Stay Alive Season 1

Chapter 23

Bong Cha-yon walked towards me holding her walkie-talkie.

"Eum, muni jamgyeo-t지만 geokjeong ma, naega haegyeolhalge," I said, my eyes gleaming with determination.

"Ibeon-en mwol hal geo-ya?" Cha Soo-yoon asked, her voice filled with apprehension.

"Jilgeureot, geurigo kkwak jab-a," I said, my voice firm.

Fear flickered across their faces I knew what they were thinking they knew what 'Earthen Jar' meant the engine roared the bus surging forward.

I slammed the bus into the gate the sound of metal tearing metal echoing through the air the gate crumbled a cloud of dust billowing into the air.

"Ya, cheoncheonhi hae, Min Cha-young," a voice said, a hint of panic in its tone.

"A, kkampakhaetne. Seung-gaeg-i isseotne," I said, my voice laced with a wry smile.

The school bus rumbled along the deserted highway a lone vessel in a sea of chaos my gaze drifted from the upper mirror, where Bong Cha-yon was fast asleep.

To the road ahead the silence was broken only by the occasional groan of the engine and the distant howling of the undead.

Suddenly Hak Yoon-seo responded and speak up on the walkie-talkie 'Eoneu jjok? Uri daejangnim-inga an-imyeon banjang daejangnim-inga?' Her voice crackled over towards walkie-talkie.

Her question hanging in the air she waited for a response her brow furrowed in concentration.

I kept my eyes glued to the road my hands gripping the steering wheel with a white-knuckled intensity I didn't noticed Cha Soo-yoon calling my name.

Suddenly Bong Cha-yon stirred awake her eyes still heavy with sleep.

"Daejangnim-i neo-wa tong-hwahago sip-eo," she mumbled, her voice thick with drowsiness.

Um... Okay that's why she calling out my name recently but what was it she want to talk to me.

"Geurae, ppalli malha," I said to Cha Soo-yoon, my voice clipped and impatient.

I didn't bother turning around.

"1beon hakgyo beoseu meomchwo," she instructed, her voice firm and unwavering my brow furrowing in confusion.

But before I could protest I found myself pulling over to the side of the road the school bus 1 coming to a halt with a shudder.

Wait? Why would I stop the school bus 1 anyway I'll follow what she said to me and I'll stop the school bus 1.

Suddenly we hear a walkie-talkie speak up 'Uri daejangnim' Hak Yoon-seo handed her walkie-talkie to Cha Soo-yoon.

She took from Hak Yoon-seo her fingers tracing the worn plastic with a familiar touch.

She speak up on the walkie-talkie 'Ne. Yeogi-neun daejang Cha Soo-yoon-ibnida. Sosok budaega eodi-yeoyo?' She said, her gaze fixed on me, her eyes filled with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension.

Her colleague speak up on the walkie-talkie 'Choegeune daejangnim-gwa hamkke haesseoyo' his colleague's voice responded, a slight tremor in his tone.

There was something off about him a subtle unease in his voice that made Cha Soo-yoon's face contort in confusion.

She speak up on the walkie-talkie 'Doksuri budae?' While she asked, her voice laced with doubt.

I turn to look at her with a curious face.

I watched her my eyes tracking her movements as she walked from left to right her body a blur of motion which makes me dizzy.

Besides she still holding a walkie-talkie 'Ne, daejangnim. Gosokdoro-e bal-i mukkeotseubnida' his voice continued, a hint of desperation creeping into his tone.

I stood up my instincts screaming at me to intervene I started to walk towards Cha Soo-yoon but she stopped me with a swift gesture her fingers forming a familiar sign language command.

'Ireumi mwora-go haneunji allyeojuseyo' she signed, her gaze fixed on the walkie-talkie.

While I leaned against the side seat my eyes drawn to Jo Young-hee, she was still sweating her skin turning a pale grey at the edges.

I barely heard the conversation between Cha Soo-yoon and her colleague my focus entirely on Jo Young-hee.

Well, I was focus at her with a curious face 'Jeoneun Sireop Dae-jung-ibnida. Jeohi-neun majimag 4beon hakgyo beoseugo, 4beon beoseu man dwi-e mil-ryeo itseubnida,' his said, a voice hint of panic creeping into his tone.

Then I heard it a sickening crack like breaking bone my blood ran cold wait... Is she turning into a zombie oh no this can't be good I quickly interrupted Cha Soo-yoon.

Her voice still echoing through the walkie-talkie '4beon hakgyo beoseu-e myeot myeong-i mil-ryeo inneun geo-ya?' Finally she turn to look at me with a mask of fury face.

"Mwoya? Min Cha-young" she hissed, her voice low and dangerous.

I pointed at Jo Young-hee my finger trembling but Cha Soo-yoon didn't believe me.

'Daejangnim, daeryak 5myeong jeongdoyo' his said, voice its tone a mixture of desperation and fear.

I rushed towards the engine my heart pounding in my chest I tried to start it but it wouldn't budge I remembered.

Hwang Yoon-gi's words his warnings about the engine I tried again, and again, and again but the engine remained silent.

"Jenjang, this school bus" I muttered, my frustration mounting.

A hand landed on my shoulder I turned to see Cha Soo-yoon standing behind me.

"Museun iriya, Cha-young?" She asked, her voice surprisingly calm.

I thought she would be furious but she remained stoic her face a mask of unreadable emotion.

"Sidong-i geollij-i an-a. Se beon-ina sidohae bwatseo," I said, my voice a low murmur.

Cha Soo-yoon released my shoulder her eyes scanning the engine she handed me her AR:M4 her fingers brushing against mine.

I placed it on my left side my heart pounding in my chest she knelt down her fingers fumbling with the engine.

She pulled her walkie-talkie close to her lips 'Yeogi-neun daejang Cha Su-yeon-ibnida. 1beon hakgyo beoseubnida. Jeohi sidong-i geollij-i anseubnida' she waited for a response.

Her gaze fixed on the walkie-talkie then she sat down on the floor her back leaning against a metal hole she took a deep breath her shoulders slumping with the weight of the world.

"Soljigi malhaeseo, igeon naega cheoeum-iya... Daejang-i doeneun geon seubji an-a, teukhi tim-won-deuri mal-eul an deud-geona myeongryeong-eul ttareuji anheul ttae... Geudeul-eun neo ape-seo peuraseutikcheoreom gulgo, nappeun pideubeg-do gwidammadeudji an-a. Naega daejang-i doel jageog-i eopdaneun geol aljiman, geudeul-eun eojjeol su eopsi nae myeongryeong-eul ttareoya hae..." She said, her voice a low whisper.

After a few minutes later on we heard a voice crackle over the walkie-talkie.

'Geokjeong maseyo, daejangnim. Jeohiga 4beon hakgyo beoseul-eul gochil geo-yeoyo' Cha Soo-yoon didn't respond.

"Geokjeong maseyo. Jega bimil-eul jikyeojulgeyo. Amu-e-ge-do malhaji anheul geo-yeoyo. Mid-eojuseyo," I said, my voice a soft murmur.

She turned to me her eyes filled with gratitude I smiled, my cheeks flushing with a blush she stoop up I picked up her AR:M4.