An overbearingly strong stench hung on the air, It had always been present but a bit easy to overlook. Now it hit with full intensity, Arthur could literally see miasma escaping the bodies of the undead.
'The presence of these beings could knock someone out.' He thought, as if replying his words a system screen popped up before him.
[ Fatigue: 5% ]
' Classic.' Lifting all twenty nine convulsing bodies, Arthur yawned. "Do it quickly what are you waiting for." A student besides him said, looking fearfully at the horde of zombies situated outside the hall.
It was night time, well, it has been night time for quite a while now. Arthur and the others decided to have some nights rest, but everyone had woken up hours prior feeling refreshed.
The day before was longer as well however Arthur didn't notice because of the events taking place. While others woke up, Arthur was woken up, the bodies of the adults had started moving.
This didn't alarm Arthur a bit, the strongest zombie would probably be the principal since she was an awakened. The rest would be level one zombies.
However the bodies were merely convulsing, so to avoid a battle the bodies had to be taken care of. Arthur was assigned to that role, since he was the one to execute them.
Standing close to the second outside window, the barricade was slowly being removed. Arthur was then left to stare at the groaning zombies trying fruitlessly to grab hold of him.
He was already getting quite sick from the mere sight of the zombies. Everytime he encountered one it was to kill them and save himself. Now he was able to stare at them closely and observe the pale white bodies.
Some parts of their bodies were missing huge chunks of flesh, their eyes were fully grey. All stained with blood and dressed in ragged clothing, their stench was simply unbearable.
Smelling like corpses coupled with an acidic miasma which escaped their constantly opened mouth. Arthur wondered if a mundane human could stand where he was and watch this.
' It's almost dawn, gladly that still exists.' Walking a step forward, he bent his upper body closer to the multitude of outstretched,' Disgusting.'
Rising he pointed at the horde and the mutating adults shot like cannon balls into the horde.
[ You Have Slain A Level One Zombie. ]
[ Your Essence Grows Darker. ]
' I even killed one, I am really getting better at force manipulation.' Signaling the awakeners close by, they began barricading the window. He turned and met Peter and some others walking up to him.
"Why is your expression still bitter towards me. I did you a favour you should be grateful for." Arthur said with a mocking smile. Peter's expression turned into disgust, "I am surprised how you don't feel remorse after what you did."
"Remorse is for the weak, if it pleases you just know that I also find your righteousness quite amusing." Arthur replied walking past him, "The favor is done, call me if something important happens.
"Was he always like this." A girl standing with him said."I wasn't close, I just know him as someone who liked the pain of others." Another boy snorted, "I wonder why those guys decided to follow him."
Peter turned away from Arthur who was disappearing into the subtle darkness and looked at the window he just used. "I wonder too."
Reaching his quadrant Arthur found Marcus distributing snacks for everyone. "Arthur here have a cracker, the principal got it from some shops nearby."
Taking the pack of crackers he said. "No wonder she was talking about resources. I was preparing to venture outside in search of food and clothes."
"We would have to do that soon, the entire hall shared all snacks present. Unsurprisingly everyone received only a single item, some people in Peter's quadrant received chocolate bars." Marcus explained handing a cracker pack to a disheveled girl.
Her hands quivered as she received it. 'I she here by mistake. Probably suffering from shell shock.' "Well I am going into the middle school today, when I am back we can discuss on getting food. Clothes would have to wait." Arthur said.
Arthur walked over to the four chairs they had, "Tell Ethan to find and send over a healer, I need to get going." He said sitting and massage his arms. 'Even I stink, hygiene is going to be a problem. How long can I last without a bath.'
"Sir?" Arthur looked up and met a girl staring timidly at him. "Yes." He replied wanting to know why she was bothering him. "Errr…, Ummm…, You asked for a healer and I heard so, I thought I could help."
"What's your name." He asked not taking his eyes off the Asian beauty. "Mira Lang." She replied, "Very well then, let's see what you can do Mira." Arthur said pointing to an injury on his thigh.
It was the attack of the first Home Slinger he encountered. One that made him limp till he got used to the pain. She looked at the grievous injury with a terrible expression, "I will be back."
Watching her hurriedly walk towards an area of general supplies, Arthur shook his head. 'Atleast I've got a healer.' She returned with a first aid kit moments later and began tending to Arthur's injuries.
Through out the treatment all Arthur could feel was pain. Especially when she poured some methylated spirits, Arthur couldn't but groan. "I am sorry." She apologized staring at his pained expression.
" It's alright I can handle the pain." He said and she began bandaging the injury. ' This girl is weird, normal everyone is afraid of me but she isn't. I have to watch her and Caelith more.'
When she was done she looked at him with a smile. " If your even hurt, just call me over, I would be glad to help." Touching the area around the bandage he dismissed her with a single word. "Alright."
' She just wants protection expected. If she does her job well, she gets that.' "Arthur!!" Ethan called out as he approached hurriedly. "Where have you been all this while? What the fuck have you been doing?" Arthur questioned.
" You said something about scouting the middle school section. Well I have things to do and might not follow you so I was briefing some mentally capable guys I saved." Ethan explained.
Pointing to survivors he began introducing them. " This is Tamsin Crow, she was done with school before the apocalypse so isn't a student." Ethan said motioning to an older girl to step forward.
' Slender and tall, beautiful face. I could work with this.' "This is Caleb Wyne." He said pointing to another boy with a bandaged knee. "And this is Noah Pierce, all are awakeners with suitable abilities so they would work for this mission."
Noticing the coming dawn Arthur sighed and turned to Ethan's suggestions. " A liability would be left behind, I don't sweet talk suicide missions. If you know you would hold us back, find another thing to do."
After saying this Arthur stared at the group expecting them to walk away or say something. However none did, Arthur rose and turned to the window in his quadrant.
" Let's go." He said walking to this firearms and selecting what he could carry, a pistol and an assembled assault rifle. Filling his pockets with ammunition, he ran and vaulted over the window into the middle school's hallway.
Moreover before his feet could touch the ground, a thought flashed his mind. ' Where is Silas?'