Apocalypse After School

Isamu slowly reached behind his back, his hand steady but deliberate, the cold steel of the gun chilling against his palm. He held it by the barrel, presenting it handle-first to Tanaka.

Tanaka chuckled, his lips curling into a smug grin. The tension seemed to melt off his shoulders as he took the weapon, pointing it at Isamu with a casual air.

"For a smart kid, that was a pretty dumb move," he said, his tone dripping with mockery.

Isamu shrugged, his expression unreadable. "Don't exactly have any options. Besides, if you fire that gun, the dead will definitely barge in through that door." He gestured casually toward the entrance, his eyes narrowing. "The more noise, the more they're drawn."

Tanaka smirked, leaning slightly closer, as if savoring the perceived upper hand. "You think you've got it all figured out, don't you? Explaining everything that will happen, step by step. You must feel like some kind of puppet master."

Isamu's lips twitched into the faintest hint of a smile, though his eyes remained sharp. '.."The puppet master?" Not the worst term honestly,' he mused silently, 'though I'm pretty sure the puppets shouldn't be aware of it.'

Tanaka scoffed, shaking his head, and stepped away from the door. He perched himself on the edge of his desk, still holding the gun trained on Isamu.

"This isn't one of your puppet shows, kid. I'm in charge here," he declared, waving the gun slightly for emphasis. His voice gained an edge of bravado. "I'm the master now."

Isamu tilted his head, his posture deceptively relaxed. His calm demeanor only sharpened the glint in his eyes. "The thing is," he said smoothly, "I don't see myself as a puppet master. But the one who controls him?"

Before Tanaka could react, Isamu sprang into motion. The gun clicked as Tanaka pulled the trigger, but no shot rang out. Isamu twisted the gun from Tanaka's grasp with a swift motion, following up with a sharp kick to the chest that sent the older man sprawling behind the desk.

Tanaka hit the floor with a grunt, clutching at the desk for balance. "You little—"

Isamu didn't waste a second. He glanced toward the door, placing a finger to his lips to signal silence to the others. Then he grabbed a ceramic vase from the desk, its smooth surface cool against his fingertips.

He crept toward the door, his movements fluid and soundless. Taking a deep breath, he cracked it open and hurled the vase toward the far side of the room. It shattered on impact, the loud crash echoing like a beacon.

The dead responded immediately. The sound of their shuffling footsteps was like a heavy drumbeat as they shuffled toward the source of the noise. Tanaka scrambled to his feet, his face twisting in horror.

"No, no—get away from me!" His voice cracked, rising into a terrified scream as the dead descended upon him.

From his position near the doorway, Isamu peeked into the hallway and motioned for the others to follow. Silent as shadows, they slipped out of the room, leaving the principal to his grisly fate. His panicked screams turned to guttural wails, sickening sounds that echoed through the building.

They made their way to the fire escape, the narrow metal staircase creaking under their weight as they climbed.

"BURN IN HELL, ALL OF YOU, YOU'RE F**KING DEAD!" Tanaka's final curses rang out behind them, muffled but persistent.

Denji paused mid-climb, his knuckles white against the railing. Isamu nudged him forward. "Let's move," he urged, his tone calm but insistent.

On the fourth floor, they slid open a window, pulling themselves inside. They collapsed onto the cold floor, breathing hard, the adrenaline still coursing through their veins.

"That was… f**king close," Denji panted, wiping sweat from his brow.

Isamu chuckled softly, running a hand through his disheveled hair. "Yeah. A bit of a risky play but the type of play to put us back in the game."

Denji turned to him, incredulous. "How the hell did you know the gun wouldn't fire?"

"The safety was on when I handed it to him," Isamu said simply, shrugging.

'But there was more to the plan than that. I sneezed loudly and leaned out the window earlier, making sure he saw the gun on my back. That planted the idea. I knew he'd ask for it. Once he had it, he'd feel secure enough to move away from the door—that was all I needed.'

Denji shook his head as he slid the window shut. "You know, you kinda creep me out with how smart you are."

Isamu laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head. "Yeah, me and you both."

The door behind them slid open, revealing Astrid and Takumi.

Astrid sighed, relief evident in her eyes as she helped Isamu to his feet. "Are you okay?"

Isamu nodded, his expression softening. "Yeah, we made it back in one piece."

'Though pieces of Yuna may already be gone,' he thought grimly, his gaze flicking to the silent girl. 'She hasn't said a word this whole time. I hope she finds peace knowing that piece of sh*t is gone—though he might still be crawling around.'

Gathered in the next room, they sat on the cold floor, the silence broken only by the sound of canned soup being eaten. Yuna devoured hers quickly, her hunger ravenous.

Isamu offered his portion, avoiding her eyes. "Take it. I ate earlier this morning."

She hesitated, then took the bowl with a quiet nod, continuing to eat.

...

In another room, Isamu sank into a chair, propping his feet on a desk. He leaned back, a lit joint dangling from his lips. The faint glow of its ember was a small comfort in the dim room. His eyes shut, and for the first time in what felt like hours, his body began to relax.

But the peace was short-lived.

The door slid open, and Mr. Kazuki entered, his expression thoughtful. He pulled up a chair beside Isamu, sitting with a quiet sigh.

Isamu cracked one eye open, exhaling a thin stream of smoke. 'Can't I get some time to myself around here? Jeez.'

"I wanted to talk to you, Isamu," Kazuki began, his voice measured. "I want to leave. As soon as possible now that I know you're all safe here."

Isamu smiled faintly, though there was no humor in it. "Safe, huh? Yeah, I guess we're not in immediate danger, but 'safe' isn't the word I'd use... You want to go find your wife?"

Kazuki nodded, his gaze distant. "I have to. She's the only family I have... I hope I still have."

"Do you think you'll find her?"

"I talked to her that morning," Kazuki said softly. "Told her to stay inside and wait for me. She's smart and strong—I think she's okay. I hope she's okay." He hesitated, then added, "You can all come with me. We could take a car, head to Tokyo. There's bound to be a survivor camp or military outpost there."

Isamu chuckled at the suggestion, shaking his head. "That would be nice, but Tokyo? It's a highly populated area. The chances of survival there are way worse. Thank you, but moving such a large group wouldn't be safe. We'd slow you down. Maybe one or two should go with you, though." He leaned forward, tapping ash from his joint onto the floor. "I'll help you find a way out of the school. Hell, we might all need that sooner or later."