All Of Us Are Dead - Su Hyeok

10

I turned to Cheong-san, my voice echoing in the silence. "You were with him, right?" I asked, my heart pounding in my chest.

Cheong-san hesitated, his eyes darting away. "He... was behind me," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.

A cold shiver ran down my spine. "Then where is he now?" I asked, my voice trembling, my eyes watering at the thought of the worst.

Cheong-san took a second to answer, his gaze lowered. "I don't know, too," he confessed, his voice filled with regret.

Isak and Namra, both girls, tried to comfort me. "Shinae yah, I'm sure he will be alright. Haven't you seen how he handles the zombies earlier? I'm sure he'll be fine," they told me softly, their words a soothing balm to my frantic heart.

Suddenly, a shrill, piercing sound reverberated through the speakers scattered all over the school. The effect was instantaneous - the zombies, already in a state of frenzy, seemed to lose all semblance of control. Their snarls escalated, echoing off the walls and creating a chilling symphony of terror. I was caught off guard, and I  flinched. My hands flew up to cover my ears as I winced in pain, the high-pitched noise overwhelming my senses.

Then, cutting through the chaos, a voice emerged. It was Park Sun-hwa, the English teacher. Her voice, usually so calm and composed, was now filled with an urgency that sent a shiver down our spines. "Students and teachers of Hyosan High School," she began, her voice trembling slightly. "Something strange is happening throughout the school. Some students are attacking others indiscriminately."

Her words hung heavy in the air, a stark reminder of the reality we were facing. "So please flee and find a safe place," she continued, her voice growing more desperate. "And if any student or faculty members hears this and is able to, please call the police and the fire department."

Her plea for help was a sobering reminder of our situation. "Students, hide somewhere safe until help arrives. If you can get out of the school, please get out," she urged, her voice echoing through the deserted hallways.

She paused for a moment, as if gathering her thoughts. "I'll say it again, some students are..." Her voice trailed off, replaced by a heavy silence. Then, she seemed to gather herself. "Hey everyone, you guys are okay right? You're not hurt?" Her voice was filled with concern, a stark contrast to the chaos unfolding around us.

"I don't know what's going on in here or how this whole thing happened, but... still find a safe place and hide," she implored, her voice breaking slightly. "I'm... I'm sorry... I can't help." The regret in her voice was palpable, a raw wound in the midst of our shared fear.

"Don't get hurt okay? Please stay alive and meet again. Okay?" Her final words were a plea, a desperate hope against the odds. And as her voice faded away, replaced by the relentless snarls of the zombies, we were left with a chilling silence, a stark reminder of our grim reality. But amidst the fear and uncertainty, her words also kindled a spark of hope within us - a promise of survival, a vow to meet again. And in that moment, we knew we had to fight, not just for ourselves, but for each other. For Park Sun-hwa, for our friends, for our school. For hope.

The words of Ms. Park, they struck me with an intensity that was almost physical, reverberating in my chest like a silent echo. The others, they were in the dark, grappling with the unknown, the inexplicable. But I, I had a fragment of the truth, a sliver of understanding that was both a blessing and a curse. I had seen something like this when the scientist took me I don't remember much.

As the students huddled together, waiting for the rescuers, I found myself moving to sit beside Cheong-san. He was lost in thought, his gaze fixed on On-jo's back. Isak and On-jo were by the window, their eyes scanning the horizon for any sign of help.