HIGH-SCHOOL OF THE DEAD: SHADOWS
Chapter one: enter the vigilante
Night had fallen over the city yet again. It wasn't a normal night now any more. Street lamps flickered ominously; blood was strewn across the street. Vehicles were either smashed into buildings, walls, each other or left abandoned, several buildings were burning in the distance thick black smoke poured into the night sky. The city was silent…but it wasn't abandoned. Out in the streets they shuffled around aimlessly. They looked like normal humans at first but at second glance you would be able to see they were anything but human, their skin was cold and grey, their eyes were completely white with dark circles around them, and some of them were missing limbs or large chunks of flesh. They were the living dead in other words zombies. And they were the reason the world had ended two weeks ago.
Up on the roof of an old factory a lone figure stood watching over the carnage and destruction. The light of the flames burning in the distance reflected off his crimson red eyes. He sighed as he watched a zombie drag a dead body into the park. In this city he was known buy many names, the dark omen, the angel of death, but there was one name that people always called him…the Night Hunter. Before the world ended he had been a very famous vigilante in this city. The factory he was in had been had been his home since he was six, since that….incident. he shook his head shaking those awful memories out of his mind. After that had happened he devoted himself to killing the scum of the world; rapists, psychos serial killers, gangs, ECT. He was called Night Hunter because he always came out at night and each morning his prey was found dead next to a crimson spiral drawn in their blood. Now he had devoted himself to helping people escape from the living dead as well as the dangerous people who still lurked in the city. "Everyday this world just keeps getting shittier." He muttered before sitting back down in his fold out chair and looking up the sky. Now that there was pretty much no lights in the city the stars were completely visible. Looking up at the stars he started to get very sleepy soon his eyes closed and for the first time in two weeks he let sleep take over him
- FLASHBACK -
He was in his room with his mother as they played their favorite game; battleship.
"That isn't fair I sunk your destroyer and you know it." He shouted.
His mother grinned. "Sorry kiddo but you missed again. You must be having some seriously bad luck tonight."It looked like steam was coming out of his ears when she said that.
"OH YEAH?...WELL…TAG!" he shouted hitting his mothers arm then running away.
"OH NO YOU DON'T!" she shouted running after him.
After fifteen minutes the two were on the floor panting and laughing.
"You two having fun?" his father asked leaning against the doorway. The boy grinned at his father in response. Suddenly a loud crash echoed throughout the house.
- END FLASHBACK -
He shot up in a cold sweat breathing heavily. He took a moment to collect himself then looked out on the city again the sun was rising in the distance. Seeing the sun he finally collected himself and stood up. He leaned on the edge and watched the sun rise. "It's been two weeks since the dead rose and the world ended… yet the world seems to be the same as its always been." He mused to himself. To him the only thing good about this world was that the bad people were getting eaten alive. He smirked at the thought. He was brought out of his thoughts by a faint noise he quickly looked around and saw the faint outlines of seven people walking down Fifth Avenue. He picked up his binoculars to get a better look.
They were still human that was pretty clear to him.
"7 people, 2 males, 5 females. One adult, one child, five high schoolers." He murmured identifying them. The first guy who appeared to be the leader looked to be around his age, wore a dark blue shirt, a high-school jacket and jeans, had semi-spiky light black hair, yellow gray eyes and a serious expression on his face. The weapon he carried was a Ithaca m35 shotgun. The second male was rather large but he looked military he wore glasses, had semi-long black hair wore the same clothes as the leader and wore a Kevlar vest over his jacket. He was armed with a knights SR equipped with a scope. He was looking around nervously as if expecting a fight to start. A little five year old girl skipping was happily next to him singing some kids song. One of the high school girls was nagging the fat kid, she had long pink hair and had braided them into pig tails and like him she wore glasses but the young vigilante couldn't but admit she looked damn good in them. He snickered at that thought before looking back down at them. The adult of the group was at least twenty four years old she had long blonde hair wore a school nurse's uniform and carried a medical bag. He snickered when he saw the fat guy steal a look at her rather large bust. The other two high school girls walked behind the group's leader the first girl had brown hair and eyes and carried a Springfield m1a1. She looked between the second girl and the leader with what seemed to be jealousy. The second girl had long purple hair and carried a katana which was strapped to her. She was smiling calmly at the leader even though he wasn't looking at her.
He continued to observe the group as they walked down the street making sure they were safe. Then he noticed movement coming from a nearby ally. Quickly shifting his attention from the group to the ally he spotted a group of thugs armed with knives, pistols, and one with a shotgun watching the group staring at the girls with hungry lustful eyes. He immediately knew that they didn't have any good intentions in mind as he watched them silently pursue the group and cursed. "Well it looks like someone needs to save their asses." He muttered. He then opened up a nearby locker inside were four weapons: an M4 assault rifle with a scope attachment, a 44 magnum, a katana, and a combat knife. He grabbed each of the weapons then took off.
Takashi felt uneasy. Ever since they left the mall things had been as usual the zombies were still everywhere and they fought them off as usual. But now that they were in this part of the city there were practically no zombies. It was unnerving to him and what was worse was that he felt as if someone was watching their every move.
"Hey mister Kohta what are you looking for?" he heard Alice say.
"Yeah fatty you've been looking around this whole place as if you were expecting someone to attack us." Saya sneered.
"Well this is the part of the city that the Night Hunter has been in the most" he said excitedly pointing at a crimson spiral.
"You mean that vigilante who always leaves that mark in criminal's blood?" Asked Takashi remembering the news reports he had seen in his dorm.
"Yeah he's taken down more criminals than all of the police forces in the country combined! Hell he even stopped a major drug trade in this city single-handedly when the police found the ware house they had all the drugs stored in all the criminals were dead. They were all shot, cut up or stabbed. The rounds were from an M4 and a 44 magnum and according to a hostage the criminals had taken the cuts and stabs came from a katana. He said he saw him take down twenty of the sixty guys with one. Apparently he's one hell of a swordsman." Kohta exclaimed Saeko being the swords master of the group raised an eyebrow at this.
"This guy actually saw the Night Hunter?" Asked Shizuka
Not really he said he stayed in the shadow so no would really see him but he said he saw the crimson spiral on the shoulder of the guys jacket." he replied
Takashi nodded. "So what you think we'll see him?"
Saya snorted. "I doubt it. He's probably left the city or gotten eaten or killed and if he is still here the guy doesn't like to be seen so it's very unlikely that we will see him."
"Well then we won't have to worry about him getting in our way." A lecherous voice spoke from behind them. The group turned to see 15 armed thugs closing in on them five were armed with pistols while the rest were armed with knives except for their leader. Takashi stepped forward readying his shotgun.
"What do you want?" he asked cautiously.
The leader who held an automatic shotgun laughed. "What do you think? we want your girlfriends here kid."
The rest of the thugs snickered and eyed the girls hungrily.
Takashi pumped his shotgun and aimed it at the leader. "Not gonna happen." he said
Then one of the guys ran forward and grabbed Alice
"ALICE!" Kohta shouted while the rest of the group looked on in horror.
"Make one move I cut the kid open." The thug hissed holding his knife towards the little girl's throat while she whimpered in fear.
Takashi glared at the thugs angrily. "Bastards." He hissed
The leader just smirked before looking at the girls. "Now who should go first?...how 'bout you Blondie?" he sneered walking towards Shizuka.
In a nearby ally the barrel of an M4 poked out of the shadows and aimed at the head of the thug holding Alice.
Shizuka looked on in horror as the thug moved closer.
"Oh I know I'm gonna enjoy this." he laughed.
Right at that moment a gun shot rang out followed by the sick sound of a bullet breaking through skull and brain; then a hole appeared on the forehead of the thug holding Alice.
Blood began rapidly leaking out of the hole and the man's eyes rolled into the back of his head before he let go of Alice and slumped to the ground.
"What the hell?" Snarled the leader he glared at the group. "Which one of you brats killed him?" He snarled.
"They aren't the ones you should be worried about." Another voice spoke from behind them all.
They all turned to see sixteen year old glaring at them. The boy had long spiky jet black hair with red streaks he wore a black jacket with a fur like tuft around the neck as well as a pair of white gloves. He held an M4, had a 44 magnum in the pocket of his jeans and a katana blade strapped to his back.
"Who the hell are you?" the leader growled.
The teen didn't answer he only looked over the thugs as if analyzing the best way to take them down.
"What the hell is that guy doing?" Takashi thought.
Suddenly one of the thugs gasped.
"The hell's wrong with you?" the leader growled
"B-b-b-boss…c-c-check out his jacket." He stuttered
Everyone then looked at his jacket at first there didn't see anything special then they saw it…imprinted on both shoulders of his jacket was the crimson spiral.
"It can't be…" Rei gasped.
"Night Hunter" Saeko murmered.
"No way" Saya whispered.
The thug leader snorted. "You're all kidding me right? You don't actually believe this kid is the Night Hunter do you? I mean look at him! He's just as old as these brats." With that he threw back his head and laughed the rest of the thugs joined him half halfheartedly.
The teen took advantage of their distraction and in one swift motion he slung his M4 over his shoulder and drew his magnum then dashed towards the leader with amazing speed.
"Holy crap he's fast!" Takashi thought
The leader suddenly stopped laughing the looked down to see the barrel of a 44 magnum pressing into his chest. Then he looked up into the red eyes of the teenage vigilante.
"You should have never attacked these people or underestimated me." He growled. "Scum like you are even lower than the zombies. Hell those things are a lot more civilized than you are because I don't see them trying to kill or rape each other. You deserve to die." He snarled with contempt in his voice. With that he pulled the trigger blowing a large hole in the guy. He hit the ground with a loud thud. Dead.
"Two dead" he muttered before looking at the remaining men. "Thirteen to go."
One overconfident guy eager to avenge his leader ran forward preparing to stab him.
The Night Hunter quickly holstered his pistol drew his katana and sliced the attackers head off then dashed towards the remaining thugs.
They were all to stunned to move so he took advantage of it and slashed the throats of three of them. "5 dead 10 to go."
The rest snapped out of their trance and took aim with their pistols or tried to stab him.
The teen quickly dodged the bullets and blocked several knife strikes one came at him from behind so he drew his magnum and blew his head off the he turned the gun on the five men holding pistols.
Five shots. five bodies hit the ground.
"That takes care of the pricks with the guns." He muttered.
One of them attempted to stab him from behind. He quickly grabbed him by his wrist and broke it making him cry out in pain before he pulled out his combat knife and stabbed him in the face.
Another thug slashed at him and he blocked the strike with his sword then punched the guy in the nose breaking it; then sliced his stomach open and kicked him to the ground.
Three thugs remained.
One attempted to rush him. The teen jumped, did a mid-air flip and as he landed sliced the man in half then tossed his knife and sword as fast as he could towards the last two.
The knife hit the first guy in the face while the sword pierced the second guys chest. They were both dead before they hit the ground.
Takashi and his friends could not believe what they had just seen. This guy had killed 15 guys in less than 3 minutes.
The teen then walked over yanked his knife out of the first guys face the then tore his sword out of the second guys body cutting him open in the process. Blood poured out of him like a river. Saeko eyed the teen with interest and intrigue while everyone else eyed him with awe and fear.
The teen then turned his cold red eyed gaze on them making everyone but Saeko flinch.
"Were any of you hurt?" he asked in his cold voice.
"N-n-no." Saya stammered.
"Oh relax you idiots I'm not here to hurt you." He said with an annoyed tone
The group relaxed then Saeko stepped forward and bowed.
"Thank you for your aid Night Hunter. We are all grateful for your rescue." She said
The teen nodded then his eyes widened and he clutched his thigh and doubled over in pain.
"Shit" he growled in pain. "Looks like one of them managed to land a hit on me."
Blood leaked out of the wound rapidly. "Damn he's hurt pretty bad." Thought Takashi. He then looked at Shizuka who nodded in reply and took out her medical supplies and walked towards the injured boy.
The teen looked up to see Shizuka and the others approaching him so he quickly pulled out his magnum and aimed it in their direction causing them to halt.
"Get away…" he growled
"Look we're only trying to help you so just put down the gun." Said Saeko calmly
"Why should I trust you?" He asked
"Because you risked your life to save ours and we want to repay you." Said Rei
"I don't need your help. I can take care of myself." He replied coldly.
"I don't understand why would you think we would harm you after you saved us?" asked Takashi
"I have my reasons." He said
"Look you were injured because of us. Please let us help you." Said Saeko
"I told you I don't need any help I can take care of myself." He growled.
At this point Saya got really mad. "LOOK ASSHOLE WE'RE TRYING TO HELP YOU. I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE A LONE WARRIOR TYPE OF GUY BUT FOR FUCKS SAKE STOP ACTING LIKE A TOUGH GUY AND LET US HELP YOU BECAUSE WITH A WOUND LIKE THAT YOU COULD DIE!" she shouted angrily.
The teenage vigilante glared at her than at the nurse.
"It's true." said Shizuka. "If we don't stitch that wound up you could bleed to death"
The teen considered this then felt someone tap his shoulder. He looked to see Alice.
"Please let us help you mister I don't want to see you die." She said with that child-like innocence of hers.
The teen looked at her for a minute then sighed. "Fine" he grumbled.
Immediately Shizuka start to work on stitching up the wound while everyone else watched.
"So…are you the real Night Hunter?" Asked Saya
"Ask them." He replied pointing at the dead thugs.
Saya grimaced looking at the bodies.
He's the real deal alright but my question is why are you still around? I thought you would've left the city or gotten killed by zombies or psychos during the chaos." Said Takashi
The teen snorted. "It's going to take a lot more than a few psychos and an army of walking dead to kill me."
"Oh really? It looks like you would have died today from that wound if you didn't let us help you." Saya noted
"I could have patched myself up back at my hideout smart-ass but you insisted on helping me." He growled
Saya scowled and started to say something but Takashi glared at her silently telling her to shut up.
"Anyway you never answered my question." Said Takashi
"I'm still here for two reasons: one: I have no place else to go; and two I need to help people like you who are still human and sane escape the zombies as well as the people who went crazy." He explained
"Well what about family I mean wouldn't your parents be worried about you? Do they even know what you do?" Asked Rei
The teen flinched hearing that. "They died when I was six" he said quietly.
Everyone then decide to stop questioning him.
"There! All finished it will sting for a little while but you'll be okay" said Shizuka as she put the finishing touches on the stitches.
The teen stood back up and let out a hiss of pain.
"Thanks." He grunted
Suddenly a shuffling noise was heard followed by loud moaning
They all turned to see a horde of zombies shuffling down the street towards them.
Takashi cursed."Shit looks the noise we made attracted them."
The teen looked from the group to the zombies then back at the group
"Follow me" he ordered before taking off
The group immediately dashed after him.
"By the way" Saeko shouted "what's your name?"
The teen turned to look at her for a moment. She could have swore that he saw fire in his eyes
"You can call me Shadow." He said in an ominous tone
TBC…
the first chapter of my first fanfic
also my OC is based off the human form and personality of shadow the hedgehog. and while he calls himself Shadow that is not his real name
to see what my OC looks like please go to my profile.