Chapter Seven

{Get Shizuka, get home, get the guns, and keep yourself safe.}

Ah, yes, commands. Easy to understand but not so easy to follow.

"Working on getting Shizuka right now, I was attracting the zombies in school to the fourth floor as you called me,"

I remarked as I was heading down the stairs.

{What was that about almost getting killed then?}

I looked around me, in case any of the dead were using the catwalks to get to the top floor.

"They are blind but have a heightened sense of hearing, don't know about the smell yet, but I'm planning to find out. The disease seems to be able to spread through bites since no scratches from the nails seem to be getting the same symptoms as the bites, most likely saliva."

I counted down my observations as I reached the third floor.

{Understood. Good luck and don't die.}

I hummed in response, turning to get to the second floor.

"You too, Rika. See you later."

I ended the call and turned off the phone, not wanting a repeat of what happened back inside.

"What did you do?! I heard the sound out here!"

Don't shoot her, Ren, you're better than that.

I reminded myself, not wanting to do anything that I would come to regret... Oh, who was I kidding? I would have no regrets. I was already desensitized.

I glared at the girl with pigtails as I walked down the stairs.

"They are attracted to sound, I made a sound. I have a surrogate sister to get to and a samurai to find."

Responding in an even tone, I motioned for both of them to follow me. kohta did so without a complaint, giving a simple nod in response while Takagi did so with a scowl.

I already did not like this girl.

What was hard about "Don't make a sound" to understand? Kohta was getting it.

"Where are we going anyway?"

For fucks sake.

"Second-floor infirmary, we can grab any medicine we might need like painkillers, antibiotics, and bandages. I will also get Shizuka Marikawa to keep her safe."

I went down my objectives as the three of us went down the stairs, reaching the second floor.

Gripping the handle, I turned to the two and placed a finger on my lips, motioning them to keep silent and waiting for them to nod.

One did so immediately while the other did so begrudgingly.

Opening the door slightly, I peeked inside and surveyed the visible area.

I could see some corpses turning the corner, slowly shuffling their way toward the stairs.

Opening the door the whole way, I let Kohta and the spoiled brat pass and I closed it silently. Turning around to check the hall, I narrowed my eyes at the retreating form of the horde.

Fucking hell. How many students were in the school? And how many got bitten?

"Let's move."

I muttered and started heading down the hall, ignoring the blood patches as I headed toward the infirmary.

Turning the corner, I rose an eyebrow at the dead zombies that were scattered on the floor. Someone was here.

"Be careful. Potential hostile."

I resumed my walk, hearing a "Roger" from Kohta and a "Hmph" from Takagi.

What kind of response was that?

As we came closer to the infirmary, I scowled at the more bodies that were scattered around the door.

I stopped at the door and peeked inside. Only to see a patch of violet hair kneeling in front of Shizuka.

Ah, Saeko.

Motioned the two to follow me, I walked inside the room, getting both of their attention.

"Re-mph!"

I covered the blonde's mouth as soon as she lunged at me for a hug.

Starting at her with a blank face, I looked over at Saeko and put a finger to my lips.

She just rose an eyebrow and nodded, looking curious.

"They are attracted to sound, so be quiet Shizuka."

She nodded and I removed my hand, only for her to hug me anyway. I deadpanned and looked over at Saeko.

"Good to see you're alive, Saeko."

She smiles faintly and nodded back.

"It's a relief to see you too Ren."

I looked around the room, spotting a few things I listed before.

"Shizuka, get the painkillers and antibiotics, if you have any bandages, get them too. Along with a first aid kit."

She pouted but complied. Letting go of me and grabbing a bag sitting on a chair.

I let out a sigh as I leaned on a table. Looking at my surroundings, I noticed a dead guy sitting near a cabinet.

He wasn't turned, but there was a bite mark.

"What happened to him?"

I asked, observing the dead body.

"He was bitten, I offered to stop him from turning and he accepted."

Saeko answered as she walked up next to me and looked at the body too. I narrowed my eyes slightly.

Straightening up, I walked over to it and crouched down. I still didn't have the chance to check the normal skin color of the infected but this would do.

He was bitten on the waist, so the broken neck should not be a problem.

Grabbing the dead guy's jacket, I rip it open and take out my box cutter, cutting his white shirt inside.

"What are you doing?"

Takagi harshly whispered but as usual, I ignored her. If I knew how to stop this disease before it spread, lives could be saved, now wasn't the time to shy away from a little dirty work.

Moving the cut fabric away, I started at the vein-like green lines spreading from the bite marks.

So... Either the bloodstream or the disease traveled by anything that received the signal from the brain, I can't be sure, but the organs are most probably already infected.

Tilting the body slightly forward, I look at the spine and my eyes widened.

Three lines, seemingly moving toward the spinal cord. They must have stopped after the host died...

It gets to the brain using the spinal cord.

"Bloody hell, it goes for the brain first."

I muttered, scowling. It most likely wasn't intentional, but the virus covered its tracks when it fully spread.

"How long was he bitten before he died?"

I asked, still looking at the spread of it.

"Probably a minute or two."

Yeah, this was really bad. Depending on where the bite was, the person would suffer longer.

Whoever made this knew what they were doing, or it was an accident. Which is worse than it sounds.