Echoes Of The Undying

Chapter 17: Dawn of the Desperate

The grim reality of their situation weighed heavily on the remaining students of Horizon Shadow Class. The losses of Affendy and Angeline were still fresh in their minds, but they had no time to grieve. They had to survive, not just for themselves, but for those they had lost.

As the first light of dawn filtered through the boarded-up windows, the survivors gathered in the school's auditorium. It was the safest place, with multiple exits and a clear line of sight. Shamir, Nigel, and Melcie stood at the front, trying to formulate a new plan.

"We can't stay here forever," Shamir stated, his voice carrying a mix of exhaustion and determination. "The zombies will only keep coming, and we’re running out of supplies."

Nigel nodded in agreement. "We need to secure a safer location, or at least find a way to fortify this place better. But before that, we need to regroup and assess our situation."

Melcie looked around at the exhausted faces of her classmates. "We need everyone on the same page. No more losses."

The group divided into smaller teams to cover different areas of responsibility.

"Mae, Intan, and Olga," Nigel began, addressing them directly, "You three will be in charge of gathering medical supplies. We’ve got a few injuries that need tending to, and we can’t afford to let anyone get worse."

Mae nodded, trying to suppress the anxiety rising in her chest. "Got it. We'll do our best."

"Fazirah, Dayana, Asnina," Melcie continued, "You’re on food and water duty. We need to make sure we can sustain ourselves, especially with more attacks likely."

Dayana grinned, trying to lighten the mood. "Looks like the kitchen’s going to be my second home again."

"Let’s hope it’s not overrun with zombies this time," Asnina added with a forced laugh.

Meanwhile, Shenny, Ransyam, and Daryl discussed reinforcing the school's defenses.

"We can barricade the west wing better, maybe use some of the desks and chairs from the classrooms," Ransyam suggested.

"And set up more traps near the entrances," Daryl added. "We need to slow them down as much as possible."

Shenny nodded, her face serious. "It’s our best shot at buying time. Let's make sure everyone has a role and stays alert."

Later that day, the team of Mae, Intan, and Olga ventured out to a nearby pharmacy that had been relatively untouched. The streets were eerily quiet, and the sense of danger was ever-present.

"This place gives me the creeps," Intan whispered, clutching her makeshift weapon tightly.

Mae scanned the area, her nerves on edge. "Stay focused. We’re almost there."

As they entered the pharmacy, Olga kept watch at the door. Inside, Mae and Intan rummaged through the shelves, quickly gathering bandages, antiseptics, and any medicine that might be useful.

"Anything that looks like antibiotics, grab it," Mae instructed, her voice steady despite her fear.

Just as they were about to leave, the sound of shuffling feet and low growls echoed from the back of the store.

"Zombies!" Olga hissed softly, backing up towards the others.

They froze, adrenaline spiking.

"Quick, out the back!" Mae urged, leading them to the emergency exit.

They burst out into the alley, hearts pounding. The sun was dipping low, casting long shadows as they sprinted back towards the school, barely escaping the approaching horde.

Back at the school, the rest of the students were busy fortifying their defenses. Filbert and Nigel were setting up more traps, using anything they could find to create makeshift barriers.

"We can’t let them breach the walls again," Nigel muttered, frustration evident in his voice.

"We won’t," Filbert replied with determination. "Not if we have anything to say about it."

Meanwhile, Mary and Lorenda were working with the remaining students to make the barricades more secure.

"Make sure everything is as tight as possible," Mary instructed. "No gaps, no weak spots."

Lorenda added, "And keep your eyes peeled. We don’t want any surprises."

As night began to fall, the atmosphere in the school grew tense. The survivors were on edge, every sound making them jump. The thought of another attack was unbearable, but they steeled themselves for whatever came next.

Just as the sun completely disappeared, a knock echoed through the halls. Everyone froze, exchanging nervous glances.

"Did anyone hear that?" Shamir asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"It came from the main entrance," Vivie said, her eyes wide with fear.

"Impossible," Max said, shaking his head. "No one would be out there, not at this time."

"Unless…" Eva trailed off, her face paling.

"Unless it's one of them," Shenny finished, gripping her weapon tightly.

"Everyone, weapons ready," Shamir ordered, leading the group towards the door.

As they approached, the knocking grew more insistent. Shamir cautiously peeked through a gap in the barricade, his breath catching in his throat.

"It's… it's a survivor," he whispered, disbelief coloring his tone.

The group exchanged looks of shock and hope. They had thought they were the only ones left.

"Open it," Melcie urged. "But be careful."

The door creaked open, and a disheveled, terrified figure stumbled inside. The students quickly shut the door behind him, bolting it once more.

"Who are you?" Nigel asked, his tone cautious yet curious.

The newcomer looked up, eyes wide with fear and exhaustion. "My name is Joel… I-I was with a group… but they… they didn’t make it."

"We’ll get you sorted," Mary assured him, though her own mind was racing. "You’re safe now."

But in the back of everyone’s mind, one question lingered: How had this person survived alone for so long? And what had he seen that brought him to their door?

The dawn of the desperate had begun, and the fight for survival was far from over.

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