After Death (Completed)

匚卄卂卩ㄒ乇尺 ５(Forgive Me)

Chapter 5: Forgive Me

Ethan Warren

May 24th, 2022

5 days after outbreak

Minnesota, Armstrong High School

Season 1

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When we got to the main entrance, the doors were locked. Khai tried to open them, but the handles didn't budge. I knew the only way to unlock the doors was from the office. I hoped more than anything that the door there wasn't locked as well.

As we made our way towards the office, I couldn't help but feel a sense of urgency. The dead were getting closer, their moans growing louder with each passing moment. We needed to find a way inside before it was too late.

Aiden attempted to open the door, and to our surprise, it was unlocked. We all jumped back before it could open, though. One of the monsters was in there, and they banged on the door. They were hungry, and we were their desired meal. Fear gripped us as we realized the danger lurking on the other side of the door. Aiden cautiously peered through a crack and saw the monster's bloodshot eyes and its grotesque figure ready to pounce. We had to get in that room; it was the only way we knew of to get out of this school.

"What do we do?" Rudi asked. The monster was taller than all of us except Connor.

"I'll do it," Connor said with a sad smile. Connor stepped forward, his broad shoulders squared, ready to face the monster head-on. We weren't skilled enough for this; it was too early on, and he knew he wouldn't make it. From the way he held his knife carelessly in his hand, I wondered if he even wanted to outlive this.

"No, we can figure out another way," Amy protested. They were good friends, and she didn't want to lose a good friend. Amy's voice trembled with concern as she desperately searched for an alternative solution. The weight of the situation hung heavy in the air, and we all silently hoped for a miracle to save Connor from the impending danger, but we knew there wasn't really anything else we could do.

"It will be okay, Amy; it'll be okay." He leaned forward and gave Amy a quick and gentle kiss on the lips, smiling, and took the door knob into his hand. Amy's eyes filled with tears as she watched Connor prepare to face the danger alone. She mustered a weak smile, trying to convey her support and love for him in that fleeting moment. Deep down, though, she couldn't shake off the fear that this might be their last goodbye. The rest of us shared sympathetic looks. We were just kids; none of us should be facing death like this right now.

"Go for the head," Khai said, placing a hand on Connor's shoulder. Connor nodded, his grip on the door knob tightening. "I'll do my best," he replied, determination shining in his eyes. With a final glance at Amy and a reassuring nod to the rest of us, he stepped forward, ready to confront whatever awaited him on the other side of that door.

He opened the door, and the monster flung itself at him. He struggled but placed the blade into its skull, but not before he was bit. As the monster's lifeless body hit the ground, Connor winced in pain from the bite. Ignoring his injury, he mustered all his strength to push through the pain and focus on what needed to be done next.

"You see, Amy, my family always told me death is not the end, and I know I'll see you again." He fell to the ground, not dead but in pain. We all stared at Connor in shock, still not fully aware of what had happened. As Connor's words hung in the air, a somber silence enveloped the room. Slowly, the realization of his sacrifice began to sink in, leaving us all speechless and filled with a mix of admiration and grief.

I was the first to grab the door handle. I stepped over the monster's dead body and made my way inside.

"Where is it?" I asked Aiden, who followed behind me.

"The controls are on that computer," he pointed out. "I did an internship with one of the staff here once. I'll open it." The rest of us stood around in silence as Aiden hacked into the computer. Khai and Amy tended to Conner's wound, attempting to stop the gushing bleeding. The tension in the room was palpable as we anxiously awaited Aiden's progress. Time seemed to stretch on as he worked diligently, his fingers flying across the keyboard. Finally, a triumphant smile spread across his face as he successfully gained access to the controls.