Isamu grabbed a joint, his hands trembling slightly as he dropped his bag to the cracked rooftop. The air was still, save for the faint groaning of the dead below. He jammed the joint into his mouth, using the still-smoldering barrel of his pistol to light it.
The cherry glowed red against the fading twilight as he inhaled deeply, smoke curling from his lips. Shoving the gun into his waistband, he exhaled slowly, his voice cutting through the silence.
"That… was f**king close," he muttered, the words laced with adrenaline. His eyes drifted to Hiroto's lifeless body, sprawled awkwardly on the cold concrete. 'Can't lie, putting that vending machine of a guy down was… satisfying. One less mouth to feed—or two, basically.'
Riku and Haruka hesitated before kneeling beside Hiroto's body. His face, pale and frozen in death, seemed to stare back accusingly. The blood pooling beneath him had already started to congeal, a dark reminder of the world they were now trapped in.
Mr. Kazuki approached Isamu, placing a firm hand on his shoulder. "You okay?" His voice was low, steady, yet tinged with concern.
Isamu's voice faltered as he tried to respond. "Uh, yeah. I think so. Pretty sure you're gonna need help carrying that one over."
"We don't have to worry about that right now," Mr. Kazuki said, glancing warily at the edge of the roof.
Below them, the dead stirred. The echo of the gunshot had roused the horde, their guttural growls rising into a chilling cacophony. Takumi leaned cautiously over the edge, peering down at the writhing mass.
"Well, that ain't good," he muttered, his voice tight. "How the f**k are we gonna get back to the cafeteria?"
Back in the Cafeteria
The group huddled near the window, their faces lit by the pale morning light. Each of them strained to hear over the silence that had settled after the gunshot.
"What the hell was that?" Denji murmured, breaking the tension. His voice was laced with unease.
"A gunshot," Yuto replied dryly, rubbing his temple. "Things must've gotten complicated out there." He chuckled softly, but there was no humor in it. "Yeah, let's hope nothing too complicated. The sign on the roof is the only plan we have right now. Can't have them f**king it up."
Astrid stood apart from the group, biting her lip nervously. Her hands clenched into fists, her knuckles pale. Denji caught the worry etched across her face and nudged her lightly.
"Worrying won't help them—or you," he said, his tone softer than usual. "Think about what you're gonna eat for breakfast or something."
She managed a weak laugh, shaking her head. "If only it were that easy. For some reason… I need to know he's alive." Her voice faltered, and she turned toward the window, staring out into the void. "I don't know if my family is alive, or dead, or turned, but him… I know he's out there, so I need him to stay alive."
Back on the Roof
Takumi and Isamu heaved Hiroto's body over the edge, the sound of it hitting the pavement below lost amid the growing cries of the horde.
"You got a good shot," Takumi said, glancing at Isamu. "Right in the head."
Isamu let out a short laugh, shaking his head. "Wasn't much room for error at a time like that."
"Yeah, but our fire escape route is toast now. You got any ideas on how to get back and bring the rest of the guys up here?"
Isamu tilted his head back, staring at the overcast sky. The smell of blood and smoke filled his nostrils. "No," he admitted. "I need some time to think about it. In the meantime, we should clear the fourth floor. It's got space and it's close to the roof. Could be home for a week or two."
Takumi smirked, his face lined with exhaustion. "How is it that this conversation already feels normal? We really are that f**ked, huh?" He hesitated before adding, "Hey, about what I said last time… I was scared. I shouldn't have tried to make you take someone else instead of me. Sorry."
Isamu blinked, momentarily stunned by the apology. 'Takumi apologizing? My day is starting to look a little too good. Better watch my steps.'
"It's okay," Isamu replied. "I didn't take any of it to heart. I know I put you in a tough spot. I didn't want to, but… well, you understand."
Takumi gave a curt nod, walking away.
The group descended to the fourth floor, barricading the stairwell. The stale air reeked of mildew and chemicals as they reorganized the science labs. Pushing back the barricade on the fifth floor revealed access to the restrooms.
Mr. Kazuki's eyes widened. "I almost forgot—the phones. Mine was dead, so I grabbed all of them. One of yours should be here."
Takumi and Isamu rifled through the bag eagerly, retrieving their phones. Their excitement faded as they unlocked them, the screens displaying the same grim message:
[Please be ware of deadly virus]
"Are you f**king kidding me?" Takumi spat, his voice rising. "Please be ware?! No fking shit!" He slammed his fist into the wall.
Isamu buried his face in his hands. 'That's not promising. Still in the dark. Nothing new. This hit to morale could be deadly. Gotta lift their spirits somehow—not my specialty, though. Probably just make it worse.'
Haruka's sudden laughter shattered the tension. It started as a giggle and quickly devolved into hysteria. She collapsed to the floor, clutching her stomach. "I told you," she gasped between fits of laughter. "Our efforts are in vain. We're gonna die!"
'This f**king bitch,' Isamu thought, glaring at her. 'I thought she was getting less annoying, but I guess not.'
Takumi snapped. "Could you shut the f**k up?! All you do is f**king fidget and rant about how hopeless everything is! If you wanna die, I'm sure we can spare a bullet so you can swallow one. Otherwise, keep that useless mouth shut!"
Haruka's laughter stopped abruptly. Her face went blank as she stood and walked to the other room without another word.
'That's one way to shut her up,' Isamu thought grimly. 'Don't know for how long, though. Better use this time to figure out how to get to the cafeteria safely. We just need one opening. The dead are slow now—maybe we can sprint past them.'
Mr. Kazuki's voice broke into his thoughts. "Isamu, don't blame yourself for what happened on the roof. You did what you had to do. The kid had already turned—there was nothing we could've done."
Isamu closed his eyes, nodding. 'Blame myself? Is that what he thinks I'm thinking about? I forgot about fatso the moment he hit the floor. Dwelling on the past won't help anyone, but they think it's the "normal" thing to do. Guess I'll play the part for now.'