Ren descended down the final step.
Groans and moans came in all direction.
Behind him on the stairwell, the group watched as zombies walked by Ren.
None of the zombies even acknowledged his existence.
"Holy Shit…you were right,"
Saya looked at Takashi, a scoff escaped her mouth as she crossed her arms below her chest.
"…See? At least someone here actually listens when I speak."
Takashi rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, not able to argue without making noise.
"Okay, let's all start moving," Saeko ordered. "Remember, make as little noise as possible."
Below, Ren had already begun walking to the front.
Standing at the doors, he saw it.
Even to him, this was a bit too crazy.
Zombies filled the yard.
In every direction he looked, there was a zombie.
Ren slowly creaked the glass doors open.
The cold wind from the outside flowed inside.
Saeko quietly stood next to him.
They both stared at the swarm of zombies they would have to quietly move through.
Nothing was said between the two as the others came up behind them.
"You've got to be kidding me," Kota whispered
"There's so many of them," Rei said.
"As long as we don't make any noise, we'll be fine," Saya added.
"Let's move," Takashi said
The group slowly made its way through the dead.
No one spoke or made any kind of noise.
They made it halfway across the yard before all hell broke loose.
One of the rescued students in the far back of the group tripped on his own feet.
The noise echoed across the school yard like a gunshot.
All the students turned their heads back.
Everyone's heartbeat stopped for a moment.
Decaying bodies and heads turned in an instant.
All zombies rushed to the student on the ground.
He had no chance for survival.
He was swarmed in seconds.
For a second, no one moved.
They all watched the student get swarmed and eaten.
The next second, Rei swung her makeshift spear at a zombie who was heading straight for her.
"They heard us!" Rei shouted
The entire yard came alive.
From every direction of the school yard, zombies rushed towards them.
"Run! Run to the bus!" Takashi screamed out loud.
Takashi grabbed Rei's arm and ran forward.
Saeko didn't hesitate as she grabbed Shizuka and followed behind him.
Saya and Kota immediately followed, Kota shooting his nail gun at anything in their way.
Weapons were swung, skulls were smashed.
Ren didn't move.
He stood in the center of the yard where they had been.
He watched the others run away.
The swarm quickly blocked his vision of them.
He stood and watched the swarm close in on him.
Ren rolled his shoulders and tightened the grip on his metal water bottle.
"…Run?" A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. "Why would I run?"
Zombies lunged at him.
Ren didn't step back…he stepped in.
Planting his left foot down, he swung his right foot like a whip.
Making contact with the chest of the closest zombie, sending it flying back, and knocking down the dead behind it.
He quickly ran forward, his right arm swinging in a tight arc.
Metal made contact with skull.
Another zombie came from his left.
It lunged at him, Ren dropped his upper body down low.
The zombie lunged into thin air, as Ren stood up and flipped the zombie over his body.
Metal came crashing down on the zombie.
More and more zombies appeared before him.
He moved again instantly, smashing a skull, and another, each strike was precise and calculated.
More zombies came from behind him.
The closest one lunged at him.
Ren sidestepped it, letting it go slightly past him, while at the same time as the sidestep, he swung his body around, and with the momentum smashed the metal bottle to the back of its head.
The school yard filled with loud groans and footsteps.
Ren exhaled through his nose, steady and calm.
"…You guys are way too loud."
He ducked at a swipe coming from his left, quickly striking again.
The group finally reached the bus.
After entering, they all quickly sat down with Shizuka sitting at the front wheel.
Takashi did a quick count of everyone.
They were a big group when they tried to run to the bus.
Now there were only six of them left.
"…What is that idiot doing!"
Takashi turned at Saya's words.
Everyone stared out the windows.
"Ren!"
Seeing he was still alive and fighting, they all started to shout his name.
He was close…close enough.
Outside, two zombies lunged at Ren.
He stepped between them, shoulder-checking one into the other before smashing both of their skulls.
Hearing the voices yelling his name, Ren looked up.
He looked at the beautiful girls chanting his name, completely ignoring Takashi and Kota.
He also saw something else.
A clear path between the swarm and the bus.
"…Alright," he muttered. "Guess I should head out."
He broke into a sprint.
Running in between the small gaps of the dead.
Seeing Ren running straight towards them, Saeko stepped out of the bus and started clearing any zombies around it.
Kota quickly slid down one of the windows and covered Ren with his nail gun.
"Hurry up!" Takashi and Rei shouted as they stood at the front.
Ren quickly reached the bus, grabbed the rail, and jumped into the bus.
The bus doors quickly shut behind Saeko as she also jumped inside.
Ren quickly sat in a seat.
Breathing a bit harder than usual.
Blood covered his black shirt.
The metal water bottle was heavily dented, it was now useless in combat.
Saeko sat down next to him.
The group fell into silence for a moment as they all sat and took a break.
"That," Ren said calmly. "Was louder than I expected."
No one laughed at his joke.
"Are you seriously making a stupid joke right now?" Saya glared at him.
"…What? You don't like it?"
Saya ignored him as she turned to Shizuka.
"Teacher Shizuka go…just go."
"Wait!"
Everyone turned to Takashi.
"What is it, Takashi?" Rei asked, turning towards the door.
They all looked out the window.
Across the school yard, a small group of survivors was sprinting towards the bus.
A tall man with neatly combed hair, glasses sitting perfectly on his nose, and wearing a black suit was leading the group.
The man's hand shot up, his voice carried across the school yard.
"Please! Don't leave us!"
…..
End of Chapter 6