Last Dawn of a Horde

Chapter One: Pandemic

"The ultimate value of life depends upon awareness and the power of contemplation rather than upon mere survival." --Aristotle

~John~

We all huddled on the Principal's Office, and opened the TV inside. We haven't been inside the Office for weeks, and been here just last month, enough time for the Principal, Gregory Guns, to give out college applications for us.

Unlike the last time our class was here, everyone wasn't as relaxed as the time we were filling in information forms--everyone was deranged before the TV. Huddled to the polished floor, which was now full of grime and blood. Who has to be so conservative right now? None of us even knows if we are still about to live.

Hungry for the news, barely one talks. Just me. The class president. To whom some clings on. But who knew I was just as afraid as they were? Afraid that I'll never see my family and friends outside the school anymore? No, I told myself to hold back. It was hard, life almost depended on me. Or maybe to the ones who can carry more than their own life.

So I consumed myself on the needs of others--emotional assessment, stress debriefing--because that's where I know I do well. I know I can pursue my dream someday to be a psychologist. But now, this strange happening seems to cloud my dreams up, making them barely possible.

Of course, the chances of us surviving aren’t as wide as passing one class quiz, or the probability of winning lottery. No, once you let the truth swallow you, it's your end. You'll end up faster than letting the creatures eat your innards alive.

About half of us were crying and most was the girls. They can't accept the chance their families weren't alive since this morning. A few boys held their tears, and almost scream to themselves they are to die. But really, what happened this past four hours? Those four hours of terror, blood-curdling screams filling up the once-peaceful ambience of the school. We have no idea how many students like us were still alive--probably they are still if they were clever enough, or their whereabouts. So in short words, we turned out to be so selfish.

To mention, I see everyone inside the Office wasn't just our class. There are a few students whom I didn't recognize. Some of my classmates begged to let their friends to stay with us, although this Office wasn't to hold more than a hundred people--Principal Guns had so many things in his office like hanging guns, rare artifacts, and old newspapers. Counting everyone inside, we are about forty-five. Forty-sixth is me.

After convincing one crying classmate, Sophie that everything will be alright, my best friend, James, who was sitting next to the TV, gasps, and says, "Guys! Here's the news! Headlines!"

We listen to the headline reports. All of us, who are still in a correct mind, gave all ears to the reporter.

"At about eleven in the morning, hell seems to break loose on every street of the country. From as far as we have gathered, one unknown, foreign virus is to blame. Earlier updates show some streets in Burgundy Avenue, near the famous school, the Joseph's University, that one strange-looking woman was walking so slow on the road, and entered the University, attacked the guard, and then--"

The reporter was cut off, as James, turned off the TV. Tears fill his eyes, but they don't fall. He blurts out at me, "I told you, John! Those brain-eating creatures are zombies!"

His words hang in the air, and then later, sent almost the whole class in a flurry of panicked voices.

Zombies. No matter how hard I try to convince myself on his theory, it seems it wasn't even possible.

I've seen a lot of movies involving unearthly creatures came to earth and eat mankind, but no matter how real they look, I never believe in them. Well, maybe until now. The kind of vomit I want to puke these last hour reminds me seeing bloody beings eat up someone's flesh and brains, isn't something nice to see every day. Of course, almost all of us were interested in man-eating creations. In movies or reality--teens like us likes brutality. Whereas in reality, they turn into deranged people sitting on a corner, until something eats them up too.