Here's the second chapter for your reading pleasure. As I mentioned in the last chapter, this chapter shows the end of the world through Saya's point of view. It begins right after Saya's conversation with Takashi, and will introduce several key characters. I'll admit, I enjoyed writing this chapter. Saya turned out to be quite a fun character to write for. Who knows, maybe one day I'll do another HOTD fanfic told entirely from her point of view…
In any case, I hope you enjoy chapter 2 of High School Of The Ice Age. And, as ever, please read and review!
Disclaimer- I do not own High School Of The Dead.
Chapter two- The Beginning Of The End (Saya)
If there's one thing I hate more than stupid people, it's stupid people who can't admit it. I'll give Komuro some credit though- at least he knows he's stupid. Having known him since kindergarten, I should know that much about him. Maybe if I keep at him, maybe he'll actually smarten up. Maybe I'll even stop dissing him. But who am I kidding? Until he grows up and gets over losing his girl, he's just gonna waste his life brooding over it, and he'll never get anywhere in life. Don't know why I even care, really. It's not like he'll take me down with him. Damn… Sure is hot at the moment… How fun it will be to spend the next few hours in a hot, sweaty classroom with the sun shining in. And by fun, I mean annoying. I'm really gonna need to put the fan on when I get home…
I walked into my classroom and dropped my bag under my desk, ready for our next lesson. Despite break not being over yet, I saw a few people were also present. Amongst them was Kouta Hirano- the chubby kid who everyone picked on. Well, he was an otaku shut in. What did you expect? Acceptance? I briefly looked at the other few people in the room and sat down. God, I hope the rest of this day goes quickly… It wasn't long before the rest of the class had shown up, with the exception of Komuro, as usual. Although… No sign of Hisashi and Miyamoto, either. Well, I was sure those two would be here soon- they were rarely late… Hmmm… It seemed a little darker outside than it was a few minutes ago. Odd. No one said anything about rain today. Probably nothing. Suddenly, I felt a slight shiver. Eh? What was that? Is it getting colder in here? No way, that's impossible. It couldn't possibly be-
"Hey, it's getting really dark out there." said one of the students, who was looking out the window. The majority of them left their seats to take a look, leaving just myself and Hirano sitting down. They were right- it was only getting darker. Why was that?
"Hey!" I said, also getting up from my seat. "Maybe you guys should all sit back down. Class is starting in a few minutes. And looking out the window won't do your grades any good."
"Yeah, but it's not every day the sky gets this dark, especially during Summer." said another student.
"And the weather report said it was going to be sunny all day today!" said another.
"It's probably nothing. " I replied. "Maybe just a thunderstorm, or something. The weather report isn't always right, you know. Maybe it's something to do with the pressure from all the heat we've been having all week. That's all it most likely is. Unless you have a better explanation as to why it's suddenly gone so black out there?"
As I expected, no one even tried to explain it. As everyone went back to their seats, I shivered again. No way… The temperature was going down. Something wasn't right here. Maybe I was wrong about this just being a thunderstorm. If it was, there's no way it would get this cold. Dammit, I hate being wrong! Just… What the hell… It was at that moment when I heard the intercom- and the message that came right before everything ended…
"Attention, students! A severe weather warning has been put in place. All students and personnel outside school grounds must come inside immediately. Everyone inside, go to your classrooms and remain there. Do not under any circumstance go outside. I repeat, A severe weather warning has been put in place. All students and personnel outside school grounds must come inside immediately. Everyone inside, go to your classrooms and remain there. Do not under any circumstance go outside."
A severe weather warning? So something big was definitely coming our way. The question is, would it be a thunderstorm, like I predicted? It would only be a few seconds before I got my answer…
"Hey, look! It's snowing!" said one of the students, excitedly. Snow? At this time of year? Don't be ridiculous. That would be geologically impossible. By now, all the other students were gathering by the window again, with the exception of Hirano again. Pffft, fine. Might as well take a look for myself. I made my way over to the window and squeezed myself in between two of my classmates to get a good view. WHAT THE… It IS snowing! Really hard, too. At this rate, it'll only be minutes before it settles… What could possibly be causing this? I seemed to be the only one who was wondering what was going on, though- everyone else apart from Hirano were getting pretty hyper, some talking about having a snow day or two, and others saying stuff about making snowmen, and having snowball fights, or whatever. Idiots… Just then, we all heard a loud smash- one which shut everyone up. They all paused- and so did I, if I'm honest- and looked at the big crack that had just been made in the window. What could have caused THAT? I looked out of the window again, and saw a freakishly huge chunk of ice smash into it, causing another crack. Jesus Christ, what is this? Everyone else just stood there, looking at the window and starting to panic as even more ice smashed into it. I turned around and saw Hirano trying to leave the classroom- what the hell was he doing?
"HEY!" I shouted as I made my way over to him. "Where the hell do you think you're going?"
"Uh… Out of here." said Hirano. "I-it isn't safe here. I don't think that window's going to last much longer. And when it does, the wind'll come in and it'll bring more of that hail with it…"
"Don't be stupid!" I said. "Whatever it is, it can't be hail. It doesn't get that big!"
"I-I know…" Hirano replied. "But I don't think that's going to make much of a difference. It looks pretty dangerous either way-"
At that point, we both heard a huge SMASH, and we both peeked back inside the room. The window had finally been smashed to bits by the freaky ice chunks that seemed to be raining from the sky, and as Hirano said, the blizzard had now made it's way inside. A couple of the other students had been knocked down by the ice chunks that also started flying in through the broken window, and everyone else realised that staying where they were wasn't the smartest idea. Maybe Hirano was right. It was far too dangerous to stay here. Before either of us knew it, the rest of the class charged out of the room, though some of them also fell victim to the heavy ice that was raining down on us. I grabbed Hirano and flung him beside me, just in time to avoid the stampede. It looked like they weren't the only ones- I looked down the hall, and saw the other classes run out as well. Guess both the blizzard and the ice got through to their classes as well. This must be happening in the other floors, too… It was getting even colder, too. Of course it would- there was a heavy wind, it was snowing, AND it was coming into the school as well. Unbelievable. Just… Unbelievable. I needed to get somewhere safe, and I had a feeling I knew just where to go…
"What now?" said Hirano.
"We need to get away from this crowd." I replied. "Then we should get to the other end of the school. If the wind is coming in from this direction, it should be considerably weaker there. Also, given the trajectory of the mini icebergs that are being thrown at us, they shouldn't have smashed any windows there, either. It's the best place for us to go. Come on."
"You sure about this?"
"Probably not. Given how screwy the weather's acting right now, the wind could change direction at any time and start blowing some ice in the opposite way. However, I think it's safe to assume for now that the wind's only blowing in one direction, which means that the other end of the school is safe. For now, at least…"
"Wow. You really know a lot, Takagi."
"Of course I do. I'm a genius, after all. But we're just wasting time here. Let's get going, tubby."
"R-right…"
Wait- did I just let Hirano tag along with me? Grrr, hope I don't regret this…
There were still too many people around panicking in the corridors for us to get anywhere, so I stupidly thought that the first floor would be a better place to move around more freely. But, of course, it wasn't. Because that was where everyone who had been outside- everyone who had survived outside, that is- were coming in through the main entrance. So if anything, it was even more crowded. And since the doors were open, it was arguably even colder down there than it was on the second floor. Though that may have been more to do with the fact that the temperatures were still dropping. Either way, Hirano and I had even more trouble getting around than we did before. Wonder if anyone else is trying to get to the back of the school? If so- and I would hope they're not stupid enough not to- that would only make things harder, since all the crowds would be there too… There was still a lot of panic in the students in the corridor- after all, the cold wind was still coming in through the broken windows, and it was still raining ice on us. What puzzled me was the fact that some of the chunks were bigger than some, others smaller. Why was that? And how could it possibly be raining ice in the first place? In addition, the floor was starting to get covered in snow, due to the blizzard. Hmmm… I haven't seen Komuro at all since all this started. Wonder if he's okay?
"Is something on your mind, Takagi?" said Hirano, making me jump. N-no, I wasn't worried about Komuro, honest!
"U-uh… Yeah." I said. "Just wondering what the hell's going on…"
"That makes all of us, huh? Man, I didn't think this could happen so quickly…"
I didn't answer. But he was right. It's just gone from summer to winter at the drop of a bat, and with no prior warning. Is it even worth trying to think about? It's only giving me a headache…
"Hey, take a look over there." said Hirano again. He pointed me in the direction of the main entrance, where we were standing fairly close to. There were still some people coming in through it, which was good. Wonder how many more were killed, though? My attention quickly turned towards two figures heading towards the entrance, both very close to one another. One was a sharply dressed man with slick black hair and glasses. That was Mr. Shido, one of our teachers. Never really liked him that much, to be honest. The other person was a student carrying books with him. Really nerdy looking guy. At that point, the dorky student tripped over and fell. Crap, he's going to be a sitting duck on the floor like that…
"M-Mr Shido, help!" the student cried out to Mr. Shido. "I sprained my ankle! I-I can't get up… I don't wanna die…"
Mr. Shido turned and looked at the fallen student and moved over to him.
"You can't get up, you say?" He said. "Well, too bad. You're obviously too weak to survive in a world like this anyway. We need strong people, who has the courage to stand up to what the world throws at them. And you… You are nothing."
With that, he raised his foot and stamped once on the poor kid's face. He fell to the floor, crying as Mr. Shido walked away and into the school. Just a few seconds later, his head was smashed by another falling piece of ice, spraying blood all over the white snow on the ground. My god… I couldn't believe what I just saw.
"That asshole…" said Hirano.
"Yeah, I'll say." I said. "I didn't like that kid, but still… What right did Shido have to do something like that?"
We both watched as Mr. Shido looked at the students who had gathered around the entrance, shivering.
"You know you all shouldn't be near here where it's still cold." He said in a tone which dripped faux concern. "I wouldn't want you all catching a cold now, would I? However, I commend you all. You managed to survive in such terrible and unexpected conditions, and for that, I applaud you."
Shido was now clapping his hands at the other students- a gesture that impressed them.
"I think you all have what it takes." He continued. "You are the very people this world needs. It seems that everything we once knew has come to an end. All there is now is an endless blanket of ice. Only the strong can survive in such a world, and I genuinely believe that you are all more than qualified to be strong enough."
Geez, how flamboyant is he acting right now? And the stupid kids were taking it hook, line and sinker, starting to fawn over him. Did they remember what he did to that nerd just now? What was wrong with them?
"Follow me, my students." He finished. "Come with me, and I guarantee you will make a difference in this new world!"
New world, huh… That made me think if all this was happening elsewhere, not just Japan.… But in any case, I'd seen enough. As Shido and his new fan base made their way down the corridor, I turned the other way.
"Huh? Where are you going, Takagi?" asked Hirano.
"As far away from that jackass as possible." I replied. "God only knows what he's trying to pull, but I don't want any part of it. Maybe it'll have quietened down a little upstairs…"
"H-hey! C'mon Takagi, can't you slow down a little?" said Hirano.
The two of us had gone up to the third floor of the building, which by now was more or less empty. Or at least, the corridor we were moving along was. There were a couple dead bodies lying around- obviously killed by the ice chunks… A few blood splats here and there, too. Ugh… Never thought I'd see anything like this in my life… Also, the blizzard was coming in pretty hard through the broken windows, so it was freezing as well. And Hirano was complaining most of the way, too. Geez, the only reason I'm carrying this lardass around with me is because I can't find Komuro anywhere… After his latest complaint, I stopped and faced him.
"Let me ask you something." I said. "Look to your left. What do you see?"
"Uh… A smashed window." Hirano replied.
"Exactly. Now, what is coming out of the window?"
"A heavy wind and a blizzard."
"Very good. Now, what else has this crazy weather been throwing at us?"
"Those ice balls?"
"Well done. Last question- is it warm in here with this wind and blizzard coming into this corridor?"
"No. It's freezing."
"Well, congratulations. Now you know why I'm moving so damn fast. Because I don't want to be buried in snow, freeze to death or have a collision with a mini iceberg. Or all of the above. If you don't want that either, I suggest you get a move on too."
We moved a few more paces, until…
"Say, Takagi?"
MUST… RESIST… URGE… TO… MURDER… HIRANO…
"What now?"
"Do you have a cell phone on you?"
"Of course not! I'm a straight A student. And even if I did, who would I call?"
"Well, I was thinking maybe the Police, or something."
"God, you're so stupid. You honestly think no one else had the same idea? Yet, do you see any police here? Or hear any sirens? Think about it. This can't just be happening around the school- it must be happening all around Japan as well. And if that's the case, there's going to be a lot of panic on the streets. The police most likely have their hands full just keeping things under control. The truth is, they're too preoccupied to come for us. Besides, what are they going to do- arrest Mother Nature?"
"Well, what about the ambulance?"
"They won't be going anywhere in this snow. Not unless they can fit snowploughs on them in five minutes. Or grit the roads, for that matter. No one's coming for us, Hirano. Just accept it."
We turned around the corner and started our way down the next corridor. About halfway down, Hirano opened his mouth again. Doesn't he ever shut up?
"You know, I've been wondering, Takagi. Why are you helping me?"
Geez, why'd you have to ask me THAT?
"Because I'm such a nice person." I answered.
"Yeah, I can see that…"
I couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic or not. Eh, probably not. Couldn't care less anyway. Hmmm, that wind was starting to pick up even more, now. This was going to get even worse, I was sure of it. No sooner had I thought that, than we heard a loud crash outside.
"What was that?" asked Hirano.
We looked outside the window, and saw a bus bouncing on the ground. It wasn't heading towards us, thankfully- it was moving to the left of us. But it was still going to smash into the side of the school- right where we just came from in fact. The bus finally landed on it's side and slid straight into the side of the building, making enough of an impact to shake the ground slightly where we were. Then, it fell quiet. I had a bad feeling about this…
"Hirano, run!" I shouted.
"But I…"
"No buts! Just run!"
We ran down the corridor as fast as we could, but it was only a few seconds after we started doing so before the bus exploded. The explosion didn't reach us, but it did shake the place up enough to knock us both over. Unable to keep my balance, I stumbled backwards and banged my head on the wall.
"Ow! Son of a bitch…"
I felt the back of my head. There was a slight bump, but nothing serious.
"You okay, Takagi?" said Hirano, who had picked himself up and made himself over to me.
"Just a bump on the head." I replied. "I'll be fine. Never you mind."
"Maybe you should see the nurse about it…"
"About a tiny bump? Don't be stupid! It's not like I'll get a tumour from this, you know! Idiot…"
"It might not be a bad idea anyway. You should at least get some ice to put on it. Come on, the infirmary isn't too far from here."
"Hirano! Wait a second!"
Too late. He was already on his way to the infirmary. Why is he with me again?
I followed Hirano to the infirmary, which, as he said, wasn't very far. My head was aching a little, though that was probably more due to Hirano than the bump on my head. Still, did we really need to come here? *Sigh*, I guess we should get this over with… I suppose if nothing else, it's a little warmer here than it is elsewhere in the school. Hirano knocked on the door.
"Oh, come in!" said the ditzy sounding voice from inside.
"Uh, hey, nurse Marikawa!" said Hirano as we entered the room. "Takagi just bumped her head. Can you give us-"
He stopped mid sentence. Not that I could blame him. The sight that awaited us as soon as we entered the infirmary wouldn't have looked out of place in a war movie. There were injured students everywhere, some of them moaning in pain, others looking dead. Just how many people got hurt in this weather? Just one student seemed to be tending to the injured, while the school nurse herself was searching the cupboards for medical supplies. It was obvious they had both reached breaking point in this room.
"Just forget it, Hirano." I said. "They're far too busy giving first aid to these guys to take a look at a measly little bump. We should just go."
"Ummm, Do I know you from somewhere?" said the nurse. "You look familiar, but I can't quite put my finger on it…"
Ugh. If there was ever a myth about school nurses being busty blonde bimbos, then Shizuka Marikawa did nothing to prove said myth wrong…
"I'm Saya Takagi…" I said, as calmly as possible.
"Oh! So it is!" said Marikawa. "Sorry. I didn't recognise you because you're wearing glasses today."
She didn't recognise me because I was wearing glasses? Geez, what an idiot!
"Oh yeah, I meant to ask you about that." said Hirano. "I didn't know you wore glasses."
"It's just for today." I snapped. "I misplaced my contact lenses this morning, so I had to make do."
"Well…" said Hirano, who looked like he was sparkling slightly. "I think you look good in them. It really suits you, you know?"
I found myself blushing at that remark for some reason.
"S-shut up!" I said. "Who cares if I wear glasses or not? This isn't even the time for this conversation, anyway!"
My attention turned towards all the injured students.
"These people all got hit by that freaky ice storm?" I said.
"I'm afraid so." said Marikawa. "As you can see, there's too many of them here. I wish I wasn't the only nurse here…"
"It's bad all right." said Hirano. "Just wish I knew first aid. Maybe then I could help."
"Well, you don't." I said. "Too bad you spent more time studying guns in your spare time, huh?"
Just then, there was a knock at the door.
"It's open. Come in!" said Marikawa.
The door slid open to reveal two figures bringing in another injured student. And I recognised them both immediately…
And that's all we have time for today. Who are the two mysterious figures at the door? All will be revealed in the next chapter, where we see the world end from one more character's point of view. After that, the main bulk of the story will begin. See you then!
