"No one is here, Preal," Aki said, worry creeping into her voice. They had searched the bathrooms but still couldn't find Holly and Mai.
"I told you we shouldn't have let them go alone! What if something happened to them? What if they got hurt?" Preal's voice rose in frustration.
"Calm down, Preal. We'll find them," Aki sighed, rubbing her forehead.
Aki and Preal navigated through the corridors, searching for Mai and Holly. Suddenly, two running girls collided with them, causing all four to fall to the ground.
"Damn it," Aki muttered, having hit her head.
Fortunately, the two girls who collided with them were Mai and Holly.
"You had us worried sick! Where were you all this time?" Preal exclaimed.
"We were trying to avoid the zombies on our way back from the bathroom and ended up in the cafeteria," Holly explained.
"And we found lollipops," Mai added, happily sucking on her lollipop.
"Seriously, Mai? A lollipop?" Aki shook her head, scolding her.
Mai rolled her eyes. "Aki, don't start with your lecture."
"Fine, fine, let's not fight about that,Mai" Aki sighed.
On their way back to the storage room, they heard a faint crying sound coming from one of the classrooms.
"Can you hear that? Someone is crying" Mai noted, stopping in her tracks.
"Yeah, the sound is coming from this classroom" Aki replied, pointing to the door.
The girls cautiously peeked inside, ensuring there was no immediate danger. They found a girl their age, or perhaps a year older, clutching her badly injured leg and crying.
"Hey, it's okay. We will help you" Mai said gently, bending down to the girl's level.
"There's a med kit in the storage room. We found it earlier" Preal suggested.
They reached the storage room, their sanctuary stocked with water, blankets, and some food. Aki and Preal carefully tended to the girl's wound, working with a precision born of necessity.
"Thank you" the girl said as Aki wrapped the last gauze around her injury.
"You're welcome" Aki responded warmly.
As night fell, everyone had finally fallen asleep. It had been an exhausting day, filled with tension and unforeseen events. However, sleep eluded two of the girls.
"Walkie-talkie to Mai Mai, are you awake?" Aki whispered, her tone playful but quiet enough not to wake the others.
Mai, who had been facing away, turned to look at Aki. "Walkie-talkie to Aki, I'm awake" she replied in the same playful tone, causing them both to stifle their laughter.
"Shhhh, we'll wake them up" Aki warned softly.
"We always laugh at the worst situations" Mai remarked jokingly.
"We can't be serious about anything when we're together, you know" Aki replied nonchalantly.
Mai nodded with a laugh. Aki continued, "Who would have thought our lives could turn upside down in just five minutes? It's only been a day, but it feels like we've been running from zombies for a week" she complained.
"That day was so exhausting. I can't feel my legs from all the running we did" Mai replied with a hint of frustration.
Aki nodded in agreement. "Yet, I'm glad we were together when all of this happened" she said with a soft smile, poking Mai's cheek playfully.
Mai smiled warmly, a hint of admiration in her eyes for Aki. "Yeah, this would be much worse if we weren't together."
Aki's smile softened further as she looked at Mai. "I don't think I could have managed without you, Mai. You keep me grounded and make even the darkest times bearable."
Mai's face lit up with a bright smile. "You know, Aki, I feel the same way, your strength and optimism keep me going,I don't know what I'd do without you."
Aki gently took Mai's hand, squeezing it reassuringly. "We'll get through this together, no matter what comes our way."
Mai looked back at Aki, her eyes filled with affection. "I'm grateful for that,with you by my side, I feel like we can overcome anything."
As they shared this tender moment, the weight of their situation seemed to lift, if only for a while. The bond between them grew stronger, fortified by the trials they had faced and the ones yet to come. In the midst of chaos, they found solace in each other's company.
Aki talked excitedly, her voice barely above a whisper to avoid waking anyone. "Wait,remember the time we got lost during that school trip? We were scared then too, but we managed to find our way back,this feels like that, only much scarier."
Mai laughed, the memory bringing a smile to her face. "Yeah, I remember. We ended up laughing about it afterward, just like now. I guess some things never change."
"We even shot a whole video while we were lost and everyone was looking for us." Aki added, her laughter joining Mai's.
"That was so funny" Mai said, her laughter mingling with Aki's.
"We would do that now, but my phone is dead" Aki remarked, a hint of disappointment in her voice.
"Wait, I have a power bank" Mai said, retrieving it from her pocket.
"Wow, you always keep that with you" Aki said, impressed, as she connected it to her phone.
"Because someone always forgets to charge her phone" Mai replied sarcastically.
"Yeah, that's me" Aki admitted with a sheepish grin.
They shot videos, laughed until their stomachs hurt, and reminisced about many of their shared memories. These moments allowed them to forget their suffering, if only for a while. The camaraderie and shared laughter strengthened their bond, making them feel invincible despite the dire circumstances.
As they lay back down, their hands still intertwined, they drew strength and comfort from each other. The night stretched on, filled with uncertainties, but also with the unspoken promise that they would face whatever came next side by side. The flickering lantern cast long shadows on the walls, a reminder of the ever-present danger outside their temporary refuge, but also of the enduring light of their friendship.
