Episode 30: The Fall
At exactly 7:00 PM, the four of them stood outside the Drama Club room, tightly gripping their weapons. Fear was written clearly across their faces.
Mr. Smith spoke in a low voice.
"Listen carefully. The moment I open this door, we run to the left side. There's a staircase there leading to the fourth floor. Don't look back. Just keep climbing as fast as you can. Every floor has another staircase on the left, so we'll keep moving upward. Stay behind me at all times, and whatever happens, don't drop your weapons."
Mary quietly interrupted.
"Can't we go from the right side instead?"
Mr. Smith shook his head.
"In this situation, that's not a good idea."
He glanced at them one last time.
"So... are you all ready?"
The three students beside him slowly nodded, fearfully.
Mr. Smith, who never wasted time worrying about such things, said,
"Good. When I count to three, I'll open the door. The moment it opens, run silently to the left side and don't look back."
He raised his hand.
"One..."
"Two..."
Suddenly, John interrupted.
"Wait, sir! I'm not ready yet. Count to ten. I'll be ready by then."
Mr. Smith replied casually,
"Fine. Then I'll start counting again."
Relieved, John was about to calm down when Mr. Smith suddenly said in one breath,
"Two... Three!"
Before John could react, Mr. Smith threw open the door and pulled him along.
The four quickly scanned the parking floor.
In one corner, Mr. Smith spotted a large group of zombies that hadn't noticed them yet.
"Move! To the stairs!" he whispered urgently.
Without hesitation, they sprinted toward the staircase on the left side.
Their footsteps were so quiet that the countless zombies roaming the floor remained completely unaware of their presence.
Soon, they reached the staircase leading upward and immediately began climbing.
The higher they went, the stronger a strange, rotten smell became.
The staircase curved upward in a spiral, blocking their view ahead with a concrete wall.
As they cautiously rounded the bend, all four suddenly froze.
Five corpses lay sprawled across the stairs.
Their bodies were drenched in blood.
The flesh had been torn from their faces.
Chunks of meat were missing from their bodies.
Their remains were so mutilated that it was impossible to tell whether they had once been human or animal. Only their broken arms and legs hinted at their original form.
The four stood motionless.
A horrifying stench rose from the corpses, making it difficult to breathe.
And this wasn't unique to the staircase.
The entire school had become a graveyard.
The zombies, unable to satisfy their endless hunger, had eventually begun feeding on one another.
After a few moments, they forced themselves to continue climbing.
Before long, they reached the fourth floor, though they remained hidden within the staircase.
Mr. Smith carefully peeked around the corner.
His expression darkened.
The hallway was crowded with zombies.
The three students behind him stepped forward to look, but Mr. Smith instantly stretched out his left arm, blocking their path.
Placing a finger over his lips, he whispered,
"Shhhhh..."
The others immediately froze.
Mary's fear intensified.
Without thinking, she grabbed Jackson's arm tightly.
Jackson looked at her, gently held her hand, and silently reassured her with a nod.
On the other hand, John was terrified.
His breathing had become uneven.
Again and again, he glanced down at his right boot.
Its shoelace had come undone.
Suddenly, Mr. Smith's attention shifted toward four zombies shambling across the hallway.
Their eyes were pale white.
Blood stained their mouths.
Bite marks covered their bodies.
That was why he had stopped everyone.
The zombies slowly staggered away in the opposite direction.
The moment they disappeared from sight, Mr. Smith turned around and urgently signaled the students to move.
Understanding immediately, Jackson grabbed Mary's hand and began climbing toward the final floor.
John hurried after them.
But in his rush, his boot stepped directly onto his loose shoelace.
His eyes widened.
Before he could react, he stumbled.
His body lurched forward.
Then—
He lost his balance completely.
John crashed onto the stairs and tumbled downward, rolling violently toward the final floor below...
To be continued....