"We have to leave. now."

Lightning struck, the light that shone momentarily revealed the tons of zombies scattered around the gymnasium.
Everyone was forced to run, trying to dodge all the zombies running after them now.

"Over here! Come on" yelled Su-hyeok who had found the equipment room.

Ji-su looked around, not really caring about all this, "Eun-ji! Eun-ji!?" She yelled, there was too much chaos going on, so she didn't know where she was.

"Ji-su, come on let's go!" She heard Na-yeon yell, the girl had grabbed her hand and pulling her with her to the closet for the gym equipment.

Most of them were safe now. After scanning the group Ji-su had taken into account of the two missing senior boys that she saw come with Mi-jin and Ha-ri.

'They're probably dead now.'

Getting startled by the inner voice, Ji-su turned her head to who it belonged to, Eun-ji. Ji-su immediately went to her.

The eye contact they held felt nice, Ji-su gave a shy smile as she stood next to the shorter girl, subconsciously intertwining her hands with her.

Despite the cute moment the two shared together, the atmosphere around them was tense, everyone took this as a chance to catch their breathes.

Their escape plan was a total bust.

Ji-su looked at everything and everyone, she was the type that couldn't really keep her mind in one place.

Sighing to herself, the fatigue finally hit her as she let her body lean against the wall, slowly to sit down on the floor and rest, taking Eunji -who was still holding her hand- with her, the two sitting together, like there was no one else in the room.

Ji-su finally stopped letting her eyes wander, for her eyes had landed on the intertwined hands of theirs that was resting on her knee.

It was funny. Because of this apocalypse mess, it brought Eun-ji and her together, in a way she had her father to thank for that..

Her father...surprisingly she missed him. Even if this whole thing was some what his fault..and partially hers. He started this whole mess, just for her and her brother..

He was a deranged lunatic yes but he was still her dad, who cared for her and wanted to see her thrive, but at the same time the way he went about it didn't deserve to praised at all.

He cared for her well being, but at the same time he experimented on her and exploited her for an unpredictable science theory. That was certainly unforgivable.

She didn't know whether or not she'd see her father again. If she would see him again. She wouldn't really know whether to curse him or thank him.

Guess she'll see in the long run.

She felt her eyes get heavy, and soon she drifted off to sleep.

———

Eun-ji stared at the sleeping girl beside her, her snores were quiet, but audible to those close to her. She couldn't help but smile as she moved her eyes to her hands which were intertwined with hers.

'I really like you, you're probably all I have left..' she thought to herself.

Ji-su slightly tilted her head and her hair got in her face, quickly, Eun-ji tucked the hair hiding her features behind her ears. When she did, she furrowed her brows in confusion. More like alert.

Eunji knew that Ji-su was a whole different case when it came to distinguishing between zombies, humans and the supernatural phenomena that was herself and Nam-ra that was named Hambies..but, she didn't think that they were all that different, for she saw that their abilities were pretty similar. But she didn't know whether or not this was something that was normal for Hambies either...

She narrowed her eyes at her neck to ear area...

'These black veins...' she thought to herself, 'What do they mean?'

———

Ji-su's POV;

A virus must have a consistent pattern for us to create a vaccine. But the Jonas virus...transforms and evolves on its own. It is an ever-changing monster...

There is only one solution...slaughter...

I felt a jolt within me, and I woke up from my sleep.

I look around me, everyone that made it into the equipment room is still pretty much alive, a few were awake, most still asleep.

I still feel Eun-ji's hands intertwined with mine, confirming her safety and security.

My mind immediately goes back to the dream I had. Not really a dream, but a memory of mine when I was locked in my father's lab and he was doing those recordings.

I shouldn't think about that. I don't want to, too many bad times that I'd rather forget about.

"Ji-su..are you awake?"

I snap out of it, Eun-Ji's voice gaining my attention. Nodding my head as I stare at her.

"Yeah I'm awake, did you sleep alright? Are you hurt?" I ask her, wanting to know about her well being.

"No..no..I'm fine.."

No she's not. And she knows that I know.

"You're lying, you don't look fine, is there anything on your mind?" I ask her. I didn't want her to worry about anything.

Eun-Ji first looked like she was thinking, or having a debate with herself, it took her a minute but eventually she said.

"Your neck, have you always had those dark veins on your neck??"

I furrowed my eyes. Her questions confused me. "My neck??"

I released my hand from hers to feel my neck, to see what she was talking about, but when I did her eyes widened in surprise at my fingers as well. I checked them too, my own eyes widening in shock.

My finger nails. were pitch black..and from my finger tips, the same dark veins Eun-Ji was talking about were coating my fingers reaching my knuckles..

"What the fuck..." I said under my breath. I was truly frightened...Eun-ji held my hand, rubbing circles over my palms. It calmed me down a bit yes, but then something else brought me into panic.

But the Jonas virus...transforms and evolves on its own. It is an ever-changing monster...

Was I turning into my own monster? No, I've lived with this too long for me to now be turning fully...

My mind goes blank as one more memory invades my thoughts, another dialogue from that wretched lab..

I have reason to believe, that she, my daughter, is part going to be part a evolution, the next new breed of human...

At this point..do I even consider myself human...at all?

———
New Breed, 19
———