Chapter 17: Chapter 17: Desperate Waiting
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Azu and the other two quickly passed through the fire escape and ran into the short hallway on the left side of the main hall.
Screams and cries echoed throughout the auditorium.
They rushed to the exit sign, and in an instant, a bright light flashed.
Immediately after, there was a scream.
Clark turned his head and saw a wire extending from behind the stage. A man passing by had stepped on the live wire and was now trembling violently as electricity surged through his body.
His eyes bulged, his hair stood on end, and it looked as if he were dancing.
"Run!"
Azu shouted to the other two, "Quickly!"
Clark had no choice but to abandon the idea of helping the man and pulled Lana, rushing toward the exit.
As they passed through the hallway, a monster suddenly blocked their path.
The creature was crouched on the ground, facing away from them. Upon hearing their footsteps, it quickly turned its head.
Azu gasped at the sight of the terrifying monster.
Its face was covered in sticky blood, with teeth protruding and bits of uneaten organs stuck between them. Drops of fresh blood dripped from its mouth.
The monster was soaked in blood, and its once-white clothes were now stained red.
After hearing them, the monster growled lowly, staring at the three of them with pale, haunting eyes that filled them with dread. It staggered toward them, at first slowly, but then picking up speed.
"Run!"
Azu, forgetting that he could use his laser vision, grabbed their hands and sprinted as fast as he could.
The three of them reached the storage area behind the auditorium, forcefully barricading the door.
Bang!
The zombie slammed into the door, almost knocking Clark and Azu, who were leaning against it, off their feet.
Standing outside, Lana had turned pale with fear.
The door was violently thrown open, and the zombie stumbled out.
By this time, the three of them had already run into the storage area.
Lana could see rows of orange warehouses.
The place operated 24 hours, but the main gate was tightly closed, with a small keypad on the door. Surrounding the area was a tall fence topped with barbed wire.
Azu didn't hesitate. He leapt like a shark onto the fence, quickly climbing to the top.
The barbed wire was old and poorly maintained, and it clearly wasn't electrified—it was more of a useless decoration.
Azu easily bent the wire, though he still pricked his hand several times and tore a few holes in his jeans.
With a thud, he jumped over the fence, landing on the other side.
The ground was hard, and the impact left his legs aching from his calves to his knees.
Azu even wondered if he had broken something.
After jumping over, Azu looked at the warehouses bathed in the bright sodium lights.
"Jump over, I can catch you," he said to Clark and Lana on the other side of the fence.
Clark could make the jump, but Lana looked up at the barbed wire and nearly burst into tears.
"Lana can't make it!"
"Then leave her!" Azu shouted.
"No! How could we abandon our companion?" Clark exclaimed in disbelief.
"Because she's a burden," Azu replied, pointing at Lana. "She's not our family, Clark."
"She's my friend!" Clark shot Azu a glare and grabbed Lana's hand, ready to leave.
"Don't go, Clark. I can handle it," Azu said, crouching down and staring at the barbed wire.
His laser vision wasn't reliable—it only activated in moments of danger or emotional turmoil.
Focusing on the wire, he tried to summon his laser, but no matter how hard he tried, it wouldn't fire.
Sweat dripped down his face as he desperately recalled the trick his father had taught him.
Focus and think about something that makes you angry.
Angry? Azu immediately thought about how Clark was willing to abandon him for Lana.
"Zzzz!"
Fueled by his anger, the laser shot out, cutting through the barbed wire in an instant.
Lana, too shocked to react, was pulled by Clark as they rushed into the storage area.
The three of them sprinted past seven rows of warehouses, then across five more.
The stench of decay and burning filled their nostrils. They crouched behind a trash bin between two warehouses, trying to make themselves as small as possible.
"What was that?" Clark asked in a trembling voice.
"A zombie. I've seen it in horror movies," Azu whispered. "If it bites you, you'll turn into one of them. But don't worry—Dad will come and save us."
"Are you sure, Azu?" Clark was shaking with fear.
He hadn't felt this way while running, but now that they were hiding, terror was creeping in.
"I'm sure. Dad said no matter where I am, he'll come to save me if I'm in danger."
Clark lowered his head. "Yeah, I believe in him too. He said he'd protect us."
Lana, hiding behind them, didn't say a word. She bit down on her hand to stop herself from crying.
She feared she would soon turn from a Cinderella into an ugly monster, wondering if her knight would still come to rescue her.
None of them spoke, and the air grew deathly still.
Clark raised his head, looking back toward the auditorium.
In the distance, flames shot into the sky, scattering metal roof panels, wood, and paper into the air.
The smell of oil and smoke filled the air.
The main street was lit up, glowing like the flash of a camera.
"I—" Clark suddenly whispered to Azu, his voice trembling. "I saw it!"
Azu turned to him. "What did you see?"
Clark recalled the terrifying scene from earlier. "That monster, the zombie chasing us—it was Godfather's cousin."
Azu swallowed hard.
"You mean Uncle Louis, the one from the funeral we attended?"
"Yes, it's him. I can recognize him."
Before Clark could finish his sentence, a deep, raspy growl echoed in the distance, accompanied by a foul, decaying stench.
Realizing the zombie had returned, the three of them held their breath, not daring to make a sound.
Dam! Dam!
Louis's footsteps echoed in their ears.
Clark, though filled with fear, looked back at Lana and gritted his teeth. Grabbing half a brick lying nearby, he prepared to charge out if anything went wrong.
He had resolved not to go down without a fight. Even with just this brick, he would protect Lana and Azu.
Clang!
Suddenly, a sharp metallic sound pierced the night.
Lana's eyes widened in shock as a bright flash appeared in the darkness.