A/N: Rates and reviews appreciated, enjoy!
Chapter 4: The Beginning of the End
We'd been walking down the streets for about an hour now, and our shadows began to disappear as the sun set behind us. While I usually covered this much ground almost everyday, I could sense that Asuna was dragging behind a bit. She hadn't set foot outside since this disaster struck 40 days ago. She looked thin and worn out from a lack of food and exercise. Small beads of sweat were spread across her forehead as she wiped them away with her sleeve.
"Alright, we should be in the clear. Want to take a rest?" I asked, pointing to a bench on the sidewalk. She nodded in exhaustion, and we stopped to catch our breaths.
"How are you not tired?" She questioned, slumping back onto the arm rest and breathing heavily.
"I walk this far pretty much everyday. Maybe a little more if I have the motivation." I sighed, leaning against the back of the bench. I closed my eyes and let my heartbeat slow down while my legs rested.
For a while, both of us just sat there. We didn't say anything nor make eye contact for a few minutes. Eventually, Asuna piped up with a low voice.
"Hey, Kazuto?" We locked eyes, then her gaze drifted towards the empty houses and flickering lights that lined the streets. "How did this happen?"
"H-Huh? You mean how the epidemic started?" I looked at her in confusion. As soon as the first diseased hospital patient had infected someone else, it went viral all over the news. Just a few days later was when I had to leave my home.
"Yeah... I was never able to watch the news on that first day. Plus, all I know about those zombie things is that the infection is spread through biting. Before today, I've only really seen a few of them walking past my house..." Asuna hugged her knees and looked up at the bright orange sky.
"Well, there was a diseased patient in a hospital, and one day he just went rogue and started biting the nurses and other patients. They sent him to a psych ward and didn't think much of it, until all of the bitten victims started acting the same way a few hours later. Eventually, the infected people escaped the hospital, and made it to Tokyo square. I heard a few hundred people were bitten there. Even the police weren't able to stop them." I explained, letting her soak in all of the information I'd blurted out at once. She folded her hands in her lap and looked back down.
"Oh, so that's what happened... It's funny. I thought this kind of stuff only happens in the movies." We both chuckled a bit, before regaining a serious composure.
"So, you didn't see the news at all? I saw that you guys had a lot of TV's in your house." I asked abruptly. She looked down at her hands and fiddled with her fingers for a bit.
"Well... There was no electricity in my house. My parents turned it off the day they left so it wouldn't be charged to their credit card." She gave a sad smile, but I had no idea what she meant by that.
"Wait, your parents left-"
"That was a nice rest, thank you for sharing that information with me." Asuna picked up her backpack off the ground and stood up, looking much less sore. I was slightly concerned with what she'd just said before, but I shrugged and stood up beside her. Suddenly, a wave of dizziness hit my vision, and I felt myself falling forwards. I was swiftly caught by Asuna, who had scooped her arms under my shoulders before I could hit the ground.
"W-What's wrong!? What's happening?" I could hear the concern in her voice again, and she sat me back down on the bench.
"Sorry... I just feel really dizzy all of a sudden." I muttered, pressing my palm to my forehead. Asuna helped me adjust my position so I was laying down and she knelt beside me.
"Let me check your head wound." She ordered to me. I had no reason to argue, so I shifted the sleeve cloth so she could see the open cut. She opened my backpack to take out the first aid kit from the house, and removed the cloth from my head.
"I think you just got a lightheaded from standing up too quickly." Asuna stated, wrapping a fresh white bandage around my head. I nodded quietly, sighing with relief. I felt somewhat content just laying there having her take care of me. But I knew that we had to keep moving to find a place to sleep. I sat up slowly, leaning on her for support.
"The downtown area is just over this hill. We can probably find an empty restaurant or something to sleep in for the night." Asuna gave a noise of affirmation, and we set off to cover the remaining distance ahead.
After a short while, we were able to make our way over the hill and into the town square. Broken down cars and deserted shops lined the streets. Broken glass lay on the ground from the shattered windows. All of the clothing, food, and medical supplies were completely emptied out, and even a few dead bodies were inside. I could feel Asuna inching closer towards me at the sight of it. After all, she'd probably never even seen a dead body yet.
Eventually, we found a sandwich café with one shattered window. The tables and chairs were turned upside down, but we could probably make space to sleep on the floor. I climbed in through the broken window, then helped Asuna walk through the shards of broken glass.
"This will do for tonight." I set my bag down on one of the tables, then opened up my backpack to unroll a large blanket. I set the blanket on the floor, then turned towards Asuna. She set her backpack down and removed her jacket to use as a pillow, then sat down on the cold hardwood floor. "Do you have a blanket to use?" I questioned, setting mine down on the ground. She shook her head. I guess I never really gave her much time to gather what she needed from her house.
"Alright, come sleep underneath mine." I gave a little smile, gesturing for her to sit next to me on the floor. I could see a small blush forming along her cheeks, but she eventually gave in. She crawled underneath the blanket and scooted her jacket so it was next to mine.
I'd never had a sleepover before, let alone sleep with a girl beside me. It did feel awkward at first, but as the night progressed, I found myself growing drowsier by the minute. I could see Asuna's eyelids growing heavier too, and she gave a warm smile to me.
"Good night, Kazuto."
I hadn't heard those words in what felt like a decade. Asuna shifted around under the covers until she found a comfortable position, then closed her eyes for the rest of the night.
"Good night... Asuna."
Maybe having someone to travel with wasn't all that bad.
A/N: Hope you enjoyed, and I'll see you next Saturday! -Harv