The stairwell reeked of blood.
Kanata's shoes squelched as he and Kanami rushed up the emergency staircase, skipping two steps at a time. Her grip on his arm was tight—too tight—but he didn't complain. She was shaking.
Behind them, the chaos of Mishiro High roared—screams, moans, things being shattered. Someone was still crying out down the halls.
"Keep going!" Kanata urged.
"I-I am!" Kanami snapped, her voice cracking. "I'm not built for this kind of cardio!"
They burst through the final door and into the open air of the school rooftop.
For a moment, they were blinded by the sunlight. It was such a normal day. Blue sky. Warm breeze. The kind of day you'd want to spend walking home from school, maybe eating ice cream, maybe—
Kanami let out a sharp scream. "HOLY SHIT!"
Even Kanata froze. His stomach turned.
The rooftop wasn't empty.
Near the edge lay the remains of two students—what was left of them. Their torsos had been torn open, organs strewn across the floor like spilled noodles. One of them was still twitching.
One of the dead had no face, only a pulpy mess where it had been chewed off.
Kanami grabbed the back of his uniform shirt and dry-heaved.
"This is... this is like a horror movie..." she whispered. Her voice was tiny. "No. Worse."
Kanata stood still. The wind tugged at his hair as he scanned the rooftop, chest tight. That was when he saw them.
Two familiar figures were crouched by the fence on the opposite side.
Serizawa and Takeshi.
Alive.
For a moment, Kanata wished they weren't.
He could see it now. Serizawa's long black hair clung to her face, her uniform blouse torn at the sleeve. Takeshi had blood on his collar, his cheek bruised.
They looked up. Their eyes met.
Serizawa flinched. Takeshi froze.
Kanata didn't move.
Kanami stepped beside him. "Oh," she said flatly. "Them."
Serizawa stood slowly. "Kanata…"
Kanata stayed silent.
"I—I didn't think you'd be alive."
"I am," he said. His voice was cold, even to his own ears. "No thanks to either of you."
Takeshi looked down, shame written all over him. "We didn't mean for any of this to happen—"
"But it did," Kanata cut in. "And you didn't even wait a day."
"Don't," Serizawa said quietly. "Please. Not now."
Kanata wanted to argue, to scream, to punch Takeshi until that stupid, apologetic look left his face. But instead, he turned away.
He wasn't here for them.
He was here to survive.
Kanami was watching him, expression unreadable. She looked between him and Serizawa, her lips tightening. "You still care about her, huh?"
"I don't know what I feel," Kanata said. "But I'm not going to leave people behind." He gripped his bokken. "Not yet."
Suddenly, a shriek tore through the rooftop stairwell.
Three figures exploded out—zombified students, covered in gore, eyes white with hunger. Their jaws snapped open, broken and misaligned.
Takeshi screamed.
Kanata didn't think. He moved.
He slammed his bokken into the first one's ribs. The impact knocked it sideways, but it didn't stop. The second zombie lunged at Serizawa—who stood frozen.
"Takeshi!" Kanata shouted. "MOVE!"
Takeshi hesitated—just a second—but it was enough.
The zombie's claws caught Kanata's side as he shoved them away, cutting through his uniform and slicing shallow across his ribs.
"GRAAAH!" He staggered, blood soaking through his shirt.
"Kanata!" Kanami screamed.
He dropped to one knee, panting, but the pain only sharpened his focus.
Serizawa had run straight to Takeshi—checking him, not Kanata.
Of course.
Kanata laughed bitterly under his breath.
The third zombie charged.
Before Kanata could react, a flash of silver swept past.
CRACK!
A metal rod struck the zombie's skull with brutal force, dropping it in one hit.
Takiya Shino stepped forward, face calm, clothes stained red. Her grip on the steel staff was like iron.
No emotion. No hesitation.
Kanami rushed to Kanata's side, cradling his arm. "You're hurt—!"
"I'm fine." He winced. "It's shallow. I think."
Takiya's eyes scanned the group. "Everyone's here?"
Kanami nodded. "Except for teachers. I haven't seen any—wait…"
She pointed.
Another rooftop access door opened slowly.
Out stumbled a familiar figure—Miss Godou, the school's literature teacher.
She looked like she'd been through hell. Her coat was missing, blouse half-ripped, skirt hanging dangerously low. Her hair was wild, face streaked with tears and blood.
Her bra was exposed on one side, and her heels were missing. She limped, barely able to stand.
"Sensei!" Kanami cried.
But something was wrong.
Behind her—
A zombie, dressed like a janitor, crawled up from the stairs and lunged forward, grabbing her waist from behind.
Miss Godou screamed.
The zombie sniffed her like an animal, tongue dragging across her exposed collarbone. His hands groped her hips, yanking up her skirt. The implication was horrific.
"YOU SICK FUCK!" Kanata roared, surging to his feet.
But before he could charge in—
CLANG.
Takiya's staff struck again. She decapitated the zombie in a clean, efficient motion.
The body slumped, the head bouncing across the rooftop.
Miss Godou collapsed, sobbing.
Takiya knelt beside her, gently placing her jacket over the woman's exposed chest. "You're safe now," she said softly.
Kanami was pale. "Takiya-senpai..."
Kanata watched the kendo captain, stunned.
Takiya stood, brushing blood from her face with the back of her hand. "The rooftop is not safe for long. We need a secure location with fewer entrances. This place is a death trap."
"I know a place," Kanami said suddenly. "The broadcast room on the second floor. Reinforced windows. Only one door."
Kanata nodded. "We'll go together."
Takeshi stepped forward. "Wait… I can help too."
Kanata turned to him, eyes cold. "Can you?"
Serizawa held Takeshi's hand. "We'll pull our weight."
Kanata looked at their interlocked fingers, then at the blood on his own hands.
He said nothing.
Kanami gently touched his arm. "You don't have to protect them if it hurts."
He forced a bitter smile. "I'm not protecting them. I'm protecting the people who still have a chance."
He looked at her. "You. Takiya. Miss Godou. The students who haven't turned yet."
He glanced back at Serizawa. "They just happen to be along for the ride."
Takiya adjusted her grip on the staff. "Then let's move before nightfall."
The group formed up—Kanata at the front, bloodied but standing. Kanami close beside him. Takiya behind, weapon ready. Takeshi and Serizawa held each other in the back, and Miss Godou staggered along, supported on Takiya's other side.
Kanata looked once more at the bodies strewn across the rooftop.
This morning, he'd been a heartbroken kid with nothing to live for.
Now, he had no choice.
The dead were rising.
And he was just getting started.
---
To be continued