Chapter 48: The Last Barrier Between Life and Death
Inside the men's washroom, it felt as though the hope of every survivor had been reduced to a single door.
Hasnain, Ghani, Sam, Borak, Chen Zheyan, and Saad stood shoulder to shoulder, pressing their bodies and every ounce of their strength against the trembling door. Their faces were flushed, sweat streamed down their foreheads, and their arms shook under the relentless pressure.
On the other side...
A massive horde of zombies had gathered outside.
Their deafening growls echoed through the corridor as they slammed themselves against the door again and again with terrifying force. Every impact made the entire washroom tremble. The hinges groaned painfully, and the locked door shook so violently that it seemed ready to burst open at any moment.
Although the door was securely locked, it was slowly beginning to give way under the overwhelming strength of the undead.
It was no longer just a door.
It had become the final barrier separating life from death.
Every student inside was fighting with everything they had left. Their muscles burned with exhaustion, their hands had turned red from pushing against the hard surface, and their lungs begged for air.
Yet not a single one of them dared to give up.
At the back of the washroom, Sana and Afra stood silently.
Between them, Jinjin sat against the cold wall.
Her sobs had grown quieter, but the storm raging inside her heart had only become stronger.
One face continued to appear before her eyes.
Adam.
The image of him sacrificing himself without a second thought to save her refused to leave her mind.
No matter how hard she tried, she could not escape that heartbreaking memory.
It was as though all the tears in her eyes had already dried up, yet the pain in her heart continued to deepen with every passing second.
Meanwhile, Hasnain and the others could feel their strength fading.
The pressure from the zombies grew heavier with every passing moment.
Their arms were becoming numb.
Their breathing turned uneven.
Their bodies were on the verge of collapse...
But their determination remained unshaken.
Summoning every bit of courage he had left, Hasnain raised his trembling voice.
"Friends... don't lose hope! Push with everything you've got! We can do this!"
His voice carried exhaustion...
But it also carried hope.
Without hesitation, Ghani smiled and shouted back,
"Yes! We can do this!"
He tightened his grip against the door and pushed with all his strength.
Then he cried out again,
"We can do this!"
The next moment, Sam, Saad, Borak, Chen Zheyan, and Hasnain joined him.
"We can do this! We can do this!"
Their voices echoed throughout the washroom.
It was no longer just a chant.
It had become the heartbeat of their courage.
The sound of people refusing to surrender.
Then suddenly...
Every loudspeaker installed throughout the school crackled to life.
A familiar voice echoed through every corridor.
It was Ms. Selena.
"This announcement is for everyone on the fourth floor. We originally gave you until twelve o'clock to reach the second floor, but since you have not yet arrived, your deadline has been extended until one o'clock. We sincerely hope that all of you make it safely to the second floor before then."
The instant the announcement began...
Something unbelievable happened.
The zombies outside suddenly stopped attacking the door.
One after another, they turned their heads towards the sound coming from the loudspeakers.
Then, as if driven by pure instinct, the entire horde rushed towards the source of the noise.
The loudspeakers inside the staff room and the assembly hall echoed more clearly across the floor, drawing every zombie towards them.
Within seconds...
The terrifying pounding on the washroom door stopped.
The growls faded away.
Silence filled the corridor once again.
Only the heavy breathing of the exhausted survivors remained.
Ghani let out a long breath before sliding down the door and sitting on the floor.
A tired smile appeared on his face.
"It looks like... Ms. Selena couldn't have chosen a better time for that announcement."
One after another, everyone finally allowed themselves to rest.
Sam leaned against the wall.
Saad closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
Borak slowly sat on the floor.
Chen Zheyan rested the back of his head against the wall.
Hasnain lowered himself onto the cold tiles, still breathing heavily.
Their clothes were soaked with sweat.
Their arms trembled from exhaustion.
Their hearts continued to pound inside their chests.
Yet despite everything...
A single comforting thought filled their minds.
They were still alive.
And for now...
The zombies were gone.
A few moments later, Ms. Selena's voice echoed through the loudspeakers once again.
"To everyone making their way from the fourth floor... please continue moving carefully and reach the second floor safely. We are all waiting for you."
After a brief pause, she added,
"This concludes the announcement. Please wait for the next update."
Silence returned to the washroom.
Everyone remained seated, trying to regain their strength.
Jinjin still leaned silently against the wall.
Her eyes were swollen and red.
It felt as though she no longer had any tears left to cry.
But Adam's sacrifice remained painfully alive inside her heart.
Her vacant eyes stared into nothingness, as though she were still trapped in the moment he gave his life to save hers.
Sana sat quietly on her right.
Afra remained on her left, glancing at Jinjin with deep concern.
Across the room, Sam sat beside Ghani, Borak, and Michael.
On the opposite side, Chen Zheyan, Hasnain, and Saad rested against the row of closed washroom doors.
The washroom had fallen completely silent.
Yet beneath that silence...
Every heart was haunted by the same question.
Would they truly make it to the second floor alive?