My heart was still racing, the echo of my footsteps a steady rhythm in my ears as I navigated the corridors of the school. The adrenaline that had fueled my flight was slowly ebbing away, leaving behind a mix of exhaustion and a triumphant sense of survival. Despite losing my weapon, the trash can, my newly enhanced agility afforded me a small sense of confidence. The slow, shambling zombies that occasionally appeared in my path were no longer any match for my speed.

As I made my way toward the classroom where I had first encountered Lily, Sara, and Tim, I couldn’t help but marvel at the transformation my body had undergone in such a short time. My strides were lighter, and my turns sharper. The hallways now seemed less frightening, almost familiar, like before.

I quickly dodged past a group of zombies, their sluggish movements almost comical compared to my newfound speed. My mind briefly wandered to the Elite Zombie Boss that I had narrowly escaped. The thought of its grotesque form and unnerving intelligence sent a shiver down my spine, but it was quickly overshadowed by the urgency to reunite with my companions.

Rounding another corner, I skidded to a stop in front of the classroom. I paused, my hand hovering over the doorknob, listening intently. There was no sound from within, but my instincts told me they were there, waiting for me, like they had promised.

Quietly, I pushed the door open and peered inside. The sight that greeted me brought a relieved smile to my face. There, huddled together in the far corner of the room, were Lily, Sara, and Tim. They looked up at my entry, their faces lighting up with a mixture of relief and surprise.

"Kei!" Sara exclaimed, rushing over to me. "You made it back! We were so worried that the Elite Zombie Boss caught you!"

Lily joined her, her expression one of relief. Tim followed, his face showing a slightly odd mix of emotions. I gave them a reassuring nod, my chest still heaving from the exertion.

"Yeah, I made it," I replied, a wry smile tugging at the corners of my mouth. "I almost didn't, but I did."

We shared a brief moment of levity, the tension in the air dissipating as we recounted our individual experiences since the separation. I listened to their stories, my mind simultaneously processing their words and planning our next move. We couldn't stay in the classroom forever; we needed to find a way to defeat the Elite Zombie Boss and escape from the school that we were trapped in.

As we spoke, I couldn't help but glance at the door periodically, half-expecting the Elite Zombie Boss to burst through at any moment. But the hallways remained eerily silent, the threat momentarily at bay.

"So, what's the plan now, Kei?" Tim asked, his voice tinged with a hint of bitterness, breaking the brief silence that had enveloped the group. "We can't just stay here forever."

I looked at each of their faces and took a deep breath, my mind clear and focused.

Gathering my thoughts, I addressed my group with a seriousness that matched our situation. "I lost my main weapon, the trash can," I confessed, a hint of regret in my voice. "But more than that, this experience... It made me realize something. I don't want to get anywhere close to the Elite Zombie Boss again."

I saw understanding and concern in some of their eyes, and it bolstered my resolve, to be honest with them and with myself. "To be honest, The thought of getting up close to that thing again... it terrifies me," I admitted. "I need a new approach."

I paused, looking at each of them. "I want to try and find a way to do ranged damage. It'll be safer, and it will keep me out of direct reach of the zombies, especially the Elite Zombie Boss. I've got the agility to move quickly, to dodge, but I need something to strike them from a distance."

Lily, who had been listening intently, suddenly spoke up with a suggestion that caught me off guard. "Kei, what about using the wooden chairs in here? We could break off the legs and sharpen them to use as javelins."

Her idea immediately set my mind racing. It was simple yet ingenious. The wooden chair legs would be lightweight, easy to carry, and with a bit of work, could be turned into effective ranged weapons. "That's a brilliant idea, Lily," I said, feeling a surge of hope. "We can use the tools in the storage closet to sharpen them. They won't be fancy, but they'll do the job from a distance."

Sara nodded in agreement, clearly impressed with Lily's quick thinking. "We can help prepare them," she offered. "That way, you can carry several with you." Turning to Tim, she added, "Right, Tim?"

Tim, somewhat annoyed, muttered under his breath, "Yeah, sure, sure. Whatever."

I was slightly surprised at some of their willingness to help. "Thanks, everyone. This feels like a solid plan." I could feel a renewed sense of purpose and a strategic advantage forming. "With these javelins, I'll have a fighting chance against anything that comes our way, especially the Elite Zombie Boss."

With our plan set, we opened the storage closet inside the classroom. Inside, we found a limited selection of tools — mainly those used for minor repairs or classroom projects. We gathered what we could use: a hand saw, some sandpaper, and a few basic tools that weren't ideal but would have to suffice.

Lily had already started disassembling the wooden chairs, the sound of wood snapping echoing our desperate situation. Sara collected the dismembered chair legs, while Tim and I used the hand saw to trim them to more manageable lengths.

The real challenge lay in fashioning these lengths of wood into something resembling javelins. With the absence of specialized sharpening tools, creativity became our ally. We took turns using the sandpaper, laboriously working to create a point at one end of each stick. The process was slow and physically demanding, our hands quickly becoming sore and marked with the effort of our task.

After several hours of hard work, we had a small pile of makeshift javelins. They were rudimentary, but they were sharp and felt sturdy in our hands. Testing the balance, I picked up one of the javelins, eyeing it critically for a moment. Then, with a fluid motion, I hurled it across the room toward the chalkboard. The wooden shaft whistled through the air, a sound that was surprisingly satisfying. It struck the board with a solid thunk, embedding itself nearly an inch deep into the soft wood.

The room fell silent for a moment as we all stared at the chalkboard, the javelin quivering slightly from the impact. Then, I couldn't help but let out a triumphant grin. "Nice," I said, feeling a surge of confidence wash over me. The javelin was the epitome of perfection.