Chapter 26: School

"We're humans, and we want to help you. Open the door," Amy said.

The survivors looked through the window, wary but desperate for aid. They saw that we were armed and prepared, and they felt a glimmer of hope. They slowly opened the door, and let us in. The room was crowded with weary faces, mostly students. They had barricaded the windows and the door, and had gathered some supplies. But they looked hungry and scared, and some of them had wounds.

"Thank God, are you the rescue team?" A student asked, his eyes wide with hope.

I scanned the room, and counted nearly 20 people. I knew we couldn't take them all with us, but I didn't want to leave them behind. As I was thinking of a plan, the class president stepped forward. She was a girl with glasses, and I recognized her from school. She was smart and popular, but also bossy and arrogant.

Amy whispered to me, "Isn't she the class president?"

I nodded, and said, "Yeah, you're right."

The class president spoke with authority, and said, "I am the leader here."

I looked at her, and said, "I'll let you join us if you all follow my instructions, but first, we need to get out of here."

"But how?" a student asked, voicing the collective concern.

I smirked, and said, "Oh yeah, I forgot. Our car can only fit 5 people. What should I do?"

I expected them to panic, or to beg for mercy. But instead, they started to compete for a spot in our car.

"Me! Pick me!"

"No, me!"

"Me!"

The students shouted, their desperation clouding their judgment. They pushed and shoved each other, trying to get closer to me. I was amused by their reaction, but also annoyed. I realized that they were selfish and foolish, and that they would only slow us down.

I was disgusted by the students' behavior. They were acting like selfish brats, not caring about anyone but themselves. I glared at them, and was about to leave them behind, when the president intervened.

"Wait!" she said. "I think there's a working military truck nearby."

"Where is it? Do you have the key?" I asked.

"We don't have the key, but I can start it without one," she replied with confidence.

I was impressed by her skills. She was smart and resourceful, unlike the others. "As expected of the president," I remarked.

Before we could move, a girl in a military uniform stepped in. She was one of the few soldiers who had survived the rescue operation. She looked at us with a stern expression.

"We can't let you do that," she said. "You all are still kids, we can't let you go risking your lives."

I raised an eyebrow, and said, "Oh? Then will you go there?"

She was silent, unable to answer. I knew she was afraid, just like the rest of them. They had failed to protect the survivors, and they had lost their courage.

"Heh, I thought so," I said. "If you really wanted to save these students, you would have done something by now. But fear is taking over you, all of you. You follow the president here because she can think straight despite this tragedy."

"That's why I admire her, more than you guys," I continued. "If you were that strong, then you wouldn't have failed in the first place, right?"

She got attacked by my truthful words and also harsh, "you! Don't act like you knew what happened!" She said angrily

An old man in a military uniform stepped in. He was the captain of the rescue team, and he looked like he had seen a lot of horrors. He said, "Stop." And everyone went silent. He is on a wheelchair, his left foot was cut off…

He looked at me, and said, "You're right, young man. You've proven your point. We know it fully well, and what you said is completely true. Is it true that you can save these students from here?"

I nodded, and said, "Yes, of course" with confidence and also being arrogant.

He bowed his head, and said, "If so, then please save them. What you said was right, we failed. That's why many of them died... even so, if there is a chance that we can save these students, we'll do everything, even if using us as bait will do."

The president tried to protest, but I stopped her. I smiled, and said, "Now that's the resolve I want. But that resolve won't matter. Wait for us here with the truck, and quickly get hop in when we come back. That's all."

He thanked me, and bowed again. I heard one of the soldiers say, "That's the first time I saw our captain bow."

Another soldier said, "Shut up." Their pride shuttered, them a soldier who was tasked to protect the students now relying on a young man like me.

We followed the president's directions, and ran towards the military truck. It was parked near the evacuation center, which was the gym. That was where most of the students had gone when the outbreak happened, but they had been trapped and killed by the zombies.

We ran with determination, encountering some zombies along the way, but dispatching them with practiced ease. We used our knives, crossbows, and guns, trying to be as quiet as possible. We didn't want to attract more attention than we already had.

We reached the truck, and saw more zombies, some of them wearing military uniforms. They had been part of the rescue team, but they had turned into the undead. We worked together, and eliminated the threat. We shot them in the head, or stabbed them in the brain. We made sure they were dead for good.

The president went to the truck, and opened the door. She looked at the dashboard, and saw that the key was missing. She didn't panic, though. She took out a screwdriver, and a wire, and started to hotwire the truck. She was skilled, and confident. She knew what she was doing.

I told Steff to take the weapons and bulletproof vests from the military zombies. They would be useful for us, and for the other students. Steff nodded, and gathered the equipment efficiently. He took the guns, the ammo, the vests, and anything else he could find.

The president successfully started the truck, and smiled. She asked me, "Do you know how to drive?"

I nodded, and said, "Pretty much." I took the wheel, and turned on the engine. Amy and Steff joined me in the front seats, while the president sat in the back. We drove toward the classroom, where the rest of the students waited, ready with their makeshift weapons.

We reached the classroom, and honked the horn. We saw the students run out of the door, and toward the truck. I called out, "Get in!"

They didn't need to be told twice. They climbed into the truck, filling the seats and the cargo space. They looked relieved, and grateful. They thanked us, and praised us. They said we were their heroes.