Zane was currently standing within the kitchen area of the school's cafeteria. Searching for anything and everything that he could carry with him on his journey away from the city and towards a safer location in the countryside where the number of walking dead would be less prominent.
For this, he was stocking up on food items that had longer shelf lives, knowing that within a week or two the global power grid would be completely wiped out. Meaning that he would not have the means to refrigerate his food, pump gas for whatever vehicle he could get his hands on, recharge his electronics, et cetera.
The very way of life which humanity had taken for granted all these years would be coming to a swift and rapid end. When that happened, whatever survivors that may exist in the dead infested cities of the world would begin to fight among themselves for what little supplies remained available.
Because Zane was not delusional enough to believe that the existing civilization that he lived in remotely had a chance of stopping the spread of this infection, he had a mentality that allowed him to take advantage of the current stockpiles of supplies that existed throughout American cities, especially while everyone else was boarding themselves up inside and waiting for this crisis to pass.
His plan was supposed to be painless, and without any troubles. After all, the majority of the walking dead still inside the school were focused on the classrooms which were barricaded and filled with survivors.
But, just when he had stuffed a decent stash of long-lasting supplies into his backpack, after removing all the useless junk that was no longer required now that public education had come to a sudden end. All hell broke loose.
The walking dead skulking outside the kitchen of the cafeteria were alerted by the screams of terror that were cried out by Zane's former classmates. Immediately sending the monsters into a wild frenzy towards whatever living being still drew breath within this school's once hallowed halls.
And if that weren't bad enough, several of the survivors ran down the stairs, aimlessly, with no plan or thought in their heads, and in doing so they aggro'd the dead who Zane was silently hiding from. Zane watched as several of his classmates ran into the cafeteria, only to be surrounded by monsters and devoured in front of him.
A single thought remained silent within Zane's head as he watched several of his former classmates perish.
"Fucking idiots..."
Just as Zane thought this to himself, his fellow students gazed at him and cried out for help, knowing that Zane had weapons on him and could easily save him, these same students who decried the fact that Zane was armed just minutes ago, were now begging for the man to save them.
"Zane! Help! Please!"
Zane, however, coldly ignored their cries for help. Knowing that things were about to become far more chaotic in his old high school, Zane realized now was the time to escape from his current confinement.
Thus, while the walking dead ran off towards the panicked and frightened students. Zane escaped into the courtyard, where he was just about to hop over the school's fence. That is until he saw something peculiar.
If Zane was not used to watching his surroundings and looking out for potential threats, a paranoia that was deeply ingrained in his mind due to his childhood trauma, then he would not have noticed the creature eying him with a ravenous gaze.
While Zane had encountered a mysterious member of the undead, one that gave him an overwhelming sense of danger. Elena and Olivia were making their way through the school halls in a panic.
Like the others who had fled the classroom after the unfortunate incident that caused their safe haven to collapse, they did not exactly have a plan in mind on how to get away from the monsters safely, or where to hide.
Or at least Olivia didn't. However, Elena had a proper head on her shoulders and immediately took control of the situation. Grabbing hold of her homeroom teacher's forearm, and dragging her into a secluded area of the school, one that would hopefully be vacant of monsters.
Everywhere they ran, the two women saw the horrific scenes of those who had fallen. Those students and faculty who were not fortunate to seclude themselves in a classroom had one of two potential fates. Either they were devoured by the monsters that had invaded their school, or they became one of them.
Familiar faces left and right were now devoid of any semblance of life. Huge gaping wounds that should have caused them to rest permanently in the dirt seem to do no harm upon them, as they lunged towards the living in an attempt to devour them.
Even a woman who was as mentally strong as Elena had to close her eyes as she witnessed those she considered friends and their gruesome fates. Surprisingly, she did not know what happened to Lexi or the other students the girl had fled with. As Elena did not find the girl who had betrayed her anywhere among the dead or those that walked.
Yet, despite running blindly through the halls, Elena and Olivia managed to arrive at their destination safely. What was this destination exactly? The school nurse's office. After all, it was in a hidden corner of the school's layout, and had only one door, with now window that permitted entry.
Surprisingly enough, when Elena and Olivia arrived, they saw a shadowy figure wiping coagulated blood from his blade. It was none other than Zane who, after backtracking through the school, made his way to the infirmary.
After all, he may have food and water, but medical supplies would be a commodity in the post apocalyptic world, and to leave such a valuable resource behind was a novice mistake. One that Zane had no intention of making.
Elena was actually quite happy to see the young man who had abandoned her and her class to their cruel fate before it had actually occurred. So much so that she ran up to him and hugged him, while crying her eyes out.
The horrific things she had seen and witnessed this day were like a bad dream, one that the crimson-haired beauty desperately wanted to end. But more than this, she regretted not following Zane earlier, especially when she considered the fact that he was alive and well, while the majority of her class were now dead, or turned into a monster.
Without even realizing it, Elena apologized to Zane, while he stared coldly at her grief-stricken state.
"Zane... Thank god you're alive! The most horrible thing happened after you left! Please! Don't leave me! Don't abandon me again!"
Zane stared lifelessly at the girl who had once been his closest friend. There was no trace of emotion on his face, almost as if he were one of the very monsters that stalked through the school's halls. Instead, he simply raised his brow and asked with a deadpan tone in his voice.
"Oh? You survived?"
Despite the callousness of his words, Elena was just happy that she had someone to cling onto in this moment, because the strength she had previously displayed had come crashing down around her after witnessing just how horrible the world had just become... Or from Zane's perspective had always been...