The School's out forever

Day 1 - Emerson Harlow

Day 1 - Emerson Harlow

Emerson let out a long, frustrated sigh as he stared at the line outside his favorite food stall. The queue stretched on and on. "Lucky Ztirf and Marlo," he muttered under his breath. "Their spots barely have any customers." He couldn't help but smirk to himself. Guess their food must not be that good.

His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a loud, shrill sound—a student's phone blaring an emergency alert. Confused, Emerson's eyes widened. What the hell? He checked his pockets and realized his phone was still in his classroom, resting on his desk.

Before he could make sense of the situation, a wave of cheers and yells erupted from the crowd. "Classes are canceled!" someone shouted, their voice full of joy. The thought of heading back to Ztirf and Marlo crossed Emerson's mind, but a deafening explosion rocked the area, cutting off his plans. The blast was so powerful, the ground beneath him shook. Emerson's ears rang as he stumbled back, clutching his head.

His vision blurred as students screamed and scattered in every direction. Just as he tried to steady himself, someone slammed into him, knocking him off balance. Emerson fell hard, hitting his head against a table. The world around him faded to black.

The next thing he knew, he was waking up to the distant sound of screeching tires and panicked cries. His head throbbed with pain, and everything looked blurry. He moaned, barely able to form coherent words. What the fuck is happening? he thought, wincing as he touched his forehead. His fingers came away wet—blood. The sticky warmth dripped down his face.

As he struggled to his feet, the chaos around him grew clearer. People were running, but not just away from the blast. No, they were running from each other

"MARLO! ZTIRF! Where the hell are you guys?!" he yelled, panic seeping into his voice. His gaze darted from left to right, desperately searching for his friends. But when he looked ahead again, something far worse was barreling toward him.

What the hell is that?! A grotesque figure, skin pale and decayed, with eyes that seemed empty and soulless, lunged at him. No way... Emerson's heart pounded in his chest. A fucking zombie? The creature tackled him, its rotting teeth gnashing at his face. Emerson's arms shot up instinctively, pushing back with everything he had, struggling to keep the monster from sinking its teeth into him.

"For a dead guy, you're way too strong!" Emerson grunted, straining to shove the creature off. He managed to roll it to the side, breathing heavily as he scrambled to his feet. Around him, chaos reigned. People were screaming, running aimlessly, some not even realizing the undead were close behind them. Emerson's breath hitched in his throat. He couldn't think straight.

Just run, his mind screamed.

And run he did.

He dashed out of the canteen, his eyes darting back every few seconds. More of those... things were everywhere, feasting on students, tearing them apart. The sight made his stomach churn. Emerson wasn't built for fights—he was tall but too lean, more suited for running than battling monsters. But running was all he had. The Junior High campus loomed ahead, and he sprinted toward it, knowing there were two entrances. He just needed to get to the Senior High building.

He dodged left and right, pushing both humans and undead out of his way. At that moment, it didn't matter who they were. His body moved on instinct, his mind racing. Just get back to the classroom. Find Ztirf. Find Marlo.

As he reached the Senior High building, the gruesome sight stopped him dead in his tracks. His knees trembled. His classmates—his friends—were being torn apart, their bodies ripped open, intestines spilling onto the ground as the undead feasted on them.