The Rise Of The Undead

Chapter 1 [ Volunteer ]

[Kai] 

Present Time..

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It's been about an hour since Maverick took charge and ordered us to barricade the door with desks and chairs. The room is still tense with panic and fear. I sat down with the others against the far wall, trying to catch my breath and calm my racing heart. Amid the chaos, I found myself stealing a few glances at Luis. He was sitting directly in front of me, his back against the door we were desperately trying to keep shut.

I couldn't help but hope he wouldn't notice me looking. Our past friendship had been complicated, and now, I wasn't sure what to expect from him. Yet, despite my best efforts, luck wasn't on my side. Luis caught my gaze and held it for a moment, his expression unreadable.

He looked like he wanted to say something, his lips parting slightly, but I quickly glanced away, pretending to be interested in a spot on the wall. The last thing I wanted was to have a conversation with him right now. There was too much history, too many unspoken words, and this definitely wasn't the time or place.

As the silence stretched on, Ivy, trying to break the tension, muttered, "So, what's the plan now? We can't just sit here forever."

Maverick, always quick to take the lead, responded, "We need to figure out what's happening out there and find a safe way out. We can't stay cooped up in this room with no idea of what's going on."

Hana, always the voice of reason, chimed in, "But we can't just rush out there without a plan. We need to think this through, figure out if there's a safe exit, maybe even contact someone for help."

Luis, now leaning slightly forward, added cautiously, "Maybe there's a way to communicate with the outside. The phones might still work... or the internet, if it hasn't gone down yet."

Ivy scoffed, clearly unimpressed. "And risk opening the door and getting eaten? No thanks."

Luis shrugged, looking down. "Just a thought."

I couldn't help but feel a little sorry for him. It was strange seeing Luis, who used to be so confident and outgoing, now looking unsure and hesitant. But at the same time, I hoped he wouldn't try to rekindle any sort of conversation with me. 

The past was the past, and in this moment, survival was all that mattered. I focused on the task at hand, trying to keep my mind clear and avoid any more eye contact with Luis.

Ruby glanced toward the cell phone on the principal's desk, her eyes widening with a sudden realization. 

"Guys, what about the cell phone?" she whispered, careful not to draw too much attention. Her hint was clear, and it sparked a glimmer of hope among us. Maybe, just maybe, we had a way to call for help.

Maverick quickly caught on and motioned for us to stay quiet. 

"Good idea, Ruby," he said, nodding. "We should check if there's any signal. It might be our only chance to get out of this mess."

Hana, ever cautious, added, "We need to be careful. If there's a chance to contact the outside, we have to make it count. Let's not waste it."

With a nod, I moved toward the desk, trying to keep my movements steady despite the fear gnawing at my insides. The weight of the situation was pressing down on all of us. I grabbed the phone and checked the screen, my heart sinking as I saw the signal bars—empty.