Endless Recess

Empty Hearts, Empty Stomachs| Part 2

"I'm glad to have you with us then" Mason said nodding at Emma.

He turned around with newfound hope for what they were about to do and spoke to his group.

"We will go out to the hallway and use the desks and more inside the nearby classrooms to block the stairs from the first floor. we will make sure they can't catch us by surprise."

"Won't that be too noisy?" Mr. Asher asked.

"Likely, that's why we will be as fast as possible and the sound should bring any nearby corpse to us, leaving the entrance to the dining hall from the first floor clear."

"What then? Aren't we supposed to secure it somehow?" Sarah questioned while adjusting her backpack.

"Only when the second floor is safe we can access the dining hall through the entrance of the second floor. Once Inside we rush downstairs and block the doors with the tables."

The group stayed quiet as they looked at each other, once they reassured their commitment to what was about to happen Sarah looked back at Mason and gave him a thumbs up.

"You Emma" he turned again once again to face her "you will have our last lead pipe. Try to stay at back and if it comes down to it, do not use it, simply run."

As he spoke he waved the lead pipe on Emma's face, but rather than feeling annoyed she understood the great responsibility he was taking and the need for her to not fail.

She grabbed the pipe and as soon as she did images of them invaded her mind, but this time she squeezed the heavy object on her hands tightly and forced them to vanish.

"Adam, Jose. Help me here."

Mason said as both guys rushed to his side and began taking out the desks from the barricade so they could go out.

Everyone stood in contemplating silence as the opening was slowly made, the feeling of dread and worry mixed in with the sound of hungry stomachs and exhausted sighs.

Soon, the only thing separating the safe home they had for the past month and the hell of the outside world was nothing but a blanket.

"Sarah, do you have the spare curtain?" Mason asked her as she quickly looked inside her bag, giving him a nod "Great, everyone behind me. We can't return without food."

"If things get too dangerous you must bring them back Landon" Miss Juliet said approaching the towering man.

"I will make sure nothing happens to them."

They shared an understanding stare and Juliet deposited her hope within him, wishing only for the safety of her students.

And so, they began to cross to the other side.

When only Emma was left she crouched and looked back briefly to meet Mathew's concerned stare. She made a mental note of talking with him as soon as they had time.

With that and the resolve she felt, she went to the other side of the barricade.

Sarah and Adam seemed the most horrified at the dried blood and filth of the floors and lockers. The latter even going as far as gagging and barely keeping it in.

"I just. I can't get used to it" he said softly while kneeling on the ground.

"calm down, it's your second time and you are barely holding it together" Sarah said playfully while patting on his back.

"Shut up" he answered with a quick laugh.

"Silence both" Landon said while he stared ahead at Mason.

Emma stayed back and observed how Mason repeated the same steps of the other night and took a glance around the corner. He then looked at Jason and called him over.

Concerned she made her way to the front.

"what are you-"

"I want to see" she answered before he could stop her.

The hallway had one sole corpse standing still giving them its back.

Emma's arm was pulled by Mason.

"We don't know how far they can see."

"What is it?" Sarah said now closer to Mason with Adam and Landon behind her.

"One of them, but there could be more right around the corner of the stairs."

"What do we do then?" Adam asked regaining his breath.

"Want me to look through the lockers again?" Emma pulled out her box from her hood pocket.

"I will handle this" Mr. Landon said while walking forward without flinching.

"Mr.Landon!"

Despite Mason's objections, he steps forward with his lead pipe hanging in one hand.

Now completely in the view of the corpse, he raised both hands and placed his pinkies inside his mouth, taking a deep breath and whistling loudly.

The students quickly hurried to see if it had moved, however it seemed like it wasn't strong enough.

This time Mason stared at Mr. Landon to see what was his plan, starting to piece it together but wishing for that confirmation that was quickly delivered.

Mr. Landon whistled again but more loud than last time. Once again no reaction.

Taking a deep breath he whistled a third time making a great sound that scared even the students inside the classrooms in the safe zone behind the barricade.

Finally, it twisted its head and stared directly at the man creating the sound.

Mr. Landon grabbed his pipe with both hands and stood still prepared to deliver a swing at the incoming corpse rushing at him.

Its body was gray and mangled, both arms raised and walking quickly rather than running or jogging.

Then as it was halfway through more of them appeared from the hallway leading to the stairs.

"s**t!" Jason burst ahead and stood next to Mr. Landon.

Mason looked back and motioned with his head to join the others, Sarah and Adam followed him while Emma stood behind them.

A total of seven corpses were rushing at them with their mouths wide open, the only sound that could be heard their feet on the floor.

Every second they advanced two steps, getting closer and closer as Emma tightened her grip on the pipe in her hands. She glanced at her classmates and saw the fearful expression of Adam contrast with Sarah's straight face and focused eyes.

Soon the first one was almost within reach of Mr. Landon's swing.

"Aim to the head and stand your ground!" Mason ordered at everyone.

And finally, the corpse picks up its pace and launched itself at Mr. Landon, who unleashed tremendous force in one swing of the pipe.

The round end of it made contact with the head of the corpse creating a gore fest of gray matter and coagulated blood. The body falling limp on the ground.

Even Mason was deeply shaken by the display of brutality right in front of its eyes, Adam being the one in the group to turn pale and seemed to be on the brink of collapse.

"P-put it together! More are coming!" Mason yelled at his classmates.

With their senses back into the deadly position they where everyone blinked and regained their focus. Getting ready to fight for their lives.

It was then that Emma's mind heard the words of her dying friend, frowning she repeated the words she told Hope.

"I will fight for my life!" She said out loud, making her classmates glance at her "All of us! We will fight for our lives!"

Everyone was ready and they had the strength to see through this day alive. The food was elsewhere and they would do whatever they had to get to it.

Adam shook his head fast and took a deep breath, too afraid to acknowledge the stench he had just smelled.

Then, Mr. Landon prepared to swing once again, the corpses almost on them. Everyone moved their pipes back and stood still, holding their breaths and all shaking ceased.

For that second everyone's hearts beat as one, we will survive. The only thought in their minds.

The corpse launched its forward and Mr. Landon quickly crushed its head with a mighty swing. However, more were already at his sides targeting the students and another one was right behind the one he just dealt with.

Mason and Jose connected their pipes with two corpses about to jump at them, but their strength was nowhere near to that of Mr. Landon, the bodies halted their advance and while one fell on its knees the other simply kept moving forward.

Mason swung his pipe towards the standing one with Jose too, opening its skull and making it fall backward.

Then the one on the ground grabbed Mason's feet and pulled itself up, mouth open and ready to tear his flesh.

However, Mason raised his pipe and like playing golf hit the head of the corpse from the side, then hit it multiple times until its brain was nothing but a disgusting pulp.

At the same time, Sarah and Adam struggled with a pair of corpses a third one joined and made the weakened Adam fall back with Emma. The corpse launch at him while the second one turned its attention to Sarah.

"Oh f**k!!"

She screamed at the undead about to grab her, she lowered her pipe and moved her arms to catch it first. Twisting her body close to him out of instinct and pushing its entire body with a grappling move that threw him to the ground behind Mr. Landon.

Then she swung upwards to her right where the other corpse was about to tackle her, breaking its jaw and making its teeth fly, and pushing it back.

Mr. Landon destroyed the corpse's head once again and turned his attention to the jawless one Sarah had pushed, in one instant swinging at it and painting the lockers to its right in a dark red.

"HELP!" Adam screamed while hitting repeatedly at the corpse, barely keeping it in line.

Emma rushed to help him with her pipe rose and with all the strength she had it fell on top of the corpse's head. It kneeled on the ground before looking at Emma's direction and jumping at her.

She was about to swing again when the image in front of her twisted to that of the torn neck undead that almost got her, reliving the events of that night and all energy leaving her body.

Jose turned around and jumped as he saw the corpse do the same, kicking him in the head and making it fall next to Emma. Then he ran and hit it in the same place she did, this time leaving its brain pouring on the floor.

"Emma are you alright?!" he asked inspecting her body.

"Yes, thank you, Jose" she answered with barely enough air in her lungs.

The noise of multiple hits made her look to where Mr. Landon was standing, realizing Sarah was crushing the skull of a corpse laying on the ground behind Mr. Landon.

Who gave one step forward and crushed a fourth head in one single swing. It was the body that fell on the ground thanks to Mason's and Jose's lead pipes.

Then it finally got to her, they were alive. They were still alive.

She turned to see each one of them, everyone was breathing heavily or resting on a wall except Mr. Landon, who was busy inspecting his mildly twisted lead pipe.

She and Mason crossed stares, silently giving each other tiny smiles of genuine happiness.

"We did it, we actually did it!" Adam said in a trembling voice.

"Come" Sarah rushed to him and grabbed him "You look very shaken."

"Oh, thanks" without realizing he was about to fall on the ground.

"We still have to block the stairs, let's move with great care now" Mason stared at Mr. Landon "Don't try the whistling there, you may bring everyone upstairs to us."

The teacher simply gave him a thumbs up, his expression as plain as always.

"Hey! It's everything alright?!" Mr. Asher's voice came through the barricade.

"Everything fine Mr. Asher, no one is harmed!"

Emma answered fast and despite the distance could hear the loud sigh of relief coming from him.

"Please be very careful!"

"We will Mr. Asher!" Sarah answered while stretching her arms upwards.

"Everyone ready?" Mason asked at the group, receiving several nods "Are you sure Adam? You can't hesitate once we are in the dining hall."

The teen felt ashamed and shook his head with a smile.

"I'm sorry, but I don't think I can do this, I just don't do well with blood."

Mason stared at the ground for a second before looking back at him and then Sarah.

"Help him get back inside and ask anyone if they are willing to join us."

"Alright" she said placing Adam's arm around her shoulders "Let's go, big baby."

Mason then looked at the window with the red blood splash, thinking about what had just happened and the risk of not having more muscle with them. Right then he realized that through them he could see the other two hallways.

Rushing to the window he made sure to not be too close to not risk being seen by the corpses downstairs.

He saw three more of them in the hallway behind the stairs. To his relief, it seemed that there were no others. He then noticed that he could see the door of the classroom he had locked in a dozen corpses was now bloody and broken.

Staring at the bloody remains of the undead he made the connection that that's where they had come from. But the fact that they are strong enough to break a door with their bare hands worried him deeply.

"Everything alright?" Emma said walking closer to him.

"The door" he pointed at it- They are strong, too strong for their decayed bodies.

Emma saw the problem too and wondered what to do. Then she looked at the lockers.

"Didn't Herald from sixth grade took down a locker once?"

"Yes, he did" Mason remembered seeing where this was going "But with the help of the football team. Mr. Landon" he approached the man.

"What is it?"

"Throwing desks alone may not be enough, we have to put something heavier, we need to take the lockers down. Do you think you can do that?"

The man raised an eyebrow and gave a cocky smile at the young kid in front of him.

"You think I can't?"

"I was simply asking, I like to be sure of things" he then returned next to Emma "That's sorted out then, good thinking Emma."

She smiled under the cloth on her face.

At the other side of the barricade, Mr. Asher was impatiently standing in the hallway with Miss Juliet and a couple of students.

Then he saw movement from the hole in the barricade. A pale hand stretching forward made his blood freeze.

However soon the rest of Adam's body came into view together with Sarah's.

"Oh my God!!"

Miss Juliet ran to grab the weak guy in her arms.

"I'm alright, I just couldn't with all the blood" he said accepting Miss Juliet's help.

"Come, there is a sofa in the teacher's room where you can lay down" She told him while helping him go there with Sarah.

As they walked to the teacher's room everyone came out of the classrooms and stared horrified at the bloody clothes of Sarah.

"What happened out there?" Mr. Asher asked her, deeply concerned.

"them, They were in the hallway, they are dead for good now. Everyone's well" she answered him while passing near him.

Mathew stared at her clothes with the same eyes everyone had.

He clenched his fist as he felt like a weak man incapable of helping his friends. Thinking back on the night Layla died.

How he too saw the dead man walk up the stairs. He saw it first.

He was a couple of steps higher than Layla, so he saw his head pop up sooner, but he simply froze in fear giving it a couple of precious seconds that could've had saved Layla.

And now his brother was out there risking his neck for everyone. Together with Emma, who he cared about deeply.

"You have to be strong, Mathew."

He remembered one night with his brother, the night he threw his book over the window.

"It's just writing godammit!" Mathew shouted at him with his arms crossed.

"Do you think I didn't know what was written in there?"

Mathew's eyes widened in surprise right before they squinted up at his brother.

"The world outside has changed, you can't be thinking about those things anymore."

"It's easy for you to say it, you've got everything you ever wanted from the beginning."

The two brothers stayed in silence, Mathew looking at the ground while Mason stared at him directly. The latter taking a couple of steps closer.

"Look at me in then eyes Mathew."

His voice was calm yet somewhat threatening. Mathew looked up expecting to be scolded, yet as soon as he did it Mason embraced him in a hug.

"Mom and dad. They are likely dead."

"I know" Mathew answered feeling pain in his chest.

"You are all the family I have left" Mason tightened his hug "If I leave this world too. I want you to be strong to keep on living."

Mathew now could feel tears in his eyes, he returned the hug with the same intensity.

They stayed there for a couple of seconds before Mason broke the hug.

He held both of his brother's arms and stared at him with a serious expression. But his eyes were crystal and wet.

"Promise me that you will try to change. Try to adapt, when the time comes you MUST fight."

"I promise" he said after cleaning his eyes and returning the same serious eyes to his brother.

Mathew stood there in silence, thinking about his promise and how he felt he had failed by not warning Emma when he should have.

He raised his head to see Adam entering the teacher's room with Mr. Asher close behind.

Adam had run that night together with his brother and Mr. Asher when they heard the faraway screams of Layla.

The same guy who now was white as a ghost barely able to walk had pushed away his fear to try and help someone. He was brave.

Mathew was not.

His heart got filled with fury at himself for being so weak. For having to think so much before doing anything.

And Mr. Asher. The grown man, an asthmatic who can barely jog for a minute.

Not only that, but the first couple of days was devastated. His wife and two daughters somewhere in the city when everything started. No matter how many times he called them they never answered.

And yet, he had pushed that grieve aside to try and lift everyone's spirits.

Why then couldn't HE do SOMETHING for everyone?.

Sarah and Mr. Asher step out of the room, Sarah with the extra backpacks and the extra lead pipe.

"Everybody, we have something to ask!" Mr. Asher shouted making everyone step into the hallway with worried eyes.

"Adam cannot join us, so we need someone else who will" Sarah said lifting the spare pipe.

The students looked at each other, whispering and wondering if anyone would join them.

"We need someone else, otherwise, we may have an even greater risk from them."

Mathew's heart was on his ears, his hands were sweaty and his breathing quickened. But despite it all, he finally.

Moved forward.

"I will go!" he said lifting his hand and walking up to Sarah.

Everyone seemed surprised at his decision. But no one dared question it. After all, they did need someone to go and no one else could or wanted to.

"Are you sure?" Sarah said stretching her arm with the pipe at him.

Mathew wondered the same thing staring at the soon to be his weapon.

"There will be them, which could be a dozen or even more."

He felt his initial momentum stop as the fear took over his body once again.

"You will have to swing this pipe with all your strength and if you flinch, someone could get hurt."

Everyone was now staring at him, he could feel his legs begging him to move away, to walk away

But just as he was about to. Another image, a memory. Came to his mind.

Nothing but womanly lips speaking to him. Saying words that he couldn't shake away even if he wanted.

A sly smile. Mocking him with nothing but the truth.

So, he moved his arm.

He reached out to Sarah and grabbed the lead pipe. Now a fire in his eyes he never had before.

"Not a single doubt."

"Alright then brave boy" she said giving him the pipe "Seems some of your brother's coolness rubbed off on you" winked at him mischievously making him more nervous than before, somehow.

"t-thanks" he said lowering his eyes.

"Take this as well" she passed him the backpack" inside of it there's another one, we will use both to carry as much food as possible.

"understood."

"Mathew, do you want to do this?" Mr. Asher approached him.

"Yes, I too can help just like Mason" he made sure the backpack was well secured.

"I'm sure you can, but there are always different things you can help with."

"I want to do this, Mr. Asher" he said turning away towards the barricade with Sarah

"Very well, take care Mathew" Mr. Asher waved goodbye to him as he watched him depart.

He didn't like the idea of Mathew going out, he never was the most active kid and much less someone that seemed capable of any type of violence. So he mentally prayed to whatever cruel God was staring at them from the heavens to watch him close and make him safe.

He had done the same for everyone but he always had a soft spot for him, maybe the similarities with his younger daughter.

He frowned thinking of her. Not out of anger at any memory, but at the fact that he did. Because every time he thought of her, his heart c***k.

"Maia, Leslie."

"What?" Hope raised an eyebrow.

Asher came back from his mental trip, Hope was standing in front of him, carrying the towels she used to clean Christian.

"I'm sorry" he said squeezing his eyes with his fingers "Can you tell me again what did you wanted?"

"If it is okay to go inside and check on Adam together with Miss. Juliet, I have some towels in case he is sweating and with this cold. Can't risk catching a cold."

Mr. Asher smiled warmly at Hope, truly a candle of kindness in these dark times.

"Of course young lady, please" he said stepping away so she could walk to the room, smiling back and thanking him she entered the room.

He returned his attention to the barricade, both Sarah and Mathew had just gone through the hole covered by the blanket.

Taking a deep breath he soothed his nerves and turned back to join Hope and Juliet in taking care of Adam.

"NO"

Mason was mad. He was really angry.

"How could you bring my BROTHER out of all people?!" He pretty much yelled at Sarah

"How the f**k was I supposed to know you didn't want him to join us?!" Answered Sarah in pretty much the same tone.

"And YOU" he turned his attention to Mathew- Are you out of your damn MIND?

"I just wanted to help, to adapt! Isn't that what you told me?!"

"I told you to learn to SURVIVE, not throw yourself into the wolf's maw. Turn back and give your things to Sarah."

"I'm not a little kid for you to order me around!"

"Do as I say Mathew!" Mason grabbed him by the neck of his shirt.

"Hey break it off!"

Emma puts herself between the two and pushed Mason back, barely.

"Don't mess with this Emma, this is none of your business."

"Why don't you stop bossing him and let him do what he wants? You need the muscle, he has the muscle! So shut up already!" Sarah shouted at Mason, who now stared at her dangerously.

"Do NOT push it, Sarah."

"Or WHAT? In case you forgot" she returned his glare with the same intensity "I knocked out bigger fish than you."

Mason was about to speak again when Jose grabbed his shoulder and forced him to turn around and face him.

"Jose I swear to God."

"Mr. Landon, it's gone."

Everyone stared at Jose and then at where Mr. Landon was supposed to be.

Mason then quickly ran to the window and saw Mr. Landon walking carelessly towards the three corpses, who turned their heads around to face him and began to go after him.

"What the f**k" Mason muttered under his breath

Mathew then ran past him before Mason could say or do anything.

"By the love of GOD!" Mason shouted frustrated as he followed his brother.

"Let's go!" Emma told Sarah and Jose, the three soon ran to meet Landon as well.

Landon raised his lead pipe to his side as he stopped walking and decided to wait for them to go to him.

The first one rushed quite far away, so Landon knew that one of the other two would close up the distance right after he dealt with the rushing one.

With this in mind, he put extra strength on his swing, sending the entire frame of the incoming corpse to clash against the window. Making it c***k but not break.

As predicted, the closest corpse launched right after Landon crushed the first one's skull, with his pipe still pointing at the ground he swung it upwards with great speed. Opening the skull of the undead and splashing with red the roof right above it.

The third and last one finally came within reach, so all Landen needed to do was bring down his weapon with the full force of both his arms.

Destroying the head of the last corpse so badly that it split it in two.

By the moment Mathew and Mason had turned around the corner on the hallway Mr. Landon was in he had dealt with the three undead.

Both brothers were speechless.

"Come on, we have to put a cork in this bottle" Mr. Landon said to them both as he turned around, bloodstains on the cloth covering his mouth and his face.

At that moment the rest of the group reached the scene and they too were amazed, if also a little scared.

"What a beast" Jose said, his eyes wide open.

"Mr. Landon used to do bodybuilding, he went to the same gym I used to" Sarah said, probably the only one looking at Mr. Landon with genuine admiration.

Emma caught something through the corner of her eye that frightened her.

Dozens of corpses staring in her direction as they walked towards the stairs.

"THEY ARE COMING!"

Everyone turned to the windows and saw the horde approaching through the open garden in the middle of the school.

"The window! they must have heard it cracking!" Mason shouted and then turned to Mr. Landon "The stairs!!" He screamed pointing at them.

Mr. Landon ran to the top of the stairs and his serious expression changed to one they had never seen before. Fear.

"HURRY AND DETACH THE LOCKERS FROM THE WALLS!!" He screamed while preparing to swing his lead pipe.

Everyone rushed to the nearby lockers on the walls but on their way there they saw how in front of Mr. Landon there were at least thirty heads of them with their arms stretched towards him.

Everyone froze in fear, even Mason couldn't move his legs.

Mr. Landon held his pipe horizontally and when a row of three corpses launched at him he pushed them back being careful to stay just out of reach from their mouths.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU ALL DOING?!" He screamed at the students behind him, making everyone jump "THE f*****g LOCKEEEEERS!!"

Finally, everyone ran and began trying to move the extremely heavy lockers from the walls. barely moving them an inch.

"HURRY!!" Mr. Landon screamed, clearly terrified.

Jose was praying under his breath and Sarah was starting to cry, Emma then turned her attention to the only person she thought wouldn't c***k under this much pressure.

But Mason's head was facing the ground, his eyes impossible open and his pupils incredibly small. She could see him shaking in fear.

She felt all her strength leave her arms and go to her legs. her body trying to convince her of running away.

"JOSE! WITH ME!!"

She turned her attention to Mathew, who looked just as terrified as everyone, but he grabbed Jose and lead him to the lockers directly in front of the stairs.

"EVERYONE ELSE COME!!"

Almost like robots, everyone followed him as he climbed on top of the lockers and began using his legs to try and make it fall right on the entrance of the stairs.

"WHEN IT FALLS, PUSH THEM BACK WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH TEACHER!" he screamed and Landon nodded "EVERYONE ELSE, PUSH!!!"

One last time everyone tried their hardest to make the lockers fall, and after agonizing seconds of barely moving them.

Finally, it began to fall.

Letting gravity do the rest everyone step aside while Mathew pushed with his legs, at the same time, Mr. Landon shoved the corpses with all his might and the locker fell on top of them.

Mr. Landon ended up directly in line to where Mathew was falling so he catches him right in time.

When everyone looked at the stairs they saw the heavy locker barely move at the attempts of the hungry horde.

There was no way for them to get in.

The second floor. Was secured.