On the campus subreddit (r/uofsc)...

"Okay, enough drama. Let's focus on how we're actually getting to the main dining hall."

"If those guys already cleared out zombies, why not have them lead the way?"

"Yeah, makes sense to me."

"Anyone know who they are? Tag them here."

"Three of them are from our floor—Sean, Big Mike, and Skinny Pete. Room 716. The other two? No clue. Don't think they live in Bates West."

"Tagging u/SeanWalker — you there, man?"

"u/SeanWalker, say something if you're online."

...

Inside Room 716, the mood turned sour.

Sean, Big Mike, and Skinny Pete stared at the screen, expressions darkening.

"Unbelievable," Pete muttered. "Five minutes ago, we were the villains. Now they want us to play tour guide through zombie hell? They just want someone else to do the dirty work."

Big Mike scratched his head. "I mean… maybe it's not all bad. More people means more eyes, more hands. Could be safer if we stick together."

Sean didn't look up. "Don't bother replying."

"But we're heading to the dining hall too," Mike said, confused. "Our food's not gonna last much longer. If everyone's already planning to go, wouldn't it be smarter to move as a group?"

Sean finally looked up, eyes sharp. "More people means more noise. Bigger target. More chances for someone to screw up and get us all killed."

"Still, we can't just keep hiding. The subreddit's blowing up. Everyone's moving."

"We'll wait and see," Sean said, voice tight with irritation. "Jesus, how have none of them figured out Ethan's part of our group?"

Big Mike blinked. "Should we… tell them?"

Sean rolled his eyes. "Sure. If you've got a death wish, go ahead."

"...Right. Never mind."

...

Outside, the emergency broadcast continued to blare across campus. Whoever the campus administrator was, they clearly understood zombie behavior—volume cranked to max, the system kept looping the same message, drawing more and more undead toward the sound.

The dorms were slowly emptying out.

With the pressure easing, students began to stir. Some peeked out from behind barricaded doors. Others crept into hallways, listening for groans or shuffling feet. And finally, in the dorm building closest to the main dining hall, someone made the first move.

A group of students gathered in the lobby, armed with whatever they could find—brooms, fire extinguishers, folding chairs, kitchen knives. One guy had a metal pipe. Another, predictably, showed up with a replica katana from his anime collection.

Typical college kids. There's always one who brings a sword to a zombie fight.

Most of the zombies had already been lured away by the broadcast. The few stragglers that remained were quickly overwhelmed—beaten down by sheer numbers and adrenaline-fueled panic.

Not everyone in the group had the guts to swing, but a few did. And those few were enough.

Against all odds, they made it.

The first group reached the dining hall.

Word spread fast. Screens lit up. Threads exploded. Hope surged.

If they could do it, so could we.

Soon, dorms all across campus were mobilizing. Students formed groups, armed themselves, and made their move.

Some made it.

Some didn't.

Others never even got close.

The broadcast had pulled most of the zombies away from the dorms—but not off campus. The emergency alert system wasn't just blasting from the rooftops. Speakers were hidden in trees, buried in bushes, mounted on lamp posts and scattered across the lawns. The sound was everywhere.

And the zombies? They weren't deaf. Or blind.

If they saw a living, breathing human, they didn't care where the sound was coming from. They went straight for the fresh meat.

So while the dorms were safer, the paths between them were still crawling with danger. One wrong turn, one loud step, one unlucky glance—and it was over.

Still, for many, the risk was worth it.

The dining hall meant food. Shelter. Maybe even rescue.

And for the starving, the desperate, and the brave, that was enough.

Back on the campus subreddit (r/uofsc), under the Bates West dorm thread…

Sean and his crew still hadn't replied.

The comment section was turning into a full-on roast.

"That Sean guy's a damn coward. All he knows is stealing food from other students. But when it comes to actually fighting zombies? Dude's hiding under his bed."

"Right? And all that crap about them clearing the seventh floor? Total BS. I saw a bunch of zombies jump out the windows yesterday—probably offed themselves."

"Holy shit, they're just a bunch of cowards."

Inside Room 716, Sean's phone screen lit up with the latest insults. His jaw clenched. Skinny Pete looked like he was about to explode. Big Mike's face had gone dark.

"I've had it," Mike growled. "Let's go down to 708 and beat the crap outta those little punks."

"Damn right," Pete snapped. "Ethan's the one who started all this, and now we're the ones getting dragged through the mud? Hell no."

Sean stood up, eyes cold. "Let's go. I'm in the mood to hit something."

The three of them stormed down the hall and stopped in front of Room 708.

BANG BANG BANG.

Big Mike pounded on the door like he meant to break it down.

Inside, Curly peeked out the window and immediately paled. "Shit… what do they want?"

He turned to the others, panic rising. "They look pissed."

"We're not here to fight," Sean called through the door, voice tight but controlled. "Didn't you want us to take you to the dining hall? Let's go."

"R-Really?" Glasses Guy blinked, suspicious. The three outside looked more like they were about to start a brawl than lead a rescue mission.

"Of course," Sean said, forcing a smile. "Most of the other dorms are already on the move. You coming or not? We're leaving."

"Y-Yeah! Yeah, we're coming!" The four inside scrambled to unlock the door, terrified of being left behind.

The moment the door swung open, they regretted it.

Sean, Big Mike, and Skinny Pete were grinning—but not the friendly kind. The kind that made your stomach drop.

"W-What are you doing? Don't—don't do anything stupid—"

"Wait, no—!"

Screams erupted from Room 708.

It didn't last long.

Four against three should've been a fair fight, but not when the three had been brawling with zombies for two days straight. Sean and his crew moved like they'd done this before—because they had. The four inside never stood a chance.

A few minutes later, Sean and the others stepped out, breathing hard but looking satisfied.

Behind them, the 708 crew lay sprawled on the floor, bruised, bloodied, and whimpering.

"Let's go," Sean said, rolling his shoulders. "Zombies are thin right now. Good time to move."

"You wanna bring anyone else?" Pete asked.

Sean didn't even look back. "We go alone. Let the rest fend for themselves."

"Fine by me."

They disappeared down the hall.

...

Back in Room 708, Curly and the others slowly dragged themselves up from the floor.

"They're gone."

"They're probably heading to the dining hall. We should follow."

"Yeah."

They hated those bastards—but they weren't stupid. Sean's group could actually fight. Tagging along, even from a distance, was safer than going it alone.

...

Soon after, a new comment popped up on the Bates West thread:

"They're heading to the dining hall…"

That was all it took.

One by one, students who'd been lurking in their rooms cracked open their doors. Some peeked out. Others stepped into the hallway, clutching makeshift weapons. Quietly, cautiously, they began to follow.

...

Room 308.

Ethan scrolled through the subreddit, then set his phone down with a sigh.

"Sean lost his temper," he muttered.

Chris looked up. "Well, the zombies are mostly gone now. They've got weapons, they've got experience. If they're careful, they should make it to the dining hall just fine."

"Yeah, if it's just the three of them," Ethan said. "But if a crowd starts trailing behind? That's a whole different story."

"True. Bigger group means bigger target. Still… they're all students. If they can help a few people along the way, why not?"

Ethan shot him a look. "Don't start thinking like that. This is the apocalypse. If you can protect your friends and family, you're already doing more than most. Try to save everyone, and you'll end up saving no one—including yourself."

Chris nodded, sobering. "Got it."

"So, when do we head out?" he asked after a moment.

Ethan glanced at Henry, still fast asleep, his breathing steady.

"We've got enough food for now. Let's stay one more night. The dining hall might be packed by now, and the food there won't last long either."

"Alright. We'll do it your way."

...

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