Outside the school's gate, Brad, the disgraced guard, kicked at a loose stone on the path. The satisfying thud of it ricocheting off a nearby tree did little to soothe the burning humiliation from earlier. He muttered to himself, recounting the scene, "Little brats, acting all high and mighty and smashing my club." He rubbed his wrist. The ghost of Stark's grip still lingered.
The wind eerily shifted.
Brad paused and sniffed the air. His brow furrowed. He had smelled many things in the forest: the damp earth after rain, the sweet scent of flowers, and the coppery tang of blood after a territorial squabble among monsters. However, this new smell was different, and it sent a chill down his spine.
A low groan reverberated from the darkness.
Brad squinted towards the darker, denser part of the forest. "Hey," he called out, more out of annoyance than concern. "This is a restricted area. Get lost before I..." His words caught in his throat.
A feminine figure shuffled into view in a patch of sunlight. Her jaw was unhinged, hanging at an angle that should have been impossible. A raspy groan escaped her lips that seemed to vibrate in Brad's bones.
"What happened to the other guards? What did you do with them," Brad interrogated in desperation.
Then, a masculine figure followed behind. His arms hung in front. He swayed and leaned back and forth.
They were lurching, moving with a disjointed, puppet-like gait that was profoundly wrong. Their clothes were tattered, and their skin was a mottled, sickly gray. They were no longer humans. They were monsters, but not of the kind one was used to.
"Ted? Are you alright? What happened to you," Brad stammered in disbelief.
Ted, the masculine figure and guard, moved forward with vacant eyes. There was no recognition, only hunger in them. His body twitched abnormally.
A voice reiterated in his head, "Take over the forest. Feast on all humans!"
In an instant, many more emerged from the shadows. A slow, relentless wave of the strange humanoid monsters stumbled forward. Each of them moved with their own unique style. Some of them tripped forward and broke bones.
Brad took a step back. His confident swagger rapidly evaporated, and primal fear replaced his demeanor. He fumbled for the club that was no longer there. His hands closed on empty air. "Get back," he yelled, trying to sound authoritative. "Stay away," he forewarned.
Another guard whom he recognized trudged forward with a mangled leg.
Brad's mind raced. He remembered Ms. Lily's warnings about the hazards of the outside world and the dangerous monsters that lurked beyond. He had always laughed it off. He was a strong guard, after all, and they had never invaded in these mass numbers.
This was an infiltration of something from beyond the forest and beyond their understanding. It was just like what happened against Jumbopede. Something caused humans to change into grotesque monsters.
Brad looked at the school, a sanctuary built for kids. "I need to warn them," he muttered and gulped with a hollow click.
One of the monsters, a former woman with long, tangled hair that obscured her face, let out a screech that was a garbled imitation of a human scream. She lunged forward with surprising speed. Her fingernails, long like talons, swiped through the air.
Brad yelped and sidestepped, but not fast enough. Sharp lines of pain seared across his forearm. He stumbled backward and lost his balance. He landed hard on the dirt path, and the impact knocked the wind out of him.
The monsters surrounded him. Their groans formed a choir for food. Slobber fell from their mouth.
"Help," Brad choked out and crawled away on his hands and feet. "Somebody, help," he screamed.
Ted, with matted hair and a tattered guard uniform, lunged unpredictably. His movements were clumsy but unnervingly fast.
"Don't come closer," Brad commanded, but his voice was full of panic. He reached for the small knife he kept in his belt for cutting ropes and peeling fruit. His fingers shook, and he almost dropped it.
The weapon felt like a toy in his trembling hands.
Ted shrieked and pounced on him.
Reacting on pure instinct, Brad plunged the knife into the shoulder of his fellow guard member and pushed back.
There was no cry of pain. There was no flinch.
Ted relentlessly grabbed him. His fingers clawed at Brad's arm. His nails, ragged and dirty, scraped against his skin. His jaw opened wide, and it revealed his rotten teeth.
Brad's eyes widened. He twisted the knife and staggered back in horror.
Dark, viscous blood oozed from the wound. It smelled of decay.
Ted suddenly brought his head down and broke his own neck. He bit into Brad's arm and tore out a chunk. His eyes lit up while fresh blood gushed out, as if it revitalized him.
Brad screamed in agony and struggled. He pushed Ted down and left the knife embedded in the shoulder.
On the ground, Ted fumbled with a piece of flesh in his mouth. He ate it in front of his prey.
The other monsters glanced at Brad with a blank but piqued stare. In a flash, they cried out a loud shriek and charged towards him.
Brad stepped back, and his jaw hung open in shock. He had no words. He tripped over a root and landed hard on his back. He didn't wait another second. He scrambled backward on his hands and feet and away from the approaching horde. He recovered and sprinted towards the gate.
The gate was locked.
"Those darn brats still have my keys," Brad cursed and frantically shook the bars. His chest tightened as panic began to strangle him. He could feel their foul breath nearing the back of his neck. His gaze shot up and observed the tall wooden fence. He started to climb, and his fingers dug into the rough wood splinters. He ignored the pain as he hauled himself upward.
Below, the monsters, with Ted as their vanguard, lurched closer. Their groans, a chorus of the dead that promised a terrible end, grew louder. Some of them reached the fence and clawed between the bars. Others surged and reached for Brad. Their jaws snapped, echoing loud clicks.
Brad was halfway up when he felt a tug on his leg. He glanced down.
One of the smaller monsters, a former child, climbed onto the others' arms and grabbed him. Her teeth sank into Brad's calf.
"Let me go," Brad yelled and kicked wildly.
A kick smacked the child monster's head. She released her grip with a gurgle.
With a final burst of adrenaline, Brad scrambled over the top of the fence. He dropped to the other side and landed in a heap. His leg and arm throbbed.
Blood soaked through his guard uniform and trailed behind him.
Brad pushed himself to his feet and ran towards the school building. As his vision blurred, he shouted a warning, "Monsters! Monsters! The school is under attack!" He gasped and suddenly collapsed to the ground. His body convulsed uncontrollably, and his neck cracked along with his bones. He let out a horrifying shriek that was a mix of a human's final cry and the rise of a monster's primal hunger.
Soon, the sound of the bell echoed, and the class ended.
The students, unaware of the impending danger, packed their bags and prepared to head home.
"Remember to study for tomorrow," Ms. Lily reminded and picked up Pepe's apple. She took a bite, and a smile formed on her face. Relieved from a long day, she leaned back on her chair.
"Stark, we'll be waiting for you at the gate," Hafen informed.
"Don't take too long," Matteo added with a concerned look.
Stark nodded.
Ms. Lily noticed their conversation and asked, "Stark, wasn't there something you needed to do?"
"He has cleaning duties with Jasper," Matteo pointed out.
Ms. Lily raised an eyebrow. "Ah, yes. The punishment," she recalled and turned to Jasper. "You both will start now. The training grounds are out back. The cleaning supplies are in the shed."
Jasper's face soured. "With him," he complained with a sneer. He shot a hateful glare at Stark.
Stark stretched his arms. "Let's get this over with," he retorted with a yawn. He didn't even bother to look at Jasper and stepped out of the classroom.
Jasper followed begrudgingly.
Pepe, who had been deep in thought for most of the day, stood up. He walked over to Ms. Lily's desk. "Ms. Lily," he began, and he pointed out, "I'm worried about something." His gaze drifted to the locked cabinet behind her. "I don't think we're safe. Not after what you said about the zombies."
Ms. Lily's smile faltered. She studied Pepe's face, and her expression softened. "I know you're worried, Pepe. We all are," she sympathized and patted his shoulder. "But the forest has kept us safe for a long time. The school is built to be a fortress. We have strong walls and reliable guards," she reminded him, and she paused for a second before adding, "And you have me. I won't let anything happen to my students."
Pepe's eyes widened slightly. He looked at Ms. Lily, and for a moment, he saw a flicker of something more than a teacher's concern. It was a promise. He gave a slow, reluctant nod, and then, he returned to his seat. "Alright then," he mumbled.
"I'll wait for Stark with you, Pepe," Hafen offered.
Pepe nodded and gave him a weak smile.
"Well, I'm still hungry. I'm going back to the cafeteria to try more of their mashed potatoes," Matteo interjected and placed his hands behind his head. With a confident stride, he walked out of the classroom.
The other students filed out of the room, and their chatter filled the hallway.
An army of zombies has arrived at the gates of The Eastern District's School. Is Brad alright? What will happen to the students and teachers inside? How will they survive and escape such a looming threat?