Those ravenous things lunged at them the moment they caught sight of them.
There was no warning. No hesitation. One second, Zixin and Bao were standing there, and the next, the entire mass of zombies surged forward like a wave of starving beasts.
"Ah!"
Panicked, Zixin instantly grabbed Bao and pulled him toward one of the open train doors. His shoes slipped against the blood coating the platform, and for one terrifying second, his feet flew out from underneath him.
He nearly fell straight on top of a mutilated corpse.
Zixin froze.
The sight in front of him made his heart almost stop.
The body was barely recognizable as human. Torn flesh hung from the bones, chunks of meat were scattered across the blood-soaked ground, and dark red liquid had spread everywhere beneath the bodies. The metallic smell of blood was so strong that it seemed to coat the back of his throat.
His stomach twisted violently.
What the hell had happened here?
"Zixin! Watch out!"
Bao's terrified voice snapped him out of his daze.
Zixin's eyes widened.
A zombie was already almost on top of him.
Its rotten face was so close that he could see every disgusting detail—the torn skin, the blood smeared around its mouth, and the chunks of flesh still hanging from between its teeth.
His stomach rolled.
"Fuck!"
Zixin instantly pulled out his baby-killer broomstick and swung it with all his strength.
Bang!
The weapon slammed into the zombie's head, slashing it instantly before it crashed against the side of the train.
{Defeated a level 1 zombie}
"Get up!" Bao grabbed Zixin's arm and hauled him forward.
The two of them scrambled into the train, slipping and sliding across the floor as they desperately tried to get away from the approaching zombies.
The only upside to this complete mess was that the train floor was covered in blood.
The zombies couldn't keep their balance.
One slipped. Then another zombie crashed straight into it. Another zombie went down, taking another with it. That one knocked into another, and within seconds, a whole section of the horde collapsed into a disgusting pile near the open train door.
For a brief moment, Zixin almost couldn't believe his luck.
The fallen bodies blocked the doorway, creating a temporary barrier between them and the other hundred or so zombies still trying to force their way inside.
"Zixin!" Bao shouted as he ran beside him, his feet repeatedly sliding across the blood-slick floor. "You said metros were safe!"
"I thought so too!" Zixin shouted back.
He glanced behind them.
The pile of zombies was already beginning to move.
Hands clawed over one another as the creatures tried to crawl over their fallen companions. Some were dragging themselves forward with broken limbs, while others simply climbed over the bodies without caring what they stepped on.
Zixin's face paled.
"Fuck the early office crowd," he grumbled.
He swung the broomstick behind him without even stopping.
Smack!
A zombie that had managed to get through the back door was slashed.
{Defeated a level 1 zombie}
Another immediately took its place.
Then another.
"There are way too many of them!"
Zixin slashed at the zombies trying to get into the carriage from the rear, desperately buying them a few more seconds. So many notification dings rang out in his mind, but he ignored them completely.
Thankfully, the train only had three compartments.
Three compartments suddenly felt far too small.
Zixin ran.
His lungs burned as he sprinted toward the end of the carriage. Bao was right behind him, stumbling every few steps but somehow managing to keep up.
The sound of growling and dragging feet followed them through the train.
Closer and closer.
Zixin's heart pounded violently against his ribs. Right when he felt all hope was lost that's when he saw it.
The driver's side door. "There!"
He rushed toward it and threw the door open. Cold air rushed against his face. Without thinking twice, Zixin jumped down onto the tracks.
"Come on!" Bao awkwardly jumped down after him and landed directly into Zixin's arms.
"Oof!" Zixin nearly fell backward from the impact. "Seriously?!"
He steadied himself and immediately grabbed Bao, dragging him away from the train.
But Bao resisted. "Wait!"
"What?!"
Bao twisted around and reached for the driver's side door. With a desperate shove, he pulled it shut.
Bang!
The heavy door slammed closed.
Zixin stared at him in disbelief. "You think doors can stop them?!"
From inside the train came a violent pounding.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The door shook in its frame.
Bao's face went pale.
Zixin grabbed his wrist. "Come on, let's run!"
Of course. I'll keep the same plot and thoughts, but strengthen Zixin's fear, urgency, and the realization of just how dangerous the metro system could become.
His initial conclusion that the metros were safe had been a huge mistake.
Who knew so many people had travelled through the city during the morning rush? The station had probably been packed, which meant the number of zombies could only grow the farther they went.
And even if they stayed on the tracks, there was no guarantee they would be safe.
The zombies from behind could follow them.
Zixin glanced over his shoulder as they ran.
The thought made his stomach sink.
What if more of them were already coming?
And the worst part was that the metro had so many stations spread throughout the city. If every station had been as crowded as this one...
Zixin's breathing became heavier.
Just imagining it made his heart pound painfully against his chest.
If every station had hundreds of zombies waiting inside, where could they even go?
Their chances of survival were dwindling with every passing second.
Things were not looking bright. Not bright at all.
Zixin bit his lips hard enough to taste blood and forced his legs to move faster.
No. I can't give up now...
His little brother's face flashed through his mind. He knew there wasn't much food left. If he didn't make it to him soon, his brother might starve.
Zixin clenched his fists as he ran, ignoring the burning pain spreading through his legs and the ache in his lungs.
I can't let him die…
His chest tightened.
I have to find him before that happens.
The fear inside him slowly hardened into determination.
And for that... I have to live.