Zombie survivor

[52] Human nature

The screams filled the arena as the chaos intensified. On the ground, a woman in her late twenties tried desperately to climb one of the lower sections of the tower. Her hands gripped the jagged metal bars as she hoisted herself up, her breath ragged with panic. Behind her, three zombies closed in, their grotesque forms lurching forward with horrifying speed.

"Shit! Shit!" she cried, kicking her legs wildly as she scrambled higher. But the metal foothold beneath her gave way with a loud snap, and her scream pierced the air as she tumbled backward. Her body hit the ground with a sickening thud, the impact knocking the wind out of her. She lay there for a brief moment, stunned, before the zombies swarmed her.

Her shrieks were guttural and raw as the undead tore into her, the crowd cheering wildly at the spectacle. Blood pooled beneath her as the zombies clawed and bit, her cries fading into gurgles before going silent. The boys on the tower froze, staring down in wide-eyed horror.

"Holy fuck," Evan whispered, his voice trembling. "This is—this is so fucked."

"They're treating this like a fucking UFC fight," Jordan muttered, shaking his head. "Except it's all L's."

Meanwhile, the top of the jungle gym was becoming increasingly dangerous. The three-story structure, made of unstable scrap metal, groaned under the weight of the contestants clustered there. People were pushing and jostling, each trying to secure a better position while avoiding the zombies climbing from below.

"Move the fuck over!" shouted a burly man as he shoved a smaller contestant to the side.

Jean clung to one of the upper platforms, his fingers raw against the rusted metal. He scanned the chaos, his mind racing. "This thing's gonna collapse if we all stay up here."

Evan, who was wedged between two bars, nodded frantically. "Yeah, no shit. What the fuck are we supposed to do? Go back down there?"

Suddenly, a sharp scream cut through the air. One of the contestants, a wiry woman in her mid-thirties with wild eyes and a desperate expression, made her move. With a feral scream, she lunged forward and shoved a nearby man with all her strength.

The man's eyes widened in shock. "Wait, no—!"

But it was too late. He lost his balance and fell backward, his arms flailing as he plummeted from the top of the jungle gym. He hit the ground hard, the sickening crack of bone audible even over the roar of the crowd. Before he could even cry out, a swarm of zombies piled onto him, their grotesque forms tearing him apart as the audience erupted into cheers.

The remaining contestants stared at the woman in shock. Her chest heaved as she stood there, her hands still trembling from the push. Her wild eyes darted around, daring anyone to challenge her.

Jean's voice cut through the stunned silence. "How could you do that?" he demanded, his voice tight with anger and disbelief.

The woman turned to him, her lips curling into a sneer. "Don't fucking judge me," she spat. "Only one of us is getting out of here alive. It's either me or them."

Her words hung in the air, and for a moment, the group seemed frozen. Then, as if her desperation had snapped something inside her, the woman lunged at Jean.

Jean barely had time to react as her hands grabbed at his shoulders, shoving him backward toward the edge of the platform. He scrambled for a hold, his feet slipping on the uneven surface. "What the fuck are you doing?!" he shouted, panic lacing his voice.

"I'm surviving!" the woman screamed, her face twisted with madness as she shoved harder.

Akira, who had been watching the scene unfold with a cold, calculated stare, moved swiftly. With a low growl, she lunged at the woman, her fingers clawing at her face. Her nails raked across the woman's eyes, drawing a bloodcurdling scream.

"You won't touch him!" Akira hissed, her voice icy and venomous.

The woman stumbled back, clutching her face as blood streamed from her eyes. She screamed in pain and rage, but before she could recover, Akira grabbed her by the shoulders and, with surprising strength, shoved her backward.

The woman's scream was cut short as she fell, her body twisting in the air before slamming into the ground below. She tried to crawl away, but the zombies were on her in seconds. Her shrieks echoed through the arena as they tore into her flesh, her body disappearing beneath the writhing mass of undead.

Jean clung to the edge of the platform, his fingers white-knuckled as he dangled precariously over the side. "Shit! Help me!" he shouted, his legs kicking as he struggled to pull himself up.

"Jean!" Akira cried, her voice frantic as she reached for him.

The rest of the group snapped out of their daze. Evan and Jordan grabbed Jean's arms, their faces strained as they hauled him back onto the platform. He collapsed onto the rusted metal, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath.

"You okay, dude?" Jordan asked, his voice uncharacteristically serious.

Jean nodded weakly, his heart racing. "Yeah... yeah, I'm fine."

Tyler, who had been watching the scene with a grim expression, let out a dark chuckle. "Well, guess she's not making it to the final round. Talk about a fatal miscalculation."

Evan groaned, shaking his head. "Bro, not the time for jokes."

"Hey," Tyler said with a shrug, "gotta lighten the mood somehow. This whole thing's a goddamn horror show."

Akira knelt beside Jean, her expression softening as she reached out to touch his shoulder. "I told you," she said quietly. "I'll protect you. No matter what."

Jean looked at her, his throat tight. "Akira... thanks."

She nodded, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "Always."

The group fell silent, the weight of their situation pressing down on them like a physical force. Below, the sounds of snarling zombies and screaming contestants continued, the arena a chaotic, blood-soaked battlefield.

Jean forced himself to his feet, his legs shaking but steady. He glanced at the others, his jaw tightening. "We need to stay together. If we don't, we're as good as dead."

Evan nodded, his face pale but determined. "Yeah. No more solo moves. Agreed?"

Jordan let out a heavy sigh. "Agreed. Let's just hope this nightmare doesn't get worse."

The group huddled closer, their eyes scanning the arena for the next threat. Around them, the jungle gym groaned under the weight of the remaining contestants, the structure's instability a constant reminder that safety was an illusion. And as the zombies continued their relentless assault, the crowd roared with approval, their bloodlust only growing stronger.

Q: Would you sell out your own teammates in order to survive?