Chapter 8: Allen’s decision

Allen and his group of five ventured deeper into the ruined corridors of the school. The halls were eerily silent, the flickering emergency lights casting long, jagged shadows. Every step they took was met with the crunch of broken glass or the faint creak of loose floor tiles.

The absence of the monster was both a relief and a growing source of paranoia. They knew it had left after chasing some distant noise, but for how long?

Then, they saw it.

At the end of the hallway, near the shattered remains of a vending machine, a lone monster stood—gnarled, humanoid, but grotesque beyond recognition. Its flesh was stretched too tight over jagged bones, its mouth filled with too many teeth, its fingers elongated into claw-like appendages.

It hadn't noticed them yet.

A moment of hesitation passed between the five. They weren’t fighters. They had makeshift weapons, but was this really possible?

Allen tightened his grip on the metal pipe in his hands. His mind screamed at him to run, but another part—the part that refused to let his girlfriend die alone—forced him forward.

“We can take it,” he whispered, trying to convince himself as much as the others. “Together.”

The others hesitated.

Then, with a collective breath, they charged.

The monster reacted instantly, its head snapping toward them, glowing red eyes narrowing. It let out a guttural shriek, its body twitching unnaturally before lunging.

Adrenaline took over.

Allen swung first, the metal pipe colliding with the creature’s side with a sickening crunch. Ethan followed up with a stab of his makeshift spear—a broken chair leg with a sharpened end—aiming for the monster’s abdomen. The creature shrieked, but it didn’t go down.

The fight was chaotic, desperate.

The monster shrieked, its grotesque body twisting unnaturally as it lashed out with razor-sharp claws. The group barely had time to react before it lunged—fast, too fast.

Allen barely dodged, the creature's claws grazing his arm, tearing through his sleeve and leaving behind a shallow wound. He gritted his teeth, forcing the pain down.

“Keep attacking! Don’t let it recover!” he shouted.

Jason moved first, slamming his sharpened chair leg into the monster’s shoulder. The creature hissed in pain but retaliated instantly, swiping at Jason’s chest. He barely managed to block with his arm, but the force sent him staggering back.

Ethan rushed in next, thrusting his makeshift spear into the creature’s side. The monster let out a guttural snarl, twisting unnaturally to grab at Ethan’s weapon. It yanked, pulling him off balance—and that’s when Allen saw his chance.

His eyes flickered with something cold, something instinctual.

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He could use this.

Instead of helping, Allen took a step back.

Ethan’s panicked eyes met his. “Allen—help me!”

The monster lunged, claws sinking into Ethan’s side. He screamed.

Jason and the others hesitated—just for a moment—but that was all it took.

The creature lifted Ethan off the ground and slammed him into the wall with inhuman force. Blood splattered as his body went limp.

A horrible silence followed.

“No—NO!” One of the boys, Sam, tried to charge in revenge, but Allen tripped him.

The movement was so subtle, so natural, that it looked like an accident.

Sam fell face-first—right into the monster’s reach.

The creature wasted no time.

It grabbed him, sinking its jagged teeth into his throat.

Gurgling, choking sounds filled the air as blood spurted from Sam’s torn flesh. His hands flailed weakly, then went still.

Allen panted, heart hammering in his chest.

Two down.

Only Jason and the last remaining boy, Ryan, were left.

Ryan turned to Allen, pure terror in his eyes. “What the hell are you doing? We have to—”

Allen made his final move.

With a brutal, calculated swing, he brought his metal pipe down onto Ryan’s knee.

The sickening crack of breaking bone echoed through the hall. Ryan collapsed, screaming in agony.

The monster was on him in an instant.

Allen turned away, blocking out the gruesome sounds of tearing flesh.

Jason was the only one left.

But Allen couldn’t focus on that now. The creature was still alive.

“Together! Now!” Allen roared.

Jason hesitated—his mind struggling to process the betrayal he had just witnessed—but survival instinct took over.

The two of them attacked with everything they had.

Jason’s spear sank into the creature’s back. Allen swung relentlessly, smashing its skull over and over, even as it shrieked, even as its body twitched.

The monster’s movements grew sluggish.

One final, desperate attack—its claws lashed out, carving into Allen’s shoulder. He gritted his teeth through the pain and brought his pipe crashing down one last time.

CRACK.

The creature convulsed violently—then collapsed.

Silence.

A strange mist began to rise from the monster’s corpse—dense, glowing, unnatural.

Allen barely had time to react before it rushed toward them.

The moment it touched his skin, he felt everything change.

A surge of pure energy flooded his body. The pain in his wounds dulled, his fatigue melted away, and for a brief, terrifying moment, he felt limitless.

His breath hitched.

He turned to Jason.

Jason’s eyes were wide, his body trembling as he absorbed the energy as well.

Allen should have been in awe. Should have questioned what just happened.

But he wasn’t thinking about that.

He was thinking about Jason.

The only witness.

Jason had seen everything.

The way Allen had let Ethan die. How he had sacrificed Sam. How he had crippled Ryan.

Jason knew.

Allen couldn’t let him live.

For a brief second, Allen hesitated.

The apocalypse had only just begun. Morality still mattered.

They were still human.

But was he?

He had already chosen survival over friendship. He had already crossed the line.

And if Jason went back to the classroom…

If Jason told them the truth…

Allen’s reputation, his leadership, his life would be at risk.

The others would never forgive him.

They would turn on him.

He couldn’t have that.

His grip on the metal pipe tightened.

Jason, still recovering from the rush of energy, didn’t even realize what was happening until it was too late.

Allen moved fast.

One brutal swing—aimed straight at Jason’s temple.

Jason barely turned in time. The pipe grazed his head, knocking him off balance.

“Allen?!—What the fuck?!” Jason’s voice was raw with betrayal.

Allen didn’t stop.

Another swing—Jason dodged.

He stumbled back, raising his hands in a desperate attempt to reason with him.

“Allen, please! I won’t tell anyone! I swear!”

But Allen wasn’t listening.

He had already made his choice.

Survival.

With a sharp kick, he sent Jason crashing into the vending machine behind him. Glass shattered, jagged edges cutting into Jason’s arms as he struggled to get up.

Allen loomed over him.

One more hit.

Jason realized it then.

Allen was going to kill him.

Not because of the apocalypse.

Not because of the monsters.

But because he knew too much.

Tears welled in Jason’s eyes. He wanted to beg, wanted to fight, but his body wouldn’t move fast enough.

Allen swung down.

Jason tried to block—tried to grab the weapon—

But Allen had all the power now.

The pipe came down again.

And again.

And again.

Until Jason stopped moving.

Until there was nothing left but silence.

Allen stood there, panting, staring at Jason’s lifeless body.

His heartbeat thundered in his ears.

He had done it.

He had survived.

But why did his hands feel so heavy?

His stomach churned. A deep, nauseating guilt threatened to bubble up—but he shoved it down. Swallowed it.

This was the world now.

And he would do anything to stay alive. For myself and for my loved ones.

Allen tried to console himself for what he had done.

Allen turned away, gripping his weapon tighter.

He had no regrets.

At least, that’s what he told himself.

Because if he admitted the truth—if he let himself feel—

Then he would have to face what he had become.