High School of the Dead

Chapter 8

We race down the side hallway of the second floor, our footsteps echoing through the school. We take down a few more zombies on the way. I plant a kick into one's chest and send it down the small set of stairs to the first floor hallway (two sets of stairs with a flat area in the middle before turning to go up/down). I let out a soft cheer as I jump and land on its head, brain and blood spurting out onto my shoes and the floor. 

"Keep it down! We don't want to bring another group after us!" Jack hisses.

I silently speed-walk across the hallway outside the cafeteria to its doors and windows, peering inside. I look around and don't see anyone - or anything - lurking within. The rest of the group catches up with me and survey the area cautiously. Oliver slowly turns the metal handle and opens the door, handing it off to Jack. I take the door from Jack as he walks in, and let Jane go in first. I follow her in after taking another glance around the hall, worried that I'll see the bastards that tried to kill us. I don't see anyone and silently close the cafeteria door. I turn around and walk over to the rest of the group, who are eyeing the closed gates that lead into the mini-food court where you buy lunch. 

"Well this sucks."

"You're telling me. I'm starving! I have 3rd period lunch!" Jack complains. His stomach growls, reminding him of his hunger pains.

"At least I'm not paying for our pizza..."

"Shut up!"

Jane and Oliver laugh while Jack scowls again. 

"Anyone got any ideas for how to get in?" I ask.

"We could try lifting the gate," Oliver suggests, "but I don't think it'll budge."

"Why not?"

"Because it's locked electronically," Jack says matter-of-factly. "It would push back down against us naturally...I think."

Oliver swears.

"Anyone know where the keys are? Maybe another way in?" he asks, growing frustrated.

"W-Well...the manager for the cafeteria ladies always has it, right?" Jane says nervously.

"Do you see them anywhere?" Jack asks her, getting mad again.

"Hey," I say as I grab his shoulder, "calm down."

Jack sighs and relaxes. "I'm sorry Jane. I'm just..."

Jane smiles softly. "I know Jack. I-It's ok..."

An awkward silence fills the room for a moment.

"Wait. Isn't there that one hallway over there?" I say, suddenly remembering as I point out into the hallway just past the cafeteria, where we entered the school. "You know, the one next to the trophy case by the gym hallway! It leads back behind the cafeteria! And there's the freezer and the loading bay! We can get food!!!"

All of our faces light up and we look over in the direction of the hallway. Jack's stomach growls again. 

"Well let's go!" he says eagerly.

We quickly shuffle over to the door and try to keep quiet, our excitement threatening to alert the world to our presence via squeals of joy. We pile out of the cafeteria head down the hallway. I'm left behind for a moment as I hurry to carefully shut the door behind us. 

I start to jog after them when I hear the sound of my shoes making that awful sound - that one when you have soda on the bottom of your shoes. It vibrates off of the walls, caused by sticky, drying brains and blood under my shoes. I'm definitely starting to regret jumping on that zombie's head.