The world stopped.
The echo of the gunshot, sharp and dry, spread across the courtyard, bouncing off the brick buildings, reaching the barricade, the nearby classrooms, and silencing the students' murmurs. It was the first shot we had heard since the military locked us in here, and the sound froze my heart more than any zombie scream. My gaze was fixed on the cafeteria door, where my classmates were struggling to hold back the horde.
A knot formed in my stomach. I couldn't think, I could only stare, my heart in my throat, feeling the fear, the uncertainty, the pain. Had Alex died? Was he wounded? Had he fired for help? My mind filled with questions, and panic took over.
However, as the sound of the shot faded, a detail became clear. The pushing and banging on the cafeteria door lessened. A sudden, deep, and chilling silence took over the door. It was as if the horde, which a minute before had been hungry and bloodthirsty, had withdrawn. The arms of my classmates, which were tense and fighting against the door, now looked relaxed. They didn't have to exert force; they didn't have to fight. The door was an unopposed barrier.
A wave of hope washed over me. Could it be possible? Had Alex planned this? Had he fired to distract the zombies, to lure them somewhere else, to take the pressure off my classmates? My mind raced, trying to find an explanation, a hope. A small smile appeared on my face. It had to be that. It had to be a plan.
My body reacted without me thinking.
"Faster!" I yelled, my voice a thunder that echoed across the entire courtyard. "We're almost done! Let's go!"
Just as I yelled, the banging returned to the door, but this time, those holding it ajar were clearly making less effort.
I went to Tim, and with the improvised spear, I helped him deal with the zombies that were still coming out of the cafeteria. My heart pounded, my blood ran through my veins, and my mind was focused on one thing: helping my classmates.
Shouts of encouragement could be heard throughout the courtyard. Some of those on the barricades also began to cheer us on. I felt the group's energy. We were no longer a group of scared strangers. We were a team, a team fighting for its survival, for its destiny.
5 minutes later.
The zombies we had been killing were no longer coming out of the door. I stopped for a moment and looked at Tim, who had also stopped. He nodded his head, a smile of relief on his face. The few bumps that could still be heard from inside were not a danger. With a signal from Tim, the students at the cafeteria door opened the doors, and we all gathered.
My heart pounded. We were close. Only the last group of zombies was missing. We all gathered, and looked inside the cafeteria, ready to go in and finish this.
Just then, a body came running from inside the cafeteria, covered in dark blood and stumbling. The students around me were scared and backed away. My heart stopped. But, in the midst of the panic, in the midst of the fear, my eyes recognized that person. It was Alex.
My world stopped. My heart stopped. Alex was there, standing, stumbling like a zombie, dirty, bloodied. A shout of relief came from the depths of my being. I threw myself towards him as he collapsed on the ground, and when I got to his side, I knelt down.
"Alex," I whispered, my hands trembling as I checked him.
I looked for bites on his arms and legs, on his neck, on his body. My eyes moved at full speed, my mind could only think of one thing: that he hadn't been bitten. That everything that had happened to save him was not in vain.
Relief completely washed over me. There were no bites that had penetrated his skin, but there were tooth marks, bruises, that were etched on his arms, on his legs. His thick clothes had saved him. I let out a sigh of relief, a small smile appeared on my face. His face was dirty, his eyes were closed, and his body was covered in dust and blood, but he was okay. He was alive.
"Alex…" I whispered, my voice felt broken, my heart was pounding.
My hand, without me thinking, slid up to his face and caressed it. He didn't react. I saw him up close, and I noticed the exhaustion on his face. He seemed to have run a marathon, a marathon of death and destruction. He had killed zombies, he had contained a horde, he had escaped from a place full of creatures, and all in less than twenty minutes. He had done almost the same as many of us together.
"Thank you so much, Alex," I whispered, my voice felt soft, as if I were talking to a baby. "You can rest now. We'll take care of the rest."
Just after I finished saying that, his body went limp, and he collapsed on the ground, unconscious. My eyes opened in panic, but then I calmed down. He wasn't dead, he had just fainted from exhaustion. Alex, the man who had saved me, who had guided me, who had protected me, was just a human. A human with a strength that seemed superhuman, but a human, after all.
I looked around, the students were looking at me with fear, with relief, with hope. I stood up and with the help of Tim and the rest, we dragged Alex to a safe place in the courtyard, away from the bodies.
Then, with a new determination, I turned and looked at Tim, who was looking at me with eyes that said "What do we do?"
"Let's go," I said, my voice felt firm. "Help me finish this."
We all approached the cafeteria, and in about ten minutes, with exhaustion and caution, we finished killing the remaining zombies. It was a slaughter. The zombies lay on the ground, their bodies mangled, their brains splattered. We stopped for a moment, panting, and some of us sat on the floor, exhausted.
I looked around, and I noticed the lost looks of my companions, their tired and sore bodies. Some of them were holding back tears, and I knew it wasn't because of the exhaustion. It was for the bodies, the bodies of their friends and companions who now lay dead, in the cafeteria that was once the place of laughter and conversations.
When we recovered some breath, we began to search inside the cafeteria. We found many people in different rooms. The bathrooms and the warehouse were full of students and teachers. Some had hidden the night before, and others had hidden a few minutes ago, when the chaos began.
They all thanked us, their voices were a whisper of relief and gratitude. I felt good. I felt the warmth of gratitude, the pride of having saved these people. But, as time passed, my mind filled with a single thought. This victory would only be important if we managed to reinforce the high school before we left.
This victory, no matter how great, wasn't the end. It was just the beginning.
30 minutes later.
My body felt heavy. Every step was a battle. The feeling of exhaustion was much more than physical. I climbed the steps and crossed the threshold of our classroom, the same place that, a day ago, had been the beginning of our hell.
Here we had hidden for the first time from an unknown danger, here we had found out about the existence of zombies, here we had begun to save people from neighboring classrooms. Now, this same space was a refuge, a resting place for the tired, the wounded, and the shocked.
The room was full. Tired bodies collapsed on the desks, some with their gaze lost in nothingness. The silence wasn't total; it was broken by the soft murmur of conversations, the whispers of comfort, and, most painfully, the repressed sobs of those who couldn't take it anymore.
The aroma of noodles with sauce filled the air, a simple fragrance that now felt like an unreachable luxury. I approached our group's table and sat down, with a plate in my hands, feeling the warmth of the container. I took my time, slowly rolling the noodles on my fork, observing the chaos and pain that surrounded me.
My gaze stopped on a group of classmates. Their faces were illuminated by the cold light of their phones. The sound of social media videos broke the silence. Screams, shots, and screams once again echoed in the room.
Some people cried, their bodies shook as they watched the broadcasts, their hands trembled as they dialed numbers that didn't answer. Others, the luckiest, whispered in broken voices, telling their families they were safe, that they would return home.
I watched all this with my heart in my throat. The fear, the pain, and the despair of everyone felt so real, so palpable. For a moment, I felt like a stranger in my own life. Just a few hours ago, I was in the cafeteria, dealing with zombies, but now, the horror of the situation hit me in a new way, more personal, more profound.
My phone vibrated. It was a message from my mother.
"Emily, are you okay? Please, come home! And listen to Alex and Tim."
My eyes filled with tears. My parents, my family, still saw me as the same girl who left home the day before to go to the high school anniversary. Maybe they couldn't understand that in that time I had become another person by the time I arrived at my father's shelter.
Another message arrived, from my mother again.
"Ronnie, Sonny's son, is okay. We've decided not to tell him about his father yet. He's too young to understand."
My stomach churned. A wave of guilt washed over me completely. My eyes landed on my plate of noodles. The smell of the sauce, which before had seemed like a salvation, now made me feel nauseous.
Sonny, I thought, I'm sorry for having caused you to die.
The weight of my own guilt was added to that of my sadness. The pain of loss, guilt, and despair invaded me. I felt completely alone, isolated by my own thoughts, my own regrets.
Just when my spirits were at their lowest, my gaze fell on him. Alex.
He was lying on a sports mat. George, Marlon, and Tim had brought him here from the courtyard, after we cleared the zombies, and Yuki had cleaned his face and hands. They had changed his bloodstained clothes for a cleaner sweatshirt and pants.
He looked so exhausted, so vulnerable, and at the same time, so peaceful. A small sound came out of his mouth, a soft snore, and a small smile appeared on my face. There was nothing more I could say, but his very presence, his quiet breathing, his snoring, were a relief.
40 minutes later.
The cafeteria, which was recently a battlefield, is now a workplace. My spirits, which a while ago were a pit of despair, have been replaced by the need for action. The pain in my muscles, the tension in my neck, the images that haunt me; everything takes a back seat. There is work to be done, and my voice, now firm and secure, guides my companions.
"Move the bodies carefully! To the side of the hallway, pile them up."
"You, move the food boxes to the classrooms. Make sure the seals are intact."
"Tim, go and guide those outside, to enter in small groups. And that the wounded go first."
I watch my companions, some with empty gazes, others with faces of pure determination. Most, however, just want this to end. And I, who have taken the lead, have the same idea. If only this could end… According to Alex, there's no going back. The reality hits me with an unbearable weight, but it doesn't stop me. My mind flies to the classroom. Alex, a beacon in this storm for everyone, has been sleeping for more than an hour. He, who has done so much for all of us, finally has a moment of rest. The image of him calms me and gives me strength.
Just when I tell a companion to go look for Tim, my eyes open wide. Alex appears from the stairs, guided by Louis, who looks at him with a mixture of respect and relief. Alex looks better, although his shoulders are still slumped and his body is swaying a little.
"Emily…" his voice is raspy and soft.
I approach him, the tension in my body relaxing a little at seeing him standing. "Alex… How do you feel? You fainted from exhaustion."
Alex nods, his eyes scanning the place. "I'm better. What happened afterward?"
My heart races. "I was on the second floor, looking out the window. I was worried. I felt guilty for not having done anything, and seeing you at the cafeteria entrance, I felt I had to do something. I saw how tired you were, and I knew that if I didn't help you, everyone would die."
"So, I convinced some of my classmates. Minnie, Sophie, and others," I continued. "We took the spears and other items that had been left at the barricades, and we went to the courtyard. We helped everyone deal with the zombies, and that relieved the pressure on the door."
Alex frowns. "Emily, you had to stay safe," Alex said, his voice grave, his gaze hardening.
I stare at him and say, "Alex, it's everyone's duty to help, Alex. You can't do it alone. I can't stay on the second floor, with my hands tied, while my friends die… Besides, your plan worked perfectly."
Alex looks at me, a little surprised. "My plan… What do you mean?"
"The gunshot. The zombies inside withdrew from the door. It helped us contain them. It was your idea, right? To take the pressure off the others."
Alex's face shows a mixture of surprise and pride. He doesn't say anything, but his look says it all. "Yeah," he finally says, in a softer tone. "I realized we wouldn't be able to fight so many, so I tried to take the pressure off to give them a chance to escape… But I told you not to get involved."
"I know. But I had to help."
"Then Tim led us," I continued with a proud tone. "He devised a plan to kill the zombies coming out the door, and once the horde inside dwindled, we went in. We killed everyone, and rescued many people who were hiding in the inner sections and in the back of the cafeteria. Some of them were wounded, and we helped them… And yes, we inspected everyone and no one was bitten."
Alex nods slowly, his eyes shining with a new appreciation. A small smile appears on his lips. "So… the girl who was running from zombies… has become a leader?"
"There's still a long way to go," I say, feeling my cheeks burn. "But, it's a start."
Just as I'm about to tell him he should eat something, Alex's stomach growls, a sound that echoes in the now-silent hallway. He blushes, embarrassed.
"Looks like your stomach is trying to tell you something," I say, with an amused smile.
"Looks like it," Alex replies, his voice now lighter.
.
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[A&N: CHAPTER COMPLETED
Hello everyone.
I hope you're all well and that you enjoyed the episode.
I know it's a mix of many things—emotion, calm, tension, among other things—but it's an important scene as we see Emily's feelings for the first time during a moment of calm.
IMPORTANT NEWS
My father injured his shoulder, and now I'll have to take his place at work, so I'll be pausing one of the novels. Actually, at first, I was only going to leave Vinland Kingdom active, but I realized that if I put in a little effort, I can continue releasing chapters of some of my other novels, including this one.
The only problem is that I won't have time to revise, answer questions, or check if my translation assistant (Google) is making mistakes.
I hope you keep reading the chapters, even though they may be a little shorter sometimes.
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Read my other novels
#The Walking Dead: Vision of the Future. (Chapter 77)
#Vinland Kingdom: Race Against Time (Chapter 84)
#The Walking Dead: Patient 0 - Lyra File (Chapter 9) (PAUSED)
You can find them on my profile.]