An epidemic broke out but it was an infection man had never seen before. Unlike all the other sickness that had been recorded in history, this virus did not cause man to die, but rather it made the dead rise. Hundreds of men, women and children were taken into the dark side, until soon animated corpses plagued and walked as far as the eye could see. The people in power ordered their tanks, planes and soldiers to kill those who had already died but it only resulted in more corpses walking on the face of the earth. It was a futile war where every gunshot and every wound just made victory harder and further to reach. In the end, it seemed like self-preservation was the only way to survive. If you don't want to join them, better run far far away.

The living had fought so hard to stay alive for just one more day — days that felt longer than just one rising and setting of the sun.

Nevertheless the cure was found in the end. Actually, it was just a vaccine that could only stop the infection and there was no salvation for those who had already died and were turned. What was lost, could never be regained. But it was enough though for those who lived; those who battled all odds to hold on their their dear lives. The cure was the answer to their problems and the miracle that the gods of science had given them. As soon as it was discovered, the plan was set into motion and all the survivors were given the vaccine. Now, even if bitten they did not turn and, even more importantly, when they die they stay dead.

Slowly but surely the undead stopped increasing in numbers, following that, the living started to annihilate all of the remnants of that terrifying hell.

Soon humans could finally wake up again without the fear of joining the army of the undead.

The world never returned 'back' to normal, because even as the commotion died down and the dust settled, what the world before was but a memory of a faraway dream and the new world molded by the aftermath of the epidemic was beyond recognizable. And in this new world, everyone who managed to stay alive had no other choice but to strive and move forward.

.

.

.

Osomatsu walked down the street, grocery bag in one hand and a can of beer on the other. He drank as he walked, remembering the devastation and suffering he had seen on these streets as he passed by the destroyed houses among other remains of the epidemic. He drank again, tilting his head to finish the whole can and tossing it on the side. He rummaged through the bag and found another can, opening it with just one hand and started to drink from it.

Osomatsu sighed, envious that some people would be shit drunk after drinking a few cans when he on the other hand needed to drink the whole night just to even start to forget.

He finally arrived home and still the alcohol refused to kick at all.

Osomatsu turned on the radio near the entrance as he went inside. The sound of the radio reporter came clearer and clearer through the static after a few turns of the knob.

"Today marks another victory for humanity, as Doctor Dekapan announces that as of today all of the population had been given the vaccine that counters the virus…"

Osomatsu left the radio on. He was not listening intently, just letting it serve as a background noise as he continued to secure the locks of the door.

During the chaos and destruction it was Choromatsu who volunteered to be Dekapan's assistant in finding the cure. He might as well even be the first one to be a part of the team, and Dekapan was more than happy to accept him.

Dekapan had wanted Choromatsu, or any of them for that matter, in a long time ever since he learned that the Matsunos were immune to the virus. There was something in their blood that easily destroyed whatever effects that virus had.

".. it had been a tough fight against our own departed." It was Dekapan himself talking on the radio, announcing to the world a victory that should be shared with Choromatsu as well. If only Choromatsu was still here.

"I can cure him Osomatsu-niisan. Believe me!"

Osomatsu literally froze on spot as Choromatsu's face flashed before his eyes. His brother was mad, too much coffee and too little sleep could easily do that to a person but Choromatsu's sanity hung on the brink due to a deeper reason.

Ichimatsu, unfortunately was not like Choromatsu. Their younger brother was turned and joined the army of the undead with just a single bite, and Osomatsu knew that Choromatsu was on his wits end to save Ichimatsu. Choromatsu just could not accept that his own flesh and blood had turned into something like that.

Choromatsu tried, day and night, to study. As soon as he had some results he would instantly give the sample cure to Ichimatsu. Choromatsu always had high hopes but his brother rejected every single attempt.

In the end Ichimatsu broke down as the last signs of life and activity left his body. For the second time and in a more permanent sense, Ichimatsu died.

"I failed…"

"Choromatsu it was not your fault…" Osomatsu had told him so many times before that he had lost count. Choromatsu just did not want to believe his older brother's words.

"I failed!"

"Like I said, don't blame yourself."

"If I don't blame myself then who could I blame? You left Ichimatsu to my care and I failed him twice! What kind of older brother am I?"

The memory was so powerful and vivid, too detailed for Osomatsu to handle. And in every end of the memory he could still see, as clear and as real as day, the sight of his little brother pointing a gun to his head and looking at him straight in the eye.

"I'm sorry. Osomatsu-niisan."

Osomatsu snapped back to reality with the sound of the gun echoing from his memory.

Dekapan's voice passed through Osomatsu's ear once more, "... all those we have lost will not be forgotten, this victory… this cure is for them."

Osomatsu had finished with the locks and now headed further inside the house, "yeah.. some victory.. some cure."

Osomatsu prepared the table to have a meal. He cooked ramen — if you call pouring hot water to cups cooking. While the dried noodles absorbed the heat of the water inside the container Osomatsu took out his brother's portions.

Osomatsu then looked at the table with a satisfied grin. Meal was served. Now all he had to do was prepare and set his brothers to dine with him.

He had kept Choromatsu's light sticks with him all the time. It really served no purpose at all, it being so small and not even able to light up anymore. But it was Choromatsu's, so it was important.

He placed the small sticks on top of the table, the same spot across Osomatsu's cup noodles where he knew Choromatsu liked to sit.

Osomatsu then searched the room for another memorabilia and easily found a tattered and ugly cat doll. It was Ichimatsu's.

Once upon a time when Choromatsu decided to leave home for a bit, Ichimatsu gave this to him. Even when Choromatsu had returned home, he had always kept the handmade doll.

It was not his to keep, yet Osomatsu kept it and had always thought that the thing reminded him so much of Ichimatsu. A cat who felt like trash but was loved either way.

Osomatsu then heard a small rumble that helped him be reminded of the stuff he still had to do for lunch. He smiled and set the doll near Choromatsu's place. Giving it a small kiss before he left.

The rumbling was accompanied by scratches and low gurgling noises from behind someone's throat. Osomatsu was quite cheerful though despite the horrid sounds. Osomatsu walked towards his parent's bedroom, now converted into a heavily armored storage room where the weak door was replaced by a stronger one with metal plating; the same kind of strengthening that also covered the walls inside the cool room. The locks here were more intricate than the ones in the front door because Osomatsu had made sure that no one could easily break in or out of this room.

The door swung open with the strength of Osomatsu's two arms. The light from outside spread on the floor just enough to barely see inside the dark room. The cool air from inside caressed Osomatsu's face, inviting him to go in. Osomatsu flicked the switch on the side and the room brightened up. He looked up and was instantly greeted by the dead stare from eyes that he knew had failed to see him a long time ago. Osomatsu smiled nonetheless, because even if it was a small chance that his brother could see him then he'll deserve a reassuring smile.

"I'm home Karamatsu." Osomatsu said and the dead groaned, "I see you've been protecting our younger brothers very well. Thank you."

Keeping the undead secretly hidden like this was technically illegal now. The government and the military forces wanted to wipe out every single one of them in order to finally contain the virus and eradicate the chances of it to evolve into a more a dangerous strain. But of course, Osomatsu would never follow a law like that. You'd have to kill him first before you could tear his undead brothers away from him.

Osomatsu went past the creature in chains whose head turned a little too late. He had only reacted due to the scent of the living when Osomatsu passed by. His jaw snapped, just wanting to take a bite from the warm meat in front of him.

Osomatsu paid no heed though, it was just Karamatsu.

Osomatsu walked directly to the freezer inside the same room, he slid the freezer open and pulled out a cannister. He took a towel nearby and cleaned the frost that hid the face inside the cannister.

A new memory played in the theatre of his mind.

The woman looked at him with eyes wet from tears of happiness and sadness. "Take… him…"

Osomatsu knew that woman, even if she looked dirtier and her hair was cut short, he would never forget the woman that loved his little Jyushimatsu.

Call it a miracle, or cliché, but somehow with some force Osomatsu could not explain, the woman had found Jyushimatsu for him and had brought him back. Even if it was just Jyushimatsu's head.

"He did not turn and he used his body again… and again… and again to save me." She explained in agony, her arms shaking as she extended the head towards Osomatsu. She was dying as well, but from the look in her eyes she was doing her best not to die — not to turn into one of them. She still had a purpose to fulfill and it was the only reason why she still tread the land of the living.

Osomatsu took the head and cradled it in his arms, an eternal smile lingered on Jyushimatsu's lips with maggots eating away the skin around his hollowed right eye. It was disgusting and if it was not the end of the world Osomatsu would never touch that. But it was the end, and this was his brother.

She smiled so happily, a smile that only Jyushimatsu could give to someone. "You're finally home Jyushimatsu. I'm happy for you."

She waited for Osomatsu to leave, and when she knew that her sunshine was far away from her. She took her own life. After all the sacrifices Jyushimatsu had done for her, she would never surrender her life to the virus.

"I'm home Jyushimatsu." Osomatsu smiled at the head inside, that warm smile looked so odd with that pale greying skin.

Osomatsu took the head and headed out to go to the main dining room. He placed the head there, just beside the cat doll because he knew Ichimatsu would love to be beside Jyushimatsu, and went back inside again.

Osomatsu stretched his arms and back to prepare for the next one. He then slid the door of their storage compartment, where inside was neither blanket nor extra pillows, but rather the half of the body of one of his brothers.

The small storage area was also modified and strengthened by Osomatsu himself, he knew that nothing inside there could easily go out unless he wanted to. It was already lunch time and Osomatsu wanted for him to get out.

A hand stretched out and buried its nails on the floor, it pulled up and carried his body forward. Another hand clawed out again and did the same. Its shaking body, torn here and there, was unbounded and unrestricted, as seen when it finally managed to get out of the small dark area. The creature was heading towards Osomatsu, obviously, being the only source of warmth and life inside that room.

.

"Niisan I'm scared!"

.

Todomatsu was the youngest one and they had always thought that he'd be the weakest too. But Todomatsu had proved them all wrong when in fact he was the one who protected all of them on the dawn of the attack.

A wall came crashing down, weakened by the bombs and bullets of the living and the sheer strength of the undead. Todomatsu, unfortunately was in the way and all the rubble and stone proved just how soft and squishy a human flesh was. Osomatsu had to turn around and watch his little brother wriggle and writhe as he tried to reach out.

"Let's go!" Karamatsu pulled Osomatsu, "They're gaining on us!"

"And leave Todomatsu, behind? Are you insane!"

"He's already bitten, if he dies…" But Karamatsu's words were cut off by Jyushimatsu's heart-wrenching shriek. "TOTTY!"

Todomatsu's face contorted, giving expressions Osomatsu would never see on his little brother. It was horribly shocking to see someone squirm while the virus was taking over every last inch of their body. Osomatsu felt his gut tighten and all its content wanting to gush out of his mouth, but he managed to keep it all down.

Then Todomatsu paused, and for a moment Osomatsu was glad that Todomatsu's eyes opened and turned to him, but all that happiness was for naught when he realized that it was not Todomatsu under that boulder anymore.

.

"That's it Todomatsu. Come to oniichan." Osomatsu smiled as he walked backwards.

Todomatsu's intestines among other organs fell out and dragged behind him with only his limbs pulling him to move. While Todomatsu crawled, Osomatsu finally tended to Karamatsu who was still chained to the post. He smiled to him and took out the earphones he was wearing. Osomatsu could hear the music softly playing from the earphones and was glad that it helped to lessen Karamatsu's aggressiveness even a little. The moment the music was taken from his ears though, the zombie attacked without hesitation and Osomatsu instantly blocked him with his arms. Osomatsu just let the zombie gnaw in his arm, and while Karamatsu's hands were still bounded his legs were always free, so in order to move Karamatsu Osomatsu just needed to gently pull the chain and walk towards the next room. The dead Karamatsu following beside him with his teeth still attached to his older brother's arm.

"My hand, Karamatsu?" Osomatsu asked raising a brow. He had already secured Karamatsu in the dining room and should really continue to but the zombie did not let go.

Osomatsu shook his head and lifted his other hand to place a gentle tap on the zombies head. "There there. Calm down Karamatsu."

The zombie stopped gnawing and started to stare, his jaw loosened and Osomatsu easily pulled his hand away. Osomatsu had also learned that this zombie calmed down every time he did that and even from something like that, somehow Osomatsu wanted to believe that it was the proof that his brother was still in there.

.

"Shoot me! I swear I will turn into one of them. I can feel it."

Osomatsu had been positive though, he and Choromastu were bitten before but did not turn. So there was a chance that maybe Karamatsu was immuned too. However, Osomatsu had been naive and the scars on his arm was proof. Karamatsu turned by nightfall, attacking them all in their sleep. Good thing it was Osomatsu whom Karamatsu attacked, at least the virus did not spread.

"Shoot him!" Ichimatsu screamed in fear, "Osomatsu-niisan! Shoot him!"

But Osomatsu could not do it. Karamatsu's teeth sank in Osomatsu's skin and the gun was already in Osomatsu's other hand. It was just so easy to shoot him and end it all right here but Osomatsu found it very difficult to even point a gun at his own brother.

"Choromatsu, chains! Help me bind him!" Osomatsu ordered and Choromatsu instantly moved.

"Ichimatsu stay back we still don't know if you're immune or not!" Osomatsu screamed when he saw Ichimatsu moved at the corner of his eye.

No. He never dared to be naive again. He would not let another one of his brothers turn just because he was being an idiot.

.

Osomatsu pulled his sleeves and revealed the thick cardboard he had wrapped around his arm. He needed to replace since it had already been ripped by Karamatsu's teeth. He took a knife and cut the brown tape, slicing the whole thing across without regard and just letting it fall on the floor. Once removed, it revealed the numerous bite marks and scratches Osomatsu had obtained.

The first, the third, and the fifth, the odd numbered brothers were the only ones immune to the virus. For some reason, whether it was DNA or just because, no matter how many times they were bitten they did not turn into one of those creatures. Even Jyushimatsu who had died and remained just a head did not turn into a zombie. Choromatsu had some explanation for that when he was working with Dekapan but Osomatsu did not care. The only thing they wanted to care about was that if they could still take back their brothers from the virus.

So they formed a plan, where Choromatsu had kept Ichimatsu's body in the laboratory to use as an actual test subject, while Osomatsu had Karamatsu and Todomatsu as reserve. Once Choromatsu found the cure for them, they would at least have Karamatsu or maybe even Todomatsu to survive if Choromatsu was good enough.

But Choromatsu failed, and the failure was more than a single person like him could bear that in the end the ultimate answer was to take his own life.

Osomatsu heard shuffling on the floor and knew that Todomatsu was near. He took out the ropes and waited for Todomatsu to arrive.

"Come here Totty!" Osomatsu called quite sweetly. Zombies might not respond to their names, but somehow Osomatsu still wanted to call his brothers that way. He was not delusional and he knew what exactly was happening around him. If anything, he was just being optimistic. This was the only way he knew to do in order to move forward in this new world.

Osomatsu prepared and caught Todomatsu with a rope around his neck. Quickly, with trained hands and strengthened body, he easily fastened the crawling creature on the wall.

"OK!" Osomatsu said with finality when he was done calming and placing the rowdy undead on their side of the table, "...and done."

Osomatsu had a satisfied grin on his face when he sat back down on his side of the table. The noodles he had prepared had started to cool down a bit but the lazy steam still danced on top.

"Happy birthday everyone!" Osomatsu exclaimed and for a split second he saw from the corner of his eye his brothers, all living and well, smiling back at him with the same vigorous, "Happy birthday! Osomatsu-niisan!"

But the image vanished the moment he looked up and gazed around the table. Around him were empty spaces replaced only by things his dead brothers used to keep, a silent head with a haunting smile, an animated corpse of his little brother's half body and the aggressive undead that was once Karamatsu.

'If only I could get drunk easily.' Osomatsu hoped as he started to eat in silence. He envied once more those people who could forget what was happening around them after just drinking a can or two — what he'd give if he could be the same. 'If only I am delusional.' He further thought that sometimes he just wanted to grab the happy images he had seen and keep them, but they always vanish whenever he tried to look at it.

But above all these things, what he wished for the most was 'if only I wasn't immune.'

Osomatsu was interested in knowing what it felt like to be a zombie, what being an undead was all about, and what it felt like to not survive at all. He bet — being a gambler as he was — that it must be less painful than this longing inside his beating heart.

Today Osomatsu had grown another year older, but unlike all the birthdays they had before, this time he would be leaving his brothers behind; his brothers that were frozen in that state until the time came for them to rot, to stop moving, or whatever would happen to zombies if they die a natural 'death'.

"Happy birthday." He whispered, less energetic compared to the first greeting. He wondered if it was because of the plain noodles and the lack of cake, but clearly it was not that at all.

Osomatsu could never be one of them now. He was different from them now and it ran in his blood, an immunity where only a more powerful strain of virus could turn him. But no one wanted that, no one would want to go back and experience that hellish torture one more time. So for now, like the dawn of the new day that needed to begin once more, Osomatsu just had to accept the brand new kind of 'normal' this world had offered him

From now on, eating with the rotting undead, with these trinkets, with Jyushimatsu's silence… was his new life. His new normal.

—THE END—

Meanwhile outside, just before the door of the small Matsuno house, loomed a shadow of a man. He raised the paper with Dekapan's report above his overbite and glared at it. The angry stare did not falter when he looked up back at the house in front of him.

Behind him were a small army, fully armed and just waiting for the order to exterminate.

Iyami stepped forward and gently knocked on the heavily locked door...

This story was made during the sextuplets birthday last May 24 so it has that birthday thing in there.

All reviews and reactions are welcomed. So thank you thank you very much for reading it and I really hoped you liked it!