The only thing that kept Jihoon running for his life was the hand he was holding. Junkyu's cries for his lost friends pierced deep in his heart, but he had one last thought in mind- 'I need to protect Junkyu.' His strong will overpowered the grief, and that made him run as fast as he could with the opposing force of Junkyu trying to stop and go back to Jeongwoo and Haruto.
"Junkyu, please!" Jihoon pulled him when he was losing strength. He needed the other to cooperate. But Junkyu seemed to go numb, rationality lost from his mind.
"Don't do this, please, I can't lose you too!" Jihoon spoke, his voice trembling from the constant shattering of his heart. What if he died there? He saw some reckless zombies chasing them, speedier than them. They would get to them soon, and they would kill them. What if he got bitten first? Would he be the one to bite Junkyu? To turn him to those emotionless, ferocious beasts?
"Kyu, I'm begging you! Don't kill yourself! Don't kill me with you too!"
Junkyu sat down, on all fours. He was devastated, tired, he lost his will to live. He was feeble, he knew he wouldn't last. He felt bad for dragging Jihoon down. He looked at Jihoon with pleading eyes.
"Leave me here. And go. You can escape here, I know it!" Tears streamed down his cheeks. He was panting, his whole body shaking. Beads of sweat mixed with dirt and blood covered his face. He looked so vulnerable that Jihoon felt like sacrificing his all just to protect the loving boy in front of him.
He rushed to Junkyu and picked him up by the chest.
"We're leaving this place together, you hear me!?" He spoke out loud, with a groan near the end. He was at his limit; but that didn't diminish his vow of saving Junkyu.
"I'm just a burden to you all!" Junkyu sobbed. Jihoon started running again already. Junkyu crying behind him. Suddenly a loud cry made Jihoon look back, a zombie was hovering on Junkyu.
"You fucking beast!" Jihoon pulled Junkyu's arm so strongly that it could have been seperated from his body. Junkyu stumbled and fell in front of Jihoon, who punched the zombie directly on the face, making it bleed through the nose and teeth.
The moment the bloodsucker took to regain itself, Jihoon took that to grab Junkyu by the arm again. "Let's go! Fast!" He dragged the younger again and for some reason, Junkyu cooperated. Maybe he was scared to actually face death, maybe he just knew Jihoon would rather die than leaving him, and he didn't wanna let that happen. Jihoon deserved to live.
However, luck wasn't on their side. They were completely drained, physically and emotionally. The zombies were stronger, faster, more agile. It was only a matter of time that the two got outnumbered, outrun.
"Before I die," Jihoon spoke while crying. He knew his time was up. He failed to save himself, save Junkyu. He still felt glad that he had Junkyu by his side. He wished not to see Junkyu's death though, he also didn't wanna be the cause behind Junkyu's death. It wrecked his brain. His friends were dead, now it was his turn.
"Junkyu," he sobbed, "I just wanted to tell you that you are the most important person in my life." Jihoon spoke with all his heart, "I loved you for so long, but I never got to say it to you. I hope you know it before I die."
"You're not gonna die, Jihoon ah." Junkyu spoke while panting, he didn't know if it was the apparent truth or not. But he believed it well. "And thanks for loving me when no one else did."
Jihoon smiled a little. His heart was at ease.
He could wait for the zombies to take him now. But could he somehow, miraculously help Junkyu live?
He felt a strong force on his neck, pulling him to the side. His world was ending. How long do you stay conscious after a zombie bites you? 5 minutes? 3? 1?
"Hurry up and get inside!" He heard. That brought him to reality. He looked at his side and saw Junghwan holding a door open for him. So the strong pull was from Junghwan. Maybe he wasn't gonna die yet.
He pulled Junkyu with all his strength, pushing him inside the room. Junkyu fell on his limbs. The zombies tried to swarm inside the room, Jihoon and Junghwan used all their strength to close the door on them. But more and more of them started exerting force on the door.
Junkyu jumped up and joined in to push the door as well. His effort gave them a little hope but they were still outnumbered.
"Help!" Junghwan yelled in a hoarse voice. Almost instantly, a couple of hands aided them, then more and more. Everyone was there for them, Hyunsuk, Yoshi, Yedam, Doyoung, Jaehyuk, Asahi, Mashiho- everyone was in the same room. And together, they successfully closed the door shut on those dirty, filthy creatures.
They fell back, scattered, and panted. The push itself drained them of a lot of energy. The whole situation felt like a nightmare to Jihoon, the one he beat to wake up alive. But then-
"Where are the others?" Hyunsuk asked in worry. His question made everyone look up as well.
"Yeah, where's Haruto? And... Jeongwoo?" Yoshi asked.
Jihoon carefully looked at Junkyu. The latter was sitting with his head on the doorframe. He was severely panting. The day long rush and pain was killing him. With the question asked, he teared up, taking his head inside his knees.
"Jihoon ah!" Hyunsuk asked again. "Did you guys get separated? If so, we need to find them fast-"
"Hyung." Jihoon spoke. His tone so broken. "They're both... Dead."
Junkyu's sobs were audible by then
But those still got covered by the gasps heard in the room.
"No... It can't be!" Junghwan, who was standing, fell on the door on his back. The ones he were the closest with, the very friends of him- they couldn't be dead, right?
"No..." Hyunsuk mumbled. "No you promised you'd save everyone-"
Yedam strongly grabbed Hyunsuk by the shoulder to stop him. Jihoon's face was painted with sorrow, regret, loss, Hyunsuk shouldn't be adding more to that.
"We all know they tried!" He spoke.
"It's all my fault." Junkyu spoke in a muffled, quivering voice, "If I didn't delay my jump..."
"Hey!" Jihoon rushed to him, "It's not your fault! Don't blame yourself!" Tears were dropping down his cheeks,but he still sounded strong. He had to be strong for Junkyu, right?
"How can I not, Jihoon ah?" Junkyu snapped, he lifted his head up. "I saw them die with my own eyes, and it's all because I'm such a weak, incapable person- I should be the one dead instead!"
"No, no! Please stop!" Jihoon hugged Junkyu who was shaking from anger, fear and sorrow. Seeing them like that, the others felt sorry. Even though Jeongwoo was like a brother to Jaehyuk, even though Haruto was Asahi's best friend, Yoshi's little cousin, even though they were Junghwan's dear friends, Mashiho's companions, Doyoung's crime partners, Hyunsuk's adored juniors, keen listeners to Yedam's philosophies- no one could blame it on Jihoon or Junkyu. The sorrow was huge, unbearable, but they decided to keep it for themselves, without lashing out on those who tried till the last moment. That's how they would survive, right?
So, slowly, they flocked around Jihoon, crying while hugging Junkyu. Hyunsuk was the first one to hug both of them, the others joined one by one. Their hearts were connected, they all grieved the same grief. No one but the misfortune was there to blame.
Minutes later, they parted. The clock was ticking, they were short of time. They would still need to reach the guard rooms.
"Guys..." Mashiho started talking, "We have to get out of here."
Jaehyuk agreed with a nod, quickly made an eye contact with Hyunsuk. It felt as if the eldest there were appointed as the leader, along with Jihoon, the strongest one.
"Jihoon ah." Hyunsuk called. Jihoon was still side hugging Junkyu. "Let's get going." The others started standing up but Hyunsuk stopped them.
"If we go out altogether, we might attract more zombies." He stated, "Isn't it better if we divide into groups?"
Jihoon nodded, "Yeah, should we make groups of three? Maybe one with four-"
"Three wouldn't be enough." Hyunsuk said, "Imagine if one of them is affected, the others would be under high risk."
"Let's make it five then", Yedam suggested, "We make two groups and go through different routes."
The students in the room seemed to like the idea. The ones who were engaged immediately held hands, showing who they wanted to group with.
"I'll go with them," Yedam showed Jaehyuk and Asahi, "And maybe Mashiho hyung and Doyoungie? Are you guys okay with this?" They nodded. This made the others bound to group together.
"How are we gonna go then? We can just run through the open field." Yoshi suggested.
"But the zombies will see you for sure." Junghwan said.
"Or we can take a detour, crossing the auditorium." Doyoung said.
"What if there are zombies there?" Asahi said, "It's hard fighting them in a confined space."
"But these are the only two options we have." Jihoon said, "Either way, we have to choose one."
"How about you choose first?" Hyunsuk asked Yedam, "Since you're all younger than most of us."
"Hyung, what do you say?" Yedam looked at Jaehyuk. He shrugged, "I just wanna live, I don't know."
"We all will live!" Jihoon strongly said, "I won't lose another friend."
"We'll take the field then." Hyunsuk tried changing the topic, "If that's okay with everyone."
No one objected. They didn't know what would come their ways, they took off with what they got.
Before leaving the door, they stopped, took a moment to look at everyone. Who knew maybe it was the last time they saw everyone.
"Guys, promise to get to the guard's room safe and sound." Hyunsuk sounded emotional when he said that. He extended his hand to make a last vow with all 10. Everyone extended their hands and together, they shouted the pledge, 'We'll stay alive.'
The words circled around them, then got lost in the air, mixed with the nasty breaths of the fatal zombies. They did reach God, right? They had to!
As agreed upon, Hyunsuk, Jihoon, Junkyu, Yoshi and Junghwan- they took the field. Since their way would be faster, they delayed exiting and let the other team go out first. Yedam took the lead. He slightly opened the door and peeked outside. Only one and two aimless zombies were seen. He gave a nod to the rest of them. Lucky for them, the room they took was a temporary storage room. So they took baseball bats, hockey sticks, cricket bats and such as weapons.
Behind Yedam was Asahi. Jaehyuk insisted on keeping him at the centre. As selfish as it sounded, he didn't want any harm to reach his lover. Mashiho wanted the same for Doyoung, but the younger quickly declined. He took Mashiho's side instead, checking the back. Mashiho and Jaehyuk to check left and right.
With small but strong steps, Yedam came out. He was quiet, but he couldn't hide the alluring smell the zombies got from his neck. Gulping when he saw the beasts snapping their heads here and there, he moved forward.
One by one, they all left the room. Jihoon closed the door behind them, praying hard that they escaped the corridor safe and sound. Yedam walked, and only moments before he reached the dumb zombie did it sense his presence. It came rushing to him but he hit it hard on the head, again and again and again until its skull broke and yellowish substances popped open from its brain.
It was disgusting and terrifying to look at. Asahi felt like vomiting.
Yedam gestured with his hand to follow his lead. The commotion attracted few more zombies that were lurking at the corridors. But they successfully killed them with their strategy and weapons. They became a little courageous.
"The other team will come out soon." Yedam whispered. "Let's clear the corridor for them."
They didn't have much to clear though. The zombies were mostly in the other building. So, they came out nice and safe.
"Let's go." Mashiho said. The auditorium was a few steps away. Their school was famous for having a luxurious auditorium. The students, for various reasons, often occupied the space for rehearsals. If there were some that day, and they turned into zombies, then it would be a tough thing to go through the place.
The good thing was, there wasn't supposed to be any rehearsal that day, since it was an exam day.
Yedam opened the small back door to the green room, only enough to peek through. There were a few workers come zombies.
"We can't go in there." He whispered to the others.
"Then let's get in through the side door." Jaehyuk suggested. Yedam nodded. The side door was close to the other building, filled with zombies. But with caution, they might just get in, without attracting any.
"Alright. Fighting." Yedam cheered for himself. Mashiho and Doyoung made an eye contact. Jaehyuk grabbed Asahi's hand and gave it a squeeze.
The side door was locked from the inside.
"Fuck!" Yedam cursed under his breath. The others felt his frustration too. The only other way to get in the auditorium was the giant main entrance. But that was, in no way, a safe option.
"If there's even a single zombie in there, we go in like that and it will know!" Asahi said. Pushing such a huge door open will definitely make a loud sound.
"Not only what's inside will know. The zombies outside will know too." Doyoung added.
"What do we do now??" Mashiho asked. His brain was running too, to look for a solution.
"The cafeteria." Jaehyuk proposed. "Let's go that way. There shouldn't be many students because the attack started almost before the exams started. So all students must have gone to the class, right?"
Yedam agreed. So did the others. The cafeteria was only a few meters away from the auditorium. They quickly reached the back of it. Luckily, the back door was open.
Yedam looked inside. There were a few zombies, but they seemed not to notice them yet.
"We need to be really quiet." Yedam mouthed. Mashiho and Doyoung made okay signs while Jaehyuk gave a knowing nod.
Yedam tiptoed inside. The baseball bat in his hand held up near his chest, in a defensive manner. They were wearing gloves they found in the previous room. This kinda protected their wrists from attacks.
The other four followed him just as quietly and cautiously. It worked. Not even a single zombie looked their way. They did smell humans though, but to attack someone, they had to see them first, which they clearly couldn't because most of them were at the corner.
They covered half of the distance in the first room. The cafeteria was devastated. Chairs falling down, tables haphazardly spread. They even saw some dead zombies with their limbs seperated here and there. This place certainly went through a flight of survival before them.
Yedam was almost at the end of the room when the massive accident happened. They were so busy eyeing the zombies that no one noticed the empty can of soda on the ground, and unfortunately, Mashiho stepped right on it, creating a metallic as well as a hollow, swoosh kinda sound.
The 5 boys froze on spot, and the few zombies in the room snapped their heads at them. They saw the flock of humans.
And they came running, groaning, hissing, not minding the chairs or tables, which made them bump with them, making more noise and more and more zombies started coming out from the various corners of the room.
"Run!!" Yedam shouted. He became frightened. They needed to get out of the place! God knew how many zombies there actually were!
He got petrified the moment he opened the door to the front room of the cafeteria ever so slightly. He forgot, that many students ran here to save their lives when the apocalypse first broke out. None survived though, making the front room a gathering of flesh hungry zombies.
"Oh God!!" He uttered. Seeing him frozen, the others looked at the front and came across the same sight.
The frightening ocean of red, dirty, bloody faces of the students who sought to eat them alive.
Yedam's brain ran fast. There were zombies front and back, left and right. But to survive, they had to get through them! But how!?
He quickly eyed the whole room but could see the chairs and tables only. Brilliant. He could use those as shields!
"Jaehyuk hyung!" He took a chair nearby and gave it to the other who was nearly killed by a zombie on his neck. In time, Jaehyuk used that as a shield, also to drive the zombie off with broken jaws.
"Grab a chair everyone!" Yedam cried. When the others finished grabbing them, he looked ahead.
"Hold them to your front! We're gonna get into hell!" He exclaimed and kicked the door open. The zombies immediately sensed him and looked his way. The sight of the appetising human made them go nuts. They jumped on him like maniacs.
Yedam showed no mercy either! He shoved the chair at whatever jumped on him, beating the ones near him with the baseball bat at hand. He kept beating and creating his way through with the shield he owned. He didn't know what he was doing, didn't know how the others were doing behind him. He didn't even know if he was injured or not, no sense of pain worked at that moment. The adrenaline rush in him made him crazy! He howled like a wolf and beat the crazy blood seekers with brute strength, left and right. He cried while doing so. The process brought the beast out of him. He still wished to somehow reach the end of the room and get some air, hear something else, not the growls of dead people.
And he wished so much to see all four of his friends he made way for. He couldn't protect them like the way he thought, there was nothing much he could do!
After an eternity of agony, he reached the door that would lead him outside. With one last growl, he pushed the last zombie out of his face and climbed down the three steps of stairs. He ran, went a few steps away from the hellish room and looked behind.
A smile was seen on him as he saw Asahi jostling his way out, stained, but alive. Jaehyuk was seen right behind him. Both were running to his direction when Mashiho's face was seen through the crowd as well. Yedam couldn't stop running cause zombies were still chasing him, but he looked back every second to see if they were okay or not.
Mashiho jumped off the stairs and that was a huge mistake. His feet touched the edge of one step and he fell face down immediately.
"Shit!" Cursed Jaehyuk. Luckily, Doyoung was right behind him, so he pulled his boyfriend up even amidst those zombies. Those nasty creatures hovered over him still, and he jerked them off with his might as much as he could. The weight of them were too much. But he had the will to live and protect. So, he first made Mashiho stand up, then ran with his hand in his hold, hitting the zombie on him with the cricket bat in his hand.
"Get off- you bloody- monster!" He hit that thing with his bat hard. Finally, it let him go, and Mashiho pulled him forward, running fast.
Mashiho's pace was a little slower, because falling down the steps, he sprained his knees. Doyoung understood that, so with his left hand, he kind of carried the weight of the elder. Their apparent slowing down was noticed by Yedam. To give them a break, he looked everywhere. The closest was the principlal's office.
"Guys! Let's go there!" He shouted. Jaehyuk and Asahi made a run for it. Mashiho was stumbling, still trying to run as fast. But it wasn't enough.
"Hurry!" Yedam sped back to Mashiho and took the other hand of his. With his help, Doyoung carried him better and their pace fastened. They saw Jaehyuk reaching the building first, Asahi right behind.
And moments later, they heard the sound of the back of a bat hitting a metal door. Was it Jaehyuk? Why was he doing that?!
Their questions weren't answered until they reached the place for real. The door Jaehyuk chose was locked, he had to break the lock for everyone to enter inside. Jaehyuk first let Asahi in, then held the door for Mashiho, Yedam and Doyoung.
They came in and the door was immediately closed. The three sat down, panting heavily. Running itself was burdensome, imagine carrying someone on your shoulders while constantly fighting off zombies. It's a miracle that they made it!
Mashiho hugged Doyoung and kissed him wherever he could. He saw death the moment he fell down the stairs, anytime a zombie could have bitten him, but his lover, the most precious existence in his life- he saved him even in that grave situation. It wasn't just love, it was a true gift.
Yedam saw them. His chin clenched. After all the time, he still got hurt whenever he saw Mashiho loving and owning his Doyoung. The boy he loved all through his life; from when they were in diapers, after they became neighbors.
Doyoung held Mashiho by the cheeks. Just the face of the pretty Japanese gave him enough strength to save both of them, to leave the hellish place together. He let his forehead touch the elder's.
"Doyoung ah..." Jaehyuk called. He sounded frightened all of a sudden, "What's that on your arm?"
"What-" Yedam looked at the younger's arm quickly. So did Mashiho and Asahi. And both of them saw, a blood red, semi circular mark on his pale, white arm.
"What about it?" Mashiho quickly said, "He probably got hit with something."
"That doesn't look like a bruise to me..." Jaehyuk stepped back, being even more frightened, "That's a fresh cut... maybe... A bite..."
"What are you talking about!?" Mashiho protested. "He isn't bitten, he would have become one of them by now if it were a bite mark!"
"Hyung," Doyoung, who was terrified by what he saw on his arm and what he heard from his friends spoke feebly, "I don't feel so good."
Yedam was scared, out of wits. He knew very well what that mark was about. He should be chasing Doyoung out of the room, even if the younger was a part of his soul, to save his friends, to save himself, he had to do it! But he was paralyzed. He couldn't rush to Doyoung to chase him away, or simply to embrace him and say- "Don't worry, you won't become a monster."
"Hey, look at me!" Mashiho held Doyoung's cheeks in his palm, making the other face him, "Listen, it's okay. You're tired. Take some rest, you'll feel okay!"
"Shiho ya..." Jaehyuk spoke, "We need to let him out!"
Mashiho turned around and glared at him, "Stop speaking nonsense! This is not-"
"His eyes..." Asahi mentioned. The corner of Doyoung's eyes were red. The capillaries all visible with the accumulation of blood in them. His iris turned whitish, making his lens almost disappear.
"Hyung, my body hurts!" Doyoung grabbed Mashiho harder, "What's wrong with me? Why is it..." He looked at the floor, it was spinning. As he looked up and saw the skin on Mashiho, it was calling him. The smell he never smelt before, the hunger he was feeling turned monsterous! He wanted to have a bite, cut some flesh off the neck and ease his hunger. So what it was Mashiho? So what it was the one he saved a while ago, when that filthy thing came and bit him; Mashiho was his food, and nothing else.
Had it not been for Jaehyuk pushing Doyoung out of Mashiho's grip, Doyoung would probably have bitten his boyfriend by then.
"Jaehyuk ah!" Mashiho screamed. Jaehyuk looked at him, angry. Mashiho tried to go to Doyoung again, but failed, because of Jaehyuk's strong hold on him.
Doyoung's eyeballs were completely white by then. He was continuously snapping his neck joints, the veins in his neck popping up. His hands turning rough, a maniacal gleam started forming in his eyes.
"You all look so good..." He hissed in pleasure, "Come here... Come let me... Taste...you...!"
"Doyoung ah!" Yedam spoke in trembling voice, "Snap out of it, what are you saying?"
But he got no response from the other, only some incoherent, unfathomable loud growls. Spit came out with them, and he stood up, his limbs were weirdly twisted as he made a run towards Yedam.
Before he could even reach the trembling, crying guy, Asahi hit his head with the bat he was holding. Mashiho screamed immediately, "Stop!!" He struggled to get free from Jaehyuk's grip, hitting him with his elbow. Doyoung didn't step back, rather, shook his head more aggressively. Asahi hit him on the nose again.
"Stop hurting him, please!!" Mashiho yelled. Yedam took two steps back, and fell down on his knees. His eyes glued to the once favourite boy of his.
Asahi hit him a few more times,but Doyoung didn't budge even with a broken nose, bloody forehead and smashed lips. He seemed to have lost himself completely.
Jaehyuk felt Mashiho sobbing in his arms, after pleading again and again to stop hurting his love. With caution, he slowly let the Japanese go. When he saw Mashiho falling down on his knees and wailing his heart out, he rushed to help Asahi. They beat Doyoung, once their dear friend, bruising his pretty face, causing him so much hurt in front of the two guys who loved him with their everything. The irony. The wrench. The agony to see your friend turn into a zombie was way more than to see him die. So Jaehyuk cried, while trying to take Doyoung to the door.
"He's not a human anymore!" He groaned. More than saying it to anyone, he said it to himself. He wanted to justify him beating up his dear friend.
Asahi held the door open for him. The ruckus attracted some zombies, so he had to be quick. Doyoung was already weakened with continuous strong hits on his face and arms. He still tried to lash out on Jaehyuk, engulf his neck in a strong hold of his sharp teeth. He couldn't.
Jaehyuk placed the front of the bat right on Doyoung's stomach and pushed the back of the bat with a huge force. This made Doyoung groan loudly. Asahi took the chance and stamped the door on the defeated zombie, pushing it hard to close it, officially leaving Doyoung to the flock of zombies. To where he started to belong.
Thumps and bangs were heard on the door. The zombies outside wanted to get in. But with each thump, the broken hearts inside the room felt a little more hellish. Because they knew, the love of their lives were one of those outside, knocking in the door in hope to have some food. And why is that? Because they were the ones failing to save him. In a way, they turned him like that!
So once smiling, caring, living Kim Doyoung was now a part of those hungry, loathsome, humanoid monsters, sticking his tongue out in hope of getting some blood and flesh. Disgusting, ferocious- but very very heartbreaking.
*****
These parts tend to get so long! I planned to write more here, but it already has 4500+ words!
So I'll stop here. The rest of it would be in the next and final part.
See you soon in part 3~