Mingi's chest tightened as he stood motionless, staring at the deformed human, Miss Kang Nam Soo. Blood seeped across the window, dark and sticky, the smell of terror thick in the air. His heart pounded painfully, not just from fear but from something deeper. The scene scratched at the nook of his memory, a distorted image of something he couldn't fully recognize. He choked on his breath, the air caught in his throat.

Why does this feel familiar?

The crackling voice of the game interrupted the chain of his thoughts, its cold, mechanical tone saying something—something like a warning or maybe a hint for this situation. Mingi barely registered the words, and before he could process anything, he felt something. He felt the ground vibrating under the sole of his shoes. At first, he thought it was just him—like his knees were buckling under the weight of the situation—but no. This was real.

"Did you feel that?" Mingi blurted out, looking around. No one answered.

It was a light rumble that soon started feeling violent, as if an earthquake was approaching them. His stomach did the weird flip-flop as he glanced toward the empty windows. Shadows moved against the dim light of the evening outside.

Mingi squinted his eyes to get a better view. Then, they emerged—rotting, pale figures, their skin peeling and limbs twisted unnaturally as they sprinted toward the building.

"No, no, no, no!" His voice cracked as he stumbled backward. A frantic Mingi turned towards the rest of the class, "They're coming!".

Everyone looked through the window in cold sweat. Some already crying in terror while others shocked to even process anything.

"Guys! Block the windows now!" Wooyoung commanded, and soon chaos erupted. Chairs scraped the floor, benches toppled over each other, leaving no space for entry, and desperate voices overlapped as the pals raced to block the windows. With trembling hands, they dragged shelves and desks into place.

While the storeroom was being a panic room, Mingi, along with Jongho and Hongjoong, decided to give it one last try to open the door.

"Hongjoong! Jongho!" Mingi yelled, his voice cracking. "Help me with the door!" They threw themselves against the old wooden door, their faces etched with one last hope, panic thrumming through his veins. But the moment their shoulder hit the wood, they felt it shift unnaturally beneath their weight.

"Wait—no!"

The doors burst open with a deafening crash, sending them sprawling to the floor. Jongho rolled on the ground holding his shoulder while Hongjoong held his head in between his palms. The impact sent thousands of electric sparks into his brain. The force jarred Mingi's ankle, and a sharp pain shot up his leg as a long nail was penetrated halfway into his tights. A cry escaped his lips.

"What the hell?" Hongjoong gasped, scrambling to his feet.

Mingi forced himself to sit up, his body screaming in protest. The growls outside were inches away from the blocked windows.

"Mingi!" Hongjoong's voice was sharp as he rushed to his side, Seunghwan close behind. They grabbed him by the arms, lifting him despite his protests. "We have to move!"

Everyone was running towards the entrance, in hopes of exiting, thinking of escaping the school premises, but it was already late. The corpses already awaited at the entrance of the building. The only way out was now no way out.

Yeosang's voice cut through the panic. "Everyone! Upstairs! The windows are secure up there, and we can barricade the doors!"

The group surged toward the staircase like a tide. Mingi stumbled, the pain in his leg growing unbearable. He clenched his teeth, trying to keep up, but the searing ache slowed him down.

Behind him, Taeyang deliberately bumped into Hongjoong and Seunghwan, who were helping their injured friend. Three of them fell to the ground, and Taeyang smirked—an immature move that sent rage bubbling beneath the trio's fear. But there was no time to respond.

The windows shattered behind them, and the shelves provided very little time. They were already knocked down by the undead as they poured in like a living wave of rot.

"Run!" Jongho's voice rang out as he appeared beside them, grabbing Mingi's arm to steady him. Together, they hurried up the stairs, the walls echoing with the grating voices of the horde.

Jongho, like a shield, blocked the way in every way possible to slow the creatures down. Jongho soon reached the stairs.

At the rear were Yuna and Minji, their movements stalled by horror. Every step seemed heavier, the weight of their fear dragging them down, but they were near—they were near to the staircase, hoping to soon join the rest of their classmates.

A scream pierced the air.

Yuna stumbled, her face hitting the edge of a stair. Blood oozed out from her nose, soon covering half of her face; she was caught by a zombie's decaying hand. She clawed at the floor, shrieking as she tried to pull herself free. Her mouth and jaw were now covered with crimson, smearing all over the stairs and her white uniform. "Help me! Please, Minji, help me!"

Her desperation was palpable, a raw, animalistic sound that made Minji freeze in her tracks. Yuna's hand shot out, gripping Minji's ankle like a lifeline.

"Don't leave me! Please!" But the undead were relentless.

Minji tried to pull away from Yuna, trying to survive, but it was useless. Yuna's desperation only made her grip tighter around Minji's leg. Another hand emerged, grabbing Yuna's shoulder, then her waist. She screamed louder, her nails digging into Minji's skin as she dragged the other girl down with her. Minji's cries joined hers, high-pitched and full of terror as teeth sank into her neck, ripping off a chunk of flesh.

Jongho tried to reach out to help but stopped dead, his body trembling as he watched the scene unfold. He couldn't look away. The sight of the girls being ripped open. A bloody shower—a horrific tableau of snapping teeth, torn flesh, and blood. The zombies were now running upstairs, towards Jongho.

A twisted hand was about to grab the boy's ankle when suddenly—

"Jongho! Move!"

A sharp yank on his collar brought him back to reality. He turned towards Jinwoo with teary eyes, whose face was pale in fear. He pulled Jongho up the stairs. "We can't save them! Let's go!

Jongho's legs felt like lead, his body moving on instinct as Jinwoo dragged him upward. Behind them, Yuna and Minji's screams faded to nothing. Only the horrifying sounds of the undead feasting.

Jinwoo pushed Jongho inside a room first before slamming the door shut.

Jongho leaned against the wall, his chest heaving, his palms and forehead glimmering with sweat.

The atmosphere was suffocating. The echoes of shuffling steps and distant growls from the zombies below made every second feel heavier.

Seojin looked around as if she was scanning everyone. "...Twenty-five," she murmured, her brow furrowing. "Wait... there are two missing."

The room fell silent. Everyone exchanged uneasy glances as the realization sank in.

"Who?" someone whispered. Seojin scanned the faces in the room again.

"Minji and Yuna..." Jongho's voice cut through the tension, cold and emotionless. "They didn't make it." Everyone turned to him in stunned silence. His eyes were fixed on the floor, his breath was uneven. Jongho was not himself right now.

Yunho, standing closest to him, stepped forward and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Jongho..."

Jongho glanced up, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. They brimmed at the edge with pain so unspeakable, guilt that shredded his heart into pieces, and memories—the haunting memory of what he had just witnessed. His chest heaved as if he were holding his breath, fighting back the sob that threatened to escape. Yunho knows Jongho well, and he knew how hurt Jongho was.

"I... I couldn't," he choked out, stopping what he was about to say midway as if he couldn't muster up the courage to say it. "They were right there, and I—"

Yunho squeezed his shoulder, cutting him off softly. "It wasn't your fault."

Jongho shook his head, the bloodbath replaying in his mind. Yuna's screams, Minji's desperate cries, the sight of them being dragged down and torn apart like paper dolls, like nothing—it was a nightmare that no one wanted carved in their memories.

Jongho whispered, his voice trembling now. "I just... I couldn't move. I froze."

Yunho pulled Jongho into a firm hug, patting his back. Finally, Jongho broke down, silent tears streaming down his face. He shut his eyes, trying to erase the nightmare.

The rest of the people avoided looking at them; the weight of the loss was too much to bear. Some wiped their tears, while others simply stared at the ground, unable to process the brutal state they were stuck in.

"We have to stay strong," Seojin said, wiping her own tears, her voice breaking. Her words were met with mournful nods, but no one could build up the nerve to speak.

—

The pain emanating from his thigh made Mingi flinch as he leaned back against the wall. His jeans were stained with a dark streak of blood where the protruding nail was. It made him feel even greater anguish, and he no longer wanted to look at it.

The boys decided to barricade the doors with heavy shelves, this time ensuring that they would not budge. Outside, there were only a few muffled groans. Those animals appear to have made their way upstairs as well.

The sun had dipped below the horizon. The dim light from the school's old lamp posts barely illuminated the room. The darkness outside was suffocating, and the thought of those creatures lurking in it sent a shiver down Mingi's spine.

Seunghwan knelt before him, tearing a long piece of cloth from the dusty classroom curtains, his face plastered with a worried expression. In the tense silence, the sound of tearing fabric seemed deafening. Around them, the others simply sat in stunned quiet, their nerves frayed.

Seunghwan brought up the strip of fabric. He studied the nail embedded in Mingi's leg, his brow furrowing as he assessed the situation.

"It's deep, but not that deep," Seunghwan muttered, mostly to himself. Then he looked up at Mingi. "This is going to hurt. A lot."

Mingi's attempt at a grin turned into more of a grimace. "Yeah, well... pain's kinda the theme of the night, huh?"

Seunghwan didn't laugh. He placed a steadying hand on Mingi's knee and tilted his head slightly, meeting his friend's eyes.

"I need you to stay still. You ready?"