Chapter 2: Collateral damage
Now the story really starts
Day 1: late in the afternoon
As I came back to my sense, I could hear many people scream someplace away from here. But strangely what hit me the most was the silence: no siren, no alarm, no motor or air-conditioner are making a noise. Nothing else than fear and pain. I look at my watch. It's 6:15 right now, so I've been unconscious for less than 5 minutes, which means we still have time to prepare ourselves for what coming next, whatever that is. The whole room is now really different from what I'm used to. There's glass everywhere, and of course, all the lights aren't working anymore. With the force of the blast, no glass objet in the whole city must have survived. Maybe small objects, like lenses, though there isn't that many around anymore, but certainly noting bigger. The sunlight already starts to take a red taint, even if it's still too soon for the sunset. That's never a good new.
There is a young rat lady lying on the ground nearby. She must be one of the new students. Her face is distorted by pain. She looks mostly alright, except for a big glass shard piercing through her leg. A really small amount of blood is getting out of the wound, which is a good new. She is trying to get the fragment free.
“Stop that!"
“Why?"
“Because it's the only thing that keeping you from bleeding to death! If it didn't cut your femoral artery yet, it might do if you take it out, and if it did, it's most likely keeping it closed. I know it must hurt like hell, but try not to move it until we are sure it's safe to do so."
“Human, is that you?"
That was Tiger. I didn't take the time to remember his real name because he doesn't seem to care that I have one myself. He studies in the furry sciences program, but he's more in it for the sports than for the knowledge. His family is one of the anti-human families, and they hate my family particularly because it was one of the last anti-conversion one. And because I'm a human. I don't like him, that's for sure. I have to tolerate him since primary school. If I would have to name someone I know who is likely to end up in prison, it would be him.
“Tiger. I'm happy to see you are here and that you survived the explosion."
“Human!"
“Cat!"
That was Cat. He's a tabby and he's my best friend in this school. His voice is high pitched and soft like a cat, which is a rare trait since most furries have human like voices. It's like one in a thousand that have that trait. He's in the natural science program like me. We pass all of our free time together, we know everything about each other. He started to call me Human to joke about Tiger, and I answered by calling him Cat, and it all started. In fact, since I'm the only human at this school it kind of become my nickname. Well…
“Did you look outside?"
“Not yet, why?"
“Just look."
As I looked I almost felt down again. There is an atomic mushroom cloud outside.
“It was a goddamn atomic bomb!"
“Are you sure of that Human?"
It's Penguin, my physic teacher, who just spoken. I just finished a class with him. He's quite energetic, though sometimes too much. But he wants for his student to succeed, which is a good thing. And well, he's a penguin…
OK, alright I'm just really bad at remembering names, and it's kind of the polite way to use someone's specie's name, so I usually do it. And since there is a great variety of species in the school, usually people understand who you are talking about anyway. Normally, we use our name between us student, but for some their specie's name became their nickname. Everyone is calling me Human because of Tiger, so I won't let him go away with it that easily. Of course, Penguin, as a physic teacher, know many things about atomic bombs.
“I know what a real mushroom clouds look like, and it looks exactly like that. Also, the blast of the explosion speaks for itself."
“That's bad news."
Suddenly, many students and teachers entered the hall, all starting to speak at once.
“An atomic bomb!"
“We will all die!"
“My family live nearby!"
“Please try to stay calm."
“The zombies will kill us!"
“We are under attack, and we can't defend ourselves!"
“Shut up everyone!"
I've climbed on a table and just shout at everyone. Now they are all looking at me. At the same time, I see Bear, my chemistry teacher climbing down from the level 200. He is a natural force: silent but powerful. He rarely speaks when he's not giving a class, but when he does, it's always a good idea to listen. He is also quite perceptive. I do have a special, but distant, relationship with him.
“Now is there a protocol in place for that kind of situation?"
“No, I don't think so, but Rhino should know. (Rhino is the security guard of the school.)"
“I think he should be in his booth. Someone should check on him."
“He's dead. A glass shard cut his throat."
Everyone is starting to speak again.
“I've said shut up!"
“Since when you are in charge? Is that because you 'humans' are 'better' than us 'furries'?"
“No, Tiger, it's because I'm the most intelligent in this room, and I have a plan. If someone has a plan of their own or have something to say which deny that speak now."
“What he's saying is true."
Bear, who just arrived on the ground floor, is one of the few who knows my IQ, so he knows what I'm saying is true. I told him after he asked me. He did actually figured it out by himself, but I confirmed it.
“…"
“I still think that a bad idea to follow a human."
“Well, Tiger I will prove you're wrong. What about a quiz? I will answer any question, and denied all your present fear, for the next 5 minutes, and if I'm wrong, even if it's only once, I will give the lead to someone else."
“…"
“Really, nothing? The first one to speak about zombies have a bonus point."
“…"
“What will we do to protect ourselves against the zombies?"
“Technically, the zombies aren't a species according to the FRA, which means they don't exist. And even if they did exist, we are in the safest place for now. Next."
“…"
It's almost like they are afraid to ask their questions. Or maybe they are afraid of the answer.
“…"
“Are we under attack?"
“Maybe, but we are far from any land entry point, so if it's an invasion, they won't be here until at least a week from now. I'm far more worried about the looter for the moment. That's why we need to accept everyone, so no one will need to steal from us."
“Are our parents and family safe?"
“There is no way to know for now, but as long as you survive, there is still hope you will see them again. My mother and my step-father were most likely closer to the epicentre, which means they are probably dead. But there is no way to know for sure, so there is still hope, and I have to survive to see them again."
“If it's not an invasion, then why?"
“That I don't know yet, and I don't think we really have a chance to find out. For now, at lest. Next."
“Are we safe right now?"
“No, not yet. The worst is behind us, but the next step is the most dangerous. Soon, radioactive fallout will start, and it might kill us in the long term if we aren't ready by then."
“He's right. We need to get ready for that."
“The 5 minutes are past. Any objection?"
“…"
“Alright. Now I would like you to regroup in teams."