NEET vs Zombies

Chapter 06

- this story is a work of fiction -

It was the first time she was cornered by this many people. A hand was grabbing her frilly collar, and the only color she could make out was the blazing red eyes glaring up at her. it was like standing in front of a lion. Her golden hair stood up in all directions like a wild mane, before flowing down in soft waves to her toned waist. She could faintly make out the protests from others, but it was all a blur- the flaming inferno in her eyes forcing all of Stella's attention to her and her only.

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The whole room was silent after Harry told the group her secret. She could only cast her gaze down, nervously gnawing at her lip, like a culprit in court awaiting It's verdict. Just then, she could make out a faint laugh. It was a breathy laugh, like a person couldn't believe what was happening right now, before it evolves into something more hysterical. Which was fitting, given the situation. She was sure that she was  the only one that was immune against the zombies in this city, or even this country. The laughter eventually died down, and she could hear someone running a hand through their hair.

„..you are kidding, right?"

The same sharp feminine voice said, and Stella could hear footsteps nearing her direction.

„Is that why you are so silent all the time? So you can keep your little secret?"

She raised her voice more and more, and the other could basically feel the edge of her voice, cutting through the tension in sharp, stinging cuts.

But just as she was about to defend herself, her head trembling to shake it as ‚no', she felt a hand roughly grabbing her collar. And when she looked at the young woman, being able to clearly see her furious glare alongside the rest of her form, her breath hitched. She was as beautiful as she was angry. Shuddering she shrunk in on herself feeling like a mouse in a trap.

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A cruel smile stretched across her pretty face, her grip tightening.  Her name was Scarlett, she remembered, and she could hear faint calls of her name from the others, demanding her to let her go, but none of her were brave enough to do anything. She snorted, and her mocking tone echoed through the classroom.

„That's actually great! You can just be responsible for fetching food for us from now on!"

She said, letting her go, stepping back.

„It's not like you are getting hurt, right? You don't need to fight for your life, and we desperately need it. So help us out, hm?"

She taunts, her foot taking another step and pressing on her high heels, her toes being crushed under the dirty soles of her sneakers. Stella could feel her breath hitch, hunching over from pain. She could feel her eyes watering, and her whole body began to tremble uncontrollably.

Was this all the bad karma catching up to her? From all the years in isolation, she nearly forgot how cruel people were. She could make out blurry figures through her teary eyes, but just a few were able to say something. Everyone else stayed quiet, too scared to do anything, or being still in shock to what's happening. She almost wanted to laugh- even in these dire times did humans achieve to be terrible to each other. No wonder this is how humanity came to an end. They were on the top of the food chain, the only way for them to die out was through self destruction. As intelligent as they were, they were also the cruelest.

As she looked up, desperately trying to find an escape, she could swear that she saw her family in between the people crowding around her and Scarlett, laughing at her from hell. Mocking that she went out as a failure like predicted.

-

Harry could barely breathe, his heart was going a million miles per hour, and he could feel a cold sweat trickling down his forehead. Since when did it come to this? He didn't know, regret was squeezing his heart, wringing it out, and his hands itched to do something, anything to dissolve this conflict, but his legs were locked in place. Self hate began to fester, and he squeezed his eyes shut, reprimanding himself for being such a coward. Even in a crisis, nothing has changed.

He remembered thinking to himself, that if something escalated, that he would be able to set his foot down, that when the right moment came, he would be able to speak up. He was just saving it up for the right moment, he wasn't a coward. He thought that when he heard the his father's demand for another beer after he wasn't able to find another job again. But when he eventually heard broken cries from his parents bedroom, he was frozen in place. Like now. He wanted to move, he really wanted to, but foe some reason, he was frozen in front of the door. At the end, he wasn't able to do anything. He remembered scurrying into his room when he heard his footsteps nearing the door. He quickly shut his door shut and laid in bed, pretending to be asleep. And when he looked at himself in his mirror next morning, a strong sense of regret filled his soul till he eventually puked it all out. He hated himself for it. For just being able to endure, not fight. For being able to survive, but not to live.

„Scarlett, let her go, damn it!" 

A voice boomed through the room, and when he looked up, he could see Eugene with a scowl on his face. He always admired the blonde for being able to speak up like that. He never spoke with him much, given that their personalities don't clash together well, but he could see that he had a clear set of morals he followed, with no one being able to shake him out of it. It was a bit comedic, seeing a rather short, skinny dude being the one able to have the loudest voice in the room, but if anything, it was even more impressive. But that could be also said for Scarlett, who was currently rolling her eyes at him.

„Will you shut it? You do realise in what kind of situation we are, right? We can't afford to be humane here, we are on the brink of death all the time!"

She retorts, her tone of voice carrying a tinge of desperation. he could understand her to some extent,  but his heart couldn't help but feel like it wasn't right to treat Stella like some kind of dog, a slave to bring home all the resources while they lounge around at the school doing pretty much nothing all day for her in return.

He could hear Scarlett breathe heavily, and he refused to look at her , knowing what kind of look was on her face.

„Resources are running low, either she helps us and stays, or... or I will personally throw her out of the very window in front of us! She..she can't be immune to that, right?"

She says, turning back to the trembling victim, who looked like she was about to cry, Harry's breath hitched as he heard what Scarlett said. He couldn't move a muscle at that, a quiet feeling of dread spreading through his whole body in a slow, torturous process, like he was actively inhaling venom. Everyone else stayed silent after that as well. He could faintly feel a drop of sweat trickling down his neck. The only one being able to remain calm was surely Lawrence. Why wasn't he doing anything? Why was he staying silent- he could barely make out the shuffling and steps towards the window, Eugenes protests and broken yelps and sobs falling on deaf ears.

A horrified shriek from Hailey eventually broke his trance. He slowly turned his head, like a broken doll, towards the gust of wind brushing through his hair, and by the knocked over chairs and desks, he could barely make out two figures, one having been held by her hair, her entire upper body out of the open window, her legs shaking terribly and barely touching the ground. When his eyes weren't wide already, they were now, seeing her bent out of the window with Scarlett towering over her.

„Well? What is it? Will you be a spoiled cunt till the very end or will you actually do something for others for a change?"

Scarlett practically spit out, pulling Stellas head up by her brown hair. The sun was down a long time ago, so the only thing Stella could see was a dark pit into the void, the moon clouded over. He couldn't move, he could make out commotion from the others, but there were all just firing empty words, afraid that if they took action, her entire body would tip over the window, making her body splatter to the ground.

Stella was actively crying now. Choked sobs were heard, and her fat tears dripped down her cheeks. Her hands desperately tried to  grip onto the windowsill, clawing at the smooth surface. She was struggling to keep herself secured, her legs helplessly kicking to reach the ground as she was more and more tipped over the window.

And just then, could he make out her voice for the very first time, in between broken sobs, her tone as desperate as can be.

„I..please..no, I-I don't...I.. igh-can't join my parents in hell y-yet."

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