As you rethink all your values to escape a cruel fate, you may discover that surviving the dead is just the beginning.My heart raced again as I remembered the need to get out of this place, as if the mere mention of that idea was evidence of my undoing. Still, the fact was that in one morning I had already seen more carnage than even my most visceral nightmares could count; and surviving that freak show to death locked in a bathroom stall seemed like the least digestible thing about my day. I thought if I was going to die, it would be from exhaustion trying to fight these monsters, instead of suffering like a scared rat.Too bad those heroic thoughts were useless in motivating me to leave that fetid bathroom I was locked in. Courage is beautiful in the books, but in real life it weighs a ton and stinks like death.I heard the groans once more and knew they were there—as if I’d ever really been able to forget them. There was also a corpse. These elements were familiar to me because I

Under the door, I was able to see a pair of black Vans sneakers six feet away from me. The shins of those who wore them were white, stained by threads of blood that ran down until they were lost in the cotton of the white socks. Beside the Vans, a puddle of water was forming, thick white foam around the edges. What had once been a student appeared to be completely still. I didn’t know if I was looking at anything, or even if I was able to hold his attention on anything. Whatever that answer was, just the realization that I could only see the back of the shoes—which meant they weren’t facing me—was enough. In my field of vision, it was not possible to see anything else.I dared to wonder why I’d stopped her eating her friend, but just thinking about it almost drove me crazy.Still carefully, I got to my feet. The operation would have to be careful, but I figured I’d be able to make minimal noise. May God allow that to be enough.In slow motion, I started to climb into the tank, one leg

During the entire time I was trapped, I never imagined that I would get out of there and everything would be safe, with rescue teams entering the school. First because the intermittent screams didn’t allow me to have so much hope, second because I was too focused on my own misfortune. I don’t like to be a nonbeliever, but I’ve never trusted the efficiency of public safety. In addition, I also followed the news while they were allowed to reach us about the first infestations of the virus and everything was the same: although we did not know exactly its nature, none of the infected cities managed to contain it. The disease before we lost contact. I was foolish to think it wouldn’t make it to Latin America, but we all have been this whole time. For these reasons, the nagging thought that my suffering and fear were far from over kept pounding in my head.But now I felt strangely safe, as if the risks I’d taken all morning had finally come to an end here, outside the library’s second-floor

No, I was not.I mean, he hadn’t dragged me into any kind of danger.It’s just that “safe” was simply something that had ceased to exist, although at the time I didn’t know it.The first person I saw was Carlos Dutra: another third year, more familiar to me because we studied in the same room. He had dark skin, black eyes and hair, and an expression of few friends. Unlike most of our peers, he had defined muscles and more adult features. I was idly by the wooden door that divided the hallway we were coming from from the rest of the high school classrooms, in a sharp curve. When he saw us, he assumed a nervous posture as he realized how fast we were running.I noticed that he was holding an iron bar in his hand. There was blood on him.William didn’t seem surprised, as he continued running towards the door. By then, I had managed to establish my balance and was running with him, a few steps back.“Close the door when we pass!” Guilherme said, as we approached. “There are others coming!

“Are you going alone?” asked Carlos, slightly surprised, as he followed me out the door.“I don’t know what you guys are going to do, but I’m going home today.”When I said that, several looks came my way. Professor Rogério was already on his feet, arms crossed, and looking at me.“Do you think it’s safe to try to go home, Rebeca?” He asked, his voice worried. “Everyone is saying that public transport has stopped.”I looked at him and thanked him for his concern.“No problem, professor. I’ll walk, if I need to, I’d just have to cross the bridge,” I said calmly. “I need to meet my grandmother and Mei.” I justified myself, not realizing that maybe they didn’t know who I was talking about.“How do you plan to get out of the building?” The curly-haired black girl asked me. She seemed calm enough about the situation. “The courtyard is crazy, and to get to any exit you would have to go through it.”I was silent, not knowing exactly how to respond. Although a very strong impulse made me sure