Chapter 14: A Moment to Breathe

Sosuke Kitahara gripped Kasumigaoka Utaha's hand tightly as they raced through the fleeing crowd, dodging, weaving, running for their lives. Zombies were everywhere now. Some were even plummeting from windows and balconies, smashing into the pavement below, only to rise moments later, limbs shattered, bodies broken, yet still dragging themselves toward any sign of life. They barely made it into the convenience store. Just as they stumbled through the door, a zombified store clerk turned his head at the sound, eyes clouded, nostrils flaring. Snarling, it lunged toward them. Sosuke swung his bat with a crack. The zombie dropped. He shouted without looking back, "Utaha, shut the door!" "O-on it!" Utaha flinched at his yell but reacted quickly, pulling the glass door closed behind them. No sooner had it latched than two dark figures slammed against it, their bodies thudding into the glass with sickening force. One had an exposed bone where its arm had been torn apart. They clawed viciously at the door, their fingers just inches from Utaha's face. "Ahhh!" Utaha shrieked and staggered backward, trembling. "Always remember this," Sosuke said, striding toward the shutter inside. "Whenever you go through a door, any door, always close it behind you. That habit can save your life." With a tug, he pulled the metal shutter down, sealing them inside. The growling and scratching faded quickly. "Don't make a sound. They'll leave soon enough." Utaha nodded silently, hand pressed against her chest, her breath still ragged. Just as he said, the noise stopped before long. The scratching vanished as the zombies wandered off. Sosuke walked through the store, tapping his bat against the shelves and coolers. No growls, no sudden movements. After checking the back for any hidden threats, he returned and opened a fridge, pulling out two bottles of water. He took a long drink, then handed one to Utaha. "Here. Rest up for now." "Thanks..." Utaha smiled weakly and took the bottle. The mad dash had left her parched, and she drank eagerly, too eagerly. Water spilled down her chin and soaked the front of her blouse, but she didn't care. "If you want to thank someone, thank him," Sosuke said, nodding toward the store clerk's lifeless body on the floor. Bang bang bang... Sudden gunfire made both of them jolt. Sosuke rushed to the shutter, pried open a small flap in the blinds, and peeked out onto the street. Several bald men in suits were standing outside, pistols raised, shouting as they fired at an oncoming swarm of zombies. Smoke curled from their muzzles as bullets tore into rotting flesh. Shots rang out nonstop. Black blood sprayed across the pavement. The first wave of zombies didn't even flinch until their heads were hit. Only then did they finally collapse. But the ones behind them just kept coming. The suited men paused to catch their breath. That was all the time the next wave needed. With a snarl, the new zombies surged forward. Bang bang bang. The bald men were ready. Their weapons were loaded, their aim quick and deadly. They cut down another wave without hesitation. Even a pair of zombies chewing on a wounded civilian were casually executed with two well-placed shots to the head. "They're not from the police?" Sosuke muttered. "So who the hell are they? And why do they all have guns?" Utaha leaned beside him, just as puzzled. "They don't look like Public Safety officers. Maybe... maybe they're yakuza?" "Yakuza?" "Yeah. I heard some teachers in the office talking once. Supposedly, one of the freshmen has parents in the Inagawa-kai." "Huh. That explains a lot," Sosuke said, watching the men mow down another cluster of undead. Even the yakuza were coming to school with firearms now. Tokyo's law enforcement must've been stretched thin. No wonder Inspector Nakamori of the Second Division could never catch Kaitou Kid. The guy probably had to deal with zombies between stakeouts. "Wait, look!" Utaha's voice rose in alarm. "They're out of bullets!" Sure enough, the guns suddenly fell silent. The clicking of empty chambers echoed across the street. The horde descended again. But the yakuza weren't amateurs. They dropped their guns, drew blades, and charged into the fray with machetes and short swords. Steel clashed with rotten flesh. The fight was brutal and direct. Meanwhile, a few cars began to trickle out from the school's parking lot. Blood-smeared students wielding makeshift weapons burst from the building and joined the battle. Utaha's eyes lit up. She grabbed Sosuke's wrist and cried out, "Sosuke! Look! They made it! Your plan worked! People are escaping!" She was overwhelmed with joy. "Thank God, thank God..." "Yeah... it really is good to see," Sosuke said, relieved. More and more survivors streamed out. Even a school bus rolled through the gate. He stepped back from the blinds and sat down heavily, finally allowing himself to rest. "We should take a break," he said, voice low. "We've pushed hard enough for now." Utaha sank down beside him, still catching her breath. "What about you?" he asked, taking another sip of water. "Are you planning to go home?" He knew her family lived far from the school. It was several train stops away, and the metro was likely out of commission. Walking all that way through zombie-infested streets would be suicidal. He didn't want her to go. But if she insisted, he'd understand emotionally. Rationally, though... it would be goodbye. "My parents aren't home," Utaha murmured. "They left for Okinawa last week. They were staying with my aunt for a vacation..." Her voice trailed off, pale and distant. Sosuke went quiet for a moment. He exhaled softly. The U.S. forces in Okinawa had already pulled out and abandoned their bases. He didn't need to guess what that meant. He pulled out his phone and tried calling his father. All he got was a busy signal. Next, he dialed the landline at home. Surprisingly, it connected. But no one picked up. The phone rang and rang into silence. "Damn it..." He sighed heavily and handed his phone to Utaha. "Wanna try yours?" "I brought mine." Utaha pulled out her own phone, fingers trembling slightly as she dialed. One number, then another. Busy signals. No answers. Then silence. She lowered the phone, tears streaming down her face, and leaned against Sosuke's shoulder. "Sosuke... do you think we... we can still survive this?"