DISCLAIMER: Ain't mine. Period.

Chapter Three: The Damned

Akagi woke up suddenly. He quickly scanned the room, then breathed a sigh of relief. They were all there. He ran his fingers along his hair they laid down again. Only this time sleep eluded time.

Damn.

He sat up and stared at the glowing fire, wondering what woke him in the first place. Now he couldn't sleep. He sighed again and raised his eyes to the ceiling, marveling at its height. It's as if they were at the end of the deep well.

He chuckled at that thought.

He was about to switch his gaze back to the fire again when something caught his eye. At first glance it looked like some sort of design, a borderline. Only, there seemed to be something standing behind it.

Curious, he stood up and took a torch. He lighted the torch and threw it towards the "thing". The torch illuminated the borderline and he was surprised that the light stayed there. Now that there was light, he realized that the borderline was actually a balcony.

He shifted his eyes to the "thing", then his eyes widened. The hairs at the back of his neck stood up and he stood, transfixed, staring at the "thing". He couldn't move. He seemed to be rooted at the spot.

At the balcony, staring back at him with hateful eyes, was a black girl. One of her eyes were hanging, its nerve-endings the only thing that keeps it from falling. She was naked, though one would wish she had clothes on but not for the reason of modesty.

Her breasts were cut off. From waist down, her body had been twisted 90 degrees, which showed that her butt was on her front. Dark red, almost black, blood was oozing down from a gap on her waist, which was expertly sewn. Pins were stuck on her lips, though it didn't prevent him from seeing a slight smile on it. Her fingers, which were cut alternately, had been resting on the railing.

"Surprise." She whispered viciously, forcing the words between her pinned lips.

"Oh my God."

"Waaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!"

"What the fuck?!" Uozumi sat up, trying to find the source of that scream. Everybody was also doing the same.

"What's going on?" Sakuragi demanded. He spotted Akagi, who was staring at something at the ceiling.

"Gori? What are you lookin' a…." Everyone followed Akagi's gaze and froze almost simultaneously.

"Jesus Christ." Hanagatta whispered.

The black girl smiled, then let out a husky laugh. Her laugh made them jerk back from their shock.

"C'mon, move it! To the door!" Akagi screamed.

Everyone scurried towards the door with amazing speed. Uozumi opened the door. Painful moans and hungry eyes greeted them. Uozumi hastily stepped back.

They were surrounded.

Zombie-like creatures were crawling and slowly walking towards them. They blocked the door leading outside. Uozumi glanced at the stairs leading to the second floor. All clear.

"Upstairs! Hurry!" He screamed.

Uozumi and the others rushed towards the stairs, leaving the nearly deafening wails of anguish and desperation.

"They're coming!" Kiyota shouted hysterically.

"Don't look back!" Uozumi savagely opened a door nearest. "Get in!"

All went in and he hurriedly closed the door. He faced the room, breathing raggedly. He then realized they were in a large library.

"Move the shelves to the door!" Sendoh ordered.

Everybody complied. They were all panting when they finished. Moaning sounds were heard from outside. Some were already banging the doors.

"What the fuck are they?!" Sakuragi yelled.

"I don't know. Some sort of zombie."

"Zombie?! You mean they're dead?!"

"Back from the dead, I'd say."

"What?! But the dead are not supposed to…"

"Sssssssshhhhh!" Sendoh hissed. Everybody quieted. Sendoh glanced around the room.

"Where's Akagi?"

"GORIIIIIIIII!!!" Sakuragi screamed as he tried to move the shelves that blocked the door. Sendoh and the others were effectively holding him back. Uozumi had his back turned, but his shoulders were shaking. Hanagatta was sobbing silently. Maki's eyes were suspiciously overbright and the others were trying their best to hold back tears.

"Lemme go! We left Gori! We have to get him!" He screamed, kicking and hitting aimlessly.

"Sakuragi, he's gone by now." Sendoh choked.

"NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!" Tears were already flowing from his eyes and running down his flushed face.

Uozumi closed his eyes tightly, attempting to stop the tears. He covered his ears as he heard another wail from Sakuragi but much weaker this time.

"No…" Sakuragi repeated. Slowly, he went to his knees, his legs unable to support him anymore.

Sendoh knelt beside him. "Sakuragi, get up."

"Gori, I'm sorry… I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…" Sakuragi whispered brokenly. His head was bowed; his hands clutched tightly at his knees.

Maki has difficulty in swallowing. "Sakuragi, it was nobody's fault. All of us panicked. It cannot be helped."

"He woke us up… He told us to run… And we left him…"

Unexpectedly, Sendoh clutched Sakuragi by the collar and wrenched him forward. His eyes were angry. "Will you stop it? Nobody's to blame. Shit happens, okay? Snap out of it!"

They were interrupted by a sudden noise, like splitting wood. All of them backed away while watching fearfully at the door which was covered with shelves. The wood on the door continued to be severed. Finally, the door gave way and the dead came crawling in, pushing books and shelves away.

Hanagatta watched in growing terror as the frightful creatures destroyed the door and came advancing forward. He shook so badly that his knees threatened to buckle under him and his bowel loosened, wetting his pants.

But he barely noticed it.

His eyes were fixed on the horrid creatures that possibly killed Akagi.

How did they kill Akagi?

Images of Akagi being eaten alive flashed through his mind, alarming him.

I don't wanna die! He thought hysterically. Not like this! Oh, God! Not like this!

He watched as one black man proceeded towards him. His eyes were sunken, as if deliberately pushed back inside. Attached to his ears were heavy chains that almost ripped them out with its weight. His genitals were cut off, stuffed in it was a stick of metal, then sewn back again. His arms were limp on his sides looking, for all the world, like the bone was purposely removed. His mouth was hanging open, allowing Hanagatta to see that his tongue and teeth were removed. In place for the teeth was a metal strip with jagged edges nailed on his gums.

Hanagatta pictured these "teeth" getting a chunk out of Akagi, chewed, then swallowed. Then without warning, Akagi's face transformed into someone else's face.

His.

He screamed.

"Hanagatta!" Fujima shouted in horror as he watched him run screaming towards the full-length windows.

"No, Hanagatta!"

"Stop!"

Maki tried to save him but it was too late. They all watched, horrified, as Hanagatta broke the window with his body and flew out of the window.

Kiyota screamed when moments later, a sound of cracking bones and a body landing with a thud were heard.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: I'm not very familiar with the facts about Slamdunk… If there are any errors… Well… Don't flame me… Just inform me… ^_^