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They all rush inside the arcade and start boarding up the door. They struggle with the task, with Chad and Sam gripping the door while Quinn inserts the board through the handles. After securing the door, they return to their presumed "safe" lounge.
"Did he really just bring the dead back to life!?" Quinn exclaims in disbelief.
"Perhaps it's something we can use on the map, like we usually do," Chad suggests as they hurry over to the map to examine its contents.
"Wait, isn't this a tree stump? Hold on, we never checked the back," Sam realizes, pulling the map off the wall and placing it on the table, but it's flipped over, revealing the other side.
"Let me try to decipher this," Quinn says, taking a closer look at the back of the map. "We were massacred by the carnival master because we were unaware of his secret. He stole the Life Stones and infused his essence into them. As long as these stones exist, he is invulnerable. You must locate them and, with the power of the purified artifacts, defeat him. The first Life Stone rests within the heart of an ancient tree. Beware of his undead minions. If you are captured, you'll be transported to the cemetery. To escape, two of your companions must reach out to the mausoleum. Failure to secure your release within five minutes will result in the undead feasting upon you," Quinn reads aloud the information from the back of the map.
"None of us can afford to get caught. We have to stick together. Just because we couldn't save the others doesn't mean we can't save ourselves," Sam says, offering reassurance to the group, especially to the two who have suffered more than she could ever imagine.
"I promise, I won't let anything happen to you two, I swear," Sam asserts, placing her hand in the middle as a gesture of unity. She looks at the others, hoping they'll join in. After exchanging glances, they both nod and place their hands on top of Sam's, sealing their commitment.
They stand up and make their way back into the arcade, where they observe the window and the zombies still lingering outside. "Perhaps we can quietly slip through that side alley over there and see where it leads," Sam suggests. The others simply nod in agreement, preparing themselves to swiftly move through the window and head for the side alley.
"Yeah, okay, let's go!" Quinn exclaims, and they dash out of the door. They quickly reach the tree stump, where they discover a radiant wand. As they touch it, a crystal descends along with a note. They waste no time and snatch both the crystal and the note.
"The second stone is located at the tip of a hangman's noose. Yet, you must don his executioner's hood to perceive it. His attire awaits aloft, where you confronted the Serpent's Tower," they read aloud from the note. The words trigger their memories, reminding them of Fatman Slim's, one of the last places Wes was seen.
They tread cautiously toward Fatman Slim's, tightly holding onto one another for support. However, their progress is hindered as they encounter a group of zombies that stand guard around the entrance of the establishment.
"How are we going to get in there?" Quinn questions, their group huddled behind a pile of tires for cover.
"Perhaps we can find another way in somehow. There's usually an alternative entrance, right?" Chad suggests, his voice hopeful as they brainstorm solutions.
"Yeah, does anyone have any ideas?" Quinn asks, hoping that their collective brainstorming might yield a viable solution.
"Let's head to the merry-go-round; that zombie is getting awfully close," Sam suggests, indicating the approaching undead figure behind the tires. They swiftly move away just in time to evade its grasp, but the situation leaves the zombie frustrated, eliciting a growl of annoyance from her.
The growl inadvertently attracts the attention of all the other zombies, causing them to converge on their location. Amidst the chaos, they lunge towards the group, singling out Sam. Quinn, displaying remarkable speed, bolts away like the Flash, leaving the scene. Meanwhile, Chad, seemingly unfazed, manages to escape the clutches of the encroaching zombies and flees as well.
"Get off of me! Guys! Stop!" Sam shouts desperately, struggling against the grip of the zombies that have grabbed onto her. Despite her efforts, they continue to restrain her. Meanwhile, Chad and Quinn race back to the arcade and quickly close the doors behind them, separating themselves from the dire situation outside.
"Dammit, Sam. This is way too much to deal with. Now we have to save you," Quinn mutters to herself, her frustration evident. She watches as the zombies take Sam and head toward the graveyard. With a sense of urgency, the two realizes they only have five minutes before Sam could be gone forever.
(Author's Note: I understand, this is short but sometimes shorter moments can build tension. Only two more parts left...also originally did you know Chad or Quinn wasn't always going to be living till the end and it was originally suppose to be Ethan and whoever didn't die so Chad or Quinn.)
