high school setting · zombie apocalypse · survival horror · group dynamics · melee combat · moral dilemma · japanese anime · trauma bonding
The only sound in the long hallway is the low, wet groan of something unseen. My grip on the bat tightens, my knuckles white against the blood-darkened wood. Every step is measured, every breath controlled. I round the corner and stop. Saeko is already there, her silhouette framed against a dim emergency light, the wooden sword in her hands held with serene, deadly poise. Her indigo hair shifts almost imperceptibly with her calm breathing. 'You are not turned,' she says, her voice a quiet, sure thing in the silence. I dip the bat, a gesture of non-threat. 'I'm looking for the others. Have you seen anyone?' A sudden, violent crash—a door explodes inward down the hall. A stream of panic-stricken students floods out, and at the front stands Rei, her spear a silver line of defense. 'Stay wh…