"Okay," I affirmed, locking eyes with each of them. "Listen closely — like I said earlier, we need to do this as far away from the restroom area as possible. That's the last place I encountered the Elite Zombie Boss, and we're not ready to mess with it yet."
A collective shudder ran through the group at the mention of the formidable enemy. I felt it too, a prickling sense of dread creeping down my spine, as vivid memories of the creature's overpowering power surged back.
"Fine, fine," Tim said, his voice dripping with a touch of irritation as he gripped the metal chair. He rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath, "Can't be that big of a deal, can it?"
"Then let's start moving," Lily suggested, looking toward a corridor branching off to the side. "And look for some stragglers to farm."
"Good idea," Sara agreed, readjusting the grip on her broomstick.
We started making our way through the dimly lit halls, the atmosphere fraught with tension and uncertainty. I led the way, trash can at the ready, ears straining for any sound that might hint at danger. The muted scuffling of our shoes against the linoleum blended in with the distant, unsettling groans.
As we turned a corner, we spotted it — a lone zombie, aimlessly shambling about. Its tattered clothes and slack-jawed expression made it almost pitiable, but we knew better. It was now just an obstacle to our survival. My grip tightened around my weapon as adrenaline coursed through my veins. I glanced back at the others, seeing a mirror of my own determination reflected in their eyes.
"On three," I whispered, heart pounding in my chest. "One, two, three!"
We lunged at the zombie in a coordinated strike, our weapons swishing through the air. Tim's metal chair landed a solid blow to its legs, causing it to stagger. Sara thrust her broomstick through its chest with a sickening crunch, while Lily and I aimed for its head. My trash can connected with a satisfying thud, and the creature collapsed, lifeless once more.
We paused momentarily above the defeated zombie, as we took a moment to catch our breath. The rest was abruptly interrupted by a blue screen popping up in front of Lily, announcing her new level.
"Finally, Level 2," Lily sighed with relief. Her eyes met mine, and I nodded, acknowledging her progress.
"Nice," Sara remarked, glancing at her broomstick, which was stained with blood from her last attack. "Seems like we're going to need all the levels we can get."
Tim and Sara checked their own status, but no blue screens appeared for them. Still Level 2. "Looks like it's going to be a grind," Tim muttered.
I glanced at my own status. Still level 13. "Let's keep moving," I urged. "We need to find more zombies. The more we take down, the faster you all level up."
They nodded, and we continued on, moving further away from the direction of the restroom area where the Elite Zombie was last seen. My eyes scanned the dim hallway as we walked, picking up everything — the peeling paint on the walls, the occasional blood smear — while my ears remained alert for any unusual sounds.
We turned another corner, and there were two zombies this time, both aimlessly meandering. A quick glance at my companions told me everything I needed to know — we were going to go for it.
"Ready?" I whispered and received three curt nods in response. "Alright, let's go."
As we lunged into action, time seemed to slow. The air whooshed past us, filled with the guttural growls of the undead and the resounding impacts of our weapons connecting with their decaying flesh. Tim's metal chair struck one zombie on its side, causing it to stumble into the path of Sara's broomstick. Meanwhile, Lily and I focused on the other one. My metal trash can connected squarely with its head, and Lily quickly applied a finishing blow.
No blue screen level-up alerts this time, but it felt like we were getting the hang of it. Our teamwork was improving, and we were adjusting well.
"Nice! We did it," Sara cheered, staring at the two fallen zombies.
"To be honest, I never thought I'd be fighting for my life like this," Lily said, her voice firm, cutting through the soft hum of the lights.
Tim offered her a tight-lipped smile, his attempt at bravado not quite reaching his eyes. "Yeah, well, life's full of surprises, isn't it?" His joke fell flat, and he seemed to shrink a little under the silence that followed.
Before anyone could come up with a response, a sudden, horrendous screech echoed through the hallways, louder and more terrifying than any we'd heard before. I felt a chill rush over me, along with the grimy, humid air of the hallway. My palms went clammy around the metal handle of my metal trash can, even as the texture seemed to dig deeper into my flesh. My ears rang with that dreadful screech as if it were echoing nonstop in my mind.
"We need to move, now!" Tim urged, his eyes wide with a mixture of fear and urgency.
"No arguments here," Lily added, gripping her stapler more tightly.
We picked up our pace, half-running, half-walking in the direction opposite to where the scream had originated. My senses were in overdrive; the ground felt like it was shifting beneath me, every shadow looked like a threat, and my ears seemed to catch every sound as if magnifying them. But the sense that overwhelmed them all was a primal one, an unshakeable feeling that we were being hunted down.
Another screech pierced the air, closer this time, reverberating through the hallways and shaking us to our core. My eyes darted towards the source of the noise, and there it was — at the far end of the corridor, stepping into view from around a corner.
The Level 15 Elite Zombie Boss had arrived.
