Chapter 17: Baseball Wielder Zombie

(Appraisal Activated)

Baseball Player Zombie (High-level)

Rank C

Weapon Proficiency: Intermediate

Danger Level: High

"What the—?!" Caius muttered, stepping back quickly as the zombie took another swing. The bat whistled through the air, narrowly missing him again. The creature, once a proud athlete, now moved with terrifying speed and aggression.

Trent groaned from where he had been thrown, but Caius couldn't afford to help him just yet. His mind raced as the zombie closed in, its rotting face twisted into an expressionless rage.

The zombie grunted, gripping the bat tighter as it prepared for another swing. Caius braced himself, trying to calculate the right moment to dodge. He had to outmaneuver it, or he'd end up like Trent—crashed into the wall.

"Stay calm... stay sharp," he whispered under his breath, watching the zombie's next move carefully.

Caius barely dodged another wild swing from the bat-wielding zombie, the weapon smashing into the wall beside him. His heart raced, but he didn't stop moving.

"Run, Caius! Get outta here!" Trent shouted from where he was struggling to stand, his back and stomach aching from the earlier hit.

"Just stand up, idiot!" Caius yelled back, ducking low and avoiding another swing. "Leaving you here will just make me a bad person!"

Trent groaned, clutching his side, but managed to pull himself up slightly, leaning against the wall for support. He watched as Caius continued to dodge the zombie's relentless attacks, his movements quick and focused.

The zombie swung again, aiming for Caius's head. This time, Caius sidestepped sharply, the bat barely missing him. He could feel the wind from the swing as it whooshed past.

"I can't keep dodging like this forever," Caius muttered under his breath, his eyes darting around the room for something he could use as a weapon.

As the zombie lunged again, Caius moved to the side and kicked a nearby chair toward the zombie, trying to buy himself a moment. The chair hit the zombie's legs, causing it to stumble slightly, but it quickly regained its balance.

Trent, still leaning against the wall, winced in pain but couldn't help but be amazed. "Damn… you're really not panicking, are you?" he muttered, half to himself, as he watched Caius skillfully avoid each attack.

Caius didn't respond, too focused on the fight. He ducked low once more, avoiding another deadly swing, then quickly grabbed a metal rod that had fallen from the broken table. With a grunt, he swung it at the zombie's legs.

The zombie staggered, its grip on the bat loosening for a split second. Caius didn't waste the opportunity. He swung again, this time hitting the zombie in the side. The force of the blow knocked it off balance, sending it stumbling backward but it's still can move and standing up.

Trent, struggling but determined, finally managed to get to his feet. "You're insane,"

As Trent finally recovered, he saw the perfect moment to act. With a loud grunt, he charged at the zombie, tackling it with all his strength. The impact knocked the zombie off its feet and sent the bat clattering to the floor.

"C'mon, Caius, we're not staying for round two!" Trent shouted, quickly standing up and grabbing Caius by the arm. Without giving him a chance to protest, Trent pulled him along, and they bolted toward the nearest door.

They both sprinted down the hallway, their footsteps echoing loudly. Caius's heart pounded as he glanced behind them, seeing the zombie already struggling to its feet, ready to chase them again.

"Faster!" Caius yelled, pushing Trent to keep moving.

Spotting a door, Trent yanked it open, and both of them hurried inside. He slammed the door shut and quickly locked it, leaning his back against it, breathing heavily.

"Block it! Hurry!" Caius urged, scanning the room for anything they could use to block the door.

He nodded and began looking around, his eyes darting from one corner to the next. The room was small, with a couple of chairs and a desk. Nothing too sturdy, but it would have to do for now.

Caius, still catching his breath, muttered to himself, "We're gonna need something better if this doesn't hold…" his eyes scanning the room for anything useful. It was small—just a desk, a couple of chairs, and a bookshelf. No windows, no other doors. They were trapped.

Trent wiped sweat from his forehead and slumped against the wall. "Man, I think my ribs are broken," he groaned, still trying to catch his breath. "We're sitting ducks in here."

Caius gritted his teeth, trying to think. "If we don't figure something out fast, we're done for."

It slammed into the door again, the whole room shaking.

"Shit!" Caius cursed, running toward the desk. He shoved it against the door with all his strength, adding one more layer between them and the zombie.

Trent staggered over to help, wincing with every movement. "This... isn't gonna hold, is it?"

"Nope," Caius said, breathless. "We've got maybe a minute, tops."

The banging continued, each hit louder and more forceful. The door began to splinter, and Caius knew it was only a matter of time before the zombie broke through.

Another bang. The door cracked open slightly, a zombie's clawed hand reaching through.

Caius grabbing one of the metal chairs. He held it like a weapon, ready for when the zombie finally broke through.

The door burst open with a loud crash. The zombie stumbled into the room, its eyes locked on them, blood dripping from its mouth.

Without hesitation, Caius swung the chair with all his strength. It slammed into the zombie's head, but the creature barely flinched. It kept coming.

"Trent, help me out here!" Caius shouted.

Trent grabbed the other chair and charged at the zombie, bashing it from the side. The two of them hit the creature again and again.

Caius's muscles burned from the effort, his breath coming in ragged gasps.

Caius's grip tightened. They had to finish this now. He saw an opening and lunged forward, driving the chair leg into the zombie's chest. It snarled, staggering backward.

"Go for the head!" Caius shouted, remembering the golden rule from every zombie movie.

Trent took aim and swung his chair like a baseball bat, smashing it into the zombie's skull. This time, the creature crumpled to the ground, motionless.

Both of them stood there, panting, staring at the zombie's lifeless body.

"Did we... did we do it?" Trent asked, his voice shaky.

Caius glanced at the corpse, then at Trent. "We need to find a way out of here. Fast."