Taking care of people always cured Junming’s soul. Despite the chaos and death that permeated the whole day, he felt at peace when he tended to the wounds of the remaining survivors. Even the haughty China woman had eventually opened up to him, although it hadn’t lasted too long.

When the scout groups had returned, he silently admired their efficiency and professionalism. They weren’t divided by selfishness or survival instincts. Everyone cooperated to ensure that they were safe as a collective. Maybe it was because the government had done a good job inculcating a certain sense of structure and orderliness in them since young. 

Either way, no one protested or fought over supplies. He armed himself with a kitchen knife while Mei took a long ruler stick that had been used to point at whiteboards and sharpened its end. All was well until Sinjin, the China woman he had acquainted with, had dropped the bombshell that she was a wanted person and that the plasma shield they had relied on for survival was a double-edged sword.

Arguments had circled above his head but all he could think about was his parents. What they had said to him before they died. He had wondered what their spirits would say. Would it tell him to try the zones in the east or head north for the border?

It didn’t matter now.

The ear-piercing wail that sliced through the air changed everything. His eyes flew open, his heart pounding like he had run a hundred miles in his dream. Shadows darted around in the atrium, their contorted silhouettes caught in the glare of the surrounding torches. Hidden below part of the caved-in piano, he felt for the knife he had left on the floor beside him. His fingers brushed against cool metal and he slipped his hand down to grip the rubber handle. 

“What are we going to do?” Mei whimpered beside him, her voice hoarse with fright.

Junming gulped. “I-I don’t know.”

In the dark of the night, he couldn’t tell which shadow was human and which was not. Thumps mixed with grunts as some of the survivors battled the slow-moving undead. The smell of fresh blood mixed with the rotting decay of the corpses, polluting the air with a stench that almost had him dry-retching. He didn’t dare leave the shelter of the piano. If they didn’t move, if they didn’t make a sound, they would be safe. For now.

How had the zombies even gotten past their perimeter and watchmen? He licked his dry lips, his thoughts running around in his mind like rats. Maybe if they could get to the car-

The sound of screeching wheels tore his attention to the front of the atrium. Two beams of light from the car cut through the darkness as it swerved around and headed for the gate. Their only mode of escape was gone.

“Oh no,” he murmured.

Mei cried silently. He wrapped his free hand around her shoulders, feeling her body trembling as she inched closer to him. Then, a groan came from behind them. He froze, his veins turning to ice. Beside him, Mei tensed. Her body shuddered with silent sobs. 

A shadow appeared on their left, shuffling forward towards the sounds of struggle. He held his breath, worried that the slightest sound would attract the zombie. His fingers dug into Mei’s shoulder, holding her tight against his body. 

She whimpered, a sob dying in her throat. The shadow halted.

Mei clamped a hand over her mouth. Junming watched with wide eyes as the shadow turned around. His heartbeat drummed like a gong in his ears until he was sure the zombie could hear it too. The shadow dragged its feet back towards them. 

He let out a shaky breath. Sweat coated his hand. He adjusted his grip on the rubber handle of the knife, tightening his fingers around it until the ridges dug into his slippery palm.

The shadow stooped. Sharp pops filled the air, making Junming’s heart jump into his throat as the zombie’s knees and joints cracked. Long, stringy hair came into view. Rotting breath assaulted his nostrils. Shrouded in darkness, the zombie’s face was like a black hole.

Junming gulped and waited. His body tensed. The zombie crept forward on all fours, its limbs contorting like a crippled spider. Mei inched backward out of his arms, wriggling like a worm. He could barely breathe. Fear tore through his resolve, tempting him to flee. But he brought his arm forward, the knife shaking in his hand.

When the zombie’s breath was near enough to make his nose crinkle with disgust, he couldn’t wait any longer. He thrust his hand forward as hard as he could, hoping to plunge the knife right into the brain when a loud thump came from behind him as Mei hit the back of the crumbling piano.

With a hissing snarl, the zombie lunged. A gust of rotten air slammed into his arching fist and Junming realized in horror that his knife hand was heading right for the zombie’s mouth!

It was too late to alter his momentum. He squeezed his eyes shut, grief and regret cloaking his soul when a loud smack sliced through the air.

His eyes flew open. The zombie laid on the ground, its head flattened. He looked up to see a lanky man with wispy hair standing with a rifle. 

“Joon Woo,” he breathed out with relief, his arm lowering with relief.

“Whoa!” Joon Woo leapt back. “Did you want to skewer this handsome savior of yours with that knife?”

“Shoot.” Junming retracted his hand, the knife still trembling in his hand like an automatic blender that had lost its off button. “Sorry.”

“Come on, let’s go.”

Junming crawled out of his hiding place and took Joon Woo’s outstretched hand. A tickling warmth spread from the dashing male supply runner’s palm to his, creeping up his arm and making blood rush to his pale face. Joon Woo pulled him to his feet and he stumbled forward, ending up an inch away from the man’s lips. 

His heart skipped a beat. Before temptation could press him into the handsome man’s arms, he pulled away, cheeks flushing like a damn tomato. It had only been a few hours since he had known the dashing Joon Woo but his hormones were already doing crazy things to his body.

“Thank you,” he murmured, his eyes darting away like a guilty pervert. 

Joon Woo chuckled. “I think I deserve a better reward than that.”

Junming stammered unintelligibly, unsure what to reply to such flirtatious insinuations when Joon Woo’s tone turned serious.

“Let’s get you out of here. I hear more zombies on the way.”

By now, Mei had also reappeared, her small frame hunched and cowering in fright. Junming motioned to her and together, they jumped down the steps to the atrium. Screams and grunts echoed all around, shadows flitting across the beams that now laid scattered around as the torches got knocked out of position. 

Joon Woo led the way, his rifle raised. They stuck close to the side of the atrium, heading for the basketball court. As they passed by one of the large pillars, soft cries made Junming stop and turn around. He motioned to Joon Woo to halt. He knew that voice.

“What?” Joon Woo hissed.

Gulping, Junming rounded the pillar. The sobs grew louder. He looked down. The beam from the torch caught the side of Alicia’s face, her cheeks stained with tears. She crouched on the floor, her bloodied hands shaking her mother’s motionless body. 

“Mama,” she cried. “Wake up. Please.”

It was a lost cause. Her mother’s eyes stared at the ceiling, unblinking. Junming uttered a silent prayer in his head, hoping Mrs. Lim’s spirit would be reborn in a better world. As he bent down to comfort Alicia, his gaze wandered down Mrs. Lim’s bloodied torso until it landed on a large bite mark.

His heartbeat raced. They didn’t have much time before she turned. He grabbed Alicia’s shoulders and shook her. “Alicia, come with us. We need to leave now.”

“No!” Alicia blurted. “I’m not leaving Mama!”

Her loud voice made Junming cringe in dismay. In the distance, the shadows turned in their direction. Desperate, he threw his knife away, pulled her into his arms, and lifted her up. She screamed and struggled, her hands raining down on his back. He grimaced as her elbow hit him on the side of his head. Mei came to his aid, grabbing Alicia’s small legs as they kicked him.

“Watch out!” Joon Woo pulled him back as Mrs. Lim’s body convulsed. 

He watched in horror as Mrs. Lim reanimated back to life. Joon Woo herded them back, Alicia screaming as she reached out for what used to be her mother. Before Mrs. Lim could get back up on her feet, a shadow came dashing towards them and swung a pole at the back of her head.

“What are you guys standing there for?!”

“Aqra!” Joon Woo exclaimed.

The sturdy man caught sight of the little girl in Junming’s arms and then looked down at the zombie he had just sent back to the world of the dead. He blanched, his hand flying to cup his mouth. 

Meanwhile, the fight in Alicia had died when she saw her mother crumple to the floor. She let out agonizing sobs, her chest heaving against Junming’s shoulder. His heart ached for her. He wanted to put her down and comfort her properly but the urgent growls ahead posed a larger problem.

Joon Woo clapped a hand on Junming’s back. “Let's go.”

The five of them raced across the court and headed for the north side of the school. By this time, the faster zombies from outside had infiltrated the compound and they had several near misses that almost claimed their lives. Rain lashed their backs, messing up the zombies’ hearing and saving them more than once.

They dashed out of the shelter of the school and barrelled down the small grassy slope, almost crashing into the green fence that stood two meters high. Junming placed Alicia down.

“Looks clear to me,” Joon Woo whispered as he gripped the link chain and looked at the road beyond. 

Aqra muttered, “I’ll go first.”

He scaled the fence quickly and landed on the other side with a thump. After a quick scan of the surroundings, he gestured for them to follow. Mei went up first, aided by Joon Woo. Then Alicia and Joon Woo.

Junming was last. As he placed one foot on the fence, testing its weight, something tapped him on the back. He yelped in fright and tried to scramble higher but in his panic, he lost his footing. He dropped to the ground, landing on his back, a sharp pain running down his spine.

A shadow loomed menacingly over him. He opened his mouth to scream but nothing came out. Lightning flashed, illuminating the surroundings. Junming curled into a ball, his eyes bulging as he stared into the face of death.

Only it wasn’t death looking down on him but a pair of sharp eyes he had seen before just hours ago. He let out a shuddering sigh.

“It’s you.”