“We can’t stay here,” Heechul said as he came back to their group.

“We weren’t planning on it,” Donghae said. “I for one, am going home now. My parents are still at home and they’ve got to know what’s going on.”
Heechul nodded. He knew they’d be worried about their parents.

“What if everyone’s zombies?” Sora said, worry lacing her voice. “What if we get home and everyone’s one of them?”

“What are we going to do, even if they aren’t?” Eunhyuk chimed.

Heechul held up his hands. “Listen. I was planning on heading back to the military base I came from. If things are bad here with parents, you can come along. We’ll regroup in an hour. Everyone have cell phones?” Heechul didn’t have his phone, but he wasn’t planning on leaving Leeteuk and he knew his was on him.

The group nodded and held up their various phones.

“Make sure you’ve got everyone’s number and text if home is bad, we’ll pick a meeting place.” Heechul said.

“We’re splitting up?” Sora asked.

“I’m going to be honest,” Heechul said with a sigh. “I’m only here for Leeteuk. I’m only concerned with what’s happened to his eomma. The rest of you are on your own.”

There were frowns and setting of jaws. Heechul was sure he’d made a majority of them angry with him, but he didn’t care. He had nothing left but honesty in the light of what he’d been through in the past 24 hours.

“Please make the best use of your time, it starts now.” Heechul added and started walking toward Leeteuk’s house.

Leeteuk stared into the faces of all his friends. “It will be okay,” he said. “Our parents will know what to do, and we’ll get somewhere safe. There are probably safe centers being set up already.” He did his best to calm his friends down, offering smiles and hugs. “Be safe, don’t take any chances and text even if things are okay so I know about you all? Right?” Leeteuk smiled. “I have to take care of my friends.”

Nodding to Siwon who had stayed behind, Leeteuk jogged to catch up with Heechul. Siwon followed up behind him.

Kangin stared after Heechul, feeling bitter but understanding. Heechul was like that. It not being the one that was so cared about, but it also made Kangin proud that Heechul wasn’t worried about his safety. It meant Heechul knew he could handle himself in this. He turned to face the others.

Donghae and Eunhyuk were sticking together. They’d made the plan of Hyuk’s house first, then Hae’s, and finally meet up with Leeteuk again if things were bad. They gave Sora their hugs and left her with Kangin.

“So,” Kangin said. “To your house?”

Sora stared at him, her arms hugging around her middle. “You’ll take me? But what about your family?”

Kangin shook his head. “We’ll go to your home. My family is out of town this week.” He smiled. “I was planning on going with Heechul when this is over.”

She nodded. “Then thank you.”

Kangin nodded and held his hand out for Sora’s. He felt better having someone to protect around. She placed her hand in his and showed him which way to walk.

Though Leeteuk knew Heechul, he was more comfortable with Siwon right now. Maybe it was all the blood on his best friend’s uniform. That certainly had something to do with it, but Leeteuk was really just angry with Heechul. He understood this was definitely a time sensitive night, but how could he turn his back on their friends like that? How could he claim that he was only concerned about him? Leeteuk believed, he knew that Heechul didn’t care about anyone but himself. Why was he acting self righteous?

“Are you a friend of the Kim family?” Leeteuk asked Siwon softly.

Siwon nodded as he paused his glancing around the neighborhood to look at Leeteuk. “Heechul was my best friend before he left the military base as a kid.”

“That’s a pattern then, leaving best friends.” It was biting, Leeteuk knew, but he wanted to hurt Heechul.

“It’s not always his fault he has to leave,” Siwon defended, knowing Heechul could hear them.

“That’s certainly convenient.” Leeteuk smiled and shrugged. “Are you an officer? You look like you know what you’re doing.” Also an underhanded comment to Heechul.

“No. But I never left the base, so I haven’t stopped training. I’m just about old enough to be accepted into basic though.” Siwon was trying to keep the subject on something else. If it had to be him, so be it. He didn’t want to see this bickering person hurt his best friend.

Heechul stopped walking suddenly and Siwon saw it first. Across the street from them, on the sidewalk, three forms were crouched over a fourth. A late night snack by the look of it. Heechul moved to open the nearest fenced backyard and checked the new area before waving Leeteuk and Siwon through. They managed to keep silent and not attract the attention of the feasting zombies.

“We’re not that far now,” Heechul told Siwon as they stood in the backyard looking for an escape route.

“Which way?” Siwon asked Leeteuk.

“About a block and a half,” Leeteuk pointed diagonal from their current position.

“Can you climb?” Siwon asked.

Leeteuk nodded and Heechul started for the fence. He vaulted up it with an agility that Leeteuk hadn’t expected. They heard him land on the other side and whistle an all clear. Siwon nodded Leeteuk’s turn and Leeteuk let his nerves get the better of him, needing help over the tall wooden fence. Falling forward as he got to the other side, Leeteuk was surprised when Heechul caught him. He quickly pushed himself away and watched for Siwon. Siwon came down the fence like a seasoned professional and Leeteuk smiled at him. Not reciprocating, Siwon simply nudged Leeteuk to follow Heechul.

Heechul checked the perimeter and started out on the street again, leaving cover. Leeteuk followed silently behind him, trying to figure out how he could get away from Heechul sooner than later.

A dog barked in the distance ahead of them and the two kid-soldiers stopped to listen. The barking got more frantic and turned to a high pitched yelp before it was silenced.

“We need to hurry,” Siwon said to Heechul.

Heechul nodded and started a light jog to cover the rest of the distance to Leeteuk’s house. His body was killing him with every step. The adrenaline of killing the Sohee monster had worn off fifteen minutes ago. Heechul still had control of himself, but fatigued cramping wasn’t far off.

They stopped in front of Leeteuk’s house, Heechul taking the chance to stretch so his body wouldn’t seize up on him. Leeteuk made to go inside but Heechul caught his shoulder and kept him close. “You’re not going to just walk in there.” Heechul told him.

“You’re not going to stop me.” Leeteuk said and shoved Heechul off, running for the door.

Siwon caught up to him before his hand reached the door knob and pulled him back with a hand over his mouth. “Shhh,” he whispered in his ear.

On the front lawn, near Heechul was a zombie, staring him down. Heechul hadn’t moved as soon as he’d seen it, except to grab his axe off his belt. The creature was tilting its head from side to side. Heechul figured it either couldn’t see him, or was waiting for him to make a move. With a low groan it stumbled after him. Heechul jumped forward and knocked the creature flat on its back with his axe lodged wetly in its throat.

Leeteuk stared in horror at how calmly Heechul hacked the monster’s head off, avoiding its flailing arms to the last moment of its undead life. Siwon’s hand was still over his mouth and Leeteuk was thankful for it, because all he could think of was screaming as Heechul came up the lawn toward them. That wasn’t his best friend. That was a monster worse than the creatures he’d seen. Leeteuk yanked himself away from Siwon and opened his front door, running in and locking them out.

Heechul stared at Siwon as he got to the front steps with him. They couldn’t yell and cause a scene, but they couldn’t get in after him. Siwon took Heechul’s shoulders and moved him to the side. His friend felt so weak in his hands that Siwon almost gave up on Leeteuk and left him to get Heechul home, but he knew he couldn’t. He backed up and aimed his foot at Leeteuk’s door near the handle, kicking it open easily. The noise of it brought a screech from somewhere inside the house. Siwon pulled his gun and went in for Leeteuk, leaving Heechul outside to watch the perimeter.

There was blood on the floor of the hall, leading back toward the bedrooms. Siwon checked every room on his way along the trail. There was a sudden thumping coming from a door in the back of the house. Siwon sped up and found Leeteuk in his room, sitting on his bed, rocking back and forth. “Leeteuk, come on,” Siwon said, falling in by his side.

“She’s.. he..” Leeteuk shook his head and moved away from Siwon.

Siwon took a deep breath and stood up. “Come on. Pack a bag and let’s get out of here.”

“I can’t.. I can’t go. Where can I go?” Leeteuk started crying.

“Calm down and listen. We don’t have much time before it breaks through the door. You’ll come with us, you’ll be safe and have a chance. Now get a bag and let’s go.” Siwon grabbed Leeteuk’s shoulders gently and pulled him onto his feet.

Leeteuk nodded, wiping his eyes as he grabbed a shoulder bag and stuffed some essentials inside, including his laptop.

Heechul was getting antsy as they took so long inside. His worst fears were confirmed as Leeteuk came out alone and in tears. Heechul wanted so badly to hug him, but he couldn’t. Leeteuk hadn’t wanted him close, beside the fact he was covered in blood. The loss hit him hard and he had to blink back tears of his own before Siwon nudged them out of it to keep them walking.