Chapter 29

Adrenaline pulsed through my veins as I led the group on a frantic dash through the school's corridors. 

Weaving between moans and the sickening crunch of flesh, we emerged into a scene straight out of a nightmare. 

A group of students, their faces contorted in terror, were backed into a corner, desperately fending off a horde of the undead.

One of them, a girl, clung to a boy named Takuzo, her voice strained in a scream. "Takuzo!"

Takuzo swung a baseball bat with all his might, his face a mask of desperation. But the sheer number of zombies overwhelmed him, and one lunged towards a student at the edge of the group.

In a split second, Kohta reacted. His nail gun barked, the projectile finding its mark and sending the zombie's head flying in a crimson spray. 

The momentary reprieve allowed Saeko to spring into action. With a blur of precise movements, she cleared a path through the remaining zombies.

Sawa and I needed no words. Our bows sang in unison, arrows finding their targets with deadly accuracy. The stench of decay hung heavy as the last moan faded, leaving an eerie silence in its wake.

The air hung thick with the stench of decay and the metallic tang of blood. 

"T-Thank—" The girl's voice trembled with gratitude, but before she could finish her words, Saeko clamped a hand over the girl's mouth, silencing her choked sobs of gratitude. "Quiet," she hissed, her voice laced with urgency. "Anyone bitten?"

The girl scanned her friends' faces, shaking her head mutely. Rei, her voice barely a whisper, confirmed, "They look okay."

Relief washed over me, a fragile hope flickering amidst the suffocating despair. "We're getting out of here," I said, my voice surprisingly steady. "You guys coming?"

Without hesitation, they chorused their agreement. But our escape route was far from clear. The hallway beyond was choked with shambling figures, their hunger an insatiable void. We would have to fight our way through.

Sawa's voice echoed in the tense silence, "A whole bunch of them are down there."

Saya scoffed. "Hiding here won't do any good. They use their ears, not their eyes."

Takashi, his temper flaring, snapped back, "Then why don't you prove it, Takagi?"

The air crackled with hostility. I felt a surge of protectiveness towards Saya. Before things could escalate further, I interjected, "Hold on, Takashi. Saya might be onto something."

Saeko, ever the voice of reason, cut through the tension. "Regardless of their senses, staying here is a dead end. If they attack, we'll be trapped."

A heavy silence descended upon the group. Rei, her voice barely a whisper, spoke the truth we all dreaded, "So, the only way out is through the horde?"

Kyoko-sensei, her brow furrowed in worry, added another layer of complexity. "We need to validate Takagi's claim. We know they react to sound, but that doesn't necessarily mean our footsteps will be quiet enough."

The weight of their words settled on me like a lead blanket. Escape seemed impossible. We were surrounded, trapped between the unknown dangers outside and the suffocating fear within. I knew we had to make a decision, and fast. But the question remained - how do we get out of this alive?

"I'll distract them away from the door," I declared, interrupting Saeko before she could protest.

"No, Will, I'll—" Saeko began, but I cut her off, determined to make my point.

"Look, you may be better the better fighter, but I'm better at evading those things. They're slow, and the chances of me escaping being surrounded by them are higher than yours," I explained.

Saeko bit her lip, clearly conflicted, but I pressed on. "You should stay back in case something happens, Saeko. I trust you," I said, offering her a reassuring smile.

"But why, Senpai...?" Rei looked like she wanted to intervene, but I knew I had to make this decision.

"Hey, at least I'll give my juniors a chance to live, right? What a good way to go out," I joked, trying to lighten the mood.

My attempt at humor was swiftly met with a smack to the side of my head from Sawa. "I know you're trying to set the mood, but that's a red flag, Will," she scolded, giving me a stern look.

"Hehe, sorry. Anyways, I won't die, I promised you that. We have to get married, after all," I teased, earning a blush from Sawa as she lightly hit me.

Saeko and Saya looked on, their expressions betraying a hint of jealousy as they wished they were in Sawa's place. Meanwhile, the others couldn't help but feel like they were third-wheeling this moment between us.

"Sawa, tell your boyfriend to not be an idiot and stop him," Saya urged, her voice tinged with frustration.

"I understand how you feel. But you know Will, once he's made up his mind, he won't stop," Sawa replied, sounding exasperated.

She then turned to me, her expression softening as she kissed me on the lips. "Don't die on me, okay?" she pleaded, squeezing my hand tightly.

I nodded in response and handed my bow to one of the students to carry. Gripping my axe tightly, I began to make my way down the corridor, moving cautiously to avoid making any unnecessary noise. Surprisingly, the zombies seemed oblivious to my presence as I moved among them.

"They really can't see me? In that case..." I muttered to myself, seizing the opportunity to create a distraction. With a swift swing of my axe, I shattered a nearby glass pane, the sound echoing through the corridor.

"Hey, ugly fucks, over here!" I shouted, banging my axe against the lockers to draw their attention. Slowly but surely, the zombies began to shamble towards me, their vacant eyes fixed on their new target.

"Yeah, come at me!" I taunted, leading them away from the group and towards a corner of the room. As they closed in on me, I knew it was time to act.

"Go now!" I shouted, urging my companions to seize the opportunity and make their escape.

The group then hurried towards the door, but Takashi's sudden shout to run sent them into a panicked frenzy as they sprinted away, the sound echoing through the corridor and alerting the zombies outside.

With Takashi's sudden outburst, I couldn't help but mutter under my breath, "That fucking idiot."

His reckless yell had attracted the attention of more undead, putting us all in even greater danger. It was a move born out of panic, but in this world, split-second decisions could mean the difference between life and death.

I shook my head, trying to push aside my frustration. There was no time to dwell on Takashi's mistake now. 

Desperately, I banged my axe against lockers, creating as much noise as possible to draw the attention of the undead away from my companions. The metallic clang echoed through the corridor, mingling with the distant moans of the approaching horde.

"Hey, ugly fucks! Over here!" I shouted, hoping to divert their attention long enough for the others to make their escape. Each strike of my axe sent vibrations reverberating through the hallway, amplifying the cacophony.

As the zombies lumbered toward me, drawn by the sound, I gritted my teeth, knowing that every second bought precious time for my friends to get to safety. It was a risky move, but in this grim new world, risks were the only currency that mattered.

With adrenaline coursing through my veins, I dashed down the hallway, the relentless horde of undead hot on my heels. As I ran, I slammed my axe against lockers, creating a symphony of clangs and crashes, drawing the attention of every zombie within earshot.

Dodging and weaving through the labyrinthine corridors, I moved with agility and precision, my senses heightened to the chaos around me. At every turn, I leaped over fallen debris, vaulted over desks, and ducked under low-hanging obstacles, employing every ounce of my agility to stay one step ahead of the relentless undead.

As the zombies closed in, their guttural moans growing louder with each passing moment, I swung my axe with deadly accuracy, cleaving through their decaying flesh with each strike. With each blow, I bought myself precious seconds, carving a path through the sea of undead that stood between me and safety.

With a final burst of speed, I burst through a shattered window, glass shattering around me as I plummeted to the ground below. Rolling to absorb the impact, I sprang to my feet, adrenaline coursing through my veins as I sprinted towards the waiting bus.

Behind me, the sound of the undead grew fainter, drowned out by the roar of my own heartbeat. 

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"Why'd you do that?!" Saya exclaimed, casting a glare at Takashi.

"If you hadn't yelled, we'd probably only have to worry about the ones close to us!" Saeko scolded, her voice tinged with frustration.

"No way! Didn't you hear that echo?" Takashi tried to justify himself, but his words fell on deaf ears as panic set in among the group.

"There's more of them!" one of the students shouted, his voice trembling with fear.

"Don't talk. Run!" Hiashi urged, his own panic evident in his voice.

As the group raced forward, they nearly collided with Naomi and Takuzo, who were struggling to keep up. Sawa, ever the sharpshooter, came to a sudden stop and drew her bow.

"Kohta, aim for the ones near the students!" she commanded, her voice firm as she prepared to provide cover fire.

Kohta nodded in response, swiftly raising his nail gun and taking aim. "Roger that," he replied, his finger tightening on the trigger as he began to pick off the zombies threatening the group.

Takuzo and Naomi, panting heavily, offered their thanks before darting past the duo, their eyes wide with terror. Seeing that there were no more undead nearby, Kohta and Sawa quickly resumed their run, determined to catch up with the rest of the group.

As they reached the bus, Shizuka-sensei scrambled into the driver's seat, her movements a blend of urgency and confusion.

"S-Sensei, the keys!" Saya thrust the keys into her hand, prompting a startled reaction from Shizuka-sensei.

"Keys? Oh, right! Check," she muttered, quickly inserting the key into the ignition with a nervous glance.

Securing her seatbelt with a click, she muttered to herself, "Public safety... Check."

With a shaky breath, she glanced over the controls, her expression a mix of determination and apprehension. "Ready to rock and roll!" she declared, though her voice wavered slightly.

Outside the bus, Sawa's arrow found its mark, taking down a zombie with precision. Saeko cast a worried glance at Sawa. "Do you think Will is alright?" she asked, her concern evident.

"He'll be fine," Sawa replied confidently, her attention still focused on the undead threats. "It's Will; he always finds a way."

Back inside, Shizuka-sensei's brows furrowed in confusion as she inspected the unfamiliar controls. "This isn't like my car," she murmured, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

"Mhm... The gas, the brake, the clutch..." she muttered, her fingers hesitantly tracing the various switches and levers as she attempted to familiarize herself with the bus's interface.

As the group waited anxiously, a sudden crash shattered the tension, and all eyes turned to the source. There, sprinting for his life, was Will, his expression a mix of determination and desperation.

"That idiot," Sawa muttered under her breath, her gaze fixed on Will as he darted towards the bus. 

"How many of those things did he lure?" a student whispered, their voice tinged with fear as they observed the sheer mass of zombies converging on Will's location. As the group watched in horror, they realized that the zombies were trapped inside the room from which Will had made his daring escape.

"They're stuck in there!" someone exclaimed, a mixture of relief and disbelief evident in their voice.

Sawa's eyes widened in astonishment as she took in the scene. "He did it," she breathed, a sense of awe coloring her words.

Saeko nodded, a faint smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Will always finds a way," she remarked, her voice filled with quiet admiration for their brave companion.

With a collective sigh of relief, the group turned their attention back to the task at hand, grateful that Will had bought them precious time to make their getaway.

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As I approached the bus, my heart pounded in my chest, and my lungs burned from the exertion of my escape. Despite my fatigue, I managed to crack a smile as I reached the group, attempting to lighten the tension with a touch of humor.

"Hey guys, what did I miss?" I gasped out between breaths, trying to appear nonchalant despite the adrenaline coursing through my veins.

Sawa, her bow still in hand, shot me a disapproving look. "You missed quite a show, Will," she said, her tone laced with a mix of relief and irritation.

Saeko, standing nearby, approached me with a mixture of concern and reproach in her eyes. "You took quite a risk out there," she said, her voice tinged with worry. "But I'm glad you made it back."

I nodded, acknowledging their concerns. "Yeah, well, what's life without a little adventure, right?" I tried to brush off the gravity of the situation with a lighthearted comment, though my attempt at levity fell flat in the face of their palpable anxiety.

Saya, her expression a mixture of relief and frustration, stepped forward. "You could have been killed, Will," she scolded, her concern for my safety evident in her voice.

"I know, I know," I admitted sheepishly, realizing the gravity of my actions. "But I had to do something to draw them away from the group."

Kyoko-sensei, who had been silent until now, spoke up with a hint of admiration in her voice. "You certainly did that, Will," she said, a small smile playing at the corners of her lips. "You may be reckless, but you're also resourceful."

I grinned, grateful for her acknowledgment. "Thanks, sensei," I replied, feeling a surge of pride despite the danger we had just faced. "Now, let's get out of here before more of those things show up."

"We're ready to go!" Shizuka-sensei's voice was resolute as she revved the engine, the bus trembling with anticipation. But her determination faltered at the sound of desperate cries from outside.

"Help us!" The frantic voices pierced the air, accompanied by a group of students and a man who appeared to be a teacher.

"Who's that?" Takashi's voice was tinged with confusion as he peered out the window.

"That's Mr. Shido. He teaches 3-A," Saeko's tone was laced with disdain, her gaze fixed on the man outside.

"Shido..." Rei's voice was barely above a whisper, but the contempt in her tone was unmistakable.

As the tension mounted, I rose from my seat, joining Kohta in peering out the window. Anger simmered beneath the surface as I took in the scene unfolding before us.

Shizuka-sensei's hand hovered over the pedal, her hesitation evident. But before she could make a move, Takashi and Hiashi intervened, their voices urgent with concern.

"Hold on a bit!" Takashi's plea halted Shizuka-sensei's actions.

"We can't just leave them," Hiashi's voice was tinged with desperation, his eyes pleading with Shizuka-sensei to reconsider.

"We have to go now. If we wait any longer, we'll be overrun," I interjected, my tone firm as I tried to convey the urgency of our situation.

The weight of our decision hung heavy in the air, each of us grappling with the moral dilemma before us. As the situation outside escalated, panic threatened to consume us. Sawa's warning jolted us into action, but Shizuka-sensei's words of caution echoed through the bus.

"I can't drive if there's too many of them bunched together!" Her voice wavered with uncertainty, her hands gripping the steering wheel tightly.

Takashi's suggestion was met with immediate opposition. "So run them over!" he urged, but Saya's response was swift and decisive. "If we do that with this bus, we'll end up rolling over!" Her voice carried a note of urgency, her eyes darting between Takashi and Shizuka-sensei.

Rei's plea added another layer of tension to the already fraught situation. "Don't save him!" she begged Takashi, her desperation palpable as she pleaded with him to leave Shido behind.

"Rei, what's your problem?" Hiashi's voice was tinged with confusion, his gaze shifting between Rei and Takashi as he tried to make sense of her outburst.

"You don't need to save him! We should leave him to die!" Rei's words were laced with bitterness, her eyes blazing with anger as she confronted Takashi.

Amidst the chaos, Shido's chilling words sent a shiver down my spine.

"Everyone! Hurry! I guarantee you'll make it out alive," Shido's voice cut through the turmoil, drawing the attention of those outside.

As the students rushed towards the bus, a nerdy boy stumbled and fell, his cries of pain piercing the air. "I sprained my ankle!" he screamed, his voice filled with fear as he pleaded for help.

But Shido's response was merciless. "Oh... Is that so?" His cold gaze lingered on the boy, his words dripping with malice. "Then it's the end for you. In this world, it's the survival of the fittest." With a swift kick, he silenced the boy's cries, leaving a chilling silence in his wake. His callous disregard for the injured boy's life was a stark reminder of the brutal reality we faced.

As Shido attempted to force his way onto the bus, we swiftly reacted, our weapons poised and ready.

"Sorry, sensei, but the bus is full," I asserted firmly, my bloodied axe pointed directly at him. Alongside me, Sawa and Kohta aimed their weapons, a united front against Shido's intrusion.

Saeko's quick reflexes prevented the delinquent from advancing, knocking him to the ground with a swift strike. "Stay down," she commanded, her shinai aimed menacingly at his eye.

Despite the tension, Shido attempted to negotiate. "William, what a pleasant surprise. There's plenty of room on the bus. Why don't you allow sensei to board?" he proposed.

"I'm not sure, sensei. We can't risk any blood getting inside the bus. Your shoes are still covered in blood from the student you kicked," I pointed out, gesturing towards the telltale stains as evidence of his brutality.

Shido's face contorted with frustration, his eyes darting between us, searching for a way to persuade us to relent. "You don't understand," he protested, his voice tinged with desperation.

"He tripped and fell. I didn't do anything! I'm innocent! You can't leave me out here with them!" His words fell on deaf ears as we remained steadfast, unmoved by his pleas.

The tension in the air was palpable, the divide between us and Shido growing ever wider. Despite his attempts at persuasion, we couldn't bring ourselves to trust him, not after witnessing his callous actions.

Saeko stepped forward, her expression unyielding. "You forfeited any right to safety when you abandoned your students and resorted to violence," she declared, her voice carrying an unmistakable edge of disdain.

Hiashi stepped forward, his voice firm but reassuring. "Everyone, let's calm down and think this through rationally. The guy fell on his own, and Shido-sensei didn't hurt him. He's still a teacher, and we can't just leave him behind."

Takashi nodded in agreement, his gaze sweeping over the group. "We're all in this together, and we need to stick together. Turning our backs on each other isn't going to help anyone. Let's give Shido-sensei a chance."

Their words seemed to resonate with some of Shido's students, who glanced at each other uncertainly. However, a few remained defiant, still glaring at us with hostility.

As tension hung heavy in the air, they decided to take a vote on whether to let Shido in or not. Despite Rei and Saeko's strong objections, the majority of the students voted to allow him entry, citing the incident where the boy had tripped on Shido's shoes as a mere accident.

As we settled into our seats, a clear divide formed between our group and Shido's. Takashi and Hiashi struck up a conversation with Shido, exchanging pleasantries as if nothing had happened.

"Thank you for allowing me onto the bus," Shido said, his tone slick with charm.

"It's the least we could do," Takashi replied, trying to keep the peace.

Rei, her expression hardened with disdain, couldn't hide her disapproval. "Takashi, I can't believe you're being so friendly with him," she muttered under her breath.

Seeing Rei's discomfort, I reached out and gently took her hand, guiding her towards the front of the bus where Sawa and I were seated. 

"Come on, Rei. Let's sit up here," I said softly, offering her a reassuring smile. "We don't need to be near him." 

Rei nodded gratefully, her tense shoulders relaxing slightly as she followed me to the front of the bus. Sitting beside her, I leaned in to offer a comforting presence, silently acknowledging her unease with a supportive squeeze of her hand.

The bus lurched forward, its engine roaring as Shizuka-sensei pressed down on the pedals with determination. "We're off!" she declared, her voice resolute despite the chaos outside.

"To the gate!" Saya's urgent shout echoed through the bus, rallying everyone's focus.

"I know!" Shizuka-sensei's grip tightened on the steering wheel as she spotted the horde of zombies blocking their path at the gate.

"They're not humans," she muttered to herself, trying to steel her nerves for what was to come.

With a deep breath, she slammed her foot on the gas pedal. "They're not humans anymore!" she repeated, her voice firm as she prepared to plow through the undead blocking their escape route.

The bus surged forward, its momentum carrying it towards the mass of bodies. With a sickening thud, they collided, the impact jolting the passengers inside. But Shizuka-sensei didn't falter. Gripping the wheel tightly, she continued to drive forward, determined to break through the barrier and lead them to safety.

As they crashed through the gate, the sense of relief was palpable among the group. They had escaped the confines of the school, but the journey ahead was fraught with uncertainty. Nevertheless, they pressed on, united in their quest for survival.