The moment Amari stepped back, ushering them into the dimly lit classroom, Elise hesitated.
She had randomly splitted from the group when they were escaping from the cafeteria and now here she was unscathed, inviting them into a classroom. There was also the fact that it had been two years since they last stood this close. Two years since Amari had cut her off without warning, without reason. Now, here she was, acting like nothing had ever happened.
Elise didn't move at first.
Not out of fear. Not because she thought Amari was dangerous. But because the thought of being trapped in a room with her again made something in her stomach twist.
Still, the hallway wasn't safe.
So, without a word, she stepped inside.
Amari quickly shut the door behind them, locking it.
The classroom was bare, desks shoved against the walls, papers scattered on the floor. It looked like it had been ransacked before Amari claimed it as her hiding spot. Elise wondered how long she had been in here. How she had survived alone.
The silence was thick. Elise didn't look at Amari.
Juno however was eyeing Amari carefully, suspicion clear in the way she crossed her arms. Callum didn't seem to care either way, he was still catching his breath. Damian, ever the pragmatist, wasted no time.
"What do you know?" he asked, voice clipped.
Amari raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"
"You've been holed up in here," Damian said. "What's the situation outside? How bad is it? Did you try going outside?"
Amari shrugged. "What do you think? It's bad. Obviously. I couldn't make it past the doors."
"What about you guys?" She said, focusing squarely on Elise. Elise knew she had no other choice than to talk to her.
Elise exhaled sharply. "We tried calling 911," she said, keeping her tone neutral. "Lines were busy. No help is coming."
Amari frowned but didn't look surprised. "And?"
Elise hesitated.
Juno shifted beside her, not saying anything, but Elise could feel the quiet, subtle support in the way she angled herself slightly toward her. Amari, however, wasn't paying attention to that. She was watching Elise closely, waiting.
So Elise forced the words out. "My dad answered."
A flicker of something passed through Amari's expression, shock? Relief? Before she schooled her features. "And?"
"He told me we need to get to a bus," Elise continued, feeling oddly uncomfortable saying it out loud. "We're supposed to go to the cabin."
The second she said it, Amari latched onto the idea immediately.
"Then what are we waiting for?" she said. "Let's go."
Elise blinked. "What?"
Amari gave her a look like she was stupid.
"Your dad said to get to the cabin, right? So we go. We find a bus or a car, and we get the hell out of here before we end up dead like the rest of them."
Elise's hands curled into fists.
Just like that?
No mention of the gym survivors? No hesitation? Not even acknowledging the fact that she had ditched Elise for the past two years?
Elise knew immediately that she couldn't even abandon Marlowe, not again. Not this time.
She felt her chest tighten in frustration. Juno must have noticed because out of the corner of her eye, Elise saw her shift again, just slightly, just enough to make it clear that she was standing by her.
It wasn't much. But it was enough.
Elise took a slow breath before speaking. "There are other students still in the gym."
Amari's brows furrowed. "And?"
Elise narrowed her eyes. "And we can't just leave them here."
"Why not?" Amari asked. "It's not like we can save everyone."
Elise's grip on her phone tightened. "We don't have to save everyone. Just the people waiting for us."
Amari huffed, shaking her head. "Elise. Be real. If they're still in the gym, they're sitting ducks. You think they're going to survive much longer?"
Elise's jaw clenched. "They're alive right now."
"So what? You want to risk all of us to go play hero?"
Elise wasn't even breathing at this point. "You're seriously this selfish?"
"Oh, give me a break," Amari scoffed. "You think we have time to hold hands and babysit people who should have left when they had the chance?"
"Elise is right."
The voice that spoke wasn't Juno's.
It was Damian. Amari turned toward him, clearly surprised. Damian crossed his arms. "We can't just abandon them. That's not right."
Amari rolled her eyes. "I don't think the zombies care about what's right, Damian."
"No, but I do," he said coolly. "If we can help them, we should."
There was a beat of silence. Then, Callum sighed. "So what's the plan?"
Elise exhaled slowly, her heart still pounding with frustration. "We split up," she said. "Some of us will go get the gym survivors. The rest will find a vehicle. We meet at the park and leave together."
Callum nodded. "Makes sense."
Amari looked like she wanted to argue again, but she didn't. Instead, she folded her arms and muttered, "Fine. But if they get themselves killed, that's on you. If you get yourself killed too, that's even more on you."
Elise didn't respond. She didn't even look at Amari.
Instead, she turned to the others. "Who's going where?"
Elise's hands were still tight around her phone, her pulse thrumming in her ears. The classroom felt too small, the air thick with unspoken tension. Damian was the first to break the silence.
"I'll go with you and Juno to the gym." His voice was firm, like the decision had already been made. "We know the way. And if things go bad, we can get out fast."
Elise felt a small wave of relief. Damian had her back.
Juno exhaled. "Guess that means I'm in, too."
Amari groaned dramatically, crossing her arms. "Wow. Look at that. The hero squad is all together."
Elise didn't even look at her. "Then you go find the bus."
Callum stretched his arms behind his head, his expression unreadable. "Guess I'm with Amari, then."
Amari turned toward him. "Yeah? You sure? Wouldn't wanna miss out on playing savior."
Callum shrugged. "No offense, but I'd rather take my chances out there than walk into a gym full of panicked people who might already be dead."
That stung. Elise knew he didn't mean it personally, but the words still dug into her ribs like tiny knives.
She really hoped Marlowe was still alive.
Juno scoffed. "Real nice, Callum."
He held up his hands. "Hey, I'm just saying. This plan? Kinda a gamble."
Amari smirked. "Finally, someone with a brain."
Elise ignored them. She turned to Damian. "How do we do this?"
Damian's expression was all business. "We move fast. Elise, Juno, and I take the back route to the gym, less open space, fewer chances to get surrounded. If the gym's safe, we get everyone out. If it's not…" He hesitated. "…we don't waste time."
Elise swallowed hard. She knew what that meant. If the gym was already lost, they wouldn't be stopping to save anyone.
Not even Marlowe, she said a silent prayer to God.
Juno shifted uncomfortably but nodded. "Fine."
Callum rolled his shoulders. "And we'll head for the parking lot. If we find something big enough, a bus, a van, whatever, we take it and circle back to the park closest to the gym."
Elise frowned. "What if you don't find anything?"
Amari tilted her head. "Then we keep moving. Simple."
Elise's chest tightened. "You'll wait at the park, right?"
A pause.
Amari smiled. "Sure."
Juno muttered something under her breath.
Damian narrowed his eyes. "You better be there, Amari."
"Oh my god, I said yes," Amari sighed. "Can we go now?"
Elise's fingers curled around her phone again.
This was it.
They were splitting up.
And there was no telling if they'd ever see each other again.