High School of the Dead: The Decent into Darkness Chronicles (Wingshadow and Mech)

W

Wingshadow

Guest
Chapter 1: "Escape from the Dead"

It was an afternoon like any other, with the sun shining down with brilliance, the wind blew from the west and swirled the leaves in the athletic field about Hitomi's ankles while her eyes were fixed firmly upon the line in front of herself.

"Come on!" she called to her students with a genuine smile, her legs spread wide as she sat on her rear before them and her arms out in front of herself, demonstrating how the exercise should be done. She could tell that a few of the boys were paying more attention to see if her hands or her breasts would touch the ground first, but in all honesty she didn't mind what they were staring at as long as they showed better results.

"Looking is fine, but don't get carried away!"

"Reach forward with both your arms, relax your back and shoulders and stretch with your stomach muscles!" she ordered, leaning forward just a tiny bit further. Then, she quickly pulled back and leapt to her feet.

"Alright, thats enough. Lets do some jumping jacks drills then we can start our normal routine," she said with authority. Everyone jumped in line without hesitation and began to jump in unison... Well, most of them did, anyway.

Indeed, it felt like just another ordinary day... But there was some other force at work that day, and as it slowly approached the school gates, the prospect of ever returning to the same lives that they knew and loved grew thinner and thinner...

As Hitomi-sensei sent her students to run a few laps around the track, the math teacher, Akio-sensei, approached her.

"Um, I'm sorry to disturb your class," the usually forward teacher seemed strangely timid, "but you know martial arts, correct?"

"What now?" Hitomi replied in a slightly irked tone, not liking to be disturbed when she was in the middle of a drill, "Its not Souji again, is it?"

"Um, no I don't think so," Akio sighed, "There appears to be a bit of a disturbance at the west gate. It has several of the teachers worried since we already had a few people check on it but they haven't returned... Some of the students are getting worried."

"Its probably just another would-be gang or something," Hitomi yawned, "Sure, I'll go lay out some thugs for you, but just hold things down here while I'm gone."

She waved to her class in order to let them know she would be right back, and they returned the wave as she turned to leave.

-----

As Hitomi approached the west gate she what she thought was just a group of students and a few people not wearing school uniforms huddled about in a small group looking down at something, standing strangely still. She nearly laughed, as there didn't seem to be anything particularly odd about the situation, although she did feel a strange cold chill down her left side which she simply chose to ignore.

"Excuse me, you are being a nuisance and causing quite a stir here," Hitomi called out to them, "Could you kindly break things up? Classes are in session, so head back to your respective classes before I have to get serious."

The group all slowly turned in unison, the few patches of fresh blood staining thier shirts being the first thing she noticed.

"Oi... this is..."

Their wide, soulless white eyes and cocked heads looked up at hers, not making eye contact but gleaming about like soiled pearls stuck in into their haggard, bloody faces. They stepped toward her, mouths gaping and snapping.

Hitomi raised her hands up to her chest in terror... and let out a blood-curdling scream.
 
Souji rested in the school's rooftop, under the bright blue sky he always admired. Everytime he was up there, he wished he was a cloud. drifting slowly and lazily through the sky without any worries. He took so many naps out there because it gave him that impression. That he could just drift lazily through his life without a care. It was a illusion, of course, and he knew it, but sometimes it was just better to just hold on to those little things that made him happy. At least for today he had managed to stay out of trouble, which was a good thing for a change. Of course, spend the morning sleeping away was probably the reason he managed it. Even for him it was impossible to get in trouble while sleeping.

He could hear some students exercising in the yard and almost laughed at them. Poor bastards, sweating in the sun, while he could just nap on the cool breeze. He pretty much enjoyed playing hooky, and was glad no teacher would bother with a seemingly lost cause as himself. He could also hear the voice of Marasaki-sensei barking orders and he could almost picture her in his mind, showing everyone how to do each one of the exercises. Naked. 'Wait a moment, why would she do that naked?' he berated himself, with a sigh, blushing slightly. Moreover he would hate for everyone else to be able to see her ghat way, so why was he imagining it? As if her dumb fiancee wasn't enough...

Thinking about it made his blood boil and suddenly he didn't felt like sleeping anymore. He sat, yawned heavily while streching his body, before getting up and proceeding to the outside stairs. He was half-way down the stairs when he suddenly heard her scream. It was so fearful and scared he almost didn't recognized her voice. He probably wouldn't have recognized it if he didn't like her voice so much. 'What the hell?!' was the only thought on his mind as he sped up, jumping the steps four at a time as he ran down. He could see her by the front gate, and some strangers, clearly not students, closed in on her, walking in a rather stumbling and clumsy way. For some reason they approach did not seem normal. It had a certain aura of menace in it, even though it wasn't agressive.

He finally reached the ground and ran to her. - "Sensei! Marasaki-sensei! Are you ok?!" - he asked, a hint of fear in his voice, while he failed to mantain his all bad boy attitude. He got close to her, and finally paid attention to the strangers that stumbled their way close to them, soulless white eyes, bloody faces and a terrifying aura. - "Wha-What the fuck?!" - he took a step behind in fear. What the hell was wrong with those people? He felt his knees tremble from shock and fear, but gladly they hold him up. He took a deep breath, and a second to calm himself down, before taking as step forward and coming between his teacher and the group, pointing at the closest one - "You! Don't move! I'm warning you! Don't get any closer!" - he tried to sound threatning but his voice came out slightly shook, and none of the strangers seemed to care. What the hell was happening there?
 
(sorry, I took a lunch break)

Hitomi was practically nailed down to the concrete on which she stood, her legs trembling from the terrible, menacing figures that stepped toward them. She heard Souji's wavering challenge, but it didn't register in her mind. There was only these things, seemingly made up of the essence of death itself. They stepped closer and closer, inhuman moans gargled up from their throats as one of them broke out into a run, hands trust toward her supple form. Triggering her instincts, she felt a surge of adenaline rush through her, a cold sweat breaking out upon her forehead as she grabbed Souji's shoulder in her left hand and pulled him back as she slid to the right, dodging the attack and swirling away just out of reach of its grasping fingers. Still firmly holding her student, she broke into an all-out run for the school building, smashing through the doors causing them to slam against the walls with a thundering crash. She finally let go of Souji, her entire body trembling... What the hell had she just seen?

Her fiance, Tomoki, rushed down the stairwell as he too had heard Hitomi scream, "What's wrong?!"

Hitomi shivered, her back against the wall as she curled her feet up in front of her and hugged them with her arms.

"Souji-kun, what's going on?!" he demanded a response, upon seeing that Hitomi too much in shock to respond. He had a firm, mature face with thin reading glasses perched upon his nose, dark brown hair with slight streaks of light brown near the tips. Although he was only slightly taller than his fiance, he bore himself with a much more humble air, confident but not exuding an aura of self-reliance. He was missing his coat, which he had neglected to put on as he rushed to determine the reason for his lover's cry of anguish, leaving him with a rather disheveled appearance.

The figures outside the door began to bang on the windows, pressing up against them and smearing their blood-dripping hands and faces against the glass. Sounds of panic started to issue from the adjacent classrooms as students started to notice the things which were already starting to huddle about the school parameter in greater and greater numbers (although only ones who had actually gotten onto the school grounds were just inside the west gate). They had simply appeared, stepping out from alleyways and side streets forming a wall around almost the entire school and cutting off all possible escape routes except from the east
 
[OoC: No problem. I also had to leave. Had to go to gym. Keep in shape. xD Back now.]

---

Even if he managed to really challenge those... wherever those things were, Souji was sure he couldn't back up his threat. It was the first time he felt like that. Of course, he had already felt fear, but not to a degree it would simply froze his body and numb his mind to the point of being unable to move. He always reacted quick, always seeming fearless. But that... That was way too much even for him. The monster, as he decided to call it, made its advance and Souji would've been caught if not for the teacher's intervention. He was shoved aside, and then pulled by her, and thankfully had enough self control to order his legs to run after her. Luckly, both of them were fast and were out of the monsters reach quickly enough.

Souji leaned against the wall, breathing heavily and trying to once again catch his breath. He was almost hyperventilating, and it wasn't because of the run, but from pure fear. 'Shit. Shit, take a hold of yourself, Souji!' - he berated himself, but his body wouldn't stop shaking, his legs almost giving out on him. He saw Tomoki rushing down and talking Hitomi, but she seemed to be too much in shock to answer him, and he quickly turned to Souhi. What he wanted him to say? Why the hell that guy was talking to him at that time? - "I... I don't know! I heard her scream, and went to see what was going on... Then, some strange... People... creatures, monsters... I don't know... They... They tried to grab us. They had blood on their faces, and all white eyes... We should call the police!" - he answered, quickly, without noticing he wasn't making too much sense. No one had ever seen Souji in that state, his overconfident air all but gone.

But his body was finally moving. His mind started working again, making its way through shock and confusion, putting him, at least, back in control of his body. He could hear the panic starting in the classroom and hallways of the school, screams, running and all the chaos that usually follow a scared horde. Souji was with his back to the wall but his head down, as he had his phone in hands, trying to find his father's number, and failed to notice one of the creatures slipping through the door. Luckly for him the creature ignored him, and went straight to Hitomi. Souji only noticed it when he was already on her. Tomoki seemed to be to shocked to react once seeing them.

She was going to get hurt. He knew it. It would do whatever it had done to the previous victims and hurt the only person in that school he liked. Loved. He thought he loved her. The thought of seeing her getting hurt sent a pulse of pure eletricity throughtout his body, a rush of adrenaline following. And then he moved. Two big steps and he was between it and Hitomi, just as the creature fell forwards towards her. Souji catched it, supporting its whole weight. The creature tried to bite at him, his neck and shoulder, but the boy managed to keep it at bay for a second. Then he countered. He ceased his opposition and used the creature's strentgh against it, twisting its arm and kicking its leg. The next moment, the creature flew against the concrete, heads first. He barely had time to catch his breath before seeing another one of them entering through the door. He kicked the creature back, and closed it shut, his body trembling with adrenaline.

"We gotta go! We gotta go now!" - He shouted at Hitomi and Tomoki, as he knew that door wouldn't hold anyone for long.
 
Although he was astonished at the boy's reaction time, Tomoki quickly recovered himself nodded without a word and grabbed Hitomi by her hand and forced her to her feet, dashing down the hall toward the other set of doors on the far side of the school. His eyes scanned the windows to their left and suddenly pulling Hitomi to himself narrowly avoided a horde of students rushing from the classrooms in complete panic. The sounds of screams and the booming voices of the male teachers attempting in vain to retain order drowned out the PA system announcing a state of emergency. Without waiting for Souji to follow, he reached the far doors finally and pushed through, allowing himself a moment of respite as she leaned against one of the pillars and let his grasp on Hitomi loosen.

Hitomi by this time had recovered and tried to catch her breath, only looking up to gasp in horror. There upon the atheletic field were large splotches of blood-stained concrete, the corpses of her students were fidgeting and struggling to stand up, evident bite marks all over their arms, legs, and throats.

"Hurry, to the north gate," Tomoki called to Hitomi, reaching out his hand to take hers.

"They have already broken through there," Akio panted who sat with himself propped up against the same pillar as Tomoki, holding his right hand in his left as a small trickle of blood ran down his finger tips, "Your only hope is the east..."
 
Souji was relieved when he saw Tomoki grab Hitomi's hand and pull her out of there. For the first time he was thankful that guy was by her side. He took a deep breath and let go of the door then, quickly following behind them. The school was in total chaos, despite the efforts of the teacher of trying to control the panic. He could see more and more of those creatures roaming around now, a lot of them being students who used to fear him at school. Now it didn't seem the knew what fear was. Unlike Souji. He reached the doors together with his teachers, but unlike them didn't use the time to catch his breath. He remained focused on any threat that could soon present itself.

The only thing he registered, was the chaos in the athletic field, where the corpses fought to rise once again. 'This is madness...' he though, horrified. What in hell could cause something like that? It was like something out of a bad, really bad horror movie. Only it was real. The blood, the death. It was all real.

He watched the exchange between the two teachers, and while they talked, he turned to Hitomi. - "Marasaki-sensei, are you alright? Are you hurt?" - he asked, concerned. It was a stupid question, and he knew it. Nothing was alright over there. People were eating each other. But he found no other way to express himself. - "We should go to the East Gate, then." - he said when the teachers reached that conclusion. He turned once again to Hitomi. He wanted to help her, but he knew he couldn't. World seemed to be going to hell in a basket and nothing he could say would help her. But at least he could protect her. Keep her safe. It would be enough. - "Don't worry, Marasaki-sensei. I'll take you there safe." - he stated, taking a deep breath. Those slow things couldn't catch him, no matter what they were. He was faster, stronger, better. He was once again his cool, overconfident self.

He felt ready to fight.
 
"I'm alright, Souji-san," Hitomi nodded to him to reassure him, thankful for an excuse to tear her gaze away from her former students turned monster, "It was all just a bit too much for me to take in all at once... I'm fine now."

"Not so fast, boy," Tomoki's firm grip fastened itself onto Souji's shoulder, "We should all head there together, right Akio-sensei?"

"Of course," the teacher managed to push himself up to his feet despite his injuries, "I'm afraid I won't be of much help, but anything is better than staying here to be eaten alive by these freaks... whoever they are."

Tomoki led the small group around the back of the school, which was mostly empty as the monsters which had broken through the south gate had not yet walked very far toward the main school building. As they crossed by the storage shed Akio tossed Tomoki the keys and he unlocked it. Entering briefly he handed Soiji a bat, Hitomi a long metal pole for her to use as a staff, and Akio a bokken.

"No, I can't hold a thing with this arm," Akio spoke wearily, refusing the wooden sword, "You use it."

Tomoki nodded, "Very well, as soon as we get out of here let me look at that, we need to stop the bleeding before you loose too much blood."

"I already tried bandaging it up, it doesn't seem to help for some reason," Akio sighed.

Hitomi gestured toward the two men, "Come on, less talking and more running. We have wasted plenty of time here already."

Although she had already managed to drum up some of her old self again, Souji's words still resounded clearly in her ears... "Marasaki-sensei, are you alright?"

She had thought he didn't give a fig about her, never listening to her scoldings nor her advice... But he seemed different now, in that he had not once, but twice demonstrated genuine concern for her. With all the other chaos around them, however, this could not fully sink into her mind.

"Right," Tomoki nodded and started to lead the group toward the east gate, upon turning the last corner they discovered that a large crowd of students were already desperately trying to pull the gate open, but with little success. Their yells and cries, however, were attracting the things which had already gotten through the other gates, making their slow approach toward the group of panic-stricken students.
 
Souji nodded when she reassured him she was ok. Her sudden recovery made him think he just made a big fool of himself and he was glad he didn't had the time to dwell in it. He noticed he was letting to much of his feelings for her out, and it was time for him to pull back and just act like usually, even in those unusual circumstances. He felt Tomoki's hand in his shoulder and fought the sudden wish of twisting his arm until the guy's elbow faced the back of his neck, as much by reflex as by jealousy. It was obvious he would wait for them to go together, it went without saying.

"I know that. And don't touch me again." - he said rather coldly, his bad boy attitude back once again. - "Let's just go. The more we wait here, the more they'll gather." - he said, and then followed Tomoki to the storage shed. He wasn't sure about following the guy's lead, but it was sure better than taking the lead himself. He caught the bat the man handed him, and took a swing, testing it. It had a good grip and packed one hell of a punch. It was enough for him to beat the crap out of those freaks. He admired Hitomi as she handled the improvised staff. He knew she was a martial artist like him, and a great one at that, but seeing the swiftness she could handle her weapon was almost enticing.

He kept quiet as the three teachers talked and ran with them to East gate, concerned when he saw the crowd of students failing in their efforts to pull the gate open. He knew he could easily hop the wall to the other side, but he couldn't just forget about all of those students there. They needed to open that, one way or another. Even more, because he wouldn't, under any circumstances, let Hitomi behind.

"It seems the gate is locked! Is there a key for it, or is it eletronic?" - he asked the faculty members. He really never did pay attention to the school gates until now, and them being closed wasn't good. He could hear the inhuman groans of the creatures approaching them, slow, but steadily. It seemed to have a whole lot more of them wandering around now. - "Anyway, we need to get it open fast, or we're screwed!"
 
"I don't have the key to the gates," Akio winced in pain, apparently bleeding a bit more than before, "I'm... Not in charge of locking up. Most of the teachers with the keys have apparently already been killed when they went to sure up the gates."

"Great," Tomoki rolled his eyes, "Any other ideas?"

"There should be a bolt cutter in the basement," Hitomi replied, swinging her staff around a bit to get a feel for its weight, "Tomoki-kun and Souji-san, stay here with Akio and protect the students while I go get the bolt cutter... I shouldn't be long."

"Hitomi-" Tomoki raised his hand toward her in protest but she just turned and ran back toward the school doors.

"Damn it," her fiance swore, "why doesn't she listen to me at a time like this?"

The now-bloody walls of the school stood around her as she swiftly dashed through the halls, soon encountering a small huddled group of monsters blocking her path. She took a right in order to go around them but met with grasping hands reaching toward her. She slid back and swung a downwards strike, slamming into the lead creature square in the forehead and splitting the skull in half. The ones behind it rushed toward her at a run and she had to hop back two feet in order to give herself ample room to make another swing and knock them away. She then stabbed the fourth one through the chest and tried to push it back... but it kept moving! It grasped the pole and started to pull the pole through itself in an attempt to snap at her hands with its bloody jaws.

"These things... they are already dead, aren't they?" Hitomi's eyes grew wide. The two she had knocked down earlier started to pick themselves back up, backs bending with inhuman contortions. The creatures from the other hallway were getting closer, the stumbling sound of their unstable feet on the tile floor hailing the approach of death.

"If they are dead... Why do they keep moving?"

----

Tomoki grasped her hands in his own, "Hitomi... Would you do me the honor of marrying me?"

"Baka, do you even need to ask?" Hitomi beamed with glee, throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him

----

"I am not going to die here! I refuse! I have a reason to live, no matter what happens. I need to live, not just for myself, but for Tomoki as well!"
 
'That's just great' thought Souji when he heard about the key. That was fucking unbelievable. Why would things get even worse, at a bad time like that? He heard Hitomi's words and looked at her while she dashed off. Protect the students? Did she saw the number of those monsters that were coming their way? He and Tomoki wouldn't be able to do anything against it. But the worst part was that her fianceé simply accepted it and stood there while she ran off into the school that now was crawling with those creatures. How could he? If she was his fiancee he would never let her go like that. To hell with him, he wouldn't let her go anyway. - "You heard her! Protect the students!" - he shouted to Tomoki, and rushed to the school, behind her.

She was already out of his sight, but he knew she would take the shortest way to the basement, and followed through it. He caught up just in time to see her pierce one of those things through the heart, and it keep moving, as if he couldn't even feel it. He heard her statement, and finally understood it. They were indeed dead. The dead were rising from their slumber and bitting the live to kill them. Science fiction knowledge quickly kicked in and he imagined those bitten would probably become one of the damned. - "Shit" - he muttered beneath his breath without the time to be shocked, and sprinted towards them swinging his bat from above and hitting the monster on the top of the head - "Get away from her!" - He shouted at the moving corpse before hearing the crack of its skull and the smashing sound of his brain, while it was still impaled by Hitomi's pole. - "Marasaki-sensei! Don't run off alone like that!" - he said, sounding a little more angry and worried then he planned to. - "We have to be careful! If you die here, we end up without the bolt cutter!" - he quickly added, trying to disguise the feelings behind his voice. Truth was, he couldn't care less about the damned bolt cutter. He sidestepped and swung the bat again, hitting one of the two that were getting up, smashing his head against the wall, and letting the other one for her. - "I'll go with you..." - he finished, looking at her.

He was about to resume their way to the basement when a scream above them took his attention. He knew the voice. It was Yamada Kirino, the class representative of Class 2A, his class and one of the homeroom students of Hitomi. - "Help! Help me! Somebody!" - she cried, despairingly. - "Fuck!" - he froze trying to decide what to do. The way to the basement was probably safer then the one to the second floor, were the scream for help came from, or at least he hoped so. He tried to tell himself it didn't mattered, but couldn't convince himself. He couldn't.

"Shit, Shit! Ok, go to the basement! I'll catch up with you on the gate!" - He told her, and ran up the stairs, hitting on dead student in the head with the bat, a trailing of blood spilling to the wall. Two more stood in his way. He gritted his teeth. - "You fuckers want me?! Come and get me!" - he challenged, and spun his bat around preparing for the fight.

---

[OoC] Sorry about the delay, I was having Dinner. ^^ What are you thinking of the RP so far? Is it to your liking? Also, Souji is kind of cursing a lot. Do you mind cursing?
 
(I like the pacing, which is fast but not too fast if you know what I mean. Na, I don't mind the swearing, as Tomoki isn't exactly clean either and it adds to the seriousness of the mood. Who wouldn't swear when there are "zombies" all around the place?! Just reserve it for the more intense moments, or it will loose its effect is all that I ask.)

Hitomi thanked him silently and jumped down steps leading toward the basement. Thankfully, there were not too many more of them in her way and they were mostly alone or in pairs. She slid down the last flight of stairs and rushed to the still-locked basement door. She fiddled with the lock for a moment, glad that she had the key for it, and burst through the door. She stepped over the various welding equipment and power tools until she reached the electric grinder, which thankfully had a portable battery pack still charged and ready to go. She grabbed it in her left hand and ran back up the steps, rushing past the corpses which were already starting to recover and stand up, except for the ones whose heads were severed or destroyed.

"Interesting..."

Hitomi mused, taking her attention off her path for half a second as a creature reached out from a classroom door and grasped her collar. In horror she turned and recognized a girl from one of her classes, a foreign exchange student with long blonde hair. Her once beautiful blue eyes now cold and lifeless, reaching with her neck extended to bite Hitomi's shoulder. She quickly switched on the grinder, and without a second thought sliced right through the girl's head, leaving her decapitated form to sink to the floor, the cold blood spurted all over Hitomi's gym suit. Without pause she dashed down out of the school doors and headed toward the gate, where Tomoki was surrounded by flexing corpses that he had knocked away. SEveral other armed students stood beside him, brandishing whatever they could find available.

As she approached, Tomoki looked up and smiled. Akio's form suddenly stood up behind him, his eyes dim. Without even hesitating a moment, Hitomi thrust her staff up, nailing Akio dead in the center of his face and breaking through, spraying the horrified students with a fine red mist. She sank to her knees, out of breath as she wordlessly handed Tomoki the grinder, and he quickly went to work cutting the lock off the gate.
 
Souji Did a stabbing move with the bat knocking back one of the corpses, and easily dodged the other, as he ran up the stairs. It was way better than taking the time to kill them. They were slow and clumsy, but strong, so the best way to go was to just knock them and leave them behind. In large numbers, he would be overrun and end up dead, that much he knew. Souji quickly reached the hallway of the second floor, and saw it crowded with those monsters. The screams of the girls inside 2A's classroom was making all of them converge to the place. knowing that made him break in a cold sweat.

He had to enter the classroom, and that would be easy, but leaving it with the group of survivors would probably impossible. His best bet to survive was turn back and get the hell out of there. "HELP, PLEASE, SOMEONE HELP US!" - cried Yamada again. He could feel the sweat on his temple, and his breath ragged on his throat. 'Damnit! What do I do?' he asked himself but already knew the answer. He charged, knocking one of the creatures aside and quickly entering the door, closing it behind him. Inside the room, two girls and one boy were crying desperately. One dead student was running around in circles, trying to catch them. Souji went behind him and swung his bat on the back of its head, knocking it dead.

"Are you three alright?!" - he asked them, but none answered him, only Kiriko threw her arms around him, crying, which made him froze slightly.

"I was so scared... So scaaaared..." - she cried, clinging to him.

"I understand. I understand... But we need to go now. Ok? We need to go, NOW!" - he tried to make them understand but at that exactly moment they heard them banging on the doors, trying to claw their way in. 'There goes our escape route...' though Souji, knowing they were trapped. If things where as he imagined, Marasaki-sensei would've already be at the gate, and they would be opening it. But they had no way to get there. Of course, he could just jump down the window, but those three were stuck there for good.

Souji pushed the teachers desk to block the door, while the other three cried and cursed about their situation. He barricade it with some more chairs and desks, but he knew it wouldn't really hold it. He needed a way to get them down, and fast. He leaned against the poor made barricade and ran his hands through his hair, thinking hard.

"C'mon, take us out of here!" - demanded Emiko, the other girl in the room.

"I can't they blocked off our exit... And I can't fight them all at once..." - Souji tried to explain, and the three of them looked at him as if all of that was his fault.

They stood there for what it seemed to be fifth minutes. The barricade was barely holding and the students he was trying to save were just crying hopelessly. They were doomed, the four of them knew it. Until an idea finally made its way into Souji's head. But he couldn't really do it without help. But they had taken too long, and Souji wasn't sure Hitomi and the others would be waiting for him. One part of him hoped she didn't, so she would be safe. But he went to the window the same way and tried to caught the attention of anyone who could be out there.

It was help with his plan, or certain death.
 
Hitomi didn't know why, but as she pulled the staff from Akio's still form, she felt more than a small amount of remorse. He had been a friend to her ever since she had come to this school, showing her around the grounds and having lunch with her and Tomoki once both of them had settled into the job. The three of them had disagreements in the past, but she never could have guessed that it would turn out like this. She had skewered him, without hesitation, and now sat by his still form. A lonesome tear ran down her cheek as the sounds of Tomoki's grinder screeched in the background.

She looked up back toward the school and over the city... A thin haze of smoke had already started to rise up over it, perhaps from fires in various locations swept up together toward the sky. She almost hoped that they would come this direction, and sweep all this death and desolation away into a blanket of soot and ashes.

Just then, she saw something... It was Souji, on the second floor with two girls and a boy. She pushed herself up back to her feet with the help of her staff and waved back. He had saved her life not once, but twice. He was always being a selfish brat, ignoring others and only serving himself... and yet, there he was, throwing in his lot with his classmates that she had thought he despised. There was clearly more to him than met the eye.

Figuring that they were stuck, she quickly looked around to find something to help them get out the window, but nothing nearby seemed feasible. There was a light pole a short ways off which was used to light the back part of the school, but without the grinder there was no way for her to even put a scratch into it. She looked up toward the window to see if Souji could offer any guidance.
 
She was there. He could see her waving back at him and felt a wave of relief to see her well and still there to help him. With her help, He could get them out of there. He beckoned her close to the window, and then quickly pulled the curtains off the window, tying all of them up together. He worked quickly as the others observed them. He could hear the horde of dead people banging against his feeble barricade that was almost giving in.

After he finished with the curtains, he took off his belt, and gave to Kirino, and quickly collect the belt of the student he just put down, giving it to Emiko. - "You, take off your own belt!" - he said and tied the curtain in the one of the desks, pressing it hard against the wall beneath the window. He then threw the other end of the curtain-like-rope to his Hitomi on the yard, so she could grab it. and stretch it, making a way for them to go down. - "Now, the three of you, use the belt to slide down! GO! GO!" - he hurried them, worried as his barricade gave in.

He saw them go down one by one, as he kept the desk steady so they could get down. Kiriko went first, and then Emiko. Yukihito, the boy was still getting on the rope like curtain when the barricade finally gave in and the horde entered the room, and to make things worse he was hesitating. - "C'mon, go already!" - he shouted, preparing his bat so he could fight. It was too much of them for him to handle by hilself, and he felt the cold hand of fear gripping at his gut.
 
Hitomi helped the last of the students down the escape rope, just upon hearing a shattering sound as they broke through the wooden desk and scrambled towards Souji, jaws at the ready and hands grasping. She instantly realized that it was too late to save him, but even then she knew she had to try. She tossed aside her staff and rubbed her hands together before dashing toward the side of the school, wall-kicking off of it, she turned mid-air and grasped at the flagpole that hung directly beside the open window where Soiji was fighting for his life.

She barely caught it with one hand, using her momentum to swing herself up onto the window frame and reached in, grasping Souji with her arms under his shoulders and pulling him back towards the window, just before they were able to snag him. However, as she pulled him out, her backward force sent the two of them hurtling towards the cement below... Her eyes closed, her nose breathing in the fragrant scent of his hair as she fell toward the ground....

She heard a loud grunt as arms enveloped the both of them, instantly recognizing the familiar touch of Tomoki. Hitomi's eyes snapped open, seeing herself holding Souji while she herself was held by her fiance who was cringing in pain. She quickly jumped off him, but the damage was already done. Hey lay clutching his leg, which seemed to have been strained from the sudden weight.

"Dear, are you-" she began

"Shut up, it hurts like hell... what where you thinking, pulling a stunt like that?!" Tomoki snapped.

"I'm... I'm sorry but-"

"But what, exactly?!" Tomoki managed to stand up, but limped as he walked, "We need to get out of here, five minutes ago! The gates are open and a group already left lead by some of the remaining faculty. They wouldn't wait for us."

Hitomi nodded, walking by Tomoki and helping him walk a bit faster, "Lets go, everyone."

With that, they all headed toward the gate and out into the surrounding town... a town filled with the dead.

-- end of chapter 1 --

Survivor Count: 6

Souji (delinquent, brawler/tank class)

Hitomi (teacher, support/rouge class)

Tomoki (teacher, leader/swordsman class)

Yamada (class president, civilian class)

Emiko (classmate, civilian class)

Yukihito (classmate, civilian class)

Chapter 2: Refuge from the Dead
 
Souji swung the bat one, two, three times, and three undead beasts hit the ground as he backed away trying to get some space. It was too much for him. One of the beasts lunged for him and Souji parried the movement with his bat avoiding a bit by just an inch. He wasn't strong enough to support the entire weight of the monster and fell on his back, losing the bat. Souji crawled back, kicking the ground as fast as he could, trying to make some distance before getting up. As soon as he did, two more of them charged at him, and he knew everything was over...

And suddenly someone pulled him, and he felt himself flying. Falling would probably be a better description, but it felt like flying. He could feel the faint scent of perfume, and a soft body tightly wrapping around him, making him feel as safe as he could in that situation, until they hit the ground, someone breaking their fall. It didn't prevent him from complete harm, as the delinquent hit his left elbow against the ground full force, letting out a painful shriek. He quickly rolled off of them, shaking his head as he tried to recover from the fall. His elbow hurt like hell, and he supported it with his right hand. It was swelling, he could feel, but it didn't seemed to be broken. Just what the hell was Hitomi thinking? He heard Tomoki lecturing her for what she had done, and quickly came to his aid.

"Yeah! Are you out of your mind?! What the hell are you thinking, trying something like that?" - Truth was he was happy she did it for him. He surely was, but more than that he was angry she just put herself in danger like that. He wanted to thank her. He wanted to hug her tightly and thank her for it, but he couldn't - "I could've handled it! Next time don't go acting all on your own and doing meaningless stuff!" - he said, completely dishonest with himself. He knew he would be dead if it was not for her.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, the sensation of her body against his still lingered, strong.

Souji sighed, watching the last of ther exchange and thought about helping her support Tomoki, but decided against it. They would need someone to fight those things on their way, and the other three were all but useless in that matter. With Tomoki hurt and Hitomi helping him, he was the only one that could fight. He nodded to Hitomi and followed the others out to the dead town...

Chapter 2: Refuge from the Dead

Souji walked ahead of them, still grabbing his wounded arm with the good one, pain radiating from the elbow to the rest of his body. He took a good look around once out of the school's yard. The street was in no better condition than inside it. The dead roamed around but they were fewer in numbers out there, more spreaded making it easier for them to make their way through.

He heard Emiko and Kiriko groan upon seeing more of those dead bodies, but paid little attention to it. They were fine and could run if needed. His concern laid in Tomoki who couldn't run and Hitomi, who was supporting him. One of the creatures noticed them and made its way to them. Souji quietly kicked its knee, breaking it. The monster did not seemed to care, but his body fell anyway, no bone to support it. The next Kick came straight to the neck, smashing the throat against a "Stop" sign in the street, the bone cracking inside his body. Souji groaned in pain as he did, holding his arm tightier.

It didn't take long for them to get to the first intersection, and all directions seemed to have the same fate waiting for them. They just needed to decide where to go from there.

"So... We got out of there, but... What do we do now? Do we have somewhere to go?" - he asked Tomoki, assuming the guy was the leader, even if he didn't liked it. - "We don't have a car or anything and I don't think we'll get very far like this..."
 
"I'm sorry but-"

"But what, exactly?!"

"Yeah! Are you out of your mind?! What the hell are you thinking, trying something like that? I could've handled it! Next time don't go acting all on your own and doing meaningless stuff!"

Hitomi wondered "Is it so wrong for me to want to save everyone I can, even if I get hurt in the process?"

"Who is Souji to me? A troubling student who has shown a surprising capasity for valor and concern for others..."

"Nothing more... But why did I... Why do I... Feel protective of him?"

Hitomi looked away from Souji, feeling more than a little ashamed of herself for her actions. She would have died from the impact, her body enfolding his and shielding him from the fall. And yet, she had felt so determined to meet his ambition with her own that she had failed to step back and consider the consequences. She could not look into either of their eyes, for she knew they were right. Why had she done it? Why was the scent of his hair, and the warmth of his back still lingering in her mind? A tiny part of her wanted to lean on Souji, let him hold her up in a way that Tomoki would not, but at the moment she felt terribly alone... Alone in this small group of six survivors.

"We should head towards our house," Tomoki replied, standing on his own and resting his bokken on his shoulder for a bit as they stopped for a short while. Hitomi still held onto her pole, but it hung loosely in her fingers and without much strength before she planted it firmly by her side and used it to help support her weight a bit more firmly. The constant stress and need to support most of her fiancé's weight as well as bat away the occasional thing that walked by was having a heavy toll on her endurance.

Hitomi chimed in with a weary tone, "We might just be able to make it there, plus the tall privacy fence and iron gate out front should give us some protection."

"Exactly," Tomoki nodded, pointing off to the right, down a winding road that drifted a bit closer to the center of town. "It should be just a few more miles that direction."

As they proceeded down the path he had indicated, the sun was already starting to fall from the sky, casting long ominous shadows across them from the houses and other buildings. The scent of death hung like a thick tapestry of gloom above them, the intensity alone causing Hitomi to cringe. Suddenly, an ice cream truck's tune croaked to life and the distinct sound of an engine strugglign to start up reached her ears. The sound grew steadily as it grew closer and closer, perhaps even increasing in speed as it went. The truck swerved into the road where the survivers were walking, heading right toward them without hessitation.

The three students quickly dove out of he way. Hitomi shoved Tomoki to the side and swirled her staff in her hands, leaping up onto its hood. The driver panicked and swerved left and right, trying to throw her off, but she simply ran along the top of it and jumped off the back. The truck slammed into a traffic light and let out a loud hissing sound, the driver tumbling out a short while later. He had shoulder length hair and a thick, torn sweater thrown about his shoulders and rough-looking faded jeans. His wild eyes scanned them, his fists curled in rage.

"What the hell, girly?" the man swore, "Stay out of my damn way! I'm getting out of this freak town but it seems like every person I run into is either one of those things or half out of their minds!"

"We are just trying to find shelter," Tomoki spoke up calmly, upon noticing that the man had both a gun and a knife stuffed into his belt, "I'm sorry about your truck, but we were just trying not to get run over."

"I wasn't talking to you!" the man waved his hand at Tomoki, "She's the one who pulled that crazy stunt!"

"I'm sorry," Hitomi sighed, "Come on, lets go..."

The man reached out and grasped her arm firmly, "Wait a minute-"

"Let me go!" Hitomi swung her leg, catching the man clean behind his knees and dropping him to the ground.

"Oi, I said wait..." the man drew out his pistol, aiming it directly at Hitomi's chest, whereupon she instantly froze, "Let me come with you... Please."

He made an effort to smile, but it came out more like a snarl.

Tomoki dove toward the man, swinging his bokken and knocking the gun away from Hitomi, "Get the hell away from her, freak!"

The man backed away and pointed the gun directly at Tomoki's head, his finger firmly poised and ready to fire. In Hitomi's mind at least, there was no doubt that he would kill her fiance right there and then if someone didn't act.

"Darling, NO!" Hitomi cried in anguish.

(cue theme song, lol)
 
Souji sighed heavily, scratching the base of his nose. - "Your house? Seems good to me... Let's just hurry..." - He said, supporting his left arm with his right hand. 'Mine have guns. Lots of them, in fact, but its probably the farther away from here... And I get to see sensei's house, anyway...' he thought stupidly. He almost smirked at his own stupidity for thinking something like that.

He walked beside Hitomi, and as he watched her, he could tell she was tiring at a quick pace, having to almost pull all of Tomoki's weight by herself. He had to take care of them, and the other three could barely pull their own weight as it was. They walked along the road for what seemed to be ages, while the sun set in the horizon, and shadows crept from behind every possible place. Not a good time for being out on the streets with everything that was going on.

He was too caught up in his thoughts about what doing next, that he only noticed the truck when it was almost too late. He had to literaly throw himself out of the way, hitting a nearby wall in the process. But while in the air, he had to admire Hitomi's maneuver. It was something that came out of a movie, or anime, as she run through a speeding truck, landing safely on the other side. It was just as amazing as it was reckless. Something beautiful to witness, for sure. She was landing on the ground by the time he hit his head against the wall, getting dizzy with the sudden pain.

He saw the truck hitting the trafic light pole, but was too dizzy to really understand what was going on. He could feel blood running down his temple to his cheek, and shook his head trying to get rid of the dizziness. He did midway their argument, and he saw as the guy pointed his gun at Hitomi. His blood froze in his veins as he saw that, but he could hear the cry of terror of Kirino and Emiko. He wouldn't make it in time to help her, and that almost made him paralyzed. He throw himself at their direction, but luckly he saw Tomoki interveine and become the target himself. With his beloved teacher out of danger, Souji's blood went from froze to boiling point in a single instant. He would kill that guy, he would tear that man apart for threatning her with a gun.

The man was pulling the trigger. Tomoki was dead. Would be, if Souji failed anyway. He could not risk hit the weapon, because the shot could then hurt Hitomi or one of the others. He had to act quickly. Souji touched the weapon and flicked his wrist, but the man pulled away before he could grab the gun, and quickly shoved him aside, turning his aim at him. Souji took a step back, clenching his fists.

"Ha! You're dead you fucking brat! - the man shouted and squeezed the trigger slowly, ready to blow the boy's head off, in a moment that seemed an eternity. But the trigger jammed halfway through. The strange looked at the gun, confused. - "Wha..? What the hell?"

"Yeah... I put the safety on for you, you son of a bitch!" - he snarled back at the man, grabbing the gun with his wounded arm, and punching the man's elbow from below, cracking his bone. He let go of the gun, and Souji used it as a hammer, bringing it down on his forehead, blood spilling from the wound that gashed open. - "DON'T YOU EVER THREAT HER AGAIN!" - he shouted, kicking the man on the chest and knocking him back as he screamed and cried in pain. He could feel the stare of his terrified classmates behind him. - "YOU HEAR ME?! EVER!" - He shouted, kneeling on the man's chest so he couldn't move, punching him again and again with his good arm. Blood flowing from the man's mouth and nose. Three more punches and the man was out cold. Souji backed away from him, breathing heavily.

"Shit... Are you ok, Marasaki-sensei?" - he asked her, a little bit cooler then a moment before. It took him a lot of will power not to keep hitting the guy but it was better that way. He took a look at the gun, impressed to see a Beretta 92FS. He could handle it with ease, but wasn't sure his teachers would like him handling a gun, although he doubted one of them would know how to use it.

"Here..." - he offered Tomoki. - "Do you want it?" [/i]
 
"S-souji-kun?" Hitomi's eyes shifted between the man on the ground and her student which had not simply defended her fiance but beaten the man bloody, "I... I'm fine..."

Like heck she was fine. By now anyone could tell that the social structure was clearly spiraling out of control, themselves drawn along with it.

"Thanks, Souji-kun," Tomoki accepted the gun with a thankful nod, "I was hoping you would back me up."

He gasped as his leg started to throb again, the sudden and aggressive use prompting it to cramp. Hitomi finally snapped back and helped hold him up again, while the other man lay motionless upon the road. She looked over at Souji for a brief moment, half with wonder as to how efficiently and brutally he had beaten the man half with thankfulness for saving Tomoki's life.

He was different from what she could have imagined, not just a punk with a taste for breaking rules and skipping classes without giving a thought to other people. He had a drive, one could say he was compelled even, to every thing that he did or said... That much she knew. Was it the situation that drew his true form to light, or was he changing, adapting to the situation as he needed to? Hitomi couldn't say for sure, but the more she thought about it the more it worried her.

What about herself? Was she so much different?

A cold shiver ran down her spine but she forced herself to trudge on regardless... leaving the unconscious man to the arms of fate.

----

About an hour later, they approached the gates of Tomoki and Hitomi's house. As she had said, it sported wide hardwood doors and a tall, thick privacy wall that ran around the parameter of the house. Unless the dead found some way of flying, they would be hard pressed to get inside... at least in the numbers in which they now had.

Hitomi edged Tomoki toward the control pannel, and he quickly pulled out his ID card and scanned it through the pad. There was a low groaning sound and the wooden doors slowly turned on their hinges, revealing a reasonably cozy traditional-looking house nestled beside tall trees.

"Get inside quickly the doors close by themselves," Hitomi informed them as she led them to the front door and into the livingroom. She set Tomoki down on the couch and propped up his leg to help ease the swelling then hurried about the house turning on some lights.

It had a simple interior, based off a more western pattern than one would think from its exterior appearance, with a dining table and chairs in the kitchen across from the living room, a guest room down the hall, and the master bedroom upstairs.

"We haven't officially moved in yet," Tomoki explained the lack of much furniture other than the couches and tables, "but try to relax and make yourselves at home. There shouldn't be any of them in here."

Hitomi walked back into the living room, having taken off her blood-soaked shirt and set it to rince in the kitchen sink. She sat down beside Tomoki's head and began running her hands through his hair, smiling.

"H-hitomi!" Tomoki protested, nearly banging his injured foot against the arm of the couch in the process upon seeing his fiance without her shirt on, "What the devil are you doing?"

"Its alright, isn't it?" Hitomi pressed her bra-bound breasts up slightly with her arms in a flirtatious manner.

"Like heck it is!"

"I don't have any other shirts here... We had not moved in our clothes yet, remember?"

"Just wear mine then!"

Hitomi burst out laughing, tears of held in stress rolling down her cheeks as she struggled to keep a hold of herself.
 
Souji looked at Tomoki and nodded slightly. - "Well I wouldn't just let you get shot now, would I?" - he answered as he handed the gun to his teacher. As expected, it looked as clumsy on his hands as it would have been in the hands of a gorilla. That gun would probably be much more helpful on his own hands, but he wasn't about to make a fuss about it. He was just glad Hitomi was fine, even though he could see she was looking at him strangely, the same being true about his classmates. Well he did brutally beated an armed man halfway to death, but hey, he didn't have much of a choice, did he?

He spent the rest of the walk in silence, contemplating how quickly the situation was degrading. Soon enough, if things did not change, public services like water, light and the rest of the package would end, and anarchy would prevail. Each man for themselves, the true face of the human being finally showing after the cracking in their masks of civility. He hoped things wouldn't go down that way but so far he did not have his hopes up. He had to be ready for whatever that crazy world could throw at him.

They were at their house before he could even noticed, so lost he was in his thoughts. It had been a while since the last walking dead crossed paths with them, so it seemed they were safe, at least for the time being. He followed everybody inside the house, taking little time to admire its decoration. It was a fine house, secure, and would be as good as any other for them to spend the night. Souji knew they had to plan a next step soon, but decided to let the group rest first.

He watched as Hitomi put Tomoki on the sofa and went inside, turning on some lights. Emiko and Kirino sat in a sofa, side by side, and hand in hand, like the close friends they were. Yukihito seemed exhausted and sat on the floor, leaning against the wall, probably too adicted to video games to be able to run or walk to much in a single day. Souji, on his end, looked around the room, worrying about everything. The house was new and barely furnished, so he worried if they would have something to it in there. Hunger would set in eventually.

He gasped when he finally saw Hitomi get back from the kitchen clad only with his black, extremelly sexy bra. Yukihito blushed just as heavily as Souji and both of them had their eyes glued on her amazing body. Souji tried to look away, flustered but was unable to hold that much longer without taking a peek, while the couple argued about her clothing. Even the two girls blushed, not understanding her action. Then she started laughing and Souji understood she was finally losing it. All the stress, the fear, the shock, the terror, all setting in at once. She was a strong woman, probably the strongest he had ever seen, but still that was a lot to take in.

Souji wouldn't know how to explain what he did next, but some strange power overcame him, forcing him to walk to Hitomi, and tightly embrace her from behind, his arms enlacing her upper body. - "It's alright. You're safe. We're all safe. It's ok now..." - he didn't explained if it was ok to cry or to simply let the fear go. He knew it was strange, him embracing an older woman, his teacher, in front of her fiancee when she was half naked, but at that moment, he didn't care. - "You don't have to worry about anything, ok? I'll take care of everything..." - he stated, his voice full of a confidence he didn't really felt.

He stood there for as long as she allowed her, realizing that they needed a little normality, if they were to keep a hold of themselves. He let go of her, flustered - "Why don't you take the girls for a bath, Marasaki-sensei? The house has an ofuro, right?" - he said, knowing they would probably liked the idea. I'll see if I can get us anything to eat..." - He said and made his way to the kitchen, hoping to find something he could cook in there.

After that moment, he felt really stupid for embracing her like that. He had to be more aware of how much he was showing of his feelings.
 
As Hitomi felt Souji's arms go around her, she recalled the fragrant scent of his hair and the firm tension of his arms as he held her, comforting her, telling her that she did not need to hold all of it squarely on her own shoulders. She could feel the sincerity and the concern in his tone, the strength of which dabbed away her tears and calmed her. She had often believed that she did not need any one else's support, but in times such as these even her resolve had begun to crumble under the mental and physical strain.

"T-thank you," Hitomi stuttered, a bit shocked but nonetheless appreciative of the sudden gesture while a hint of redness kissed her cheeks.

Tomoki merely shot the boy a poisoned glare, deciding against speaking his mind.

"Yes," Hitomi pulled away from the embrace in a polite manner as she stood and turned to the two girls, "I will fill the bath if you will give me a few minutes. I'm sure you would like to spend some time relaxing rather than dwelling on what is past."

She took the two younger girl's hands and led them to the bathroom with her, making sure to hand them towels before heading down the hall. She turned the knobs on the large faucet that fed into the large square bath and ran her fingers through it to determine the temperature...

"Marasaki-sensei?!" Emiko grabbed Hitomi's shoulder and shook her a bit, the water had nearly overflown the edges of the bath by the time she had regained her attention. The two girls behind her exchanged concerned glances and helped her undress and step into the warm, soothing waters.

"I'm sorry, I suppose I must have just spaced out there," Hitomi laughed, "I usually take cold baths, they say it is good for the circulation."

"They do?" Kirino blinked.

"At least it helps me be awake and alert in the morning, that much is certain," Hitomi replied, reaching for the body soap.

Emiko handed the soap to Hitomi, and figured it would be best to make conversation rather than dwelling on their concerns, "So, when did you decide to become a teacher?"

"Well, I originally wanted to be an athlete like my mother and father were," Hitomi shrugged, "but it turns out that by the time I graduated I was much too old to start training so I decided to try for the next best thing. Besides, I like being able to meet all you young people."

"Plus the boys," Emiko blew some bubbles in the water.

"Why of course," Hitomi struck a pose and laughed.

------

"There are some canned goods, bread, and some snacks in the pantry," Tomoki said to Souji, "Make yourself useful and put something together for us if you can."

He leaned forward slightly, propping himself up with his elbows while peering over the back of the couch, "So, I presume it that you have taken a likening to my future wife, correct?"

"I understand what a boy of your age might see in her," Tomoki nodded with a somewhat condescending smile, "but let me tell you straight that unless you get past your reluctance to make yourself heard you won't be getting anywhere with girls... Least of all someone like Marasaki-sensei."

"She's the sort of person that thinks things over a lot, but she doesn't come to any complete decisions about things without concrete evidence," Tomoki continued, "She's been worried about you for quite some time now, she often talks about you when she gets back from work. She seems to think you have a lot of potential, but was afraid that you might not actualize it since you didn't put yourself out there. Girls can see that sort of thing, after all."

"Just let me make this clear," Tomoki glanced back over at the boy, "Don't you dare even think about pulling something like that again like you just did a short while ago. She doesn't need anything else messing with her head than she already does, and... face it, if I wasn't stuck here on this couch I would probably be beating your face in right now like you did to that other fellow."

"...Just so we understand each other," he said with a cough as re went back to reclining on the couch.
 
Souji groaned when Tomoki told him to "make himself useful". Yes, that coming from the guy who only merit so far was being an oversized cushion. Great help he was. He took a look on the pantry and as he were told, he found what was supposed to be in there. He took the can opener and was in the middle of opening the first one when the teacher resumed his talking. Souji listened to it intently but make sure he did not let the Tomoki notice he had his attention. Halfway across the lecture though, Souji was already pissed off with him, and trying his best not to jump on him and choke him to death.

The nerve! When he finally finished, with a threat nonetheless, Souji spun on his heels, glaring at him. He thought he would just say all of that and then lay down in the couch like that? - "You?... Beat me? Yeah, keep dreaming you moron... Try it and you'll be the one who'll get beaten halfway to death." - he snapped at him in a scornful tone. - "And what the hell do you think you know about what I feel, anyway? All I did was help her when you were letting her break down. If I didn't she would be freaking out about now. If you don't want me doing your job for you, then man up and do it yourself asshole." - he continued, walking to the couch where Tomoki rested. - "One more thing. Talk to me like that again and I'll kick you teeth in... Just so we understand each other." - he finished, staring seriously at her fiancee, no hint of fear in his youthful brownish eyes.

Yukihito looked at them, panicking. The boy always was kind of nerdy and coward and violence would always make him sick. Even more when among people he knew. - "W-wait a moment, you two. Don't fight!" - he stuttered, nervously. - "P-please! T-Things are already b-bad enough as it is! If you fight... you'll only hurt Marasaki-sensei."

Souji took a look at him and sighed, knowing he was right, and backed off, once again going to the kitchen, and started working in silence. Yukihito seemed relieved by it, and quickly started a conversation with Tomoki. Souji saw they had canned sausage, canned corn, canned peas, pepper, ketchup and bread. He decided hot dogs would be the best choice with what they had, and quickly worked on it, still venting his frustation over the discussion with Tomoki. 'He can't understand shit... About what I feel about her... About the way she makes me feel...' he thought, while remembering her soft skin as he embraced her. The rose tint of his cheeks when he let her go. Everything about her was just... tantalizing. He knew she belong to Tomoki, that being the reason he hated the guy's guts, even thougt Souji knew he wasn't all that bad. She was untouchable. She was just a dream.

He finished the hot dogs right before he heard the girls leaving the bathroom, and made his way to the living room. He knew he need a bath too. He could feel the blood dry in his face and temple where hi hit the wall, his bloodied hair clinging to his face, not to mention the overall sweat of the constant running and fighting. He blushed slightly when he saw her again, and averted his eyes. - "Dinner is ready." - he announced, making his way to the dinning table. His head was throbbing now, and the pain in his elbow only getting worse.

Souji waited for everyone to help themselves with the food and then did the same. It wasn't the best hot dog ever, but it was tasty enough. If he had real ingredients, they would be having a feast by then. He had put juice in the table, but stole for him one of Tomoki's beers he found at the fridge. The first reason was he liked it. The second one because he hoped it would piss him off a little. He opened the beer can, and took a sip, only then noticing an old radio that stood there, next to the table. He got up silently and turned it on, swiftly roaming through the frequences until he found one.

"...we advise any remaining survivors to stay inside until help comes. We repeat, staying inside is advised, as the streets are not safe. The Police and the Army are making their best effort to contain the epidemic. For those who are stranded and can reach it, the Town hall is secured by SAT forces and can offer shelter food and protection. For those who can't, we advise..."

And so on and so on. That was the only messaging repeating itself in all radio stations. He hoped television news had better insight on it, but he hadn't seen any on the house. He sighed as he turned off the radio and sat quietly on the table, resuming his dinner. It didn't seem things could get any worse...
 
"A boy who wants to be a man," Tomoki mused, "Start by recognizing your own limits instead of acting like you have all the answers, kid."

Of course he realized what he should have done, and it irked him to no end that the boy had beaten him to the punch not once, but twice now. He was never one to be quick on the uptake, often relying too much on careful consideration of a situation before moving to act... hence missing opportunities. It was one of his shortcomings that made it difficult to compete with others when time was of the essence, and something that made the boy somewhat of a threat to him.

By then, Yukihito was protesting against the outbreak of violence, apparently not realizing that both of them were mostly just trying to intimidate the other rather than actually resorting to blows. They both knew that they were hardly in any shape to fight among themselves... If they couldn't even trust each other, then their circumstances would be even more grim.

Yukihito and Tomoki apparently shared a common interest in politics, and the two of them sparked up possible reactions and/or solutions to the current dilemma, using terms no one else in the house seemed to know. While the two of them chatted on in a civil manner, the girls stepped out of the bath. Hitomi was the only one out of the three of them in a bathrobe, the other two having simply put back on their school uniforms after drying themselves off.

"Thank you, Souji-kun," Hitomi smiled at him gently in return to his announcement, but his averted eyes never met her face. She watched him make a beeline to the bath, and let out a barely audible sigh.

"I wanted us to all eat together, too."

"Marasaki-sensei?" Emiko tugged at her sleeve.

"Alright," Hitomi nodded and joined the others at the table, visibly pleased when Souji filed back in to join them before flipping on the radio.

"Itadakimasu," Tomoki folded his hands briefly before digging into the food, Yukihito having somehow managed to help the much larger man to the table.

"Itadakimasu!" Emiko and Kirino began to eat as well, albeit in a slightly more refined manner as the boys did. They were famished, sure, but they still retained an air of femininity.

"Itadakimasu," Hitomi picked up a hot dog and gingerly placed it between her lips, "Darling, will you be having a bath after supper?"

"I suppose," Tomoki shrugged, "We probably won't be getting an opportunity like this again in a while... Would you help me with that?"

"Of course not," Hitomi smiled, "Until death do us part."

"Wait, we aren't staying here?" Emiko blinked.

"We can't, we hardly have enough food here for this many people to last us even three days," Tomoki replied, "We should leave as soon as we are all well enough to fight again."

"Where else can we go?" Kirino protested, "surely you are not suggesting that we have a better chance out there than in here."

"Beats starving," Tomoki pointed out, "Besides, in the numbers of them that were out today it shouldn't be that hard to make our way to Town Hall. As the radio mentions, they are gathering supplies and providing protection there. Its only twenty miles north of here."

"Twenty miles?" Hitomi turned to her fiance, "That's at least one full day's walk."

"We better hope we can recover before things get worse here then," Tomoki replied, "Its the only hope we have."

Unfortunately for them, things were about to get much, much worse... and probably sooner than they expected them to.
 
Souji ate in silence, paying close attention to their discussion. It was true Tomoki had a good point. He already realized they wouldn't be able to stay inside that house for long, but the boy wasn't so sure they could get to Town Hall safely. He spent some time considering if he did want to share his concerns with the rest of the group, who seemed to take that situation too lightly.

The delinquent patiently waited for their discussion, having finished his meal some time ago, before everyone before he spoke up. - "For someone who wants to take the lead of the group, you really do suck at it, sensei..." - he told Tomoki, angry about him asking Hitomi to help with bath but disguising it as simple bad boy's disrespect. - "I don't want to be the one to crush your hopes, but if we try to leave this place before food runs out, you're all screwed. I can handle my own, but the rest of you morons will all be dead in hours..." - he didn't want to say it like that, to include her in it as well, but couldn't control himself.

"Wha.. What are you saying! Don't talk like that!" - Kirino shouted rather distressed by his comment - "You're just a delinquent! What do you know?!" - she added, being backed by Emiko. being around dead corpsed seemed to have eased the fear they had of him.

Souji sighed and partially ignored her. - "It's true." - he looked straight to Tomoki, just so he couldn't see Hitomi. He was affraid the expression she could have on her face. - "Mainly because of you. You're a hindrance, and if you come with us to the town hall you'll kill them all." - he made sure not to include himself in it. As if he was immortal. He couldn't believe he could be killed by those things. He was too fast, too strong, too smart.

"Shut up! Don't talk to sensei like that!" - Kirino interrupted again, tears forming in her eyes. He was scaring her. He didn't meant to. Not completely anyway. Yukihito and Emiko were protesting with her.

He waited for all of them to say whatever they wanted about what he said. He was ready for shouts, insults, slaps or even a punch or two. He got up at that point and walked to the counter where Tomoki had left the gun, taking it. He saw all of them freeze on their chairs. - "Did you all finished? Good. Like I said, going straight to the Town Hall, on foot, will get you morons killed. If you're all as dumb as I think you are maybe one of you could even bring me down with you. And as much as I would love to cook your sorry teacher's ass and serve you on a silver tray to those dead beasts to feast, I know I won't be allowed to..." - He did not know exactly why he said that to Tomoki, knewing it would hurt Hitomi. Maybe he wanted to hurt her for being with the guy. It wasn't true, as he knew he wouldn't be capable of that, but the rest of them didn't share the knowledge. And him having the gun in his hand was hinting to a tragedy. He sat down in his place again, in the oposing side of the table of Tomoki.

"What I do know is, I agree with your prediction partially. It will be easy at first, even on foot, but as we get close to the Town Hall, we'll also get closer to the more populated part of the town, and that means more zombies around us, not to mention that with the commotion of the whole city trying to go there, they'll attract even more...." - he couldn't know why no one else had thought of that. He cocked the weapon, a bullet being spit from it, only to land on his hand. He took the clip off as well.

"My house is closer. Maybe half a day's walk, with you in your condition." - he added. Then he made a quick movement and the gun broke down, as he started to split it piece by piece. - "It's secure, have plenty of food and my dad's Jeep in the garage. Military Jeep, with plenty of space for everyone. It would be faster and safer to reach anywhere with it. We can stay there for a while and see how the situation evolves..." - he added, the gun completely dismantled in seconds. He carefully started to clean it as it clearly needed maintenance. - "Of course, clothes for all of us would obviously be a plus..." - He kept quiet about the guns. His father's arsenal should remain a secret for the time being.

"And I advise, with you plan on leading the way, to start thinking before taking any action, sensei." - he finished, staring directly at Tomoki. - "Just blindly follow the radio, and you'll all be dead for certain..."
 
Hitomi and Tomoki remained patient and silent, their stolid faces perhaps serving as more of a rebuke than anything they could have possibly said to him while at the same time retaining a surprising sense of maturity despite the boy's blatant lack of respect. As soon as he finished, Tomoki merely shrugged, "Well, you see-"

Before he could speak another word Hitomi slammed her hands down on the table, making all the plates jump a few millimeters as she stood and walked over to Souji's chair and raised her right hand, slapping him clean across his face. At the corners of her eyes were pools of tears that refused to overflow and run down her cheeks.

"Souji, did you even stop and think about what you just said before it left your lips?" Hitomi spoke firmly, nearly yelling at the boy, "We are not going to just throw people away like pieces of trash because we don't like them or because we might consider them a hinderance. If we are going to survive we have to work together and trust each other, not throw each other down and berate each others value!"

"Why did you risk your life to save your classmates? Did you stop and think about why you did it? Was it because you have some sort of superiority complex, or do you just enjoy saving cute girls? I'm confused here, so please enlighten me!" Hitomi was clearly starting to loose control again, grabbing the boy by the shoulders and leaning him back in his chair.

"I went up there and pulled you from the very jaws of death because I thought you were worth the risk to my own life to do so. I thought there was more to you than anyone could see, then I myself could see. But here you are, acting all self important when we need you to grow up and realize the reality of your own mortality. You might not think much of Tomoki, but he is someone very important to me. I won't have you berating him in my presence, do you understand?" Hitomi let go of him and bolted from the room, no longer able to hold back the tears and unwilling to let herself fall apart in front of her fiance and her students.

"Well... I can't say a means of transportation won't be helpful, but the longer we take to get to the Town Hall the harder it will be to get there at all. I think we should discuss it further in the morning, since we have all had a pretty rough day. There are some extra sheets, futons, and pillows in the guest room down the hall, help yourselves to them," Tomoki stood up and walked after Hitomi, "I have some business I must attend to."

----

"Hitomi," Tomoki knocked on the door to the master bedroom.

"Don't come in," Hitomi sobbed.

"Hitomi-chan," Tomoki knocked again.

"I know what you are going to say, and I don't want to hear that load of bull right now, alright?"

"Hitomi, just let me come in. I won't say a word, I swear."

Footsteps approached the door and unlocked it, whereupon Tomoki turned the knob and entered to see his fiance hugging the comforter and sitting on the far side of the bed.

"Your washing your own damn back from now on," Hitomi turned away from him and laid down on the bed. True to his word, he simply scooted over next to her and wrapped his arms around her, silently and wordlessly comforting her.
 
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