A Nightmare: Born From Death
Chapter 1
The Last Day
"Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art…
It has no value; rather,
It is one of those things that give value to survival."
-C.S. Lewis
Alvarez High School, a place once so familiar to me, is now lost. Everything that I grew up so accustomed to is destroyed. My life as an average being ceased as life itself slowly seeped away from this earth. Now, to live means to fight. This is our current reality, and succumbing to fear or showing hesitation will mean death.
I gripped my pistols as I shot two more zombies.
My name is Khang, but our names no longer have meaning. We are all one and the same in the midst of this destruction. Every day is a fight for our lives, but what do we fight for? Why do we kill and kill and kill to continue living? There is no longer a future for us, or for this world. I guess this is something I'm still trying to answer myself.
But our world wasn't always this way. Though there were hardships, compared to what's happening now, our past lives were like a dream. Though like some dreams, we slowly come to realize that it had always been a nightmare.
Back then, the only thought on my mind was that it was the last day in high school. Little did I know that the words "last day" could carry such heavy meaning? That day was the day everything began. Or should I say, it was the day it all… ended…
Today was graduation day, the last day of school. All the graduating seniors had the last few periods at the auditorium. It was quite a sight. Everyone had on either a suit or dress or something nice. I was backstage with my classmates. We were all there – Nicholas, Ulises, Aileen, Andres, Minghua, Daniel, Shelly, Lisa, and Thomas. The scene was a very happy one; we were all good friends and we were having a good time. But that was just it, we were all very good friends and this was going to be the last moment we were all going to be together. We were off to different colleges and ready to move on with our lives. I let my mind wander about these thoughts when Daniel came through the crowd.
Daniel Plasencia: Hey man. I can't believe it! School's finally over! I swear if I see another sheet of homework or a test, I will kill someone.
Khang Huynh: You're always talking about killing someone…
Daniel just burst out laughing, being his laugh prone self. Aileen came over from the side.
Aileen Maranan: Daniel, you aren't laughing about death again are you…?
Daniel Plasencia: Am I really that predictable?
Aileen Maranan: Daniel!
I shook my head. With Daniel, there was no stopping his overactive, destructive, homicidal imagination. Just then we heard the senior counselor on stage call from the microphone.
Counselor: And now, welcome class number 94!
Daniel Plasencia: Well, this is it. See you around man, and have a nice summer.
I nodded. If you knew me well, you knew I didn't say much, but you could tell what I was saying anyways.
We filed onto the stage one by one as out names were called out in alphabetical order.
Counselor: Khang Huynh!
I strode on towards my line of friends as the audience clapped. We stood there staring at the people clapping for people they didn't even know. Fakers. Fake smiles, fake enthusiasm; they were only here for their own children, so why try to sugarcoat it for the rest of us? The counselor continued on with her list.
Counselor: And last but not least… Thuc… Truong…?
Thomas's name was called, and he walked to the line with his head down. People always got his name wrong. Finally, we were all lined up. Just another minute and it would officially be goodbye.
Counselor: Ladies and gentlemen, the class of 2017!
The audience went up in claps, screams, whistles, and hollers. We all took off our caps and threw them up into the air as confetti rained from the ceiling. Daniel yelled back to the audience.
Daniel Plasencia: Yay! Clap for me! Clap I say!
Khang Huynh: Daniel, really?
Suddenly the crowd just got a whole lot louder and there were screams and shouts and people started standing up.
Daniel Plasencia: See? They're listening to me!
Khang Huynh: What?
I looked over at the direction of the audience. People weren't just standing up. They were jumping and running and trampling each other. The back entrance of the auditorium was open. People were pushing their way towards the exits.
Shelly Robinson: What the? Holy crap!
Someone jumped onto the stage and tackled the counselor. She screamed then went silent as blood sprayed all over the stage.
Shelly kicked as hard as he could and sent the pair flying over the edge and back into the crowd down below.
Nicholas Chavez: Guys, over here! We can get out of here through the basement!
We all went backstage again and down the stairs to follow Nic.
Thomas Truong: Nic, what's going on?
Nicholas Chavez: I don't know man, but I don't want to hang around and find out.
We ran down the length of the basements until we made our way to the stairs leading outside in front of the cafeteria. Andres went to the door and listened for anything that might be on the other side. When he was certain it was clear, he waved us on
We filed out into the igloo area. To our left some of the crowd was breaking out of the auditorium. Though there were few because there were only 3 entrances and no windows. They were running from one man who looked disheveled and limped. We stood there watching and wondered what there was to fear. Maybe he was some murderer or burglar who broke into the school? We saw him run at an impossible speed even though it was obvious his leg was injured. He bit the nearest man from behind in the neck.
Lisa Su: Oh my god, is that a… zombie…?
She ran towards it. Was she crazy?
Minghua Ong: Lisa! What are you doing?!
Lisa Su: I've got to do something about it!
She ran right up behind it and kicked it behind the knee. It fell into a kneeling position. It tried to turn but it lost its balance and stumbled. She clawed it in the face with her nails and shoved it backwards.
Thomas Truong: Don't get bit Lisara! Come back here!
She ignored him and kicked it in the gut. As it doubled over it pushed off with its feet and tackled her. She let out a scream. The rest of them ran towards her yelling her name, but they were too late. The zombie was leaning over her and opened its mouth impossibly wide.
She kicked and punched it, but it held her down. It pulled its head back and prepared to sink its teeth into her neck. She closed her eyes and waited for her death. And she waited.
She opened her eyes and saw hands gripping its head back and its chin. They twisted and snapped the zombie's neck. It fell forward and Lisa rolled to the side as it dropped onto the asphalt.
I stood there staring at the thing I just killed. I had silently run behind it and snapped its neck. My ninja heritage.
Ulises Lira: Damn Khang, I didn't know you could do that.
I shrugged. There were more important things than one dead body right now.
Khang Huynh: We need to get to the school police station. They will have weapons there.
Nicholas Chavez: He's right guys. If we don't get something to protect ourselves with, we'll become easy targets. And if this goes on like I think it will, then this entire school is going to become a giant death trap.
He led the way across the igloo area until we reach the police station. The doors were closed and locked. Shelly walked up to the door and kicked it. It made a loud banging noise, but it didn't open.
Andres Martin: Dude, shh! You'll make them come towards us!
Shelly Robinson: Well how do we get in then?
Thomas stepped forward and pulled a paper clip from his pocket. Then he took off his shoe and pulled out a pocket knife.
Thomas Truong: Don't worry guys, I have it covered.
It took about 30 seconds for all the ticks to click or whatever is supposed to happen when you pick a lock. He pulled the door open and everyone got inside as quickly as possible. Thomas closed the door behind us.
Inside the room were a desk, a few chairs, closets, and a door leading to a back room. Most of us sat down, but I remained standing. Shelly and Ulises went to search the closets for anything useful.
Nicholas put his head in his hands and leaned back in his chair.
Nicholas Chavez: Man, what the hell is going on…
Andres Martin: It's a zombie apocalypse man!
Aileen Maranan: But how is that even possible?
While they continued their discussion I turned and left the room to the back. Through the doorway were a few lockers and another desk. I approached the desk and saw some papers and a pen holder. I searched the drawers on either side of the desk but all there was were a few files and binders.
I went up to the locker and pulled it open. It was just what I was looking for. Inside were an ammo box and a silver automatic pistol with a black grip. I belted the holster to my waist and walked back to the door.
I heard their voices on the other side of the door.
Thomas Truong: What are we supposed to do? We're screwed man!
Nicholas Chavez: Well we're not going to sit around and do nothing.
I came through the door while I unlocked the safety on the pistol. Chink.
Khang Huynh: We aren't going to do nothing, but we're not screwed. At least, not entirely.
Shelly Robinson: Khang's right. We've got weapons now, and we've always been talking about the zombie apocalypse before right? We planned this all out before it even happened.
Daniel Plasencia: So what do we do?
Ulises Lira: Follow Khang to the weapons!
I led the way in to the back room where I found my pistol. Luna, I'm deciding to call it. It's silver, like the moonlight.
They opened the police lockers and found nothing – except for Ulises who found another automatic pistol.
Daniel Plasencia: Well… that's discouraging… No weapons…
Thomas Truong: Shut up Jew, there have to be more somewhere.
Ulises gasped.
Ulises Lira: Guys, the JROTC!
Daniel Plasencia: The… what?
Nicholas Chavez: Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps. It's an elective for army training. They should have some practice guns in the underground shooting range.
Shelly Robinson: Well what are we waiting for? Let's go get them!
Shelly headed for the front entrance. His hand closed around the handle when Minghua turned to him.
Minghua Ong: Stop you idiot! There are still zombies outside you know? We can't just run outside across the campus without expecting them to see us.
Shelly Robinson: Well what do we do then? It's not like there's a backdoor. I say we do this the Arabian way and charge!
Aileen Maranan: Shelly, don't be an idiot! If you charge out now, you'll have no chance of survival!
Shelly Robinson: Alright, calm down. But I don't see any other way out of this place.
Nicholas Chavez: Guys, we still need some way to get to JROTC before the zombies spread everywhere and the other survivors take the weapons before us!
Andres Martin: Come on Thomas, let's go check again. Maybe we can find something.
He spoke in a hopeful tone, but we all knew it was hopeless. We had trapped ourselves in our own shelter.
I followed them as they ransacked every shelf, closet, and locker.
Nothing.
Andres looked defeated as he slumped to the floor and leaned his head back against the wall. Thomas sat down next to him and sighed.
Thomas Truong: This is hopeless man… We're all gonna die.
Khang Huynh: Don't say that Thomas. There has to be –
Just then they heard a metallic banging. Crash!
I raised my pistol. The sound was coming from the ceiling. There were some more bangs and then something came crashing down from the air vent. At one first look, one might have thought it was a regular student. But we knew better. If you actually looked, you would see that his skin was too pale, his arms to limp, his head hanging too low. You would see that he was a zombie.
When it hit the floor, it staggered and nearly fell off balance. It had landed directly on its feet from nearly 10 feet up from the ceiling and it looked as if it had landed on a bunch of pillows. Since these things were dead, my guess was that their nerves were dead too. I decided to test it out.
I shot it in the leg. It fell to one knee, probably from the force of the shot, but easily stood back up and ran at me. I held out my pistol at its face. It didn't hesitate to keep rushing at me at top speed. These things were pretty stupid too. I turned my shoulder to it and held out my pistol at arm's length.
It ran at me from across the room and it took less than 2 seconds to get to me. It reached me, or rather, its head reached Luna. The moment its head was about a centimeter from the muzzle, I fired. As I expected, it collapsed backwards and went limp. Dead.
Just as it hit the floor, Shelly and Ulises burst through the door, everyone else following in behind them.
Lisa Su: What happened? Are you guys alright?
Thomas Truong: Khang, are you crazy dude? You let it get so close, you could've got bit!
Khang Huynh: I was testing something, and I made sure every shot counted. I'm pretty sure that they will only die if you shoot them in the head.
Thomas opened his mouth to say something but then they heard pounding on the front door. They had heard the gunshots.
Nicholas leaned against the door to make sure they didn't break down the door.
Nicholas Chavez: Come on guys! Stack stuff against the door! If they get in, it'll be over before it even started!
We started stacking the desk and chairs and drawers against the door. When it looked like it would last, we went to the back room.
Minghua Ong: Well, what do we do now?
Andres Martin: Hey Shelly.
Shelly Robinson: Yeah? What is it Andres?
Andres Marin: I think we found that backdoor of yours.
Shelly Robinson: What?
I looked at where Andres was looking. He was staring up at the spot where the zombie had come through the air vent. If it had come in, then there was a way out.
We each hoisted each other into the stuffy, cramped, metal vent. We all knew that once we were outside, there was little chance we were going to survive. Outside were hordes of zombies that we were going to have to fight through if we were going to get to JROTC. But at least we had a fighting chance.
I was crawling through when I saw the light on the other side. It would only take 5 more seconds until this turned into a fight for our lives.
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