Chapter 10

"Drive faster!" he demanded, his voice barely audible above the truck's motor and the yomigaeri's furious pursuit.

The truck sped into the dark, narrow alleyway, its tyres shrieking as Shiro struggled with the steering wheel. The yomigaeri ran after them, their bodies covered in rotten flesh and snarling fangs.

Shiro drifted around a corner, and the truck lurched to the side, its chassis grinding against the alley's rough brick walls.

"Hold on!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with desperation.

"Can't we just hit them?" Kaori inquired, her fingers white as she grasped the door handle.

"And risk crashing?" Kanoe responded, her voice harsh. "We'll be sitting ducks if we damage the truck. And I, for one, have no interest in becoming a yomigaeri's main course."

As the truck hurtled forward, a narrow opening presented itself ahead.

"An exit!" Kai exclaimed, his eyes lighting up in relief. "Go through there!"

With a skilled flick of the wheel, Shiro steered the truck into the passage, their vehicle emerging from the alleyway with a triumphant roar of its engine.

"That was too close," Kaori murmured, her heart still pounding in her chest.

"And the fun's just getting started," Kai replied with a wry smile.

As the truck left the alleyway with the city's skyline appearing on the horizon, a maze of darkened skyscrapers and flickering streetlights, Shiro set course for the hideout.

But the thunderous sound of the truck's engine only attracted more attention from the yomigaeri around.

Dark shapes began to stir, shadows shifting as the undead were drawn to the sudden noise. "Hold tight! " Shiro commanded, accelerating to put as much distance as possible between them and the encroaching threat.

The vehicle accelerated through the deserted streets, its headlights cutting through the dense darkness. Shiro's knuckles were white on the steering wheel, her gaze darting between the road and the rearview mirror, where the yomigaeri's figures were barely visible in the background.

"Incoming on your left! "Mai shouted, pointing at the swarm closing in from an adjacent street.

Shiro's heart skipped a beat when she spotted the incoming swarm in the mirror. With lightning-fast reflexes, she pulled the wheel to the right, forcing the truck into a sharp turn that left its passengers reeling.

"What are you doing?!" Kanoe yelled, her body bumping with the side of the automobile as it careened into the crossroads.

Shiro clinched her jaw, her eyes focused on the road as she rounded the corner. "Getting us to safety," she snarled between clinched teeth, her voice tension-filled.

The truck shrieked as it swerved through the junction, the quick bend sending a vibration along the vehicle's structure. For a brief while, the yomigaeri's pursuit appeared to pause, their concentration diverted by the unexpected turn.

Kanoe, still nursing her injury, stared out the back window, her breath caught in her throat as she saw the horde reassemble, their numbers rising as they refocused on the group's journey.

"They're catching up again!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide with panic.

"Hold tight, the hideout is just up ahead!" Kai yelled. "There it is!!!" Kai pointed out relief evident in his voice.

Although meters away, Shiro started honking repeatedly to ensure that the others in the hideout get notified and come to their aid in time.

*meanwhile at the hideout *

The rest of the survivors were uneasy, pacing back and forth and contemplating the possibilities of searching for their missing companions.

Then, like a lightning strike in a calm sky, a loud honking resonated through the air. The group's gaze shifted to the window, panic mixed with surprise at the sound's reckless audacity.

As they went to look out, a surprised voice echoed through them. "It's them!"

Their leader, Sato, ushered everyone into action. "Get ready to open the gates!

The truck, now closing in on the hideout's gates, sounded like a rocket shooting towards a faraway star, its engine howling in defiance of the yomigaeri's persistent chase.

The vehicle stuttered, and its engine finally died with a hoarse cough that sent the passengers jolting forward in their seats. A chorus of outraged remarks erupted when the truck came to a standstill, leaving the group trapped only metres from the entrance.

"Now of all times!" Ren yelled and slammed his fist against the truck's dashboard.

Shiro's fingers danced around the ignition, her terror increasing as the engine refused to start. "Come on, start!" she begged, desperation oozingo through her voice.

Without wasting any more time, the group leapt out, their feet pounding on the asphalt as they raced towards the open gate.

"Run, run! The yomigaeri are right behind us!" Shiro screamed, her voice ragged with exertion as she struggled to outpace the horde.

The group dashed towards the gate, its metal framework glinting in the faint moonlight.

They could see the guards helping push it open, urgency etched on their faces.

As the gate inched open, the screams of the approaching yomigaeri grew louder, almost deafening in their intensity.

Kanoe, her injury aching, pushed her body to the limit, her eyes fixed on the tantalizing safety of the gate, her feet feeling heavier with each step.

Kaori and Shiro supporting Ren on both sides with Mai following closely behind.

The yomigaeri were mere feet away, their rancid breath hot on their necks.

Sato and the others held the gate open, their arms trembling with effort, their hearts hammering in their chests as they urged the group on.

As the last member of the group slipped past the gate, the yomigaeri closed in, their claws raking against the metal barrier, desperate for flesh.

Sato and the others yanked the gate shut, the locking mechanism slamming into place with a resounding clang, the clatter of the yomigaeri's assault still echoing on the other side.

"We made it," Kaori gasped, her body slumped against the gate, her breath coming in ragged gasps.

A chilling silence fell over the group as Mai's eyes rolled back and she sank to the floor, her body limp and lifeless.

Sato's head shot in her direction, his mouth open in surprise as his gaze went across the group, eventually focusing on the jagged shard of glass sticking from Mai's side.

"Oh, God, Arumi! "Arumi!" he said, his voice shaking as he hastily summoned the group's medical doctor. "We need aid! Now!"