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The city was hit by a blackout. A van crawled slowly along the dark road, followed by zombies.

Cool night breeze blew through the wide-open window. Na Yae-ji stuck her phone out the window. Occasionally, the flash went off with a few bright clicks, and she even recorded some videos.

Na Yae-ji waved her phone excitedly and shouted.

“Go a bit slower! I need to get a good shot of them!”

“What are you doing? Close the window!”

“How can I not film this? Ah, ugh—”

Jeondohyeong yelled, and the other patients forcibly pulled Na Yae-ji back, raising the window amidst the chaos.

I closed my eyes tightly.

Hope fades easily. I realized this painfully as I watched the zombies following us.

“…They can’t keep up.”

Few zombies were following. Like dogs chasing a thrown ball, the zombies that had been running fiercely were now panting and stopping in place, quickly changing their target to the surrounding buildings.

The horde of zombies we had been leading to the church scattered like waves, breaking into the windows of nearby buildings. It looked like ripples left on the water’s surface after a boat passes.

Of course, some zombies were still chasing the car, and new ones joined, but they weren’t fast enough to replace the machine.

If they had stamina surpassing a car, they might as well catch zombies and pull carriages.

‘Ah, this means… we can only lure a few zombies? This isn’t a wave.’

It’s not even a wave, more like a cup of water. Only one marathon zombie and a few others near the church seem to be lured.

I counted the number of zombies in the side mirror. The closer we got to the church, the fewer zombies followed.

This is bad. This isn’t even a wave. The people in the van could fight and win against this. Would people unite to fight something like this?

“I’ll park near the entrance!”

Vrooom!

As soon as the van entered the church grounds, it sped up. Screech! It came to a rough stop, slanting near the church entrance.

As if waiting, the glass door slid open, and the Evangelical Elder hurriedly gestured.

“Come in quickly!”

I got out slowly and glanced back. Only the faint presence of a few zombies could be felt. A blurry shadow. Quiet footsteps.

One zombie approached first. Without even looking, I knew it was the marathon zombie. Wearing a tracksuit, it had shown incredible stamina chasing us all the way here.

Perhaps it vaguely sensed the entrance.

Like a sprinter nearing the finish line, it sped up. Tap tap tap, the rhythmic footsteps grew closer, and the dark shadow became clearer.

“Uh-oh!”

“Hurry!”

People scrambled over the entrance. I sighed deeply and entered last, timing it to push the glass door shut with my full weight.

The marathon zombie sprinted at full speed, slamming into the door just as it closed.

The result was a collision.

Bang!

“Ugh!”

The zombie screamed and fell back. Even a few paving stones tumbled down from above, completely crushing the zombie. They had been thrown from the rooftop.

It felt so futile, not even worth the effort of preparing.

‘Is this a wave?’

Click. The Evangelical Elder shone his phone light and lifted the lock on the glass door. He spoke calmly.

“The first floor is cleared. The second floor defense team and the rooftop throwing team are ready. …Disinfect first.”

“Ah, disinfectant. Please do it quickly.”

Sssss, the disinfectant sprayed heavily, soaking our clothes. Hair and exposed skin were damp, like we had just showered.

I rubbed my gloved hands and observed the people. The patients looked pale, while the Evangelical Elder and Jeondohyeong remained calm. Na Yae-ji even looked excited.

‘This is really lacking…’

Suddenly, my thoughts turned to someone else. The Pillager Companion who had gone out in another car, completely forgotten.

I immediately asked.

“Thief, no, the Supplies Elder?”

“He returned a while ago. But the city’s situation seems serious.”

The Evangelical Elder looked out into the dark entrance. Two zombies had arrived and were loitering nearby. Through the glass, gurgling noises could be heard.

The Evangelical Elder carefully blocked the entrance with desks and chairs, whispering.

“I contacted nearby vigilante groups, but many are unreachable or in defense mode. It seems the zombies emerged almost simultaneously…”

The atmosphere grew heavy, matching his low voice.

Then, another rain of paving stones fell. The stones returned to their rightful place on the ground. The dull thuds, bricks hitting the dirt, and the sound of zombie heads being crushed continued like a downpour.

It was hard to see, and the accuracy was low, so it felt like they were just throwing randomly.

Still, everyone was working together to repel the zombies. I tried to think positively.

‘This is like a vaccination or real combat training. It’s a bit lacking in scale and drama, but it’s not too bad.’

As that thought crossed my mind, the Evangelical Elder was leading some disoriented patients. Then, a real crisis suddenly arrived.

“If the disinfection is done, let’s go up—”

Bang!

A strange collision sound was heard. The sound of steel being struck. Then, flashing headlights and loud honking.

A paving stone had hit a car. The car, sensing the impact, blared its alarm, thinking it was being stolen. The noise echoed in all directions.

I jerked my head up. My fists clenched automatically.

‘This is it!’

Now, a horde of zombies would come. A real zombie wave. The crisis had naturally escalated. Whoever did it, they did well. Hitting the car was a brilliant idea.

“Uh, the car key, is this it?”

Jeondohyeong fumbled with the car key, trying to go outside to turn off the alarm, but I quickly grabbed his sleeve. With my other hand, I pointed upwards.

People waiting to throw paving stones and kill zombies.

“If you go out now, you’ll get hit by a brick.”

“But if we leave it like this—”

“It’s too late. They’re coming.”

I looked outside. The world was dark from the blackout. Between the blaring alarms, footsteps and screams grew closer.

The car alarm was already annoying. With it blaring, the zombies couldn’t possibly stay away.

I quickly pointed at the people. My words came out fast.

“You, lock all the doors on the first floor. They can break windows and doors to get in. Hurry! Evangelical Elder, keep contacting other vigilante groups. If the church is in danger, find people who can help us.”

People started moving busily. I quickly went upstairs and checked my phone.

‘Blackout, 30 minutes left?’

The zombies had been lying low until the blackout. When the lights returned, they would retreat. We had enough time to hold out.

Of course, if it seemed too much, I could always hide faster than anyone.

***

Car alarms usually last between 2 to 5 minutes. Plenty of time to lure the zombies.

I climbed the barricaded stairs and shouted loudly.

“Assume the first floor is breached! We need to block them here at the barricade!”

“Yes, Deacon Kwon.”

“Don’t hesitate! They’re not people, they’re beasts trying to kill us!”

At the barricade on the stair landing, strong people were waiting. Male students in uniforms and adult men.

Each held a flashlight in their mouth and gripped their weapons tightly. The white light reflected in their eyes, showing a strange determination.

Some had never killed a zombie before, which was surprising. They seemed less afraid.

The Administrative Elder waved his hand axe.

“Deacon Kwon. Don’t worry. The Pastor showed us how to defeat the infected possessed by Satan.”

“Ah.”

My steps slowed for a moment. I remembered the beloved Pastor.

The performance of killing zombies with a cross. Those who had witnessed it had enough indirect experience. It was a touching moment.

‘Pastor. The hope you left behind continues here.’

Perhaps the Pastor had intended this. To gradually get used to killing zombies. To numb our hearts.

After all, movie direction is also a technique to manipulate people’s minds, so the Pastor’s direction served the same purpose. There might still be some lingering power of religion.

I quickly went up to the rooftop.

The atmosphere on the rooftop was very different. It was tense.

The Thief Elder was subtly angry.

“Who threw a stone at the car? Of course, the alarm would go off! Is there a betrayer? Is there another Security Elder?”

“Some people are just terrible…”

“Ugh. That’s why I said to throw them one by one.”

The aunties with their phones on were murmuring, looking around suspiciously. Somehow, this felt more familiar. A comforting feeling?

At the same time, I realized something. A thief’s intuition or bond as a fellow pillager.

‘The person who threw the stone at the car is the Thief Elder.’

I was sure he was lying. Truly a main member. Wrapping himself in lies, his mere presence sowed distrust and suspicion among people.

And triggering a zombie wave. Perfect.

At that moment, I made my presence known.

“Elder. I’m here.”

“Ah, Deacon Kwon. Are you hurt? Good. I was worried I sent you to the hospital for nothing.”

How much truth was in those words? But distrust is basic, right? We don’t even know each other’s real names.

“I’m fine. I’m glad you’re okay too. I was really worried.”

I smiled and approached the railing. The sky was cloudy, and even the moonlight was faint. In the darkness, the flashing headlights and repeated honking.

The zombies had arrived.

Gurgling, screeching, screams. Countless footsteps like a march. Writhing darkness.

‘It’s too dark to see.’

I furrowed my brows. I wasn’t sure how effective the ropes tied to streetlights and trees were. We had planted nails, knives, and skewers like seedlings in places where they might trip.

I couldn’t even distinguish the sounds. The screams were too much like cries.

Instead, I heard a voice from behind. The Thief Elder, sounding scared, spoke with a trembling voice.

“Isn’t that a lot? It’s a lot, right?”

“Calm down. It’s probably less than you imagine. It’s hard to see, so it looks like more…”

I couldn’t finish my sentence.

The van’s alarm was still blaring. The area illuminated by its headlights was packed with zombies. The wave of zombies surged forward, engulfing the flashing lights.

“…Deacon Kwon. There are really a lot.”

“Ah, no, it’s not. It’s just the headlight range… No! Throw the stones!”

I urgently picked up a paving stone and threw it down with all my might. I couldn’t tell if it hit or missed. But throwing was important.

People rushed over and started haphazardly throwing bricks.

“Die, die, die!”

“Demons! You can’t touch the church!”

In the faint light of the phone flashlights, the aunties’ faces looked sharp with killing intent.

But the situation itself was unclear. The alarm had stopped, and the headlights were off. The darkness was a severe hindrance.

In that oppressive unknown, I listened carefully. Sound was the only clue to grasp the situation.

‘The screams and shouts are too loud. Are they cries? Ah, the sound of glass breaking. And.’

Crash? The sound of the barricade at the entrance being pulled down? Cold sweat broke out. Right. Zombies can use their hands a bit.

The bricks we threw could break windows, and the furniture we set up as barricades could be moved.

‘We should have nailed the furniture to the walls. At least welded them together.’

The situation wasn’t looking good.

I subtly stepped back and looked for the Thief Elder. He was leaning over the railing, looking down, then turned to me.

“Deacon Kwon. I have good night vision.”

The Elder, boasting his thief skills, glanced around and whispered.

“The zombies have scattered. No, they’re breaking through the first-floor windows and heading inside. They’re almost surrounding us. And more keep coming.”

“Ah, that’s good. We locked all the first-floor doors. It’s good if they spread out.”

“Closed doors can be opened. And they’re wooden doors. Those zombies can probably break them.”

“…”

Is that so? Wooden doors seem much weaker compared to metal ones.

‘If there are gym zombies or axe-wielding zombies, they might break through.’

In the darkness, our eyes met. It felt like our intentions aligned, just like when we had plotted betrayal before.

I spoke admiringly to the Thief Elder, who was quicker than anyone to time betrayal.

“Everyone’s throwing stones well. We don’t need to manage them. Should we check the third floor?”

“Right. There’s no one on the third floor. We should keep watch, shouldn’t we?”

 

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