Hey, all! Here is chapter two! We finally get to see some Saeko action in this! Still no lemons yet though... sigh...
I forgot to mention last chapter (I always forget to mention something... -_-') that the very first paragraph, the one where Rei draws the picture, was my lame attempt at foreshadowing. Thought I'd just mention it... even though it sucked.
By the way, Horror, Adventure... basically anything that isn't Romance, isn't my strong point. So I might end up concentrating more on the relationship between Saeko and Rei then bashing zombie skulls in. Of course, there's still the plot... I mean, there'd be no story without the plot, right? I'm just warning you now that it might be... meh. We'll see.
And thanks for the reviews from last chapter!
Disclaimer: I don't own Highschool of the Dead. Sad face.
Highschool of the Dead: Yuri Edition – ACT 2. Escape from the Dead
Rei's P.O.V.
Takashi and I sat with our backs against the Observatory wall. I hugged my knees to my chest, gazing up at the sky with hopelessness. The barricade we had set up was still holding, though 'they' had shifted it so much their arms were now able to reach in from between the long tables. The rattling sound they made knocking against it was a constant background noise.
Takashi glanced over his shoulder at the desks and chairs blocking 'their' way and muttered, "... This is really fucked up."
I looked at him sideways. "... You're so blunt." I stated.
He pointed behind him. "What good would lying do?"
We stared at each other for a few seconds before Takashi cracked a smile. It was oddly contagious, and before I knew it we were both laughing. I wasn't even really sure what we were laughing about, but it felt good... But at the same time, it felt wrong. My eyes fell on Hisashi's body lying feet away and I quickly sobered.
I got to my feet and held out my hand to Takashi. "I'm going to try calling my dad." I told him, "Give me your phone."
He fished it out of his pocket as he said, "Even if your dad's on the force, we still can't get through to the 9-1-1 hotline."
I took it, dialed the number and held it to my ear. "I know the number of a cell he told me never to call him on." I wished that I had thought of it sooner. Maybe things would've turned out differently... My eyes flickered over to the unmoving body nearby again before swerving away. After a couple rings, there was a click. "He picked up..." I said, and Takashi leaned forward in surprise. "Ah! Dad..."
"Hello?" My father answered. The connection wasn't perfect; there was a lot of static, but I was so relieved and excited to hear his voice. "Hm, this number is... Takashi-kun, that you?"
"Dad? Dad! We're at school..."
"Hello? Takashi-kun? Did you get this number from Rei? Is she safe...?"
"Dad! Can you hear me?"
"... is! Got it? Your family... from there to town..."
"Dad! Dad!" I shouted desperately. Why couldn't he hear me? And the static was getting worse, so I could only make out bits and pieces of what he was saying.
"... it seems..." There was a loud thud from my father's end that made me jump and I looked at Takashi who had stood up, his eyes wide like mine. "Got it? The town..." The phone clicked and we both stared down at the screen.
"He... hung up." I whispered, hardly able to believe it. I thought to try calling again, but then I noticed something. "I've got no bars?" I spluttered incredulously, my eyes tearing up as I repeatedly pressed redial only for the call to not go through, "But I was just on the phone! Why!? How!?"
"Rei!" Takashi put a restraining hand on my shoulder, but it made me feel no better.
I turned to him, tears spilling down my cheeks. "My dad never realized it was me!" I wept. What if... What if I didn't survive? My parents would have no idea what happened to me. What if they didn't make it? I would never see them again... The thought broke mt heart and I sobbed harder.
Takashi looked like he was going to put his arms around me in comfort, but instead his frown deepened and his hand fell from my shoulder. His gaze moved to the blockade. "... We need to figure out how to get out of here." He murmured, "Before 'they' get in..."
I sniffled, my blubbering having subsided, and I followed his gaze. Takashi had a point. The barricade wasn't going to hold out for much longer. One of 'them' was trying to shove their upper body through the gap between the long tables, which looked as if they were about to topple over. We didn't have much time.
I racked my brain. What could we do to get off the roof safely? And then we'd have to contend with the zombies throughout the school... but we'd worry about that when we got to it. I lowered my eyes to the broom handle in my hand and then glanced at the metal bat in Takashi's. There was about five of 'them' on the other side of our barricade, so charging them with our makeshift weapons was probably not the best idea.
I frowned. Was there really nothing we could do? I glanced at the door to the Observatory. Had there been anything in there we could use? There wasn't really much in there though. Just some extra chairs and desks, the sleeping bags, bags of snacks and water...
I blinked, and then a smile spread across my face. "Of course!" I exclaimed, and Takashi gave me a puzzled expression. "How did I not think of it earlier?"
"What?" He asked quickly, "What is it? You have an idea?"
"The fire hose!"
"The fire...?" Understanding dawned on his face and he smiled. "The hose! We can blast them out of the way!"
"Will it work though?" I questioned, my grin lessening.
"... There's only one way to find out, right?" Takashi said, "At the very least, it'll push them down the stairs and hopefully smash some of their heads open in the process."
He made his way to the Observatory door and I followed. We opened the fire hose cabinet and peered in. The hose was neatly rolled up and beside it was a wheel to control the water flow.
After staring at it for a few seconds, Takashi looked at me. "Here's what we'll do." He said, "I'll spray them with the hose out there, and I'll need you to turn the water on when I say so, okay?"
I hesitated. "Are you sure this is going to work?" I asked dubiously.
"What? It was your idea. Are you having second thoughts?"
"Of course I am. If this doesn't work..."
Takashi paused, studying my face. I knew he understood what I meant. If this failed, we'd probably be killed and end up as one of 'them'. "Don't worry, Rei. We'll be okay." He said, patting my shoulder.
I wanted to take comfort from his words but I could tell that he hardly believed them himself. Takashi was too honest. His expressions give him away. However, I nodded anyway to show I understood. "But wait..." I said, "What about... What about Hisashi?"
Takashi looked at me with sad eyes before shaking his head. "Rei... We're going to have to leave him here."
I understood the reasons but it stilled pained me greatly. "Okay..." I said, and then I gave a nod towards the fire hose. "Be careful."
He handed his bat to me before unattaching the hose from inside the cabinet and dragging it with him as he left the Observatory. I placed both my pole and his bat against the wall before taking my place in front of the valve, clutching the wheel and preparing to turn it at his signal.
A few seconds passed before Takashi called out to me, "All set?"
"Ready!" I tightened my grip, hoping with all my might for this to work.
"Crank it!"
I spun the wheel and was thankful when there was no resistance. I heard the water rush through the tube and then Takashi's startled outburst.
"Whoa! Shit..."
I grabbed our weapons and ran out of the Observatory to see him wrestling with the hose. The pressure of the water made Takashi lose his grip on it and now he was struggling to point it downwards at 'them'.
"Takashi!" I cried out, rushing forward to help him.
"I'm o–kay!" He said in a strained voice before I reached him. Then he spoke again, "You talk like everything's so fun..." It took me a moment to realize he wasn't talking to me. "I envy how easy you get to take it!" He turned the hose to the barricade and it blasted the tables back, knocking them into the monsters and pushing everything down the stairs. "Take that!" He really seemed to be enjoying himself. As we had hoped, a good number of 'them' hit their head on the hard concrete and ceased moving.
\ "Good idea, thinking to use this fire hose!" Takashi said to me with a grin.
His compliment made me feel elated. "The water pressure from a fire hose is amazing." I replied with a smile as I slowly followed him down the steps. "Remember when the firefighters came and showed us in junior high?"
"I'll never forget after this!" He sounded close to laughing as he sprayed two more of 'them' down the stairs.
Finally, there were no more corpses loitering nearby. Takashi shut off the hose and we both observed the roof's water damage. "You think... that does it?" I asked him.
His mouth had returned to a frown. "It's a real mess inside... You ready for this?"
Instead of vocalizing an answer, I took a determined step forward. I stopped though in order to hand Takashi his bat. Our hands touched momentarily and we both jerked away. Earlier I mentioned that Takashi still held feelings for me... but I couldn't deny that I did too.
"Let's go." He said seriously, his eyes not meeting mine.
I frowned and nodded before glancing back at the Observatory. I felt horrible leaving Hisashi's body up there, but... there was really nothing we could do. I sent him a final farewell in my head before turning away, tears prickling in my eyes. Takashi was staring at me, but after a second he turned, looking grim.
There was only on of 'them' standing between us and the door that led back inside, and we rushed it at the same time. I stabbed it in the stomach which caused it to double over, giving Takashi the opportunity to slam it over the head with his bat. Once it had fallen to the floor, I voiced a question that had been bothering me. "Where... do we go?"
Takashi paused, his back to me so I couldn't see his face. After a few moments, he looked back at me. "Our homes!" He answered, "Staying here forever won't do us any good. We'll hook up with other survivors somehow and help each other get back home! Even though we live in the dorms, everybody's from town. Something will come of it."
I nodded. The idea seemed sound. "Yeah... You're right. I know my dad's okay, so... Ah, we have to call your family too, Takashi."
He shook his head. "We can do that later. Besides, my dad's on a business trip and my mom's an elementary school teacher, so she's not home." His face split into a boyish grin. "If we called, she'd make a racket about interrupting her."
I giggled. "Don't make me laugh at a time like this." I chided him with a smile.
His grin lessened as he went to open the door. I knew he wasn't serious about what he said. I could tell he was extremely worried. After all, our school was full of man-eating monsters. How was his mother faring when she was at a school too?
After making sure none of 'them' were in sight, Takashi nodded at me before disappearing inside. I took a deep breath before following him into the high school of the dead.
Saeko's P.O.V.
It was shocking how quickly things turned to hell. One minute everyone is bored out of their minds in classrooms and the next, they're either cannibals or running away from those who are. Though this was certainly a nightmare, a part of me, the side of my personality I try my hardest to suppress, was elated. It's interesting how rapidly the world could change in favor of my dark side. I had no moral qualms with killing these beasts, even if they were once human. I hungered for their blood to spill out onto the floor, and it took all my will to squash down my violent urges. Right now, the important thing to do was escape this infested school.
I made my way down the hall, unflinching at the great amounts of blood littering the walls and ground. I held my bokken tightly in my hand, using it when necessary to cut down any of those monstrosities in my path. I hadn't come across any survivors as of yet and I was beginning to believe there were none when I heard the sound of shattering glass, soon followed by screaming.
The noise came from up ahead. I raced forward and turned a corner to see a mob of the fiends forcing their way into the infirmary. I frowned. I was unsure of whether I should step in and attempt to save whoever was inside. There was at least a half dozen of the monsters, so rushing them was a little risky if they came at me all at once. And by the sound of the shrieking issuing from in there, I was already too late. At that, I turned away, deciding to find another way around.
The person screaming stopped long enough to shout, "Sensei! Run..."
I hesitated. So there was someone else in there, and it seemed that they hadn't been bitten yet. I wondered if it was the school nurse, Marikawa-sensei. It would certainly make sense.
I heard a woman's frightened voice from inside and tightened my grip on my wooden sword. No matter how tainted my soul may be, I couldn't stand by and allow someone's death to take place. A death I could prevent.
I ran forward and quickly took out the thing lingering in the doorway, bashing it's head in with a rapid swing of my bokken. Soon after my first encounter with these beasts, I learned that the only way to defeat them was by hitting their heads with a great amount of force. For reasons I did not know, they weren't affected by anything else. It seemed they could not feel pain.
I stormed into the infirmary and immediately saw Marikawa-sensei being cornered by the zombies. There was also a boy sprawled on the floor, the monsters ripping flesh from his arms and neck as he screeched agonizingly. It was too late to save him, but Marikawa-sensei still had time.
The nurse hadn't noticed my entrance, so when I strode forward and brought my bokken down on the head of the nearest corpse, she looked shocked and confused when it fell to the floor with a thud. Before the other things got a chance to attack, I made quick work of them, taking the remaining two out simultaneously. Finally, once every single undead was disposed of, the nurse looked at me with grateful eyes.
I, however, said nothing to her, for the boy who sacrificed himself to save sensei was bleeding horribly against the wall, his breaths coming in painful pants. I recognized him as the second-year who always followed the school nurse around as an aid, and I couldn't help but pity him. I approached and knelt before him, reaching out and placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I am captain of the kendo club, Saeko Busujima." I said, my face solemn, "Second-year, what is your name?"
He had a fit of coughing before he could answer, spraying my sleeve with his blood. I was unfazed. "Kazu... Ishii..." He choked out.
"Ishii-kun, you protected Marikawa-sensei well. I salute your courage." My gaze remained unwavering as I got to the point. "You know what happens to those who get bitten, don't you? Do you want your family and friends to see you like that? If you'd rather not, then though I haven't murdered anyone before... I will help you." After all, it was cruel to leave him suffering. And no one would want to become a monster.
He gave me a sad but grateful smile. "P... Please..." I heard the begging in his voice and I stood.
Marikawa-sensei seemed to realize what I was about to do and stepped forward, her face horrified. "Huh? Wait! What are you...?"
I held out a hand to stop her approach. "You may be a nurse, but I'll have to ask you not to interfere." I told her seriously. I took a stance in front of the boy, preparing myself for the task at hand. "Protecting a man's honor is the very source of pride for a woman." As I brought my sword down and the flame that was Kazu Ishii's life went out, I realized that I might not be so different from those monsters.
Rei's P.O.V.
Takashi and I ran down the hall, making our way through the school to reach its exit. Fortunately we hadn't bumped into too many of 'them' during the few minutes we'd been inside, but I also noticed that we hadn't come across any other living people. Was it possible that we were the last ones...?
When I opened my mouth to ask Takashi what he thought of the silence, a scream split the air and both of us stopped in our tracks. It sounded close. "Do... Do you think that could be another survivor?" I questioned, my body tense and the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end.
"Could be." Takashi said with a frown, "... We'll check it out."
I nodded and we took off again in the direction of the shout. I could tell Takashi didn't dare to hope, and I felt the same. We could already be too late to help this person, so it was better to expect the worst than hope for the best and get disappointed.
The yells of the person grew louder as we drew closer, and Takashi and I rounded a corner to see a student being surrounded by three of 'them'. He looked familiar with his blonde hair up in a messy mohawk and a guitar case strapped to his back.
Before I could place a name to his face, Takashi spoke up beside me. "Morita!?"
The boy looked our way, his face pale and frightened as he stood flattened against the wall as the zombies dragged themselves towards him. "Komuro!? Komuro, help me! Please help me! These things are gonna eat me!"
"Don't move!" Takashi commanded as he dashed forward to aid the other boy. He smashed his bat against the side of the nearest monster's head, sending it flying sideways. I followed his lead and stuck the end of my broom handle in the back of another's head. They fell to the floor and the third one turned to reach for me before Takashi took that one out too. Once it collapsed, Morita, who I now recognized as another slacker Takashi hung out with and a fellow second-year, slumped against the wall breathing heavily.
"Wow, you guys really saved my skin. Thanks, Komuro! You too, Miyamoto!" He said gratefully before peering down at the immobile corpses and shivering. "Jeez, what the hell is this? Everyone's eating each other... So insane! You guys got a clue about what's going on?"
I shook my head as Takashi said, "No idea, but we're trying to get out of here."
Morita nodded in understanding before looking down at the bat in Takashi's hand and the pole in mine. "Good idea, using those as weapons. All I have is my guitar, and I'm not about to go swinging it around."
"What are you doing here, Morita?" Takashi asked, a puzzled look on his face, "This morning you told me you were going to sneak back to the dorms."
"I did, but while I was in my room, I heard a ruckus outside and went to check it out. When I realized everyone was going crazy, I hightailed it out of there. Along with my guitar of course." He patted the case affectionately.
"But why would you come to the school?" I asked, and I could tell that Takashi had been wondering the same thing.
Morita shrugged. "I dunno. Kinda thought that maybe it was only happening at the dorms and that I could get help. Turns out its happening over here too. Good thing you came along when you did or else I would've been a goner."
Takashi and I shared a look, suddenly remembering where we were. "Speaking of being goners," Takashi said, "We have to get a move on before more of 'them' show up. You want to come with us?"
"'Them', huh?" Morita looked speculative for a moment. "Might as well. There's no reason to stick around here and there's no way I'll survive on my own, that's for sure. Where are you headed once you get out?"
"We're going to check on our families." I told him.
He nodded. "Good plan. Hope my folks are okay. And my little bro too. I don't know what I'd do if..." He looked extremely anxious for a second before shaking it off. "No, I'm sure they're fine. Well, guess we should head out, right? Oh, by the way, I've been meaning to ask..." The blonde boy's eyes flickered between Takashi and I, "Where's Igou at? Did you guys get separated?"
My body chilled and I turned away, not wanting either of them to see the tears brimming in my eyes.
"Hisashi... didn't make it." Takashi said quietly, his voice tight.
"No way, really? Crap, I'm sorry. He was a good guy." I could feel Morita's eyes on me but I kept my gaze glued to the wall. I could feel the grief coming back and I tried my hardest to keep it down.
"Anyways..." I could hear the awkwardness in the guitarist's voice, "If we're going to get out of here, I guess I should get myself a weapon too, huh?"
"I don't think we should go out of our way to find one." My childhood friend said, an edge in his tone, "For now, stay behind Rei and I until we come across something."
"Sure. So are we going out the front or–"
Suddenly, loud sounds issued from down the hall, echoing through the corridor. The three of us looked at one another.
"Gunshots...?" Takashi murmured. I had been thinking the same thing.
"They're coming from the faculty room." I noted.
"You think it could be others?" Morita asked.
Takashi hesitated. "Maybe..."
"I think we should go take a look."
The boys peered at me and nodded before we took off down the hall, Morita close at our heels as we went to investigate the disturbance.
Saeko's P.O.V.
"Let's go to the faculty room..." I repeated Marikawa-sensei's words as she and I quickly made our way down the hall, "What an absurd suggestion."
"But we could get away in my car." She told me, jogging to keep up with my long strides. I used my forearm to brush away the arm of an oncoming monster as she continued, "All the keys are there."
I frowned. While escaping the school was our current goal, after that... There was no way of knowing if the rest of Tokonosu was facing the same threat as us. Though, seeing as how there hasn't been any signs of police, the situation did not seem promising. Having a means of transportation would be ideal, I suppose...
As I mulled it over in my mind, another zombie approached, its mouth agape and that irritating moan falling from it's lips. I used the tip of my bokken to push it aside so we could continue unhindered.
"Why don't you do them in, once and for all?" The nurse asked curiously, following me closely, "It'd be easy for you, Busujima-san."
"Crushing the head of every one we come by is the same as trapping ourselves." I explained patiently, "We'd be surrounded. Besides, they're quite strong. Once they have you in their grasp, it's difficult to get away."
"Ooh, wow..." Sensei murmured. Soon after that, I heard a thud accompanied by a yelp of surprise. Glancing back, I saw that the nurse had tripped and fallen on her face; or at least, she would have landed on her face if her large chest hadn't gotten in the way. "Awww!" She whined as she sat up and rubbed the back of her head, "What else could go wrong?"
We didn't have time for these kinds of setbacks. I crouched in front of her and she looked at me with a puzzled expression. "It's because your attire isn't conducive to running." I said to her before reaching out and ripping her skirt, to which she yelled out in protest.
"Awww, this is Prada!"
The rip extended to the top of her thigh, and just visible was a portion of what looked like a frilly thong. My eyes lingered for a long moment before I looked away with a sigh. "Brand name clothing or your life... Which do you value?" I asked her in slight exasperation. She's a beautiful woman, but a little too airheaded for my taste.
"... Both!" The nurse said angrily just as I heard what sounded like gunshots coming from the way we were heading.
I turned, my eyes narrowing as I deduced the location of the noise. "... The faculty room?"
Rei's P.O.V.
The boys and I were coming down the staircase to the second floor when a nearby scream made us stop. Takashi nodded when we looked at him, so we bounded down the rest of the steps without a second thought and rounded a corner. Right outside the faculty room were two people I recognized from my class, Saya Takagi and Kouta Hirano, surrounded by a handful of 'them'. Hirano had somehow gotten hold of a nail gun and was hurriedly filling it with more nails. What shocked me was that Takagi-san had grabbed an electric drill and jammed it into the forehead of a zombie, shredding its flesh and spraying blood everywhere.
"DAMN YOU! DIE! DIE!" She was shrieking, unrelenting even as the monster fell to the ground, "DIE, DIE, DIIIE!"
I noticed some movement to the right. Two other people had come from the other corridor, having probably heard Takagi-san's outburst as we had. One I recognized as Marikawa-sensei, the school nurse, while the other was a tall, dark haired girl wearing the school uniform, though her skirt was abnormally longer. In her hand was what looked like a wooden sword, and for some reason she seemed really familiar.
Her and Takashi's eyes met, and they nodded before the girl shouted out, "Right side is mine!"
"Rei!" Takashi said to me, "Hold back the left!"
I nodded once in understanding as Morita and Marikawa-sensei stood back, and then we were off. There was only one of 'them' to the left, which was just fine by me. I rushed him with my makeshift spear, and in a matter of seconds I had embedded the nail on the end of the broom handle in the undead's jaw. It dropped to the floor and I quickly looked up to see if the others needed help. That was when our eyes met.
She was studying me with dark eyes, a small smile on her lips. I wondered why she was staring at me so carefully when she had yet to take care of the monsters on her side. Speaking of which, they were getting dangerously close to her... I opened my mouth to shout a warning, but before I could, she turned away and used her weapon to knock the two things off balance before delivering a final blow to their heads with a lot of force. I stared at her awestruck. She had done it so effortlessly, and appeared so graceful while doing it... Who was she?
The sound of Takashi bashing the head of the last one reminded me that there were still things to be done. Takagi-san had collapsed to the ground, apparently having no more energy to stand, and I hurried over to her. "Takagi-san! You okay?" I asked her worriedly.
"Miyamoto..." She whispered, recognizing me. Her face and uniform were covered in blood, her eyes were wide and tearful, and she was visibly shaking. I felt so sorry for her.
Marikawa-sensei came over to take a look at her and that was when I noticed that the others were introducing themselves.
"I take it you know nurse Marikawa?" The long haired girl was saying, "I am Saeko Busujima. Third-year, class A."
I paused. That name sounded really familiar. And she used a wooden sword... That style of fighting was kendo, wasn't it? As Takashi finished introducing himself, it finally clicked as to why I knew her. "You're Busujima-senpai, who won the national tournament last year!" I said excitedly, "I'm Rei Miyamoto from the spear club!" I had seen a video of her performance last year, and after that I really admired her.
"Morita, 2-A." The blonde guitarist said, staring at Busujima-senpai with reverence, almost as if he had just met his idol.
Hirano spoke up next, stuttering over his words, "Ah, uh. I'm K-Kouta Hirano from c-class B." He appeared to be looking at senpai with almost the same face as Morita.
Busujima-senpai smiled and said, "Nice to meet you."
Morita and Hirano's mouths dropped open, struck by her charm. I had to agree, she was really pretty.
"What's everyone getting all slack-jawed over..." I turned my head and saw Takagi-san unsteadily making her way over.
Takashi frowned. "What are you talking about, Takagi?"
She turned to him, her eyes wide with anger. "Don't mock me!" She screeched, sounding hysterical, "I'm a genius! If I wanted to, I would never let anyone beat me!" I wondered if this was how crazy I sounded when I had been losing it on the roof. Before Hisashi...
Busujima-senpai approached the pig-tailed girl from behind and placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's okay now." She said comfortingly but firm at the same time, "Stop this."
Takagi-san then caught sight of herself in a nearby mirror, caked in blood. "Ah ahh... Aww, I got so dirty." She said shakily, and I was surprised at how childish she suddenly sounded. "I'll have to tell my mom to take this to the cleaners..." Without warning, she began to cry, clutching at Busujima-senpai, the person closest to her. Her legs gave out and, so Takagi-san wouldn't abruptly fall to the ground, senpai guided her slowly down. I felt an immense pang of pity as I watched Takagi-san sprawled on the floor, sobbing into Busujima-senpai's shoulder as the older girl patted her gently on the back of her head.
Saeko's P.O.V.
I pitied the girl in my arms. It was not surprising as to why she was acting like this. Not many people can stay sane after watching the world they knew crumble in such a violent manner. Though I wondered what that said about me.
As I continued to comfort the crying girl, Takagi-san I believe it was, I turned my gaze to the others. Their faces were filled with sorrow which, given the circumstances, was completely understandable. However, with the possibility of zombies ambushing us at any given point, it wasn't safe lingering in the hall for too long.
I glanced down at Takagi-san, her face still buried between my shoulder and my neck. "Have you calmed down?" I murmured in her ear so the others wouldn't hear, having a feeling that she wouldn't take kindly to that.
Her quiet sobs immediately broke off, as if she suddenly realized that she was crying on a stranger. She leaned back, her face somehow angry but embarrassed at the same time, and she stared at me for a second before her eyes swerved away to glare at the floor. "... Yes." She said almost inaudibly before fully separating from me to stand.
I followed her lead and got to my feet before addressing the others. "I think it would be ideal to move on." I voiced, and six pairs of eyes landed on me, "It's not safe here."
There were a few nods of agreement before the dark haired boy, Komuro-kun spoke, "We need to get out of the school."
"We can take my car!" Marikawa-sensei blurted.
We fell silent, assessing the situation. Miyamoto-san was the first to speak. "Well... Having a car would be helpful, wouldn't it?"
"Assuming those things can't open car doors, yeah." I heard Morita-kun murmur, more to himself than anyone else.
"Sensei, do you have your car keys on you?" Komuro-kun asked the blonde woman.
"No, but they're in the faculty room."
"Well, we're already there, so we might as well." The boy said hesitantly, his eyes flickering to each of us to see if we agreed.
None of us protested, and so we all approached the faculty room door. Miyamoto-san was the first to reach it, and when she placed her hand on the doorknob to open it, Komuro-kun stopped her.
"Wait, Rei. There might be more of 'them' inside. I'll go first."
She opened her mouth stubbornly, probably about to refuse his offer, but at the sight of the rest of us watching, she stepped back with a frown.
As Komuro-kun opened the door carefully, I noted what he had called those monsters. 'Them'. Perhaps it was they're way of separating themselves from those things, to avoid seeing them as human beings. I suppose it worked to some degree.
"It's clear." Komuro-kun said, pushing the door open all the way. The others filed in as I peered down the hallway to make sure it was empty. Once we were all inside, one by one the others dispersed throughout the room, looking exhausted.
"Everyone's out of breath. Let's rest for a while." I said aloud, thinking it would be best if we caught a break. All of us were worn both physically and mentally, which wasn't ideal if an emergency came up. As I suspected, nobody opposed the idea.
Komuro-kun rounded up the other two boys, Hirano-kun and Morita-kun, planning to create a blockade against the door in case more of 'them' arrived. When they began moving some tables, I noticed Takagi-san nearby. She seemed withdrawn, her hands clutched to her chest as she stared at the floor, still covered in crimson. I assumed she'd feel at least slightly better if she was able to wash some of it off, so I approached her and lightly placed my fingertips on her shoulder to get her attention.
"There's a sink over there, if you'd like to clean yourself up." I murmured to her discreetly, gesturing towards it with my head.
She followed my gaze for a second before meeting my eyes again. "Thank you." She said quietly before leaving my side. As I stared after her, I wondered if the girl ever had an expression on her face that didn't look remotely angry. It didn't seem likely.
Marikawa-sensei had collapsed in a chair, her face hidden in her arms on a desk. The seat beside her was unoccupied, so I moved to fill it. I might as well rest while I could, because there was no telling when we would have to be on our way once again. I leaned my bokken against the side of the desk beside me, making a mental note to wipe it off later to rid it of the drying blood that now covered a good portion of it. As I crossed my arms on the desk's surface, I caught sight of Miyamoto-san rummaging through a small refrigerator. I guessed it was where the teachers kept their lunches.
The brunette rose from her crouched position with a few water bottles in her arms, and slowly began making her way around to everyone, handing them out. When she reached me, I took the one in her outstretched hand and thanked her with a smile. She returned it with her own grin before she hesitated.
"Um..."
I said nothing, but peered up at her expectantly.
"Senpai..." She said slowly, unsurely, "I... really doubt that this is the time to say this, but I just wanted to mention... I saw a video of the national tournament last year... You were really great and... I really admire you... I mean, you were so graceful and..." She floundered, her face growing red from embarrassment.
Before she could continue, I smiled and said, "Thank you. I appreciate your praise."
She nodded with a nervous smile on her mouth, and she walked away to hand out the remaining bottles of water. I gazed after her speculatively. I remembered seeing her somewhere, before everything went to hell. Earlier when she introduced herself, she had mentioned she was part of the spear club. A few times in the past I had seen the members practicing by chance. From what I discerned, she had been one of the most skilled, and at the time, I had thought she was rather cute. I found that thought to still be true. Looks aside, she seemed capable enough to survive during this predicament of ours, though I observed a deep grief in her eyes that made me wonder who she had lost.
The boys finished blocking the door with equipment, and as Hirano-kun went to check on Takagi-san, Komuro-kun directed his attention to the nurse. "Marikawa-sensei, where are your keys?" He asked as Miyamoto-san handed him a water bottle.
"Ah, in my bag..." Sensei said, grabbing a Prada bag and digging through it.
I crossed my arms over my chest. "Can it fit all of us?" I questioned with a frown.
She stilled, her eyes going wide. "Oops... It's a Compact." She gave me an apologetic look as my frown deepened.
If it had just been sensei and I, her car would have sufficed. However, there were now seven of us, and a car that small would hardly fit three.
"Now what?" Morita-kun voiced, his eyes flickering between Komuro-kun and I, singling us out as the ones in charge.
Komuro-kun's eyebrows furrowed as he tried to think of something, but I already had. "What about the mini-bus the clubs use for field trips?" I said, turning towards Hirano-kun who stood closest to the window. "The key's on the wall rack."
The boy peered through the glass and then looked back at me, his finger pointing at something out there. "It's still there."
Marikawa-sensei stood up and took a few steps towards Komuro-kun. "A bus is fine and all, but where to?"
"We'll make sure our families are safe." He replied, "We'll stop at everyone's house, starting with the closest, and, if necessary, help them out. Then we'll look for somewhere safe."
"We're sure to find a spot." Someone said, and I turned my head to see Takagi-san approach. Her face was free of blood, though not her clothing, and to my slight surprise there was now a pair of glasses adorning her face. She cast me a glance before quickly looking away and settling her eyes on Komuro. "The police and Special Forces should be on call, so there's gotta be shelters, like when earthquakes hit."
Just then, I noticed Miyamoto-san standing stiffly on the other side of the room, her face pale and afraid as she stared at the television that was mounted on top of a shelf. She had been there for a while now, though I thought nothing of it earlier. A bad feeling engulfed me as I turned my attention to the screen.
Komuro-kun noticed my distraction and looked the same way. "What is it?" He asked, seeming to not realize right away where both Miyamoto-san's and my attentions were focused.
"What's going on...?" The brunette breathed, her face distraught as her eyes remained on the television.
"Rei, what...?" Komuro-kun stopped short, finally realizing what we were staring at. The others quieted also, and I stood to grab a remote sitting nearby to turn up the volume for their benefit.
It was the news. On the screen was a reporter, facing the camera and speaking into her microphone as, behind her, people were loading stretchers carrying body bags into an ambulance. As I increased the volume, what the reporter was saying became more clear. "... In response to the riots raging all over the country, the government has enacted emergency counter-measures. However, the Special Defense Forces public security operation is paying no heed to the current opposition party, and there is a strong argument for more cautious action..."
"Riots!?" Komuro-kun said in a bewildered tone as I upped the volume again, "What do they mean, riots!?"
I narrowed my eyes, concentrating on what the newswoman was saying. "... Already casualties are estimated in excess of one thousand. Prefectural governors are declaring a state of emergency and requesting disaster relief..." The end of her sentence was nearly erased by the sound of gunshots from somewhere off-screen, startling the reporter. "There are gunshots!" She nearly yelled into her microphone, looking around frantically. "Police have already started firing! I don't know the situation, but..." Suddenly, the camera was moving, the screen full of static, and we couldn't see anything clearly. However, the sounds reached us along with glimpses of what was happening. "EEEEEEEEEEEK!" The woman was shrieking in fear, as the camera showed her dropping the microphone to the floor. The next shot sent chills up my spine.
The body bags were sitting up.
The camera was knocked to the ground then and all we could see was pavement. The reporter was still screaming, and even without the microphone we could still hear. "No... what!? It can't be! H-Help me! UWAAAAAAH!"
And then the screen changed with a buzz, showing a field of flowers and trees with the words 'Please Stand By' across it. For the few seconds it was there, I realized how quiet the room was. Everyone had gone silent, nobody was breathing, their eyes glued to the television. The scene changed once again, this time showing the news room, two suited men sitting at the counter. They both appeared uneasy, one of them clutching the earpiece to his ear as he cast his companion a look. "... We are having technical difficulties." He said, turning his gaze back to the camera. "W... We will continue our coverage from the studio."
"That was it...?" Komuro-kun said aloud, bringing us all back to reality, "How can that be it!?"
Takagi-san placed her hands on her waist. "They don't want to incite panic." She said knowingly.
Miyamoto-san frowned at her. "Isn't it a little late?"
"This is the perfect time for it!" The pig-tailed girl explained, pushing her glasses further up her nose. "Fear gives rise to chaos. Chaos gives rise to the collapse of social order. And when social order collapses..." She gave each of us a long, hard look as she continued, "How do you propose we retaliate against the walking dead?" Before any of us could reply, she turned her attention to the television again, and we followed her lead.
The man from before was still talking. "... The streets are a very dangerous place right now, so please refrain from leaving your home, if possible." He said, "Also, please barricade windows and doors and reinforce glass windows where you can. If, for whatever reason, you are unable to be in your home, please head for the nearest shelter in your area..."
"Change the channel." Takagi-san said, not looking in my direction. I pressed a button on the remote and it was changed to another news channel.
There was a newswoman speaking to the camera in the studio, the picture changing beside her with every new topic. At the moment, the image showed a horde of 'them' coming towards the picture taker. The topic title at the bottom of the screen read 'American government announces move of the Cabinet. White House is...' "Authorities can't find a solution to the abnormal situation that has spread across Europe." She was saying, "Executives of the federal government have abandoned the White House and have announced that they are moving the Cabinet to a carrier in the ocean. Furthermore, experts predict that this move is in preparation for the deployment of nuclear weapons." There was a pause and the reporter appeared on the screen again, holding her earpiece. "This just in. We have lost contact with Moscow. Peking is in flames. London is keeping relative order, but looters are running rampant in Paris and Rome..."
I clenched my jaw. As I feared, this nightmare wasn't only happening here. Even worse, it was occurring all over the world.
"When I surfed the net this morning, everything was fine..." Hirano-kun murmured, his face sweating nervously.
"It can't be..." Miyamoto-san said, her expression afraid, "In just a few hours, the whole world's gone to hell." She turned to Komuro-kun, grabbing his arm. "I'm right, aren't I? There's got to be somewhere safe, right? Things gotta go back to how they were..." I caught sight of the sadness in her eyes again, making me frown.
"Fat chance."
We all turned to look at Takagi-san. "You don't have to talk like that." Komuro-kun said irritably.
"This is a pandemic, got it?" She said, shrugging, "There is nothing we can do!"
"Pandemic..." Marikawa-sensei whispered beside me as everyone else peered at the pink haired girl with confusion.
Takagi-san sighed at our blank stares. "I mean an explosive infection!" She snapped, "As in, the same illness breaking out all over the world."
"Like the flu?" Morita-kun voiced, troubled.
"The Spanish flu in 1918 was the same. And more recently, the bird flu was feared to have the same potential. You know how you can't take the flu lightly, right? The Spanish flu hit more than six hundred million people. And claimed the lives of five hundred million..."
"It could be closer to the Black Death from the fourteenth century..." Sensei pointed out, frowning.
"Back then, a third of Europe died." Takagi-san informed the rest of us.
"How did the spread of the illness stop?" Komuro-kun questioned, his face stony.
Marikawa-sensei was the one who answered. "There are different theories, but... When enough people die, it just peters out. Because there's nobody left to infect."
"But..." Hirano-kun glanced outside the window as he continued, "Everyone who dies... attacks others."
"... Meaning there's no reason why it should stop." I spoke, my expression matching Komuro-kun's. My eyes met Miyamoto-san's momentarily, and she gazed back with fear before I looked away.
Marikawa-sensei's face became hopeful. "The weather will be warming up soon," She said with a finger in the air, "So if the flesh rots off and there's only bone left, they might stop moving."
"How long will that take?" I asked.
"In the summer, it takes about twenty days." The nurse said, counting off on her fingers, "In winter, it takes several months. But before too long..."
"We don't even know if they will rot or not." Takagi-san interrupted.
"What do you mean?" Komuro-kun asked.
"The corpses reanimate and attack people. It defies modern science. Worst case scenario is it takes forever..."
I crossed my arms over my chest. "Once we've ascertained our families' well-being, the big question is where we go after that." I said, "If we panic and run around, we'll never survive." I met each of their eyes, my gaze lingering on Miyamoto-san, "A team. We form a team. Let's gather other survivors." Everyone seemed to agree with a nod.
"How do we get out?" The brunette asked no one in particular.
"... The parking lot is closest if we leave through the front entrance." Komuro-kun replied.
"But... there's a lot of those monsters out there." Morita-kun pointed out, unsettled.
No one spoke for a long minute until Komuro-kun said, "We'll cover each others backs. Nobody gets left behind." The rest of us nodded and he continued, "We'll stay close together. I'll go first, and Rei and Busujima-senpai will follow behind me, and then Hirano can cover us. Takagi, Morita and Marikawa-sensei should stay in the back." He looked at me, his eyes asking if this was okay, and I tilted my head in a small nod. He relaxed slightly after that, and then said, "Alright. Let's go!"
"Aren't you forgetting something?" Takagi-san said immediately in an annoyed tone. She pointed behind her shoulder at the barricade in front of the door. "We can't go anywhere until the door is clear."
Komuro-kun cast us all a sheepish look. "Ah... Right." He rounded up the other two boys and they got to work moving the furniture out of the way.
This minor setback gave the rest of us a few minutes to mill about and prepare. I retrieved my bokken and began inspecting it's bloody surface when Miyamoto-san approached me.
Rei's P.O.V.
Takashi's plan was as good as any, though I felt sick at the thought of having to face mobs of 'them' to reach the bus. But if everything went as planned, we would obtain a method of transportation, and I had a feeling that would be indispensable.
As the boys went to move the obstacles from our path, I glanced over at Busujima-senpai. I wasn't sure exactly why, but something about her piked my interest. She just seemed so... unapproachable and mysterious. Before I realized what I was doing, I found myself standing in front of her. She looked up from her bokken and when our eyes met, she smiled lightly.
"Do you think we'll make it?" I asked her, leaning against the desk nearby.
She didn't seem to mind my attempt at small talk, and soon she answered. "I don't know." She said truthfully. I noticed that her dark eyes were studying me, more focused on me than they had been on her sword a moment ago. "I suppose we'll find out soon enough."
"Yeah, I guess..." I returned her stare, feeling as if I was in some sort of contest. Or... could it be that she actually found me interesting too? "Do you have family in town?" I questioned curiously.
She looked away momentarily before gazing back and shaking her head. "My family is my father, and he's currently abroad."
I frowned. She didn't appear bothered, but I wondered if she was hiding her worry. I also took note of the fact that she didn't have a mother. Could her mother have passed away? Maybe a divorce? However, I said nothing, thinking it would be too rude to ask.
"What about you?" Senpai asked, cocking her head as she continued to peer at me. Her gaze was so... intense. I consciously felt a blush rise to my cheeks.
I cleared my throat, my eyes veering towards the door. The boys almost had all the equipment out of the way. "Yes... My mom and dad." I said finally, my frown deepening at the thought of them. It brought back a painful pang in my chest.
I think she sensed my sadness, because she raised a hand and placed it on my shoulder. "If they're anything like you, I'm sure they're quite capable of staying alive." She said comfortingly. I noticed that she had a bit of a "big sister" side to her personality, which she had also employed for Takagi-san earlier. I had to admit, it did make me feel better, especially her compliment.
"Thank you." I said quietly, somewhat embarrassed. I was still concerned of course. Nothing would change that. But Busujima-senpai gave me a little more hope that I would be reunited with my parents.
"I've seen you before."
I blinked at the unexpected words. Senpai had said it in a matter-of-fact tone, looking vaguely amused. "W... What?" I said, wondering where this was coming from and not sure how to react.
"I'm sorry. I didn't entirely mean to say it like that." She said, "I meant that I've seen you practicing in the spear club before, once or twice in passing. You're rather skilled."
Receiving praise about my skills from someone I admired for their skills was certainly a boost for my pride. I felt my lips pull up in a smile. "Thank you! It means a lot to hear you say that. I mean, I'm definitely not as good as you, but–"
"Don't compare yourself to me." Senpai cut in before I could ramble on, "We specialize in two different things. If I were to pick up a spear, you would certainly best me."
My grin widened and I opened my mouth to thank her again when Takashi's voice interrupted.
"Okay. Let's go." He called out to those of us waiting.
Takashi was the first to exit, gripping his bat tightly as he peered into the hallway, alert and ready. Next was Busujima-senpai and I, just as Takashi had stated in his plan. Then Hirano and the others followed closely behind.
As we made our way down the hall at a cautious speed, Busujima-senpai spoke. "Don't fight needlessly." She advised in a low voice, "If you can get away, get away. Just knocking them over will do."
"These guys react only to noise!" Takagi-san warned, giving her usual hard glare. "And they're strong enough to bust down a door, so if they catch you, they'll eat you! Watch yourselves!"
I frowned at her words, wondering how she knew something like that. Perhaps she had done some sort of experiment... Though that in itself was a risk. My respect for her grew slightly.
We hadn't come across any of 'them' by the time we approached the stairs leading to the first floor. However, as we neared them, we heard a scream. Bunched together in between the landings was a group of survivors, other students being cornered by a rather large mob of the monsters. Only two of the students had weapons, and it was clear that they weren't sufficiently good at using them. If it had only been Takashi and I, I would have thought twice about going to their rescue, just because there was too many of 'them' to handle with only the two of us. But with Busujima-senpai and Hirano to back us up, I was confident enough to believe that we stood a chance.
Hirano acted first, being the only one of us with a long range weapon. He shot a nail into the head of the fiend that was closest to the teenagers, instantly taking it out. Not a second later, Busujima-senpai was smashing another one to the floor. Takashi and I ran forward next, KO-ing two more, saving one of the survivors from becoming a meal in the nick of time.
By the time we were finished, the kids looked frightened, bewildered, but grateful. One of them, a dark haired girl with freckles, stepped forward. "Thank–"
"Not so loud." Busujima-senpai said, casting a glance down the stairs where more groaning could be heard. "Was anybody bitten?"
The freckled girl shook her head frantically. "No, nobody!" I noticed her close proximity to the boy beside her, the one with the towel around his neck and a bat in his hand. He seemed protective of her... I assumed they were dating. The thought reminded me of Hisashi and I grimaced.
"They look fine." Morita said after looking them up and down for a moment, and I nodded my head in agreement.
"We're getting out of here." Takashi told them seriously, "Will you come with us?"
They all seemed surprised for a second. Perhaps they hadn't thought of what they would do besides keeping themselves alive. After that second passed, they all nodded, and the girl with the freckles stammered out a "Y... Yes!"
As we cautiously came down the stairs, I glanced speculatively at our additional members. As I had mentioned earlier, only two had weapons, while the rest, almost a handful, did not. I frowned. While adding numbers to our group was a good thing, I couldn't help but feel that we had just picked up extra baggage. It was obvious they didn't have much knowledge in the way of combat ability, so, though I really didn't like being negative or harsh, these kids were pretty much useless. As I turned my head forward, I caught sight of Busujima-senpai's face. She too had a frown on her face as she observed the students, and I wondered if she was thinking the same thing. Our eyes met momentarily and she smiled, though I could still see the grimness in her sapphire eyes.
Our party reached the front room, where the rows of lockers were. Much to our anguish, there was a crowd of 'them' lingering by the door. This horde was much larger than any we had faced previously, and I was beginning to doubt we would make it out alive. One of the girls we had saved let out a whimper, and Takagi-san was quick to "Shh!" her.
We made our way to the lockers on the left, seeing that there were no zombies there. Takashi peered around them, studying the undead for a minute before ducking behind when one of 'them' turned our way.
"There are tons of them." He muttered, stating the obvious.
"They can't see us, so we don't need to hide." Takagi-san said in a loud whisper, and I suspected that that was the quietest she could be. Fortunately, it was low enough that none of 'them' could hear, but loud enough that it made us all tense.
"Then prove it, Takagi." Takashi said, and I saw a frightened expression pass over her face. I felt he was being a little unfair to her, but at the same time he was right; we couldn't just assume they couldn't see us. If we were wrong, we'd wind up dead.
"Even if Takagi-san's theory's right, we can't go anywhere quietly with all these people." Busujima-senpai said, and I realized she was right. "But if we remain in the school, we'll be too crowded to move if we're attacked."
"All we can do is make a break for the front door." I said, because that really was our only option. Or at least, the only option with a chance of success. Albeit a small chance, but one nonetheless.
I noticed senpai's eyes darken slightly before she spoke the next words. "Somebody... has to clear the path."
We all went silent, tense from what she meant. One of us... would have to go out there. To see if it was true that 'they' couldn't see us. The thought of myself being the one to step out into clear view made me sick to my stomach, and I feared I might throw up. I wasn't brave enough to do something like that, and a part of me felt ashamed.
Takashi pressed a fist to his face and I looked at him, puzzled. He looked as if he... had resigned himself to something. I realized what it was a second before he spoke.
"Okay. I'll go."
I probably would've choked if we didn't have to be quiet. Even Busujima-senpai was surprised, though the only thing that gave her away were her eyes.
His words brought horribly familiar emotions back that I had tried to bury. When I had lost Hisashi, and then was suddenly faced with the prospect of losing Takashi too... It hurt so much. I didn't want to go through that again. "No, Takashi, I should go–" I began, paying no heed to the fear bubbling up inside.
"I should go first." Busujima-senpai interrupted, cutting me off. Unlike me, her voice hadn't wavered with fright, and she stood there confidently. I had looked at her with bewilderment when she had spoken, and her eyes flickered to mine. I couldn't read her expression, but I wondered if she had cut me off because she didn't think I had what it took to do the task at hand. Subtle anger overcame the fear I had felt a moment ago.
"No." Takashi said sternly, addressing the sword wielder beside me, "Busujima-senpai, I need you ready in case anything happens."
I was slightly upset that he hadn't acknowledged me. "Takashi... Why?" I asked.
He frowned and looked away. "I don't know."
I recalled a conversation that we had months prior and said, "I thought everything was a hassle for you."
The small smile he gave me was... I wasn't really sure how to describe it. He looked so... sad. "It still is." He said, and then he turned and walked away... into the vicinity of the undead.
I wanted to scream after him, but that would've caused trouble. Instead I dashed forward in an attempt to stop him before he was killed, but I was stopped. Busujima-senpai wrapped her arm around my torso, effectively immobilizing me. I turned my frantic eyes to her. "Senpai–" I choked out in a subdued voice, only barely remembering to keep my volume down.
She shook her head, giving me a hard look. "Let him do this." She said quietly.
"But–"
"Hirano-kun." She interrupted me once again, turning her gaze to the large boy nearby, "Cover Komuro-kun."
Hirano gave me a sad look, almost apologetic, before nodding and following Takashi a short distance. He stopped not too far away, aiming his nail gun at the fiends near the other boy.
I had a feeling she had said this to ease my mind a little, but I still felt myself suffocating on the worry.
The suspense was thick in the air as the rest of us watched Takashi stop only a few feet away from the nearest of 'them'. He stood there, deathly still, clearly in the line of sight of the terrors. However... none of them moved. They only continued their mindless moaning and shuffled around in random directions. This made me feel only a fraction better; he was still in danger after all.
My eyebrows furrowed when I saw Takashi bend down and pick something up. I caught a glimpse of it before he threw it; someone's bloody sneaker. Probably a victim of 'them'. It flew across the large room, knocking over something with a resounding crash. All of 'them' turned and, after pausing for only a second, began dragging themselves towards the noise. I sighed in relief as Takashi reached the front doors without trouble, and he took a moment to open them before turning to us, gesturing for us to follow.
That was when I noticed that Busujima-senpai's arm was still around me, lightly restraining me since I had stopped struggling a few minutes before. She dropped her arm when I looked at her, and it seemed that she had forgotten that she was holding me too. Without hesitation, she went to help Takashi prop open the doors for the rest of us, though I froze and the others went around me.
I don't know why but... having her arm around me... gave me an odd feeling. It wasn't bad but... I wasn't sure how to describe it. I could only compare it to the way I felt when Hisashi used to put his arms around me, or the way Takashi sometimes did. It was a warm feeling... but the complex mix of emotions swirling inside confused and troubled me.
However, now really wasn't the time to be thinking about such things. I pushed the thoughts into the recesses of my mind and took off after the others, passing them on the way through the door because they needed my assistance in the front, in case any of the monsters outside came after us. I only took a few steps forward from the doorway when a massive CLANG! filled the air, setting my teeth on edge. I turned back, fright overcoming me, and I saw what had caused it. One of those boys that we had saved, holding some sort of long pole with a prong on the end, had carelessly knocked it into the wall. Since it was made of metal, the sound it caused was even greater than what it could've been if it wasn't.
I felt sick when I saw all of 'them' turn towards us.
Saeko's P.O.V.
I admit I was frightened when the sound rang out, but it was gone as quickly as it had come. Now wasn't the time to be scared; it was the time to act.
Komuro-kun appeared to be thinking along the same lines, for only a second went by before he called out, "RUN!"
All of us rushed towards the parking lot, those of us with weapons covering those who did not.
"Why'd you yell!?" Takagi-san snapped shrilly, her expression angry and afraid. "If we'd been quiet, we might've gotten by just dealing with the closest ones!"
One of 'them' approached her side, and she was too busy shrieking at Komuro-kun to notice. I shook my head slightly at her carelessness and swung my bokken, knocking out the majority of it's teeth. The sound of it falling to the ground made her turn, and her surprised eyes found mine.
"Sounds keep echoing, so it's no use!" Miyamoto-san said from not too far away before sweeping a zombie's feet out from under them. I admired the fact that she was able to act despite being frightened; I could see the fear in her eyes.
"Less talking, more running!" Komuro-kun shouted, taking the lead. Morita-kun recklessly kicked a zombie in the chest, successfully knocking it over. He was lucky it hadn't grabbed him. Hirano was close behind him, concentrating more on running then shooting. In a small bout of amusement, I wondered if he had trouble doing them both at the same time, though I soon turned my attention away.
Miyamoto-san and I hung back to allow the helpless to escape. She didn't look at me, focusing solely on the nearing dead. For the moment my gaze was on her, the emotions I had felt earlier came back. It was something I had felt before, and given the predicament we were in, these feelings were unwanted. I couldn't afford attachments in a world like this. Especially considering my true personality. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before turning away.
The boy with the towel around his neck was a few strides behind, swinging his bat without accuracy. I frowned. Someone like him with no skill should stay closer to those with no weapon. Before I could come to his aid, I was set upon by three of 'them'. I swung my wooden sword in a wide arc, managing to crush two of their heads. The last reached for me, but before it's hands could touch me, I had smashed it's nose into it's skull.
That's when I heard the scream. I spun my head, my eyes wide. It was the boy, two of 'them' having grabbed the cloth around his neck, preventing his escape. One was biting into his arm, the other his neck, and more were approaching.
I... am ashamed to say that I inwardly let out a sigh of relief. When I heard the screech, for a moment I thought it might've been Miyamoto-san... Though having that thought angered me slightly. I wasn't supposed to be getting close to anyone, especially if this was the way the world was now. And yet I betrayed myself. We had only met a short while ago, and already there was something about the brunette that drew me in.
I cast these thoughts away and instead watched the things knock the boy to the ground and continue to devour him, his screams filling the air. I turned remorsefully; there was nothing I could do to save him now. I couldn't even end his suffering as I had done with Kazu Ishii, because doing so would put myself at risk of being bitten. There were too many of 'them'.
The freckled girl that had been beside the towel boy constantly was shrieking his name, tears streaming down her face as she watched her boyfriend, or so I assumed, being eaten. Again I regretted my inability to help him. The girl tried to run to him, but Takagi-san grabbed her arm, yelling, "Leave him! He's been bitten! There's no chance, even if he gets away..."
She looked back at Takagi-san and shook her head, her face distraught, before pulling herself from the pig-tailed girl's grip and taking off for the dying boy.
I was surprised, surely, but I knew that sometimes there were people who would do anything for a loved one. Not only that, but dying would certainly be a lot easier then surviving in a world such as this.
Surprise didn't describe how Takagi-san was feeling at all. She looked bewildered and tearful, completely shocked by the girl's actions, while Miyamoto-san and Marikawa-sensei ran in front of her, looking back with grim expressions. "Why!? Why!?" She screeched emotionally, though she didn't slow her pace, which was good. "I told her what would happen! Why'd she go back? I don't believe it!"
I caught the look on Miyamoto-san's face as she kept running towards the bus, that... expression on her face again as she stared without seeing at the ground. That sad look... and it seemed as if she understood why the girl had gone back. I had thought about it earlier, and now I wondered if she had lost a loved one. Perhaps a boyfriend? But... no, what about Komuro-kun? I shook my head, clearing it of unnecessary thoughts. Now was not the time for it.
"I know why." Sensei said, her face hidden from us as we peered at her, "If this is what the whole world's turned into... it's easier to just die."
Again I was surprised. I didn't expect a nurse to say something so grim, though it did appear that she understood one of the reasons that I had thought of too.
Miyamoto-san and Takagi-san both had the same pale, shocked faces. The pink haired girl was the only one to say anything, however. "You're a nurse!" She said, completely outraged, "How can you say that...?" Sensei did not turn around to answer.
"Watch out!" Hirano-kun jumped in front of the spectacled girl, shooting one of 'them' that had been dangerously close. "Please calm down, Takagi-san." He said afterward, peering at the angered second-year.
I imagined that saying something like that to someone with a personality such as her's would not end well, and sure enough, Takagi-san was fuming. "You worthless geek! Who asked you?"
The comment seemed to sting him for a second before he gave a small smile. "If you want to talk, I'll hear you out for as long as you want later."
The sentence pacified the girl, who stood there blushing. It made me smile. "I'm so jealous of how close you are." I said as I ran around the pair. Takagi-san cast me a scrutinizing look, and I had the feeling she didn't want me saying such things.
We finally reached the parked bus, and Komuro-kun yelled back to Marikawa-sensei. "Sensei! The key!"
They pried the doors open and the blonde woman hurried aboard to start the engine. Close behind her was Takagi-san and Morita-kun.
"I'll fire from the window!" Hirano-kun shouted, climbing on along with those numerous students we had saved. Miyamoto-san also disappeared into the vehicle.
I had hung back to slow the approaching horde in order to give the others time to board. Besides me, Komuro-kun was the only one still outside. "Komuro-kun! Go!" I instructed him.
"You first!" He shouted in return as the bus's engine roared to life. This really wasn't time for his heroic tendencies, but to save time and breath, I did as he said and entered the vehicle. He was right behind me, and just before he closed the door, a shout reached us.
"... Please!"
We all peered towards the yell, seeing a group fast approaching. In the lead was a teacher, whom I regrettably recognized, followed by four students. 'They' were closing in on them.
"Who's that?" Komuro-kun asked, his eyebrows furrowed.
"Shidou from third-year, class A." I answered, severely frowning. The man was my teacher... and he had a horrible personality. I found myself wondering if we really needed to save the likes of him. He was a slime-bag. But... I knew it was wrong to condemn someone like that. Even if they were a disgusting worm...
"... Shidou." I turned at the sound of Miyamoto-san's murmur. Her expression was one of buried rage, though clearly not suppressed enough. I wondered how she knew of him, seeing as how she was only a second-year and had nothing to do with him.
"We're leaving now!" Marikawa-sensei said, having figured out how to operate the vehicle despite the vast differences between the bus and her small car.
"Please wait a little bit!" Komuro-kun said to the nurse, an edge to his voice. Clearly he wanted to go to Shidou's rescue.
"They're coming from the front too!" Sensei told him, "If we take too long getting everyone, we won't be able to go at all!"
"Just run them over!"
"All those people would flip us!" Takagi-san snapped from her spot beside Hirano-kun.
Despite their words, Komuro-kun dashed towards the bus doors, bat at the ready. However, before he could leap off, Miyamoto-san grabbed him around the chest, stopping him.
"You can't save him!"
Komuro-kun gave her a bewildered look, "Rei! What are you talking about!?" He shouted at her.
"You don't have to save him!" She said angrily, ignoring the expressions everyone was giving her. "He's better off dead!"
What had Shidou done to receive her wrath? Though... I had a feeling that he greatly deserved it, whatever it may have been.
"Rei, we can't just leave people to die!" Komuro-kun said.
"Yes, we can!" She hissed, her temper rising.
Just then, the sound of someone climbing the bus's stairs reached us and we turned. The students were coming aboard, looking relieved to have made it. Shidou was the final to board, and that's when I noticed that one of those four teenagers wasn't present. I peered out the window with narrowed eyes as Komuro-kun told Marikawa-sensei to go. Just before the bus started moving, I caught sight of a handful of 'them' in a pile, obviously claiming a victim. My frowned deepened. The boy might've tripped or just fallen behind... but I had a feeling that something more sinister had been at work.
Everyone had taken a seat somewhere, and the only ones remaining up were Shidou, Komuro-kun, Miyamoto-san and I.
I met the eyes of the man I held no respect for, and he sent me a smile that looked anything but kind. "... You saved us." He said in a grateful tone, though I highly doubted he meant it, "Is the leader here Busujima-san?"
My jaw clenched at the way he spoke my name through that snake-like mouth of his. I crossed my arms and glared in his direction. "No one's in charge." I said, keeping my voice level, though hardly respectful towards the teacher. "We just helped you get away."
"They are not human anymore..." Marikawa-sensei's voice cut through the conversation, and those of us standing had just enough time to grab onto the seats before she hurtled the bus into the undead bodies, making it lurch. "They're not human!"
The vehicle pushed the zombies out of the way, mostly running them over in the process as we neared the school's entrance gate.
"That won't do..." My eyes narrowed as they turned back to Shidou. He was speaking quietly, and it appeared that I was the only one near enough to hear him. "One needs leadership to survive. A leader to set the goals and protect the social order..."
I grimaced. It sounded like he was going to be the cause of a lot of trouble. Perhaps it would've been better to leave him behind...
"You're going to regret this..." I heard behind me, and I turned slightly to see Miyamoto-san clutching Komuro-kun's arm. "I swear, you'll regret saving him!" She hissed softly, but full of anger. And again, besides me and Komuro, nobody else heard.
"We're past the gates!" Marikawa-sensei shouted back to us.
I frowned as I peered out the front windshield. The pillars of black smoke coming from town grew larger as we drew closer. My mind swirled with many thoughts; of Shidou, Miyamoto-san, and namely anxiety over what we would find waiting for us in Tokonosu.
I could only hope that it wasn't anything like what we encountered at the school... but I was wrong. So very, very wrong.
ACT 2. END
So, I made some changes from canon... namely, Morita! Yep, I kept him alive. I dunno, there's something about him I like, he's easy-going and stuff... So we'll see what comes of it. Just bear with me though; half the time I forget he's there. -_-"
Also, in case you hadn't noticed, I made Saeko bisexual in this. For some reason, I'm under the impression that she is in canon... might just be my imagination though. But, meh, whatever, I can do whatever I want with my story. :D
I feel like my writing style kept changing throughout this... blergh... Please review and let me know how I did! I really need the feedback!