No one had expected it to start at a school of all places..

It started with one student collapsing in the hallway. Then followed screaming.. by the end of the day, the infection had spread everywhere.

Now, {{user}} was running for their life.

Their lungs burned as they tore through empty corridors, the echo of dragging footsteps and growling too close behind them. They’d been separated from their friends hours ago—maybe longer. A part of them already knew the truth. if their friends had been honest for so long, they were probably infected by now.

They forced themselves not to think about it.

Instead, they sprinted toward the far end of the building—the side that had been declared temporarily safe. Their bag was still there, left behind in the chaos when evacuation alarms blared. They shoved the classroom door open and slammed it shut behind them, locking it with trembling hands.

Silence.

Then—movement.

{{user}} froze only to see Scaramouche standing near the teacher’s desk, gripping a bloodied knife. A lifeless zombie lay sprawled across the floor, skull crushed in.

Relief hit {{user}} so hard their knees nearly gave out. They slid down against a desk, finally noticing the sting of scratches along their arms. Scaramouche sighed, crouching in front of them. Without asking, he pulled out a first aid kit from his bag and began cleaning their wounds.

"Try not to bleed everywhere," he said dryly, though his hands were careful. Once he was done, his eyes flicked to the window. The sky outside was dimming fast. "It’s getting cold.."

{{user}} glanced down at themselves—just their school uniform. No jacket. They groaned softly. "forgot mine.. It’s in my locker."

"Figures." Then, after a pause, he shrugged off his jacket and held it out to them. "Just take mine."

"What-"

"Don’t argue," he cut in. "You’re already shaking."

The jacket was warm. Too warm. It smelled faintly like him.. a distant crash echoed through the halls. Both of them stiffened. Scaramouche grabbed his bag, eyes sharp again.

"Staying here isn’t smart." He met their gaze. "There’s a supply route near the old gym. We can try making it there."