The Monster In Me

Bite Exposed?

“Since when was he bitten?” yelled Trisha hysterically. “I didn't see it at all! So how could he be like this?”

The girl's shrill voice slashed everyone who was there. However, not a single person seemed to be worried about the possible arrival of zombies. Because they are now in one of the balconies replica of the royal palace. Gunawan has gone to great lengths to help them climb up one by one.

Supposedly, now they can breathe freely while resting in a place that is safe enough for them. Only, one big problem that was not expected actually happened.

Karsa growled as he thrashed with his eyeballs spinning backwards. Leave the white color with reddish murat that looks very terrible. The young man's voice sounded so terrifyingly chime with the crackling sounds of bones from his body that he kept bending to various angles.

“Where do I know?” abian asked in annoyance while holding both of Karsa's hands against the wall. “Evan! Hold feet! I'm afraid he kicked me!”

“Do not scream! I'm trying!” reply Evan with a voice no less loud.

Meanwhile, Danita who still does not understand what is going on can only look at everything. He stood beside Gunawan. The senior teacher was busy unraveling the rope he found on the trip.

“It's okay, Ms. Danita. Let me overcome this,” Gunawan said before approaching Evan, Abian, and Karsa who screamed like a dog in pain.

The Sports Master stuffed Karsa's mouth with a cloth and tied the young man's hands and feet calmly. It was as if he was not torturing his own disciple and tying the knot very tightly. However, his silent gaze clearly showed his current suffering.

Never once did he imagine seeing one of his students so tormented by something that controlled his consciousness from within. Make him continue to thrash and rage, until it no longer looks like a normal human being. Gunawan worked hard to control himself to keep looking strong, for the sake of other students who still survive with him. For the sake of Danita, the young teacher who now depends on her.

After making sure Karsa had been tied to one of the balcony poles so that he could no longer move much, Gunawan took his student's clothes carefully. “We have to find the source of the infection. Where did he get the zombie virus?”

“Should only be contagious through a bite!” abian replied sure. He is now sitting on his feet with breathless breath. Apparently, the large power of Karsa can make it very tired. “Ah! But the school zombie movie I've been watching lately shows that the virus can also be contagious if it hits an open wound!”

“There is no other source of knowledge about zombies besides movies?” asked Evan sarcastically.

Abian sniffed his shoulders. “Maybe there. But how could I know? I don't like reading.”

“Father found something?” ask Trisha who now looks calmer. The girl stayed in her place with a face filled with traces of tears. He really did not accept seeing Karsa who had turned into one of the undead they had been avoiding. “I've always been with Karsa since this mess happened. So how can he change when I don't?”

“No bites.” Instead of answering Trisha's question, Gunawan chose to explain Karsa's current condition. Hope to find answers by discussing. “On the head, neck, upper body, down. I didn't find any bite marks. Of course I did not remove his clothes entirely, but judging from the absence of torn cloth, I am sure that Karsa was not bitten at all.”

“Then, contagious through wounds?” Danita started asking questions. However, he must know as much information about the zombie virus as possible in order to protect the students. “Does Karsa have a gaping or severe enough wound?”

Gunawan took a long breath. He left Karsa who had not stopped struggling, then invited Danita and the students to sit in a circle. With a heavy heart he gave his thought. “There were only scratches on Karsa's body. The most severe injuries were only the impact wounds and considerable bruises on his legs. Besides nothing else looks suspicious.”

“Really! You must have missed something!” sahut Trisha's. “Abian, try checking Karsa once again!”

“Enak only! I don't want to!”

“I'm a few months older than you! You must obey my orders!”

“What's older! Why are you so proud of that?”

“Be quiet, Abian, Trisha.” Danita looked at the two students alternately with sad faces. “Pak Gunawan has not finished talking.”

Gunawan momentarily spread his gaze around the balcony. His forehead is slightly wrinkled looking at various items that shouldn't be there, such as food waste, as well as a slum pants that look like high school uniform pants. One of the binoculars that visitors usually use to see the distant scenery also appears to swoop down. It was as if previously there was someone who lived here to observe the zombies as well as others who were right under the mock building of that royal palace.

“Pak? Please continue,” Danita said when Gunawan did not speak.

“Maybe this will sound scary,” continued Gunawan finally. “No. Not ‘may’, but ‘pasti’. But it looks like we should start to accept the fact that it seems, not just a bite that turns humans into zombies.”

Buk up!

They're all aghast. Not only by Gunawan's shocking speech but also by the sound of Karsa banging his head against the wall. The young man who continued to look even more pale had completely lost his consciousness and was only twitching indistinctly in place.

“Ja-so,” Abian refocused his attention on Gunawan with great difficulty, “we could have turned out to be like him for some unknown reason? Is this a curse?”

“Do not carelessly say that this is a curse!” reprimand Trisha while creeping her own hair. Both of his hands seemed to tremble so much that he had to clench his hands tightly. “I have never made a big mistake that I deserve a curse like this!”

The two students again argue while Danita asks Gunawan for further explanation while whispering. The teachers had been determined to do everything to protect the students, so they had to share information with each other. The more they understood the situation they were in, the more likely they were to survive.

Other than Karsa who no longer has consciousness left, only one person is not involved in any interaction at this time.

Evan observed everything while hugging his bag tightly. His eyes glanced back and forth vigilantly before looking back at Karsa. Cold sweat began to flow in both of his temples.

‘Reacted so.’

***