The alarm echoed through Karmara Forum.
Short. Sharp. Unsettling.
The mechanic was glued to the screen.
"Boss… that horde is huge."
The shadows on the screen were growing.
Dozens…
Maybe hundreds.
They were flooding in through the parking ramp.
Boran swallowed.
"Man… I wasn't expecting this many."
Riven tried to stay calm, but his voice was firm:
"People in the front, zombies in the back…"
"We're right in the middle."
---
Karel didn't blink.
He turned off the screen.
"No."
Everyone turned to him.
"They're the ones stuck in the middle."
Boran frowned.
"What are you talking about?"
Karel started walking.
"The humans want to get in."
"The zombies want to get in."
"We're already inside."
He stopped.
A faint smile appeared.
"This is a trap."
---
Riven's expression changed.
He understood.
"You…"
"…you're going to make them fight each other."
Karel nodded.
"Yes."
---
Outside, the metal gate was being forced.
The hydraulic jack screeched.
The gate slowly bent inward.
Boran clenched his teeth.
"They're about to get in."
Karel calmly said:
"Let them."
---
"Are you serious?" said the mechanic.
"They're twenty people!"
Riven smiled.
"Count the horde behind them too."
The mechanic went silent.
---
Karel started giving orders quickly.
"Fall back to the upper floors."
"No one stays downstairs."
"When the door opens, no one fires."
Boran looked confused.
"Why the hell aren't we shooting?"
Karel turned his eyes to him.
"Because we don't want attention."
"The zombies are already coming."
"We're just watching."
---
The female chef, frightened:
"What if they come upstairs?"
Karel:
"They won't."
Riven added:
"If they try…"
Boran grinned:
"We're here."
---
Everyone moved quickly.
The selected ones, the cleaners, the doctors…
All of them retreated to the upper floors.
The food court lights were turned off.
Only a few dim lights remained.
Karmara Forum was swallowed by darkness.
---
A massive noise came from below.
METAL BROKE.
The main entrance was forced…
And finally, the gate collapsed inward.
The group outside rushed in.
Weapons ready.
Tense.
The leader shouted:
"Get inside! Move!"
Footsteps echoed.
---
At that exact moment…
The horde from the back flooded in through the ramp.
One of the men saw the first zombie and screamed:
"BACK SIDE!"
A second of silence.
Then chaos.
Gunshots exploded.
Zombies lunged at them.
Screams echoed through the mall.
---
Boran watched from above.
His eyes widened.
"Damn… they're tearing each other apart."
Riven said seriously:
"This plan… is too good."
---
The fight below escalated.
Bullets started running out.
Zombies kept multiplying.
The humans were retreating.
But there was nowhere to run.
Horde behind them.
Death inside.
---
The leader was shouting:
"FALL BACK! UPSTAIRS!"
But it was too late.
A zombie latched onto his neck.
Another tore his arm off.
He fell.
Disappeared.
---
Karel stepped up to the railing.
Watched silently.
There was no emotion on his face.
Only outcome.
---
A few minutes later…
The noise faded.
The guns went silent.
The screams stopped.
---
Silence.
---
Boran spoke slowly:
"Is it over?"
Riven looked down.
"No movement."
---
Karel turned.
"No."
"Now it begins."
Everyone looked at him.
"Now…"
"…we clean up what's left."
Boran grinned.
"So the fun starts."
Karel smiled slightly.
"Exactly."
---
At that moment…
A sound came from below.
A human voice.
Weak.
But alive.
"Help… me…"
Riven frowned.
"Someone's alive."
Boran raised his gun.
"Should I finish him?"
Karel stopped.
Looked down.
His eyes darkened.
"No."
"Bring him upstairs."
Everyone was surprised.
Boran:
"Why?"
Karel spoke slowly.
"Because…"
"…he might be useful."
The man below was crawling in blood.
But his eyes were still open.
And this story…
was only getting deeper.