CH 37: Survive Now. Think Later.

[Jared]

“Hah… Hah…”

Scenes of trees whizzed past in a fury of blur as Jared sprinted as fast as his legs carried him. He paid no mind to the minor sprain he had obtained from jumping the three feet gap between the balcony and a nearby tree, and then clumsily climbing down the sturdy yet rough trunk. It was running as if he was being chased by the hounds of hell.

‘Well, not hounds but zombies… But either way, death would come very painfully. I just hope that the others are alright. With the horde of zombies on practically every floor, the others are either already dead or have long escaped.’

At that thought, Jared felt his heart throb painfully against his chest as all the air within his body seemed to be sucked out. But Jared simply reasoned that his body was not fit to endure such a burst of energy usage. In fact, the last time he ever did something physical was when there were compulsory PE classes in school.

“Hah… Hah…” Jared smiled despite feeling his throat burn.

‘I remember not being so winded after a few minutes’ run. In fact, I would still have the energy to play basketball with my classmates… And even if I were to physically exhaust myself to the point of collapsing to the floor, there were no repercussions… But it’s a different story now. When I’m out here, every second could bring about a whole different outcome. Hah… Those were the days. Everything was simple back th-’

BOOM!

The ground quaked from beneath Jared’s feet, causing him to stumble and trip over a large tree root that protruded from the ground. It was only when he fell and landed on his butt that Jared finally looked back in the direction of where the facility was located.

Jared gasped.

Although the view of the entire facility was obstructed by the dense trees, Jared was still able to see the very top of the main building of the facility- the side of the building in which he was once confined. 

The initial shock was slowly replaced with a sense of relief. A smile touched Jared’s lips as he spoke quietly.

“I’ll never have to return to this place. I’m finally free…”

It was already the crack of dawn but the sky over the facility was still shrouded in darkness as thick, billowing smoke rose. Below the smoke, there were scatters of radiant light that seemed to dance through the little gaps between the leaves of the trees that obstructed the view.

The facility was on fire.

For the first time since the chaos, Jared simply sat and stared, enjoying the newfound freedom that was given to him. After everything that had happened to him over a course of several months, it felt like a burden that had been weighing on him the entire time finally being lifted.

Jared chuckled cynically.

‘I may not have had the time earlier to relish the joy of exiting the facility earlier because I was too concerned about escaping the horde of zombies, but I doubt I’d feel this immense joy even if I were to leisurely walk out of the facility without being chased… No, not at all… Looks like it was the absolute ruin of the facility that brought me the ultimate joy… Is this a sign that I’m innately destructive? Or can this simply be viewed as some form of redemption on my part despite not having a direct hand in this fire…’

GROWL

At the sound of a couple of groans, Jared was instantly on the alert again. Grabbing a rather large branch that was on the ground, Jared held it with both hands as he scanned the area. But there were no zombies in sight.

‘Phew… I guess that their movements are obstructed by these dense trees. It was foolish of me to stay transfixed in the middle of the forest, but I’m glad for the temporary concealment. I’m sure that many of the zombies in the immediate area would be drawn to all the commotion back at the facility. The raging fire especially is basically a beacon for the horde to gather. I’ll think of what is my next step once I’m in a safer area. Right now, I’ll be a sitting duck.’

GROWL

‘Yeah, my priority is to survive now. I’ll do the thinking later.’

Jared cautiously navigated the forest as he kept his eyes peeled for any signs of movement. Movement from either the approaching zombies or his friends who may similarly be seeking refuge in the safety of the dense forest.

However, until that moment arrives, it would appear that Jared was all alone by himself.

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[Point of view of an unknown person]

A hooded figure stood tall on one of a nearby tree and watched as the mental asylum was progressively consumed by the raging fire. Similar to the flames, the figure felt rage from deep within. Despite all the preparation, obstacles, and challenging journey, it would appear that the timing was irritatingly inopportune. 

The figure sighed.

“I will not let my chance just slip away from me like that.”

A sinister smile began to form.

“I may have been late this time, but I shall have what I came for. It’s all a matter of time.”

The figure spotted two stray zombies hanging precariously on the sides of a balcony on the fourth floor of the main building. 

The figure chuckled.

“I guess that half of that mystery has been somewhat answered.”

SHATTER

The figure gave a low whistle, but the zombies that shuffled merely inches away from the tree the figure was perched on paid no heed. The sound of glass and furniture breaking and shattering as the building began to give way and collapse under the intense heat was far louder. 

“Tsk, tsk, tsk. I guess the zombies here truly are a hopeless case. Oh well, that will all change in the future.”

The figure sat on a branch as more zombies charged mindlessly into the fire.

“Well, not that any of this really matter to me.”

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[[Author’s note:]]

This chapter is on Day 146.

*The ‘present’ (the prologue, which is listed as part of chapter 1) is Day 305.

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[[Question time:]]

Do you have any ideas of who this mysterious figure is? Could it be a character we know or an entirely new character?

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