My desperate pleas fall on deaf ears as more and more students begin to slow, their resolve crumbling in the face of the daunting challenge."No, No, No! What are you doing?! Don't stop running!" I yell, my face flushing with frustration. I stop, panting as I stare helplessly at the fallen group.Valerie seems at a loss as she stares behind me, clearly indecisive about whether to follow my words or go with her team."Get up if you don't want to die out here!" I shout. Thankfully, a few of them rose to their feet, Ethan and Zane helping those who couldn't get up alone.I breathe a sigh of relief, turning to continue running.Suddenly, a few of them turn on me, moving in front of me and shoving me to the ground."Who do you think you are, trying to boss us around?" one of them spits, his eyes wild with fear and defiance.I grunt as I hit the unyielding earth, the air knocked from my lungs. "Listen to me, you fools!" I growl, my voice laced with frustration. "This is all part of their p
The horde of destitute surges todestitutetheir hollow eyes and twisted frames a nightmarish sight. Ethan and I stand our ground, weapons ready, as our group scrambles to safety. "We have to hold them off!" I shout, my voice strained to keep my fear at bay. "Ethan, keep moving. Guard the front - I'll cover you!"Ethan's face is ashen, but he nods grimly. "Be careful. We can't lose you too."I offer him a grim smile. "Don't worry, I'll be right behind you." As Ethan herds the terrified students away, I turn my attention to the approaching destitute. Their moans and guttural snarls send shivers down my spine, but I steel my resolve. I can't let them reach the others.With a primal roar, I charge into the fray, the discarded pipe I picked up breaking through flesh and bone. The destitute are relentless, clawing and snapping at me with their jagged teeth. I dodge their attacks, my heart pounding in my chest.One destitute lunges at me, its bony fingers grasping for my throat. I bring
As Ethan and Zane try to shut the doors, I peer through the narrow gap and see it…….It's other people; Everette, Dale and a few members of their rapidly dwindling group are surrounded by the few destitute that aren't trying to claw their way into where we are hiding, fighting against them. They're shooting and hacking, but the destitute are relentless - their twisted, inhuman forms surging forward in a nightmarish tide. Zane and Ethan struggle to shut the heavy doors, their faces etched with fear and desperation."Wait!" I cry, pointing to the door, " There are other people out there!" The students immediately move forward, peering through the space and exclaiming when they see them outside."It's true!""Is that Everett? Does that mean they didn't escape?!" one girl cries."They going to die," "We need to help them!" I shout, bringing the din to a quiet."They aren't going to make it much longer like this…," I say in a quieter voice, my heart pounding. The sounds of the battle ou
I stare at Everett in shock, my mind reeling from her chilling words. But my moment of surprise quickly gives way to simmering anger. Rising to my feet, I glare down at her, refusing to be cowed. "What is that supposed to mean, Everett?" I spit, my voice laced with fury.Everett just looks up at me with an unreadable expression before slowly rising to her feet, her mouth twisting in distaste.I scowl at her, my temper flaring, " what did you mean by that?...," I say dangerously.Everett lifts her chin defiantly, meeting my gaze with a cold, calculating stare. "It means exactly what you think," she says, her tone dripping with malice.I clench my fists, the muscles in my jaw tightening. "Are you threatening me?" I growl.She regards me with disdain, her lips curling into a cruel smile. "Not a threat, no," she says, her long, sharp nails digging into my chest as she jabs a finger at me. "It's a promise." Each poke sends a shiver of revulsion down my spine. "Remember this, Ande," she
I swallow hard, my mouth suddenly dry, "What?"Ethan crosses his arms, his gaze piercing and unwavering. "I said you're wrong, Ande. You killed that girl, but it wasn't your fault," he says, his voice low and measured.I feel a chill run down my spine, and I have to resist the urge to take a step back. "What are you saying? How is that my fault?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.He briefly regards me before his lips curve into a bitter-sweet smile. "I'm saying that you should stop being so hard on your know Ande," he says, his words dripping with compassion, "you wanted to save everyone, I know that, but things don't always go as planned,"I cringe, the words stinging like a physical blow to my heart. "E-Ethan?" I say, but Ethan scoffs, rolling his eyes. "I mean it, ande. What happened to that girl was awful, but It wasn't your fault, and all of us believe that," he says, " and if you want to do something about that guilt you feel, then stop wallowing in your self-pity and do
As I make my way through the eerie silence, I can't help but wonder what other secrets this school is hiding. The Principal's cryptic words about the Destitutes and the sudden change in camouflage leave me with more questions than answers.I pause, my breath catching in my throat as I hear a faint rustling from around the corner. Pressing myself against the wall, I peer cautiously into the darkness. Nothing. Just the creaking of the building, the shadows playing tricks on my eyes.Exhaling slowly, I continue, my senses heightened, every creak and groan setting my nerves on edge. I can't afford to let my guard down, not for a second. The lives of my fellow students depend on it.Finally, I reached the relative safety of the closet I had claimed, locking the door behind me. Sinking onto the floor, I stare at the blinking device, my mind racing. What does the Principal have planned? And how much more blood will be spilled before this nightmare ends?I shudder, the weight of my actions
I can barely process what's happening. One moment, we were settling into our familiar routine of scavenging and guarding the old facility that had become our safe zone from any roaming destitute. The next, we were forcibly relocated to a sterile room by a massive amount of guards. As we're herded into the room, I glance around at the other students, their faces etched with confusion and unease. Ethan reaches for my hand, his grip tight. "What's going on?" he whispers. I shrug helplessly, my mind racing.The room falls silent as the facility's management scurries about, barking orders and making adjustments. The cacophony of power tools, squeaking wheels, and clanging metal is overwhelming. I wince at the piercing whine of a circular saw, feeling the ground groan under our feet. Swallowing, I clear my throat, gaining the attention of my peers, " let's…… sit tight for now and wait them out," I suggest quietly.The students quickly nod, settling in the dusty ground and huddling togethe
Ethan, seemingly dissatisfied with my silence, suddenly steps forward, his voice trembling with barely contained anger. "Hey! And what exactly are we being prepared for? What kind of challenges are you talking about?"Mrs. Baker's gaze shifts, and for a moment, I swear I see a flicker of…. something in her eyes. "That's...a discussion for another time," she says, her tone clipped. "For now, I suggest you all get some rest. Your first training session begins bright and early tomorrow morning."As she leaves, the room erupts in a flurry of whispers and hushed conversations. As we all file out of the mess hall, Zane leans in close. "Did you see that?" he whispers. "She's hiding something. Something big."I nod, my mind racing. "We have to find out what's going on here. This isn't just about combat training - there's something else at play."Ethan's hand finds my shoulder, his grip tight. "Whatever it is, we're not going down without a fight," he murmurs. "We'll get to the bottom of thi