The End...

They decided to unwind a bit and went to watch a movie after that. 

The movie theater was dimly lit, the flickering glow of the screen casting dancing shadows across the rows of seats.

Zenith and Asuka sat side by side, their eyes glued to the screen as they watched this dumb romance flick unfold before them.

Asuka leaned up against Zenith, her laughter ringing out with every cheesy joke and over-the-top plot twist.

"Fine, I confess. I did it. I killed her." One man with a mustache as thick as Zenith's fists declared. 

"I knew it! Ever since you said her name in your sleep, I knew it!" The female lead yelled. 

"You slept with him!?" Her husband replied. 

Zenith couldn't help but smile at her friend's infectious enthusiasm, the warmth of Asuka's hand in hers sending a comforting tingle through her veins.

Every now and then, as the characters on the screen leaned in for a kiss, Zenith felt Asuka's gaze flicker over to her, their eyes meeting for a fleeting moment before they both laughed the moment off and kept watching. 

It happened during the movie's climax, however.

The theater door swung open with a loud creak, drawing everyone's attention.

"Huh?" 

A man stumbled into the room, his movements jerky and uncoordinated.

Blood was smeared all over his shirt. He looked injured.

The acrid stench of decay filled the air. Zenith reached up and plugged her nostrils, it was so bad. 

Without warning, he lunged at the nearest person and sank his teeth into their flesh.

Panic erupted in the theater as screams filled the air, the once-cheerful atmosphere descending into chaos in an instant.

[What... the... fuck?] 

Zenith's heart pounded in her chest as she watched in disbelief, unable to comprehend what was happening before her eyes, her breath coming in short, shallow gasps as she watched in horror.

Her hands trembled as she clutched the armrest of her seat, her heart pounding in her chest.

A sinking feeling settled in the pit of her stomach as she realized the truth.

[Is that a zombie!?] 

More of them began to flood into the theater, their vacant eyes and rotting flesh a terrifying sight to behold.

Zenith's mind raced as she tried to make sense of the situation, her instincts kicking into overdrive.

Without hesitation, she grabbed Asuka's hand and dragged her to her feet, ignoring the screams and chaos that surrounded them.

The sound of panicked footsteps echoed through the theater, mingling with the desperate cries of the fleeing audience. They were making the right move, though, and Zenith knew they needed to do the same. 

"We need to get out of here, now!" she shouted over the ruckus, her voice tinged with urgency.

As they burst out of the theater and into the streets beyond, Zenith's heart sank at the sight that greeted them. 

The city was in utter chaos, people running in every direction as the undead hordes descended upon them.

The distant wail of sirens filled the air, adding to the cacophony of screams and shouts that surrounded them.

The streets were a blur of movement. People ran in every direction as they tried to escape the horror that had descended upon them.

Zenith cursed under her breath, realizing that she had forgotten to turn her phone on earlier in the evening.

Her phone buzzed then when she turned it back on, the screen lighting up with missed calls and frantic messages.

Asuka's voice cut through the chaos, her tone filled with determination.

"We need to go! It's not safe out here!" 

[Yeah, what gave you that idea?] 

With no particular plan in mind, Zenith nodded in agreement, her heart pounding in her chest as they navigated the crowded streets. But their journey was far from over.

As they rounded a corner, they were suddenly set upon by a pair of zombies, their snarling mouths and outstretched arms a gruesome sight to behold.

Zenith's blood ran cold as she realized the danger they were in, her mind racing as she assessed their options.

She felt a surge of adrenaline coursing through her veins, her muscles tensing as she prepared to fight for her life.

With a fierce determination, Zenith sprang into action, her body moving on pure instinct as she fought off the undead assailants with all her strength, kicking them back.

But despite her best efforts, she was quickly overwhelmed, her limbs growing heavy as exhaustion set in.

As the zombies closed in, their rancid breath hot against her skin, Zenith knew that she was running out of options. 

Thankfully, a couple of people saw the situation and came to help. 

One of them was familiar.

Dylan. Apparently, he too had been considering coming to the movies. 

The two men, Dylan and his friend, rushed forward, their faces grim with determination as they tackled the zombies with brute force.

They pushed the undead assailants away, creating a path for Zenith and Asuka to escape the chaos of the street.

Asuka's eyes widened with relief as she watched the two men fight off the zombies, their swift and decisive actions a stark contrast to the panic and confusion that surrounded them.

"Do you know what's happening?" Asuka called out to them, her voice trembling with fear.

Dylan's friend shook his head, his expression grim.

"No idea. We were just passing by when we saw these things attacking people."

Dylan nodded in agreement, his gaze scanning the area for any sign of danger.

"We need to get out of here," he said, his voice urgent. "There's a hospital nearby, maybe that's where they're coming from."

The group quickly reached a consensus, agreeing that they needed to find shelter and regroup before figuring out their next move.

"We should head back to the college," Zenith suggested, her voice firm with resolve. "We need to find someplace we can lock ourselves inside."

The others nodded in agreement, and without further hesitation, they set off toward the college, their footsteps echoing through the empty streets as they ran for their lives.

As they rounded a corner, they were suddenly set upon by a pack of zombies, their snarling mouths and outstretched arms a gruesome sight to behold.

Dylan found himself in trouble as a zombie lunged toward him, its decaying hands reaching out to grab him.

Off instinct alone, Zenith sprang into action, her instincts kicking in as she tackled the zombie to the ground, fighting it off with all her strength.

Zenith wasn't too proud of her body in terms of looks, but she was proud of one thing. 

She worked out. And, today, that was paying off. 

A short distance away, Asuka found herself cornered by another group of zombies, their relentless advance threatening to overwhelm her.

Asuka's eyes widened with fear as she backed away from the approaching horde, her breath coming in short, panicked gasps. Zenith's heart ached as she watched her friend's desperate struggle, a surge of protectiveness welling up inside her.

Without a second thought, Zenith picked up a nearby lead pipe just conveniently lying on the ground.

She bashed one of them over the head, a sickening crack ringing out. The metallic clang of the pipe echoed through the air, mixing with the guttural growls of the undead as Zenith fought to keep them at bay and drew their attention. Every swing was a battle against fear and exhaustion, but she refused to back down, her determination unwavering.

One by one, she dealt with them in quick succession. Then, she checked to make sure Asuka was alright, all while everyone around them watched in awe. 

"Are you-" 

Zenith couldn't get the words out before Asuka threw herself on her, hugging her tightly. 

As Asuka hugged Zenith tightly in gratitude, she exclaimed:

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" 

Zenith squeezed her friend back, smiling weakly, the adrenaline still coursing through her veins as she glanced around, assessing their situation.

Amidst the chaos, she caught a glimpse of Dylan, his expression as he looked back at her a mixture of relief and something else she couldn't quite place.

Was it jealousy?

"Holy shit... You killed them," Dylan's friend said. "T-Those people, you-" 

"People!?" Zenith protested quickly. "Do you see these fucking things? They're monsters, not people!" 

Before she could dwell on it further, the sound of approaching footsteps drew her attention. A larger pack of zombies was closing in on them, their growls echoing and getting louder. 

"We need to move, now!" Zenith shouted, her voice urgent as she grabbed Asuka's hand, pulling her towards the safety of the college.

They ran as fast as they could, the sound of the zombies' pursuit growing louder with each passing moment. But just as they reached the entrance of the college, disaster struck.

A massive horde of zombies descended upon them, their numbers too great to fight off.

Zenith's heart sank. 

[There are too many of them!] 

In a desperate attempt to buy Asuka some time, Zenith threw herself at the zombies near her, pushing them back with all her strength, swinging that lead pipe for all it was worth.

But in doing so, she put herself in grave danger.

As she fought bravely against the undead, she felt the weight of their decaying bodies pressing down on her, their clawing hands tearing at her flesh.

Fighting wasn't an option anymore. 

She needed help. 

"H-Hey!" Zenith cried out, her voice drowned out by the sounds of chaos and destruction.

But as she glanced back, hoping to see her friends coming to her rescue, her heart shattered into a million pieces.

Dylan was dragging Asuka away, his face twisted with fear and desperation.

[What?] 

"We have to go!" he shouted over the roar of the zombies, his grip on Asuka's arm tight and unyielding.

Each word was like a dagger to Zenith's heart, plunging deep into her soul with every syllable. She watched in silent agony as her last hope of salvation slipped through her fingers, carried away by the hands of betrayal.

Zenith's eyes widened in shock and betrayal as she realized what was happening. Dylan was leaving her behind.

"No!" she screamed, reaching out to them with trembling hands. "Don't leave me!"

But it was too late. They were already so far away.

"D-DYLAN, WE HAVE TO HELP HER!" Zenith heard Asuka cry out over the sound of her own flesh being ripped off. 

"We can't," she heard Dylan respond. "She's fucked. Let's just keep going!" 

Then, Dylan quite literally pulled Asuka off her feet and hoisted her up on his shoulders, carrying her away. 

That was it. 

That was how Zenith died. 

The darkness closed in around Zenith, swallowing her whole as she sank into the abyss of despair. Her world shrank to a pinprick of light amidst the encroaching shadows, a fading ember of hope in the face of overwhelming darkness.

The last thing she saw was Asuka's hand outstretched in her direction, tears streaming down her face as she watched on in horror. 

And, despite the sharp, bitter taste of betrayal mixing with blood in her mouth, Zenith thought: 

[... At least she got away.] Zenith closed her eyes, the pain too much to bear. [At least... She...]