explained. "It can't stop something that's already inside."
"So, we're trapped," Ellis said, his voice filled with despair. "We're trapped with no way out."
The pounding on the door grew louder, and we knew it wouldn't hold much longer. My mind raced, trying to think of a plan. We needed to find a way to strengthen the barrier or escape the school grounds without getting caught.