Archive of Our Own

It was a beautiful Friday morning, Inside the large, modern lecture hall, the atmosphere was much more serious. The room was built like an amphitheater, with rows of desks rising higher and higher toward the back.

In the middle corner of the room, two nursing students were sitting side by side.

Yoonchae, focused and diligent, had her notebook open and her pen moving steadily. Beside her was Megan, her girlfriend. But while the professor at the front was pointing to a complex diagram of the human circulatory system on a huge screen, Megan wasn't looking at the slides. She was leaning her head on her hand, staring intensely at Yoonchae's profile.

Yoonchae felt the gaze. She tried to ignore it for five minutes, but Megan's stare was heavy and teasing. Without looking away from the board, Yoonchae reached over and gave Megan's tall, sharp nose a playful flick.

"Ouch," Megan whispered, letting out a soft groan as she rubbed her nose. "You're an ever brutal girlfriend, you know that?"

Yoonchae finally turned her head, a small smirk playing on her lips. When she smiled, her eyes narrowed into happy, crescent eyes that Megan adored.

"Maybe if you were looking at the Aorta on the screen instead of me, I wouldn't have to discipline you," Yoonchae whispered back, her voice barely audible over the professor's drone.

Megan didn't look away. Instead, her smirk deepened. Her mind wasn't on blood vessels, it was back in Yoonchae's dorm room, remembering the way they had spent the previous evening making out until they were both breathless.

"I can't help it," Megan leaned in closer, her lips brushing Yoonchae's ear. "You're way more interesting than a dead body on a screen."

Yoonchae's cheeks turned a bright, rosy red. She huffed, turning her attention back to her notes.

"Please, shut up." This was exactly why she usually tried to sit apart from Megan during lectures. Megan was loud, constantly unfocused, and had a way of making Yoonchae's heart race when she was supposed to be thinking about medicine.

When the bell finally rang, signaling the end of the long lecture, the students flooded out into the bright hallways. Megan and Yoonchae walked close together, their fingers interlaced.

Yoonchae carried a heavy stack of textbooks in her free arm, while Megan carried... a single pen.

"You really aren't going to carry a notebook?" Yoonchae teased, glancing at the lonely pen in Megan's pocket.

"Why would I?" Megan grinned, swinging their joined hands. "I have a genius girlfriend who takes the best notes in the entire state. I'll just borrow yours later."

"One day, I'm going to say no," Yoonchae warned, though they both knew she never would.

Suddenly, a hand dropped onto Megan's shoulder. It was Manon, a nursing student and one of their close friends. She looked excited, her eyes bright.

"Megan! There's a huge pool party at Emily's house tonight," Manon said, stepping alongside them. "Everyone is going. Music, food, the works. You in?"

Megan's eyes lit up, but she immediately felt Yoonchae's grip tighten slightly. She knew that look.

For Megan, a party was an adventure, for Yoonchae, a party was usually a place where Megan got into some kind of trouble.

Megan pressed her lips together and looked at her girlfriend. They were about the same height, both tall and striking but Yoonchae currently held all the power in the relationship.

"We have a shift at the hospital until 8:00 PM tonight," Yoonchae said calmly, raising an eyebrow at Megan.

Megan turned back to Manon with a dramatic pout. "Sorry, Manon. My living schedule holder says no."

Manon let out a loud laugh, shaking her head. "Wow, Meg. You're totally doomed. Under the thumb already?"

Megan just chuckled, unbothered. She knew that going against Yoonchae's wishes was a recipe for disaster.

If she ever truly upset Yoonchae, she knew she'd end up having to crawl back for forgiveness, and she wasn't looking to test those waters today.

When they reached the university cafeteria, their friends Lara, Sophia, and Daniela were already seated at a large round table in the corner. They looked exhausted, their blue nursing scrubs slightly wrinkled. They had just finished their early morning clinical rotations at the school hospital.

As Manon, Megan, and Yoonchae sat down, they noticed the trio wasn't talking about boys or classes. Their faces were grim.

"It was the deepest bite I've ever seen," Lara was saying, her voice low and serious. "The guy was out hiking. A stray dog got him. But here's the crazy part, the family waited five days to bring him in. They thought it was just a regular wound."

Megan leaned in, her curiosity piqued. "Wait, a rabies case? How bad is it?"

Lara pulled out her phone and swiped to a photo she had taken of the medical chart. She showed the screen to Megan and Yoonchae.

(Note: Taking photos of the medchart is prohibited irl, just spare this one LOL)

The wound was jagged and dark. The skin around the bite was turning a strange, sickly shade of purple and black. Yoonchae winced, pulling back slightly.

"That's not just rabies," Yoonchae whispered, her medical brain clicking into gear. "Look at the necrosis. The tissue is dying. If he's had that for five days without a vaccine... he's hopeless. The virus has probably already hit his central nervous system."

"Exactly," Manon added, leaning over. "The doctors are saying it's a lost cause. He's already showing signs of hydrophobia, he's terrified of water and keeps snapping at the nurses."

Megan reached over and snatched a French fry from Daniela's plate.

"Aww!" Megan yelped as Daniela smacked her hand away.

"Buy your own fries, Megan!" Daniela snapped, though she was mostly joking. "I've been on my feet for six hours and I'm starving. Go order your own food."

Megan rolled her eyes playfully and turned to Yoonchae.

"What do you want for lunch, baby? I'm buying since Dani is being a meanie."

"Just the usual diet meal," Yoonchae said with a smile. "Salad and some grilled chicken."

Megan nodded, leaning down to plant a quick, sweet kiss on Yoonchae's cheek before heading toward the food counter.

While she was gone, Sophia turned her phone around to show the others a second photo.

This one wasn't of the wound, it was the patient's face. He looked terrible, his skin was pale, his veins were bulging and dark, and his eyes looked bloodshot and wild.

"Is there any chance he can be cured?"

Manon asked, staring at the man's haunted expression.

Lara shook her head slowly. "At this stage? Five days in? It's impossible. The rabies have spread everywhere. The nurses in the isolation ward are actually scared to go in there. They say he doesn't sound human anymore."

The girls were still leaned in close, their eyes fixed on the disturbing photos of the rabies patient. The air felt heavy but the tension was broken when Yoonchae's eyes wandered toward the food line.

She was looking for Megan, who had been gone a little too long just to order a salad and some fries.

That's when she saw her. Megan was standing by the large soda dispenser, but she wasn't alone. Standing right in front of her was Lexie, a girl with long, jet black hair and a doll like face.

Lexie was Megan's exgirlfriend from high school, and she had a habit of appearing whenever things were going well.

Sophia, always the one to notice the drama first, nudged Yoonchae's arm with her elbow. She pointed a French fry toward the soda machines.

"Uh, Yoonchae? Are you just going to sit there and watch that?" Sophia asked, her eyebrows shooting up. "Lexie looks like she's trying to accidentally trip into Megan's arms."

Yoonchae didn't move. She didn't stand up, and she didn't look angry. She simply leaned back in her chair and shrugged, a small, confident smirk on her face.

"I'm not worried," Yoonchae said calmly. "I know Megan. All I have to do is call her name once, and she'll come running back instantly."

Over by the machines, Megan was indeed looking a bit trapped. She was holding two heavy trays of food, trying to balance them while Lexie talked her ear off about some party. Megan kept glancing back at the table, her eyes searching for Yoonchae.

When she finally caught Yoonchae's gaze, she felt a bolt of nervous energy. She quickly excused herself, giving Lexie a polite but very brief nod, and practically jogged back to the table.

"Here we go," Megan said, a bit breathless as she set the trays down. She placed the healthy diet meal, the grilled chicken and salad carefully in front of Yoonchae.

"Sorry that took so long. The line was... complicated."

"It's fine, Thank you, Meg."

The group began to eat, the mood lightening as Megan started telling stories about her clinical shift.

"So, I had this patient," Megan said, waving a fry in the air. "A grown man, probably six feet tall, but the second he saw the syringe for his flu shot? Total meltdown. He started having a paranoia attack, convinced the needle was a foot long."

"What did you do?" Lara asked, leaning in.

"Oh, you know me," Megan chuckled, leaning back. "I just used my charm. I started talking to him about his favorite sports team, gave him a big smile, and kept him distracted. His mind drifted right away from the needle. By the time he realized what happened, I was already putting the band aid on."

Yoonchae rolled her eyes, though she was smiling. "So that's your medical strategy now? Flirting with your patients?"

Megan's eyes twinkled with mischief. She leaned closer to Yoonchae, lowering her voice so only their friends could hear.

"I don't flirt with patients, babe. I save all that energy for a certain genius nursing student that I pulled into the comfort room to make out."

Yoonchae's entire face turned bright red. She choked slightly on her water, while the rest of the table erupted.

"Gross!" Daniela cried out, throwing a crumpled up napkin right at Megan's forehead.

Lara and Sophia made faces of mock disgust, shaking their heads. Only Manon laughed out loud, leaning back in her chair.

"That is such a classic Megan move. But seriously, doing that with Yoonchae? The girl who literally has the highest GPA in the building? Megan, you're a bad influence."

Megan shrugged with a mischievous smile, knowing exactly what influence she have with her girlfriend.

After lunch, the sun was still high and hot.

Megan, feeling a bit guilty for teasing Yoonchae so much, went and bought two large strawberry shakes.

They found a quiet bench in front of the university's green athletic field. They sat close together, shoulders touching, sipping their cold drinks and watching the other students walk by. It felt like a perfect, normal Friday.

Meanwhile, Manon headed toward the hospital wing. Her afternoon shift was starting early. She walked into the locker room, the air smelling of fresh laundry and antiseptic. She quickly swapped her pants and t-shirt for her blue nursing scrubs, pinning her hair back securely.

As she entered the Emergency Room , she saw a familiar face.

Doctor Jeung, Yoonchae's father, was standing at a central desk, looking over a clipboard. He was one of the most respected surgeons at the university.

"Good afternoon, Doctor Jeung," Manon said with a polite bow.

"Manon. Good to see you," Doctor Jeung replied, offering a tired but kind smile. "I need some help. We have a teenager in Cubicle 4 who wiped out on his motorcycle. It's not too bad, just some deep scrapes. Can you handle the first aid?"

"Of course, Doctor."

Manon grabbed a medical kit and headed to the cubicle. Inside was a boy who looked about nineteen, his jeans torn and his arm bleeding.

"Hey there," Manon said softly as she began cleaning the wound. "What happened? Take a turn too fast?"

The boy shook his head, looking frustrated and a little shaky.

"No, it was a dog. This big, mangy looking dog just came charging out of an alley. It wasn't barking, it was making this weird growling, clicking sound. It chased me for a full block. I got so nervous and frantic trying to get away that I lost my balance and hit a brick wall."

Manon winced as she applied the antiseptic. "A dog? You're the third person today to mention an aggressive animal. There seem to be a lot of rabid dogs lately. The hospital is getting crowded with bite victims."

By 3:00 PM, the rest of the group was ready for work. Megan and Yoonchae headed to the locker room to change. The room was empty for a moment, the only sound being the hum of the air conditioning.

As Yoonchae reached up to close her locker, Megan stepped in close, blocking her path. She pinned Yoonchae against the metal door, her hands resting on either side of Yoonchae's waist.

"Megan, we're going to be late," Yoonchae whispered, but she didn't move away.

"We have two minutes," Megan murmured. She leaned in and kissed Yoonchae deeply.

Yoonchae sighed into the kiss, her hands reaching up to wrap around Megan's neck, pulling her closer.

The world outside the locker room disappeared. Megan tilted her head, deepening the kiss, her movements confident and slow.

When Megan's hand moved playfully on her mound, Yoonchae let out a soft, involuntary moan, her heart hammering against her ribs.

Finally, Yoonchae pulled back, her breath hitching. "Okay, okay... seriously. We'll get in trouble."

Megan gave her one last, lingering kiss on the lips, looking frustrated that she had to stop.

"Fine. But after work, you're all mine."

As they walked out into the main hospital hallway, the peaceful vibe of the afternoon shattered instantly.

A piercing, high pitched scream echoed through the corridor.

They ran toward the sound. A crowd of nurses and students had gathered near the entrance of the triage area.

In the center of the chaos was Doctor Jeung.

He was trying to hold down a woman who looked like she was having a seizure but it was more violent than that. She was thrashing, her teeth bared, snapping her jaws at anyone who got close.

"Get the restraints!" Doctor Jeung shouted, his face tight with exertion. "Security! Now!"

Megan's eyes dropped to the woman's leg. On her left foot was a big, jagged wound. It wasn't just a scratch, it was a deep, triangular bite mark that was oozing a dark, syrupy blood.

"Yoonchae," Megan whispered, her voice trembling. "Look. Another one. That's a dog bite."

Yoonchae watched as her father struggled to keep the woman's head from hitting the floor.

The woman's eyes were turning a cloudy, milky red, and the sound coming from her throat was a guttural, animalistic snarl.

"It's spreading," Yoonchae said, her medical training clashing with a sudden, cold fear.

"Whatever this is... it's moving faster than rabies should."

She took a deep breath, trying to stay professional. She knew they couldn't just stand there and watch. She nudged Megan toward the nurse's station.

"We have to work, Megan. The hospital is going to get busy. Let's get our charts."

They split up, each taking a clipboard.

On the first floor, Megan pushed open the door to Room 102.

Megan adjusted her surgical mask, making sure it fit snugly over her nose and mouth.

In the bed lay a woman named Elena. She was seven months pregnant, her belly a soft mound under the hospital sheets.

Elena had been brought in after her own family dog, a gentle Golden Retriever she'd had for years had suddenly snapped and bitten her ankle. The shock of the attack had caused her to fall, and the doctors wanted to monitor her and the baby.

"Good evening, Elena," Megan said, her voice soft and encouraging. She picked up the medical chart hanging at the foot of the bed.

"How are we feeling? Did the little one kick for you today?"

Elena looked up. Her skin was pale, almost translucent, and there were dark circles under her eyes.

"He's quiet today," she whispered, her voice rasping. "My leg... it burns, Megan. It feels like there's fire under my skin."

Megan frowned slightly, pulling back the covers to check the bandage on Elena's ankle.

There was no redness or discharge, but the skin around the dressing felt unusually hot to the touch. Megan quickly wrapped the blood pressure cuff around Elena's arm.

The numbers climbed. Elena's heart rate was elevated, 110 beats per minute.

"You're just a little stressed," Megan said, forced a smile that Elena couldn't see behind the mask.

"Don't worry. The doctors say you're stable. If everything looks good tomorrow, you'll be discharged in two days. You'll be home in your own bed soon."

Elena nodded weakly, but her eyes remained unfocused, staring at a spot on the ceiling as if she were seeing something Megan couldn't.

Meanwhile, several doors down in Room 125, Yoonchae was having a much noisier experience.

"Look at you! You're just as beautiful as my granddaughter, Lily!" Mrs. Gale, an 80 year old woman with fluffy white hair, clapped her hands together as Yoonchae entered.

Yoonchae couldn't help but smile. Mrs. Gale was in for a minor hip observation, but she had enough energy for the entire floor.

"Good evening, Mrs. Gale," Yoonchae said, her eyes crinkling into that signature crescent shape. She began checking the IV bag hanging next to the bed.

"I see you've finished your dinner. Are you ready for your evening vitals?"

"Talk to me while you do it, dear," Mrs. Gale pleaded. "It's so lonely in here. My Lily lives all the way in New York. She has hair just like yours, dark and shiny."

As Yoonchae pumped the manual blood pressure cuff, she listened to Mrs. Gale talk about her garden, her cat, and how much she missed the sound of her grandchildren playing in the hallway.

The older woman's voice cracked at the end.

"I just want to hold them again, you know? Life is too short to be behind these white walls."

Yoonchae felt a lump in her throat. Being a nursing student often meant seeing people at their most vulnerable.

She finished the check, recorded the perfect 120/80 pressure, and then leaned down. She wrapped her arms around the tiny woman in a warm, firm hug.

"You'll see them soon, Mrs. Gale," Yoonchae whispered. "I promise."

Mrs. Gale squeezed back with surprising strength. For a moment, the clinical world of needles and charts felt human again.

By 6:00 PM, Megan and Yoonchae met in the cafeteria for their scheduled break. The large room was mostly empty, save for a few tired doctors and janitors.

They weren't alone. Sitting across the table was Doctor Jeung, Yoonchae's father. He looked like he had aged five years in a single afternoon.

His surgical cap was pulled low, and he was staring into a cup of black coffee.

Megan slid into the seat next to Yoonchae, immediately reaching under the table to find her girlfriend's hand. She began tracing patterns on Yoonchae's palm with her thumb, a silent way of grounding herself after the unsettling visit with the pregnant patient.

"The woman from earlier," Doctor Jeung began, his voice heavy. "The one who went ballistic in the lobby. We couldn't stabilize her."

Yoonchae leaned forward, her face pale. "What happened, Dad?"

"Her brain was... it was cooking," he said, using simple terms but his eyes were filled with confusion.

"The fever wouldn't break. She was aggressive, non verbal. We talked to the family. There's no known cure for the state she's in. We've had to offer them an NDA. We're asking for permission to administer a lethal sedative. To syringe the patient to death before the suffering gets worse."

Megan gasped, her grip on Yoonchae's hand tightening.

"You're going to euthanize her? Just because of a dog bite?"

"It's more than a bite, Megan," Doctor Jeung sighed. "The number of victims coming in is concerning. It's not just one or two. It's dozens across the city. The ER is filling up."

"I've been thinking about the wounds," Yoonchae said suddenly. Her voice was quiet but steady.

"The bites... they aren't just deep. They have that strange, necrotic purple color. And the speed of the infection? Dad, rabies takes weeks to show symptoms. These people are turning in hours."

Doctor Jeung looked at his daughter. "What are you getting at, Yoonchae?"

Yoonchae looked at Megan, then back to her father. She felt like she was telling a ghost story, but the evidence was right in front of them.

"I read a book once, an old medical journal about experimental chemicals used in industrial farming," Yoonchae explained, her eyes wide. "There was a theory about an Epidemia. A virus that starts when animals consume high protein chemicals that mutate their saliva. It turns their brain into a muscle of pure aggression. Once it hits a human... it's not just a sickness. It's a total system takeover. A virus that doesn't want to kill the host, but use it to spread."

The cafeteria was silent. A tray dropped in the kitchen, the loud clang echoing like a gunshot.

"You're describing a zombie virus, Yoonchae," Megan whispered, her voice trembling. "That's movie stuff."

"Is it?" Yoonchae asked, her gaze fixed on her father. "Look at the woman in the lobby. Did she look like a patient to you? Or did she look like a predator?"

Doctor Jeung didn't answer. He just looked at his coffee, not saying anything.

Outside, in the hallway, a distant scream began and this time, it didn't sound like it was coming from a human.

As they sat there, the overhead speakers crackled to life.

"Code Gray. South Wing. All security personnel to the South Wing immediately."

Megan and Yoonchae stood up instinctively.

That was Megan's floor.

"Stay here," Doctor Jeung commanded, standing up and reaching for his pager. "Both of you. Don't go back to the wards until we know what's happening."

But Megan was thinking of Elena in Room 102.

She was thinking of the pregnant woman who said her leg felt like fire. If Yoonchae was right, if this was a system takeover then that fire was the virus claiming its next victim.

"We can't just sit here," Megan said, her eyes flashing with a mix of fear and determination.

"Our friends are still out there. Manon is in the ER. Sophia and the others are in the clinic. If this is an Epidemia, Dad... the hospital is the worst place to be."

Yoonchae nodded, her face hardening. She grabbed her stethoscope from the table. "We need to find them. We need to get everyone together before things get worse."

:::

Inside the university library, the world still felt still. Sophia was sitting across from Daniela, leaning over the table. Sophia was excited, her hands moving as she talked.

"So, for my mom's birthday, I was thinking of a surprise dinner," Sophia whispered, mindful of the signs to stay quiet.

"Maybe that Italian place she loves? Or do you think a backyard BBQ is better?"

Daniela didn't look up. Her thumbs were flying across her phone screen, a small smile on her face. She was texting her boyfriend, Jonah.

"Yeah, cool, Soph. Whatever you think," she muttered, clearly not hearing a single word.

Sophia's excitement withered. she sighed and slumped back in her chair. Realizing she was talking to a wall, she pulled out her own phone.

She saw a notification from Leon, her best friend since childhood.

Leon: I've been stuck at the mall with your mom for three hours. I'm running out of ways to distract her. Tell me the surprise is ready soon or I'm going to fake a fainting spell.

Sophia let out a genuine chuckle, her shoulders shaking. The sound made Daniela look up. She squinted, leaning forward to catch a glimpse of Sophia's screen.

When she saw Leon's name, her expression turned sour. Daniela had never really liked how close Sophia and Leon were.

"Is Leon here in LA?" Daniela asked, her voice sharp.

"Yes," Sophia answered shortly, typing back to him without looking up.

"Is he staying at your house?" Daniela pressed, her eyes narrowing.

"Where else would he stay, Dani? Of course he's at our house," Sophia said, finally looking up.

Daniela's face went pale with annoyance. She felt a surge of irrational anger. She didn't want to hear about Leon, and she certainly didn't want to hear about him sleeping in Sophia's guest room.

She abruptly stood up, shoving her notebooks into her bag with enough force to crinkle the pages.

"Where are you going?" Sophia asked, startled by the sudden movement.

"Jonah's coming to pick me up," Daniela lied, her voice cold. "I'm leaving."

Sophia nodded slowly. "Okay... take care, I guess."

Daniela rolled her eyes and turned to walk away, but she only made it three steps before the world broke.

A soul shaking alarm began to blare throughout the library. It wasn't the fire alarm, this was deeper, a pulsing sound that signaled a campus wide emergency.

Students who had been dozing over textbooks jumped to their feet. The silence of the library was replaced by the screeching of chairs against the floor.

"What is that?" Sophia shouted over the noise, her heart leaping into her throat.

"I don't know!" Daniela yelled back, her anger forgotten in a flash of pure fear.

They watched as a sea of students began to sprint toward the main glass doors. Suddenly, the overhead speakers crackled with a frantic voice.

"ATTENTION ALL STUDENTS. THIS IS AN EMERGENCY LOCKDOWN. STAY AWAY FROM THE HOSPITAL WING. REPEAT. STAY AWAY FROM THE CLINICAL BUILDINGS. EVACUATE TO YOUR HOMES IMMEDIATELY. DO NOT WAIT. GO NOW."

Sophia and Daniela grabbed their bags and ran toward the back exit, hoping to avoid the crush of the crowd. As they burst through the heavy metal doors into the courtyard, they saw a figure sprinting toward them.

It was Manon.

Her blue nursing scrubs were wrinkled, and her face was a mask of pure terror. She was pale, her breath coming in ragged, shallow gasps. She almost collided with Daniela.

"Manon! Stop!" Daniela grabbed her shoulders, steadying her. "What's happening? Why are they telling us to leave?"

Manon's lips were trembling so hard she could barely speak. Her eyes were wide, darting back and forth as if she expected something to jump out from the shadows.

"The... the patient," Manon stuttered, her voice breaking. "Room 102. The pregnant woman. She just... she stood up and she wasn't human anymore. She bit a nurse, Daniela. She bit her right in the neck, and then the nurse started shaking and... and they became monsters. They aren't stopping! They're just biting everyone!"

Sophia's breath hitched. Her mind raced back to the cafeteria conversation about the dog bites.

"Where's Lara?" Manon cried out, clutching Daniela's arm. "I was with her in the ER, but we got separated when the screaming started. Have you seen her?"

Daniela shook her head, her own fear starting to paralyze her. "I don't know. We haven't seen anyone."

Sophia looked toward the hospital towers in the distance. The lights were flickering, and she could see people running past the windows.

"What about Megan and Yoonchae? They had the afternoon shift! They're still in there!"

Manon let out a sob. "The pregnant woman... Elena... she was Megan's patient. Megan was supposed to check her vitals at 6:15."

The horror on their faces was palpable. They stood in the middle of the courtyard, surrounded by the sounds of distant screaming and the constant, thumping alarm, realizing that their best friends might be trapped in the very center of the outbreak.

Back in the hospital, Megan and Yoonchae hadn't listened to Doctor Jeung. They couldn't just sit in the cafeteria while the Code Gray was echoing through the halls.

They ran toward the elevators, hoping to get down to the first floor to check on their friends, but they were stopped by a young medical student who was stumbling out of the stairwell, crying and covered in dust.

"Don't go down there!" the student screamed, her voice raw. "There's a monster! The woman in 102... she's lashing out! She's biting everyone! Just run! Everyone has to leave the hospital now!"

Megan's heart was hammering against her ribs. She looked at Yoonchae, whose face had gone completely white.

Megan's grip on Yoonchae's hand tightened until her knuckles were white.

"We need our phones," Megan said, her voice surprisingly steady despite the sweat on her brow. "And our keys. We can't leave without a way to call the others."

They turned and ran toward the staff locker room. The hallways were already becoming chaotic. Carts were overturned, and the smell of copper, blood, began to fill the air.

When they reached the lockers, the silence of the small room felt eerie. Yoonchae leaned against a row of metal lockers, her knees buckling. She slid down to the floor, her breath coming in gasps.

"Megan... this is it," Yoonchae whispered, her voice trembling. "The virus. The outbreak. It's actually happening."

Megan dropped to her knees in front of her, ignoring the lockers for a second. She took Yoonchae's face in her hands, forcing her girlfriend to look at her.

Yoonchae's eyes were filled with tears, reflecting the cold light of the room.

"Listen to me," Megan said, her voice firm. "We know how to handle emergencies. But right now, we aren't nurses. We're survivors. We are going to get our things, we are going to find Manon, Sophia, Daniela, and Lara, and we are getting out of this building."

Yoonchae let out a shaky breath, a tear rolling down her cheek. "It's so dangerous, Meg. Did you hear that girl? They're biting people. If we get trapped..."

Megan leaned forward and pressed a soft, lingering kiss to the top of Yoonchae's head.

"I won't let us get trapped. I promise. I'm not leaving without you, and I'm not leaving without our friends."

Megan stood up and quickly dialed her locker combination. She grabbed their backpacks and their phones. She handed Yoonchae hers, watching as her girlfriend's hands shook while she gripped the device.

"Come on," Megan said, pulling Yoonchae up. "We have to move. Every second we stay in this room is a second the exit gets blocked. Let's go find the others."

As they stepped back out into the hallway, the lights flickered and died, leaving them in the dim, red glow of the emergency back up power.

Outside, Manon, Sophia, and Daniela were moving through the crowd. The university was a sea of panicked teenagers. Some were crying, some were filming on their phones, and others were just running blindly.

"We have to go toward the South Exit!" Daniela shouted, trying to lead the way.

"That's where the parking lot is!"

"No!" Sophia grabbed her arm. "We can't leave until we know if Megan and Yoonchae got out! And Lara! We can't leave Lara!"

Suddenly, Manon pointed toward the glass bridge that connected the hospital to the science building. Through the glass, they saw two figures running.

"Is that them?" Manon squinted.

Through the dim red light, they could see a tall girl with a ponytail pulling another girl along.

"It's Megan!" Sophia screamed, though she knew they couldn't hear her. "They're in the bridge!"

But behind the two girls, a door at the end of the bridge burst open. A group of people or what used to be people stumbled out. They weren't running, they were limping, their bodies twitching with a strange, jerky energy.

Megan gripped Yoonchae's hand so tight her knuckles were white. They were running toward the glass bridge that connected the clinical wing to the main university campus. Every step they took felt heavy, like they were running through water.

"Megan, wait!" Yoonchae cried out, her voice cracking as she stumbled. "My dad, he's still in the surgical wing. We can't just leave him!"

Megan stopped, turning to look at her girlfriend. Her heart was hammering against her ribs, but she forced her voice to stay steady.

"Yoonchae, look at the hallways. The elevators are stuck, and the stairs are crowded with... with whatever those things are. We have to get across the bridge now, or we'll get trapped in this wing forever. Your dad is a doctor, he knows the layout better than anyone. He'll find a way out, but we have to move!"

Yoonchae's eyes were swimming with tears, but she nodded. They turned to dash toward the bridge when a blood curdling scream echoed from a nearby ward.

Suddenly, a man burst out of a side door, sprinting for his life. Behind him was a figure that made Megan's blood turn to ice. It was a woman in a hospital gown, but she wasn't walking.

She was sprinting with an animalistic, jerky speed, her jaw unhinged and her eyes a cloudy, bleeding red. It wasn't a sick person anymore. It was a hunter.

"It's a... i-it's not human anymore," Yoonchae whispered, her lips trembling so hard she could barely form the words. "Megan, it's really happening."

The creature was fast, faster than any human Megan had ever seen. It lunged at the man, but he managed to dodge into a corner. The monster turned its head, its neck snapping with a sickening sound, and locked its gaze on Megan and Yoonchae.

"Oh my god!" Yoonchae held on Megan tightly.

Megan didn't have time to be scared. She looked to her left and saw an emergency station. Inside the glass case was a bright red fire extinguisher and a heavy, steel headed axe.

"Get back!" Megan shouted to Yoonchae.

Megan grabbed a heavy steel stool from the nearby nurse's station. With a grunt of effort, she smashed it against the emergency glass.

The glass shattered on the floor. Megan reached in and grabbed the axe. Her hands were shaking, but she gripped the cold wooden handle with everything she had.

The man who had been chased ran toward them, his face pale. "Help me! Please, it's going to kill me!"

The zombie let out a guttural, wet snarl and lunged. It didn't feel like a person, it felt like a heat seeking missile.

Megan took a deep breath, stepping in front of Yoonchae. As the creature leaped, Megan swung the axe with a desperate, horizontal force.

The blade connected. There was a sickening thud, and the creature fell to the floor, motionless.

Yoonchae let out a tiny yelp, covering her mouth with her hands. But there was no time to celebrate.

From the end of the long hallway, they heard it, the sound of a hundred footsteps. A frantic pounding of feet. A pack of them were coming.

"Run!" Megan screamed.

They bolted for the glass bridge. They made it inside the glass tunnel just as the man followed them. Megan slammed the heavy glass door shut.

"Help me lock it!" Megan shouted at the man. "Grab the latch!"

But the man was completely broken by fear. His eyes were wide and vacant. "I'm sorry... I can't... I have to go!" he sobbed, and instead of helping, he turned and sprinted away across the bridge, leaving them behind.

"Fuck, Coward!" Megan cursed, struggling with the heavy manual lock. It was too high for her to reach properly while holding the door shut against the weight of the monsters slamming into the other side.

Yoonchae didn't hesitate. She grabbed the same steel stool Megan had used earlier, dragged it to the door, and stood on it. She reached up and flipped the heavy security latch just as the first zombie slammed its head against the glass.

Megan let out a sob of relief and pulled Yoonchae down, kissing the top of her head.

"Thank you. Oh my god, thank you."

"We have to keep moving," Yoonchae said, her voice small. "The glass won't hold."

She was right. Not even a minute later, the sound of cracking glass echoed through the tunnel.

"Run, Chae!" Megan yelled.

They sprinted across the bridge, the glass shattering behind them like a waterfall. They reached the university side, but instead of running out into the open courtyard where more monsters might be, Megan saw a small janitor's storage room. She pulled Yoonchae inside and locked the door just as a dozen screaming figures sprinted past in the hallway.

Inside the storage room, it was pitch black and smelled of lemon cleaner. They both sat on the floor, gasping for air, their hearts racing in the darkness.

Yoonchae began to cry quietly, the weight of the world crashing down on her.

Suddenly, a light flickered in the room. Yoonchae's phone was buzzing. The caller ID showed... Dad.

She answered it instantly, her voice a frantic whisper. "Dad? Dad, are you okay? Where are you?"

Doctor Jeung's voice came through, sounding tired but relieved. "Yoonchae? Thank God. I'm in the basement parking garage. I've managed to get to the car. Are you and Megan safe?"

"We're in a storage room near the bridge," Yoonchae sobbed. "Dad, it's everywhere. They aren't people anymore."

"I know, honey. Listen to me. I am not leaving this university without you. I'm staying right here in the basement. Can you get to me?"

Yoonchae looked at Megan. "We'll try, Dad. We have to be careful, but we'll get there."

"I'll be waiting," Doctor Jeung promised, his voice trembling. "I love you. Just... get here."

As Yoonchae hung up, Megan's phone buzzed. She had dozens of unread texts. One was from Lara, but it was empty. Another was from Sophia.

Sophia: Meg, if you get this, we're trapped in the Faculty Room in the West Wing. Daniela and Manon are with me. We don't know where Lara is. Please help.

Megan felt her heart sink. "Yoonchae... Sophia and the others are in the West Wing faculty room. That's on the complete opposite side of the campus from the basement."

Yoonchae stood up, wiping her eyes. "We have to go to the basement. My dad is waiting. We can get in the car and drive to the West Wing to pick them up."

Megan shook her head slowly. "The parking garage exits are likely blocked or swarming. If I drop you off at the basement, you'll be safe with your dad. Then I can run across the campus and get the girls."

Yoonchae's forehead creased in anger.

"What? No! We go together, Megan! I'm not letting you run across a zombie infested campus alone!"

"Yoonchae, think!" Megan pleaded, grabbing her shoulders. "If something happens to both of us, nobody saves them. You have a guaranteed way out with your dad. I can move faster if I'm light. I'll get them and meet you at the main gate."

"Are you crazy?" Yoonchae's tears started falling again, more violently this time. She shook her head stubbornly.

"Do you really think I'd feel safe sitting in a car while you're out there risking your life? Do you think I could live with myself if you didn't come back?"

Megan felt her heart crumble. She hated the idea of being apart from Yoonchae for even a second, but her protective instincts were screaming at her. She wanted Yoonchae behind a locked car door more than anything in the world.

Megan pulled Yoonchae into a tight, desperate hug, burying her face in Yoonchae's neck.

"You have to be safe," Megan whispered into her ear. "Please. I can handle myself. I have the axe, I'm fast... I just need to know you're okay."

"No," Yoonchae sobbed into Megan's shoulder, gripping her jacket. "I'm not letting you go alone. If we're going to survive this, we do it together. I'm not just some girl you need to protect. I'm your partner."

The storage room door rattled suddenly from the outside. Something was sniffing at the crack at the bottom of the door. Both of them froze, holding their breath in the dark.

The storage room, which had felt like a safe haven only moments ago, suddenly felt like a trap.

The sniffing sound became more frantic. It wasn't the sound of a dog looking for a bone, it was the sound of a predator that had caught the scent of warm, living blood.

Yoonchae pressed both her hands over her mouth, her eyes wide and watery, trying to stifle the sound of her own ragged breathing.

Megan moved with an intensity she didn't know she possessed. She stepped toward the door, shifting her weight onto the balls of her feet and raising the heavy axe.

For a few agonizing seconds, the hallway went silent. The scratching stopped. The sniffing faded. The two girls shared a look of desperate hope, maybe the thing had moved on? Maybe it was looking for easier prey?

Then, the world exploded.

A violent blow struck the center of the door. The wood groaned, and the hinges shrieked in protest. Yoonchae let out a small, involuntary yelp, and even Megan jumped, her heart hammering against her ribs like a drum.

The force was incredible. This wasn't a person knocking, this was a ballistic weight throwing itself at the barrier. The door began to splinter near the handle. Megan braced her shoulder against a nearby shelf to steady herself, her eyes locked on the breaking wood.

"Yoonchae! Find something!" Megan hissed through grit teeth.

Despite her legs shaking so hard she could barely stand, Yoonchae looked around the dark room. Her hand brushed against something cold and long behind a stack of crates. She pulled it out, a heavy metal baseball bat, likely left behind by a campus security guard or a student athlete.

She gripped the handle, her knuckles turning white.

Megan looked back and gave her a sharp, approving nod.

"Stay alert. When it breaks, move to the side," Megan whispered. Yoonchae nodded, her face pale but determined.

With two more thunderous bangs, the wood finally gave way. The door didn't just open, it disintegrated. A gray, bruised hand with jagged fingernails reached through the gap, blindly grasping for anything it could tear. It caught the sleeve of Megan's nursing scrub.

"Holyshit—"

Megan gasped, startled by the sudden cold grip. She stumbled back, losing her balance for a split second. The creature lunged through the ruined doorway, its jaw snapping, a thick, black fluid leaking from its mouth.

"Get off her!" Yoonchae screamed. She swung the metal bat with every ounce of strength in her body.

The bat connected with the zombie's shoulder, forcing it to stumble sideways.

The distraction was all Megan needed. She recovered her footing, stepped into the creature's space, and swung the axe in a powerful arc.

The blade sliced through the air and connected cleanly with the monster's neck. There was a sickening thud, and the head rolled across the concrete floor like a discarded toy.

The body slumped to the ground, twitching once before going still.

Yoonchae squeezed her eyes shut, turning her head away from the gruesome sight. She felt like she might be sick, but Megan didn't give her time to process it.

Megan grabbed Yoonchae's hand, her palm was sweaty and trembling and pulled her out of the storage room.

"We have to go. Now!" Megan whispered.

They sprinted down the hallway toward the nearest exit. Once they reached the heavy steel fire door, Megan shoved it shut and engaged the manual lock. She leaned her forehead against the cool metal, catching her breath.

Her scrubs were stained, and her arms ached, but they were alive.

While Megan and Yoonchae were fighting for their lives, the West Wing of the university felt eerily quiet.

Inside the Faculty Room, the large table was covered in scattered papers and half empty coffee mugs, remnants of a normal day that had ended abruptly.

Sophia was curled in a chair in the corner, her face buried in her knees. Her tears fell silently, soaking into her jeans.

Just an hour ago, she had been complaining about her mom's birthday party. Now, she couldn't stop seeing the image of the nurse she had seen through the window, the way the woman's neck had been torn, and the way she had stood back up just seconds later.

Daniela sat beside her, reaching out to hold Sophia's hand. Daniela's grip was tight, her own eyes darting toward the door every time a floorboard creaked. She was trying to be the strong one, but her thumb was constantly scrolling through her phone, desperately waiting for a signal that wasn't there.

Manon was the only one standing. she paced the length of the room like a caged animal. Her blue scrubs, usually so neat, were disheveled.

She kept looking at the clock on the wall. 6:45 PM.

"We can't just sit here," Manon said suddenly, her voice cracking the heavy silence. "Lara is still out there. We don't even know if she made it out of the ward."

Sophia looked up, her eyes red and puffy. "Megan texted. She said she's coming for us. She told us to stay put, Manon. If we leave, she won't be able to find us."

"And what if she doesn't make it?" Manon snapped, her frustration boiling over. She kicked the leg of the heavy table.

"What if we're sitting here waiting for people who are already dead? We need to find Lara!"

"Manon, stop it!" Daniela scolded, standing up to face her. "Kicking furniture isn't going to help. We are nursing students, remember? We're supposed to stay calm in a crisis. Pacing around and yelling is just going to draw those... things... to the door."

Manon slumped against the wall, her anger dissolving into a sob. "Why is this happening, Dani? It was just a Friday. We were supposed to go to a party. We were supposed to be studying."

Daniela looked down at the floor, her heart heavy. She didn't have an answer. Nobody did.

Back at the exit of the clinical wing, Megan pulled out her phone. The screen was cracked, but it still worked. She quickly typed a message to the group chat.

Megan: We're out of the ward. Heading to the West Wing now. Lock the doors and don't make a sound. We are coming to get you.

She then opened a private chat with Lara.

Megan: Lara, where are you? Give us a sign. We're moving toward the faculty room. Answer me.

There was no reply. The read receipt didn't even appear. Megan felt a cold knot of dread in her stomach, but she pushed it down. She couldn't afford to fall apart. Not when Yoonchae was looking at her for direction.

"Okay," Megan said, turning to Yoonchae. "We're going to move through the courtyard. It's open space, so we can see them coming. We head to the West Wing, grab the girls, and then we make a break for the basement to meet your dad."

Yoonchae gripped her metal bat, her eyes scanning the shadows of the hallway.

"And Lara? We aren't leaving without her, right?"

Megan looked at the silent phone in her hand.

"We'll find her, Yoonchae. I promise. We'll find everyone."

They stepped out and the campus was lit by the flickering orange glow of streetlights and the distant, flashing red of ambulance lights. The silence was the scariest part, it was the silence of a world that had stopped breathing.

As they crept along the side of the brick buildings, Megan kept her axe low, her eyes moving constantly. They were halfway to the West Wing when they heard a sound that made them freeze.

It was a soft, rhythmic tapping. Not from a zombie, but from a window above them.

They looked up.

On the second floor of the science lab, a hand was pressed against the glass. A face appeared, smudged with dirt and tears.

"Lara?" Yoonchae breathed.

Lara was trapped behind the reinforced glass of the lab, and behind her, the shadows in the room were moving.

As Megan and Yoonchae crouched near the bushes, their eyes fixed on Lara's terrified face in the second floor window, they heard a different kind of noise coming from the main entrance of the campus. It was the heavy thrum of truck engines and the shouting of men in uniform.

A group of three girls, nursing students from a younger year came sprinting past them, their faces streaked with tears and dirt.

"Don't go toward the gates!" one of them shrieked, stumbling over a loose stone.

"They've blocked it! The military is there!"

Megan's heart skipped a beat. "What do you mean blocked?" she shouted after them.

The girl didn't stop, but she looked back, her eyes wide with panic. "They've built a barricade! They think everyone inside is already infected! They aren't letting anyone out!"

Yoonchae gripped Megan's arm, her fingers digging into the fabric of Megan's scrub top.

"They're trapping us in here? With them?"

"We don't have time to worry about the gate yet," Megan said, her jaw tightening. She looked up at the window where Lara was pressed against the glass. A dark shadow was moving behind Lara, the slow, jerky silhouette of a monster.

"Lara! Stay away from the door!"

Lara's muffled voice came through the glass, high and thin with terror. "Help me! Please! There's someone at the door! They're breaking in!"

Megan didn't wait. She gripped her axe and sprinted toward the side entrance of the Science Building. Yoonchae followed closely behind, the metal bat held ready in both hands.

They burst through the door and scrambled up the concrete stairs.

As they reached the second floor landing, the smell hit them first, a metallic, sour stench of blood and decay.

"Fuck!" Megan hissed, skidding to a halt.

Three figures stood at the end of the hallway.

They weren't just standing, they were twitching, their heads tilted at unnatural angles.

The moment the stairwell door clicked shut, all three snapped their heads toward the girls.

With a guttural, wet growl, they lunged.

"Yoonchae, get back!" Megan yelled.

Two of the zombies targeted Megan. She dodged the first one, feeling the cold air as its snapping jaws missed her ear by an inch. She kicked out with her heavy nursing clog, catching the creature in the chest and sending it stumbling back.

"Megan, look out!" Yoonchae screamed.

The third zombie had ignored Megan and sprinted toward Yoonchae. Yoonchae swung the metal bat with a desperate cry, but her aim was off.

The creature slammed into her, the force of its ballistic energy throwing her onto the hard tile floor.

"Yoonchae!" Megan scraemed.

The zombie on the floor was crawling over Yoonchae, its teeth bared. Megan couldn't use the blade of the axe yet, she was too far.

She threw herself forward, using the wooden handle of the axe like a bar, shoving it into the mouth of the zombie that was trying to bite her own arm. She heard the crack of its teeth against the wood.

With a surge of adrenaline, Megan kicked the creature off her, swung the axe in a short, brutal arc, and silenced it.

Without pausing to breathe, she turned to the one pinning Yoonchae. She delivered a massive kick to its head, sending it rolling away. As it tried to scramble back up, Megan brought the axe down with finality.

The hallway went silent again, save for the heavy, ragged breathing of Megan and Yoonchae. Blood, dark and thick, stained their blue scrubs.

Megan dropped the axe and fell to her knees beside Yoonchae, her hands searching for any signs of a bite.

"Are you hurt? Did it scratch you? Talk to me, Yoonchae!"

Yoonchae shook her head, her eyes wide. She was shaking so hard her teeth were chattering, but she managed to gasp out.

"I'm... I'm okay. It just knocked the wind out of me."

Megan let out a sob of relief, leaning forward to press her forehead against Yoonchae's. She grabbed the metal bat from the floor and pressed it back into Yoonchae's hands.

"I need you to be brave, baby," Megan whispered, her voice raw. "I need you to stay alert. Don't let them get close. Use the bat to keep them back, okay? I can't lose you."

Yoonchae took a deep breath, her grip tightening on the metal handle. "I'm here. I'm staying close. Let's get Lara."

They reached Lab 204. Through the small rectangular window in the door, they saw Lara huddled under a laboratory desk. Four zombies were inside, scratching at the metal legs of the desk, their movements frantic and clumsy.

Megan didn't hesitate. She kicked the door open.

"Son of a bitch! Over here!" she shouted.

The creatures turned. Megan was a blur of motion. She had played sports all through high school, and her reflexes were sharp. She swung the axe, the heavy steel head cutting through the air.

She moved like a pro, her exhaustion pushed aside by the pure need to protect her friends.

The last zombie, a larger man who had clearly been a security guard, lunged toward Yoonchae.

Megan saw it out of the corner of her eye. She didn't have time to reach them, so she grabbed a heavy glass chemical bottle from a nearby tray and hurled it.

The bottle shattered against the back of the zombie's head, stunning it. Megan stepped in and finished the job with the axe.

She stood in the middle of the lab, her chest heaving, the axe head resting on the floor. Her arms felt like lead, and the weight of the steel was starting to cramp her muscles.

"Lara?" she called out, her voice trembling.

"It's us. It's Megan and Yoonchae."

Lara crawled out from under the desk, her face covered in tears and dust. She looked at the carnage in the room and then at her friends.

With a sob, she ran to them. Yoonchae reached out her hand, pulling Lara into a hug.

"I thought I was going to die," Lara cried into Yoonchae's shoulder.

"I saw them coming through the vents... I thought I was next."

"You're safe now," Megan said, though she knew safe was a relative term. She pulled back and looked at both of them. "But we have to move. The West Wing. Sophia, Manon, and Daniela are waiting. And the military has the gates blocked. We're going to have to find another way out."

They left the Science Building through a basement laundry chute, avoiding the main hallways which were now filled with the sounds of more hunters arriving.

As they crept through the shadows of the campus gardens, they saw the reality of the lockdown.

Huge spotlights from the military barricades were sweeping the campus. Helicopters hummed overhead, their searchlights cutting through the dark.

"Why aren't they helping us?" Lara whispered, ducking behind a large stone fountain.

"They're scared," Yoonchae said, her eyes fixed on the distant lights of the gate. "They don't know who's sick and who isn't. To them, we're all just potential monsters."

Megan checked her phone. A new message from Manon.

Manon: Something is banging on the Faculty Room door. It sounds big. Meg, hurry. Please.

Megan looked at the West Wing.

Between them and the door was a wide, open lawn. And in the middle of that lawn, dozens of figures were wandering aimlessly in the dark.

"We have to run for it," Megan said, checking the edge of her axe. "Lara, stay in the middle. Yoonchae, watch our back. On my count."

"Megan," Yoonchae whispered, grabbing her hand one last time. "I love you."

Megan squeezed her hand back, her eyes softening for just a second. "I love you even more, Baby. Now, let's go get our friends."

They're about to run when suddenly, the silence was shattered. The university's public address system crackled to life, the speakers vibrating with a high pitched hum before a voice boomed across the entire campus.

"ATTENTION. ALL REMAINING SURVIVORS. PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE ROOFTOP OF THE MAIN ADMINISTRATION BUILDING. A HELICOPTER RESCUE UNIT IS EN ROUTE. REPEAT: THE MAIN BUILDING ROOFTOP IS THE ONLY SAFE EVACUATION POINT."

As the voice echoed, something terrifying happened. The dozens of shadows wandering the lawn suddenly snapped their heads in the direction of the nearest speaker. They didn't look, they listened. With a collective, guttural howl, the pack began to sprint toward the Main Building, their footsteps sounding like a stampede.

Yoonchae's eyes widened as she watched them move.

"Megan, look! They aren't looking around. They're just running toward the noise. They... I don't think they can see well. They act through sound!"

Megan turned to her, a small, impressed smile breaking through her fear.

"Yoonchae, you're such an observant genius. You're right. If they can't see us, we have a chance."

Yoonchae leaned closer, her shoulder brushing Megan's. "Are you tired? Your arms are shaking, Meg."

Megan gripped the axe handle tighter, though her muscles were screaming in protest. "No. I'm fine. As long as you're with me, I'm fine."

Yoonchae pulled out her phone, the screen's glow illuminating her pale face. She had a new message from her father.

Dad: Yoonchae, do NOT go to the Main Building. The helicopter is a distraction for the military to gather the infected in one spot. It's a trap. Go to the University Chapel. Look for the underground door beneath the podium. It leads to the old maintenance tunnels that go under the perimeter fence. It's the only way out.

Yoonchae's heart hammered against her ribs. She showed the screen to Megan and Lara.

"The Chapel," she whispered. "We have to go to the Chapel."

Megan nodded, her gaze turning toward the West Wing where their other friends were still trapped.

"We get the girls first. Then the Chapel." She turned to Lara, who was huddled nearby.

"Lara, stay alert. We're moving soon."

Lara nodded, squeezing her eyes shut for a second to find her courage.

Megan looked back at Yoonchae. The weight of the night, the blood, the monsters, the fear felt like it was pressing down on them.

"I promise you, Yoonchae. We are getting out of here. Together. Safe and sound."

Yoonchae bit her lower lip, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. She didn't care that Lara was watching. She reached out, grabbed the lapels of Megan's blood stained scrubs, and pulled her into a kiss. It was soft, gentle, and desperate, a silent promise that they would both survive to see the morning.

When they broke apart, Lara let out a small, shaky chuckle.

"Okay, okay! I'll get my revenge and kiss Manon like that once we save her. You two are making me feel single in the middle of an apocalypse."

"You won't becuase both of you are cowards." Megan chuckled.

The lighthearted moment was brief, but it gave them the strength they needed.

Megan looked toward the West Wing. The Faculty Room was on the ground floor, but the hallway leading to it was crawling with zombies who had been left behind by the main pack.

"I have an idea," Megan said, pointing to a red fire alarm pull station about thirty yards down the hall from the faculty door. "I'll run and hit that alarm. It'll be louder than the speakers.

The zombies in the hallway will run toward me. While they're distracted, you and Lara run into the Faculty Room and get the girls."

Yoonchae's face fell. "No! Megan, that's suicide! You're lulling them toward you while we run for safety? I won't let you!"

"I won't be in the open," Megan argued, her voice firm. "The room right next to the alarm is the janitor's closet. I'll hit the switch, duck inside, and lock it. When the zombies pass me to get to the noise, I'll run out and join you. You have to trust me, Yoonchae."

Yoonchae hesitated, her heart breaking at the thought of Megan being alone in that hallway. But Megan took her hand. "Trust me. I'll be there."

Megan looked at Lara. "Help her. Get them ready to move."

"On three," Megan whispered. "One... two... three!"

Megan bolted. She was fast, a dark blur against the brick walls. She reached the alarm and pulled the lever with a loud sound.

The piercing screech of the fire alarm filled the corridor. The zombies near the Faculty Room screamed in response, turning their bodies toward the new, louder sound. As they began to sprint toward Megan, she dove into the side door and slammed it shut.

"Run, Lara! Now!" Yoonchae yelled.

Yoonchae and Lara sprinted across the lawn and reached the Faculty Room's door. Yoonchae began to bang on it frantically.

"Sophia! Daniela! Manon! Open the door! It's Yoonchae!"

Inside, the three girls jumped at the noise. Daniela acted first, throwing back the heavy bolt. As the door swung open, Manon let out a cry of joy and threw her arms around Lara.

"LARA!"

Sophia grabbed Yoonchae's hand, pulling her toward the safety of the room.

"Where's Megan?" Daniela asked, her eyes searching the empty hallway.

"She's coming! I'm not locking the door yet!" Yoonchae shouted, resisting Sophia's pull. She stood in the doorway, her eyes fixed on the janitor's closet down the hall.

Suddenly, the fire alarm cut out, the zombies had smashed the speaker. The hallway went eerily quiet for a split second. Then, one of the creatures turned around.

It saw the open door of the Faculty Room.

It saw the living girls.

It let out a screech that alerted the others.

"Yoonchae, get inside!" Daniela yelled, lunging forward to pull her.

But the zombie was fast. It lunged, its fingers clawing at the air. It managed to grab Yoonchae's ankle, pulling her toward the floor.

"NO!" Sophia and Manon screamed. Daniela kicked the zombie's face with all her might, while Manon grabbed a heavy stool and smashed it over the creature's head. But it didn't let go. It was crawling, dragging itself toward Yoonchae's leg.

Just as its teeth were about to sink into her skin, a shadow appeared. Megan came out of the darkness, her axe swinging in a wide, powerful arc.

The zombie's head was severed instantly.

"GET BACK!" Megan roared.

Behind her, dozens more were turning around, their dead eyes fixed on the group. Megan grabbed Yoonchae, shoving her into the room.

"Close the grill gate!" Megan yelled.

Before the main door, there was a decorative metal security gate. Megan slammed it shut just as a dozen pale, rotting hands reached through the bars.

Out of pure, protective rage, Megan raised her axe and chopped at the arms poking through the metal.

The girls inside screamed at the sight, but the hands retracted. Megan quickly slammed the main door and bolted it. She dropped the axe, her chest heaving, her scrubs soaked in sweat and black blood.

Yoonchae threw herself into Megan's arms, sobbing uncontrollably.

"I couldn't lock it... I couldn't lock the door without you here..."

Megan felt a wave of frustration, Yoonchae had almost died waiting for her but as she felt her girlfriend's heart racing against her own, the anger vanished.

She wrapped her arms around Yoonchae, burying her face in her hair.

"I'm here," Megan whispered, her voice shaking. "I'm here. Everyone is safe. We're all together now."

She looked up. Sophia, Daniela, Manon, and Lara were all standing there, huddled together, alive.

Outside, the scratching on the door had settled into a rhythmic, terrifying sound.

After a while of silence, Megan slumped against the wall, her muscles twitching from the adrenaline of the fight. The heavy axe lay by her side, its edge dulled by the bone and steel it had met tonight.

Yoonchae immediately knelt beside her, her hands reaching out to take Megan's. She began to gently massage Megan's palms and forearms, trying to rub out the cramps that were locking Megan's fingers into the shape of a weapon.

"Are you okay?" Yoonchae whispered, her voice barely audible over the distant sirens outside.

Megan let out a long, ragged breath. She looked at Yoonchae, her eyes softening despite the dark circles under them.

"I'm okay, Chae. Just... a little stiff. Are you thirsty? There's a water dispenser in the corner."

The word thirsty hit Yoonchae like a physical blow. Her hands stopped moving. She looked up at Megan, her mind racing back to the medical journals and the old books she had stayed up late reading in the university library.

"Thirsty..." Yoonchae repeated. "Megan, the rabid patients were terrified of the water. Hydrophobia. It's a classic symptom of the virus, but this version is much more extreme."

Sophia and Lara, who were sitting nearby, looked up instantly. They had studied the same texts. Their eyes widened as the realization dawned on them.

"The book," Sophia whispered, standing up. "The Epidemia journal. It said the mutated virus causes a total neurological rejection of liquids. To them, water feels like acid."

Megan squeezed Yoonchae's hand.

"Let's test it. If it works, we can use it against them."

With trembling hands, Manon and Daniela went to the small kitchenette in the corner of the room. They filled several plastic pitchers with cold water. Manon gripped the handle of the door, her heart hammering against her ribs. She looked at Daniela, who was holding a full basin.

"On three," Manon breathed. "One... two... three!"

She yanked the door open just a crack. Three zombies immediately lunged, their snarling faces pressing into the gap. Daniela didn't hesitate. She threw the entire basin of water directly into their faces.

The effect was instantaneous. The creatures didn't just flinch, they shrieked, a high pitched, gargling sound of pure agony.

They scrambled backward, tripping over each other as if they had been splashed with boiling oil. Their skin didn't burn, but their brains reacted with such intense fear that they fled into the darkness of the hallway.

Manon slammed the door shut and bolted it. A small, hysterical laugh escaped her lips.

"It worked. They're terrified of it."

Megan smiled, but it was a grim smile.

"It's a start. But we don't have enough to kill them. It only buys us a minute of distraction. We need more."

Megan stood up, her mind switching back into survival mode. She looked around the room for anything that could help them reach the Chapel.

She saw the long, thin curtains hanging over the faculty windows.

"Everyone, listen," Megan said, her voice commanding. "Tear these curtains into strips. We need to wrap them securely around our arms, and our ankles. If we get bitten, we need as many layers of fabric as possible to keep their teeth from breaking the skin."

The girls jumped into action. Megan took a long strip of the cream colored fabric and knelt in front of Yoonchae. She began to wrap it tightly around Yoonchae's forearm, then moved down to her ankles, tucking the ends into her socks.

Yoonchae watched Megan's focused expression. She realized in that moment that Megan wasn't just fighting for herself, she was fighting to ensure every single one of them made it out.

Her heart ached with a sudden, overwhelming love. She reached down, helping Megan tie the knots, her fingers brushing against Megan's.

Slowly, tears began to fall from Yoonchae's eyes, splashing onto the fabric.

"Hey," Megan whispered, noticing the wet spots. She stopped wrapping and looked up.

"What's wrong?"

"You're doing everything," Yoonchae sobbed quietly. "You're risking your life every time you open that door. You could have escaped ten times by now if it weren't for us."

Megan pulled Yoonchae into her lap, sitting on the floor in the corner of the room. She wrapped her arms around her, letting Yoonchae rest her head in the crook of her neck. Megan rubbed her back, feeling her girlfriend tremble against her.

"I'm scared, Meg," Yoonchae whispered into her skin. "I'm scared that you're going to sacrifice yourself to keep me safe. I know you. You'd jump into a crowd of them if it meant I could get away."

Megan's hand trembled. She didn't lie. She couldn't. Yoonchae was right, Megan would lay down her life in a heartbeat if it meant Yoonchae survived.

Yoonchae pulled back, looking Megan in the eyes. Her gaze was suddenly fierce through the tears.

"I'm going to be strong too. I'm going to fight. So you don't have to worry about me every second. We are getting out together, or not at all."

Megan nodded, her own eyes watering. The thought that this might be the last night they ever held each other was a physical pain in her chest.

She bit her lower lip, trying to hold back the sob that wanted to break out.

In another corner of the room, the other girls were having their own quiet moments of truth.

Sophia noticed Daniela staring blankly at her phone.

"Aren't you going to text Jonah?" Sophia asked. "To see if he's okay?"

Daniela shook her head slowly. She looked up at Sophia, her eyes filled with a strange, sad clarity.

"What about Leon? Are you worried about him?"

"Leon's at home, Dani. He's safe," Sophia said, confused.

Daniela let out a shaky breath. Suddenly, the tears she had been holding back all night began to spill over.

"I'm so scared, Soph. What if we don't make it to the Chapel? What if I get bitten?"

"Don't say that—"

"No, listen!" Daniela took Sophia's hand, her grip desperate. "I've spent so much time being jealous of Leon and pretending I only cared about Jonah... but the truth is, I was just scared. I should have cherished every second with you. I should have told you how I really felt months ago."

Sophia's eyes widened. The air between them changed. Daniela wasn't just talking about friendship.

"I love you, Sophia," Daniela whispered, her voice cracking. "Not just as a best friend. I love you so much it hurts, and I didn't want to die without you knowing."

Sophia felt her own tears fall. She didn't say a word, she just leaned forward and pulled Daniela into a crushing hug.

"We are going to survive. You're going to tell me again when we're safe, okay?"

Nearby, Manon was cleaning a small scrape on Lara's arm. Lara was staring at her, a playful, sad smirk on her lips.

"You know," Lara whispered. "If I knew the world was ending, I would have made out with you way more often."

Manon let out a choked, regretful laugh. They had always been close, too close for just friends but they had never dared to say the words.

Lara had a boyfriend, and Manon had her pride. They had touched, they had flirted, but they had never confessed.

Without a word, Manon leaned in. She kissed Lara with a passion that tasted like desperation and salt. It was a kiss that said everything they had been too afraid to say for years.

::

Exhaustion finally claimed them. For a brief thirty minutes, the room was peaceful. Megan and Yoonchae fell asleep on the floor, curled into each other, their breathing finally evening out.

Until the glass broke.

A hand smashed through the small, rectangular window high up on the wall. Megan bolted upright, her hand instantly grabbing the axe. She saw a gray, decaying arm reaching through the broken glass, the fingers clawing at the air as the zombie tried to pull its head through the narrow gap.

"Everyone up!" Megan yelled. "They're coming in from the window!"

The creature was trying to pull its entire body through a gap far too small for a human, but these things didn't care about broken bones or torn skin.

"Everyone, move! Now!" Megan's voice was a sharp tone that broke the girls out of their paralysis.

Daniela scrambled to the kitchenette, grabbing the last two pitchers of water. Her hands were shaking so hard the water sloshed over the rim, but her face was set in a grim mask of determination. She knew the water was their only shield.

Megan stepped toward the high window. She didn't look at the face of the creature, she didn't want to see if it was a student she knew or a professor who had taught her anatomy.

She simply raised the heavy axe and chopped downward, severing the reaching hands.

Lara and Sophia let out high pitched whimpers, pressing their backs against the large table. The room was suddenly filled with a new sound, a thunderous, heavy thud against the main door. The metal grill gate outside groaned, the bolts straining against the doorframe.

"They're going to break through," Sophia gasped, her knees buckling. Her breath was coming in short, jagged hitches.

Daniela dropped the pitchers and grabbed Sophia by the shoulders, shaking her slightly.

"Sophia! Look at me! Get yourself together! We don't have time to faint!"

Sophia blinked, tears streaming down her face, but she nodded and gripped Daniela's arm.

Megan turned to Yoonchae, reaching out to tuck a stray hair behind her ear.

"Stay close to me. No matter what happens, do not let go of my hand until I tell you to," Megan whispered.

Yoonchae nodded, her knuckles white as she gripped the metal baseball bat. "I'm won't, I will stay close, Meg."

Manon, who had been checking the small restroom at the back of the faculty suite, ran back out.

"There's a small ventilation window in there! It's narrow, but we can fit through it if we climb."

Megan looked at the main door. A crack was already appearing in the wood.

"Daniela, take the lead. Help everyone through that window. Go!"

Daniela didn't argue. She grabbed a sturdy steel stool and carried it into the small restroom. She smashed the frosted glass of the high window, then climbed up. She stuck her head out into the air.

It was a narrow alleyway behind the building, dark, shadowed, and mostly empty.

"It's clear! Soph, you're next!" Daniela called down.

Back in the main room, Megan and Manon stood guard. The thuds against the door were getting louder, more rhythmic. A pale, blood streaked face appeared at the small gap Megan had made in the high window earlier.

Megan didn't hesitate she used the blunt wood of the axe handle to smash it back, the sound of bone on wood echoing sickeningly.

"Lara, go! Manon, you're after her!" Megan shouted.

Manon looked at Megan, her eyes wide with fear. "We have to go, Megan! The door is giving way!"

"I know! Yoonchae, get up there!" Megan commanded.

Yoonchae hesitated. She looked at the door, then at Megan, who was standing like a lone soldier between her and the monsters.

"I'm not leaving you here!"

"Yoonchae, please!" Megan's voice broke for a second. "I can't focus on the door if I'm worried about you being trapped. Go! I'll be right behind you. I promise."

Yoonchae bit her lip, her heart screaming at her to stay, but she knew Megan was right. She turned and pulled Lara toward the restroom.

Lara climbed the stool, her breath coming in gasps, and Daniela pulled her through the narrow opening.

Suddenly, a loud crcak echoed through the room. The main door didn't just open, it shattered inward. The metal grill gate was the only thing left, and it was bending under the weight of a dozen bodies.

"MEGAN!" Yoonchae screamed, stopping halfway up the stool.

"RUN, MEG!" Manon screamed, grabbing for the edge of the window.

A zombie, faster than the others, managed to squeeze through the bent bars of the grill. It lunged toward Manon, its fingers inches from her hair. Megan moved like a blur, the axe swinging in a wide arc that sent the creature crashing into a filing cabinet.

"GET OUT!" Megan groaned at them.

Yoonchae's tears fell freely now. She reached her hand back toward the room, her voice a raw shriek.

"MEGAN! GET TO THE WINDOW NOW!"

Another zombie squeezed through, then another. Megan kicked one in the chest, sending it back into the pile, then grabbed Manon by the waist and shoved her toward the restroom door.

"Go! Shit!"

Megan followed them into the small restroom, slamming the heavy door and locking it. But as the door clicked shut, a gray hand caught in the frame. Megan cursed loudly, using her shoulder to slam the door repeatedly against the trapped arm until she heard the bone snap.

"Take the stool! Climb!" Manon shouted, already halfway through the window.

Megan grabbed her axe from the floor and tossed it through the window first, it landed on the pavement outside.

Then, she scrambled up the stool.

Yoonchae was leaning back through the window from the outside, her arms outstretched.

When Megan's hand finally gripped hers, Yoonchae pulled with every ounce of strength she possessed. Megan tumbled out of the window and hit the ground hard.

The moment she landed, Yoonchae was on top of her, hugging her so tightly Megan could barely breathe. Megan let out a long, shaky exhale, her chest heaving with exhaustion.

They were in a dark, narrow alleyway between the West Wing and the University Clinic. The air was cold, and the only light came from the moon and a flickering streetlight.

"Quiet," Megan hissed, pushing herself up. "They act on sound and light. As long as we stay in the shadows and don't scream, we have a chance."

Daniela peered around the corner of the building.

"The clinic is right there, but to get to the Chapel, we have to pass the Main Building. The speakers told everyone to go there, it's going to be crawling with thousands of them."

The girls looked at each other. The distance seemed impossible. The Main Building was a huge stone structure in the center of the campus, and they could already hear the low, collective growl of a massive pack gathered around it.

"We need a distraction," Megan said, her eyes darting around. She looked at Daniela and Manon.

"If we all move together, we're too slow. We're a bigger target. We need someone to get to the Chapel first to find that underground door and make sure it's open."

Megan squeezed Yoonchae's hand, then looked at the group. "Daniela, Manon, and I... we'll be the bait. We'll make noise on the far side of the clinic, drawing them away from the path. Sophia, Lara, and Yoonchae you three run for the Chapel. You get inside, find the podium, and wait for us."

Yoonchae's heart stopped. She knew this plan. It was classic Megan, reckless, dangerous, and entirely focused on keeping Yoonchae away from the front lines.

"No!" Yoonchae protested, her voice a sharp whisper. "What if the Chapel is already full of them? What if you get surrounded and we're trapped inside without you? It's too uncertain, Megan!"

Megan turned to her, taking Yoonchae's face in her hands. The blood on Megan's scrubs was starting to dry, making the fabric stiff.

"Yoonchae, listen to me. This is where I need you to be the bravest person I know. If we all go together and get spotted, none of us make it. But if we split their attention, we have a window."

Megan looked at Sophia and Lara. "You three have to make it to that exit. If something happens to us, you keep going. You find the tunnels and you get out."

Manon turned to Lara, her eyes lingering on her for a long moment.

"Megan's right. Smaller groups are harder to track. We'll lead them toward the athletic field, then double back."

Sophia shook her head, tears welling up again. "We should stick together. That's what people do in movies!"

"This isn't a movie, Soph," Daniela said, her voice surprisingly steady. She looked at Megan and nodded. "We'll do it. We'll be the bait."

Yoonchae felt like her heart was being ripped in two. She couldn't let go of Megan's hand. She looked at the axe leaning against the wall, then back at Megan's tired, beautiful face.

"Trust me," Megan whispered, leaning in to press her forehead against Yoonchae's. "I have the axe. I have the plan. I am coming back to you. I promise, I am coming back to you."

Yoonchae closed her eyes, a single tear sliding down her cheek. She knew there was no changing Megan's mind when she was like this. She slowly nodded, her fingers lingering on Megan's before finally, painfully, letting go.

"Go," Megan whispered. "Run toward the clinic. Don't look back."

Megan, Daniela, and Manon stood in the shadows of the alleyway, watching the small silhouettes of Yoonchae, Sophia, and Lara disappear across the bridge toward the Chapel.

Megan took a breath so deep it made her ribs ache. She tightened her grip on the axe, her knuckles white.

"Okay," she whispered, her voice like gravel. "It's our turn. Make it loud. Make them follow us."

Manon and Daniela nodded, their faces pale but set in grim masks of determination. On the count of three, they burst from the shadows and sprinted toward the towering Main Building.

"HEY! OVER HERE!" Daniela screamed at the top of her lungs, her voice echoing off the stone walls.

Manon began splashing water from the heavy pitchers, the liquid shimmering in the moonlight.

As the droplets hit the nearest zombies, they shrieked, a sound like metal scraping on glass and recoiled in agony. But for every one that fell back, five more turned their cloudy, dead eyes toward the noise.

"Keep moving!" Megan said, swinging her axe in a brutal horizontal arc to clear a path.

She felt the vibration of the impact travel up her arms, but she didn't stop.

They reached the side of the lab building, the pack close on their heels. Megan saw the red emergency lever for the campus wide speaker system.

"Go to the field! I'll catch up!" she yelled to the other two.

Megan lunged for the button, slamming it down with her palm. Instantly, a piercing feedback loop shrieked through the Main Building's speakers, a noise so loud it drowned out the wind. The massive horde shifted, drawn like moths to a flame toward the speakers.

Megan didn't wait to watch. She sprinted toward the open athletic field, her lungs burning. She saw Daniela and Manon ahead, but they had skidded to a halt. Over twenty zombies had emerged from the equipment shed, blocking their path.

"HOLY SHIT!" Megan screamed, her heart hammering against her ribs. "Into the lab! Left door! MOVE!"

They scrambled toward a small research laboratory. Megan reached the heavy grill gate first, holding it open with her shoulder as Daniela dived inside.

"Manon, come on!" Megan urged.

Manon was only five feet away when her foot caught on a stray piece of rebar. She hit the pavement with a sickening thud.

"Crap!" she cursed, scrambling to get up, but a gray, decayed hand shot out from under a parked cart and clamped onto her ankle.

"MANON!" Daniela shrieked, reaching through the bars of the gate.

Megan didn't think. She dived back out, the axe whistling through the air. The zombie's head rolled away, and the grip on Manon's leg went limp.

Megan hauled Manon to her feet, practically throwing her inside the lab. Daniela slammed the grill gate shut and clicked the lock just as a dozen bodies slammed into the metal bars.

The three of them collapsed onto the floor, their chests heaving in perfect, frantic unison. Manon began to sob, a jagged, hysterical sound that turned into a weak laugh as she reached out to hug Megan.

"You... you crazy idiot. Thank you. Thank you."

Megan chuckled breathlessly, leaning her head against the cool metal of the gate.

"That was... a little too close for comfort."

Outside the gate, the zombies were persistent, their fingers poking through the mesh. Daniela reached to close the inner door to block out the sight, but Megan put a hand on her arm.

"Wait," Megan panted. "We can't stay here. We have to get to the Chapel. They're waiting for us. If there are monsters inside that Chapel, Yoonchae only has a baseball bat. We have to be there."

Daniela looked around the lab for a weapon. She found a pair of heavy industrial shears on a workbench. She gripped them like a dagger.

"It's not an axe, but it'll do."

"How many?" Manon asked, her voice trembling as she looked at the crowd outside the gate.

"About fifteen," Megan calculated. She thought of Yoonchae's face, the way her lower lip trembled when she was scared, the way she had kissed her goodbye.

The fear of fifteen monsters faded compared to the fear of losing her.

"We can take them. Stay alert. I'll open the gate, and we push through."

Megan grabbed the handle. "Three... two... one!"

She slammed the gate open, the heavy metal hitting the lead zombie like a battering ram.

The fight was a blur of motion. Megan was the shield, her axe cutting through the front line.

Manon used a steel tube to keep them at bay, while Daniela moved like a shadow, using the shears to strike at the base of their skulls.

Suddenly, a zombie lunged from behind a tall planter, its teeth snapping inches from Megan's forearm.

It clamped down hard. Megan gasped, expecting the pain but the thick layers of curtain fabric she and Yoonchae had wrapped earlier held firm. The teeth couldn't break through.

"Nice try!" Megan growled, swinging the axe around to finish it.

She looked over to see Daniela struggling with two of them. One was inches from Daniela's neck.

Megan lunged, her boots skidding on the grass, and chopped the creature's head off just in time. Daniela slumped for a second, gasping, "Thanks, Meg."

Then, a high, sharp yelp pierced the air.

"Manon!" Megan screamed.

She turned to see Manon fighting off a creature, but she was too late. As Megan's axe fell, silencing the monster, the damage was already done.

Manon was clutching her shoulder, her face twisted in a silent scream of agony.

"No," Megan whispered, her voice failing.

"No, fuck, no."

The silence that followed was heavier than the screams. Daniela dropped the shears, her hands flying to her mouth.

"Manon? Manon, tell me it didn't... tell me it's just a scratch."

Manon's eyes were wide, her pupils dilated with shock. She slowly pulled her hand away from her shoulder. Through the torn blue fabric of her scrubs, the mark was unmistakable.

A deep, jagged bite, the skin already turning a bruised, sickly purple.

"Fuck," Megan mumbled, the word breaking in her throat. She stepped forward, her hand reaching out. "Manon, let me see, maybe we can—"

"Stay back!" Manon shouted, her voice raspy and raw. She stumbled away from them, her back hitting the lab wall.

The three of them stood in a triangle of grief.

Tears began to stream down Megan's face, the strong, fearless leader finally breaking. Daniela was shaking her head violently.

"This isn't happening. We were almost there. We were going to the Chapel!"

Manon looked down at her hands. Her veins were beginning to bulge, turning a dark, ink like black under her skin. She could feel a fire spreading from her shoulder, a heat that made her vision flicker.

The virus was fast.

It was taking over.

"Go," Manon whispered, a single tear tracking through the dirt on her cheek.

"I'm not leaving you!" Megan shouted, her body trembling. "We'll find a way, I...I will—"

"Megan! Look at me!" Manon snapped, her eyes beginning to cloud with a milky white film. She used the last of her human strength to shove them toward the door.

"No!" Megan tried to get away but Manon pushed her with all her strength.

Manon grabbed the handle of the grill gate from the inside. With a final, rattling breath, she stepped back into the laboratory and pulled the gate shut, clicking the lock.

She had caged herself.

"Manon, open this door!" Daniela wailed, throwing herself against the bars.

"You can't do this! Holyshit!" Megan slammed the gate.

"Listen to me!" Manon sobbed, her voice becoming a guttural growl.

"Tell Lara... tell her I'm sorry. Tell her I love her. I'm sorry I won't make it back to hold her."

She leaned her forehead against the bars, her body beginning to twitch with the jerky, animalistic movements of the infected.

"Save them, Megan. Save Yoonchae. Save the others before it's too late. Take care of Lara for me."

Megan closed her eyes, the pain in her chest so sharp she couldn't breathe. She reached out and touched Manon's hand through the bars one last time.

"I love you, Manon. We'll take care of her. I promise."

Manon nodded, her eyes finally turning completely white. A low, inhuman snarl started in her throat.

"Go!" Manon shrieked one last time.

Megan grabbed Daniela's arm, pulling her away as the girl screamed in protest. They turned and ran across the field, their hearts heavy and their vision blurred by tears.

Behind them, the sounds of Manon, their bestfriend, their sister, faded into the sound of a monster.

They ran toward the Chapel, leaving a piece of their souls behind in the dark.

Near the old University Chapel, the world felt like it was ending. Yoonchae, Lara, and Sophia were huddled behind a car, their breath coming in shaky gasps.

Their clothes were torn and stained with the dust of the campus, and a smudge of dark blood marked Yoonchae's cheek from a fight they had barely won minutes before.

"We can't cross," Sophia whispered, her voice trembling. "There are too many of them at the door."

Five or six zombies were wandering aimlessly in front of the Chapel's main entrance. They were twitching, their heads snapping toward every tiny sound.

"What are we going to do?" Lara asked. She looked smaller than usual, her eyes wide with a fear that made her look like a lost child. "We can't take them all down. We only have one bat and a little bit of water."

Yoonchae bit her lower lip so hard she tasted copper. She reached up and pulled her hair back into a tight ponytail, trying to focus. She rested her back against the cold metal of the car door, her heart hammering a frantic rhythm against her ribs.

"We wait," Yoonchae said firmly. "We wait for Megan, Daniela, and Manon. Megan said she would come, and she never breaks a promise."

She reached up to her neck, her fingers finding the small silver necklace hidden beneath her scrubs. It was a heart shaped into an infinity sign, a gift from Megan for her last birthday.

"To infinity," Megan had whispered that night.

Yoonchae squeezed the cold metal, praying to a God she hoped was still listening.

"Yoonchae?" Sophia asked softly, staring at the dark sky. "If... if this is our last day... what would you do? If we don't make it out of this parking lot?"

Yoonchae looked away. She didn't want to think about the end. She thought of her dad waiting in the basement, and she thought of Megan's laugh.

"I want to be with her," Yoonchae said, a sad, beautiful smile touching her lips. "If this is my last day, I want to die in the arms of the person I love. I don't want to be anywhere else."

Lara wiped a tear from her eye.

"I always envied you two. You and Megan... you look so happy. You're so brave about it. I should have done that with Manon. I should have told her. I was just so scared of what people would say."

Sophia nodded, her mind clearly on Daniela.

"We all have things we should have said."

"Then we survive," Yoonchae said, her voice growing stronger. "We survive because they are out there risking their lives so we can have a chance to say those things."

Suddenly, a loud thid echoed from the other side of the lawn.

The zombies in front of the Chapel perked up. Their heads snapped toward the noise the sound of Megan and Daniela running, shouting, and drawing the monsters away.

"Now!" Yoonchae screamed. "Go!"

They sprinted toward the heavy huge doors of the Chapel. Yoonchae reached the handle and pulled with all her might.

"It's locked!" she shrieked, panic rising in her throat like a wave. "The front door is locked!"

She looked back and saw Megan and Daniela in the distance, surrounded by a sea of shadows.

Megan was a whirlwind of steel, her axe swinging, but there were too many.

"The back door!" Sophia yelled. "The garden entrance!"

They scrambled around the side of the building.

A lone zombie emerged from the bushes, lunging at Sophia.

"LARA! WATER!" Yoonchae shouted as she swung her bat.

Lara splashed the last of her water into the monster's face. It shrieked and jerked back, and Yoonchae delivered a crushing blow to its head. They didn't stop to watch it fall.

They burst through the back door and slammed it shut, finding themselves in the dark, silent sanctuary of the Chapel.

Yoonchae ran to the front door and unbolted it, peering out.

"MEGAN! DANI! HERE!"

Megan was sprinting, her face a mask of pure exhaustion. Daniela was right behind her.

They were so close.

Just ten feet.

Just five.

But as Daniela reached for Megan's hand to leap into the doorway, a zombie lunged from the shadows of a pillar. It didn't grab her clothes. It didn't trip her. It sank its teeth deep into her forearm.

"DANIELA!" Megan screamed, the sound tearing through the night.

Time seemed to slow down. Yoonchae covered her mouth, her eyes stretching wide. Sophia froze, her breath hitching in a silent sob.

Daniela stumbled into the doorway, using her shears to stab the monster in the eye, but the damage was done.

She looked down at her arm. The bite was deep, bleeding a dark, sickly red.

Sophia stepped forward, reaching out.

"No... no, Dani, come here, let me see—"

"STAY BACK!" Daniela yelled, her voice cracking.

She didn't come inside. Instead, she grabbed the heavy iron grill gate outside the door like what Manon did.

With a look of pure, heartbreaking sacrifice, she slammed it shut and locked it from the outside, trapping herself with the monsters.

"Megan... I'm sorry," Daniela whispered, her eyes already starting to glaze over.

"Daniela, no!" Sophia wailed, throwing herself against the bars. "You promised! You said we would survive! You said you'd tell me again when we were safe!"

Daniela leaned her forehead against the cool iron bars. Her skin was turning pale, and the veins in her neck were beginning to pulse with a dark throb.

"I should have made you mine," she sobbed, looking at Sophia. "If I had known... I would have been more brave for you. I love you, Soph. In another life... please find me."

Then Daniela turned to M egan.

"Close the door, Megan," Daniela begged, her voice becoming a rasping growl. "I can feel it. It's hitting me. Close the door before I... before I hurt you."

Megan stood there, her axe hanging limp in her hand. She had lost Manon, and now Daniela. Her tears fell uncontrollably.

"I'm sorry," Megan whispered her voice trembling. "I'm so sorry, Dani."

Slowly, painfully, Megan pulled the door shut, blocking out the sight of their friend turning into a monster.

The Chapel was silent except for the sound of Sophia's broken sobs. Lara sat on the floor, her eyes vacant.

"Where's Manon?" Lara asked quietly.

Megan turned to her, her face covered in dirt and tears.

She didn't have to say it. The way she hugged Lara, pulling her into a tight, shaking embrace, said everything.

"She's gone, Lara. She... she saved us. She wanted you to know she loved you."

Lara didn't scream. She didn't cry. She just shut down, staring at the flickering candles on the altar. The weight of losing everyone was too much.

"We have to find the door," Megan said, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.

She looked at Yoonchae, and for a second, the exhaustion in her eyes vanished, replaced by a desperate need to save the one person she had left.

Megan grabbed Yoonchae's hand, pulling her close. She leaned her head on Yoonchae's shoulder for just a second, drawing strength from her warmth. "I'm here, baby. I'm here."

"I've got you," Yoonchae whispered, crying into Megan's neck.

They began to search the podium. Sophia and Lara moved but they felt like their soul weren't with them, their hope extinguished.

"Manon and Dani fought for us!" Megan shouted, her voice echoing in the rafters. "They died so we could live! We are not giving up! Find the door!"

That spark of command worked. They pushed the heavy rectangular table away from the podium, and there it was, a round, rusted steel door in the floor.

"I found it!" Yoonchae cried out. She grabbed the handle, but it was stuck.

"Help me!"

Sophia and Lara knelt to help her, their fingers straining against the metal. But just as the door began to creak open, a loud sound shook the Chapel.

The front door, the one Daniela had died to protect cracked. A dozen zombies were slamming into it at once.

"Go! Get in!" Megan yelled, grabbing her axe and standing in front of the podium.

The door splintered.

"Megan, come on!" Yoonchae screamed, reaching out for her.

"Get Lara and Sophia down first!" Megan ordered.

The two girls scrambled into the dark hole. Yoonchae stood at the edge, her hand extended.

"Megan, now! Run to me!"

But the door exploded. Three zombies lunged through the opening, sprinting with terrifying speed. Megan met the first one with her axe, but her arms were like lead. She was too tired.

Her reflexes, usually so sharp, were slowing down.

She chopped one down, but two more were on her.

"MEGAN!" Yoonchae wailed, grabbing her bat and trying to climb out of the hole.

"NO! STAY DOWN!" Megan roared. She turned to Lara and Sophia, who were reaching up.

"TAKE HER! PULL HER DOWN!"

Lara and Sophia grabbed Yoonchae's waist, dragging her back into the tunnel. Yoonchae fought them, screaming, her voice breaking into a jagged, agonizing plea.

"MEGAN! PLEASE! JUST RUN! I CAN'T GO WITHOUT YOU!"

Megan fell to one knee as a zombie bit deep into her calf.

She let out a cry of pure agony, but she didn't stop fighting. She swung the axe one last time, clearing a small space.

She looked at Yoonchae.

Her Megan, the girl who was always so strong, the girl who always had a plan was ...crying.

"Yoonchae, listen to me!" Megan shouted over the growls of the monsters.

Tears were streaming down her face, mixing with the blood.

"You are the best thing that ever happened to me. Every second with you was a gift. I would choose this a thousand times... I would die a thousand times if it meant you lived."

"NO! SHUT UP! JUST COME HERE!" Yoonchae screamed, her body convulsing with sobs.

Another zombie sank its teeth into Megan's shoulder. Megan's eyes began to flicker. The white haze of the virus was starting to cloud her vision.

"NO!! MEGAN!!"

"I love you, Yoonchae," Megan whispered, her voice soft even amidst the chaos.

"To infinity, remember? Always you. In any universe, I will always choose to protect you."

"I LOVE YOU! MEGAN, PLEASE!"

Yoonchae saw it then.

Megan's eyes, the eyes that used to look at her with so much warmth, turned a cold, milky white.

Megan looked at her one last time and smiled.

It was a small, peaceful smile, as if she were finally resting.

"GO!" Megan's final human word was a command.

"MEGAN! NO! PLEASE, I C-CANT LIVE WITHOUT YOU!"

Yoonchae felt herself being pulled down into the tunnel. She saw the zombies swarm over Megan's body.

She saw the flash of the silver infinity necklace on Mrgan's neck one last time before Lara slammed the steel door shut and locked it from the inside.

In the pitch black tunnel, the only sound was the soul crushing, agonizing wail of Yoonchae who had just lost her entire world.

Yoonchae curled into a ball on the cold dirt, her heart breaking into a million jagged pieces.

Megan was gone.

And it felt like the world was empty.

"Yoonchae...w-we have to go..."

Yoonchae shook her head, closed her eyes and let everything sink in.

She couldn't let Megan go.

Then suddenly, the cold, dark tunnel was gone. The smell of rotting flesh and old stone vanished in an instant, replaced by the sweet, familiar scent of lavender.

Yoonchae's eyes snapped open.

Her breath came in jagged, terrified gasps, and her heart was hammering so hard against her ribs that it felt like it might burst.

Her face was soaking wet, not from the rain of a dying campus, but from a flood of real, hot tears.

"Megan..." she whispered, her voice a broken thread. "Megan, please..."

She felt a weight beside her. A warm, solid weight. A hand, soft and very much alive, was wrapped firmly around her waist, pulling her close.

"Yoonchae? Hey, baby, wake up. You're having a nightmare."

The voice hit Yoonchae like a physical shock. It wasn't a raspy growl or a final, whispered goodbye. It was deep, smooth, and full of life.

Yoonchae spun around so fast she almost fell off the edge of the bed.

There, in her soft bed sat Megan.

Her eyes weren't white. Her skin wasn't pale.

She wasn't covered in blood. She was wearing an oversized gray tshirt, her hair messy from sleep, and her expression was filled with nothing but pure, heart wrenching worry.

"Megan?" Yoonchae's voice trembled so hard she could barely say the name. She reached out, her fingers shaking, and touched Megan's cheek. It was warm. She felt a pulse. She felt the softness of Megan's skin and the soft puff of her breath.

"I'm right here," Megan said softly, wiping a stray tear from Yoonchae's cheek with her thumb.

"You were sobbing in your sleep, calling my name over and over. You looked so scared. What happened?"

Yoonchae didn't answer with words. She lunged forward, throwing her arms around Megan's neck and burying her face in the crook of her shoulder. She sobbed into Megan's shirt, the fabric smelling like home.

"It was a dream," Yoonchae wailed, her voice muffled. "It was so real, Megan. There was a virus... and a hospital... and everyone... Manon, Daniela, you... I saw you die. I saw you turn. Oh my God, I thought I lost you forever!"

Megan let out a small, gentle chuckle, the sound vibrating through her chest and into Yoonchae's soul. She wrapped her arms around Yoonchae, rocking her back and forth like a precious treasure.

"A zombie apocalypse? Really, baby?" Megan teased gently, though she kept her grip tight.

"Did I at least go down fighting? Or did I trip over a rock and get eaten immediately?"

Yoonchae pulled back just enough to slap Megan's shoulder, a watery pout forming on her lips.

"It's not funny! I watched you get bitten! I had to leave you behind in a chapel! I felt like my heart was being ripped out of my body!"

Megan's smile softened. She leaned in, pressing her forehead against Yoonchae's, her eyes locking onto hers with a fierce, steady love.

"Hey. Look at me. I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere. No zombies, no hospitals, no scary chapels. Just us. In your dorm. Safe."

Megan leaned forward and captured Yoonchae's lips in a kiss. It was slow, deep, and tasted like a lazy Saturday morning.

It was a kiss that grounded Yoonchae, pulling her fully out of the nightmare and back into the beautiful reality of their life together.

The fear began to melt away, replaced by the heat of Megan's presence. Megan shifted, her hand sliding down to Yoonchae's waist, her fingers tracing the curve of her hip beneath her silk pajama shirt.

Megan hovered over her, her weight a comforting pressure.

"I love you," Megan whispered against her skin, her lips traveling from Yoonchae's jawline down to her neck.

Yoonchae arched her back, her hands tangling in Megan's hair. The memories of the dark tunnel were fading, replaced by the electric spark of Megan's touch.

Megan's hand moved upward, her palm warm against Yoonchae's chest, her thumb tracing the rhythm of her heart.

Yoonchae let out a soft moan, her eyes fluttering shut.

"Megan..."

Then sumddenly, the loud sounds of knocking was like a thunderclap.

"YOONCHAE! MEGAN! GET UP!" a voice boomed from the other side of the door. "If you two don't come out for breakfast in five minutes, I'm eating all the bacon! And I mean ALL of it!"

Yoonchae's eyes flew open. "Manon?"

"Yeah, it's me! Move your butts!" Manon shouted back, followed by the sound of her laughing as she walked down the hall toward the kitchen.

Yoonchae felt a surge of joy so intense it made her dizzy. Manon was alive. She was hungry. She was annoying. She was perfect.

Megan groaned into the pillow, her face buried in Yoonchae's neck. "Tell her to go away. I was busy."

"We have to go," Yoonchae giggled, feeling lighter than air. "She'll actually eat the bacon, Megan. You know how she is."

But Megan wasn't ready to let go. She ignored the door, her lips finding the sensitive spot just below Yoonchae's ear. Her hand slid under Yoonchae's shirt, her fingers brushing against her skin, making Yoonchae gasp.

"Five more minutes," Megan murmured, her voice husky. "Manon can wait. The world isn't ending, remember?"

Yoonchae smiled, her hands circling Megan's nape, pulling her closer. Just as Megan pulled Yoonchae's shirt halfway over her head, the door flew open with a bang.

"GUYS, SERIOUSLY—"

Daniela froze in the doorway. Her eyes went wide as she took in the scene, Megan hovering over a half dressed, blushing Yoonchae.

"OH MY GOD!" Daniela shrieked, instantly slamming her hands over her eyes.

"My eyes! I am blinded! I am a victim of your public displays of affection in your own private room!"

"DANIELA! GET OUT!" Megan groaned, grabbing a pillow and hurlng it at the door.

"Get a room! Wait, you HAVE a room! Just lock the door!" Daniela yelled back, her face turning bright red as she scrambled out and slammed the door shut.

"Breakfast is on the table! Stop making out and come eat!"

The room went silent for a beat before Megan and Yoonchae burst into a fit of hysterical laughter. Megan rolled off of Yoonchae, sitting on the edge of the bed and running a hand through her messy hair.

"Remind me to buy a lock for that door," Megan muttered, though she was smiling.

Yoonchae sat up, fixing her shirt, her face glowing with a mix of embarrassment and pure, unadulterated happiness.

She looked at Megan, really looked at her.

"I love you, baby," Yoonchae said, her voice full of a depth that only someone who had lost everything could feel.

Megan reached out, taking Yoonchae's hand and kissing her knuckles.

"I love you too, Yoonchae. To infinity, right?"

"To infinity," Yoonchae whispered.

They walked out into the kitchen together, hand in hand.

The smell of frying bacon and the sound of their friends bickering filled the air.

It was a normal day.

It was a perfect day.

And for Yoonchae, it was the best day of her life.

:::::::::::::::::::::::END::::::::::::::::::::::