End of the World

Chapter 33

Jihyo leans down to pick the lock on the shutter that leads to the main entrance of the hospital.

Mina smiles shyly up at Nayeon and leans back against a pillar.

"So," Nayeon lays her hands on either side of Mina and smirks, "You think I'm crazy hot?"

Mina ducks her head bashfully. She can't believe Nayeon actually heard that comment.

"Keep it PG." Chaeyoung groans when she sees them flirting. "There's a child here."

Nayeon scoffs, "Jihyun is asleep."

Chaeyoung huffs, "I'm talking about me."

A loud growl stops their bickering.

A lurker appears out of nowhere behind Mina. Nayeon reaches behind the younger girl, and grabs him by his hair. She twists his body away from Mina, her gaze never leaving the younger girl's hypnotizing face.

"You didn't answer me." Nayeon husks.

"You're hot." Mina admits, finally meeting Nayeon's twinkling eyes and a blush sears through her rosy cheeks.

The zombie tries to get out of Nayeon's grasp, swinging his arms in the air as he attempts to reach Mina.

"Yeah?" Nayeon husks. Her eyes flicker down to Mina's full lips.

The zombie stops trying for a few seconds. Even in his brain dead state he seems to understand this human is more single track minded than him.

Sana decides to put him out of his misery and stabs the lurker's head. "Goodbye third wheel." She mutters quietly.

Jihyo gets the lock open.

They close the shutter behind them as they step inside the hospital which is empty. It's not surprising because the hospital had been closed for renovations even before the apocalypse began.

There are few ladders that's put up here and there for painters but there's no sight of humans or zombies inside the perimeter.

They scan the entire area quickly, and ensure all the shutters are closed properly.

A loud voice stops them when they enter the security area.

"Stop right there." A man in his thirties in guard uniform yells.

His hand shakes as he aims his gun at them. "If you come any nearer I'll shoot you."

The girls stop.

"We are not zombies. There's no need to shoot us." Jeongyeon clarifies.

"Zombies?" He utters in disbelief, "What are you talking about?"

"This guy surely lives in a cave." Dahyun snorts in disbelief.

"This is a cave? But you said this is a hospital." Momo enquires.

"Just put the gun down." Nayeon takes a step towards him.

The man pulls the trigger in panic. A gunshot sounds through the night.

Mina's breath catches in her chest. She pulls Nayeon closer to her checking for visible injury but there's none. A sigh of relief leaves her.

"His aim is worse than yours." Tzuyu tells Jihyo, pointing at the bullet on the ceiling.

"You're all lying. I know you're here to loot the paintings we've stored at the back." The chubby man continues as he takes aim again.

"Can we have a look at them?" Momo squeals in delight.

Sana cuts in before Momo can makes things worse. "There's a zombie apocalypse out there. If you don't believe us you can go to entrance B which is right behind you and find out yourself."

"Zombie apocalypse?" The man guffaws, "We're not in a film."

"Why don't you see it for yourself?" Aera demands.

"I will." He steps backwards, never taking his eyes off them. "Zombies, my arse!!"

He lifts the shutter with one hand.

There's a lurker right behind the shutter.

The security's eyes are glued to the group so he doesn't notice the undead which waits for its stupid fat human meal to fully open the shutter.

"You kids must be on some kind of drug." He laughs but it dies a quiet death in his throat when he hears a low growl behind him.

He slowly turns around, and lets out a loud shriek when the zombie with half his face eaten and rotten flesh hanging off his arm, pounces on him.

Nayeon swings the knife, always perfect in her aim and grins proudly when it lands between the lurker's eyes.

The security guard pushes the dead weight of the zombie away from his body and scrambles back to his feet.

"I almost killed you but you still saved my life." He says after a while, ashamed of his earlier behavior. "It's just that I only leave the hospital once a week. I live and work here and have no idea what is happening in the outside world."

"You're forgiven." Nayeon quickly cuts in. She doesn't have time for apologies now. "Cut the electricity. Make sure the only line that's up and running is the one to the sprinklers. Secure all the gates. We have ten hours before the rescue gets here."

Sana and Dahyun keep watch for the first four hours while everyone sleeps.

"They make a cute pair, don't you think?" Dahyun asks as her eyes dart to Nayeon and Mina.

Nayeon is fast asleep on the hard floor, leaning against the wall of the security room. Mina's sat on her lap sideways, her cheek nuzzled against Nayeon's neck, hands splayed across the older girl's chest seeking comfort in the lull thud of her heart.

One of Nayeon's arms is under Mina's legs as if cradling her and the other is around her back holding her in a protective hug even in her sleep.

"Just like we would." Sana mumbles under her breath.

"What?" Dahyun asks.

"Just like you said." Sana changes her words smoothly and squeals inwardly at the flash of disappointment she sees crossing Dahyun's face.