HOTDR Chapter 3: Escaping Dead or Alive
Momosuke (speaking quietly): I'm so sorry… Naoma…
He stood up, wiped his eyes and walked to the door. He now knew what this nerw world was. It was now kill or be killed. This is hell.
He carefully went out into the bloody halls once again and began walking quietly. The smell of blood was strong and it began to give him a headache. He could hear the sounds of the undead growling and groaning down the hall. As he makes a right turn down the hall, he sees two of… them. They were crouched on the floor eating yet another student. As he planned to turn around and walk back up the hall, they turned their heads in his direction. He noticed them and froze in place. They rose to their feet and began making steps towards him. He turned to run but then saw that they were behind him as well.
Momosuke (thinking): What?! How did I not hear them?! I'm cornered!
He quickly glanced around for a quick way out of the situation, but all he could see was a bloody pipe in the hands of a dead student. He quickly picked it up and prepared himself for the worst. To his left, the students were closing in fast, so he swung the pipe for the closest one. The pipe met the side of the student's skull with a clank that rung and echoed down the hall. The student's body dropped to the floor, lifelessly flopping to the ground. And they kept coming. One after another, he kept swinging and dodging; jumping side to side as they tried to grab hold of him. The pipe began to bend at a 35 degree angle from hitting countless numbers of them over and over again.
Momosuke (thinking): Looks like this is it Kiba… I'm done for.
He swung once again, hitting one of them in the leg. He gave it one fatal whack on the back of the head to put it down for good.
Momosuke (thinking): There's way too many… I can't keep going.
Exhausted, he got a little distance from the incoming horde and fell to one knee.
Momosuke (thinking): Dammit… Why am I giving up?
Flashback
~Summer, 2007~
Momosuke: Hey, knock it off!
Teenager 1: Hey, shut up kid.
Teenager 2: Give us your wallet and we'll spare you the ass kicking.
Momosuke: Get off of me!
Three teenage boys, that seemed to be Seniors in high school, were bullying Freshman Momosuke in the boys locker room. It was after soccer practice and he just so happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Kiba walked into the room just in time to see Momosuke take a blow to the face. Kiba ran up to them.
Kiba: Hey! Cut it out!
He broke the taller teenager's grip on Momosuke. The second tallest grabbed Kiba by the neck and slammed him against a locker.
Teenager 3: What the hell do you think you're doing, little man?
Kiba: Helping a friend.
He kicked the teenager in the crotch and he was released, quickly going to Momosuke's aid.
Kiba: You okay, buddy?
Momosuke: Yeah. I'm cool-
The tallest student shoved Kiba into the locker, making his forehead hit the metal door. He put his hand on the door and put the other hand on his forehead, trying to put pressure on it to stop the pain. He quickly spun with his fist out, delivering a back fist to the shorter teenager. The shorter teen punched him in the stomach and then swept his legs out from under him, causing him to met the concrete floor. Momosuke punched the shorter teen in the nose, causing the teen extreme pain and a nose bleed. The tallest teen picked Momosuke up by the shirt and tossed him into the lockers behind them. Kiba stood up and ran over to Momosuke, standing in front of him as if to defend him. His lip was busted and his clothes were tattered.
Momosuke: Kiba… why? Why do you keep standing up against them? They're too strong for us.
Kiba: Are you giving up? Not me, bro. I don't know how to give up.
Momosuke: Kiba…
Kiba: You gonna lay there and let me handle these goons by myself? Or are you gonna help me out?
Momosuke picked himself up and with little strength he had left, he stood next to Kiba.
Kiba: No more running away. We've done that for far too long.
Momosuke nodded his head. The two rushed the teenagers with all their might.
Momosuke (thinking): We got our asses kicked that day, but we never gave up. So why the hell am I giving up now?
With little energy he had left in his body, he stood up just as he stood up with Kiba against those bullies. He firmly gripped the metal pipe in both hands; the pipe was bent and bloody. His eyes shifted left and right, debating on which one to strike first. He made up his mind and went for the student on the left. He did a horizontal chop and bashed the right side of the student's skull in with one swing. But before he could recover from the swing, a student grabbed him from the right. He looked over and made eye contact with it as it opened it's jaws for a bite. But then, a bullet went into it's temple.
Momosuke (thinking): Huh? A bullet? I didn't hear a gunshot… No wait… That's a… nail?!
?: Headshot.
Momosuke looked to the right again to see a chubby student and along with him was the girl with long, pink hair, Saya Takagi.
Saya: Kohta!
Kohta: On it!
He opened fire on multiple enemies, using only one nail per brain.
Kohta: Reload!
Saya handed him another makeshift magazine for the nail gun that he had modified into a small rifle. He loaded the new magazine into his nail gun and killed the remaining students that were surrounding Momosuke. Momosuke looked at them. Kohta was a nerdy guy. A little on the heavy side, but was apparently an excellent shot. And then there was Saya… The girl Momosuke still has a serious crush on.
Momosuke (thinking; blushing): Oh man… She's right there. She's alive!
Saya: You owe us one. Huh?
She got a good look at Momosuke.
Saya: Hey… You're that guy.
Momosuke (thinking): Uh oh.
Saya: You're that guy that ran into me in gym a few months ago!
Momosuke (thinking): Dammit… Is that what she remembers me by?
Saya: Do you have any idea how bad that hurt?!
Kohta: Uh… Saya? I don't think it was that serious for you to yell at him for it again.
Saya: You shut up you stupid, fat idiot! Do you know what it's like? A girl my size getting mowed over by a guy that's almost twice my size?!
Kohta: I think he's sorry for what he did. Right-? Huh?
The two looked forward and Momosuke was walking away.
Saya: Hey, wait! Where are you going?
Momosuke stopped and looked over his shoulder.
Momosuke: To find my friend.
Saya: Do you even know where he is?
Momosuke: No. But I do intend to find him. Whether it kills me or not.
Saya (thinking): Is this guy serious? Risking his life, running through a school filled with undead freaks over a friend?
Kohta: Do you want us to help? After we find them, we could leave the school and find somewhere safe.
Momosuke: No, that's okay. If I die, I don't want you two dying along with me.
Kohta: We saw you handling yourself. Your skill, my aim and Saya's brain? We'll find our friends in no time.
Momosuke fully turned around.
Momosuke: "Our" friends?
Kohta: Well yeah. We're looking for our friends too.
Saya: They're in here somewhere, but if we don't find them we're going to have to leave without them.
Momosuke: You aren't serious? You'd leave your friends, not even knowing if they're alive or not?
Saya: I want to find them just as much as you want to find your friend, but I'm not about to go and risk my life for them.
Momosuke: That's enough. How can you call them your friends if you won't go to great lengths to find them? How does that idea get in your head? "Leaving" a friend behind? That's stupid for someone who's apparently smart.
Saya: My I.Q. is amongst the highest in the district! I'll have you know that I've been a straight A student since the 2nd grade!
Momosuke: You don't get it. No matter how smart you are, without friends, you're nothing.
Saya was quiet. Kohta looked at her out of the corner of his eyes, scared to look directly at her. But she wasn't angry. She just thought he makes a very compelling argument.
Saya: Okay fine. I see your point… I guess we should look a little bit harder for them since it would be just me and this idiot if I can't find them. But if you ever insult my intelligence again…
She walked up to Momosuke and stared him in the eyes.
Saya: I'll make you pay.
Momosuke: Whatever you say. You coming or what?
Saya: Whatever. Let's go, Kohta.
He stood at attention and gave her a salute.
Kohta: Yes, ma'am!
The three went down the hall, searching for their friends and anyone alive that wanted to go with them.
Takashi Komuro and Rei Miyamoto were just coming down from the roof; Takashi had a wooden baseball bat in hand and Rei still had her broken broomstick handle she was using as a staff. Takashi had just killed his best friend and Rei's, now dead, ex-boyfriend.
There was silence… A slight awkwardness between the two. Neither of them making eye contact with the either; both walking forward and looking away.
Rei: You didn't have to do that Takashi…
Takashi ignored her and continued to walk forward.
Rei: He wasn't going to turn!
Takashi stopped in his tracks.
Rei: I know he wasn't going to turn! You killed him for no reason! He was going to be fine!
Takashi: He was going to kill you!
Rei was quiet. Takashi looked down at the ground and thought about his friend that he had to kill in order to save Rei.
Takashi (whispering): I… had to…
Rei: Takashi…
Takashi: He turned into one of those… things! He was going to kill you Rei! Don't you get it?! He was gone! My friend… was gone… And he wasn't coming back. So yeah. I killed him. I did it to protect you!
Rei: Why?! Why did you do that? I didn't ask for your help!
Takashi: Because… Because I…
Takashi was now quiet. Unsure of how to tell Rei about his real feelings for her.
Takashi: I didn't want to kill Hisashi. But I knew that was the only way to keep you alive. I know I haven't said it in the past, but I should've. Rei… I-
Glass shattered down the hall from where they were standing.
Takashi: We'll talk later! Come on!
They ran down the hall and stopped in front of the stairs.
Rei: Where did that noise come from?
?: Watch out!
Takashi: Downstairs!
The two quickly ran downstairs and when they got to the three way intersection that connects the stairwell and hallway, they see two student fighting a small group of undead monsters. Takashi rushed in with his bat cocked back and bashed in the head of an infected student. Rei ran over to help and kicked a student through the window, causing it to fall two stories to the ground. After Takashi beat in the face of the last student, he looked to see who he and Rei had just helped.
?: Thank you. I'm Tak Imoji.
?: Akia Zashigami. Thanks for helping us out there.
Takashi: Takashi Komuro. And don't mention it. Are you guys… bitten?
Akia: Bitten?
Tak: No. We're not.
Akia: What kind of question is that?
Takashi: That's how the infection spreads. Through bites.
Akia: How do you know?
Takashi: Because that's how my best friend died.
Akia: Oh…
Tak: So it is just like the movies then?
Takashi: Yeah. One bite is fatal.
Tak: Damn… I saw my girlfriend… before she died. She was holding her shoulder and it was gushing blood. I guess she was bitten too.
Rei: What happened to her?
Tak: I… had to put her out of her misery.
Rei looked to Takashi.
Rei (thinking): Sound familiar?
Takashi: We just came from the roof. If you were planning on going up their to flag down help, don't. It's a dead zone.
Rei: It's overrun.
Akia: Well there goes that idea, Tak.
Tak: Yeah. What now?
Takashi: We're going to go to the Nurse's office to try to find any supplies and hopefully more people along the way. Then, we're going to take a bus and get the hell out of here.
Akia: Can either of you drive a bus?
Takashi: We'll cross that bridge when we get to it.
Rei: Right now, we're just focused on finding anyone that isn't bitten and get out of this place alive.
Tak: Sounds like a plan to me.
Takashi: Alright then. Let's go.
The 4 ran down the hall and towards the Nurse's Office.
Rei (thinking): I'm sorry Takashi… I know I'm giving you a hard time, but you didn't have to kill him. There had to be a better way…
Takashi (thinking): I'm so sorry Hisashi… I didn't want you to hurt Rei, so I had to do what I had to do.
Tak (thinking): I should stick with this guy… Takashi I think his name was? He seems like he's the real deal and I could use some good friends in a time like this.
Akia (thinking): These kids are definitely worth hanging around for a bit. Seeing as how Takashi took out those dead freaks and the girl did just as good? Yeah, I can use them for a bit.
Just as they were running, they heard a blistering shriek from down the hall. They all stopped for a moment.
Takashi: Saya!
Rei: She's alive!
Takashi: Come on!
Kiba: Did you guys hear that scream?
Lars nodded.
Saeko: It sounded close.
Ms. Shizuka: Do you think we should see what caused it?
Saeko: Yes. Let's go.
Ms. Shizuka: W-Wait! I have to grab supplies first!
Kiba: Saeko and I will go. Lars, stay here with Shizuka-sensei until she's ready.
Saeko: Please hurry, Shizuka-sensei.
Ms. Shizuka (nodding): Yes!
Kiba and Saeko left the room and ran left down the hall.
Momosuke, Kohta and Saya were cornered at the trophy cases and Saya was in the middle while Momosuke and Kohta held "them" off.
Momosuke: "Kohta", is it? This isn't looking too good.
Kohta: Tell me about it. And I'm almost out of ammo.
Saya: You idiots! Do something!
Momosuke: Working on it!
Saya: But they're getting closer!
Momosuke: I won't let anything happen to you. I promise.
Saya (thinking): This guy… Is it just a macho act? Or does he actually mean what he says? This guy is definitely an odd one.
Momosuke: I told you guys not to hang around in case this happened.
Kohta: It's alright. I don't mind going down helping a cool person. And I never abandon a friend in need.
Momosuke (thinking): Friend huh? You know what Kohta? You're pretty damn cool.
Kiba: Momo!
Momosuke turned around to see Kiba on Kohta's side. Momosuke's eyes grew wide.
Momosuke: Kiba!
Kiba and Saeko rushed in and began tearing through the infected. Kiba was kicking in their knee caps as Saeko ran through and finished them off. Momosuke was still using the metal pipe and Kohta used the last of his ammo.
Takashi came out of nowhere and brought the wooden bat down on top of an undead student's head. Rei kicked one in the face and once it fell to the ground, she jammed the sharp end of the broomstick into the forehead of the monster below her.
Saya: Takashi! Rei! I don't know anybody else...
Kiba and Momosuke met and did their secret handshake that is way too complex for anyone else to learn.
Takashi: Is everyone alright?
Kohta: I think we're all good.
Saeko: No harm done.
Lars came down the hall with Nurse Shizuka.
Momosuke: Lars?
Kiba: Yeah. We were in gym together when this all went down.
Momosuke: Very fortunate that you guys are alright… Damn I'm glad to see everyone. So, names?
Takashi: Not now! Look!
Up the hall was a very large group of infected trailing them. They followed from when they heard Takashi, Rei, Akia and Tak running recklessly down the hall.
Saeko: We need to go, now.
Ms. Shizuka: I grabbed the keys for a bus. We can leave that way.
Takashi: We had the same idea, Sensei. Let's get a move on.
All 11 of them made a run for the stairs and once downstairs, ran straight for the front door. Akia was the last one down the stairs, and as he was following everyone, he accidently kicked an upturned desk that slid across the floor and made a loud scraping noise that echoed off of the walls. Everyone paused for a brief moment. They could hear the groaning and moans of the infected from all over the school.
Kiba: ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!
Takashi: RUN!
Everyone ran outside to the parking lot and saw two busses. One of which was already on. As they were running to the bus, there was a small group of three that were running to the bus to the group's forward right. Rei tripped over a body and Momosuke fell on top of her. The group stopped and looked back at Rei and Momosuke tangled on the ground.
Kiba: You two go! Tell the bus driver to wait for us!
Akia and Tak nodded and continued running for the bus ahead. Rei looked at the bus while on the ground and saw her former teacher… Mr. Shido.
Rei (thinking): Shido… He's alive…
Everyone helped up Rei and Momosuke and kept moving towards the bus. The last guy from the second group tripped up as the other two and Akia and Tak made it to the bus. He fell and landed on the asphalt, sliding ten yards to the bus before stopping. He stopped right in front of Mr. Shido.
Sophomore: Please, Sensei. I think I dislocated my knee! I can't move it.
Mr. Shido: Oh no… it seems like there's no use for you anymore…
Sophomore: Huh..?!
Mr. Shido: Your knee. If it's dislocated, it'll take quite a while to fully heal.
He lifted his foot and stomped on the student's face, shattering his glasses and forcing shards of the lens into his face. He screamed at the top of his lungs, drawing in more of "them".
Sophomore: What?! What the hell mister!?
Mr. Shido: Like I already said, there's no use for you in this world now.
Takashi (from a distance): Hey! No wait!
Momosuke (from a distance): Stop!
He stepped onto the bus and closed the doors. He sat down in the driver's seat, put his seatbelt on, and put the bus in drive. As the tires screeched, dust particles and debris flew into the kid's bleeding eyes and badly scarred forehead.
Kiba: ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME!?
The boy continued screaming and drew the horde in, which eventually led to them devouring him alive.
Rei: Shido… that bastard!
Kohta: There has to be another bus!
Saya: There!
She pointed to a bus that was to the left of Shido's bus, but wasn't as far. The horde was closing in and the bus seemed to get further and further away, but they finally reached it. Everyone piled onto the bus and took a seat. Takashi, Momosuke and Saeko hung around outside the bus to ensure everyone got on.
Saeko: Let's go boys.
Takashi: You go, ladies first.
Momosuke: Takashi. Boy am I happy to see you again.
Takashi: You're in my Fine Arts class, aren't you? Momosuke?
Momosuke: Yeah. Ha!
He swung and connected the pipe with the forehead of the infected. The impact of the pipe on the undead student's forehead was strong enough to slightly straighten it out. After that swing, Momosuke retreated to the bus and Takashi followed.
Takashi: Shizuka-sensei! Punch it!
She started up the bus and put it in gear. But in front of her was far too many to mow over. So instead, she went in reverse and took out the school fence. The shock from the collision caused everyone to fall to a seat. She continued to go in reverse until she had enough space to do a complete 180 degree turn and leave the school for good.
Kiba: Well… Least there's no school tomorrow.
Momosuke: Not now, Kiba.
Kiba: Too early?
Momosuke: Just a bit.
Ms. Shizuka continued down the street, Japanese Cherry Blossom petals fluttering in the cool, spring wind.
END CHAPTER 3
NEXT TIME ON HOTDR
Kiba (stretching): Woo! Feels good to be outta school early!
Momosuke: Fucking wow, Kiba. That was a tragic event and all you can think about is not being in school?!
Kiba: Eh. I was always narrow minded about school.
Saya: So stupid...
Saeko: We need to be careful. I don't want to lose anyone.
Takashi: Same here. Last thing I want is to lose someone important to me.
Rei: Aw… Takashi.
Takashi: Who said I meant you?
Rei: You motherf-
Kohta: Moment ruined…
Saya: Why are the escapes always the most dramatic? And did anyone else just watch that poor kid get stepped on?
Rei: I hate Shido. With a burning passion!
Kiba: Shut up Rei.
Rei: Kiba, I will get Saeko on you again.
Kiba (thinking): Not fair!
Momosuke: Next time on Highschool of the Dead Revamped!
ALL: The Leap of Faith!
Kohta: Wait, the Leap of Faith?! What are we leaping into?!
Takashi: Looks like someone's gonna have to wait and see.
Kohta: Aw man… I hate waiting. Where's my chips?
Saya: What. A. Fat. Ass.
Momosuke: Hey brainiac, play nice with others on the playground.
Saya: Momosuke! (hits him with his own metal pipe)
Momosuke: Ow!
Saeko: This is going to be an eventful summer.