Chapter 4.5: Shizuka’s Misadventure

April 28, 20XX

3:45 p.m

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The day began like any other for Shizuka Marikawa, the nurse at Fujimi High School. She awoke to the gentle sunlight filtering through the curtains in her office, stretching with a lazy yawn. As usual, she had accidentally fallen asleep at work, curled up on the cot meant for sick students.

“Oh dear, I did it again!” Shizuka murmured to herself, rubbing her eyes as she sat up. The nurse’s office was quiet, save for the soft hum of the air conditioner. She smiled to herself, enjoying the peaceful start to her day.

After a quick wash and grabbing a small energy drink from her mini-fridge, Shizuka stepped into the hallway, her high heels clicking against the polished floor. She began her usual rounds, humming a cheerful tune, unaware of the chaos that had already begun to unfold outside.

As she walked down the corridor, she noticed something strange—the school seemed quieter than usual. There were fewer students milling about, and the ones she did see were moving hurriedly, their faces pale and frightened.

“Hmm, that’s odd,” Shizuka said to herself, frowning slightly. “Is there some sort of emergency drill today?”

Curiosity piqued, she continued towards the main entrance. When she reached it, she was greeted by a sight that made her heart skip a beat—students were running in every direction, screaming in terror. Some were bleeding, their clothes torn and stained with blood.

“What on earth…?” Shizuka gasped, clutching her medical bag to her chest. “Are they hurt? I need to—”

Her thoughts were abruptly cut off as she noticed a group of shambling figures emerging from around the corner. Their movements were slow and unnatural, their skin pale and lifeless. One of the figures—a student she recognized—was covered in blood, their eyes vacant and glassy.

“Z-Zombies…?” Shizuka whispered, the realization hitting her like a freight train. She had seen enough horror movies to know exactly what she was looking at.

Before she could process what was happening, one of the zombies spotted her. It let out a low, guttural moan and began to stagger towards her, its arms outstretched.

Shizuka’s instincts kicked in, and she spun on her heel, running back down the hallway as fast as she could. “This isn’t real, this isn’t real!” she repeated to herself, her heart racing.

In her panic, Shizuka’s usual clumsiness made an untimely appearance. As she rounded a corner, she tripped over her own feet, sending her sprawling to the floor with a loud thud.

“Ow…” she groaned, wincing as she scrambled to her feet. The zombie was still coming, its moans growing louder. Shizuka’s eyes darted around frantically, searching for a way out.

Her eyes landed on an open classroom door. Without thinking, she darted inside, slamming the door shut behind her. She pressed her back against it, panting heavily, her chest heaving with fear.

“What do I do? What do I do?” she muttered, trying to catch her breath. The sound of the zombie banging on the door sent another wave of panic through her.

As she looked around the room for an escape route, her gaze fell on the window. It was open, the fresh air wafting in, and she realized it was her only way out.

Shizuka rushed over to the window and hoisted herself up onto the sill. She glanced down—thankfully, it wasn’t too far of a drop. With a deep breath, she pushed herself out and landed in the courtyard with a soft thud.

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She quickly picked herself up, her legs trembling as she scanned her surroundings. The school was in utter chaos—students were running for their lives, and zombies were everywhere.

Just as she was about to panic again, Shizuka spotted a familiar figure moving with a calm, deadly grace through the courtyard. A girl, taller than most of the students, was expertly cutting down the zombies with a bokken, her movements fluid and precise.

“Wow… she’s amazing,” Shizuka breathed, her awe momentarily overriding her fear.

The girl, who hadn’t noticed Shizuka yet, was fighting her way towards the main building. Shizuka’s instincts told her to follow—surely someone that skilled could help her get to safety.

“Hey! Wait for me!” Shizuka called out, waving her arms as she hurried after the girl.

The girl turned at the sound of Shizuka’s voice, her sharp eyes narrowing as she took in the sight of the airheaded nurse stumbling towards her. She quickly dispatched the remaining zombies in her path, then jogged over to Shizuka’s side.

“Are you alright?” the girl asked, her tone calm but concerned.

Shizuka nodded, though she was still trembling from the close encounter. “Y-Yes, I think so… but there are so many of them! What’s going on?”

“The school’s been overrun,” the girl replied, glancing around to make sure no more zombies were nearby. “We need to get to a safer place. Stay close to me.”

Shizuka followed her, trying to keep up as the girl led the way towards the gymnasium. Despite her fear, Shizuka couldn’t help but be impressed by the girl’s composure and skill with the sword.

“Thank you for helping me,” Shizuka said gratefully, though her voice was still shaky. “I don’t know what I would have done without you.”

The girl gave her a small nod. “It’s alright. Let’s just focus on getting out of here.”

As they approached the gym, the girl slowed her pace, scanning the area for any signs of danger. Shizuka’s heart was still pounding, but she felt a little more at ease with this capable fighter by her side.

But just as they were about to reach the gym’s doors, Shizuka’s nerves got the better of her. A sudden loud crash echoed from behind them, and without thinking, Shizuka let out a panicked yelp and bolted in the opposite direction.

“Wait! Don’t run off!” the girl called after her, but Shizuka was already gone, her heels clicking wildly against the pavement as she disappeared around a corner.

The girl sighed in frustration, watching Shizuka vanish into the chaos. “What is she doing…?” she muttered to herself, torn between chasing after the nurse and continuing to the gym. But the rising sound of the zombies’ moans made the decision for her—she had to secure the area and find the others.

Meanwhile, Shizuka ran as fast as her legs could carry her, her mind a blur of panic and confusion. She wasn’t sure where she was going—all she knew was that she had to get away from the danger.

After what felt like an eternity of running, she finally stopped, panting heavily as she leaned against a wall to catch her breath. She looked around, her surroundings unfamiliar.

“Where… where am I?” she gasped, her heart still racing. “Where did that girl go?”

Realizing that she had gotten herself hopelessly lost, Shizuka felt tears well up in her eyes. She was alone, scared, and had no idea how to find her way back.

But then, in the distance, she spotted a familiar sight—the gymnasium. A wave of relief washed over her as she realized she had somehow made her way back.

“Yes! I made it!” she cheered quietly to herself, her spirits lifting. She hurried towards the gym, eager to find safety.

As she approached the doors, she heard voices coming from inside—familiar voices. Slowly, she pushed the door open and peeked in, her heart pounding.

Inside, she saw a group of students gathered—Blake, Takashi, Rei, Saya, and Kohta among them. They were discussing something serious, their expressions tense. Shizuka hesitated for a moment, not wanting to interrupt, but then Rei noticed her and gasped.

“Shizuka-sensei!” Rei exclaimed, rushing over to help her inside. “Are you alright? Where have you been?”

Shizuka blinked, feeling a little dazed as she allowed Rei to guide her into the gym. “Oh… um, I got lost… and then I ran into someone, but I think I ran off again…”

Blake raised an eyebrow, surprised to see her but relieved that she was safe. “You ran into someone? Who?”

Shizuka’s face fell as she tried to remember. “I don’t know… a girl with a bokken… she was really good at fighting, but I got scared and ran away…”

Saya, who had been standing nearby, seemed to know who Shizuka was talking about but kept silent. The focus remained on the group’s survival as they realized that the gym might not be safe for much longer.

Blake sighed, though he didn’t press Shizuka for more details. “Well, you’re here now, and that’s what matters. Let’s get you settled—we’ve got to figure out our next move.”

Kohta, still loading his weapons, glanced over at Shizuka with a mix of concern and curiosity. “We’re glad you made it, Shizuka-sensei. We’ll protect you.”

Shizuka managed a weak smile, grateful for their support. “Thank you… I’m just glad to be with you all.”

As the group prepared for the next phase of their escape, Shizuka couldn’t shake the guilt she felt for leaving the girl behind. But for now, she was safe, and she would do whatever she could to help her students survive.

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End of Chapter 4.5