Age of zombies

[55] First day of work (part 2)

Liza walked through the narrow hallway of the makeshift school, her footsteps echoing against the cracked linoleum floor. The school was a repurposed community center, with barely enough space to fit the influx of kids who had survived and now needed some semblance of normalcy. They didn't have much in the way of supplies, but the teachers did what they could with what they had. It was far from perfect, but it was something.

As Liza entered the small classroom where she taught elementary biology, she was greeted by Yan-Hua, one of the other teachers. Yan-Hua stood by the door, her arms folded, a calm but firm expression on her face. Yan-Hua had that no-nonsense demeanor about her that made people sit up and listen, but she was kind, too—especially with the kids.

"Morning, Liza," Yan-Hua said, giving her a polite nod. "Just a reminder—watch your language in front of the kids, okay? You've got to be careful. These are impressionable minds."

Liza rolled her eyes playfully but gave a casual wave of acknowledgment. "Yeah, yeah, I know. Don't worry, I'll keep it PG."

Yan-Hua raised an eyebrow but didn't press the issue. "I mean it. I know you like to let things slip sometimes, but not here."

Liza grinned, flashing her a thumbs up. "I got this, promise."

With that, Yan-Hua left, and Liza stepped into the classroom. The room was filled with about twenty kids, their bright, curious faces staring up at her from old desks that had seen better days. Some of the desks wobbled, and the chairs didn't match, but the kids didn't seem to mind. They were used to the roughness of the world now.

"Alright, class!" Liza called out, clapping her hands to get their attention. "Today, we're gonna talk about human reproduction."

A ripple of giggles and whispers ran through the classroom as soon as she said it, and Liza couldn't help but smirk. "Yeah, yeah, I know what you're thinking, but this is serious biology stuff. None of that 'eww' nonsense, okay? This is how life works."

She picked up a piece of chalk and drew a basic diagram of the male and female reproductive systems on the old chalkboard, her movements quick and a little messy but accurate enough for the lesson. The kids watched, their eyes wide with interest.

"So, let's start with the basics," Liza said, tapping the board with the chalk. "This is how humans reproduce. You've got your sperm—" she pointed to the male reproductive system, "—and you've got your egg." She tapped the female diagram next. "When they meet, a baby can be made."

A few of the kids giggled again, and Liza grinned. "Hey, no giggling. This is science. I'll have you know this is how all of you got here, okay?"

One boy raised his hand, his expression serious. "Miss Liza, my mom said babies come from the stork."

Liza chuckled, shaking her head. "Yeah, that's what parents like to say when you're younger, but trust me, no storks involved. This is the real deal."

She continued explaining the process, breaking it down as simply as she could without getting too graphic. The kids were surprisingly attentive, most of them too young to fully understand the nuances, but curious enough to ask questions. Liza fielded them as best she could, keeping the lesson light but informative.

"Now, the sperm has to travel to meet the egg," Liza explained, pointing to the diagram again. "And when it does, boom, life begins. It's a race, and only one sperm wins."

She almost said, "It's a hell of a race," but caught herself just in time, quickly replacing it with, "It's a wild race."

One of the girls raised her hand. "How does the sperm get there?"