As they get bored over time and got over the idea of it raining, the entire group sat where there is an area where they can have their clothes and themselves get dried out since taking off their attire are certainly and immediately out of their choices.

The dried blood smears on Suhyeon’s face are all gone, while the stains on her uniform, however, still linger and she doubts it will be removed just by a rain shower. Although she is still sickened with how she looks since she has been using the same garments for days, she was appeased when it rained.

Above all of it, the thunderstorms that came with the rain will be beneficial for them as they are endeavouring to evacuate the roof. Wishing not to have another brawl against Gwi-nam if he ever comes back to finish what he supposedly started.

They barely even managed to win the two recent events, Suhyeon doubted that she and her friend group can bypass another feasible death at the hands of their high school bully.

For starters, they would have to take the backdoor of the auditorium to the tennis courts then go right through the English centre and go to the mountains. That was the intended plan, courtesy of Cheongsan with a little bit of help from Joonyeong.

The escape plan comes off easy unless they will be encountering situations they are not prepared for along their way but hopefully, they don’t.

This plan has to work.

Because if it doesn’t, there are no other alternatives Suhyeon can ever think of.

“If we manage to reach the mountain, we can make it all the way to Yangdong. I’ve been hiking there a few times before with my dad.”

Wujin shortly moans after On-jo spoke, “Even still, isn’t this suicide?”

“I’m not going. I’m scared. What are we going to do if the zombies catch us?” Hyoryung’s lower lip shuddered as did her hands.

“It’s not like anyone is going to save us if we stay here. We’re the only ones who can save ourselves.” There was a deafening silence overtaking and was discontinued by a clap of roaring thunder, while Cheongsan walked in front of his friends before he continued speaking, “Let’s go. If anything goes wrong, I’ll scream and lead the zombies away. That way none of you will get hurt, okay?”

“Now that is suicide.”

Cheongsan swerved his head towards Hyunjae, “What, you really think we would let you do that?” He hissed, much more than annoyed with the words spitting out of his friend’s mouth. While Suhyeon, who was not able to restrict herself to hit Cheongsan on his arm slightly, received acknowledgement from the others.

“Don’t say that. Hyunjae is right.” Suhyeok stood from his seat, “We would not let you do that, and we are all gonna make it.” He added.

“If anyone has to die tonight, it will be me.”

Why does Cheongsan have to wear his hero hair all the time?

“What a load of BS, Cheongsan. We are all going to live through the night. We will all live.” Suhyeon discredited the man’s pessimistic vision about what they are about to do.

“Because of the rain, all the scents came to me at once. They got mixed up. The rain is really loud too.” The hambie, who also happens to be their class president, Namra notified the entire group, “I’m sure the zombies’ senses are dulled.” She told, convinced with her new observations.

“If that’s what a hambie says, it should be reliable.” Daesu halted himself from explaining the real meaning of the term he used to talk about Namra after he received a question from Suhyeok as a poker look clouded his features, “Should we go?”

Suhyeon, along with the majority of the group nodded their heads, “Namra is strong. She’ll keep up. Let’s take her word and go.”

“I’m not strong right now.”

Suhyeon’s ears ring, making her head swivel in Namra’s direction. Her friend, immediately gaping at her hands at the moment, “Why is that?”

“Why not?”

Namra heaved her head, glancing at Jimin and then at Suhyeon, then her eyes were glued back to her hands. “I don’t know.” She instantly replies, not giving much explanation since it is beyond her knowledge.

“I think some of us might not be able to keep pace.”

As always, Cheongsan had a solution to a possible problem Jimin raised. “We can’t leave anyone behind, let’s pair up and hold hands. For protection.” He declared openly.
Hyunjae rose from his seat, he extended his hand for Suhyeon to take. Their hands are now glued together, not either one of them wanting to let go.

The duo detects Daesu’s hand being dismissed by Hyoryung to Jimin, without even thinking for a second. Then, he glanced at Hyunjae.

“Sorry, man, my hands are full,” Hyunjae answered back, raising both of his hands gripped to Suhyeon’s. A look of dissatisfaction was caught a glimpse of on Daesu’s face, earning Suhyeon to purse her lips in a line, not expecting a laugh to get out of her mouth.

It was the pair of Suhyeon and Hyunjae who strutted near the door first to unlock the door. A log both on their free hands.
Suhyeon’s grip tightens, “Let’s get the hell out of here.” She uttered then her breathing hitches.

“Alive,” Hyunjae added, trading a longing stare before the others joined with them.

Once they were all prepared, Hyunjae and Suhyeon were pushed forward by Suhyeok, exactly right behind their guide, which is Cheongsan with On-jo beside him while Daesu was the last one and responsible for closing the door through the rooftop.

They haven’t even gotten through the level below the roof, they have already detected a woman’s upper portion of her body. And there are already guts on the floor.

Hyunjae shoved back all his urges to vomit after his eyes fell into the body to look.

“Are you alright?” He raised an okay sign with the use of his fingers as a response to Suhyeon’s question.

The group resumes taking the stairs without any complications to get to the ground level of the building. But on their way to the third floor, they resisted moving when On-jo gave attention to a zombie growling.

As if fate was on their side, thunder occurred, making the zombies walk away from the path they were supposed to take.

“Let’s go,”

Suhyeon heeded the little lady in front of her whisper, whilst the dreadful smell of blood greeted them to the third level. Putting it aside, they carefully went, not making a sound.

Then, Wujin fell over but before his body dipped onto the floor, he was held by Joonyeong. Regardless, it was a sigh of relief when no zombies heard about the ruckus they caused which made them go on to their plan and finally, miraculously leave the establishment they were trapped in for a couple of days.

Hyunjae then heard Cheongsan talk to On-jo while the others, including themselves were hiding behind a concrete knee-length wall.

“What the hell are you talking about, Cheongsan?”

On-jo overlooked Hyunjae then Cheongsan reiterated what he explained earlier close to obtaining a smack from On-jo. “We’ll go right along the wall here and cross over there.”

“That’s a better plan, On-jo. Learn from her, Cheongsan.”

Hyunjae cowered in pain when he was pinched by Suhyeon on his arm, making Cheongsan giggle for a second then went back to his serious mode to proceed with On-jo’s proposed strategy.

“Let them have their moment, dipshit.” Hyunjae bobbed his head very promptly after hearing the lady’s words. Suhyeon might be shy in front of a lot of people, but she is certainly not the same person when she is with her closest friends and of course, her twin brother.

Wujin and Hyunjae can attest to that since they were primarily the prey of her unexpected pinching and slapping when she is amplified with emotions. The former used to fight and hit her back when they were younger, but when they entered their adolescent phase, he quit and started teasing her instead. Together with Suhyeok and Daesu. And Hyunjae, when he became a friend to everyone in their group.

They had stridden on the bushes they were once restricted to do so by their teachers before all the shit happened to them occurred. Until they reached a truck in ruins and they used the vehicle to hide themselves, waiting for Cheongsan to give them other instructions and move.

It was apprehensive and uneasy, but Suhyeon and Hyunjae did what they were told earlier on the rooftop by Cheongsan. Never let go of each other—until they saw Daesu crawling under the truck and were pursued by Joonyeong and Wujin.

But then, Cheongsan got up, his eyes glued on to something, or to someone which made Suhyeon furrowed her eyebrows and followed where his eyes were looking without standing up. Then, she huddled the attention of the only person who knows Cheongsan after his late best friend, Gyeongsu, by tugging the hem of On-jo’s jacket.

Once On-jo took notice of Cheongsan climbing the truck, she grabbed him with all her strength while Suhyeok stood up to see what was going on and what made Cheongsan freeze in his like that. On-jo stood up too after she heard Daesu yell, then so did Suhyeon and Hyunjae.

“Is that Cheongsan’s...”

On-jo turned her head to Suhyeon before she replies, “Yes.”

Cheongsan got up from being pulled and watch his friends hit his used-to-be loving mother with a pipe.

“I said stop that!”

Alarmed that Cheongsan is bringing out some zombies’ attention to them made Suhyeon strode to where her brother was standing. “Aren’t you gonna do something?” She inquired, her eyes still on Cheongsan who is above Daesu, beating the man up, as Joonyeong and Wujin were hellbent on striking the zombie all over for it to die.

Suhyeok bobs his head then he caresses his younger sister’s back before hopping through the pickup truck to get in the middle of the quarrel that is happening in the other space beside the truck.

He holds on to Cheongsan’s torso and was followed by On-jo, clinging to Cheongsan’s arm. While the others followed them.

“Mom!”

Although the downpour was audible, Cheongsan’s sobbing was louder which made Joonyeong and Wujin ceased what they are doing to look at their friend.

Do they even deserve to be called his friend? How stupid it was for them not to recognize your friend’s mother?

Oh, how they both wish they went to their store more often. It must’ve been a painful sight for Cheongsan to witness.

That was the only moment Suhyeon were pleased for her parents to skip the town for a relative’s birthday. And for Hyunjae living in Hyosan alone.

They both might have some issues with their parents, but despite all their flaws and frailties, they are still responsible and the reason they exist in this world—even if they both question their parents’ decision to let them see the cruel world, they are in.

Cheongsan crouched on the floor, wailing, as Suhyeok loosen his clutch on his torso. While everyone just stood there, not knowing what to do while his mother was too on the floor, crawling, incapable to stand with her own feet and currently already one of the creatures attacking them and the living.

Together with Cheongsan’s weeping was the consecutive rambling of thunder and lightning.

“Hey, Let’s go,” Suhyeok remarked as the undead goes to their way, he then shot his eyes towards Hyunjae, faintly indicating his sister’s well-being. “Run!” He cried out, his broad voice deafening.

The group went to haul their partners as they ran together, not wanting any of the zombies to catch them. Suhyeok and On-jo assist each other to carry and help Cheongsan from getting up from the ground as they were the only ones left, along with Hyunjae and Suhyeon.

“Keep my sister safe, will you?” The tallest one among the group requested Hyunjae then he shifted his gaze to his younger sister, “Stay by Hyunjae’s side, protect each other. We’ll be right behind you.” He stood from his knee and walked to Suhyeon, holding his shoulders as he spoke.

“Go!”

“No.”

Suhyeon shook her head, defying her brother’s wish. “I will not abandon you, Suhyeok.”

The eldest of the twin let out a massive sigh. He did not make a reply, because there will be no point in it. Suhyeon being stubborn got it from him, so she will not back down. She won’t take ‘no’ as an answer. Especially all the crap he did that wasn’t favourable by his younger sister in just a span of days, if it were a normal day, Suhyeon would already give him the cold shoulders.

Hyunjae remained together with Suhyeon, Suhyeok, Namra, and On-jo as they all pleaded Cheongsan to get up and run while the undead haven’t been able to detect them yet. Almost all of them did the talking—except Namra—but he didn’t budge. The man went on crying—he doesn’t blame him though, because if that happened to him, he will do exactly what is happening to Cheongsan too.

His mom can be a brat sometimes but, she still is his mother.

Then it was On-jo’s turn to speak and at the same time, the growling that comes from the zombies intensified as did the thunder and the lightning. It was a good thing Cheongsan listened to their friend and got up on his knees.

And then they run away.

•─────⋅☾ 𝔭𝔥𝔬𝔢𝔫𝔶𝔵𝔳𝔦 ☽⋅─────•

hope everyone is doing well today.