Undead Love In DeadlandsVolume 1

The fading light cast long, eerie shadows across the classroom, amplifying the already tense atmosphere. Seung Min, his voice trembling slightly, spoke up. "We can't continue in the dark. It's too dangerous. We need to rest and plan our next move."

Mr. Im nodded in agreement. "He's right. We need to be cautious. We can't risk running into anything in the dark."

Eun Ji, her eyes scanning the room, spotted desks and chairs. "We can use these," she suggested, dragging a few over to the door. "It should be enough to barricade the door."

The others quickly followed her lead, piling desks and chairs against the door for extra reinforcement.

Iseul, still visibly shaken, curled up in a corner, hugging her knees to her chest. Ah Rim, noticing her distress, offered a curt, "Stop bitchin. You're not the only one in this hell."

Seung Min, still clutching his inhaler, looked around the room. "We need to keep watch. Two people at a time. I'll go first with Eun Ji."

Eun Ji nodded, her eyes hardening. "I'm ready."

The two of them moved to the window, peering out cautiously into the darkness. The silence was punctuated only by the occasional creak of the building and the distant howling of what sounded like a dog.

Mr. Im, sitting near Iseul, tried to keep his voice calm. "Try to get some rest, Iseul. We'll keep watch."

Iseul nodded weakly, her eyes closing slowly.

The group began to huddle in corners, exhaustion slowly creeping in.

As the night deepened, the tension in the room remained palpable. Each sound, each shadow, sent shivers down their spines. They were trapped, vulnerable, and surrounded by the unknown. But despite their fear, they clung to a fragile hope, a belief that they would somehow survive this ordeal.

The air in the Kendo dojo was thick with the metallic tang of blood. Jin Hyuk, drenched in crimson from a night of desperate combat against the creatures, stumbled through the shadows. Fatigue gnawed at him, each step a Herculean effort. He could hear the guttural growls drawing closer, the sounds of claws scraping against the wooden floor.

Terror lent him a surge of adrenaline. He scrambled towards the exit, his vision blurring. He snatched his uniform from the rack, the rough fabric a welcome comfort against his sweat-soaked skin.

He burst out of the dojo, the creatures hot on his heels. He weaved through the shadows, his sword a blur of motion, slicing through the air, desperate to keep them at bay. He finally reached the school block, the familiar scent of old wood welcome change from the coppery stench of blood.

He fought his way through the hallways, the echoes of his own panting and the creatures' snarls filling the air. Finally, he found refuge in an empty restroom. Panting heavily, he collapsed against the wall, his trembling hands fumbling with the fastenings of his blood-soaked gi.

A low growl startled him. He whirled around, his sword instinctively finding its way to his hand. A female student, her eyes wide with terror, stood frozen in the doorway, a rusty pipe clutched in her hand.

"Don't... don't move," she whispered, her voice trembling.

Jin Hyuk slowly lowered his sword, his heart pounding. "I... I'm sorry. I thought..."

The girl, after a moment of hesitation, slowly lowered the pipe and began to jump happily "finally, i found someone" she said.

Jin Hyuk stared at her amused and dumbfounded . Realizing what she was doing she became embarrassed.

"Sorry"she said

"I... I need to clean up," Jin Hyuk said, his voice hoarse.

"Oh sorry" she face behind.

Jin Hyuk quickly changed into the uniform, the clean fabric a stark contrast to the mess he had become. He washed the blood from his face and hands in the sink, the cold water offering a momentary relief.

Exhausted, he sank to the floor, leaning against the wall.

"What... what happened?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper.

She hesitated, unsure how much to reveal. "I don't really know there were noise and suddenly they began to appear."

Jin Hyuk eyes widened. "What are they?"

She shook her head. "I don't know. But they're... they're not human"

A heavy silence fell between them. They were two survivors in a world that had suddenly turned terrifying.

Exhaustion finally overtook him. Jin Hyuk leaned back against the wall, his eyes closing. He didn't know if he would wake up. But for the first time since the nightmare began, he felt a flicker of hope. He was not alone.

The girl, watching him sleep, felt confident that her safety has now been guaranteed and could now rest. She began to also drift off.

Jin Hyuk caught a glimpse of her name tag . "Na Ri" he whispered.

The first rays of dawn pierced through the grimy classroom window, casting long, skeletal shadows across the floor. Jin Hyuk stirred, his body aching. He glanced at Nari, who was sitting upright, her eyes fixed on the door, the rusty pipe clutched tightly in her hand.

"Morning," he whispered, his voice hoarse.

Nari jumped slightly, startled. "Morning. Did you sleep at all?"

Jin Hyuk shook his head. "Not really. You?"

"A little," she admitted. "I couldn't stop thinking about what happened."

Jin Hyuk nodded in agreement. "Me neither. We can't stay here. We need to find other survivors."

Nari's eyes widened. "But where do we go?"

Jin Hyuk looked around the empty restroom. "I don't know. But we can't stay here. We need to find somewhere safe."

They both knew that staying put was not an option. The creatures would eventually find them. They had to move, to find other survivors, to figure out what was happening and how to stop it.

***

Back in the classroom where seung Min and his group had taken refuge, the first rays of sunlight filtered through the grimy window, casting a pale light on their tired faces. Seung Min, his eyes bloodshot, sat hunched over a piece of paper writing something.

"Mr. Im," Seung Min said, his voice raspy, "Are you sure the design is in the principsls office?"

Mr. Im, who had been dozing off, sat up abruptly. "The principal's office? , yes yes am almost certain."

Kim Sung scoffed. "And how do we get there? The hallways are probably crawling with those things."

Seung Min looked at her, his eyes hardening. "We have to try. We can't just sit here and wait to die."

"Who will go? We can't all go we might die"Said Eun ji

Mr. Im nodded. "She's s right. We need to be cautious. We can't afford any casualties."

A tense silence fell over the group. They knew the risks were high, but they also knew that staying put was not an option. They had to find a way to reach the principal's office and obtain the school plan. Their survival might depend on it.

Mr. Im volunteered, "I'll go."

Seung Min hesitated. "I think it's too dangerous to go alone, sir."

Mr. Im sighed. "You're right. I need someone to assist." He looked around the room. "Hwang Jin, you're coming with me."

Hwang Jin, startled, nodded. "Yes, sir."

Seung Min then unfolded the piece of paper with his observations. "This is what I've seen about those things. If they bite you, you become infected. Symptoms are your body temperature decreases. So if you're going, you need to be prepared."

He pointed to a stack of old books and tapes lying on a nearby shelf. "Use these as padding. Wrap them around your neck, hands, and legs for extra protection."

He then gestured towards a pile of broken desks. "We can use these for weapons. Find any sharp pieces of metal."

Finally, Seung Min added, "Their heads are their weakness. Or the spine. Hit them there, and they'll go down. But be careful, even if you hit them there, they don't seem to die immediately."

Mr. Im and Hwang Jin, faces grim, began to prepare. They wrapped themselves in layers of books and tapes, creating makeshift armor. They scavenged for sharp pieces of metal from the broken desks, fashioning crude weapons.

The atmosphere in the classroom was heavy with anticipation and fear. They knew the journey would be perilous, but they had to try. The fate of their group, and perhaps even their own survival, depended on the information they hoped to find in the principal's office.