As we dashed into the park, I glanced over my shoulder, and my heart dropped. A horde of infected was right on our heels, moving with a terrifying speed that sent a jolt of fear through my veins. These weren't the slow, stumbling creatures we were used to. No, this was something entirely different. They sprinted with an intensity we had never witnessed before. Earlier encounters had shown us their ability to lunge or run a few desperate strides, but this—this was a full-blown, unrestrained chase.
They're too fast. They're going to catch up!
Looking forward, I watched Komachi, Saki, Taishi, and Keiki all running as fast as they could. But at this rate, it wouldn't be long before the rabid infected behind us caught up. With a grimace, I knew what I had to do.
"I'm going to slow them down!" I yelled. "Do not stop running!"
They all looked back at me with wide, terrified eyes. Finally realizing how close the infected were getting. Komachi yelled for me to keep going, but I ignored her.
Sliding to a stop, I pulled back my weapon and prepared myself. It didn't take long for the first infected to reach me. In that moment, I swung my bat across its face, shattering its eye socket. I then reared back my leg and kicked the stumbling infected away. Although I stumbled back, I quickly turned around to continue running. As it tripped and fell backward, it crashed into four other undead, sending them all tumbling in a heap. I cursed as the remaining infected either ran around them or trampled over their bodies.
I strained to keep pace, my heart racing as I glanced ahead. Saki, Komachi, Taishi, and Keika were in full panic, their eyes wide with fear as they ran for their lives. Komachi turned to me, her face a mask of terror, pleading with me to hurry, to run faster.
The relentless sounds of the infected grew louder, their heavy breaths and guttural growls echoing ominously just behind us, sending icy tendrils of dread coursing down my spine.
"Hikigaya! Look out!" Saki's voice broke through the chaos.
In my peripheral vision, I caught a glimpse of a flailing arm lunging towards me. A primal instinct kicked in; I ducked just in time, feeling the rush of air as the undead's swipe barely missed my head. With a frantic, wild swing, I brought my bat crashing down onto its neck, the sickening crack briefly halting its pursuit. But those bloodied red eyes locked onto me, a furious hatred radiating from their gaze, and I knew it would come for me again. Fear coiled tightly in my gut as I pushed myself to run faster.
I need to do something! Think!
Peering left and right, my eyes scanned the dimly lit park. The moonlight cast eerie shadows that danced across the ground, but my focus quickly found the park's pond. Suddenly, an idea sparked in my mind. With a swift glance over my shoulder, I pulled my arm back and unleashed a primal scream that echoed through the night.
"Over here, you bastards! Follow me!" I bellowed, charging toward the pond with every ounce of adrenaline surging through me.
As I glanced back, I saw that most of the infected had abandoned their pursuit of Komachi and the others in favor of catching me, but four of the relentless creatures continued their frantic chase after them. Frustration bubbled within me, urging me to keep moving. I sprinted toward the pond's edge, my feet pounding against the rough ground.
Without hesitation, I dropped my bags, feeling their weight lift off my shoulders. I leaped into the frigid water, gasping as it splashed over me, the shock of the cold piercing my skin like a thousand tiny needles. As I broke the surface, I pushed myself to swim through the icy waters towards the other end.
I battled the biting cold, concentrating on the urgency of the moment. Turning to glance back, a grin spread across my face as I watched the infected thrashing helplessly in the water. Their movements were desperate and ineffective; they struggled against the waves, their grotesque shapes flailing about. Despite sinking into the water, they continued to pursue me.
Now that the majority of the infected had vanished beneath the dark, swirling waters, I glanced back to the chaos where I last saw everyone run off to. Saki was locked in a fierce fight, her makeshift spear flashing through the air as she struck one of the infected, sending it staggering back. Heart pounding, bat gripped tightly in my hand, I pushed myself out of the water and sprinted toward them.
Saki narrowed her eyes at the infected before her, its blood-red gaze boring into her with a chilling intensity. She deftly sidestepped as another one lunged, its large, grotesque form clawing at the space where she had just stood. With a fierce expression, she withdrew her spear and drove the sharp end straight into the creature's skull, a sickening crack echoing in the tense air.
But her victory was short-lived. With an unholy roar, the large infected from before, who was once a bodybuilder, barreled toward her, muscles rippling and eyes wild. He slammed into Saki, sending her sprawling across the grass with a pained cry.
"Nee-san!" Taishi shouted, desperation clawing at his voice as panic surged through him. But that was a mistake. The two other infected turned their predatory gazes toward him, Komachi, and Keika. Releasing loud roars, they charged.
Komachi stood frozen, paralyzed by fear, her mind screaming for action, yet her body refused to obey. She felt the weight of dread pressing down on her, a lump in her throat choking off her cries for help.
"No! Komachi!" Taishi yelled, moving instinctively, but his resolve wavered as he struggled to balance Keika on his back. "Run away!"
Panic surged within Komachi as the two infected charged toward her. She squeezed her eyes shut, arms instinctively raised in a feeble shield against the oncoming threat. "S-stay away!" she screamed, her voice trembling.
Saki staggered to her feet, a fiery pain coursing through her arm, but there was no time to hesitate. She couldn't let anything happen to her siblings or Komachi. As she jumped back from a wild swing of the powerful infected, Saki quickly reached down and grabbed a handful of dirt.
"If you can see, then this should work on you!" Saki yelled and threw the loose dirt into the infected's eyes. It hissed and roared as it threw its fists around. While the creature experienced no pain, it could no longer see for the moment.
Using this opening, Saki grabbed her spear from the ground, channeling every ounce of her strength and skill. After carefully aiming, she hurled the spear with all her might, her heart hammering in her chest, the weapon slicing through the air like a lethal missile.
It struck true, much to Saki's relief, her gamble had paid off, embedding itself deep into the skull of the infected charging toward Komachi. The second infected sprawled forward as it tripped on the corpse of her fellow undead.
Saki wasn't able to celebrate as the large infected from before lunged at her, pinning her to the ground. "Get... off." She tried to yell, but the large infected was slowly tightening his hands around her throat.
"Get away from her!"
The infected growled and was about to bite down on Saki, but stopped as I shoved my metal bat into its mouth. Using my entire body weight, I pulled the infected off Saki. However, I was unprepared for it to fall on top of me. Grunting, I struggled to hold the infected. Its much greater strength was quickly overpowering me.
Pushing herself up from the ground, Saki sprang into action, her hand diving into the depths of her bag. With a flourish, she brandished a gleaming pair of steel scissors I had collected from the art room, their blades glinting menacingly in the moonlight. In a heartbeat, she closed the distance between us. Without hesitation, she plunged the scissors deep into the infected's neck, the metallic jaws biting into decayed flesh with a satisfying crunch.
With a fierce snarl, she yanked the weapon free and swiftly swung it downward, driving it into the infected's skull with a force that pierced bone and brain matter. Pulling the scissors out, she stabbed down again. And again. The creature convulsed violently under my hold before finally collapsing. Saki and I grunted as we pushed its corpse off my body. We sat there, both panting, adrenaline coursing through our veins in the aftermath.
But the frantic screams of our siblings abruptly shattered that quiet, their voices piercing through the park. Our heads snapped up, hearts racing, as we saw them frantically fleeing the last infected. Ignoring the searing pain that coursed through our muscles, Saki and I exchanged a resolute glance. Forcing ourselves up, we quickly ran after them.
Running through the trees, Taishi, Keika, and Komachi tried to evade the last remaining infected, but to no avail. Its red eyes were locked onto them with deep hunger and hatred. Thinking quickly, Taishi noticed one of the large roots sticking out of the ground ahead. Dashing toward it, he and Komachi leaped over the root. The infected, singularly focused on them, missed the root and tripped, flipping forward and striking its head on a rock, which cracked it open.
Seeing its movements stop, Taishi and Komachi stopped running. Panting, the two stood a safe distance away and eyed the infected warily.
"Is it… dead?" Komachi asked.
"I don't know," Taishi said with Keika peering over his shoulder.
A chilling crack of a tree branch shattered the stillness behind them. The three whipped around in terror, their hearts racing as they stared into the darkness beyond the trees. Emerging from the shadows was a grotesque mass of over two dozen infected, a mix of red and milky-white eyes, eerily reflecting the faintest hint of moonlight as they fixed their gaze on their prey.
Komachi and Taishi held their breaths, fear curling in their chests like a vice. The very air felt thick and suffocating, every heartbeat echoing in their ears, terrified that even the slightest sound might summon the horde. But it was the low, guttural roar behind them that sent icy tendrils of dread down their spines. The infected with the cracked skull had lifted its head, its mouth twisted into a nightmarish hiss, revealing jagged teeth stained with remnants of its last victim.
Suddenly, the horde surged forward, a horrifying wave of decaying flesh and unnatural hunger. They moved with an unsettling agility, limbs contorting in unnatural ways, each step echoing a cacophony of snapping bone and guttural shrieks. The air was thick with the stench of rot, and the sound of their relentless approach felt like the very herald of doom, sending Komachi, Keika, and Taishi's instincts into a frenzied panic.
Saki and I broke through the treeline, momentarily pausing at the sight of the large numbers of undead. There were too many. Shaking the shock away, I moved in and bashed the still roaring infected's skull in.
"This way! Hurry!"
Komachi and Taishi snapped out of their frozen shock and immediately ran towards us, desperation in their eyes. Keika was crying loudly, clutching her brother's neck tightly, her sobs piercing through the wails of the undead. Saki cursed, her voice strained as we waited for our siblings to reach us.
"Come on!" Saki yelled, but her words were barely audible over the growls of the encroaching horde.
In that moment, everything unfolded in agonizing slow motion. Komachi's foot caught on an exposed root of a tree, sending her sprawling to the ground. A wave of icy dread washed over me as the infected closed in, their twisted forms shambling toward her with insatiable hunger.
Instincts kicked in. I hurled my bat with all my might at the nearest infected's head, diverting its attention long enough for me to reach Komachi. I sprinted past Taishi, my heart pounding. I reached down, grasped Komachi's hand, and pulled her up with fierce urgency. "Go! Go! Go!" I screamed, pushing her forward as another infected lunged at her.
Moving faster than I ever had before, I grabbed the infected by its neck, but then, another one latched onto my right arm, its jagged teeth tearing through my flesh like paper. A searing pain exploded in my bicep, and I screamed.
Saki's eyes grew wide with terror, her heart racing as she watched me be bitten. She felt a tightening in her throat, a chilling knot of dread, realizing what would happen to me. When Komachi finally reached Saki's side, her expression shifted into horror when she looked back and realized I wasn't behind her. Her mouth hung open, frozen in a silent scream. Taishi stood nearby them, his eyes contorted in despair, unable to look away as the infected tore a piece of flesh off my arm.
This was it.
I could feel my will fading, the inevitability creeping in.
I was going to die here. I was going to become one of them.
Yet, even in despair, a flame flickered within.
I refuse to stop here!
Not when I could still do something to help them.
With all my strength, I anchored myself to the ground, my feet sinking into the grass as I fought to hold back the three infected. I turned my head and locked eyes, for what was most likely the last time, with my classmate, a caring girl who was often misunderstood and labeled as a delinquent. I glanced at the boy who frequently annoyed me but had stood by and protected my sibling when I couldn't be there. I also saw the small child who didn't belong in this hellish world that had become our reality. Finally, I focused on my dear sister, whom I had helped raise all her life and loved above all else.
As I strained against the undead, the world around me faded into a blurred horror, but their faces remained vividly clear.
Komachi, Saki, Taishi, and Keika—my thoughts lingered on them as I committed to make my final stand.
I would protect them, up until my dying breath.
In an instant, the faces of Yukino, Yui, Iroha, Shizuka, Haruno, my parents, and everyone I've interacted with flooded my mind. Memories surged like a tide, threatening to drown me in despair. Yet, I couldn't allow that darkness to claim me. Even as more and more of the infected closed in, I refused to fall.
If I'm going to die, I'm going to do everything I can to help you three get away!
"Run! Go! Go now!" I yelled, tears in my eyes as I felt the infected rip pieces of flesh from my body. It hurt. It hurt so much.
Seeing the three frozen, I locked eyes with Saki. "Saki! Please!"
Saki shook her head, fresh tears streaming down her cheeks and leaving glistening trails on her skin. Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself against the rising tide of emotion. With determination in her eyes, she reached out and grasped Komachi and Taishi by the hands. Without hesitation, she pulled them along, her grip firm and unwavering, as she sprinted forward, dragging them behind her.
"No! Onii-chan! We can't leave him! Onii-chan!" Komachi cried as she was yanked along.
"There's... there's nothing we can do," Saki said, her voice hoarse. "We have to go!"
"Onii-chan!" Komachi's cries echoed in my ears as I was pushed back, as the infected finally pushed me down. Even so, I held onto them. "Onii-chan!"
"Goodbye... Komachi," I whispered as I felt my body be ripped apart.
Out of nowhere, several bright lights filled the park, shocking Saki, Komachi, Taishi, and Keika.
"Get down!"
Saki felt a rush of adrenaline coursing through her, her instincts screaming for her to react. In an instant, she dropped to her knees, pulling Komachi and her younger siblings down with her, pressing them low against the cold, hard ground.
Suddenly, a cacophony of gunfire erupted around them, each shot ringing out like thunder. Brilliant streams of light illuminated the park in flashes, as bullets tore through the air with deadly precision. One after another, the infected all fell to the ground as the gunfire tore apart their heads. The chaotic sounds of gunfire echoed harshly against the trees, mingling with the distant moans of the infected. It felt like an eternity, but only moments passed before the relentless barrage ceased, leaving a haunting silence in its wake.
Saki cautiously lifted her head, her heart pounding in her chest. Her eyes quickly scanned the scene around her. Two soldiers from the Japan Self-Defense Forces sprinted past her, their MP5 submachine guns held tightly in their grips.
Silence enveloped the park as the world seemed to come to a standstill. I felt numb, my body consumed by pain, yet a strange sense of relief washed over me—most likely due to the blood loss. Or perhaps it was the infection that would soon turn me into one of the undead; I wasn't sure. A pair of worn boots came into view. I strained my neck to look up as the soldier above me removed his gas mask.
"We saw what you did as we arrived... You did well, kid. You protected them," Hiroyuki said, his voice grave. "Do you know what happens when one of those things bites you? You'll-"
"Become one of them," I said, interrupting him. "I know."
Hiroyuki looked surprised, but only for a fleeting moment, as if the weight of the world had settled on his shoulders. I could hear my sister's desperate screams in the background, each cry slicing through the air like a dagger. She was begging me to get up, her voice trembling with fear. "I see... then, I shall ask you this. Do you wish to die as a human, or do you want to die as one of those things?"
I blinked, a wave of exhaustion washing over me, my body burning with a feverish intensity. Lifting a hand, I wasn't surprised to see the black veins pulsing grotesquely beneath my skin, now tinged with a sickly gray. I let my arm drop, my heart heavy as I looked up at Hiroyuki.
"A... human," I whispered, my voice barely a breath. I was tired.
His eyes were steel, yet filled with an unbearable sadness, and he nodded slowly before pulling a pistol from his holster. As he lifted it, his hand trembled ever so slightly as he aimed it at my head.
"No! Stop it, please! He just needs help! Onii-chan! Don't shoot my Onii-chan!" Komachi wailed, her cries ragged as she struggled against the grip of two soldiers holding her back. Saki turned away, her shoulders trembling with silent sobs, tears streaming down her face as she clutched Keika tightly to her chest. Taishi was on his knees, tears flowing freely as his eyes, wide in horror, remained fixed on me, unable to look away.
"Can you... make sure my sister... that those three... get to safety?" I asked weakly as I felt my life slowly begin to fade away.
Hiroyuki closed his eyes and nodded.
"Thank... you."
As I looked up the barrel of the gun, I couldn't help but see their faces. Memories of our time together flashed before me in seconds. Slowly, a smile grew on my face.
Then came the loud crack, a sound that echoed in my mind, and my body jerked violently. The edges of my vision blurred, fading like a distant memory. The world around me dimmed, and all the screams that had filled the park turned into a haunting silence.
The air felt frigid against my skin as my thoughts drifted away, leaving behind the muted cries of my sister, now just a whisper in the void.