Encounter at the Pavement

"Ever since the incident, I've struggled to make eye contact with people. It's like their faces blur together or glitch out whenever I try to focus on them.

But now, with these zombies or whatever they are roaming the school, strangely enough, it's easier to look at everyone's faces."

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Disclaimer: This Chapter will

include blood and self harm. If you are uncomfortable with these topics, reading with caution is advised.

People, Places, Events and Diseases in this book are fictitious.

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…

I release a heavy sigh, frustration mounting as I tap my pen against the table and chew on my fingernails. Questions swirl in my mind: "Why is this happening? How is this happening? Why am I even bothering to write here?" These thoughts haunt my days, leaving me sleepless at night.

"Hello. It's me. Here I am again. The number of survivors reduces with each passing day. I've grown wary of the food supply, and I've gone without eating today…" My hand moves across the page, scribbling down my thoughts without concern for legibility. Who would read this anyway?

"I can't shake this feeling that it's not the food but those injections they administered. I can't be certain. But, I'm grateful my friends haven't had the same fate as those who've succumbed here."

"I still feel guilty after what happened last week."

"…where it all began."

"I couldn't save him. Helpless, I just stupidly watched as he was dying in front of me, his mouth foaming with the same sickly green substance like everyone else this has happened to."

I pause, staring blankly at the page, struggling to decipher my messy handwriting. Ink stains dot the paper, a testament to my frustration. "And to think, I believed we were safe after arriving here. What a joke," I mutter with a bitter scoff.

"Miss Wilson, please come with me," a voice interrupts, I glance over my shoulder to see her face once more. "Just a moment," I reply with a strained smile, annoyance evident in my voice. I sigh as I close my notebook, ensuring it's securely tucked away in my bag.

"What now?" I murmur. The woman smiled at me before guiding me inside a room, where a man seemingly a military officer was inside. Sitting in front of multiple computers. "Huh-? Wait you are-"

"Akito! Give me back my backpack!" A feminine voice yelled out, I attempted to look behind but was almost knocked down on the ground. I look up at the cause. "Whoops! Sorry Athena! Gotta run!" A classmate, Akito, who was trying to make his sister chase him, quickly ran away. I sighed.

The school is as lively as ever.

June 4th, 2042. I am Athena Wilson, residing in Naraehaeng from South Korea. Studying as an advanced education scholar in "Harakana", a popular but hard to get into private school here. Due to that, most of my classmates are from other countries - like me.

I continue to walk my usual route to school, stretching away my fatigue on the way. I gazed at the sunny sky, birds chirping annoyingly in the trees. The air, though fresh, carried a tinge of pollution from the traffic. The front of the school was already crammed with students.

However, my good mood was abruptly shattered when I laid eyes on an annoying brat directly in my path.

"well look who it is!" She taunted in a mocking tone, Signature arms crossed and lips curled up into a teasing smirk. It was Celeste, a transferee from another city, since, well, we're classmates. A girl who consistently dropped by solely to insult and annoy me, delighting in spreading baseless rumors about me for no apparent reason.

"Celeste, please leave me alone. Can you not go a morning without bothering me?" Annoyed, I inquire, my smile swiftly turning into a frown as I release a sigh.

"Gee, someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed," Celeste remarked sarcastically, her tone over the top and exaggerated as ever. I sighed inwardly, trying to maintain my composure.

"You're really pushing it, you know? This isn't some playground drama. Grow up," I retorted, frustration seeping into my voice.

"Hey, let's not escalate things, okay?" Elena, Celeste's friend, interjected, attempting to diffuse the tension.

Unlike Celeste, Elena was level-headed and kind-hearted, a stark contrast to her friend. The two's friendship always baffled me. Elena was the type to help others and try her best to protect everyone, always keeping a calm demeanor and not breaking down.

Celeste was the polar opposite. She would often pick on me out of everyone else; and would use spiteful words towards other people when speaking with them. The only reason she had any acquaintances was because she's a famous model.

Elena gently nudged Celeste, giving her a meaningful look. "Celeste, let's not make this a big deal. And you," she turned to me, "let's try to keep it civil."

Celeste shot me a glare before turning back to Elena. "Seriously, Ellie? You're taking her side?"

"Elena, why do you even bother with her? She's just a jot." I blurted out before I could stop myself. The words hung in the air, my face flushing with embarrassment as I realized what I had said.

Celeste's expression shifted from annoyance to hurt, her facade cracking momentarily. "What did you just call me?" she stammered, her voice wavering.

"Okay, that's enough," Elena intervened firmly, stepping between us. "We're not doing this. Celeste, let's go."

As Elena ushered Celeste away, the tension dissipated, leaving behind an uncomfortable silence. I took a deep breath, slightly regretting my outburst. Celeste stared at me blankly as she was getting dragged away.

"Ugh..." I let out a frustrated sigh, feeling my eyebrows furrow involuntarily.

"Whoa, what was that about?" a loud, obnoxious voice interrupted from behind me. I jumped in shock, only to see my friend Ruby standing there.

"AH-!" I let out a scream that was returned by Ruby. "Ruby, don't scare me like that!" I exclaimed, my heart racing from the surprise.

"Sorry?" she said awkwardly, raising her hands in a placating gesture.

"It's fine. It's just Celeste being annoying again," I grumbled, crossing my arms in irritation. Ruby twirled a lock of her black hair playfully. "Come on, Ath, you're used to her by now, aren't you?"

"Yeah... but she's just... ugh!" I sighed, needing a moment to collect myself. "Let's just head inside," I suggested, feeling Ruby's reassuring hand on my back.

As we walked toward the school together, an awkward silence hung between us until Ruby finally spoke up. "So, anyway, I have good news! Well, for me at least."

Despite being close with Ruby, I felt ashamed to look at her in the face. But when I did, it was visible. It was visible because I trust her.

Atleast, I think I do.

"Oh? What is it?" I asked, turning to face her.

"My dad is coming home. TOMORROW!" she exclaimed, clapping her hands with excitement.

"That's great!" I said genuinely, recalling that her father was in the military. I didn't know much about him, as Ruby rarely spoke about him, but I could sense her excitement.

"Yeah! I haven't seen my dad in ages!" Ruby beamed.

"Since it's Friday tomorrow, maybe I can come over to your house after school?" I suggested, slipping one hand into my pocket casually.

"That's a great idea!" Ruby agreed eagerly.

As we continued walking, I couldn't help but wonder how long it had been since I last visited her home.

"Last one inside is the loser!" Ruby teased as she took off running. I froze for a moment before catching up. "Atleast give me a heads up first!!" I shout, still running. I can hear ruby's laugh as she reaches the school doors.

─────⊹⊱✠⊰⊹─────

As we stepped into the bustling school building, the familiar din of students echoed around us. Amidst the usual chaos, a distinct sound caught my attention – sobbing? I motioned for Ruby to follow as I tiptoed towards the source, peeking into a nearby classroom.

"Hk-! Stop it! W-what did I e-" a voice let out in between sobs. "Shut up!" Another one yelled, the tone sounding rather furious. Is a fight going on? "It's Herson and his friends again.. They're bullying poor Ha-rim as always." Ruby let out.

"Hey Ko-ki, just hand us over the lunch money. Come on. Stop acting as if your 12 thousand won is that high. You'll live." Ha-ru, one of Herson's friends, demanded. "So should we like..help him orrr??" Ruby commented. I sighed. 

"Enough!" I exclaimed, slamming the door as frustration bubbled up inside me. They turned to look at me –  Herson, the school's golden boy, surrounded by his lackeys. The group is like those stereotypical highschool movies.

"Oh, it's you," Ha-ru grumbled irritably. Yu-jin snickered. They were classmates of mine, a bit of troublemakers but maintained a neutral reputation because of the band the three of them are in. These two were closer together than with Herson because Herson would often not go with them. Yu-jin is a bit more polite and knows his limit, whilst Ha-ru just says what he wants. Herson's indifference to my presence only fueled my frustration.

I ignore them and shift my attention to Herson. "Do you seriously want to get expelled?" I challenged Herson, ignoring his dismissive attitude.

"I couldn't care less," he scoffed. Before I could respond, the principal's voice cut through the tension. "Why don't you join me in my office then, Herson?" The principal's stern tone silenced the bullies.

I look behind me, flinching as I see the principal with his hands crossed. "Uncle-? Why are you-" Herson frantically looked around trying to see if someone called him over.

"Hey, what the hell! Why would you call the principal!?" Ha-ru exclaimed in an annoyed tone, directing his gaze at Ruby. I glanced at her; she returned my look with a nervous expression.

As they were escorted away, Ruby sighed in relief. "You could have been hurt. First Celeste, now this. When will you learn? I won't be surprised if you were enemies with the whole school." She scolded me gently.

I apologized, but my attention shifted to the bullied kid. I approached him cautiously. "Are you okay?" I asked, but he didn't respond. "Hey, I'm just trying to help," I reassured him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"G-get off me! You're not being nice, are you? You're probably a bully like them," he lashed out, startling me. I try to retort back, "What? No, I'm not. I was just trying to help-" but my words get cut off by him yelling.

"That's a lie! Ugh, get away!" He shoved me to the floor. Ruby rushed to my aid, helping me up. The dark-haired boy then fled. I sighed. "Thanks, Ruby." I muttered, dusting my clothes.

Ruby helped me up, her expression a mixture of concern and annoyance. "What's his problem?" she muttered, shooting a glare at the retreating figure.

"Who knows? Let's just go," I sighed, trying to act like I didn't feel disheartened by the encounter.

"Come on, Athena, let's head to class," Ruby suggested with a reassuring smile. I nodded, making our way to the stairs.

Finally making our way to the fifth floor where our classroom was located in, I push open the heavy door to the classroom, the familiar cacophony of noise hits me like a wave. The room is alive with the sounds of laughter, chatter, and the occasional outburst of playful cursing. It's chaos in the best possible way, the kind of chaos that can only be found in a room full of teenagers.

I step inside, trying my best to keep my head low as I navigate through everyone. A few heads turn in my direction as I enter, but the attention quickly fizzles out as everyone returns to their own conversations and activities.

I find my usual spot near the back of the room and sit in the chair. From my vantage point, I can see the entire room spread out before me like a bustling marketplace. Groups of students huddle together, their voices rising and falling in animated conversation. Someone in the corner is strumming a guitar, the soft melody adding to the lively atmosphere.

The air is thick with energy, a palpable buzz of excitement that seems to pulse through the room. It's infectious, this sense of camaraderie and belonging that fills the space. Despite my best efforts to remain detached, I find myself drawn in by the sheer vibrancy of it all.

Sucks that their faces all look distorted.

I unlock my phone, greeted by the familiar wallpaper featuring my sister and me.

"Hey, Athena." A hand lands on my shoulder, and I turn to find Nathan, our class president, standing there.

"Yeah?" I respond, already anticipating what's coming.

"Contribution for class funds. Pay up," Nathan says matter-of-factly. I groan inwardly.

"Why do we even have to do class funds? Can't the school just pay for things?" I grumble.

"Don't forget, we're just scholars. Half of the class isn't even Korean. Do you really think the school will care enough to give us the same luxuries as other students? Now, pay up," Nathan sighs.

Rolling my eyes, I reach into my bag for my wallet when suddenly, the classroom door bursts open, revealing Yu-jin and Ha-ru.

Ha-ru scans the room and then charges towards me, Yu-jin trailing behind him. "Ha-ru, let's just—" Yu-jin starts, but Ha-ru ignores him.

"YOU LITTLE BRAT! YOU THINK IT'S FUNNY TO CALL THE PRINCIPAL!?" Ha-ru slams his hands on my desk, and Yu-jin quickly tries to restrain him.

"Ha-ru, calm down, please, dude," Yu-jin pleads.

Ha-ru glares at Ruby before scanning the room again. "Where is Ha-rim!? WHERE IS HE!?" he yells.

"What is happening here!?" A loud slam interrupts the chaos as our teacher enters the room.

"Ha-ru, sit down," the teacher commands firmly. Ha-ru mutters something under his breath before reluctantly obeying. I sigh, hoping for some semblance of normalcy to return to the classroom.

I look down at my desk, then back at the person behind my chair. "...so, do I still have to pay?"

…

"Herson, I've given you so many chances already. I might lose my job because of you." The principal sighed, rubbing his temples in frustration as he looked down at the boy before him. "I know you feel forced to come to school by your father. But it's for the best. You can't be homeschooled forever. You need to stop this behavior," he urged, his disappointment evident.

"But uncle, it's so unfair! Why does my father let my brothers do whatever they want but force me?" Herson's voice was laced with defeat as he spoke up for the first time, his eyes pleading for understanding.

"Herson..."

"I just don't understand! Is it because of my sister? Is that it? Does my father still blame me for her passing? Why can't he understand that the one who put her in danger was—"

"Enough, Herson."

Silence filled the room as the principal's stern tone cut through the boy's words.

"I'm giving you one more chance. If you mess up again, I'll have no choice but to inform your father about everything," the principal declared firmly, his expression unwavering.

"What? You can't do that!" Herson protested desperately.

"Go to your class."

"But uncle—"

"Go to your class NOW, Herson," the principal commanded, his voice leaving no room for argument.

"Fine.." Herson let out, getting up from the chair and slamming the office door. The principal sighed.

"Sir, I need you to take a look at this. There seems to be unusual behavior being exhibited by people outside, faculty thinks it may be harmful to students."

"Let me see. …Huh..Rabies?"

─────⊹⊱✠⊰⊹─────

The bell rang, signaling the end of another casual day at school. As Athena walked through the crowded hallway, students chattered around her, their faces merging into a blur as her mind blanked out.

Exiting the school gates, Athena took a deep breath, when she felt a hand on her shoulder. "Ruby?" she let out, turning towards her. Ruby smiled at Athena and asked if she could walk home with her. Athena nodded.

…

"By the way, Athena, do you wanna hang out today?" Ruby asked with a hopeful smile. "Ah... well, we have to be quick. I still have work," I murmur,

"Alright! We can go eat at Hana's parents' restaurant - they have amazing kimchi there! My treat~" Ruby suggested enthusiastically.

I nod in agreement, unable to resist the temptation of free food. Who doesn't like free food, after all?

The restaurant door bells jingled as we opened the door. A frail old lady bowed down and greeted us with a warm smile. Ruby returned the same smile while I let out a small one.

"What would you two like?" She asks. Ruby began listing down things she wanted as I looked around the place. It seemed to be a house with a small restaurant placed beside it.

"How about you, Athena? What do you wanna take?" Ruby asks, making me snap out of observation mode. "Uh, I'll take the same as you. With some spicy chicken too, I guess?" The woman nodded before heading to the kitchen.

"Soooo, any plans this week?" Ruby asks, looking at me. I smile. "You'll never guess. Work, work, and work." I replied sarcastically, prompting Ruby to burst out laughing.

The two of us catched up for a bit, I was busy with work - so I never really got to hang out with her that often anymore.

"Oh? Aren't you guys classmates of mine? What a surprise! Anyways, here's your order. Some Kimchi jjigae, Spicy Chicken, Japchae and Kimchi bokkeumbap. That's all right? Let me know if I missed something." The waiter smiled, I immediately recognized our classmate's voice - Hana.

"This is it! Thanks Hana." Ruby smiled, which was returned by Hana. "Well, let's eat then." Ruby said, turning back to me. I chuckled a bit as she seemed eager to eat.

Before I knew it, we had already finished the food. And it was getting late, I fix myself and the table up before getting up from the chair.

─────⊹⊱✠⊰⊹─────

The two friends parted ways, they exchanged waves and said their goodbyes. The gentle breeze caressed Athena's face, causing her long hair to sway in the wind as she strolled. She observed the bustling stores, the lively chatter of students, and the tranquil streets with the occasional car passing by. It was a beautiful afternoon,

Perhaps even too beautiful.

Athena swiftly unlocked her front door and stepped inside, transitioning from the vibrant street to a gloomy and eerily quiet interior. Her house felt abandoned, as the creaking of the door echoed through the space, making it seem haunted to an outsider's perspective. It was lonely.

Athena walked over to her room, flicked on the lights, and changed into her work uniform. It was time for her night shift, and soon her day would come to an end. As she got ready, thoughts swirled in her mind, wondering whether the next day would be as peaceful as today. With a sigh, she slipped on her shoes, grabbed her bag, and left her house, making her way to the convenience store where her part-time job awaited her.

Reaching her part-time job at the convenience store, the familiar jingle of the door signaled Athena's arrival. The store bathed in the sterile glow of fluorescent light.

"Oh, Wilson-nim. Thank God you're here. I was DYING to go home." her co-worker exclaimed in relief. Athena chuckled and made her way behind the counter. "You can go now; you're probably exhausted," she suggested to her co-worker, but she didn't leave yet - not before catching up on the latest gossip in town. Soon enough, her co-worker nodded and smiled before waving goodbye.

As soon as the girl exited the shop, the loneliness settled in. It was always like that, but chatting with someone as cheerful as her co-worker made the time pass more pleasantly.

With a sigh, Athena settled into her seat, waiting for the occasional late-night customers to trickle in. The night shift wasn't typically as busy as other times.

A few moments later, the door opened.

Athena got up to greet the customer. It was a gloomy-looking man, his expression a mixture of panic and regret, with trembling hands, he spoke up. "Do you have bleach and a shovel?" Athena, taken aback by the unusual request, managed to stammer, "Uh, yes, it's over there," as she pointed in the direction of the items he asked for.

The man swiftly hurried to acquire the items, his coat covering every part of his clothing despite the relatively mild weather outside. He returned to the counter with the requested items, placing them on the desk. Athena scanned the items and bagged it, the man promptly paid for the shovel and six bottles of bleach. Before quickly getting out of the store. "Thanks for the purchase?"

The strange encounter left Athena with an unsettling feeling as she watched him leave. "What a weirdo.." she muttered. As the man slowly got away from her vision, her gaze turned towards something completely different.

Athena had noticed out in the dark streets — a woman. But the low light made it challenging to see her clearly. What stood out was the woman's uncontrollable twitching, her peculiar posture, and the sight of her arm dripping with what seemed like red liquid, likely blood. Concerned, Athena left the counter and approached the large convenience store window.

She hesitated, contemplating whether to help the woman. Her past experiences with similar situations, which often turned out to be scams or encounters with unstable individuals, made her wary. For a moment, she stood still, watching the woman. Then, she decided to dial the police on her phone while keeping her gaze fixed on the motionless yet twitching figure. The woman remained in the same unnerving position, showing no sign of movement.

"119, what's your emergency?" She heard from the other side of the call. "Uh, yeah, I'm working at a convenience store and there's this woman outside," she stated.

: "A woman? Can you explain what she looks like and what she's doing to harm you?"

Athena: "Oh, uh, she's not harming me but she is acting weird. Like, she's twitching and she's covered with…blood?"

: "Covered with blood, understood. I'll dispatch help. Stay on the line with me. What is she currently doing, and can you provide your name?"

Athena: "Athena. She's just standing in the middle of the street, her body is twitching so much and she has a weird posture plus a freaky expression on her face."

: "I see. Is the woman armed? Does she have any firearms or weapons?"

Athena: "...no."

: "Alright, we'll look into it. Can you please provide your location?"

Athena: "What is she doing… oh, uh, yeah, yeah um, I'm at Nara-"

"AHHH!!" Athena's panicked scream filled the air as she dropped her phone to the ground. Shocked, she fell to her feet as the woman charged towards her. Fortunately, the glass wall separated them, preventing the woman from reaching Athena directly. However, the situation took an even more alarming turn when the woman, seemingly not thinking clearly, began banging her head against the glass, desperately trying to break through.

"What the hell...?" Athena muttered in a mixture of fear and confusion. 'Why is the woman trying to get to me by breaking the glass when the door is wide open?' The police dispatcher's voice on the phone tried to get her attention, urging, "Hello? Athena-ssi? Athena?? Are you there?? The police are on the way; please don't hang up. Hello?" Athena's focus wavered as she tried to cope with the surreal and dangerous scene unfolding before her.

As Athena heard the phone, she snapped out of her shock, swiftly picking up her phone and stood. "The woman got close, she's trying to break the glass!" she urgently yelled, describing the situation. The glass was still intact, but it was now coated with the woman's blood.

"Trying to break the glass? Didn't you say she didn't have any weapons? What is she using to break it?" the police dispatcher inquired. Athena's frantic report left her perplexed, as it seemed the woman had no apparent means to break the window.

Athena: "She's banging her head at it!!"

: "Banging her head at it? Had you locked the door of the convenience store?"

Athena: "No! She's not going for the door even if it's wide open! She's just trying to break the glass where she can see me! I- CAN YOU JUST SEND HELP?"

: "Keep telling me what's happening alright? The police will be there in a minute."

Athena: "Hurry up!! This woman is probably crazy or something!"

: "The police will be there in a minute."

Athena remained on the phone with the dispatcher, helplessly watching as the woman continued to harm herself, using her head to attack the wall that separated them. The window was now coated in a disturbing amount of blood, the woman was basically breaking her skull instead of the glass. Athena was puzzled by how the woman managed to stay conscious of that much amount of blood loss.

Athena locked the store's door, cutting off any direct access to the disturbed woman. After a few agonizing minutes of eerie silence punctuated only by the woman's occasional groans from outside, the relief of seeing flashing blue and red lights filled Athena's face. The police had finally arrived, and Athena let out a sigh of relief. "What in the hell was that.." she muttered to herself, her gaze fixed on the officers as they worked to detain the injured woman and get her into the police car.

The police clearly had a hard time; the woman kept squirming and groaning out incoherent words. Suddenly, she snapped her neck towards the officer next to her and bit him on the arm. The man groaned, attempting to free himself, while the other officer swiftly tazed the woman to halt her actions. They placed her inside the police car, and the bitten officer urgently called for medical help.

Athena glanced towards the police car with a concerned look on her face. Then, her gaze shifted from the police car to the officer who was bitten, "...he looks paler than earlier." She commented, but she was really the only one who could hear herself.

…

'Could it be because of the bite-mark the woman left on him?'

Athena took a step back, her heart pounding in her chest as she watched the chaotic scene unfold. The sight of the injured officer being attended to by his colleagues sent a chill down her spine. "I hope he's okay," she whispered to herself, a knot of worry tightening in her stomach.

As the commotion died down and the police car pulled away, Athena let out a shaky breath. The adrenaline coursing through her veins left her feeling drained, her mind reeling from the surreal events that had just transpired.

The police officers approached Athena, asking for her statement and details of the incident. She recounted the harrowing encounter with the disturbed woman. The officers listened intently, jotting down notes as Athena described the woman's erratic behavior.

Once she finished her statement, the officers assured her that they would handle the situation and thanked her for her cooperation. As they left, Athena leaned against the convenience store counter, trying to process the whirlwind of emotions coursing through her.

Her phone rang, causing her to look down and check. It was a call from her co-worker. Athena quickly accepted.

"Are you okay?" her co-worker's voice echoed through the line, laced with concern. "I saw so many police cars heading there. What happened?"

Athena's breath caught in her throat as she struggled to find the right words to reassure her colleague. "I'm okay," she managed to say, her voice slightly shaky. Then, in a rush, she began recounting the harrowing events that had unfolded just moments ago.

Her co-worker's gasp of shock punctuated the air, followed by a string of incredulous questions. "Dear lord, what is with that? You did the right thing for calling the police. I came across so many weirdos like that earlier."

Athena's muscles tensed as she listened, her mind racing with a mixture of fear and frustration. "What?" she interjected, unable to contain her surprise.

Her co-worker's response was swift, filled with a sense of resigned acceptance. "Yeah, exactly how you explained the woman to be. So many creeps out these days. I hope that police officer is okay though."

Athena's thoughts swirled as she processed the implications of her co-worker's words. "Are... Are you encountering more of them now?" she asked, her voice tinged with worry.

But before she could receive a response, the sound of a cheerful voice interrupted their conversation. "Oh, Wilson-nim, my phone is dying. See you on Saturday, bye!"

"Wait—" Athena's protest fell on deaf ears as the call abruptly ended, leaving her feeling unsettled and anxious.

"Ugh... that girl..." Athena muttered to herself, her mind still reeling from the conversation. "I hope she's fine." With a heavy sigh, she pocketed her phone and began to make her way home, the weight of the evening's events lingering in the air like an ominous shadow.