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Author's Disclaimer: Just reminding you, the reader, that I am not responsible for any medical problems (panic attacks, heart attacks…) or emotional damage (post traumatic stress disorder…) caused by reading this tale. If you find yourself paralyzed in terror remind yourself that you are reading a purely fictional story, with fictional characters. You have been warned…

Yumi, Odd and Jeremie raced upstairs into the assembly room of the factory. Once they reached the top of the stairs they stopped panting. Jeremie noticed the gun in Odd's hand and grabbed Odd's arm.

"What is that for?" demanded Jeremie angrily.

"It's in case one of those things we saw in the news is here stupid!" spat Odd.

"Put it down! Do you want to go to jail?" said Jeremie, his voice rising.

Odd was about to reply when Yumi interrupted him "This is not the time! We have to get to…" Yumi stood silently, looking ahead. Odd and Jeremie followed her gaze, and saw what looked like Ulrich standing in front of them. They could not make out any details on him in the darkness.

"Ulrich!" cried Yumi, running to him.

"Yumi! Wait!" called Odd, but it was too late. Yumi stopped dead when she got within three feet of Ulrich.

"Oh my God! You're hurt!" exclaimed Yumi gazing at his blood stained clothes. His face was pale and his eyes were glazed over.

"Ulrich why aren't you saying anything to…" Yumi was silenced as Ulrich gripped her shoulders with both hands. Ulrich bent down and bit into Yumi's neck hungrily, tearing out a chunk of meat. Blood sprayed from Yumi's wound like a geyser, splattering Jeremie and Odd as they rushed to her aid. Yumi made a choking sound and her eyes rolled up showing only white.

Jeremie struggled to tear Yumi from Ulrich's grip.

"Odd! The gun!" cried Jeremie desperately.

Odd carefully aimed the pistol at Ulrich's head. Odd's hands began to shake.

"What are you waiting for!" demanded Jeremie, still trying to pull Yumi from Ulrich.

"I… I can't!" yelled Odd, tears in his eyes.

"You have to! Odd she's dying!"

Odd closed his eyes and pulled the trigger. A thunderous bang followed, and Jeremie watched Ulrich's brains spray the wall behind him. Ulrich fell limp to the ground.

"Yumi! Yumi, say something!" said Jeremie, holding Yumi in his arms. A few minutes later, Jeremie sadly put her on the ground.

"She's dead" stated Jeremie blankly.

Odd held his head in his hands, crying and muttering "I killed him… my best friend…"

"That was not Ulrich" said Jeremie firmly. "Ulrich would never do that to Yumi."

Odd looked up at Jeremie sadly; "Now what do we do?"

Jeremie was about to answer when he heard noises coming from Odd's direction. He made out dark blurs slowly moving towards them. Odd turned around and saw them too.

"Get to the door" said Jeremie "Quickly!"

Jeremie and Odd rushed towards the door, towards escape, and towards life.

Wow, what a very depressing and terrifying chapter. Yumi is killed and Odd is forced to shoot his best friend (or former best friend's reanimated corpse). Death, blood! Let it flow! Interestingly enough, I hadn't planned for the story to be this sad, it just happens I suppose. Emotions always ruin the fun!