3 Frying what? Oh, frying pan!

Zombies, a horrifying myth of dead beings reincarnated back from the dead. A scientific struggle that most scientists had have difficulties upon achieving this certain goal, but one succeeded. The zombies had scattered all over the world. The cause wasn't definite, rather, it was said to be man-made. Some had claimed that it was produced by the famous Laboratory directed by the renowned researcher, Mr. Newton Turner, who had finally created a bio-capsule that miraculously treats all sorts of diseases, including the reanimation of unusable organs. The majority of effects are still unknown, but the news where the research lab had been blown into smithereens trampled the society, and the day after that, a pandemic had arisen. Thousands of dead body was brought back to life and the experiments held inside the lab escaped; mutated beasts, experiments, and other entities contained are now roaming freely at the lands of New York, traveling all over the world. Grey, the son of Newton, had been held reliable, towards the cure of the infection spreading across the world, where his father had gone missing from the past few years. James, Newton's fellow researcher, had been deemed a 'terrorist' for the destruction of mankind. Little did they know the whole story? It was a battle between the scientists and the political power. I on the other hand…I.

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We brought our bags with us, containing all the possible reliefs found on the ground floor. Despite the elevator may be running and electricity is still available, it'll be wiser for us to take the stairs upon settling to this hotel. Armed with a bat and a frying pan, we bravely venture the dark creepy stairs.

Velvet bloodstains could be found on the floor which looks similar to individuals who being dragged or sliced open from the insides and dripped from their escape. The grand wooden staircase, located between the restaurant and the desks, clearly caught our eye. We headed forth, forward to find a suitable room that we can dispatch our things. Some people who could be silent and had the same idea as ours might be stealthily living in one of these rooms. Thus, we needed to secure our valued safety. Despite its numerous floors above, we both came into an agreement that we will only guard the first two floors as our main possible camping site.

Windows from the second floor shine its way from the corridor. It was the antonym of the word 'terrifying', as it seems. The transparent windows allow us for a better bird's eye view from the events happening below. Roughly 7 hours had passed since the time I had woken up from the nightmare. The panicked crowd was no longer in sight, and what had swarmed the busy streets of Federal and Kingston are piles of dead bodies and ruined cars and trucks (in all sorts of categories: military and industrial trucks) are scattered everywhere. Shattered glass from the nearby stores, robbed (?), are tattered violently from the uproar.

The hallway, which is similar in length from the one we had passed through at the ingress, was engulfed with pure silence.

'Too silent' I whispered. My heart will explode from the sudden shrouding of noise. Don't get the wrong idea, I am a proud citizen that hates disastrous parties and drugs. Various audios are needed to either entertain or conceive the senses of a human being.

Nothing much had changed from the interior décor of the building. We tiptoed our way towards the first room. The door has an installed card appraisal of some sort that was required before entering a vacant space.

"Should we go back downstairs and grab one of the key cards at the desk or?" I ask myself with a bit of annoyance. It was tiring, after all, we had been, from a couple of minutes, getting terrified from the atmosphere, which might end our excitement and eventually will come in vain.

"Tada~ I took one of these and I thought it was an ATM card or something. I-I knew it'll be important!" My doofus friend had finally done something good for the betterment of our lives. She took the most valuable card from the counter and that itself could be a sign of good luck in our strive.

I took the card from her hands, attempting to free the door from its shackles (Lock, Lol), inserted its key from the machine glued near the handle, and with a light beep sound, the door was finally unlocked.

"After you?" I said, offering my chance, as I place my hand parallel to my chest while giving off a graceful bow. If it was a dangerous room, then the first one to enter will brace the greatest risk from his/her life. Unknown from my sarcasm, Pura took the bait, and with a smile on her face, she charged in headfirst towards the room. How could I shatter those pure smile on her face from my horrid truth? Ignorance is bliss, I thought, as I silently laugh myself from behind.

The girl who had gone straight in came back running outside, shutting the door, even blocking it with her whole body. I could see herself shivering in fright, much like a twig who was blown about from the violent breeze.

"What's wrong?" I ask

"Don't even dare" Pura said, as she slowly, in a zombie-like manner, walked from the parallel room. She forcefully took the master card, slide it towards the machine, without much to care, and went inside. Her eyes gave off a sign of defeat. I, on the other hand, amused from what I had seen, entered merrily inside, following Pura's behind.

What was inside the first room? I wonder. And where did the bat went? It was there a minute ago, right?

These questions, perhaps, will be better if left unknown.

At long last, we finally had our foot set inside a decent room. Luckily for us, the room wasn't preoccupied and was well maintained by the hotel staff.

"We should've just checked if there are any zombies still lingering in the…"

"Shut it"

I couldn't finish my sentence and was compelled by Pura herself. Her mood was still declining and… I knew I had to do it.

"Here" I tossed one of her favourite chocolate bars known as the legendary 'cloudberry', a chocolate bar popular worldwide, I think, which was left from the insides of the lustful brown suitcase. I had plenty more coming in my sleeves and this, this is my greatest ammunition towards the rattling woman right here

With a loud *thud* the chocolate bar hits her head, confused, but joyfully swallowed it whole. If she were, let's just say, hypothetically speaking, she turned into a zombie, I'd bet mankind wouldn't last a second from her undying glutton's abilities.

Her mood had declined and so did our problems. We unpacked our stuff and laid down, flat, on the warm cozy bed.

"I think I'm gonna….take…a nap" and there we have it. She just slept amidst from it all! I had expected this to happen and NEVER did I doubted my instincts from my… let's just go with the story.

"You rest for a bit and meanwhile, I…" I tossed the wide blanket onto her face, covering her whole "I'll check the rooms and see how it goes"

With a loud snore as a reply, I exited the room armed with frying pans both in my hands, and set off once again to my bitter fate.

Approximately there are 10 rooms, 5 each side, designated on the hallways. 2 were already observed, thus lessening my baggage. I once again checked the first door where Pura had gone through and found out a Zombie banging from the restroom's door. Running water coming from the shower had alerted the zombie, making it drizzle in delight, I guess?

I took the bat and placed it outside the door.

And yeah, I forgot to tell you that these doors had signs each with its respectful number. I'd say it was an honest mistake for not overlooking these minor things. Let's just agree that we hadn't seen that, okay? Okay.

Commenting to myself, I began moving on towards the third door, just beside ours where Pura had been in a deep state of slumber.

I used the master card, did all that, and slightly push the door, avoiding any unnecessary sounds. I clasps my fingers tighter on the two frying pans and readied myself for an incoming attack. Peeking in, I saw…

I SAW….

Nothing. It was also a pre-occupied room, with lesser ornaments intact and fewer furniture available. I guess they had to renovate the whole interior of it?

I dragged the rug from the inside and placed them at the front door, to let me indicate that this door is a 'safe spot' for us to run, in the case for any emergencies.

'Okay, Fleur, it'll be alright. Only, 17 doors to go and we'll be alright' I mumbled, calming myself down. It was one hell of a ride surviving from all the zombies earlier. We had yet to see some live action coming through, and I wish I shouldn't. At this point, if a zombie pops out, I'll abandon everything and run my arse out as fast as I can away from danger; if I were given a chance, that is. I might end up dead anyway, so, why bother?

I slightly chuckled at the things I had commented on, but still reinforced my grip from my pans. These babies are my shield and sword, despite its weird appearance.