21 Days

VI: The Escape

                As dawn rises and everyone was done preparing the available equipment they could use for protection, Jake can’t help but feel more anxious than usual. After what he had seen last night, the image of the possible horror that could happen won’t leave his mind. He wasn’t able to sleep because of worry.

                He watched Ethan put his arm guard on the top of his sleeves. He gave everyone a piece that they could wear because it can play a role later when they get attacked unnecessarily. They were going to use it as defense. Ethan also wrapped his arrow holder behind his back tightly, he could only carry a minimum number of arrows with him because carrying too many will slow him down.

                As for the others, they had to find other equipment they could use to defend themselves. For some reasons, Jean thought that a pan would do. He was confident with his taekwondo skills and he thought that a mere pan would be helpful. Sunny was seen carrying an arnis stick he took somewhere. Jake was back with holding his bat, which luckily hasn’t given up yet.

                “What do you have?” Jean asked Jay. He’d seen Jay wander around earlier today and return with a strange object.

                “A sword.” Jay said and everyone looked at him, impressed.

                “Cool. Where did you find that?” Jean frowned, looking at the katana that has been pulled out of its holster.

                “Do you even know how to use that?” It was Ethan,

                “Of course. You just swing this on those things and it would slice them in half right?” Jay said, forming a position of attack and swinging the sword in the air. It made a slight whipping sound. “Damn, this is cool.”

                “Just watch out and be careful when using that.” Ethan warned.

                On the other hand, Sunny was seen uncomfortably shifting on his feet. He has been looking at the door and to where the others were, it’s as if he wanted to tell something to them. Jake noticed it and walked to where he was and asked him.

                “Are you alright?” Jake realized that since last night, he hasn’t been talking to Sunny.

                “Ah.. Uhmm Of course.” Sunny said while rubbing his nape. He saw how Jake was staring more keenly than the usual so he was confused. “Why do you ask?”

                “Nothing.” Jake lied and walked away.

                Just a few seconds after Jake left, Sunny took his courage and let out his voice to say something.

                “Guys… I have to tell you something.” He said nervously.

                Jake and Jay exchanged knowing looks but didn’t interrupt Sunny with what he was about to say.

                “What? Leo? Who is Leo?” Ethan frowned  after they heard what Sunny had to say.

                “I think I have heard his name somewhere.” Jean admitted. “Ah.. That Leo? So what about him?”

                “He’s alive.” Sunny said and Ethan looked at him confusedly.

                “I don’t understand.” He said and nervously, Sunny brought them to where Leo was. At first he was hesitating but then if he didn’t take the action, Leo would be left behind.

                Despite knowing what Sunny was about to reveal to them, Jake and Jay still followed. That’s when they figured out where he was been hiding Leo. It was at inside the storage room where they have no access to. Apparently, Sunny has the key and everyone watched him as he opened the door.

                They went inside and piles of different books and things were stuck inside. On the left was a curtain and behind that curtain was a glass door that leads to the direction of a railed veranda. That’s where Sunny has been hiding Leo. Leo’s hands were tied with a rope so he doesn’t fall nor escape. Sunny slid the door opened and the horrible form of Leo appeared before everyone’s eyes. The thing started hissing at them.

                Since Jake and Jay knew what that thing was, they stayed behind where Ethan and Jean was who in pure horror both reacted differently. Jean wasn’t able to tolerate the horrible smell and stopped the urge to puke as he covered his mouth meanwhile; Ethan was quiet as his eyes remained on the thing’s form.  

                “Guys.. This is Leo.” He introduced with a smile. He looked at Leo, once again as if he was the most precious thing alive. To Jake’s perception, Sunny was being blinded by what he felt for that person when he was still living.

                “What do you mean?” Ethan asked seriously. The anger in his eyes obvious.

                “It’s a.. uhm.. He’s a friend and I am hoping he could stay with us on our journey.” Sunny explained.

                “Bullshit.” Jean cursed under his breath. He looked at Leo in disgust and started backing away from where Ethan and Sunny stood.

                “Sunny..” Ethan said. “He’s dead.”

                “No.. No you don’t understand. He’s still alive and if ever there is an antidote that would reverse the effects then then he would come back.” Sunny said eagerly.

                Everyone was left in silence.

                It was already 5 in the morning and the sun was about to rise soon. They have to move when it’s the brightest and seeing how the situation evolved, there seems to be a delay going.

                “Can’t you see he’s hopeless?” Jean said disgustingly. “And he smells really pungent. Even if I am hungry and already drained, I won’t be able to eat with that thing on.”

                ‘What do you mean?” Sunny asked seriously. He then starts to make frustrated sounds. “Guys. Like .. I mean we should give him a second chance in life… Like us.. Like what we have dreamed on.”

                “His case is impossible.” Jay blurted in a corner. “He’s too infected to even associate with us.”

                “What?” Sunny snorted. “Is that how you do it? Toss people just because you don’t like them? He’s just like us and he’s just sick.”

                “He’s more than sick.” Jake followed.

                Just then, Sunny started sobbing. Although he knows, he’s just refusing to believe it. To him, Leo still stood a chance but upon knowing what the other’s opinions were, he became hopeless. In between his sob and tears, he looked at Leo who was forcing his way towards their direction. He was blinded by his infected senses and to him, what was in front of him were mere food.

                Unexpectedly, Sunny reached out to Leo and Ethan’s eyes grew bigger. He watched as Sunny untie Leo from the rope he’s tied him to and the next thing they knew was that Leo was in a rush, chasing upon his next target. Unfortunately, Ethan was the nearest but even before he made his way to Ethan, Jean was able to snatch away the bat on Jake’s hand; he attacked Leo and bashed him continuously on the head.

                “You-piece-of-s**t!” he cursed as he kept attacking Leo that kept moving backwards until his back reached the chest level railings and fell on the ground. As this happened, Sunny was heard shrieking in the background, he even grabbed onto Jean’s leg and when it’s over, his hand fell beside him. It was over.

                He can’t believe that Leo was gone.

                Ethan on the other hand was stunned. He remained rooted to where he stood and he was now clutching his chest out of shock.

                Jean looked at Sunny who was on the floor; the sound of blood dripping from the bat he used to beat Leo seems to be echoing into the middle of silence.

                “That’s better.” Jean said and spat on the floor, wiping the cold sweat on his face with the sleeve of his white uniform. It was now stained with blood but Jean couldn’t care less.

                Sunny was left sobbing on the floor.

                “You killed him.” He said. “He can’t harm you.”

                “He almost ate Ethan the heck you mean?” Jean said angrily.

                “I MADE IT SO HE CAN’T BITE ANYONE!” Sunny stood up, angrily yelling at Jean.

                The echoes of their voice were attracting the beings below and they started crowding on the ground where Leo fell, they were seeking to whom that voice belongs to.

                “YOU KILLED HIM!” Sunny angrily grabbed Jean’s collar and glared at him with tear streaked face.

                Ethan saw it and walked where the two was, separating them. He looked at Sunny first and then to Jean.

                “I don’t understand your relationship with that person but he’s not the same person anymore.” Ethan said bluntly. “It may be difficult but you must accept that the people here would refuse bringing that thing up.”

                “But Ethan!” Sunny complained. “You see how he didn’t attack me? Because it’s me and he knows that I would save him.”

                “And what? Kill the remaining people here?” Ethan replied and this left Sunny into silence.

                “No… No no… I can’t accept this.” Sunny said eagerly. “He must be alive down there, I must get to him.”

                “SHUT IT!” Ethan yelled as he grabbed Sunny’s arm. “You’re a living person and you must fking live! We can’t let you go just like that!”

                Jake and Jay left Ethan and Sunny in the middle of their confrontation, Jean was on their tail. He doesn’t have business explaining why he did that and he doesn’t care whether Sunny cried or get mad. He just did what he must do.  

                “You two. Why aren’t you reacting much?” Jean asked.

                “I’ve seen it.” Jay said. “I just don’t want to meddle with Sunny’s business.” He smirked.

                “You bastard.” Jean grabbed his collar. “You don’t understand the risk of keeping that thing with us? It could eat us.”

                “Then what?” Jay retorted. He removed Jean’s hand on his collar and looked at him straight in the eye. “Kill a person?”

                Jean didn’t say anything as Jay passed by beside him, Jake was the only one left with Jean and he explained the reason why so he would understand. Jean was left speechless but he was not regretting what he just did.

                “It’s for the best. Ethan is our friend.” Jean sulked.

                Jake only looked at him and left as well. In that situation, no one was right or wrong. Sunny was being unreasonable because of his attachment with Leo while Jean acted on his instinct and he wanted to save Ethan from being eaten.  

                Jean was deep in thought as he followed the two towards the location of the door they would take to go outside. The door they chose was facing the back alley of the building where they at. On its left side was the school’s parking lot. They would use the back gate to go outside and hopefully, they find a vehicle they could use. It could attract a lot of attention because of the sound but it would bring them the fastest to the location they were going. Somewhere, where there is help.

                After  a few minutes, Ethan returned, dragging the still sulking Sunny behind him. It was a quiet time as they waited for the morning sun to appear.

                Jay was seated near the door, admiring the sword he found. Ethan and Jake were preparing themselves for the upcoming escape and Jean was feeling guilty about making Sunny cry. They’re really good friends and he can’t believe that because of something like Leo, their relationship would turn out like that.

                They watched as the sun rises and without any exchange of words between each other, they removed the plank that was blocking the door. They had to do it quietly or else it would put them in danger. Opening the door was another obstacle but somehow they managed to do it.  

                It felt like years have passed since Jake walked on the ground outside and the smell of the morning breeze caressed his face. Jean poked his back as they started walking together, making the least noise they could get because even if it was morning, they still can get attacked.

                They made it to the school’s parking area without causing any commotion but the scenery before their eyes was like that of a horror movie. There were dead people lying on the ground, some dismembered, the others had their insides pulled out. The smell of death now lurks the air and Jay’s senses was the most affected.

                They started checking the parked cars, finding out if it was locked and has the key inside. It was a challenging task because they were not sure what to expect. All the time, Sunny was with Ethan. Nobody knows what they talked about and nobody was asking. 30 minutes have passed and Jay was the first one to find an opened car. It was a 4 seated red Toyota with the key in its keyhole. The driver’s door was opened and was stained with blood and Jay cringed the time he saw it.

                Jay waved his sword in the air to attract the other’s attention and sure enough everyone saw him and started walking on his direction. What he didn’t expect was a hand grabbing his feet from underneath the car. Jay was startled and he released a rather loud sound that echoed into the air. He was able to cut the hand away of the crawling being as he hopped inside the car and quickly closed the door beside him.

                Those things started rising from the dead upon hearing the sound and since the car was located in a shaded area, it was easy for those things to move their way to his direction. As he started the car, more movements around him started to occur. Jay panicked and he opened the car window next to him.

                “HURRY!” he yelled and the thing from beneath rose just in time.

                An arrow hit it on the head as it quickly slid down once again, Jay’s eyes were wide and the slimy thing from the creature’s head hit him on the face. It smelt horrible and he started gagging as he wiped it away.

                They managed to come near where the car was while Jay was busy wiping his face. He just returned to reality when he heard thumping noises from the outside. He anxiously opened the car lock and fortunately, everyone made it inside. Jean sat on the passenger’s seat and seeing that the window next to Jay was slightly open, he quickly closed it just in time when another of those being appeared.

                “What now?” Jay asked, still wiping his face. He was disgusted.

                “Can you drive?” Ethan asked.

                “Of course.” Jay said.

                “Then f*****g drive.” Jean cursed as they started on their way out.