Last Dawn of a Horde

Chapter Nine: The First Prince ~2 Jules

~Jules~

            “Sir! Jimmy and others found the exit!” Rolcene suddenly said.

            We were too busy watching James and John figure out the laser maze, and I hardly noticed Rolcene.

            “Can’t we use some buttons there to turn the lasers off?” Bridge asked Rolcene.

            Rolcene shook his head hopelessly. “We can’t. See the panel over there? That’s the only arbitrary control.”

            Mr. Riggins punched the glass container on the wall, and took out an axe. He reverently pushed Perry to the side, and he was about to open the door if only Noe and June didn’t stop him.

            “No, sir! It’s safe here!” Noe said.

            “There might be gunmen outside!” June agreed.

            Mr. Riggins didn’t stop. He grabbed the door knob, and to my surprise, the corridor outside was empty but noisy. Rolcene and Perry pushed a lot of buttons, and three seconds later, all the screens were switched from the spy cameras to a huge variety of abhorrent scenes.

            Buildings in the screens were all shut down, and several skyscrapers were crushing down like they were literally made of Lego; hundreds of helicopters and Hunters were manning the city, and about two screens lose signals when fire broke from the city buildings. Houses were littering the roads, but I can see zombies were still roaming around.

            Then another fire broke, and three cameras went off. Perry looked hopeless while watching the screens, and I bet he wants to jump inside those apocalyptic screens.

            “What is this?” Mr. Riggins asked, his hands pushing the door to a close again.

            “The bad guys have access to the city’s streets,” replied Perry. “It’s not good—they’re incinerating the city.”

            Bridge almost dozed off. “Oh, tell me they’re not retelling zombie movies.”

            “They are,” said Mr. Riggins, almost crushing hope in his hands. The red axe reflected light, and he held it tight in his hands. “They’re burning the city.”

            “Is this going worldwide, ‘Cene?” Noe asked.

            Rolcene nodded curtly. “South America’s next. Then Asia.”

            “What’re those? News?” I said.

            “Yeah, I can pick up radio signals. Some stations have braved to tell what the country needs to hear,” Perry answered.

            “What are we going to do?” I asked Mr. Riggins.

            He sighed, and paused for ten seconds. Screams went on behind the door and was followed by gunshots.

            “Rolcene, call Stanley, Adrian, Miguel, and the others with them,” he told Rolcene. Then he looked at Perry, and my friend stretched nervously like Mr. Riggins will bid him to make extra homework—something he did last year. Those little things were buzzing in my mind, and I don’t have enough energy to be emotional right now.

            “Perry, get your eye to Jimmy and his mates,” Mr. Riggins said. “If you can talk to them, tell them you need to gather here in the control room in incognito. Now.”

            “We need each other, right?” June said, finally despising her acridity on rescuing the others.

            Noe nodded, and had shut herself up.

            “What about James and John? Are we leaving them?” I asked my teacher.

            The screens returned to the security views, and John and James hardly made any distance towards the door. Though I can’t see the lasers, it was obvious that they are so thin and easy to overlook because of how my classmates were moving. I remember Matrix, though.

            “Yes we are,” he answered. “But not until they are finished.”

            I can’t argue anymore, and he decided to go outside after the noise had subsided. I was thinking about going with him, even though I don’t know what he’ll do outside. What? Kill some zombies? What if there are hundreds outside? What? Find the terrorists? I bet they were hiding somewhere only them knows.

            Then what is he up to?

            “Wait, teacher, I’ll go,” I tell Mr. Riggins. A smile forms in his face, and Perry shoved us out as he closed the room.

            “Return alive and complete, okay?” He told me before he finally closed the door.

            We stepped outside, and the floor was slippery. I wanted to ask my relentless teacher a million questions, but they were just fighting over my head I can’t ask even one. We ran to hide, even though I don’t see someone to hide from.

            Until…

            One old man carrying a huge bazooka stepped inside the hall. He had white lab gowns that fell down to his knees, and his mustache was bothering me. If he wasn’t Principal Guns’ cousin, brother or something, I know he’s not nice because of that bazooka.

            And I can’t even give a name of an old man who would want to carry such a huge weapon. It looked like it can blow the place up instantly.

            “Come out now,” said the old man in a scary husky voice. I can hardly believe he can be a good grandpa. “I know I don’t even have to use my radar to find you. Come out now, kids.”

            Mr. Riggins would’ve laughed, but he sneered.

            And in one fluid movement, my mentor came out of hiding, and threw his axe away. I hoped it would hit the old man right upside the head, but instead, his bazooka took the blow. It crashed from his grip down to the floor where it fully broke.

            Mr. Riggins came out of hiding, and he tackled the weaponless wizened man. They fell to the tiled floor, and with utmost strength, my teacher punched and punched the man relentlessly. He didn’t stop until he can see blood gurgling from the old man’s nose.

            “Think I’m a kid and I can’t do this?” Mr. Riggins looked at his balled fist, and got another blow.

            The bloke suddenly laughed, but it sounded like he’s drowning. “Heh? You think killing the first prince will assuage our other plans? I—don’t—think so.”

            Mr. Riggins punched him again. “Tell me where the other princes of hell are,” he said in a scary voice. “And I’ll reconsider about decapitating an old man.”

            The old man giggled again, and then he suddenly threw my mentor off of him when he got the chance. I came out of hiding and got my teacher on me, and that’s when the old bloke started chuckling again.

            “I may be an old man,” he said, “but two of your tiny little brains are not yet enough to match mine.”

            “So? We don’t care about your rotten brain!” I blurt out.

            Unexpectedly, like a vulture, he swerved quickly like a blur, and the next thing I knew was that Mr. Riggins was thrown away from me, and he crashed on the opposite wall. He groaned, and before I can go to him, the old man’s fingers locked tight on my neck.