Chapter 1-Usagi will be brave
Tokyo. A city of young people. A place where people thrived and lived, happily and contently for so many years.
Lately, a new race had taken over the city. Its population quickly spread and the infection enveloped the once-peaceful place. It was no longer a place for people to live. The undead had taken over, snuffed out the lights and spread despair among the remaining few.
Night fell silently and darkness shrouded the streets. The livings quickly retreated to their shelters and locked their doors. The crescent moon in the sky, the only light source illuminating the city, casted long shadows as the zombies freely roamed the streets.
Usagi parted the curtains and peeked outside the window. Her eyes had adjusted to darkness, after months of training. The coast seemed clear, no undead in sight.
In the dark room, Chibiusa moaned and stirred in her bed, as her fever spiked again. Her hand shot out, searching for her big sister's hand. Tears rolled down her face as she whimpered. "I am scared, Usagi….."
Usagi replaced the cold towel on the little girl's forehead. "It's going to be okay. Just close your eyes and think of a happy place, okay?" She averted her eyes, hoping not to betray her own fear. Truth was, they ran out of medications yesterday. Who knew, a simple run-of-the-mill flu could kill so easily now.
"uh…." The little girl tossed about, clutching her head. "It hurts…."
Usagi glanced at the family photo next to the bed and clenched her fists. In the first week of the apocalypse, they lost their parents. They died protecting them. Now, it was up to Usagi to make sure her little sister would live…
"Chibiusa, I am going to go out. The pharmacy is only four blocks away; I can bike there and back. Here…" Usagi tug the stuffed animal in, "Luna will keep you company until I come back."
"mm…mama…papa…." Chibiusa started to drift in and out of consciousness. "Usagi, stop eating my food…"
Usagi leaned down and kissed the girl on the burning forehead. She slowly made her way down the stairs, accustomed to the darkness by now. Swiftly, she packed her flashlight and a knife into her pink backpack. Even though her heart was pounding fiercely, survival instinct threatening to stop her in her track, Usagi gritted her teeth and ignored her fear. Without antibiotics, Chibiusa wouldn't make it….
She tied her long pigtails up into a tight bun and jumped on the bike. Last time she almost died when one of the zombies grabbed her hair…she wasn't about to repeat that mistake again…
Looking back at the house one last time, Usagi wiped the tears off her face. She had to do this…..
The moon hung low in the sky, illuminating the streets and casting shadows on the decomposing bodies. In the summer heat, the stench was almost unbearable. Usagi tried to breathe through her mouth as she pedaled through the deserted street.
Up ahead, she could see two rogue zombies walking around aimlessly. Slow to a crawl, Usagi quietly maneuvered the bike to the next alley, avoiding detection. Once she was safe, Usagi picked up speed again, heading straight towards the pharmacy.
"Please don't be raided. Please don't be raided." Usagi prayed silently in her head. Last time she was there, she managed to scavenge some painkillers and bandages, but that was two weeks ago.
The store looked empty when she arrived. Usagi carefully made one round around the store, checking for any herds of zombies. Then, she carefully crawled through the broken window.
"I want to be a ninja when I grow up." A young Usagi had said once. She remembered how her mom sewn a ninja costume for her and how her mom stayed up that night, practicing "ninja skills" with Usagi. The next day at the talent show, Usagi proudly showed it off and she even won second place in the competition.
Walking quietly through the aisle, Usagi smiled sadly. If only she was really a ninja, she might have been better at protecting her little sister. Before the apocalypse, she was just a normal, carefree girl. Forced to grow up overnight, Usagi shouldered the burden bravely…
For the first few weeks, Usagi scavenged food close to her house, raiding neighbor houses and the rows of vending machines close by. As the food source dwindle, Usagi had to venture out further and further. There were some close calls, but Usagi had been lucky so far…
Clung. Something fell off the shelf, stopping Usagi in her track. Usagi grabbed the knife out of her backpack and looked around. She could sense movement in the store, paired with that familiar stench of death.
Gripping the handle tightly, Usagi carefully moved through the aisle. She knew that one wrong judgment, one wrong movement and that would be the end of her. The stench was getting closer and Usagi fought the urge to run…
So far, Usagi hadn't killed any zombies yet. She always preferred running away, instead of risking a confrontation. Today, she couldn't run and she knew she had to take care of this one before she could get her drugs.
"Grrr..Argh" The zombie turned the corner and bumped into Usagi. Thrown off balance, she felled backward and her back hit the ground with crushing force. The undead crouched down and with his decomposing jaws hanging low, the zombie started to chomp inches away from the fallen girl.
Panic set in and Usagi waved her knife blindly. A few cuts landed on the zombie's face but it was futile. Usagi looked into the zombie's empty eyes and her heart sank. In the frenzied fight, Usagi lost her grip on the knife and it flew out of her hand.
Weaponless, defenceless, Usagi held out her hands and tried to push the monster away. Was this it? Was this the end?
Zing. A shiny blade swung out and neatly chopped off the zombie's head. It rolled a few feet and then a foot stepped on it.
Usagi looked up and saw a handsome boy holding a bloody katana, beside him stood a gorgeous lady with aquamarine hair.
"Are you okay?" The woman held out her hand and help Usagi to her feet.
Too shocked to talk, Usagi merely nodded.
"Next time, you might want to use a bigger knife." The boy said coldly as he wiped the blood off with his shirt.
"Haruka! Be nice." The woman instructed. "Don't mind her, she's hungry and cranky. My name is Michiru, what's yours?"
"My name is Usagi."
"What are you doing out here all by yourself? You should know by now, it is safer to scavenge with more than one person." Michiru said as she continued to stick medicine into her oversized bag.
"My little sister, she's very sick and we ran out of meds. Her fever kept on returning despite all my efforts and I …" Usagi gulped and tried to hold back her tears.
Michiru looked at Haruka and they shared a look. Haruka rolled her eyes. "Michiru, we can't keep picking up strays…"
Ignoring Haruka, Michiru smiled warmly at Usagi. "Haruka and I and a group of survivors are staying at this beach house. There is someone that might be able to help. She was a medical student when the apocalypse hit and she's the closest thing to a doctor. Not to mention, I have all the meds now…" She chuckled lightly as she pointed at her bag.
Usagi widened her eyes and couldn't believe her luck. She bowed gratefully and deeply at the stranger. "We are just a few blocks away from here….thank you. Thank you. Thank you."
Michiru put her arm around the distraught girl and gently squeezed her shoulder. "You won't ever be alone again. Come….Let's go get your sister and then we will go back to the house."