"Listen carefully," My voice is low and deadly serious. "We’ll need to level up, but once again, we absolutely have to do this as far away from the restroom as possible. That's the last place I saw the Elite Zombie Boss, and trust me, we are nowhere near ready to take that thing on yet."

A collective shudder runs through the group when I mention it. I feel it too, as memories of the creature's insane power flash through my mind. The putrid stench of decay, the inhuman strength, the bone-chilling roar - it all comes rushing back, making my grip on the trash can tighten involuntarily.

Tim's face contorts into a scowl. "Yeah, yeah," His voice drips with a touch of annoyance. He rolls his eyes and mumbles under his breath, "It can't be that big of a deal, right?"

I arch an eyebrow at him but choose not to say anything.

Now's not the time for petty arguments.

Lily's eyes dart around the corridor, her gaze taking in every detail. "Then let's get moving," she suggests, nodding toward a hallway branching off to the side. "And look for some loner zombies to take out. It's the best way to level up without too much risk."

"Good call," Sara agrees, readjusting her grip on the broomstick. Her voice wavers slightly, betraying her nervousness, but she puts on a brave face.

We start making our way through the dimly lit halls. I lead the way, ears straining for any sound that might hint at danger. The soft scuffling of our shoes against the linoleum mixes with the distant groans echoing throughout the building.

As we turn a corner, we spot it — a lone zombie, aimlessly stumbling around. Its ripped up clothes and slack-jawed look almost make it seem kinda sad, but we know better. Now it's just in our way of surviving. I glance back at the others, seeing determination in their eyes.

"On three," I whisper. "One, two, three!"

They lunge at the zombie together, their weapons swishing through the air. Tim's metal chair smacks its legs hard, making it stagger. Sara thrusts her broomstick through its chest with a gross crunch, her face scrunched up in disgust. Lily, her movements precise, aims for a weak spot, and the creature collapses, lifeless once more.

They pause for a sec above the downed zombie, catching their breath. The break is cut short by a blue screen popping up in front of Lily, announcing her new level.

"Finally, Level 2," Lily sighs, a hint of relief breaking through her usual demeanor. Her eyes meet mine, and I nod, giving her props for her progress.

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"Nice," Sara remarks, glancing at her broomstick, which is stained with blood from her last hit. She swallows hard, clearly unsettled by the sight. "We're gonna need all the levels we can get."

Tim and Sara check their own status, but no blue screens show up for them. Still Level 2. "Looks like it's gonna be a grind," Tim mutters, his frustration evident in the set of his jaw.

"Let's keep moving," I urge. "We need to find more zombies. The more we take out, the faster you will all level up."

They nod, and we keep going, moving further away from the direction of the restroom where the Elite Zombie was last seen. My eyes scan the dim hallway as we walk, picking up everything — the peeling paint on the walls, the occasional blood smear — while my ears stay alert for any sounds.

We turn another corner, and there are two zombies this time, both wandering around aimlessly. A quick glance at the others tells me everything I need to know — we're going for it.

"Ready?" I whisper and get three quick nods back. "Alright, let's do this."

As we jump into action, time seems to slow down. The air whooshes past us, filled with the throaty growls of the undead and the loud smacks of our weapons hitting their rotting flesh. Tim's metal chair slams one zombie on its side, making it stumble into the path of Sara's broomstick. Sara hesitates for a split second, her eyes wide with fear, before steeling herself and driving the broomstick home. Meanwhile, Lily and I focus on the other one. My metal trash can connects square with its head, and Lily quickly finishes it off with a well-placed stapler strike.

No blue screen level-up alerts this time, but it feels like we're getting the hang of it. Our teamwork is getting better, and we're adjusting well.

"Yeah! We did it," Sara cheers, staring at the two fallen zombies. Her voice is a mix of excitement and disbelief, as if she's still getting over the fact that we're fighting real zombies.

Tim offers her a tight-lipped smile. "Yeah, well, life's full of surprises, right?" His joke falls flat, and he seems to shrink a little in the silence that follows.

Before anyone can come up with a response, a sudden, awful shriek echoes through the hallways, louder than any we've heard before. I feel a chill rush over me.

"We need to move, now!" Tim urges, his eyes wide with a mix of fear and desperation.

"No arguments here," Lily adds, gripping her stapler tighter.

Sara lets out a small whimper, her earlier bravado crumbling in the face of this new threat. But to her credit, she doesn't freeze up, instead readying her broomstick with shaking hands.

We pick up the pace, half-running, half-walking in the opposite direction of where the scream came from. My senses are in overdrive; the ground feels like it's shifting under me, every shadow looks like a threat, and my ears seem to catch every sound like it's magnified. But the feeling that overpowers them all is a primal one, an unshakeable sense that we're being hunted.

Another shriek pierces the air, closer this time, shaking us to our core as it echoes through the hallways. My eyes dart towards the source of the noise, and there it is — at the far end of the corridor, stepping into view from around a corner.

The Level 15 Elite Zombie Boss has arrived.