Age of zombies

[13] The Plan

After reinforcing the barricades as best we could, I grabbed the building's floor map hanging near the library entrance. My eyes scanned it quickly, looking for any possible escape route. I found what I was looking for: a fire escape that connected to the underground parking lot. It was our best shot, but there was one problem—no electricity. The elevators were useless, and the only way down would be the stairs.

I turned back to the room. Everyone was either huddled in small groups or just sitting there, frozen in fear. It was clear that most of them had no idea what to do. Hell, I didn't either, but I wasn't about to sit around and wait for that thing to break through.

I climbed up onto one of the tables, making sure everyone could hear me. "Listen up!" I shouted, my voice cutting through the low murmur of conversation. All eyes turned to me, a mix of confusion and fear on their faces. "There's another way out of here. The fire escape leads to the underground parking lot."

A few murmurs rippled through the crowd, some of them already shaking their heads.

"But the power's out!" someone called out from the back. "The elevators aren't working!"

"We don't need the fucking elevators!" I shot back, frustration creeping into my voice. "We use the stairs. It's a straight shot to the parking lot. Once we're down there, we can get out of here."

Raul stepped up next to me, nodding. "He's right. We can't stay here. The food and water won't last, and the barricade won't hold forever."

A girl near the front stood up, her face pale. "But... but what if the soldiers come back? What if they can save us?"

I clenched my jaw, trying to keep my frustration in check. "They're not coming back," I said, my voice hard. "The soldiers are either dead or dealing with whatever the hell's happening out there. That thing at the door? It used to be one of them. Used to be. Now it's a fking zombie."

Another wave of murmurs spread through the crowd. Some people looked ready to bolt, while others just looked more terrified.

I took a deep breath, trying to get through to them. "Look, I'm not trying to scare anyone more than you already are. But if we stay here, we're dead. We'll run out of food, we'll run out of water, and eventually, those things will get in. I'm not sticking around to find out what happens when they do."

Kenji climbed onto the table next to me, arms crossed. "If you want to stay and wait for the army, fine. But we're leaving. Anyone who wants to come with us, this is your chance."

I scanned the room, waiting for a reaction. Most of the students just stared back, too scared or too shocked to say anything. They were paralyzed by fear, and I couldn't blame them. This was beyond anything any of us had ever imagined.

One guy near the back raised his hand, his voice shaky. "But what if... what if there are more of those things down there? In the parking lot?"

"There could be," I admitted, shrugging. "But we don't know for sure. What we do know is that staying here means we're trapped. Down there, we at least have a shot. We stick together, we move fast, and we get out."

The crowd remained mostly silent, a few people exchanging nervous glances. Some of them looked like they wanted to move, but the fear was holding them back. I could see it in their eyes—the same uncertainty we all felt. No one wanted to be the first to make a move.

I decided to make it easier for them. "Look," I said, raising my voice again. "I get it. You're scared. We're all fucking scared. But I'm telling you right now, I'm leaving. With or without you. If you want to stay here and wait for help that might never come, that's your choice. But don't say I didn't warn you."

There was a long, tense pause. I could feel the weight of their eyes on me, the uncertainty thick in the air. I didn't know if I had convinced anyone, but at this point, I didn't care. I couldn't afford to. I had to get out, and I couldn't wait for them to make up their minds.

"I'm going to the fire escape," I said, stepping down from the table. "Anyone who wants to live can come with me."

Kenji, Raul, Malcolm, and Ethan were already gathering their bags, getting ready to move. I looked back at the crowd one more time, hoping someone—anyone—would stand up and join us. For a few moments, no one moved.

Then, slowly, a few students started to stand. A guy near the front, followed by a girl clutching a backpack. They looked scared as hell, but they were moving.

"I'll come," the guy said, his voice quiet but steady. "I'm not staying here to starve."

"Me too," the girl added, her voice trembling.

A few more students started to follow suit, gathering their things and stepping forward. But most of the crowd stayed where they were, huddled together in fear, unwilling to take the risk.

The girl who had spoken up earlier—about trusting the authorities—still sat in her spot, arms crossed. Her face was pale, and she stared at the floor, refusing to look at me.

I wasn't going to waste any more time trying to convince her.

"Fine," I muttered under my breath. "Stay here and see how that works out."

I turned to my friends, nodding at the door. "Let's move."

We started toward the fire escape, a small group of students trailing behind us. As we reached the door, I glanced back one last time at the others who had stayed behind, huddled together in the center of the library.

For their sake, I hoped I was wrong.

Q: Would you stay behind or follow in this situation?