The sound of porcelain shattering echoed, scattering shards across the asphalt. Instantly, several growling infected reacted to the disturbance, their guttural sounds of hunger filling the air as they charged toward the source of the noise across the street.
I watched the infected scramble from behind a green SUV. Turning back, I glanced over at Saki and Keika. Saki had a tense expression as she watched the infected while Keika clung to her sister's neck, burying her face in Saki's hood from her spot on her sister's back.
We slipped out from behind the car, our bodies low and out of sight, hearts pounding in our chests. Each step felt like a huge risk as we darted from one vehicle to another, desperate to cross the block unnoticed. I paused beside a burned-down car, gripping my metal bat tightly, knuckles white. I took a deep breath, trying to steady the growing tremor in my hands.
Peering around the corner, dread washed over me. A massive, ambling horde sprawled across the street, a sea of bodies moving with a chilling, mindless hunger. The sheer size of it took my breath away, and I felt fear clawing its way up my throat. I glanced back at Saki, our eyes locking in silent agreement—turning back was the only option.
We pressed onward, keeping low, our hearts racing as we zigzagged through the streets for several hours. Feeling tired, we crouched behind a line of vending machines, staying out of sight as we caught our breath. I glanced down at my bag, one last plate glinting at me mockingly. A wave of frustration and anxiety surged within me as I grimaced and turned to Saki, the unspoken weight of our situation hanging heavily in the air.
"One left," I whispered, my voice barely more than a breath. Saki turned to me, her brows knitting together in concern, but she quickly nodded in understanding.
"Alright, let's hold onto it for an emergency then," she replied, her voice steady despite the uncertainty hanging in the air.
As we resumed our cautious journey, the weight of the city around us felt more oppressive with each passing moment. Ruined storefronts greeted us, while blood smeared the roads and buildings, and gore littered the streets. The corpses of those who perished but didn't rise as infected lay on the asphalt and sprawled over abandoned vehicles. Their mangled bodies were a constant reminder of what could happen to us if we're not careful.
Time dragged on, each passing hour seeming to stretch endlessly as we trudged forward, our previously brisk pace faltering under the weight of fatigue.
Throughout the day, we took turns carrying Keika, her petite figure nestled on our backs. Although she was usually light enough to carry without effort, as the hours passed, she began to feel increasingly heavy. It didn't help that hunger and thirst were beginning to weigh heavily on us all.
"Stop!" I hissed as we immediately stopped. I looked around the brick wall we hid behind and watched as two infected ate the remains of a dog. Behind them were several more, standing around aimlessly. Saki winced and stopped Keika from looking.
They don't just eat humans.
I looked around, searching for an alternate route to continue. Unfortunately, there were none. Abandoned vehicles cluttered the streets, and larger groups of infected were scattered throughout the area. This path was our only option if we wanted to proceed without adding another day's travel by taking a different route. It meant that if we wanted to keep moving forward, we would have to find a way to distract the infected blocking our way.
"What do we do? Head back?" Saki whispered as she adjusted Keika on her back. Her face was covered in sweat, and exhaustion was clear to see. We needed to stop for the day.
"We can't. If we do, we'll have to backtrack a lot of the progress we've made," I said, gripping my bat tightly. My hands shook as I peered at a few stray undead. I didn't want to engage them. But there was no other way. "Stay here. I'm going to clear a path."
"What? Hikigaya-"
Before Saki could finish, I started moving toward the first of the undead in our path. I moved as silently as possible, being careful not to step on anything that might alert them to my position. I inspected two groaning infected that stood ten feet away from me. Their bodies were bloodied and mangled, like the rest. One of them had half their skin stripped from their head, and the white bone of their skull was fully exposed. The other's upper body was bare, with deep cuts and trenches on his bloodied back. His spinal cord could be seen poking out of his back as he hobbled around.
It's okay. I can do this. From what I've observed, none of the infected seem to move without their heads. The chances are that if I damage the head enough, they should go down. It's a gamble, but I have to try.
I gripped my metal bat tightly until my knuckles turned white.
But am I capable of attacking what used to be a perfectly normal person?
The memory of me luring Tobe out of the home economics window flashed through my mind. I had done what was needed then. I can do it again.
No, this isn't the same... I used cold logic to think of a way to remove Tobe from the room with as little contact as possible. But this... this requires me to be directly involved. To use my own strength to kill another individual.
Adapt or die, as Iroha said.
No. These things are no longer people. I know that! All they are now are just monsters!
I inhaled deeply, feeling the cool air fill my lungs, and raised the heavy metal bat high above my head.
My heart raced, and my breath quickened as I stood there, adrenaline coursing through my veins. Every sense felt heightened in that tense moment. I took a step forward, my grip tightening around the handle of the bat.
But just as I prepared to swing with all my might at the infected's ghastly head, doubt crept in.
I hesitated at the moment of truth.
And in this new world, hesitation kills.
I took a small step back and accidentally stepped on a shard of glass from the broken window to my right.
The two infected spun at the sound of the glass with a hiss. A bloodied piece of flesh hung limply between one of their mouths. The closest one hobbled and lunged, his bloodied hands reaching towards me. I clambered back and avoided its crazed swings. Briefly, I heard Keika's hushed whimpers and saw the other infected turn toward her and Saki. I dashed past them and made a beeline for them.
No! I thought, wide-eyed.
A fierce surge of primal instincts ignited, awakening the very essence of survival. It urged me to act decisively. The roar of my protective instincts clamored in my heart, demanding that I move immediately and without hesitation.
I felt the weight of responsibility pressing down on my shoulders, compelling me to protect those I cared about from these walking monstrosities.
In this new, unforgiving, and bloody world, the stark reality was painfully clear: I had to abandon my former beliefs and moral guidelines. What once defined right and wrong now felt meaningless in the face of survival. The only truth that remained was my desperate need to ensure Komachi's safety.
I had to protect her from danger at all costs, as it was my duty as her older brother.
Alongside Komachi, I had to make sure that Yukino, Yui, Saki, and Keika were all safe. In this new world, I would do whatever it took—no matter how drastic the measures—to keep them all safe.
Like hell I'd let you!
I slipped another swipe from the infected in front of me and swung my bat against its knee, eliciting a viscus snap. He fell in a heap, and I ran towards the infected that was dashing toward Saki and Keika. Saki had placed Keika behind her, her spear now in her hands, ready to protect her sister. Just as the undead was about to reach them, I flexed my arms back and swung with every ounce of my currently adrenaline-powered muscles.
A sickening splat sprayed in front of me as the undead's head exploded in a shower of gore and brain matter, splattered on the wall. The infected fell to the ground in a heap of limbs, now truly dead. Spinning around, the infected from before made a mad lunge at me, its teeth chomping at the air. I twisted and swung my weapon down into the man's skull. The bat sank deeply into his head, sending blood splashing onto the ground.
My breath came out fast and erratically as I watched the infected fall onto its back, and then, I felt a sharp pain slash through my chest, causing me to gasp. The pain lasted several seconds before disappearing.
"Hikigaya, are you okay?" Saki asked, worried.
"F-fine. I'm fine… let's keep going." I turned to Saki and Keika. They were looking at me with wide, worried eyes. After a moment of hesitation, Saki nodded and kneeled for Keika to climb back on. Her spear was strapped to her side.
"Is Hacchan okay?" Keika asked.
"Yeah, I'm okay," I said with a smile that hid my worries.
Saki stepped beside me, and we continued moving forward. Fortunately, the other infected were far enough away that they didn't seem to hear the commotion. From that moment on, I didn't hesitate to take down any of the infected that blocked our way. Still, I made sure to avoid confronting them if I could help it and used violence only when necessary.
As nightfall approached, the sky grew dark, and we needed to find shelter for the night. Reaching Komachi and Taishi would likely take another day or two of slow, careful travel. Keeping this in mind, we left the back roads in search of a suitable place to rest for the night. Reaching an intersection, I leaned against the corner of a once-popular coffee shop and spotted a pharmacy down the road. There were only two infected in the area.
x x x
"Komachi-chan, look." Taishi reached into a box filled with clothes and handed Komachi a thick, dark green jacket. "Here, this should keep you warm," he said.
With a grateful smile, Komachi accepted the coat and quickly slipped it on, pulling it snug against her body. The fabric felt comforting against her chilled skin. Taishi nodded and walked over to stare out the dusty window of the storage room, where the streets were a blur of frantic movement.
Their narrow escape from the relentless undead at the grocery store had been a frantic race. As they ran through the city, they dodged and weaved through the streets, changing directions at every corner to evade the grasp of those horrifying creatures.
But despite their efforts, the clamor of moans and shuffling feet grew louder, and the once-peaceful roads now overflowed with the undead from all sides. The realization that they were gradually being surrounded clawed at the edges of Taishi's mind as they ran, and he knew it was only a matter of time before they would be cornered. With this in mind, they changed course from returning to Komachi's home to an area with fewer ambling infected.
As they ran through the streets, exhaustion was beginning to weigh heavily on them both. After several close calls, they eventually spotted the Mihama Cultural Hall looming in the distance. Its sturdy structure appeared as a beacon of hope, especially since the infected were nowhere to be seen in the area. Without exchanging any words, they sprinted toward it, their hearts pounding in sync with their footfalls.
When they reached the building, they found that the doors were locked. Taishi cursed as panic rose within him. Looking back, he saw several infected individuals emerging from the streets they had just left. They had been followed. Thinking quickly, Komachi glanced up and noticed an open window on the wall. After receiving a boost from Taishi, she jumped inside and opened the door for him.
The Mihama Cultural Hall was a large building, primarily consisting of spacious concert rooms and performance halls. With fear in their hearts, they ran through the building, ignoring the grand concert rooms, and discovered a storage room on the second floor. The room was a decent size, and the door was made of metal, which would provide good protection while they waited. After using whatever objects they could find to barricade the door, Komachi and Taishi sat down to finally rest.
At some point, they heard a faint crash and the sound of broken glass somewhere inside the building. It didn't take long for the sounds of footsteps and groans to reach them on the other side of the door, filling them both with dread.
They were no longer alone.
Blinking the memories away, Taishi walked away from the window and sat beside Komachi. "I'm hungry," Taishi whispered, trying to lift her spirits.
Komachi nodded in agreement, her eyes scanning the room, seeing several boxes full of random items and equipment, but finding nothing they could eat. She regretted not having brought her shopping basket.
"I know... me too. But we can't go to the cafeteria. Those… things are in the building with us," Komachi said as she stood up and walked over to the stack of chairs and furniture they had used to barricade the storage room doors. "We just have to wait a little longer. Onii-Chan and Saki-San are on their way… we just have to hold on a bit longer."
"Did he say when they'd get here?" Taishi asked.
"Before my phone died, he said it would probably take another day," Komachi said. "What about Saki-San? What did she say?"
"I tried to ask, but I think the phone lines went down. The internet doesn't seem to work anymore either," Taishi said as he held his phone, his eyes locked on the words no service on his phone's upper corner.
Komachi nodded but blushed when her stomach rumbled hungrily. Taishi chuckled lightly and pulled out a half-eaten multigrain bar. He stared at it for a few seconds and then smiled.
"Here, eat this," Taishi said while holding out the bar. Komachi's eyes widened, and she shook her head.
"I can't… that's yours, Taishi-kun," she replied. Taishi smiled and walked over to her.
"It's okay, Komachi-chan, eat. I'll be fine," Taishi said with a smile as he held the bar closer to Komachi. "I want you to have it."
Komachi looked at the snack bar and felt her stomach rumbling. Slowly, she accepted it and unwrapped it. Carefully, she split the bar in half and held one piece out to Taishi. He smiled and accepted the food.
"Thank you, Taishi-kun," Komachi said as she popped the small piece into her mouth.
The two of them sat down on a pile of sheets and leaned into each other. After a moment, Komachi blushed as she felt Taishi's arm wrap around her. Smiling, she wrapped her right arm around Taishi's waist. It was a small comfort as they listened to the undead horrors outside.