~Leiloni's POV~

Scratches and growls are the only noise that we can hear. We were all like manikins here standing and tried to be as quiet as possible because the moment they hear us, it would be another episode of us doing a marathon.

I slowly glanced at everyone's faces and all of them look terrified. I don't think standing here for too long makes us safer, not even close.

"So what's the plan?" Audrey whispered looking at Kevin waiting for an answer but he just glanced at the building right next to us, it was the library.

"Let's get inside that building first," Kevin said in a low voice pointing to the school library, "we can't stay here outside longer, those monsters might notice us any moment," he added and all of us agreed and started to walk trying to be as quiet as possible.

The library wasn't locked so we just barged ourselves in. The whole place was dark and doesn't have any lights illuminating the area. Elio latched the door shut behind us while Troy and Kevin immediately blocked it with a huge table for safety purposes. I found a switch near the door so I tried pressing it but the lights did not turn on.

"I'll go find the generator," Troy said as he took out his phone and used it as a flashlight then started to walk away.

Kevin took out a flashlight on his bag moving it around to make sure there are no monsters lurking around. They checked the whole library and thank goodness there are no signs of monsters. Troy came back and told us that he didn't find any generator but he brought an emergency light and it was bright enough to illuminate the small space that we're sitting.

"So now what?" Audrey again asked Kevin but he just remained silent staring at the surface of the table thinking deeply.

"If we will continue our plan on getting on that school bus then we need to find a way to get rid of those monsters first," Elio said which made us all turn quiet.

"Those monsters, they have a strong sense of hearing and even one single sound will make them turn their attention to you," Alexis said that made all of us look at him. It was the first time that I heard him speak and the way he talks makes me think that he's smart.

"What are you trying to say?" Aaron asked.

"What I'm trying to say is that someone should lure the monsters so that we can all get to the school bus safe-"

Aaron suddenly cut him off, "so you want someone to sacrifice his or her life so that the rest of the group could get out of this school?"

"Of course not," Alexis said and chuckled that made Aaron flashed him his puzzled face, "look, between the library and the building where the principal's office was located, there's a small alley there that can be used as a hiding place," he added that made all of us even more confused.

Alexis explained the rest of his plan to all of us and after almost half an hour of explaining we finally got his point. His plan was just like what Troy did back in the senior high building where he lured the monsters clearing a path for me but this time, the person who will volunteer will need hide to that small alley between the library and the building of the principal after luring the monsters.

Troy was about to volunteer but Aaron raised his hands first that made all of us look at him.

"I'll volunteer this time."

"What? How about Alexis? Who will carry him?" Audrey asked but Troy immediately said that he will carry Alexis since Aaron volunteered.

Everything was settled, Aaron was getting ready carrying only a crowbar, a phone, and a handheld transceiver or commonly known as a walkie talkie that Kevin gave him.

"Be careful," I said that made Aaron look at me. He just flashed me his smile and exited the room quietly. It felt weird after seeing him smile again because that last time I saw him with that smile of his was last year November where we celebrated our last anniversary. But I just shook it out of my head because Aaron and I are already done since last year December.

The rest of us stayed inside the room and we'll wait until Aaron lures those monsters outside and give us his signal. I wandered my eyes around the room to look for Troy and there he was, standing near the round table loading a bullet on the handgun that he's holding, but I noticed that his aura looks different, I don't know but it feels off. I went beside him but he did not even look at me.

"Is everything all right?" I asked him but he just remained quiet and continued what he was doing, "Troy?" I called his name but he just flashed me his deadpan look and turn his attention back to the gun on his hand ignoring me.

I don't know but the thing that I hated the most is when people ignore me. I just hate it so much that when someone ignores me, I won't do anything to make them talk to me and I'll just walk away instead and never speak to them until they'll give me a valid reason.

I looked at him again and it seems like he won't gonna talk so I just started to walk away but he suddenly grabbed my hand and wrapped his arms around my head, hugging me tightly.

"I'm sorry," he whispered still hugging me so tight as I can hear his heart racing, "it's just that... I'm so in love with you that I'm already too scared of losing you, I'm scared that you'll realize that you still love him... that you still love Aaron." I went speechless after hearing those words from him.

I removed his hands from hugging me and looked at his face. Sadness clouded his features staring deeply into my eyes. I can totally feel that he's being serious this time. I held both of his hands and was about to say something but a loud clang from the outside followed by a growling sound made all of us flinch.

"That's the first signal!" Elio exclaimed who's peeking on the window.

"Okay kids, we should get ready," Kevin said and walked in front of the door and all of us followed, "we'll wait for his second signal."

Alexis' foot still hasn't recovered from his deep wound so Troy carried him this time since Aaron was out there clearing a path for us.

"...the path is clear..."

A voice of a man suddenly spoke followed by a short static sound that came from the handheld transceiver Kevin was holding.

Kevin immediately held the transceiver in front of his mouth, "copy..." He said and turn his attention back to us.

"That's the second signal, let's run as fast as we could and head to the school bus," Kevin commanded.

He opened the door and after seeing that there are no signs of monsters, all of us wasted no time and immediately rushed outside. The monsters from the parking lot earlier were already gone so we started running towards the school bus.

We were almost there when one monster suddenly sprinted towards us that made all of us halted while my heart raced in fear. Kevin aimed his handgun to the monster but Alexis told him not to use it because the sound of a gunshot will surely lure a lot of monsters.

I took a deep breath and started running towards the monster and smashed its head with a crowbar that I was holding. The monster fell hard into the ground and was about to stand up but I gave a final smash making its head crack open as blood splattered on the ground.

"Let's go!" I yelled looking at them since the school bus is only a few steps away and started running again until we finally reached it. All of us entered inside panting and filled in the chairs while our faces were still painted in fear. Kevin sat on the driver's seat and began turning on the engine and with few attempts the engine started.

"Where's Aaron?" Alexis asked that made all of us look at Kevin so he immediately held the transceiver to his mouth and pressed a button.

"...Aaron, we're already inside the school bus, over..." Kevin held the transceiver to his ears but he received no response from Aaron. Shit, please be safe Aaron, please. Kevin held the transceiver back to his mouth, "...Aaron, do you copy? Over..." Kevin said but still no response. We were all starting to get worried and I really hope Aaron is okay.

"Hey, guys it's Aaron!" Angel said pointing outside. I looked at where she was pointing and there I saw Aaron running towards our direction that made me smile in relief. He was shouting something but we clearly can't hear him since the windows and the doors of the bus were all closed so Kevin immediately opened the door.

"Monsters! They're heading this way!" Aaron yelled while still running towards our direction. After hearing those words, the smile on my face turned upside down. Aaron finally entered inside panting so Kevin immediately closed the door, "they're coming." Aaron looked outside and so did we. A huge herd of monsters was running towards our direction making my heart pounding.

"Let's go!" Audrey yelled which made Kevin start driving in panic. We were almost at the main building but the monsters were still chasing us. The bus suddenly stopped making all of us gasp so we looked at Kevin and wondered why he stopped. But a horrifying sight made my heart race, even more, another herd of monsters was blocking our way.

"Just run them over!" Audrey yelled again at Kevin making him start to panic. Kevin shifted the gear and started driving again running over the monsters blocking our way. But the bus suddenly stopped moving even though Kevin was pressing the gas pedal.

"It's stuck!" Kevin yelled that made all of us started to panic. We were now surrounded by a herd of monsters and the bus got stuck on something. Could this get any worse? Growling, smashing, and snarling was the only thing that we could hear while the bus started to rock sideways.

"What do we do now?" Audrey asked with her face that looks so terrified while breathing heavily.

I looked up and there was an emergency roof hatch. Troy saw it so we told them that we should use that to escape since the school bus was already stuck and Kevin can't make it run anymore.

All of us exited the bus using the emergency roof hatch and luckily we were beside the main building and we could easily get to the second floor by climbing to the railings. Troy checked the corridors of the second floor first and there are no signs of monsters so all of us immediately climbed through the railings and finally escaped a near to death situation. All of us were panting heavily, sweats run down all over our body and we can still hear the growling of monsters outside.

"How the hell are we supposed to get out of this school now?" Lauren asked that made all of us turn quiet.

"Honestly, I don't know, but we should really need to get ourselves a room to stay first because standing here outside gives me anxieties," Kevin said with his terrified look that made all of us agree.

There was a room in front of us so Elio immediately went in front of the door and turned the knob opening it. But before he could even fully open the door, something suddenly tackled him making them fall onto the floor. It was a monster, but this one was different. It has six large legs like spiders sticking out on its back and its hands were as sharp as knives. The monster suddenly scratched Elio's face making him scream in pain. Holy shit! I covered my mouth in shock.

"Elio!" Kevin yelled. He immediately pointed a gun on the monster and started shooting it making the monster look at him shrieking. All of us took a step back as my heart was pounding almost getting out of my chest. The monster's face looks different too, it has too many eyes and its teeth were all pointy and covered in blood.

The monster turned its attention to Kellie that made her froze there standing. The monster shrieked again and started running towards Kellie but Michael immediately pushed his sister making the monster scratch his body and fell on the ground as his face grimaced in pain.

"Michael! No!" Kellie cried and was about to go to his brother but Lauren quickly grabbed her.

The monster suddenly turns its attention to me but before it could even move, Troy immediately shot the monster repeatedly on its head making the monster stopped moving and dropped on the floor on the top of Michael. Blood dripped all over its hideous face, followed by a purple liquid.

I was breathing heavily and a cold shiver run down my spine. That was fucking close! I looked at Troy and his face was also painted in fear. I turned my attention back to the monster.

Why does it have long legs like spiders? Why does he have too many eyes? How could an infected turn into a hideous creature like that? How?

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