Isamu took a deep breath, glancing around the shadowed locker room. "Hold on, I gotta do something first."
He walked over to his locker, the metallic clank echoing in the quiet. He pulled out his bag, then took his shoes and sat back down on the cold, worn bench.
He rummaged through his bag, taking out a lighter and a joint, its faint herbal smell escaping into the air.
Takumi and Sato looked at each other, eyebrows raised with a hint of judgment but for Denji it felt like any other day.
"You bring that shit to school?" Sato asked surprised.
Isamu shrugged carefree placing the joint in his mouth as he flicked the lighter. The flickering flame reflected in his eyes. "Sometimes. It helps me take the edge off, certainly glad I brought it today."
He inhaled deeply, savoring the sharp, calming burn in his lungs, then passed it to Denji. Sato and Takumi waved it away, but Denji, after a beat, took it, coughing after his first puff.
Isamu grinned, shaking his head as he took the joint back. "Alright, let's not make today worse by getting bitten out there. Let's all change back to our uniforms. We can't run around in our shorts and sleeveless jerseys. Let's keep the sneakers, though – we'll need every bit of traction. Hold on to your bags as well, dump the heavy stuff but keep any sharp objects or resources."
They all took their uniforms out of their lockers, slipping back into them in the chill of the locker room. The sound of the zippers and rustling fabric filled the silence as they all sat down on the cold wooden bench with their bags strapped on their shoulders and, a bunch of textbooks and notes scattered on the ground. A mess of abandoned knowledge.
Sato's legs kept shaking nervously. "We're f**ked aren't we?"
Isamu took another drag as he gazed at the smoldering tip. "Probably, but we have to try. If there's anything anyone wants to get off their chest, now's the time. We're not guaranteed a single minute of life once we step out of this room."
Sato's words clung to the edge of his lips like a door refusing to be opened. "I... I killed a kitten once. I didn't mean to," he said tongue-tied with shame. "I was riding on my bike at night and she came out of nowhere."
Isamu and Denji exchanged a quick, surprised look, not knowing how to reply.
Takumi finally patted Sato on the back, a dry smile on his face. "Might've been one to keep to yourself. Thought we were aiming for something a bit deeper."
Sato snatched the joint from Isamu, inhaling hard before he flicked it away."I know, but it kept coming in my dreams. I had to tell someone." He stared at the ground with his thoughts somewhere else.
Isamu got up from the bench, taking a few mini jumps. "Okay, let's slowly move the locker away from the door."
They all got up and slowly lifted the locker from each side then softly set it down in front of the window.
Isamu looked back at them with a steady gaze. "I don't suppose anyone wants to go first?" They all shifted uncomfortably.
"I guess I am the one who suggested we leave." He exhaled sharply, wrapping his hand around the cold metal handle, turning it slowly, and opening it without a peep.
Peeking outside, he saw a zombie facing a wall, its back hunched and spine protruding. Four rooms down, its movements were slow, almost mechanical. Isamu motioned with his fingers on his lips, then pointed, signaling them to be silent.
He turned his head to the right, spotting the stairway. It was clear. Motioning again, he began moving down the hallway, his friends trailing behind, each step quiet but tense.
The stairs creaked beneath his footfalls, sending out a metallic groan. They froze, watching the zombie at the end of the hall growl softly, its attention shifting momentarily before it resumed its mindless vigil. Heart pounding, Isamu looked around but saw no others, so he continued, followed by Takumi, Denji, and Sato in a line behind him.
(Map: main locations)
Club room: South and other end of the school gate
Gymnasium: North-East of the club room (close distance)
Cafeteria: North-West of the club room (mid-distance)
Main hall: North-East of Cafeteria (long distance)
Green Area 1: South of Cafeteria (close distance)
...
They reached the bottom of the stairs, relief flooding them momentarily as they emerged in the open. They were out in the open and could see everything from any direction, but their focus was completely on the cafeteria which was about 150 meters away.
They could see small, shuffling figures from afar, mere shadows of what were once students or staff. "Let's go to the garden, the path to the cafeteria is clear from there," whispered glancing back at them, they slightly nodded and agreed. They couldn't dispute him now anyway, they were too exposed.
He led them towards the metal-barred doors that led into the overgrown garden, and each of them slipped through.
Just as they all entered the grassy grounds of the garden, a low groan sounded to their left. They turned sharply with their eyes wide, the zombie dragging one of its broken legs through the grass. They all looked at it terrified, adrenaline pumping.
Their legs felt like they'd been bolted down; fear surged, freezing them in place.
The zombie shuffled past Isamu, close enough that he could see its milky, sightless eyes. 'Why the f**k can't I move?!'
It passed each of them, dragging its broken limb away from them and out the garden door.
Sato quietly closed it behind the creature as exhaled the breath he'd held. "What… the… f**k," he mouthed.
They continued going towards the cafeteria alertly through the garden passing small green trees and stone benches along the way in the eerie silence.
"Are this things blind?" whispered Takumi walking beside Isamu.
Isamu shook his head, unsure. "I'm not sure, his eyes were gray like a blind man… It could be he turned blind when he was bit or was already blind before turning."
Ahead, they saw a small fountain, its water sparkling in the evening light.
"Let's all fill our bottles with water from the fountain, we can't rely on the cafeteria completely," Isamu quietly suggested.
They approached the fountain with the two bird figures poised at its center, and each pulled out their bottles to fill. Sato parched, bent under the flow, letting the water trickle into his mouth.
As he opened his eyes underwater he saw faint red streaks flowing in the waters. He choked slightly as he jerked back, spitting out the water and wiping his mouth. They all looked at him, seemingly acting weird.
"What's wrong?" Denji asked him softly.
Sato circled the fountain and stopped short as he stared at the submerged zombie. Its pale form, hidden under the surface of the water.
They saw the zombie as well, feeling a chill… "It's fine, let's just go to the cafeteria before it gets too dark," said Sato nervously shaking.
Isamu chuckled a bit. "Yeah, it's nothing." But the tension still hung heavy.
Then a flash of light started flickering on and off, coming from one of the cafeteria windows.
They all looked at it, knowing it was an unmistakable sign. Isamu slowly walked toward it and then stopped.
"It's coming from the cafeteria, it must be safe there!" Takumi's excited voice reverberated through the garden
It was like a call to the zombies that lurked behind them, heads jerking up as they broke into a sprint.
"Run!" Isamu yelled. Takumi and Denji bolted past Isamu, their breath shallow as they charged toward safety.
Sato stumbled, casting a look over his shoulder, and Isamu's bottle dropped, rolling in front of him just as he prepared to jump. His foot caught, slipping and crashing his knee into the stone bench, his cry of pain echoing as he fell.
Isamu quickly stopped and turned back. "I got him, you guys go!" he called to Takumi and Denji who looked back before sprinting away.
Isamu kneeled down to Sato and then looked back and saw as Takumi and Denji fled with their backs turned. He then looked back at Sato with a blank expression, almost cold.
"You really screwed up there Sato. You couldn't just fill up your bottle like the rest of us?"
Sato stared at him, eyes wide and confused. "What the f**k are you doing? Help me!"
"I can try."
Isamu's expression flickered with fear as he tried to lift Sato, but they were moving too slowly. The zombies were almost upon them, hands reaching.
A pair of gnarled hands grabbed Sato, pulling him down. Isamu let go, sprinting toward safety as Sato's scream tore through the air, lost to the growls and tearing flesh. Blood pooled beneath them as Sato's fading gaze followed Isamu's retreating form.
'Did he drop that bottle on purpose?' he lingered on as his eye shut…
"Get in, quick!" Takumi and Denji yelled, holding the cafeteria door open. Isamu rushed through, and they slammed it shut, muffling the nightmare outside.