SELF ESCAPE - THE SCHOOL, THE MANOR, THE SHOP

[location: Seoul central school South Korea.
Classroom B.
Midnight]

Zera's voice trembled as she approached Hailey, her eyes fixed on the blood-stained floor. "Hailey... can we exchange spots?" Her words hung heavy in the air, punctuated by the soft shuffle of her feet. Hailey turned to face her, her expression a mix of concern and understanding. "What's up?" she inquired, her tone gentle.

Zera hesitated, her fingers fidgeting nervously as she struggled to find the right words. "Well..." she began, her voice barely above a whisper. "I thought I'd get used to all the blood stains, thinking I survived in the back of my head, but my mind and my body just aren't listening to me. I know I was the one who volunteered to take the spot but..."

Hailey's response was immediate, her empathy shining through. "It's alright. I understand very well. You can stay here. I'll go there." With a reassuring pat on Zera's shoulder, Hailey rose from her seat and began to make her way towards the bloodiest spot in the room. It was near the boarded door, where they had fought the creatures and entered the classroom, a haunting reminder of the horrors they had faced.

As Hailey approached the spot, her footsteps seemed to slow, her gaze fixated on the dark stains that marred the floor. She swallowed hard, willing herself to keep moving forward. But her feet seemed to have a mind of their own, refusing to take another step. She stood there, frozen in place, the weight of the moment pressing down on her.

The only sound in the room was the rhythmic breathing of their sleeping classmates, a stark contrast to the suffocating silence that enveloped Hailey as she stared at the blood-soaked ground. She could feel the weight of the past bearing down on her, the memories of their harrowing ordeal flooding back with each passing moment.

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[Location: South Korea unknown manor. The four and In-ha. ]

As the darkness of the night shrouded the old manor in an eerie silence, the group gathered in the dimly lit room, their faces drawn with exhaustion and fear. Jaeyeon's voice cut through the quiet, his words laced with urgency. "When the sun is up, we'll have to leave this place before we are stuck in something... disturbing."

Yuri, her expression grim, nodded in solemn agreement, her mind already racing with plans for their escape. But before she could voice her thoughts, Sae Joon Hyun interjected, his tone clipped and decisive. "Let's just lock this room up and leave," he declared, his eyes scanning the shadows of the crawling creatures in front of them.

Eunhye, ever the skeptic, voiced her doubts. "Right now?" she questioned, her voice tinged with apprehension. Sae Joon Hyun simply responded with a noncommittal grunt, his gaze fixed on the boarded-up windows.

Undeterred, Eunhye pressed on, her voice tinged with uncertainty. "Where will we stay till then?" she asked, her eyes darting nervously around the room. Sae Joon Hyun's reply was swift and blunt. "Anywhere. Anywhere is safer than this. Even you can tell that much," he retorted, his tone brooking no argument.

With a sense of grim determination, Yuri set to work, methodically double locking the windows from within and barricading the doors with whatever makeshift barriers they could find. Jaeyeon lent a hand, his movements efficient and precise as he helped Yuri secure their makeshift fortress.

Once satisfied that they had done all they could to fortify their temporary sanctuary, not for them but for the people that will soon be filling it from within, the group stepped out into the night, the chill of the air sending shivers down their spines. Eunhye took one final look back at the manor, a shiver running down her spine at the thought of what horrors lurked within its walls.

Sae Joon Hyun broke the tense silence, his voice cutting through the darkness like a knife. "There's a store close by. We can take shelter there," he announced. Eunhye's face lit up with a grin at the prospect of food and safety. "Hah..." Sae Joon Hyun muttered, his expression grim as he resigned himself to her sudden excitement in the darkness of horror.

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[Location: Seoul main streets, South Korea]

The moon hung low in the sky, casting a pale glow over the deserted streets of South Korea. Yon's voice cut through the eerie silence, pleading innocently for salvation. Eugene nodded solemnly, tears glistening in his eyes as he wiped them away with trembling hands. With a gulp, he swallowed his fear, sealing his lips as he followed Yon into the unknown darkness.

Taking the lead, Eugene moved stealthily past the slumbering creatures, his heart pounding in his chest with every step. But as they pressed forward, a chill ran down his spine as he noticed the subtle twitch of one of the creature's hands. With a gasp, he pulled Yon back, his voice barely a whisper as he trembled with fear. "I think they're starting to move," he whispered urgently.

Yon's eyes widened in alarm, and with a swift signal, he alerted the others to the danger. "Eugene, stay at the back of the line," Yon whispered urgently. "The others can't dodge or run as swiftly as you can."

With a sense of urgency, they picked up the pace, racing towards the only sanctuary in sight—the faint glow of a nearby store. But even as they ran, the creatures stirred, their movements sluggish and disjointed as they advanced towards the unsuspecting group.

"Ah, we're in trouble," Charyeong whispered frantically, her voice barely audible above the pounding of their footsteps. Panic began to set in as they realized they were surrounded, their escape route cut off by the encroaching horde.

But just as despair threatened to consume them, salvation arrived in the form of gunfire. Minji's shots rang out in the night, piercing through the limbs of the approaching creatures with deadly accuracy. Blood splattered around them, painting the pavement crimson as the creatures fell, immobilized by the woman's relentless assault.

As the dust settled, the couple approached, their faces grim with determination. "This isn't the time to take a stroll," Minji spat, her voice sharp with urgency.

Yon and his friends bowed in gratitude, their relief palpable as they realized they had been saved from certain death. But even as they caught their breath, the harsh reality of their situation began to sink in.

"We came here to get some help," Yon explained, his voice tinged with desperation.

"Nope. No help," Young interjected bluntly. Despair threatened to consume them as they realized the full extent of their plight.

"Everyone's become... those things," Young explained, his words hanging heavy in the air like a death knell.

But even in the face of such bleakness, there was a glimmer of hope. "We can help you though," Young offered, his voice tinged with a hint of optimism. "My girlfriend is good at firing."

The couple's banter over the timid nature of Young and the labels Minji threw at him because he served in the military provided a brief moment of levity amidst the darkness, their lighthearted bickering a stark contrast to the horrors they had faced.
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[Location: Seoul main streets, South Korea.
Unknown convenience store.]

The darkness of the night slowly began to disappear from over the group as they stealthily made their way towards the convenience store, their footsteps barely audible against the eerie silence of the deserted streets. Sae Joon Hyun's voice cut through the quiet, barely above a whisper, as he pointed out their destination.

"I can see the store," he murmured, his words tinged with a sense of urgency. They had left their car parked in front of the gate as a precaution, a dead weight to block any potential escape route for the creatures that lurked nearby.

Jaeyeon leaned in over Sae Joon Hyun's shoulder, peering into the darkness ahead. "Are they alive?" he asked, his voice laced with uncertainty.

Sae Joon Hyun couldn't help but smile sarcastically at the question. "You tell me, genius," he retorted, his tone dripping with cynicism.

Rolling his eyes at Sae Joon Hyun's remark, Jaeyeon shrugged off the man's hands and stood up, his resolve unwavering. But before any more words could be exchanged, Yuri intervened, pushing the boys apart with a sense of urgency.

"Let's just keep moving," she whispered urgently. "We're used to assassination by now."

Eunhye, tilting her head in confusion, questioned Yuri's choice of words. "Assassination...is a bit of a stretch, don't you think?" she asked, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

Without waiting for a response, the group pressed forward towards the convenience store, their movements swift and calculated. Yuri's whispered reminder of the time spurred them into action, and they nodded in unison before glancing at the weapons in their hands.

Sae Joon Hyun loaded his gun, the sound echoing softly in the night, while Yuri extended her arms, blades glinting in the moonlight. Jaeyeon stood barehanded next to them, his determination evident despite the lack of a weapon.

With a nod from In-ha, the group surged forward, their movements synchronized as they slashed and dodged their way through the advancing horde. In the midst of the chaos, Jaeyeon couldn't help but feel like a dead weight, his frustration mounting with every passing moment.

"If you can fire, otherwise bash their heads in," Sae Joon Hyun's voice cut through the chaos, tossing a gun towards Jaeyeon with a grim determination.

Grabbing the rifle, Jaeyeon wasted no time in joining the fray, hammering down on the heads of the creatures with all his might. Meanwhile, Sae Joon Hyun led the charge, his bare fists flying as he punched through the horde towards the store, his eyes locked on their prize.

As they fought tooth and nail for their survival, the group forged ahead, their determination unyielding in the face of the relentless onslaught. And amidst the bloodshed and chaos, they pressed forward, driven by the hope of finding sanctuary in the safety of the convenience store.

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As the eerie silence enveloped the deserted store, a faint rustling noise echoed through the walls, sending chills down the spines of the huddled group. Eugene, his eyes wide with fear, asked in a barely audible whisper, "What's...that...noise...?" He curled up tighter, away from the only window, as if trying to escape the ominous sound.

Minji, her gaze fixed on the window, replied in a hushed tone, "It's...it's humans..." The students and the couple exchanged skeptical glances, unsure of what to make of this sudden development.

Sae Joon Hyun, however, sprang into action, dashing towards the window with a reckless abandon that left even the creatures in his wake. Jaeyeon's eyes widened as he watched the dancing shadows within the store, cast by the flickering light outside, as if trying to make sense of the chaos unfolding before him.

Sae Joon Hyun hurtled towards the half-open window, his determination palpable. Minji, acting on instinct, attempted to slam it shut, but Sae Joon Hyun's loud protest stopped her in her tracks. "Don't!! I AM HUMAN!" he yelled, his voice echoing through the store.

Yuri, swift and deadly, stabbed at the creatures advancing towards Sae Joon Hyun, her movements precise and calculated. Sae Joon Hyun seized the opportunity, dashing towards the window and pulling it open with a triumphant cry. "Oof. For what were you about to close the window..." He panted, his chest heaving with exertion.

Minji's face contorted in a mixture of guilt and confusion. "Ah! My...Bad...I...Well..." She stuttered, unable to form a coherent sentence.

Sae Joon Hyun waved his hand dismissively, his eyes sparkling with a hint of mischief. "Hah...it's alright...As long as it didn't cost me..." He bent down, his hand on his right knee, before standing up with a flourish. "JUMP IN," he screamed at the top of his lungs, his voice shattering the tense atmosphere.

The students recoiled in alarm, Eugene flat on the tiles with his ears covered, muttering, "We are doomed...that was a loud scream..." Jaeyeon, unfazed, charged forward, his gun blazing as he took down the creatures with precision, their bodies crumpling to the ground, blood oozing from their noses.

Sae Joon Hyun watched with a grin, his hand waving in approval. "Hey. Leave them capable enough to move, dude."

Jaeyeon smirked, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Jealous, hyeong?"

Sae Joon Hyun scoffed, his expression mock-offended. "That gun is mine, alright."

Eunhye and Yuri followed closely, their movements fluid and synchronized. In-ha, her metal rod at the ready, dispatched the remaining creatures with ruthless efficiency, her battle mode activated. "Miss In-ha can be scary, huh," Eunhye remarked, speeding towards the store with a chuckle.

Yuri smirked, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "You know...this is getting a little fun now..."

"You sadist now?" Eunhye teased, her voice laced with humor.

Yuri playfully slapped Eunhye's arm, her grin widening. "Not that...The feeling of being a cool fighter~"

Charyeong peeked outside, her voice trembling. "Are they on a picnic!?"

As they jumped into the store, the doors and windows slamming shut behind them, they collapsed onto the chairs, their faces tilted towards the ceiling. Their initial grave expressions gave way to small, relieved smiles, which soon blossomed into uncontrollable laughter. The group's merriment echoed through the deserted store, a stark contrast to the gruesome events that had unfolded just moments before.