The hallway, usually bustling with the voices of students, was now silent. Every step I took echoed in the hollow space, a solitary sound. My emotions were a maelstrom.
On one hand, a deep frustration gnawed at me. I had fought, I had killed, I had helped save lives. And now, Alex had benched me, as if I were a child. I believed I was ready to face the dangers lurking in the cafeteria. I remembered the times I had killed the zombies alongside the first group, my bravery and my determination. I felt strong. And now, the man who had helped me find that strength was denying me the chance to use it.
On the other hand, a lump formed in my throat. I knew Alex was right. His plan was risky, and he was only protecting me. My mind flooded with images, with memories. Alex helping me escape the school hallway, Alex protecting me from the turned Professor Morales, Alex risking his life so my friends and I could be safe.
He wasn't holding me back; he was protecting me. He was watching out for me.
I reached the classroom. The atmosphere was thick with anxiety. There were groups of people sitting at desks, their faces pale. Some were watching videos on their phones, the audio audibles from a distance. Every now and then, screams and gunshots bled from their companions' and teachers' phones.
The chaos of the outside world filtered through their screens, a constant reminder that even though we were safe for the moment, the real world was still at war.
My classmates murmured among themselves. "What happened to my family? How do we get out of here? Where are the military?"
I approached a group where Amy, my best friend, was with Yuki, Rose, and Eva, the young girl we had rescued earlier. As I arrived, I saw that Eva's face had regained some color, but her eyes were still full of fear, her body tense.
"How do you feel?" I asked, my voice soft.
"Better," she whispered. "Thanks for saving me."
I gave her a small smile. "You don't have to thank me. We're all in this together."
We sat on the floor, and Amy told us, "We're prepping some mats. Alex said they can be used as shields to defend against the zombies."
I nodded, grabbing a yoga mat. "That's a good idea," I said, as we began to prepare them.
As we worked, one of the students with a phone on came over to the group.
"Look at this," he said, his voice a fearful whisper. He showed us a video.
It was a live stream. A person, who appeared to be walking down the street, was showing a group of people. They looked confused, scared, and their faces showed deep pain. A reporter on the screen said that people had started leaving their homes to search for food, as a curfew had been announced.
The same reporter said that the government and the military were still denying the existence of zombies, but that the curfew was a security measure that would be implemented in the coming hours.
Suddenly, the person live-streaming started screaming. Their phone jerked violently, and the screen filled with a dark red color. Screams erupted, and my classmates' eyes went wide with panic. They looked terrified, their faces white. My heart stopped. The zombies were roaming the streets and were attacking people.
The video cut out, and a deathly silence filled the room. We all looked at each other. The reality had become clearer than ever. The outside world wasn't safe. Our refuge, our school, was all we had.
The fear returned to me, but this time, it wasn't a fear of the zombies; it was a fear of what was to come. The fear of having to face more and more of these beings, of having to kill people who once had lives. The establishment of this refuge wasn't just an idea. It was a necessity.
20 minutes later.
The courtyard felt strangely full of life. We gathered with the rest of the survivors. There were more people than I had thought, all looking at us, their faces a mix of hope and fear. The air, dense with anxiety, was cut by the murmur of voices. Alex stood at the front, his presence as calm as ever, his gaze firm and certain.
"I know you're all hungry," he said, his voice a whisper that amplified in the silence. "And I know we're all anxious to get back home. But for that, we have to deal with the cafeteria. It's the only way to get food for everyone."
Alex's words were like a balm for the people's anxiety. A few stomachs grumbled in the silence. The sound reminded me of the urgency of the situation. We needed the food. We couldn't go on without it.
"We're going to deal with the zombies methodically. And everyone's safety comes first. Only the group of volunteers will go to the cafeteria to deal with the zombies. The rest of you, who are not volunteers, will stay in safe places, like the second floor of the building next door or in the classrooms we've already cleared."
A murmur of relief swept through the crowd. Some of those who hadn't volunteered looked relieved, happy not to have to face the zombies. But most of them looked disappointed. They wanted to help, but they didn't dare. In that moment, I felt a whirlwind of emotions, pride for those who offered, and a sense of solidarity for those who didn't.
"Thank you," I whispered, my voice barely audible. "Thank you all for your bravery."
Everyone got into position. The volunteers approached the cafeteria while the rest headed to the safe places Alex had indicated. I stayed for a moment near the volunteers, feeling disheartened. I got close enough to hear Alex. His voice felt safe, strong, and calm.
"We're going to go in silently. We'll take out as many as we can. Then, we're going to use the cafeteria door as a filter, letting only a few of them through at a time, so we can deal with them without any danger. Work in groups, watch your backs. And remember, the head is the only way to kill them."
I listened to his every word. I felt a chill run down my spine. His voice, so calm, made me feel safe, but the plan itself filled me with a quiet terror. I saw Sophie, Amy's friend, approach with the mats. She gave Alex a mat, and he thanked her with a smile on his face.
Alex turned, his gaze serious, devoid of emotion. I knew what he wanted. He didn't want me to stay in the courtyard. He wanted me to be safe, in a place where the zombies couldn't reach me.
My heart pounded, my hands trembled, and anxiety flooded over me. I felt helpless, unable to do anything. But at the same time, I felt a small spark of hope. The hope that, if Alex and the rest of the volunteers succeeded, we might have a chance.
I left, knowing that even though I wanted to help, the best thing I could do at that moment was to be obedient and not get in the way of the plan. When I reached the second-floor window, I stood watching.
I stood at the window, my heart in my throat, feeling as if I were in a movie. My gaze was fixed on the cafeteria, and on Alex, who was giving the final signals to the group of volunteers.
A whisper of fear escaped my throat. My mind was blank; I could only watch with a deep concern as my companions were about to face the horrors I myself had faced. When Alex gave the signal, the group moved, and my heart stopped. A sound I didn't expect, a sharp screech, made my eyes go wide.
The cafeteria door, which should have been in optimal condition, emitted a sound that was so loud, so sharp, it made me tremble. The screech was so high-pitched that everyone in the courtyard stopped, and the volunteers stood paralyzed, looking at the door.
For a moment, a dark thought crossed my mind: was it fate that wanted us to suffer?
But then, my mind, now more pragmatic, made me think about the zombies.
Had they damaged the door in their attempt to get out?
The thought that the door wasn't in perfect condition made me feel a pang of fear. I looked back at the cafeteria entrance.
A part of the group of volunteers, led by Alex, went into the cafeteria, while the rest waited outside. My eyes moved from side to side, from those who were going in to those who were waiting. I could see the concern on the faces of my companions, who watched from outside as the advance group dealt with the cluster of zombies.
Their facial expressions seemed strange to me. They weren't expressions of fear; they were expressions of surprise. I looked at Minnie, Amy's friend, who was also outside, and I saw the surprise on her face. She had dealt with zombies before; she had fought for her life.
Why was she so surprised?
Just as my thoughts were becoming a maelstrom, a shout boomed from inside the cafeteria. "Stick to the backup plan! Get out of here! ... Fast! Block the door! ... Now!"
My heart stopped. My mind went blank. My body went rigid, and I felt a chill run from head to toe. My worst fears were coming true. Something had gone wrong. Something had gone terribly wrong.
I could see the advance group coming out of the cafeteria, unharmed, but their faces looked exhausted and worried. The rest of the group, with an awe-inspiring determination, ran to the door and closed it, leaving only a small space for the remaining zombies to get out. And then, the next thing I heard chilled me to the bone.
Banging. Dozens of bangs, one after another, echoed from inside the cafeteria. The sound of the banging, the sound of the zombies hitting the door, was so loud, so brutal, that it made me tremble. The sound rumbled through the entire building and seemed to match my racing heart. Now I understood everything. My companions' reactions, the surprise, the panic.
"There were more zombies than we thought… Dozens of them," I thought, alarmed.
My mind, my heart, my body… everything felt numb. The cafeteria wasn't a safe place. It was a trap. And Alex and the rest of the volunteers were in grave danger.
The sound of the banging echoed in my ears, and fear completely overwhelmed me. The panic I had managed to control was now my enemy. I couldn't stay there, watching from a distance, knowing my companions were in danger.
I turned around and ran, my heart pounding, my hands trembling, and my mind, which had been blank before, was now filled with a new determination.
I reached my classroom, where many of my classmates were waiting. Their faces were a mix of anxiety and worry. They felt scared, but they didn't know what was happening.
"Guys," I said, my voice feeling broken, "there are more zombies than we thought. Alex's plan failed, and they're in danger."
As I told them everything, I felt my fear return, but my voice, my body, everything, felt stronger. I told them about the banging, about the sound, about the desperation on the volunteers' faces. Some of my classmates stood frozen, their eyes wide with panic, but others, those who had been with me in previous battles, looked at me with a new determination.
"We need to help them," I said, my voice feeling stronger, "We can't leave them alone. If we help control the door and deal with the zombies that come out, we can turn the situation around, and we can even save everyone who is risking their lives so we can eat. We need you to stand up, to grab your weapons, and to fight."
A few classmates hesitated, their faces showing deep doubt, but then they stood up, their hands trembling, but their gazes were firm.
"I'm going," a girl said, her voice sounding scared but determined. "Me too," another said.
The number of volunteers grew, and my heart swelled with pride. They were people who had been through hell, and now, instead of hiding, they wanted to fight. I gave them the instructions; the same ones Alex had given the group of volunteers.
"Put on your resistant clothing, or protective gear. I'll give you two minutes, and I'll wait for you on the stairs that connect to the courtyard."
I ran out of my classroom and passed through a few others, my voice getting louder as I told the others what was happening. The determination on their faces, the fear, the anxiety, gave me new strength.
When I reached the stairs, the group that had offered to help was already waiting for me. Some had their makeshift spears, their faces serious, their determination palpable.
We all headed to the cafeteria, and the sound of the banging sounded closer, but it seemed weaker than before. My heart pounded, my hands trembled. When we arrived, I saw the chaos.
The group of volunteers was struggling to hold the door, and those who were killing the zombies that came out looked exhausted, their movements were slow, and their faces were covered in sweat and blood.
"Let's help!" I yelled, my voice a thunder. "Group one, help those holding the door. Group two, help those killing zombies."
I divided the groups, and I went over to Tim. He was struggling with two zombies; his movements were slow; his face was exhausted. With the spear I made, I helped him with one of them.
"Thanks, Emily," he said to me, his voice a whisper. "But what are you doing here? It's too dangerous."
"We needed to help," I replied, my voice feeling firm. "Tim, where is Alex? I don't see him."
Tim stopped; his face went pale.
"He… he went in," he said, his voice feeling broken. "He went in to take the pressure off us. He's luring the zombies so they don't crowd the door."
My world stopped. My mind went blank. My heart froze. Alex… was in the cafeteria, surrounded by zombies. Terror completely overwhelmed me. I felt helpless, unable to do anything.
"If we had all helped, he wouldn't have had to risk himself," I thought worriedly, but then remembering Alex's skills revealed a new hope. "He's capable of getting out of this without a scratch."
Just as that thought crossed my mind, a gunshot echoed from inside the cafeteria. My heart stopped.
.
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[A/N: CHAPTER COMPLETED
Hello everyone.
I hope you enjoyed the episode.
Now we'll see many more episodes like this, especially after Emily, Alex, Tim, and some of their classmates graduate from high school.
By the way, you should remember that this is from Emily's perspective, a young woman who until recently was just spoiled, and perhaps a little conceited. Although this doesn't mean she didn't have important skills or knowledge.
On the other hand, I want to say that the people at the high school won't be left unprotected when Alex leaves. As you may have noticed, Emily's dad, Ron, is planning to help the people there. However, things won't go as everyone expects, neither for Ron's shelter nor for the high school.
It is the apocalypse after all.
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Read my other novels
#The Walking Dead: Vision of the Future. (Chapter 76)
#Vinland Kingdom: Race Against Time. (Chapter 82)
#The Walking Dead: Patient 0 - Lyra File (Chapter 9)
You can find them on my profile.]