"Take your time, Kris. Once you're calm just come back to me, alright?" 

  "Just leave me alone for a bit!"

  They both had a plan, but they didn't want to execute it; both of them were too scared. Kris took out his pill and water bottle. He placed an oblong, white, pill on his tongue and swallowed it with a sip of water.

  Now that he knew what Kris was diagnosed with, he decided to stay back and wait until he was ready. He didn't want to anger him by asking him if he was ok, and he knew that in this state he usually liked being left alone. So he shuffled to the side of the stage and waited.

 He thought about Lancer and Martha, what happened to them and why they hadn't come back. Also, what happened to Susie? There was no way they could have been caught, they were way too advanced on zombie killing.

 No, they were safe. Once they were out, they would find Lancer and Martha and Susie and they'd run away and have their perfect Hollywood ending. He knew it.

 "Ok...ok I think I'm calm. I think I'm good! I think I'm fine!" Kris blurted. "I'm ready!"

 "You sure? If we make even a peep, we might just die--"

 "I'm positive. Just gotta think positive, and then I'll be fine!" 

 Ralsei dusted himself off and got to his feet; they needed a body up on the stage, or something loud. If they were to just leave, they wouldn't hesitate to follow them both.

  So, he took out his phone and checked his battery. It was a mere 15%, not much but it was enough for them to get out of the Auditorium.

 "What do you think, Kris? Billie Eilish or Panic at the Disco?" Ralsei asked. 

 "Why does it matter?" Kris gave him a side-eye glare, but stopped himself and took a few more breathers. He thought for a moment to think of an answer. "Billie Eilish, I guess?" 

 "Ocean Eyes or Watch?"

 "Ralsei, oh my god. Now is not the time for this!"

 "Ocean Eyes it is!" Ralsei giggled. The soothing and calm beginning of the song captured their attention easily. Ralsei set the phone on the stage, and both of them ran into the shadows. Once the zombies weren't paying attention to them, they quickly slid off the stage.

 "You know what, this kinda reminds me of a movie," Kris whispered. "Have you ever watched 'Cooties'?"

 "I remember seeing the trailer, but it was longer than 30 seconds so I skipped it."

 "It's like all these elementary-school kids turn into zombies and start killing the adults," Kris explained. The zombies were still attempting to grab on to Ralsei's phone, even though it was impossible. "Kinda reminds me a lot of these high school zombies."

 "Because, obviously, there is not a single difference between 4th graders and 9th graders," Ralsei joked. "I mean, then again, I do have the most immature comedy in the world."

 "Oh, shut it!"

 He slapped Ralsei on the arm, and both shared quiet chuckle together. They were so close to the exit, it was in an arms reach.

 "Once we get outta here, we're gonna make a B-line for the school door's and then we'll be out of here!---"

 CRUNCH

 A zombie reached out to Kris, it's bottom jaw unhinged and dangling. Kris hit it hard with his candy cane out of instinct, drawing the attention of them all. Thinking fast, he grabbed Ralsei's arm and dragged him out of the cafeteria, and locked it shut with a nearby broom.

 "Are you ok? No bites, right?"

 Ralsei was lost in his own head trying to process what happened. Kris was confused, what had happened that made Ralsei freeze? 

 "Ralsei, you did not get bit. You did not get bit," Kris repeated. "You didn't, right?"

 He reached out his hand but froze after seeing an odd coating of blood on Ralsei's neck. He didn't want it to be true, but he had to check either way. He leaned on his foot and searched his neck, and sure enough, there was one. 

 A big, throbbing, red, bite mark was under the side of his jaw. Ralsei...was bitten.