The basement is dead quiet and completely dark when Tao emerges from the bunker. He looks back down at Joonmyun and Sehun with a small smile before re-shutting the bunker door sealing them inside. He stands a mere inch away from the door not wanting to move. He doesn’t know what is in store for him outside the house let alone outside the small dank basement. He thinks for a brief moment that this wasn’t the best idea.

After a few moments of further deliberation Tao finally makes a move. He moves toward the basement stairs without looking back. Maybe they already got everything back to normal and it’s safe out there anyway. Tao shakes his head of the hopeful thought. It wasn’t something that could be so easily solved, no matter how much he wants to believe it.

He takes his time making his way up the basement stairs. The door at the top of the stairs is sealed shut securely which Tao takes as a good sign. He quickens his pace a little before stopping at the top of the stairs right outside the door. He slowly moves forward turning his head and resting his ear against the door.

He waits, listening carefully.

After a few minutes and not hearing anything at all he thinks it might actually be safe to go into the house but Tao knows that once he is in the house he has to act fast. He can’t risk any of the infected seeing him, he doesn’t want to draw them anywhere near Sehun and Joonmyun.

With his hand on the knob he takes a deep breath. Slowly he twists the knob until the door clicks softly. Then he opens the door as slow as he possibly can. Tao can feel the sweat dripping down the back of his neck. He doesn’t know what is waiting for him on the other side of the door and he isn’t so sure about his plan anymore. Maybe he should’ve just stayed in the bunker. At least it was safe down there.

He lets the door open enough for him to be able to see outside. He peeks out but to his extreme relief there isn’t anything in his line of sight. He lets the door open a little more. Nothing still. He lets the door open all the way making sure it stays quiet. The door makes a slight scraping sound along the floor. Tao cringes and waits. Nothing happens.

Once he is sure there is nothing inside the house with him he takes a step into the house.

Movement catches his eye. He freezes and tenses up. Tao stops breathing. A shadow moves along the floor coming towards him but from his angle he can’t see what or who is coming towards him.   △▽△
Luhan stays quiet after the bunker door closes behind Chanyeol. He wouldn’t know what to say to Baekhyun even if he had words for him. The situation is one that is best solved with silence, at least for now. Luhan can hear Baekhyun trying in vain to keep his tears in but in the end they come and they come hard. He sobs into the corner wrapped in a ball. His back is turned away from Luhan and shaking horribly.

The sound of Baekhyun's sobs drive Luhan up the wall but he isn’t going to be a selfish jerk and tell him to stop. Baekhyun needs to let it all out. It will make him feel better if he does.

It doesn’t take long for him to stop and Luhan is thankful for that.

Luhan is about to say something to reassure Baekhyun that things are going to be okay when a sudden loud bang sounds above their heads somewhere. Luhan can see Baekhyun visibly tense up and Luhan knows that he did the same. Another bang sounds this time Luhan is sure it’s coming from the basement right above their heads.

“Luh—“

“Don’t.” Luhan says softly. Baekhyun swallows hard and nods once understanding. They need to stay quiet to insure that whatever is above them doesn’t find out that they are there. The bunkers are sturdy but they are not guaranteed to keep the infected out. Survival depends on how you react and Luhan knows they have only one option. Stay quiet.

△▽△

A large figure comes around the corner fast. A body slams into Tao sending him flying into the half open door behind him. The door slams shut loudly echoing throughout the house.

“Oh Tao.” Kris’s face is filled with a fierceness that Tao hasn’t seen in a long time. “Don’t do that.”

“Don’t do that? I didn’t do anything.” Tao sneers shoving Kris away from him. “I thought you were one of the infected.” Tao lowers his voice.

“I thought you were one of them too!” Kris looks over his shoulder quickly then back at Tao. “Why aren’t you inside the bunker?”

Tao crosses his arms over his chest. “I was checking to see if it was safe yet!”

A light scratching sound suddenly can be heard from somewhere within the house. Tao isn’t too sure but he thinks it’s coming from the kitchen. He looks to Kris who’s eyes are widened and his body still as a statue. Kris looks at Tao and places his finger against his lips telling Tao to be quiet.

Tao obviously isn’t going to make any noise in this situation. Instead he keeps his eyes focused on Kris.

Kris, as Tao notices, is slowly pulling out a machete. Kris does it so quietly that not even the sound of the metal sliding against the sheath can be heard. Kris doesn’t look at Tao as he slowly moves forward toward the source of the sound.

Tao holds his breath as he watches Kris walk quietly along the wood floor. When Kris is out of sight, in the kitchen, Tao tenses up even more. He hears a thud and then Kris reappears before him.

“It’s dead. Don’t worry there was only one of them.” Kris turns and glares in the direction of the kitchen.

“How bad is it?” Tao whispers.

Kris looks grim. “We lost the village.”

The words don’t seem to hit Tao. He stands there staring at Kris wide eyed but silent. He wants to ask what “lost the village” means but he can’t find his voice.

“There were just too many.” Kris looks as if he aged ten years. His eyes are bloodshot and his lips are chapped and bleeding. He has traces of blood on his cheeks and neck, and a lot of it on his shirt.

“What do we do now?” Tao manages to squeak out.

Kris turns around stares at the wall. “I don’t know.” He sounds so hopeless.

“What’s protocol for this kind of situation?”

“There isn’t one. We never thought this would--” A loud thump interrupts him. Without missing a beat Kris is turned back around and grabbing Tao roughly by the upper