Army of True Salvation - Chapter 28：Their Denouement

After a few moments of silence, one of their classmates spoke. “So, what’s the plan,” he asked and Sheloah bumped Veon’s shoulder, asking him to speak. She was a bit shy from the situation that had just happened.

“Why me?” Veon complained in a whisper as Sheloah rolled her eyes at him. Yet she just told the plan even though she was a bit embarrassed in front of her classmates.

“This was Veon’s plan, actually. We will divide the class into groups. There are 46 of us. Veon, Josh, Tyler and I won’t be joining so that means the group would be by fours or threes. One would be a healer, two would be supports, and one would be the attacker. But of course, if it’s a three-member-group, it would only be one of each role.”

“What’s the difference between a support and an attacker,” one of their classmates asked and Sheloah answered.

“The support’s task would be to protect the attacker and the healer. Their main weapon would be a spear. Each group, there would be an attacker and the attackers would be given a gun. The guns and the bullets are limited so we could only have one attacker each group.”

“So all of us would be learning how to fight as a team,” she said and Sheloah nodded at her.

“Yes. We all need to work in teams and have teamwork. The healers would be like the nurse of each group. If one is hurt, the nurse should act quickly. Supports would do melee attacks. Each of them would be given spears to protect the healer and attacker. The attacker would be the main person to attack for the group, that’s why they have their gun,” Veon explained the flow of the plan and the class now understood.

“Since now we understand the plan, let us form the groups. Once we form the groups, we will explain in detail the other parts of the plans,” Sheloah said and their classmates nodded as they formed their own groups.

While they were waiting for them to form their groups, Sheloah looked at Veon, Josh, and Tyler. “Together, we make one team, then,” she said and they nodded at her.

“Veon, you’re an attacker,” Sheloah said and he looked at her curiously.

“I was hoping it would be you. You’re a good attacker,” he said and Sheloah laughed at him slightly.

“I would take on the healing role for the meantime. And besides, if you need a break, we could swap roles,” she said and he nodded.

After a few moments, they had already completed forming their groups. They all sat down as Tyler and Josh listed the names of each group on their phones. Sir Erick and Sir Jim then approached them.

“We heard about the plan. Concerning the weapons, I would be the one in charge,” Sir Erick said and Sheloah was quite surprised as she nodded at him.

“Thank you, Sir Erick.” She thanked him and their Social Sciences teacher smiled at her.

Sir Erick was their teacher in their Economics subject as well. He graduated as a Summa Cum Laude when he finished his bachelor’s degree. He was a very resourceful person as well!

During their lessons, he would come inside without bringing any books or notes with him and would just go directly on the board to write down the notes of the day’s lesson. He was one of their best teachers that they could easily understand.

“I would also make the melee weapons. I would make their spears with the resources we have here,” Sir Erick said and Sheloah nodded at him.

“Don’t worry. I’ll help him,” Sir Jim said and Sheloah smiled at him.

“Thank you.” She thanked both of the teachers.

Tyler looked at Sheloah. “All is listed down. Proceed,” he said and Sheloah now then told the details of the plan.

“Now that you are all grouped together, I will explain the following details.” She let out a sigh as she looked at her classmates seriously. “Tomorrow morning until the afternoon, we will be teaching each group how to fight as one.”

“I know that most of us don’t have the experience when it comes to fighting but we all know we all start in small steps. Like us. We aren’t good at first, but with the process of learning, we could. We will help each other.” Their classmates listened to Sheloah.

“Once you’re ready, on the third day, before we leave the rooftop, we need to test our training,” she said as she folded her arms in front of her chest. “We will let zombies in for real-life killing experience,” she added and some of their classmates showed fear on their faces.

“Are you guys up to the challenge?”

They could not answer.

Veon suddenly spoke. “Why can’t you guys answer? Don’t you want to avenge your parents? It’s time for the children to avenge and protect their families. It’s time for them to rest and now is our time to fight for ourselves, not relying on them,” Veon said and their classmates who were scared calmed down.

“You guys can do it, right?” Their classmates nodded.

This time, they didn’t hesitate to answer.

“How will we escape here on the third day?” One of their classmates asked and Sheloah answered.

“That will be our job tomorrow evening. We will leave the school again with Sir Jim, Sir Erick, Josh, Tyler, my uncle, and Veon. Edward and Kennneth, you will be coming with us since both of you know how to drive,” she said and the two boys nodded at her.

“Veon said that we will be getting two buses from Victory Liner. The other bus would be for the parents, and the other bus would be for the students. There will be a car leading us. The two buses would be following the leading car and there would be another car at the back of the two buses.” As Sheloah said this, their classmates nodded in approval at the plan Veon made.

“In the leading car, the teachers and my uncle would be there. For the car at the back, Veon, Josh, Tyler and I would be there,” she added and their classmate raised their hand to ask a question.

“Who will be guarding each bus? What if an ambush happens?”

“In bus 1, the parents’ bus, Kennneth would be driving. Dean will be the guard. On bus 2, Edward will drive and Ace will be the guard,” she answered and now they felt relieved to know that Sheloah and Veon had planned this far.

“Any more questions? If none, I will proceed to the other parts of the plan,” she said and they all went silent.

“Tomorrow after the training ends, at six in the evening, we would be leaving to get the buses. We will be going to Victory Liner so we would be ready for departure on the third day. After the morning training on the third day, we will leave the school.” She finalized the plan and their classmates realized that they only had three days left before they leave the school.

Isobel went to Sheloah. “I’ll go with you, guys. You need a medic just in case,” she said and Sheloah smiled at her. She was right. They do need a healer.

Sheloah looked at her classmates seriously once more. “We are the survivors of the school right now. We need to leave this place together. No one will get left behind. We will all help each other. We are one big family now.”

With these words said by Sheloah, their classmates stood in determination as she continued to speak.

“Like what Veon had said… it’s time for us to fight and to let our parents’ rest. Now that this situation is happening, it’s time for us to return the favor for all the things they have done to us,” she added and Sir Jim suddenly spoke.

“From now on, we are one big group, one big family!”

He raised his hand then he put it down and paused his hand mid-air, making everyone put their hands on top of each other, like their class was participating in a big sports competition.

“We’re all in this together!” Sir Jim shouted and everyone shouted in agreement.

“Yeah!”

“This is our survival! This is our army!” Sir Erick joined in in motivating the group and all of them started to feel excited.

“Army of True Salvation!”

Everyone raised their right hand in unison as everyone shouted the name Tyler had given the group out of whim but it indeed had a ring to it.

“Army of True Salvation!”

From now on, they are now one big group. They will all move towards their own future. No one will get left behind. They will try their best to protect each other.

They are now a family. No matter what happens, they will always be the Army of True Salvation; a group who doesn’t know how to give up. They will always be the group who would always fight for their lives for a possible, attainable future despite being in the midst of chaos.

This is their denouement.