Dead Space:
Where all good victims go to die.
"Talk to me, Mugi. Please, talk to me? You've been awful quiet lately and . . . and . . . and it scares me," Ritsu said, staring up at Mugi.
"Ritsu," Mugi said, her eyes darting from side to side, seeming to glitter in the ghostly moonlight.
"Please, Mugi?" Ritsu grabbed both of Mugi's arms, forcing the other girl to face her. She stared at Mugi's face until Mugi's eyes locked onto hers.
"Well . . . " Mugi started to say, hesitantly. Suddenly, she backed away from Ritsu. "Tell me . . . what happened with you and Sumire?"
"Mugi," Ritsu said, closing her eyes. The memories were there, fresh and painful. She could feel those thunderous footsteps; she could hear those roars, and the screams of terror.
"She was right behind me," Ritsu continued. "We were running . . . from the big guy," she said, as her vision began to blur. She blinked, forcing back tears.
"How," Mugi whispered, "how did . . . did she . . . "
"There was this alley . . . and she . . . we stopped to catch our breath," Ritsu was looking past, through Mugi now. "She . . . she said it hurt, and I tried to pull her with me and she . . . and she . . . "
"What? What did she do . . . Ricchan," Mugi said, a tear tracing a gleaming trail down her cheek.
"I . . . I don't know," Ritsu replied. "Suddenly, I was . . . like . . . stumbling forward and that big guy . . . he just . . . hit the dumpster we were hiding behind so hard it . . . flew."
"So . . . that's what that noise was," Mugi said softly. "I heard a big crash . . . when Mio and I had gotten out of that alley. Was Sumire . . . "
All Ritsu could do was nod, her eyes gleaming, her fists balled at her sides as she tried not to cry.
"I . . . I'm sorry," she said in a very small voice.
"Why?" Mugi's blue eyes glimmered like ice in the pale moonlight. "It's . . . it's . . . " she looked off into the dark, abandoned town, "it's not like there was anything you could've done!" Those blue eyes screwed themselves tightly shut, and tears started to course down her cheeks.
"Ricchan," Mugi cried. Ritsu did the only thing she could think of doing, throwing her arms around Mugi.
"He was big," Mugi sobbed. "And you two . . . you tried to get away, but she . . . she," Mugi trailed off, and Ritsu found herself crushed tightly in her embrace.
"Mugi . . . Mugiiii," she said softly, squeezing Mugi for all she was worth.
" . . . what I tell myself," she heard Mugi choke out, her voice barely more than a whisper.
"Mugi?" Ritsu said, as the blonde disentangled herself, sniffling.
"I . . . " Mugi started to say, wiping her eyes. "I should've done this sooner. I . . . should've talked to you and I'm sorry!" Her words came out in a rush. Ritsu reached out to touch her, and felt the other girl ever-so-slightly stiffen at her touch. She smiled an uncertain, ephemeral, smile.
"Hey," she said. "I won't hold anything else back if you won't."
Mugi returned the smile. "It's a deal, Ric . . . chan," she replied with a sniffle. "I can't lose anyone else."
Ritsu slipped her arms around Mugi. "We're not doing so bad," she squeezed. "As long as we stick together, I'd bet on us making it out of this."
"Yes," Mugi replied, her voice, again, reduced to a whisper.
Ritsu smiled again. "Let's get inside. The others are going to wonder what's up if we stay here much longer."
Mugi looked down and away, as if she were going to say something. She then looked back up at Ritsu and nodded silently.
"You guys did good," Ritsu said, tilting her head and looking at Azusa and Yui.
"Ah, Ricchan," Yui replied. Her blush was luminescent. Azusa looked thoughtful.
"Well," she said, "we got lucky that whoever lived here left early and nothing broke in."
"Yeah," Mio added, nibbling tentatively on a sandwich.
"We're even luckier that Azu-nyan saw that camping stove!" Yui said, picking up a small cup filled with steaming tea.
Ui nodded from the edge of the room. "It's good. I can make us hot meals, as long as we find more fuel for this stove."
"And tea!" Yui said.
"Definitely tea," Mugi added. Ritsu looked over at her. The way Mugi said it was still cool and detached, but, somehow, it felt less so than before she and Ritsu had their talk.
"So . . . what now?" Azusa said.
"That's the easy part," Ritsu replied. "We stay here for tonight. I don't wanna be out in the dark with the zombies."
"'Cause they're like cats, right?" Yui said. The others looked at her, but Azusa nodded.
"Yeah . . . their eyes glow when you shine lights on them," she said. "It . . . makes sense."
Thump!
Mio fell back against the wall, hugging her knees to her chest.
"Mio?"
"H . . . how . . . how much worse is it gonna get," Mio said in a tiny voice. "Big ones . . . small ones . . . charging ones . . . ones with tongues . . . pouncing ones . . . spitting ones . . . and they can all see in the dark . . . "
"Miooooo," Ritsu repeated, putting her hand on Mio's shoulder. "C'mon, snap out of it," she said, feeling butterflies in her gut. "C'mon . . . we've killed every kind of zombie that's come at us so far. It can't get any worse."
"How do you know that?" Azusa said.
Ritsu shot Azusa a look as Mio hugged herself even tighter.
"Look," she said. "The only way it could get worse is if there were fire-breathing zombie kaiju out there."
"We've seen just about every other kind of zombie," Azusa replied.
"Then we'll just have to take care of them, won't we?" Ritsu shot back.
"Like Nodoka-senpai did?"
"Don't be stupid, Azusa," Ritsu snapped, the accusatory bite in Azusa's words burning her.
"Guys, please, stop it! This is ridiculous," Mugi said, clutching her hands together. All heads snapped toward her.
"Mugi-senpai?"
"Mugi?"
"Mugi-chan?"
Ritsu forced herself to take one deep breath, and then another, and then another.
"It is," she said. "We're all on-edge right now. Let's . . . let's just . . . just get some rest tonight. Sort out what happens next in the morning." She took another breath, pressing her hand to her chest. "I'll stay up and keep an eye out for zombies."
"Ritsu, I'll stay up with you," Mugi said.
"You don't have to, Mugi," Ritsu replied, but Mugi shook her head.
"I must," she replied. "I insist. We can wake up . . . Azusa-chan and Ui-chan in a few hours to watch over us till morning."
Ritsu swallowed and looked at Ui, and then Azusa. "Are you guys okay with this?"
Ui nodded. "Yes, Ritsu-senpai. Azusa-chan and I can handle it. Right, Azusa?"
Azusa looked at Ritsu, then Mugi, and finally at Ui. "Y . . . yes."
Azusa screamed, her heart hammering the inside of her chest. She gulped fiery lungfuls of air and forced her legs to work.
"Senpais!" She screamed, hurtling herself into a dark alleyway. "Where are you?"
Behind her, she heard grunts and screams . . . zombies chasing her. She could hear their footfalls. She could smell their acrid, unwashed, stink.
"Senpais? Where are you? Yui-senpai!"
Behind her, her pursuers picked up their pace. She ran down the alleyway, knocking over several empty boxes, stumbling desperately forward.
"Help me, please!"
"Anyone!"
Azusa ducked into a dark corner, grabbing at a doorknob. Mercifully, it was unlocked, and she hurtled the door open, dashing inside. With all her weight, she slammed the door shut again, fumbling to lock it.
WHAM!
WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!
Zombies pounded at the door, and Azusa pushed against it.
"Yui-senpai! Please? Anyone?"
She heard something shuffle in the dark. Azusa frantically looked around, feeling the zombies pounding at the door behind her, and hearing the shuffling in the darkness in front of her.
"Azu-nyaaaaaan!"
"Yui-senpai?"
"Azuuuuuu-nyaaaaan!"
"Yui-senpai! Where are you? You've got to help me!"
Strong arms wrapped around Azusa from behind.
"I've got you," Yui said. For the briefest of moments, Azusa felt herself relax, starting to lean back against Yui. But, something was wrong. Yui felt . . . cold . . . and she was suddenly overcome with the putrid odor of dried vomit.
"Yui?" Azusa said, trying to turn her head to look at Yui.
Yellow eyes!
Azusa screamed as the thing that was Yui bared a mouthful of blackened teeth and lunged for her exposed neck . . .
Azusa was awake in an instant, feeling a hot hand clamped over her mouth.
"Azusa-chan!" Ui said, urgently. "You had a nightmare!"
Azusa's eyes darted back and forth. Immediately, they found Mugi's, and then Ritsu's; staring into hers with notable concern.
"Mmmph!" She said, reaching for Ui's hand. Ui slowly let go and Azusa took a deep breath.
"Are you okay?" Ritsu said. "If Ui hadn't caught you, you'd have woken everybody up . . . and who knows what else."
Azusa nodded jerkily.
"I . . . I'm fine . . . where's Yui-senpai!"
"She's asleep with Mio-chan," Mugi replied, gesturing toward two shapes asleep on the floor. Yui lay, sprawled out, but clean and definitely alive. Azusa breathed a sigh of relief, ignoring the looks she got from Mugi and Ritsu. Suddenly, Mugi yawned, looking embarrassed.
"I'm sorry," she said, "it's been a long four hours."
"Four hours?" Azusa repeated.
"Yes," Ritsu replied. "That means it's time for you and Ui to keep watch." Ritsu leaned closer. "Are you still okay with this?"
Azusa glanced at Ui, who smiled and nodded. She then pursed her lips and looked back at Ritsu, nodding.
Ritsu smiled.
"That's good," she said. "It's been quiet," she added. "There's zombies in the streets, but none close by . . . but . . . just keep your eyes open, okay?"
Azusa nodded, biting her lip. "Y . . . yes."
Ritsu yawned, stretching.
"I hope I get some rest," she said, rubbing her back. "
"Good night, Ritsu-senpai," Ui replied. "Azusa-chan and I can handle it from here."
"Good night, Ritsu-senpai," Azusa echoed.
"Azusa-chan, Ui-chan, have a good night," Mugi said, yawning again.
"Good night, Mugi-senpai," Ui and Azusa replied. Soon, heavy silence settled over them both. Ui looked toward the patio door, and Azusa found herself staring back toward where the others were sleeping. She hugged herself, the image of a zombie Yui vivid in her mind.
"Azusa-chan?"
"Y . . . yes!" Azusa replied with a start. She turned back to see Ui watching her.
"What do you think of going outside and getting some fresh air?"
"Out . . . outside? Is . . . is that safe?"
Ui smiled and tilted her head. "Just to the balcony . . . the Moon's out, so we'll be able to see if anything's coming. And, it probably smells better than it does in here."
Azusa nodded silently. Nobody had said anything, but there was a certain odor inside the apartment. Odors of fermentation, of sickness, of rot, and of decay. Not that any of them smelled appreciably better. The stink of fear was strong on all of them, and for the first time, she thought it was funny how she was noticing this.
The glass door rumbled softly as Ui drew it open, stepping out into the cool moonlight. Azusa followed her out onto the balcony, feeling the early morning chill on her skin.
"It's cold," she said, unconsciously wrapping her arms around herself. She looked out on the desolate grays of a landscape lit only by moonlight. Warm arms wrapped themselves around her, and she felt the warmth of another body pressed up behind hers.
"Ui! What are you doing?"
"Shhh," Ui replied. "I've always wondered what it must feel like for Onee-chan to do this with you."
"It . . . it . . . it's not that great," Azusa managed. "Sh . . . she does it way too much!"
"But Onee-chan is so warm, isn't she?" Ui replied, sighing softly. "In a way, it makes me a . . . little jealous."
Azusa pursed her lips together. "Well . . . don't be." All the same, she made no move to resist. It was still chilly outside, and the streets were still crawling with zombies. A shiver went up her spine and she hugged herself tighter.
"Are you okay, Azusa-chan?"
"It . . . it's just cold, that's all," Azusa replied.
"Nuh uh, that isn't what I meant," Ui said.
Azusa took a deep breath. "What . . . do you mean?"
"I don't know," Ui replied. "But, hear me out."
Azusa turned back to stare at Ui.
"Okay."
Ui looked away from her, down at the parking below. And then, her eyes were fixed on Azusa's "It's like you haven't really been yourself since this all started."
Silence greeted her.
"I mean, I've seen you with Onee-chan, and the others. You and Onee-chan usually get along so well, and she tells me that you're responsible, like Mio-chan, when you're with the others."
Azusa nodded mutely. Her heart leapt, and oddly, she felt like a captive in Ui's arms.
"I'm sorry," Ui said.
"D . . . don't be," Azusa replied, forcing herself to relax. "I . . . I bet Yui-senpai's like an open book to you."
"Onee-chan never, ever, holds back with anyone," Ui said, shaking her head. "Which is why I'm worried about you. Please don't take this the wrong way, Azusa-chan, but you've been rude lately."
Azusa shrugged Ui off, turning to face her. "Rude?"
Ui nodded silently. "You've been short with the others, and especially Onee-chan. It's not like you, Azusa-chan . . . so that's why I'm asking if you're doing okay."
Azusa stared at Ui for several long moments.
"What do you think?" She said. "I've lost my family. I've had to learn how to shoot guns, and then I've . . . I've killed, and watched people die. Even strong people, like Nodoka-senpai! It's not fair; the whole world is going crazy! Yui-senpai's the worst of all! She acts like there's nothing's wrong, and I just don't understand why, and . . . and, you ask me if I'm okay?"
"Azusa-chan," Ui said, her tone firm. Azusa's mouth snapped shut.
"Yes?"
"Azusa-chan," Ui repeated, gently. "If Onee-chan thinks nothing's wrong, then there's nothing wrong . . . I mean . . . well, there are the zombies, and the killing, and the death but . . . we're all here together." She closed her eyes, clasping her hands in front of her. "I don't know if this will make you feel better, we're here with you, and I'm sure everyone is here for you, no matter what."
Azusa stared at Ui, struggling to find something to say. There were so many things on her mind, so many things that were wrong; like the nightmare she'd just had. But what could she say? How could she say it?
"Is that so?" Was all that she could manage.
Ui smiled, tilting her head to one side.
"Absolutely!"
Screaming surrounded Ritsu. Screaming, howling, snarling zombies, descending on her and her friends.
"Keep shooting! Keep shooting!" She cried, firing her revolvers at several zombies crawling toward her.
BOOM! BOOM!
Shotguns went off, and the volume of the screaming went down. Behind her, she heard the crackle of submachine guns.
"Eeeyah! Oooough!" A zombie woman snarled, lunging at Ritsu. She screamed in surprise, kicking at the woman, trying to smash a pistol over the woman's head.
Bam!
Ritsu fired as the woman stumbled back, and then fired again, and the woman dropped, like a puppet with its strings cut.
Suddenly, off to her side, there was a tremendous howl.
Flying!
Ritsu was knocked off her feet, both her guns lost in an instant. The flying sensation was short-lived, as her world came apart in a maelstrom of agony, as she was smashed into the wall. She tried, desperately, to brace herself against the pounding she knew she was about to receive . . .
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Ritsu was on the ground, her head was pounding, and her ears were ringing. The charger lay off to the side, dead.
"You've got to get up, Ritsu!" A voice said, lunging closer with panicked footfalls.
A blonde woman dropped to her knees at Ritsu's side, blotting out the afternoon sunlight.
"C'mon," Sumire said, sliding her free arm under Ritsu's back. "Let's get you on your feet."
Ritsu groaned, feeling her body ache with each move.
"Th . . . thanks, Su-mii-re . . . that was too close.
"D . . . don't mention it," Sumire replied.
"Anyone see my guns," Ritsu said, looking around, feeling Sumire brush the dirt off her back. She frowned a deep frown. "Wait," she said, turning to look into the blonde's eyes.
"Y . . . yes, Ritsu-san?"
"H . . . h . . . how are you still alive?"
Sumire looked at Ritsu with a wide-eyed, somewhat incredulous expression.
"You . . . that dumpster . . . that big guy . . . how did you survive!"
Wham!
Ritsu slammed her palms into the desk, thrusting herself as far forward as she could go.
"Tell me . . . I . . . I'm curious!" She said breathlessly.
Sumire continued to stare at Ritsu, clutching a tray in her hands, looking immaculate in one of Sawako's maid costumes.
"Oh," Ritsu finally said, feeling crestfallen. "I'm dreaming, aren't I?"
Sumire closed her eyes and smiled gently. "It is what you make of it, Ritsu-san."
"Please . . . call me Ritsu," Ritsu said, her voice thick as she looked past Sumire, at the clubroom. God, it felt like it'd been a long time since she'd last seen it.
"I . . . I'm sorry," Sumire said, "it's just a habit, that's all. W . . . won't you stay? I'm getting ready to serve tea!"
Ritsu laughed, though it came out as a polite, awkward cough. "Tea, huh?" It was then that she noticed a dark-haired girl sitting at the opposite end of the clubroom's impromptu table. She was tapping away on a faculty laptop. Something about her purple hair clips and red-framed glasses tickled the edge of Ritsu's mind.
"Su-mi-re? Who's that?"
"Oh," Sumire replied, "that's Nao, our producer."
"Producer?" Ritsu said, frowning. She looked to Nao. "How do you do?"
Nao typed something on her laptop. The noise of the keystrokes sounded very much like I'm fine.
"Huh, weird," Ritsu said. "Where are the others, Sumire?"
"The others? Oh . . . Jun-senpai is on cleaning duty today, and Ui-senpai is bringing up something to eat."
"Nononono," Ritsu said, shaking her head vigorously. "I meant the others! Mio? Mugi? Yui? Azusa?"
Suddenly, Ritsu jumped as Nao's laptop began to play a thundering, ominous, orchestral piece.
"What the hell! That scared me," Ritsu exclaimed. Just then, she felt the floor vibrate under her feet.
"Rooooooaaaarrr!"
The windows shook, and the thundering footsteps drove icicles into Ritsu's bowels.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
"Hrrraaaaaargh!"
"Sumire! Nao!" Ritsu screamed. "We have to get out of here! We have to get out of here now! " She said, desperately feeling the waist of her skirt, searching the pockets of her blazer, desperately seeking her guns.
"Wh . . . what are you talking about?" Sumire said, her eyes wide as she backed away from Ritsu.
Crash!
"Don't you remember!" Ritsu yelled. "The big guy? Big as a tank? Can't you feel that! We've got to move! I won't lose you again!"
"I . . . I don't understand!" Sumire said, clutching her serving tray with whitened knuckles. "You're scaring me, Ritsu-san."
"Yeeearrrgh!"
CRUNCH!
"Goddamn it, please tell me you heard that!"
Sumire looked at Ritsu, realization seeming to dawn on her, and then she sighed. "Ritsu-san, calm down, please. You're overreacting . . . that's . . . that's just the club president!"
"Whaaaat!" Ritsu screamed. It was dark. Next to her, Mio murmured irritably, turned away from Ritsu, and resumed her soft snoring a few moments later.
"Just . . . just . . . just a dream," Ritsu gasped to herself, feeling her heart thundering in her chest. All the same, she felt at her hips. There, comfortingly (and irritatingly) digging into her side, she felt her revolver.
"God damn it," she swore in the inky darkness. "I hate this! I hate all of it! If we get out of this, I'm never playing another zombie game, or watching another horror movie ever again. Ever! Hell, I'll even trash all my Iron Maiden albums! Do you hear me, Mio?"
Mio murmured something that sounded especially rude, curling up tighter.
Ritsu blushed in the darkness and gently touched Mio's shoulder.
"Sorry, Mio," she whispered, looking across the living room of the apartment that was their little haven for the night. Mugi had lain down next to Yui, and Yui was snoring with her mouth agape.
"The strawberry is the soul of the cake!" Yui murmured, between snores. Ritsu sniffled and sighed.
"It sure is, Yui-san. It sure is." Ritsu sat up, looking down at Yui. "You know, I could really go for some cake right now." Her voice failed her, and she stared at the floor. "Among other things."
Ritsu shook her head violently, leaping to her feet.
"Not going to think about that!"
"Ritsu," Mio murmured.
Ritsu rubbed the back of her own head, feeling a blush creep up her cheeks.
"I'm sorry, Mio," she whispered, just as she noticed another shape in the darkness.
"Azusa?"
"Ritsu-senpai?" Ui said, emerging from the bathroom. Ritsu carefully picked her way over to Ui.
"Why is Azusa asleep?"
"I told her to go back to sleep, Ritsu-senpai. I'm sorry."
Ritsu shook her head. "Don't be. Have you been up all this time?"
"Mhm," Ui replied. Ritsu stared at her.
"All alone?"
"I'm fine, Ritsu-senpai. Really! I'll be good until morning too, so you should go back to sleep."
"Nah," Ritsu said, shaking her head. "Not much good happens when I fall asleep now." She looked down at Azusa in silence.
"Did you?"
"Mhm," Ui replied. Mugi had put her up to volunteering to stay up with Azusa.
Ritsu looked up at Ui. "Well, don't hold back."
"I'm still worried about her," Ui replied. "I don't think she's handling this well, at all."
Ritsu exhaled, shrugging. "Well, guess I can't blame her. Heck, I don't know how I'm doing so well." She laughed, though her laughter was devoid of mirth. "Maybe I'm just crazy."
"Ritsu-senpai," Ui replied. "It's not that bad."
Ritsu laughed bitterly. "I wish I shared your optimism, Ui," she said.
Ui tilted her head to the side. "I'm just stating a fact. I mean, given the way things are right now; what are the chances that all of us would end up together, like this?"
"Well," Ritsu replied. "Not all of us made it."
"I know," Ui said. "But, I remember you telling me that we know ourselves, and we just have to do the best we can. So, here I am, and I think I'm doing the best I can when I'm with you guys and Onee-chan . . . and . . . and I'm sure the others feel the same way."
"Yeah . . . I did say that, didn't I?" Ritsu replied, closing her eyes.
"Mhm," Ui said, nodding. She put her hand on Ritsu's shoulder, causing the other girl's eyes to snap open. "You just have to believe it for yourself."
Ritsu laughed again, softly. "That cuts deep, Hirasawa-san. But, I get it." She put her hand on Ui's shoulder in return. "So . . . back to the question at hand. What do you think we should do for Azusa?"
"I . . . don't know," Ui replied, looking down at Azusa's sleeping form. "Whatever it is, it should be something we all do for her together."
"Together . . . yeah . . . " Ritsu said. "I guess, maybe, we could use some 'togetherness' right now. 'Together 'cause the zombies are out to get us,' isn't going to last forever," she added, trying not to sigh with relief. Relief that someone else was saying things that made sense . . . relief that, maybe, she wouldn't have to bear all the responsibility alone.
"Mmm," Ui shook her head. "It's not . . . but it's not going to end right away. So there's time to come up with something and . . . I think we should start by asking Onee-chan for ideas. Of us all, I think she knows Azusa-chan the best."
"Yui," Ritsu echoed. She took a deep breath, adjusting her headband. "Eh, what the hell, why not? I feel like I'm running out of good ideas, and that scares me. Let's go with yours."
Azusa emerged from the gray twilight of sleep to see Yui's face looming large over hers. Her heart leapt into her throat, just barely choking back a scream as Yui, the living, non-zombified, Yui, swam into focus.
"Y . . . Y . . . Yui-senpai! Don't scare me like that!"
"Awww, my Azu-nyan finds me scary?" Yui replied. "I'm gonna have to fix that."
Azusa scrunched up her face. "Please don't," she said, frowning. "You didn't draw anything on my face, did you?" Suddenly, she was aware that Yui was wreathed in light. She pushed Yui to one side, sitting up straight.
"It's daylight! Why didn't anyone wake me?"
"We're just taking some extra time to get ready, Azusa-chan," Mugi replied, entering the room. "I have tea ready, if you want some."
"It's awesome, you should have some, Azu-nyan."
"How can you think about . . . never mind," Azusa said, rubbing her eyes. She reached into her pocket, grabbing at her phone. She stared into the black screen, gazing at her reflection. There was nothing drawn on her face, but . . .
Snap.
Azusa flipped her phone shut and shoved it back into her pocket, pushing herself to her feet.
"Where's Ui and Ritsu-senpai?"
"They went to check things out downstairs," Mugi replied. Azusa saw a shape behind the blonde, in the corner.
"Mio-senpai?"
Mio was leaning against the wall, pale and silent.
"I'm good. I'm good. I'm good," she murmured. "I can do this . . . I can do this . . . "
"Good morning, Azusa-chan!" Ui said, waving from the darkened doorway. Behind her, Ritsu lurked, looking down at the ground. Azusa swallowed, seeing the glint of steel in Ritsu's hands.
"What time is it," Azusa asked.
"It's almost eleven," Ui replied.
"Eleven! You . . . you let me sleep that long?"
"We had time to kill," Ritsu replied. "Have a look out the window. Carefully."
Images of her friends as zombies briefly flashed through Azusa's mind, and she shivered. She shook them off, walking toward the balcony. She gasped when she got close enough.
"Where did they all come from!"
"They just kinda shuffled in," Ritsu replied, shrugging. "Guess we should be lucky they weren't here last night."
Azusa felt her pulse quicken. She swallowed, her mind spinning.
"They . . . they . . . they're going to find us!"
Mio wrapped her arms around herself, trying to push herself further into the wall.
"Yeah," Ritsu replied. "We got the bottom of the stairs barricaded, but that's not gonna stop them."
"What are we going to do?" Azusa said, though she knew what the answer was going to be. It was a numbing realization.
Click. Click. Click.
Mugi was loading more shells into her shotgun. Mio pushed herself off the wall, shaking her head violently, reaching for the pistol at her hip.
Crack-Clack!
She racked the slide, staring at the pistol, as if she still couldn't believe what she was doing. Ritsu stepped into the apartment, right up to Azusa. She raised her hand, offering Azusa a revolver, butt-first.
"We're gonna have to shoot our way out," Ritsu said, her golden-brown eyes boring into Azusa's.
Thunk!
Yui jammed a magazine into her SMG. Somehow, she'd shouldered Gitah without Azusa noticing.
Behind her, she heard grunts and screams . . . zombies chasing her. She could hear their footfalls. She could smell their acrid, unwashed, stink . . .
"I know it's gonna draw their attention, but Ui thinks we can cut through most of town and give 'em the slip." Ritsu continued, trying to sound brave, but Azusa could hear the quaver in her voice.
"Help me, please!"
"Anyone!"
Azusa looked down at the offered gun. It looked so small.
"This is crazy," she started to say.
But I don't wanna die alone.
"This is crazy," she murmured, reaching for the revolver. It felt warm in her hand. Warm from Ritsu's heat . . . warm like Yui.
I also have to keep my eye on them…
"But when is it ever not crazy for us?"
The others looked at her.
Azusa exhaled explosively. "Let's go already, Ritsu-senpai." Ritsu stared at her, her mouth agape. Her lips snapped shut, and she drew her second revolver from the pocket of her jacket.
"You heard her, guys, let's go!"
The walking dead staggered across barren pavement, muttering softly, and groaning occasionally. Their mouths were crusted with dried blood and vomit, and their clothes were stained and torn. They shuffled aimlessly, stumbling, and bumping into things. Occasionally one would stop, hunch over, and vomit black blood.
Crash!
A hastily barricaded door was kicked open. A zombie woman, dressed in a bright green shirt, looked up and hissed.
BOOM!
The zombie's face disintegrated, taking Mugi's shotgun full-bore.
Bam! Bam!
Another zombie sprawled, felled by Ritsu's dual-wielded revolvers.
A zombie lunged at Mio, her mouth opening impossibly wide. Mio screamed, thrusting her pistol out in front of her.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
The zombie stumbled, and a dark stain spread from her chest.
Bam!
The zombie sprawled limply, with a hole between her eyes. Behind Mio, Azusa crouched, clutching her smoking revolver with a white-knuckled grip.
Other zombies turned, hissing, spitting, and growling. Behind them, the walking dead lurched across the street leaned against abandoned cars and street signs. Behind them, still more of the inhuman infected heard the growing commotion and began to stir from their miserable torpor.
It was going to be a long dash to safety . . . .
Notes:
- I present to you the latest chapter of Left 4 Moe! It was supposed to be done in time for Halloween. It was supposed to be done a lot sooner than that but … other concerns have been eating up my time. Like work.
- I'm curious! The rough translation of "watashi kininarimasu!" If you get the reference, you may nod knowingly. If not. I'll explain it in the footnotes for the next chapter.
- That really is the "Taank" theme playing on Nao's laptop.
- Ritsu's dreams are totally in compliance with K-On! canon! Well, mostly…
- Also the first time anyone in-story refers to a Tank as such.