Even not a half

“Melfin, wake up,” a quiet voice rang out nearby, and a warm hand rested on his shoulder, pushing him persistently. It seems that Mel for the first time in a long time fell asleep so soundly, not waking up immediately from the first call. The eyes did not want to open - the tired body demanded rest, but the guy still rubbed his face with his palms, focusing his gaze. Next to him sat Roger, wrapped in a blanket that he had pulled from his room in his father's apartment. Omega has always loved him. Now he wrapped himself in it more and more, suppressing a yawn and rubbing the tip of his nose with his fist. Apparently, he did not sleep a wink that night. The car shook slightly. Displeased snuffling was heard nearby. Melfin turned his head. John slept with the edges of the blanket in his fists. Roger drew his attention again with a soft hail. - We almost got to the bridge, we need to prepare.         The guy nodded, turning. It was raining outside again. Melfin looked at the glass, decorated with large drops. They cast a mottled shadow over the face of Roger sitting next to him. Dark circles lay under his eyes, and a flame of fear danced in his pupils, mingled with fatigue. Melfin would have liked to take it all for himself so that he could see his smile again, but, alas, he could not. The night began to recede - the sky was turning gray-blue. Roger also looked out the window, lightly touching his knee with his own.   ***         Melfin closed his eyes as he lay in the shade of a tall tree next to the sports stadium. As early as twenty minutes there was a history lesson, which he successfully skipped. Teachers will again complain to parents who will not even pay attention to it. The father probably will not even answer the call, because he is on another military trip, and dad is in the hospital. The latter will only say something like: “Take hold of your mind, Melfin-i,” and forget. Then John will lecture him again that he is rolling down a very steep hill, and Mel will be here again - in the shade of a tree instead of history.         From an office on the second floor, a delicate violin melody rang out. Melfin turned his head slightly towards the open window - Sherrill's sissy practicing. The brunette chuckled and turned away, presenting the face of his eternal problem. She and Roger were, it seems, friends, although they snagged like a cat and a dog since elementary school. They had known omega since first grade. Melfin was the same boy who pushed Cheryl into a snowdrift with his face, and then he dragged his backpack home, listening to meaningless and incomprehensible chat, because ... He did not remember why. Roger was effeminate, squeamish and aristocratic, while Melfin liked to skip classes and walk with friends on old construction sites instead of the obligatory electives. Roger studied music and drawing after school, met the same polished handsome boys who knew the art, while Melfin and his brother studied "the art of war", as their father called it, and waited for him after school. He taught his sons to shoot, assemble and disassemble weapons, dig in cars, and then again left for military bases, ordering them to do it themselves. As if it were more important than their childhood. Melfin is sure that his father will not name any of his boyfriends, he will only ask again if it is Roger. Nightmare, they would never start dating Cheryl.   - Are you here again? - there was a displeased voice overhead. Melfin didn’t even open his eyes, lips parted in a smile. John shoved him in the shoulder with the toe of his white sneakers, and then snorted. - Do you know where your brother is now?         Mel opened one eye with interest, squinting at the sun shining through the foliage of the tree. Fuller bent over him, arms folded across his chest. He looked annoyed and nervous. Melfin knew that one of two things could have happened: again, John and Ashton had a fight, or it was about the student council. It is unlikely that John would have started looking for his ex-boyfriend because of the desire to just chat. Rather, he would have run away himself, just not to see Mel Sr.   - I do not know. He doesn't report to me. Maybe he squeezes somewhere with Hough, - Melfin grins maliciously, wanting to evoke a little more emotion on the hyung's cute face. But he immediately becomes indifferent to the topic, only throwing that Ashton is in the class, unlike Dan. - What could you want from him that you are looking for him in the middle of the lesson?   “Not your worries, little one,” John snorts and turns around. But he throws over his shoulder all the same: - You would return to class. Today is a kind of ... strange day. Don't make yourself more trouble.         Melfin didn’t like to obey anyone, but John’s words always had a special effect on him. Fuller was never superstitious, or the very omega who builds life by the way the stars and planets line up. He was a genius in the truest sense of the word, and if John said that today was a strange day, he should have believed. And Melfin himself noticed it. Something was wrong. But what exactly, he could not understand - all external life was chopped off by closed school doors. But there was a smell of trouble in the air.         He still returned to history. He came at the end of the lesson, after listening to a comment from the teacher that he would again receive a reprimand from the director. Mel waved him off and sat down in his seat, examining the black column of smoke from the fire in the window. Alpha jerked and opened his eyes wider. It was a real fire, large and gaining momentum. Somewhere in the city center, something was burning. And not in one place. It seems that it was not the smell of trouble, but of burning.   “Madam Shire, you know that you cannot use the telephone in class,” the elderly teacher said with displeasure, but the girl ignored him, calling the others to her in a nervous breaking voice. The students crowded around her when the teacher drew attention to what was happening outside the window. As if it hadn't happened a minute ago. Melfin pulled out his phone, which was on silent. The news this time was not full of the usual politics or stupid pictures - everywhere there were articles about a strange outbreak of aggression in cities, which led to a bunch of problems. Not far from the school, a loud bang was heard, and then a deafening explosion - a gas station a couple of blocks away was burning adsSherryl with flames. Everyone in the class stuck to the windows. Melfin stared at the phone screen, frantically refreshing the page.   "This does not happen in real life," - rushes through my head until the school speaker shows signs of life. First a disgusting hiss, and then a deafening thunder, heartbreaking screams, begging for mercy. The signal was interrupted several times by a school bell and some kind of melody from the speakers, and then everything did not subside further, until the knock on the microphone made everyone close their ears. Melfin gripped the phone a little tighter. There was nothing in my head, just panic and one question: "What's going on?"         The office for a long minute plunged into silence, only the second hand of the clock ticked too loudly on the wall, beating off the alarm for everyone present. Melfin turned his gaze to the courtyard, finally noticing that there was some movement going on there. A group of students, judging by their school uniforms, was heading straight to the gate, apparently deciding not to wait until the fate of the radio host repeats itself and overtakes them too. It took another minute to understand what it was all like.   - We have to get out of here, - came a quiet voice from somewhere behind. The students perked up, briskly throwing things from their desks into their bags. Teacher nervously tried to wake them up by shouting to stay where they were. But Melfin, like everyone else, heard his voice tremble. A loud female squeal was heard from the yard. Everyone stuck to the glass again, watching one of the students try to pull her hand out of the grip of another student's teeth. They saw how her skin was torn under his onslaught, and how blood stained the asphalt with a thick spray. Melfin turned his gaze to the door. The hallway was relatively quiet. For now. Now panic will surely begin - they all read comics and watched movies. They all know what happens in such cases. Everyone knows what kind of "outburst of aggression" is.   “We need to find Den and get out of here,” - Melfin gets up from his seat and freezes, closing his eyes and cursing through his teeth.   “Damn,” he hisses, and then, ahead of the chaos of his classmates, he leaves the classroom, heading to the second floor to the music room. Only here on the second floor everything turns out to be much worse. Melfin looks at the dead crowd and clenches his teeth as he steps back. Scary, of course, scary as hell. Glancing to the corner of the corridor, Melfin catches the abandoned mop. Well, the wooden handle couldn’t provide 100% protection, but it was definitely better than nothing. Turning to the stairs, he ran back up to the third floor, running down the half-empty corridor to the stairs at the other end of the corridor. As soon as he was on the flight, he heard a familiar voice, ripped off in a cry:   - Don't come close! Do not come to me!         Melfin jumped several steps in one leap, shutting off the feeling of fear inside, and opened the ajar door of the music class completely at the moment when a dull thump was heard. Roger sat against the wall, violin neck clutched in his hands. One of the students with a broken head lay in front of him. Blood drips thickly from the instrument directly into the puddle next to the corpse and Cheryl's hitherto white sneakers.   - Wow, you killed him, - Melfin looks at the omega, who stares at him with huge frightened eyes, and grins, although he is terrified. You shouldn't have shown this to Roger. Omega stares at his victim in shock, then jumps up, throwing the bloody violin to the floor.   - Melfin! - Roger threw himself into his arms, trying to calm down even a little. Mel pressed it closer with one hand, examining it quickly. Roger was fine, no one else was in the office, but that didn't guarantee safety. He needed to grab Cheryl right now and drag her to the door, and then… A door slammed behind him, interrupting his feverish thoughts.   - Are you here too, Mel? - I heard dissatisfied. They both turned to see Roger's boyfriend in the aisle. She extended his hand to him, taking the omega into his arms, and Melfin narrowed his eyes, but said nothing. Roger was shivering like an aspen leaf and the alpha decided that they shouldn't sort things out here. Sherrill was already frankly bad.   - We need to leave if we do not want to comprehend their fate, - says Mel shortly, tightening his grip on the stick in his hands, going to the door. Roger nodded, gripping Sona's shirt. Alpha just rolled his eyes in obedience.   ***   - We need to get out of here, what are we waiting for? - Ashton in panic tugged on Dan's hand, to which John snorted nearby, looking at the students running in panic into the corridor. They are just idiots who will be the first to fall in this corridor or, if lucky, closer to the gate. - Why are you grinning, Fuller? Does your too smart brain see another way out?   - Yes, he sees, - John relaxed brushed off his bangs, folding his arms over his chest. - All of them are in a panic. All students will now run to the gate in an attempt to get out of the territory, thereby pushing the rest and not noticing anyone but themselves. Moreover, all our classmates hate each other and us as well. Your boyfriend will not protect you from a crowd of distraught students fighting for life. Do you dare, smart guy?   “They didn't hate me,” Ashton snorted, sending a painful shiver down Fuller's spine.   “Shut up, Hough,” John hissed, imperceptibly clenching his fists to sober himself up with the slight pain of nails digging into his skin.         Ashton pouted, wanting to make another complaint to him, but Rainey tugged slightly on his hand, intercepting his palm. Hough looked at him and then pursed his lips without saying anything. How annoying it was that Mel was still protecting John. Even in such situations, he couldn't just let this annoying guy answer!   - He is right. We should wait here until the crowd clears up, - Mel sighed and pulled out his phone, looking at the message from his brother. Laconic: "I'll meet you in the staff room." - As soon as it gets quieter, let's go to the teacher's room, where Melfin is waiting. Roger must be with him.   - And there are also keys to the school transport. Hardly any of you know how to drive, kids, ”their English teacher looked out of the preparatory room, tucking up the sleeves of his shirt. John jerked in dismay, grabbing Dan's wrist, but almost immediately let go, folding his arms over his chest. Ashton followed his action with a displeased look. Who would have thought that even in such a situation, they would snatch? Fuller walked closer to Cher, hands on his hips. - It's good that we stayed here. John, you are smart for not getting confused, we really need your head.   - And will you come with us? I hope you won't command?   - I will, I'm still your teacher, - Cheryl lightly slapped him on the forehead, and then they twitched together - one of the students burst into the office with a bitten neck. John stepped back in panic, and then felt himself being pulled back by the shoulder. Rainey kicked the dead man in the chest, grabbed the scissors from the table and hit them with all his might in the eye socket, eliciting a cry from Ashton. Pushing the body out the door, Mel closed it with a thunder Sherrill clap.   - Better not to make noise, are you okay? Rainey walked over to John, but John shook his head, twitching from his arms.   - Take care of your boyfriend. I'm not that soft, you know. ”Fuller turned to Cher, brushing his hair from his face. His hands were trembling. - Do you have magazines or thicker notebooks here? You can also use plastic bottles. And scotch tape. A layer of paper or plastic will be more difficult to bite through. We should wrap our forearms for protection. ”John shuddered and closed his eyes tensely for a second. Screams from the corridor cut the ears. Something like Fuller and himself. Shaking his head, he looked at Cher again.   - With us, everything will be fine, right? Can your father pick us up? Ashton cupped his hand. Mel pressed his lips into a thin strip, shaking his head. Their father was at a military base in Busan yesterday. It is unlikely that he will have time to pick them up. Even contacting him without a walkie-talkie will not work. - Maybe call the emergency services?   - Oh, and how did we not guess? Probably like most of the city. You're so clever! - John quipped, looking at him. Ashton grinned and Rainey shouted at Fuller, frowning.   “Stop it, John, we're all scared. Stop swearing at least now.         John snorted and turned away, clenching his fists in exasperation. Cher pulled out a stack of notebooks and a few rolls of duct tape from the preparation room. He reached for the scissors on the table, but bumped into an empty spot, looking at the door. Well, his scissors are not available right now.   - We must go to the classrooms of physics and labor on the way. There should be tools. ”Cher glanced at the time and then quietly walked to the door. It became quieter. - And then to the medical room.   - For the cute Dr. Sherrill? John asked slyly, making Cher twitch. This guy never ceased to amaze him - it seems that only he could keep a clear mind and pin up his teacher in the middle of a school filled with living corpses. It was great in this situation.   - For medicines. But for Dr. Sherrill too. ”The alpha cleared his throat and walked to the door, peering out cautiously. The corridor was almost empty. The noise was heard from below, which was not at all surprising - everyone rushed to the school exit. - Let's go. Try not to make noise.         John gripped his bag tighter, shaking all the notebooks out of it. It is unlikely that he will have to hand over them tomorrow for verification. Ashton grabbed Dan's arm, shutting his eyes for a couple of seconds. Cher got out first, heading towards the physics room. The window there was wide open, and in the study itself, one of the students staggered with a dull wheezing from a torn throat. Looking at Den, Cher nodded to him. The guy quickly slipped to the open window, crouching down.   “Hey,” the senior alpha called out to the dead man, and when he reacted, he kicked him in the chest with a powerful kick. Rainey sat up, sending his former, perhaps classmate, flying from the fourth floor. Looking after him, Mel winced at the picture presented.   - And here is our physicist, - the man lay down next to the dead, crashed from the fall. Of course, no one could blame him in this situation, but Rainey did not understand how it was possible to surrender so easily into the arms of death without even trying to do something. - Do we need to get the tools? John, Mr. Cheryl?   `` Just call me girl, what are these formalities for, '' Cher sighs, opening the preparatory door with his key. Fuller slipped under his arm, making sure it was empty beforehand. All three watched as the omega rummaged through the shelves, collecting the things they needed at the doorstep - a supply of gas cans for refueling, some tightly closed bottles of reagents for chemistry practices, sometimes held in the same auditorium.   - Put it all in my bag. The labor office should have nail guns for high school practitioners. If we're lucky, we can make ourselves at least some kind of weapon. You understand this better, Mel, - the omega again appeared in the class, looking around. Nothing else caught his attention, and he headed for the door, peering carefully out into the corridor.   - I'll go first, don't stick your nose, John, - Rainey pulled his shoulder back, getting a meaningful snort in his back. A hero without a medal. Fuller was always annoyed about it, and that was exactly what John loved so much about him. He used to rely on himself, and when he stopped coping, Rainey helped him. And he always helped. Omega closed his eyes, shaking his head. This is not the time to think about it.         Getting to the labor office turned out to be a more difficult task - it was on the first floor, just located on their way to the teachers' room and the medical room, but many dead people remained on the stairs between the first and second floors. Most of them left the building, following the noise of the streets filled with alarms and shouts. Nevertheless, these crowds remained - not numerous, but no less dangerous.   “We need to get past them.” Cher returned from the stairs, his voice low to a whisper. - It won't work. They will move back in a whole bunch. John? Any ideas?         Fuller pursed his lips, quickly pondering what they could do to avoid attracting an entire group of the dead and go unnoticed. It would be great to move silently and not slip on the blood in the hallway, so as not to give a reason to lean on yourself. Then you will definitely not get out. This means that the hasty actions were canceled. They needed something lasting. He quickly scanned the corridor and peered into the nearest classroom. Walking over to Ashton, he held out his hand.   - I need your phone.   - What? - Hough asked indignantly, to which Rainey immediately shouted so that he did not raise his voice. - Why mine? He asked quietly.   “Because you have two,” John snorted. Ashton paused, pursing his lips, and then frowned and reached for his bag, pulling out his phone, which served as a cover to keep his parents from picking on. John grabbed the cell phone from his fingers as he dashed into class. Numerous films and games could provide even the slightest description of their problem. Of course, everything that happened there had nothing to do with reality, but John could tell for sure that their brain was now fixated on only a few commands, and this was in their hands. Leaving his cell phone in an iron locker with additional textbooks, Fuller went back, asked Den to call him, and he moved to the corridor to hide.         A noisy melody rang out in the classroom. John squeezed the handle of the bag with his fingers, closing his eyes, Rainey watched the stairs next to him, from where the dead had tumbled in a shapeless crowd, falling into the classroom. Cher beckons them with his hand as he is the first to go around the bend. Rainey examines both omegas and pushes them forward, keeping an eye on what's left behind. Down the stairs, they turned to the back of the high school practice room.   “It’s better to go to the parking lot through the window in the teachers' room and run across the field,” Ashton pointed to a green clearing, along which only about a dozen students were strolling. From the side of the gate, the omega screeched with thunder, Sherrill, trying to break away from three carnivores who wanted to cling to the delicate skin. Stumbling over the surface of the treadmills, the girl flew down, breaking her nose into blood and lap. - We must help her! - Ashton twitched, but he was stopped.   “Leave it, she’s already a corpse.” Rainey yanked him away from the window, watching John rummage through the toolboxes, handing them over to Cher. - Give me a pistol, he can ... make a sight, if you can find something to attach a compass.         John looked at him with unreadable emotion, but then handed the instrument to the alpha, handing Cher a second. The man quickly examined him, nodding to himself, and walked to the door, watching through the c***k. Fuller pulled out a box of nails from a drawer, storing them in a bag, threw in a wrench and a screwdriver just in case.   - Won't you take a gun? Rainey stepped closer to him, still holding Ashton's hand. - I taught you to shoot.         Fuller looked up at him, then turned his gaze back to things. Alpha really taught him to shoot at a shooting range, and at banks outside the city, but that was a completely different matter. John would not have held him in his hands if he had to put the instrument into action.   - This is not a weapon that I held in my hands then, I will only linger with it. It just makes no sense to take it - it is heavy, it will interfere with running. Your Ashton doesn't know how to shoot either, it's better for him to stay light - he's an athlete, an athlete and just a smart one, and it will be easier for him to run long distances without ballast, '' he explained, looking back at the window, and then at Cher. “Hyung, you and I will follow our adorable nurse. And you - go to the staff room and wait for us there. ”Fuller got up from the floor, handing Ashton his tool bag. Omega grabbed her with both hands, nodded, and then slung her over his shoulder, looking back at the window. It seems that for the first time he agreed with John without argument.   “We won't leave without you.” Rainey wants to move closer to Fuller, but he shoots him with a cold look, walking away to Cher. Rainey brakes, as if bumping into a wall built of cold indifference and tacit condemnation of the omega.   - You will leave if we are away for a long time. Melfin will be hanging out with Roger, and you have him. ”The omega nods at Ashton by the window and then pushes Cher toward the exit. - Don't linger. Who knows how much more we will carry.