13. Towards the broadcast room

'.....'= Thoughts 

"....."= Conversations 

____________________________________________________________________________________

Jin-soo quickly assessed their situation and began formulating a plan to move to the floor above, where the broadcast room was located. Turning to Dae-su, Woo-jin, and Cheong-san, he pointed to the large table in the center of the room.

"Take that table and carry it with us. If we run into a lot of zombies, it can help us block them off," Jin-soo instructed.

The three boys nodded in agreement, understanding the importance of having a makeshift barricade. They moved towards the table and lifted it together, their muscles straining as they adjusted to its weight.

Jin-soo then looked at the girls. "Girls, I need you all to take the brooms and chairs with us. We can use them for protection and to block zombies if needed."

All the girls, even Na-yeon agreed without complaining.

"We need to move in a specific formation to ensure everyone's safety," Jin-soo continued, addressing the group. "I'll take the front with my knife. Dae-su, Woo-jin, and Cheong-san will be right behind me with the table, ready to block if necessary. I-sak and On-jo, you'll be supporting them."

He paused to make sure everyone was following his plan. "Na-yeon, Nam-ra, and Ji-min, you'll be behind them, providing backup in case anything goes wrong. Hyo-rung and Min-ji, you'll be in the middle. At the rear, we'll have Joon-yeong, Su-hyeok, and Gyeong-su covering our backs. We need to be ready for anything."

The group nodded in agreement, appreciating the clear structure Jin-soo was providing. They all understood the gravity of their situation and the need for a well-coordinated plan.

"Does anyone have any suggestions or concerns?" Jin-soo asked, giving the group a chance to voice their opinions.

"I think the formation is good," Cheong-san said. "We just need to make sure we're quick and quiet."

"Agreed," Woo-jin added. "Speed and silence are our best allies right now."

Nam-ra, still slightly shaken but resolute, spoke up. "I'll do my best to support from the middle. We need to keep an eye on each other and make sure no one falls behind."

"Good point," Jin-soo replied. "Everyone stay alert and communicate if you see any danger."

On-jo looked at Jin-soo, her eyes filled with determination. "We'll get through this together."

"Exactly," Jin-soo affirmed. "Let's move out."

With a final nod, the group positioned themselves according to Jin-soo's plan. Jin-soo took his place at the front, his knife ready. Behind him, Dae-su, Woo-jin, and Cheong-san hoisted the table, with I-sak and On-jo on either side, holding brooms and chairs.

Na-yeon, Nam-ra, and Ji-min followed closely, ready to provide backup. Hyo-rung and Min-ji stayed in the middle, while Joon-yeong, Su-hyeok, and Gyeong-su took up the rear, keeping a vigilant watch for any threats from behind.

They moved towards the door, Jin-soo taking a deep breath before opening it cautiously. The group stepped out quietly, their eyes scanning for any signs of movement.

As they made their way down the corridor, the tension was almost unbearable. Every creak and groan of the building made their hearts race. Jin-soo led them with steady determination, his senses on high alert.

They reached the stairwell that would take them to the floor above. Jin-soo signaled for the group to stop and listen. The sound of distant growls echoed through the stairwell, but it seemed the zombies were not immediately nearby.

"We need to move quickly but carefully," Jin-soo whispered. "Dae-su, Woo-jin, and Cheong-san, be ready to use the table if we encounter any zombies on the stairs."

The boys nodded, tightening their grip on the table. Jin-soo began to ascend the stairs, the group following closely behind in their assigned positions. Each step was taken with caution, the creaking stairs threatening to give away their presence.

As they reached the halfway point, a low growl echoed from above. Jin-soo froze, signaling the group to halt. The growl grew louder, indicating a zombie was approaching.

"Get ready," Jin-soo whispered, his knife poised for action.

The zombie came into view, its decayed form shuffling down the stairs. Jin-soo moved swiftly, slashing at its throat with precision.

Jin-soo caught the zombie with its coat and slowly dropped it down to the ground, preventing from creating any loud sound.

With the path clear, they continued their ascent, the tension increasing with each step. As they neared the top of the stairs, the sound of multiple growls grew louder.

"There's more of them up there," On-jo whispered, her voice trembling slightly.

"Those sounds seem muffled," Jin-soo whispered, his eyes scanning the dimly lit corridor ahead. "They might be inside the classrooms."

The group continued their ascent, their steps careful and silent. When they reached the top, they saw the hallway was almost empty, save for a lone zombie roaming at the far end. Jin-soo relaxed slightly, noting the broadcast room was situated before the end of the hallway, so they didn't need to worry about the zombie for now.

Jin-soo peered out of a glass window, observing the sun's descent. 'We've got about an hour or two before sundown,' he thought, motioning the group to stay alert as they moved forward.

As they neared the first classroom, the sight of numerous zombies inside made them tense.

The eerie quiet was shattered when Na-yeon shrieked, having accidentally stepped on a severed hand. Nam-ra quickly silenced her by putting her hand on Na-yeon's mouth, but the damage was done. Zombies inside the classroom began banging on the door, the noise attracting more of them.

The lone zombie at the hallway's end turned and sprinted towards them, followed by others who ran up the stairs drawn by the commotion.

"Run to the broadcast room!" Jin-soo commanded. "Stick to the formation!"

Dae-su, Woo-jin, and Cheong-san readied the table, bracing for impact. As they ran, the zombies ahead reached them. With On-jo, Ji-min, and Nam-ra's help, they used the table to block and push back the horde. Jin-soo slashed at any zombies that got too close, their numbers slowly dwindling.

I-sak and Na-yeon banged on the broadcast room door, their desperate knocks catching the attention of their English teacher, Park Sun-hwa. She quickly opened the door, and Na-yeon was the first to enter.

"Get in, quick!" Jin-soo shouted, fighting off zombies while Dae-su, Cheong-san and Woo-jin along with Nam-ra, On-jo and Ji-min held the table blocking the zombies.

I-sak wanted to help them, but upon hearing Jin-soo she hesitated a bit, but quickly scrambled inside the door.

Su-hyeok, Joon-yeong, and Gyeong-su, aided by Min-ji and Hyo-rung, held off the rear, pushing back zombies with chairs and sheer force. They managed to push the zombies back down the hallway, creating a brief window to retreat.

As the group hurried towards the broadcast room, a classroom door suddenly burst open. Zombies poured out, one grabbing Min-ji's leg as she ran. Su-hyeok reacted instantly, shoving zombies away with a chair, kicking them back to prevent them from biting Min-ji.

Gyeong-su, Joon-yeong, and Hyo-rung worked frantically to free Min-ji, pulling her into the broadcast room as Su-hyeok continued to hold off the zombies behind them. The hallway echoed with the groans and snarls of the undead, but the small group managed to pull Min-ji to safety just in time. Her breath was ragged, her face pale with shock, but she was alive and unharmed.

In the hallway, Jin-soo, fighting off the zombies that managed to edge closer, shouted to Dae-su, Woo-jin, and Cheong-san, "Now! Push with everything you've got!" On-jo, Nam-ra and Ji-min, who had been providing backup, braced themselves against the table, their bodies tensed for the effort.

Together, they surged forward, the table acting as a makeshift shield, slamming into the advancing horde. The impact was jarring, but effective. Zombies stumbled and fell, giving the group the precious seconds they needed. Dae-su, Woo-jin, Ji-min, On-jo, Nam-ra and Cheong-san quickly slipped through the door of the broadcast room, their faces flushed with the exertion and sweat.

Jin-soo was about to follow when a sudden commotion caught his eye. Su-hyeok, who had been so close to the broadcast room door, was now being dragged back by three zombies. They had him by the leg, pulling him away even as he fought desperately, the chair in his hands slamming on their faces to keep them from biting his leg.

______________________________________________________________________________________________ 

For 5+ advance chapters visit my patreon. 

patreon.com/StoryTeller229