DEGREES OF DEATHThe afternoon rain fell unevenly, leaving behind thick humidity that trapped body heat inside the stifling faculty cafeteria.Daniel leaned back against a hard wooden chair, his eyes fixed seriously on his laptop screen. Blue light from the monitor reflected in his pupils, showing scenes from a zombie movie playing on repeat. He was not really paying attention to the details. He was just killing time, waiting for the hunger twisting in his stomach to be satisfied. “Is it going to take much longer,” he muttered.Beside him, Xavier was completely unfazed. He chewed loudly on potato chips, occasionally wiping crumbs onto his already wrinkled T-shirt. Meanwhile, Chania sat close to Daniel’s side. Her eyes were locked on the screen, but her fingers clenched the edge of the wooden table until they turned white, revealing restrained terror.“There are so many zombies.” Xavier muttered between crunches. “Seriously, I’d freak out if something like this actually happened on our

DEGREES OF DEATHDaniel’s instincts tensed immediately, but Chania was faster. She swung her iron pipe with a sharp whistle, striking the face of the creature crawling toward Daniel. The dull impact seemed muted, yet the force sent the creature sprawling sideways, its neck bending unnaturally.Before Daniel could thank her, three more creatures emerged from the kitchen. They shuffled quickly, dragging their feet, pale hands reaching hungrily under the flickering cafeteria lights.“Shit! We’re surrounded!” Daniel grabbed Xavier by the collar, yanking him upright. That’s when he realized Xavier was still clutching his backpack, the one Daniel knew held his laptop.“Really stupid.” Daniel muttered, eyes darting to the bag amidst the encirclement. “Your life is worth more than that thing, Vier!”Xavier panted, his face still pale, but he returned Daniel’s gaze with what little courage he had left. “I’m just protecting your laptop, Niel. If it breaks, I know you’ll make me pay for it until

DEGREES OF DEATHChania gave a small nod, though her face was pale. “I’m fine, Niel. Just a minor impact injury from the fall earlier.”Daniel exhaled roughly, trying to push away the anxiety creeping into his thoughts. He reached for the iron pipe still clutched tightly in Chania’s hands. “Use this,” Daniel said, weighing its heft. “Use its reach. Don’t let anything get closer than one meter to your position. Be careful. This thing is heavy. Swing it with your whole shoulder so your knees don’t lose balance.”“Okay,” Chania replied softly.Daniel noticed sweat slicking Chania’s grip on the pipe. “Wait. Your hands are too slippery,” he muttered.He stepped to the equipment table and grabbed the remaining roll of duct tape. With quick but careful movements, he wrapped the tape around the base of Chania’s pipe, creating a firm, rough grip.“Now hold it again,” Daniel said, handing it back and making sure Chania’s hands closed around the newly wrapped section. “Don’t let this go, no matt

DEGREES OF DEATHThe creature in front of him lowered its body, the muscles along its back twitching before exploding into a final leap aimed straight for Daniel’s throat. But Daniel’s survival instinct had not burned out yet. At the exact moment the shadow lunged, Daniel dropped flat to the floor, letting the creature slam into the metal door behind him with a thunderous crash.Without wasting a second, Daniel pushed himself up using his left hand. He no longer tried to pound on the locked classroom door. He had to find another place to take cover. Breathing hard, Daniel sprinted down the dark corridor, ignoring the stabbing pain that flared every time his foot hit the floor.At the far end of the hallway, the door to the Biology Laboratory stood slightly ajar. Daniel rammed into it with his right shoulder. Pain burst white across his vision, but he managed to force his way inside.BRAK!He slammed the lab door shut and yanked the metal bolt into place until it locked tight. Daniel c

DEGREES OF DEATHWhen they reached the front of the campus building, Daniel slowed to a stop and signaled Xavier to crouch. Running blindly now would only get them killed.“Quick, we need to get to the classroom as fast as possible, but don’t let them see us.” Daniel whispered, his eyes sweeping the area with sharp vigilance.He glanced back at Xavier, who was clearly struggling. “Hold the bag, Vier. Get your bat ready to knock anything away if it comes close, but do it quietly.” Daniel hissed, his stare pressing down on every word.Daniel took the lead, slipping between the shadows cast by the pillars along the outer corridor. Across the field, several undead figures still wandered aimlessly, their movements stiff and broken.“Don’t provoke them. They don’t know we’re here yet.” Daniel muttered to himself, trying to suppress the frantic pounding in his chest.Behind him, Xavier’s breathing was heavy and uneven. “The bag ... it’s really heavy, Niel,” he complained softly. His face was