Isamu threw his bag onto the smooth, cold concrete floor, the sound echoing faintly in the dark, empty cafeteria. He collapsed next to it, chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. Denji and Takumi stood beside him, also panting and clutching their knees, faces flushed and sweaty from the mad dash through the halls.
Takumi bent over, resting his hands on his knees, his face etched with worry. "Sato?" he asked in a shaky whisper.
Isamu turned his face away, a shadow crossing his eyes. "He's dead. Or one of them," he replied, voice barely above a murmur.
Takumi clenched his fists, jaw tight. "F**k!!"
"Keep it down," Denji hissed, casting a wary glance around the cafeteria's shadowed walls. "We don't know if it's safe in here. I can't see shit. We need to find the switch."
Suddenly, fluorescent lights flickered on with a buzz, bathing the room in a cold, sterile glow. Standing just a few feet away, Mr. Kazuki Endo gripped a kitchen knife, the blade glinting in the light. He moved to strike at Denji, but then froze, shoulders dropping as he exhaled in relief.
"I almost stabbed you…" he muttered, lowering the knife. "I thought you were one of them."
Kazuki walked back and sat down heavily on one of the yellow, chipped wooden lunch tables scattered around the cafeteria. His face looked drawn, dark circles beneath his eyes hinting at sleepless nights. To their right, two other figures rose cautiously from behind the counter.
Denji squinted, recognition dawning. "Astrid?"
She nodded, looking tense and clutching a makeshift weapon—a metal spatula with a dented edge. Her dark hair was tangled and tied up messily in a top bun, her eyes wide and shining with fear. A small black mole at the side of her lip accentuated the nervous tension in her expression.
Beside her stood Yuto, adjusting his glasses as he nodded to the group. His short, spiky hair was matted, and he looked just as shaken. Despite the circumstances, he managed a tentative smile when he noticed Takumi.
Yuto moved toward them, skirting around the counter. "Takumi," he said softly, his face lighting up.
Takumi looked back, relief momentarily softening his features. "Of course you made it," he chuckled shakily, hugging Yuto.
Isamu watched them from his seat, his gaze lingering on Yuto and Astrid. 'Yuto… Takumi's cousin, if I remember right,' he thought, his lips curling in a slight, sardonic smirk. 'And Astrid… these guys better not be deadweight. But I guess they held down the cafeteria, so they can't be that bad.'
Everyone gathered at the lunch tables, their faces pale with exhaustion and worry.
Kazuki broke the silence, his tone curious but cautious. "Where did you three come from?"
Isamu looked up, expression guarded. "The volleyball club room. Not sure how many others survived. How about you three?"
Kazuki let out a weary sigh, scratching his stubble as he began. "I was in a staff meeting, hearing rumors about what was going on outside. Didn't learn much, just that we're supposed to stay away from… those things. When the panic broke out, I tried getting out, but the gates were overrun. So I ran here." He motioned to Yuto and Astrid. "These two were already here. They let me in, and we barricaded the entrance."
They turned to Yuto, who swallowed nervously. "We got here just a few minutes before Mr. Kazuki. I was… just reading here since it's quiet. Astrid came over to help with our history project. Then… we saw what was happening outside and locked the doors. Mr. Kazuki showed up right after."
Isamu scratched the back of his head, averting his gaze. "Do you have your phone, Mr. Kazuki?"
Kazuki shook his head, sighing. "Left it in your classroom before the meeting."
Isamu clenched his fists. "We need to find a way to get information—anything that tells us if help is coming, or what's happening out there."
Kazuki gave a somber nod. "We'll need to rest first. We'll take turns staying awake. I'll go first."
"I'll be second," Denji offered, his voice steady.
Isamu glanced toward a small window, spotting a zombie shuffling by outside. He shivered, then spoke up. "I'll take third, and stay up until morning. Get some rest. I don't sleep much anyway."
They arranged the tables in a loose circle, bags as makeshift pillows. Astrid curled up behind the counter, separated from the others for some semblance of privacy. The fluorescent lights blinked off, plunging the room into shadows.
Lying on the hard floor, Isamu stared at the ceiling, his mind racing. 'Is this my life now? Are Mom and Dad… gone?' He swallowed hard. 'That bottle I dropped… did I mean for Sato to slip, or was it just to get rid of infected water? I saved the rest of us, didn't I? If a bite turns you, blood must too…'
He squeezed his eyes shut, pushing the doubts away. 'Why do I care? The world's probably over anyway… a damn apocalypse like some stupid movie.'
He rolled onto his side, catching sight of Kazuki nodding off. With a groan, Isamu sat up and nudged him.
"Mr. Kazuki. Go to sleep. I'll take over."
Kazuki tried to protest but yawned halfway through. "All right," he mumbled, settling down in Isamu's spot.
As he took up watch, Isamu felt the weight of the quiet pressing down on him. 'How can they sleep with man-eating monsters outside, ready to pounce? But… tomorrow's problem,' he thought grimly. 'No point in worrying right now.'
...
Morning broke, pale sunlight filtering through the window. Denji blinked awake, rubbing his eyes. He spotted Isamu, still sitting at the table, staring blankly outside.
"Isamu," Denji yawned, stretching. "Why didn't you wake me? How long've you been up?"
Isamu shrugged, fatigue etched on his face. "I'll nap later." He nodded towards the kitchen. "I'll check on the food supply."
He moved quietly to the counter, finding Astrid stirring as he passed. Her gaze softened as she murmured, "Hey, Isamu."
He looked away, heading to the kitchen shelves as he ignored her. 'We'll need to ration everything,' he thought, his gaze sweeping over the supplies. 'Six people… maybe two, three weeks if we're lucky. I'll talk to Mr. Kazuki. He's probably thought about it too.'
Grabbing a banana, he washed it briefly and returned to the table, taking a bite before handing it to Denji.
Denji chewed thoughtfully, glancing around the silent cafeteria. "How're we getting out of here?" he asked through a mouthful.
"We'll figure that out once everyone's awake," Isamu said, his tone firm. "We need to be rational now, not emotional. One wrong decision could get us killed."