The Warrior Wire staff meeting last Friday should have ended like any other: laptops shutting, chairs scraping, someone lingering too long to finish a thought. Instead, the lights flickered. The building hummed. And somewhere above, a door creaked open that shouldn’t have been unlocked.
Earlier that day, Julia H had visited the very real 12th-floor pool. She swam. She left. She might have forgotten to turn the lights off. That detail didn’t seem important until sirens echoed through the stairwells, making North Atlanta feel less like a school and more like a movie.
Thirteen Warrior Wire seniors were trapped inside eleven floors of hallways, lockers, and staircases that suddenly felt much longer than usual. The rules were fairly simple: hide anywhere, avoid the zombies, and if caught, face exile to Forsyth County—a bus ride so long it has its own emotional journey. One person also had to be sacrificed. Journalism requires tough choices. Drew Coleman was chosen and immediately removed from the building so the rest of the staffers could develop a plan.
From there, things went downhill. Bradley tried to survive by narrating every action she took, as if she was on a podcast titled “So I’m Being Chased.” Let’s just say this was not the best idea. She was quickly exiled to Forsyth, but then returned due to excessive talking, and trapped in between floors on elevator G, where she remains…still talking.
On the middle floors, Josh and Ryan tried to wait it out. The plan worked for a brief moment and then fell apart. Cabell moved to quick through a stairwell, forgetting that echoes can attract Zombies. Julia P and Bailey S committed to nonstop movement, pacing the halls like they were trying to reach their step goal. Somehow this tactic worked for a while.
Higher up, the situation became serious. Addie relied on locked doors and instincts. Ella remained disturbingly calm, treating this like a minor hassle. Grant almost executed a legendary escape, confidently navigating the stairwells. Bailey L and Julia H formed a silent alliance—no talking, no movement, no unnecessary noise.
And then there was Claire. While everyone avoided the 12th floor, Claire chose to linger near it. She waited beside the glowing pool lights, completely unfazed. She did not move or panic. Eventually, the building felt silent. When the doors unlocked, Claire walked out alone in victory.
Final Survival Rankings
1st Place: Claire 2nd Place: Julia H 3rd Place: Bailey L 4th: Grant 5th: Ella 6th: Addie 7th: Bailey S 8th: Julia P 9th: Cabell 10th: Ryan 11th: Josh 12th: Bradley (returned from exile, trapped in elevator) 13th: Drew (the sacrifice)
The North Atlanta Zombie Apocalypse proved that survival isn’t about speed. It’s about silence, strategy, and turning off the lights when you leave the pool.
Stay alert, Warriors.
