Surviving in HOTD

[Miku's POV]

"We should keep moving," Kazuki said, glancing down the corridor. "Nurse's office is still a ways off."

I followed his gaze, noting the smears of blood on the walls, the scattered papers, the eerie emptiness. It felt surreal, like a nightmare I couldn't wake up from. But Kazuki's presence beside me was solid, real. I latched onto that, using it to ground myself.

We set off again, our footsteps muffled on the blood-slicked floor. I found myself sticking close to Kazuki, almost close enough to feel the warmth radiating from his body. It was strange, how quickly he'd become my anchor in this chaos.

I remembered the first time I saw him, just a few weeks ago. The mysterious transfer student with the striking golden eyes and the kind of looks that made half the girls in school swoon. I'd pegged him as this year's potential plaything, someone to flirt with and maybe toy with a bit.

Now, less than an hour into this nightmare, he was the only thing standing between me and certain death. The thought sent a chill down my spine.

We turned a corner, and Kazuki held up a hand, stopping me in my tracks. He cocked his head, listening. After a moment, he relaxed slightly. "Clear for now," he murmured. "But stay alert."

I nodded, gripping the mop handle tighter. As we continued down the hall, I found my gaze drawn to Kazuki's profile. The set of his jaw, the intensity in his eyes, the way he moved with such purpose... it was like he'd been preparing for this his whole life.

"How are you so calm?" I whispered before I could stop myself.

Kazuki glanced at me. "I'm not," he admitted. "I'm fucking terrified. But panicking won't keep us alive."

His honesty caught me off guard. I'd expected some macho bullshit, not... this. It made me feel both reassured and unsettled at the same time.

We passed a classroom, its door hanging off its hinges. Inside, desks were overturned, books and papers scattered across the floor. And blood. So much blood.

I felt my breath quicken, panic clawing at the edges of my mind. Without thinking, I reached out and grabbed Kazuki's hand.

He tensed for a moment, then relaxed, giving my hand a gentle squeeze. "I've got you," he said softly. "We're gonna make it through this."

The warmth of his hand, the quiet confidence in his voice... it was like a lifeline. I clung to it, using it to push back the fear threatening to overwhelm me.

We continued on, hand in hand, navigating the horror-movie landscape our school had become. Every shadow, every sound made me flinch, but Kazuki's presence kept me moving forward.

As we neared another corner, Kazuki slowed, pressing himself against the wall. I mimicked his movements, my heart racing. He peered around the edge, then quickly pulled back.

"Two of them," he whispered. "About halfway down the hall."

I swallowed hard, tightening my grip on the mop handle. "What do we do?"

Kazuki was quiet for a moment, his brow furrowed in thought. Then he turned to me, his golden eyes intense. "We take them out," he said. "Together."

I felt a flash of fear, remembering the sickening crunch as I'd driven the mop handle into the zombie's skull. But beneath that fear was something else. A determination I didn't know I possessed.

I nodded. "Okay. How do we do this?"

A ghost of a smile flickered across Kazuki's face. "Just like before. I'll guide you through it. You ready?"

I took a deep breath, steeling myself. "Ready."

Kazuki's hand found the small of my back, guiding me as we crept around the corner. The zombies were there, just as he'd said, stumbling aimlessly down the hall.

We approached slowly, our footsteps silent on the blood-stained floor. My heart was pounding so hard I was sure the zombies would hear it.

When we were about ten feet away, Kazuki leaned in close, his breath warm on my ear. "On three," he whispered. "One... two..."

Before he could say "three," one of the zombies turned, its milky eyes locking onto us. It let out a gurgling moan that made my skin crawl.

"Now."

We lunged forward together, our movements surprisingly synchronized. I drove my mop handle into one zombie's eye socket, feeling the nauseating give as it penetrated the skull. Beside me, Kazuki swung his own weapon, connecting with a sickening crack.

Both zombies dropped like puppets with cut strings. I stood there, panting, adrenaline coursing through my veins.

"Holy shit," I breathed. "We did it."

Kazuki nodded, a hint of pride in his eyes. "We make a good team."

Something warm bloomed in my chest at his words. It was ridiculous, given the circumstances, but I couldn't help the little thrill that ran through me.

We continued on, more confident now but no less cautious. As we walked, I found myself stealing glances at Kazuki. The way his muscles tensed beneath his uniform shirt, the intensity in those golden eyes...

I shook my head, trying to clear it. This wasn't the time for those kinds of thoughts. But I couldn't deny the pull I felt towards him. It was more than just physical attraction now. It was... something deeper. Something I wasn't sure I was ready to examine too closely.

We were about halfway to the nurse's office when Kazuki suddenly stopped, holding up a hand. I froze, straining my ears.

At first, I heard nothing. Then, faintly, the sound of footsteps. But these weren't the shuffling, uneven steps of the zombies. These were quick, purposeful.

Kazuki and I exchanged a glance. Human? Or something else?

Before we could decide what to do, we heard it. A soft whoosh, followed by the unmistakable sound of bodies hitting the floor.

[Kazuki's POV]

I peered around the corner, my breath catching in my throat. There she was - Saeko Busujima, the kendo club captain. The same girl who'd cornered me after class my first week here, trying to recruit me with that intense stare of hers.

Now, that intensity was turned on the infected. She moved like water, her wooden sword a blur as she cut through them. One, two, three bodies hit the floor in rapid succession.

"Holy shit," Miku whispered behind me.

I nodded, my mind already racing. Saeko was good. Really good. The kind of ally we'd need to survive this mess.

"Come on," I said, gripping the mop handle tighter. "Let's help her out."

We rounded the corner. Saeko's eyes flicked to us for a split second before returning to the infected. Four more shuffled towards her from the other end of the hall.

I didn't hesitate. I charged forward, swinging the mop handle like a baseball bat. It connected with a satisfying crunch, and the nearest infected dropped.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Miku hang back, her knuckles white around her own weapon. Smart. She was still new to this.

Saeko and I fell into a rhythm, almost like we'd practiced this. She'd strike high, I'd go low. I'd draw one in, she'd take it out. In less than a minute, the hall was clear.

We stood there, panting, surrounded by corpses. Saeko turned to me, a hint of approval in her eyes.

"Sorato," she said with a nod. "Good to see you're still breathing."

"Likewise," I replied, wiping sweat from my brow. "Nice work with that sword."

Her lips quirked into something almost like a smile. "You're not so bad yourself. For someone who turned down my club invitation."

I shrugged, trying to ignore the way my heart was pounding. Whether from the fight or her presence, I wasn't sure. "Guess I had hidden talents."

Miku stepped forward then, her eyes darting between us. "Um, hi. I'm Miku. Miku Yuuki."

Saeko's gaze shifted to her, assessing. "Saeko Busujima. Are you two heading somewhere specific?"

"Nurse's office," I said. "Figured it'd be a good place to regroup, maybe find supplies."

She nodded. "Smart. Mind if I join you?"

"Not at all," I said, perhaps a bit too quickly. "The more, the merrier, right?"

Saeko raised an eyebrow at that, but didn't comment. Instead, she gestured down the hall. "Shall we?"

As we set off, I couldn't help but notice the way Miku stuck close to my side, her eyes occasionally darting to Saeko. There was something in her expression I couldn't quite read. Wariness? Jealousy?

I pushed the thought aside. Now wasn't the time for high school drama. We had bigger problems.

"So," Saeko said as we walked, her voice low. "What's your read on the situation, Sorato?"

I glanced at her. "Honestly? It's fucked. Whatever this is, it's spreading fast. I doubt it's contained to just the school."

She nodded, her expression grim. "I agree. We need to think beyond just immediate survival. We need a plan."

"First things first," I said. "We get to the nurse's office, see what we can scavenge. Then we figure out our next move."

I led our small group down the final stretch of hallway, the nurse's office just ahead. The sound hit us first - that wet, hungry moaning that made my skin crawl. Seven of them, clustered around the door, pawing at it like rabid dogs.

"Looks like someone's home," I muttered, tightening my grip on the mop handle.

Saeko stepped forward, her wooden sword held low. "We take them together. Quick and quiet."

I nodded, glancing at Miku. "Stay back. Watch our six."

She gripped her makeshift weapon, face pale but determined. "Got it."

Saeko and I moved as one, closing the distance. The first zombie turned at our approach, jaw hanging slack, eyes milky and dead. Saeko's sword took it in the temple with a sharp crack. I swung low, sweeping the legs out from under another. As it fell, I brought the mop handle down hard on its skull.

The remaining five turned toward us, drawn by the noise. Saeko flowed between them like water, her strikes precise and devastating. I stayed close, watching her back, taking out any that got too close.

One lunged at me, teeth snapping. I stepped inside its reach and drove the metal end of the mop handle up through its jaw. The crunch of bone turned my stomach, but I pushed through it, yanking the weapon free as the body dropped.

In less than a minute, it was over. Seven corpses littered the floor, dark blood pooling beneath their shattered skulls.

Saeko was already moving toward the door. She tried the handle - locked. Without hesitation, she stepped back and kicked it hard near the lock. The door burst inward with a crack of splintering wood.

She darted inside. I followed, Miku right behind me. The scene inside made me freeze.

A zombie lay sprawled on the floor, its head a ruined mess. But what caught my eye was the chunk of flesh still hanging from its mouth - fresh, bloody. And next to it...

A young man slumped against the wall, blood soaking through his shirt. His breathing came in short, ragged gasps. Saeko stood over the scene, her sword dripping red.

I moved to the injured man's side, kneeling down. His eyes found mine - still clear, still human, but fading fast.

"Hey," I said softly. "I'm Kazuki. What's your name?"

He swallowed hard, blood staining his lips. "K-Kazu."

I felt my lips curve into a small smile. "Looks like we're name brothers. It's a strong name."

My eyes drifted to the other person in the room - a woman pressed against the far wall. Tall, blonde, curves that would've stopped traffic on any normal day. But this wasn't a normal day.

I turned back to Kazu. "Were you protecting her?" I gestured toward the woman. "Trying to keep her safe?"

Kazu's head bobbed weakly. "Y-yeah. Couldn't let them... couldn't let them get her."

I squeezed his shoulder. "That was incredibly brave, Kazu. You're a hero."

"Can we help him?" Miku's voice cracked behind me.

I looked at the bite wound on his shoulder, saw the gray tinge already creeping into his skin. The way his eyes were starting to cloud. I shook my head.

"You know what happens when you get bitten, right Kazu?" Saeko asked gently.

A tear slid down his cheek as he nodded.

Saeko touched his arm. "Do you want your parents to see you like that? Your friends? Do you want to become one of those things?"

Kazu's body shook. "N-no," he choked out. "No, I don't want that."

"I can help you, Kazu," Saeko said softly. "I can end your pain. Make sure you don't suffer. Make sure you don't turn."

She looked at me. I met her gaze and nodded once.

Saeko brushed Kazu's hair back from his forehead. "Close your eyes. It'll all be over soon. You'll be at peace."

Kazu's eyes drifted shut. One last tear escaped.

Saeko stood, gripping her sword. "Thank you, Kazu. Your sacrifice will not be forgotten."

I turned away as she raised the weapon. There was a soft whistle of wood through air.

Then silence.