Chapter 6 - The Bite
390 Words
Lee Do-hyun opened the door.
“Stay close to me,” he said.
The three survivors followed him into the hallway.
Their steps were uneven. Fear slowed them down.
Growls echoed from the lobby behind them.
They reached the stairs and began climbing.
Second floor.
Third floor.
They turned the next corner.
Suddenly—
Something dropped from above.
A zombie landed in front of them.
The woman screamed.
Before Do-hyun could fire, another infected climbed from below and grabbed the old man’s leg.
He fell hard.
“Help me!” he cried.
Do-hyun aimed—
Too late.
The creature bit deep into the old man’s shoulder.
Blood spread across his shirt.
Do-hyun fired and the infected collapsed.
For one second, silence filled the stairwell.
The old man trembled on the floor. His hands shook badly.
The woman covered her mouth, crying quietly.
The boy stared, frozen.
“Officer…” the old man whispered.
“Don’t let me become one of them.”
More footsteps rushed upward.
Closer.
Do-hyun knew what that bite meant.
The old man leaned against the wall, breathing weakly.
“…Take them,” he said, nodding toward the others.
“Please.”
The boy shook his head.
“No… we can still carry you!”
But the old man slowly pushed his hand away.
His fingers were already losing strength.
“You won’t make it if you stay.”
Growls echoed louder.
The old man looked at Do-hyun one last time.
“…Go now.”
Do-hyun clenched his jaw.
Then he stood.
He grabbed the boy and pulled him up the stairs.
The woman followed, crying silently.
Behind them—
The old man had stood up.
Instead of running, he stepped into the middle of the stairs and blocked the path.
The infected rushed toward him.
He pushed one away with his last strength.
“Go!” he shouted weakly.
More grabbed him.
He held the railing and tried to stay standing, keeping them from climbing past him.
One bit his arm.
Another bit his shoulder.
Still he did not fall.
For a few seconds, the stairs were blocked by his body.
The woman covered her mouth as she heard the sounds behind them.
The boy cried while climbing.
Do-hyun clenched his jaw but kept moving.
Fourth floor.
Fifth floor.
The old man’s voice faded behind them.
- Writer
