As Jin-woo was running past the broken window, he glanced up. He didn't see anyone through the window, neither zombies nor students. He wasn't sure whether that was a good thing or a bad thing. He then glanced at the middle school across the football field to his left.
Was the zombie outbreak happening at his former middle school and elementary school as well?
Jin-woo wasn't sure.
With the speed fitting of a former star of the Track Club, Jin-woo ran past the west wing of the high school and reached the east wing. After a sharp right turn with him skating momentarily, he directly skipped over the few steps in front of the entrance and stopped at the wide-open double doors.
Jin-woo then turned back to look at the zombies who were on his heels for a second time as well as the tennis court. He saw that his classmates were already sprinting towards the gymnasium. However, a zombie that lagged behind the horde chasing him suddenly stopped and turned around to look at them.
Jin-woo's face changed at that but then his heart sank to the pit of his stomach when he saw that several more were stopping.
The first zombie that stopped immediately dashed toward the students of class 1A, causing mass panic among them. However, before more zombies could follow behind the first Jin-woo immediately stepped forward and roared at the top of his lungs.
"BASTARDS!! WHAT ARE YOU STOPPING FOR!!"
However, this action immediately placed Jin-woo in a deadly situation. The zombie leading the horde that was chasing him was already running up the steps.
"Shit."
Jin-woo cursed and quickly kicked out. His kick landed on the zombie's chest, and it was sent stumble back down the stairs, getting the way of ones behind it, temporarily halting their advance.
Jin-woo didn't waste any more time, he swiftly retreated into the high school and pulled the double doors closed. As he did, he cast one final glance at the gymnasium to see that his shouting had little to no effect. One zombie that had stopped came chasing him once again, but four plus the first one was tracking back to the gymnasium.
What made Jin-woo's eyes redden was judging by these zombies' speed, which was no different from a regular person at full speed, they were going to reach the tail end of the students rushing into the gymnasium.
"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!"
Jin-woo cursed, however, he could do nothing but close the doors.
BANG!
Immediately after he closed it, the zombie horde violently slammed against it. Jin-woo flinched back and glanced at them through the small windows that were at eye level on the double doors.
These double doors were luckily replaced over the winter break by the school. After having the glass doors crack or completely shatter one too many times by a bunch of rowdy high schoolers hurrying out of school after the last bell, the school replaced them with these metal double doors.
However, as the horde continuously slammed against the doors, Jin-woo's attention couldn't help but drift toward the rattling hinges.
They were bound to fly off at any moment.
Jin-woo buried his worry for the students in his class and hurriedly turned to sprint down the hall. He passed the notice board that still listed the names and designated classes for the new high schoolers, before coming to the bottom of the stairs leading up to the second floor.
Jin-woo was still clenching the cigarette box in his hand. The stairs were at a crossroads, and if he took a right after passing it, he could reach the teachers' office. But Jin-woo's top priority was Seong's journal.
However, after Jin-woo skipped up several steps he suddenly stopped in his tracks. His expression then flickered incessantly as he heard a particular noise.
After a bit of hesitation, Jin-woo walked down the stairs and leaned his head forward to look around the corner. After looking right and then left, Jin-woo's gaze settled back to the right. The noise was coming from there.
BANG!!
The sound of the horde slamming against the doors caused Jin-woo to quickly look behind him. Even from all the way down the hall he could see the door trembling on their fragile hinges.
Jin-woo gritted his teeth, and after steeling himself he turned around and made a right for the noise. With hurried steps, he approached a closed set of metal doors similar to the ones at the entrance.
The reason for Jin-woo's actions was simple.
After stopping at the double doors, he glanced through one of the small windows to observe the scene beyond it.
It was the east wing's cafeteria, and it was currently filled with students eating. The noise Jin-woo heard previously was the boisterous laughter and cacophony of chattering coming from the students.
While observing this scene, Jin-woo recalled what was behind the entrance of the school doors and he couldn't help but have a cold chill worm its way down his spine.
Mind racing, Jin-woo immediately began thinking of a way to warn these people.
All of a sudden, it was the tennis court incident starting all over again where no one would believe him.
The laughing and chattering of the students in the cafeteria filled Jin-woo's ears, but so did the increasingly loud banging that was coming from the hallway further down.
As both his heart and mind were racing, Jin-woo suddenly spotted a fire alarm on the wall next to him. With eyes flashing, he reached up to pull it, hoping it would not only alert these students but everyone in the east wing who might not realize the virus outbreak. But before Jin-woo could pull the fire alarm, all of a sudden, a familiar sense of danger appeared in his mind.
However, this time it came slamming against his consciousness much harder than the first time. It made him slightly dizzy while at the same time inducing cold sweat to break out all over him.
This made Jin-woo aware of the fact that if he pulled this fire alarm, he would die. No, this stronger feeling made him realize the danger wasn't about him or anyone else dying. Rather the danger was something else, but equally terrifying.
It was him... becoming a living dead.
A zombie.