The monster stared directly at Azure, its gleaming black eyes burning with a ravenous hunger. It stood motionless in the school courtyard.
Its mouth stretched into a wide, menacing smile, pieces of flesh caught between jagged, sharp teeth, blood dripping onto the cracked pavement below.
Azure's face twisted in disgust at the sight, his blue eyes narrowing with cautious dread, his breath catching in his throat.
The monster shifted its stance, muscles rippling under its skin, and leapt toward the school with terrifying speed.
It smashed into the second floor like a cannon blast, the impact rattling the building, sending dust and debris cascading from the ceiling.
It was one floor below Azure.
Azure stumbled, struggling to keep his balance as the floor shook beneath him. Damn it! At least give me some time to rest!
He cursed under his breath, his voice tight with frustration, as he steadied himself and moved toward the game room, heart pounding.
The air was thick with the piercing screams of students below, their cries jagged and desperate, mingling with the sickening sounds of flesh tearing and bones snapping, as if the monster was shredding everything in its path.
The game room is supposed to be on the ground floor, but I have to avoid that monster! Azure's thoughts raced, his pulse hammering in his ears. Wait… I don't remember anything about this world either!
For God's sake—
Before he could finish his thoughts, another commotion erupted from outside the school, a guttural, chaotic roar.
What now? He sprinted to the window, his boots thudding against the floor, and peered out to see a horde of zombies shambling toward the building, their decayed forms lurching in the dim light.
Oh… of course, why not! Why don't you bring skeletons too? His eye twitched with bitter sarcasm, his voice dripping with anger as he mocked, then bolted toward the stairs on the opposite side of the school.
The monster on the second floor revelled in the carnage, its guttural growls echoing through the halls as it chased the students, who screamed in terror, their voices raw with desperation.
Some had collapsed in despair, slumped on the ground, clutching their heads, sobbing and praying this was just a nightmare, their whimpers barely audible over the chaos.
Azure forced himself to block out the sounds, each scream stabbing at his resolve, as he reached the second floor.
He slowed his steps, creeping down the stairs with deliberate caution, his eyes darting around, scanning for danger in the flickering shadows.
A long corridor stretched before him, a nightmarish scene of mangled student bodies—limbs torn and strewn across the floor in grotesque contortions, some cleaved in half, others shredded into countless pieces. The air reeked of blood, thick and metallic, choking his senses.
Azure's eyes sharpened for a fleeting second, a glint of focus, before dimming again. Calm down. You have to stay alive first.
He muttered to himself, his voice low and strained, clinging to one thought that mattered.
Since the monster wasn't here, Azure moved swiftly but quietly, descending to the first floor and slipping out of the school building, his footsteps light against the blood-slicked tiles.
As he emerged, he saw Mr. Clark and a few teachers frantically locking the main door, their hands trembling as they barred it against the approaching zombies. Fear, terror, and shock etched deep lines into their faces, their eyes wide with desperation.
Azure didn't approach them, instead sprinting around the school to reach the courtyard, his destination the game room, his breath ragged in the cold air.
Luckily, the monster entered the building. Azure exhaled a shaky sigh of relief as he neared the room, his shoulders loosening slightly.
His steps slowed as he approached, his eyes narrowing—the door to the game room was open, a sliver of darkness spilling out.
He crept toward it, every muscle tensed, ready for any sudden attack. As he stepped inside, he spotted a girl, her silhouette barely visible in the dim light.
She was rummaging for a weapon, her movements frantic. Sensing his presence, she grabbed a nearby stick, whipping around to point it at Azure, her hands shaking with nervous energy.
Azure froze at the threshold, raising a hand quickly, his voice steady but urgent, "Calm down, I'm not a monster."
The girl studied him, her eyes wide with fear, for nearly a full minute… then slowly lowered the stick, her shoulders slumping with wary relief.
Azure let out a quiet breath, his gaze softening as he began examining her—short black hair, brown eyes behind glasses, a grey shirt and black pants, exuding a quiet blend of simplicity and elegance.
She shifted uncomfortably under his stare, cleared her throat, and said coldly, "Are you done staring?"
Uh… I forgot myself, Azure mumbled, his face flushing with embarrassment as he cleared his throat and gave a slight bow. "I'm sorry."
Her lips twitched into a small, reluctant smile. "Hmm, I'll accept your apology because you seem a bit sincere… My name's Clara, nice to meet you."
She stepped forward, offering her hand with a cautious but genuine gesture.
Azure glanced at her for a moment before taking her hand, his grip firm but brief. "Azure, the pleasure's mine…" He let out a dry laugh, his voice tinged with irony. "Though this isn't the best time for introductions."
Clara gave a muffled chuckle, her smile softening the tension, but before she could reply, a piercing wail and screams echoed nearby, shattering the moment.
Azure dropped her hand and moved to the door, peering out, his jaw tightening.
Zombies swarmed the courtyard, chasing students and teachers, tearing into them with savage hunger.
Corpses littered the ground, some already devoured, others still writhing as they were eaten alive, their screams raw and desperate as they clawed at the earth in vain.
Damn it! Azure's face hardened, his fists clenching at the horrific sight.
Clara crept up behind him, her steps hesitant, and froze as she saw the carnage. The zombies' guttural moans and the students' agonised cries filled the air, a symphony of terror that rooted her in place.
Her fingers trembled, her breath coming in short, ragged gasps, her lips quivering as she whispered inaudible words, the screams overwhelming her senses.
Azure slammed the door shut, cutting off the gruesome scene, and grabbed Clara's face gently but firmly, forcing her to meet his eyes. "Look at me, don't worry… everything will be fine. The most important thing now is to calm down. Take a deep breath now."
Her eyes, wide and shattered, locked onto his for a moment before she squeezed them shut, drawing a shaky, deep breath.
Azure pressed his hands lightly over her ears, muffling the horrific sounds outside.
After about ten seconds, Clara's breathing slowed, and she opened her eyes cautiously, meeting Azure's steady gaze. "Thank you… I think I'm fine now," she said softly, her voice laced with embarrassment as she looked at him, her cheeks faintly flushed.
Azure pulled back quickly, his face turning red as a tomato, his eyes darting away.
Clara's lips curved into a faint smile at his reaction, a flicker of warmth cutting through her fear.
Good job, Azure… now you look weird! He muttered to himself, sighing as he glanced away, still flushed. "Sorry for touching you without permission."
"No need to apologise. I'm the one who needs to thank you. Though I know I should be used to seeing these scenes and tried to convince myself everything's fine… my condition betrays me a little," Clara said calmly, a small, weary smile on her face.
Azure looked at her, confusion flickering in his eyes.
Clara caught his expression and explained gently, her voice soft but steady, "I have asthma and constant panic attacks."
And is that something you say with a smile? Azure thought, a pang of sadness for her tightened his chest.
He didn't know what to say—after all, he was an introvert with no friends, always lost in games and anime. Even in the future, he'd only known the death of his family and the destruction of his planet, with no real social ties.
But he didn't need to say anything, because the game room door began to rattle, shuddering under a loud impact, about to give way.
Azure and Clara turned toward the door, shock and tension gripping them both.
Tch, I'm an idiot! I forgot why I came here in the first place! Azure cursed himself, his eyes scanning the room frantically until they landed on a desk.
"Brace the door," he told Clara, his voice sharp as he rushed toward the desk.
Clara darted to the door, pressing her weight against it, her breath quickening. Azure dragged the desk across the floor, the scrape of wood echoing in the tense silence.
They shoved the desk against the door. "This should hold for a while," Azure said, catching his breath, sweat beading on his forehead.
"We have a small problem," Clara said in a low voice, her eyes meeting his with a grim expression.
"What?"
"This room has one door… and there are no windows here."