Beyond the Walls

Trapped

“What are we doing here again? I must be crazy to follow you here.” The young man whispered to Lucas, grinding his teeth.

“Shh.” Lucas said and returned to hiding behind the table. They are back in the room from before. The one with large windows.

There are some undead pacing around the room. He breathed in and out multiple times before he reached for the mini sack he had in his hand.

“Give it to me! What if you drop it and attack here?” Said the young man as he snatched at the trembling hands of Lucas. 

He looked slowly up from the table and when all undead were not facing his direction, He took an aim and threw some item through that glass window. All undead turn to that direction and gather at the sound.

Lucas sneaks a peek also and they start moving out of the place confirming no undead around they exit the room. 

“Urghh.” A weak groan from a twisted undead body was found together with other dead bodies trying to reach them.

*SCRASH!

The window where the undead had gathered fell through, causing the undead to fall.

“YES!! WOHOO!” The young man exclaimed. 

Contrary to the young man’s victory call, Lucas panics and begins to kick a wall under the stairs.

“What’s the ----rush?” 

*Growl

That’s when it hit me. The loud sound attracted the undead. From the other room and above them descending, they are trapped.

“s**t! s**t! s**t!” He backs out to Lucas as the undead sees him from across the room but before that two undead had successfully gone down from the stairs.

“I knew it. I shouldn’t have trusted you.” He said as he shook his head.

*Swish

Before he knew it, he was dragged to some dark room by Lucas and beside him is the door with a banging sound outside.

“Eh? I am alive. No s**t!” He laughed a little.

Lucas didn’t mind him and used the back flash light of the stun gun and turned on the switch. The door lightened up making the young man feel more amazed.

‘It's been twenty years, but there is still electricity? Generator?’ Lucas thought and scanned the surroundings, it is dusty and webs are everywhere but so far no blood trace or any.

There is only one narrow pathway, Lucas led the way down the spiral stairs.

“How come you are not amazed by these things? You can also read. Do you live in the inner walls? ”

Lucas hesitated but he answered. “No.”

“Then how did you know these things? Wait… How old are you? Aren’t you around my age? I am 20.”

He stopped walking and took a deep breath. “I am 28.”

“Woah! That’s why you know about these ---- Man, You sure don’t look like 28.”

Lucas put his finger in his mouth to say be silent and gesture up ahead.

A breeze is coming. 

‘Why is there a breeze?’ Lucas thought and they approached it slowly and as they turned they saw it in high resolution.

The remains of the destroyed world. The used to be houses, cars and streets are nothing but pieces of trash. As if nature is reclaiming its territory, parts of the city were devoured by large overgrown grass and trees. 

A huge chunk of the building is gone and they are standing on the edge and last step.

“This is beyond the walls huh?” Said the young man.

“Let’s keep going. This way. ” Lucas said to see where they can pass, since the rest of the stairs are gone, they have no other choice but to go back inside the building. A slim way towards the destroyed window part of the building. 

Lucas looked up while shaking his dizziness. 

‘Don’t look down! Don’t look down!’

*Bzzz

In a shambles view, replaced by loud noise and explosion. “Lucas, It’s okay! You can let go.” A blurry woman’s face resurfaced in Lucas' mind.

“...You---can--let” 

As if a broken record, it repeats in a more confusing manner.

A hand in his shoulder woke him up from his memories.

“I said, I am going ahead. If you are scared.” The young man passes Lucas and starts sticking the walls as he horizontally walks at the crumbling pillar.

The young lad showed great balance and body coordination as he glided through almost effortlessly.

After reaching the other side, the young man’s hand extended outside with a thumb’s up and gesture for Lucas to come in.

Taking a deep breath Lucas sticks to the wall and grabs into the sticking stones. Not minding the breeze tickling his nape, he focuses on getting across safely.

“Where are we now?” The young man asked as they scanned around the empty surrounding. There are only overthrown chairs, cabinets and rusting things lying around. 

“Publishing department. We are on the 8th floor.” Lucas answered as he dust off one of the plaque cards on the floor.

*Groan

Lucas and his companion immediately hid as they heard the groaning sound. Lucas hid beside a pillar and his companion on the opposite end hid under the table.

Soon the single groaned. Lucas carefully peeked and saw a horde of undead passing in the office. Rough estimate of more than 30 was in there with them

*Bam

One undead person has smacked himself on the mirror desk a few meters away from Lucas. He trembled at the stench of the decaying body nearing him. The young man shakes his head when Lucas and him meet eyes. 

While the young man can hide under the table, Lucas will be totally visible while the undead take two more steps.

*thud thud thud

It was the sound of frantic running. 

The undead turned away and walked at the sound of dissolving sound.

A minute later, Lucas and the young man left their hiding place.

“Someone has already reached here? And here I thought we were winning the race.” Said the young man.

Lucas stealthily peek at the hall. Faced with undead’s backs that continue to walk away, Lucas signaled for the young man to follow him. They ran low in the opposite direction and by turning right they reached the elevator halls. There are a total of 6 elevators. Another 6 on the other side. 

Double checking the floor and 8 was written beside the elevator. They pass through all of it when undead have appeared and Lucas froze at the sudden appearance of it. Apparently one of the elevators is stuck open at the eight floor.

*Bite

Lucas managed to evade the bite attack on his nape when redirected the undead’s neck in the opposite direction.

“Ugh!!” With Lucas pinned down. He is suppressing his voice to seek help. 

The young man dragged the undead away from top of Lucas and threw it on the floor, though it wasn’t exactly ideal since the undead’s torso was left on Lucas spilling its organs. The stomach clenching foul smell, made them nauseous.

“f**k!” The young man’s eyes rolled up as he got away from it. Lucas pulls himself away but his lower half is already drenched with the stench.

Turning around the corner, they found the emergency exit. As the young man tried pushing the bar. He was stopped by Lucas. Lucas put his ear to the door and knocked lightly and then knocked again. 

He slowly opens it and they enter upon confirming no undead in the vicinity.

They slid down and caught their breath for a moment.

“We can’t stay here for long.” Lucas said but he obviously looked more exhausted.

“...Wait, I feel like throwing up.” Replied the young man.

Lucas felt the same, if only he could remove his stinky pants.

Pulling himself up with the use of stair railings.

“We can’t stop. If my guess is right then. It will only be a matter of time.”

“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!” Loud echoing voices from the top of the staircase bounce all throughout the floors.”

“Run now!” Lucas said hurriedly get up and start running down.

“Undead can’t open doors!” Said Lucas as they ran to the seventh floor.

“Emergency Staircases are built to be easily opened!” Lucas said and as timing the door on the sixth floor started opening and a face of an undead was peeking in the gaps. 

The young man skipped and jumped some steps and kicked close to the door. The kick was now enough to totally close but it did squish the undead’s head and give them more time to pass through.

On the fifth floor, The door is partially open now. More than half of the undead body had already entered. 

The young man evades the grip of the undead and Lucas imitates it but his hood is caught. He was held back and made him lose balance.

He smacked away the undead’s jaw and tried to separate himself but the undead might be someone who just turned since it still has muscles intact!

“AAHHHHHH!!”

*Bam Bam Bam

The young man had returned with a fire extinguisher and repeatedly hit the undead’s head.

Lucas immediately removed his jacket since the undead’s hand won’t let it go.

They ran downstairs and by the time they were nearing the second floor. The door is fully open now with a brimming number of undead. 

No use of going up. There are undead from the fourth floor coming down. Stuck on the third floor, the door behind them is continuously banging from the other side.

They are trapped.