Ohmygosh. It's been a while and I am so sorry! I've not long moved house and haven't had access to my pc for over a month but here I am with a new chapter! Things are heating up for everyone and... well I won't spoil it! I hope you all enjoy this chapter and hopefully now I'll be able to get back to monday uploads! xoxo
Chapter 25
The atmosphere at Pension Misuzu was somewhat relaxed. People were either lounging around or standing on guard duty. Everything pointed to tonight being a quiet one as nobody had heard back from either Nanako or the group that had headed down into the city… well that was until Misuzu came running through from checking supplies.
"Everyone… can I have your attention!" he shouted as he came to a halt, hands on his knees as he puffed and panted, his face pale as if he'd seen a ghost.
"Misuzu whatever is the matter?" Ranka frowned, approaching his old friend and placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Nanako… she…" he panted "she says… a horde is on… the way…"
At the mention of a horde, everyone nearby suddenly perked up and began to move, crowding around Misuzu to hear what he had to say; worried faces peering down at the man who was still trying to catch his breath.
"Tatsu and the others… likely missed it… but Nanako could see it from the mountain trail…" he sucked in a breath and looked up at those gathered around him "she said they were heading here at speed… we need to get armed and ready to fight"
From upstairs came a shout "Horde incoming!"
Hikaru came skidding down the stairs, almost tripping over his feet having rushed down from the attic.
"They are heading in our direction at speed…" he breathed out, everyone moving to grab weapons.
"Where is Nanako?" Ritsu spoke up louder than he intended to, anger and worry etched into his features as he stared Misuzu in the eye.
"She's heading back now…she said to tell you all she loves you..."
"She won't make it back in time!" Ritsu raised his voice, turning to grab his rifle "I'm going out there to find her"
"Ritsu don't be stupid, you won't last five minutes in a horde" Kyoya interrupted as he checked his rifle was loaded.
"I am not leaving her out there alone to die!" Ritsu shouted, squaring up to Kyoya who simply shook his head with a sigh.
"Nanako is resourceful, she has a radio and weapons… and a brain. She won't be out in the open ready to get eaten" he eyed Ritsu "you go rushing out there like an idiot and you'll end up dead and poor Nanako will be heartbroken"
Ritsu growled and shouldered his rifle, moving to help push the barricades up against the doors as people moved up the stairs to the second floor, Kyoya then moved to make sure everyone knew what they were meant to be doing and where they were meant to be going.
Maybe if they stayed quiet the horde would pass by without any incident?
Nanako's POV
Exhaling slowly, I watched as the first arrivals began to prowl, their snarls and growls had the hairs standing up on the back of my neck. How on earth was I going to get out of this alive? It was one thing to have somewhere in mind to hide but it was completely another to actually be able to get there… one wrong move and I'd be zombie chow quicker than I could scream.
Remaining crouched, I slowly crept along the treeline, watching my step as I moved, eyes flickering between the ground in front of me and the zombies ambling along the pathway. I had to make a decision quickly, while there were still only a few of them lurking… if I left it too long there'd be far too many of them to bypass and well… I didn't want to think about that right now, a shiver rolling down my spine as I weighed up my options.
As long as this had been going on, we still had no idea if zombies could actually climb up anything so I could take my chances and hide up in a tree until they left but then I'd be putting myself in a ridiculous position once the whole horde made it to town, with no way of getting out alive.
I scanned the area, my eyes falling on the slightly open door of the bakery. I know for a fact Tamaki and Haruhi had been there yesterday afternoon with a few of the others to bring supplies to the pension so I had to guess that one of them had forgotten to close the door behind them… that suited me just fine. The bakery had an apartment upstairs that I could hole up in for the duration and I was pretty sure there was roof access, so I could hide up there providing the weather remained decent. Saying a quick and silent prayer to whatever power was up there listening, I rose up a little and scurried as quietly as I could between a couple of parked cars, making sure to have a good look around before crossing the road and slipping inside the bakery. Closing the door slowly, I watched to see the zombies still ambling around, unaware of my presence and for that I was glad.
The bakery was empty as expected, a lot of the produce had made its way over to the pension but otherwise it was in order and clean which was a relief. Tiptoeing across the hardwood floor, I chewed my lip nervously, actively making sure I was as light footed as a mouse as I made my way to the 'employees only' door behind the counter. I could hear the sounds of the undead outside growing steadily louder as more of the horde made its way into the quiet mountain town.
Daring to peek over my shoulder, I could see out through the large glass windows and my god… they were arriving quicker and quicker… what had been maybe three when I was outside was now nearing twenty and growing. I had to get upstairs and out of sight right now! I turned back to the task at hand, moving quicker as I started to freak out inside at the prospect of being torn apart; my hand closing around the handle of the door, turning it and slipping through to the back. I closed the door behind me and headed for the door that would lead to the apartment upstairs.
The door that led upstairs was shut but thankfully unlocked as I realised when I turned the handle. Breathing a sigh of relief, I pulled the door closed behind me and started up the stairs as gently as I could, pausing and listening every time the stairs creaked under my feet. I could still hear the sounds of the undead outside and it made me shudder, even as I made it into the apartment, making sure I closed the door at the top of the stairs. I crept into what was the living room and crouched by the windows that looked out onto the street below and what I saw had my heart sink.
The street was crawling with zombies, the once quiet streets of Karuizawa were teeming with more zombies than I'd seen in one place since the horde at the house. Their growls and screeches carried up to the slightly opened window as the horde moved as one, heading for the Pension… heading for where my friends were… I was suddenly very aware that tears were rolling down my cheeks as I realised this might be it… this morning might have been the last time I'd lay eyes on my friends alive and it hurt. It hurt my heart and soul as I crouched there silently crying, watching the inevitable take place before me.
Back at the Pension
Everyone sat in silence, listening to the sounds of the undead coming closer. They'd completely abandoned the downstairs and were hiding as quietly as they could in one of the front rooms so that they could see out onto the street.
"How long before they go away?" whispered one of the women who was hugging her child close.
"I have no idea…" Misuzu whispered back "I guess when they get bored of ambling around?"
Kyoya piped up in hushed tones "I would think maybe when they can't find sustenance they'll likely continue onward and leave us in peace…"
Everyone present was hoping that it would be sooner rather than later. The problem was, for the last month or so, they'd been spoiled by the silence and apparent safety of the mountain town that had allowed them to move around somewhat freely, without the threat of being eaten around every corner. Now however, they were facing the very real situation that they could end up dead any second and it filled each of them with dread.
They remained in silence for a few more minutes until Ritsu whispered out "hey… you gotta see this…"
Everyone present moved quickly and quietly, moving to the windows to peer out carefully, to see the street just outside the pension was packed with the undead who were snarling and growling. None of them were moving forward or back, just standing their peering around and making all manner of feral noises.
"Do you think they know we are here?" Misuzu asked quietly, looking around at the people gathered by the windows.
"Possibly? I mean maybe they can smell us…" Ranka shuddered lightly
"It's quite likely" Kyoya nodded "there are enough of us here to leave a scent trail… all we have to do is try and keep as quiet as we can and hopefully they'll move on"
"Nobody is to fire a weapon unless we absolutely have to, okay?" Ritsu looked around at the group gathered, who all nodded their heads quickly "we know they are drawn to sound… and the sound of a gun would draw everything to us"
Now all they had to do was wait.
Nanako's POV
It seemed some of the undead knew I was here or something, as a group of them had remained, spread out across the street once the majority had ambled off towards the pension. All I could do was hope and pray that the others had either gone into hiding upstairs or had gotten out of there before the horde made its way to them… but at the speed the horde had moved I could almost guarantee they hadn't had a chance to make it out of the pension.
Sighing softly, I crept from the window and sank down upon the squishy couch, rifle resting against the arm of it as I leaned back and closed my eyes, trying to think of what to do next. I could try and make my way to the pension across the rooftops but then how would I get inside if the horde was waiting there? or maybe I could bunker down for the night and hope the horde had passed by morning? I pulled the radio from its holder on my hip and opened my eyes, toying with the device for a moment or two. I'd had no contact from the pension since I'd contacted Misuzu and part of me wondered whether I should radio first… but then what if they were hiding in silence and my communication alerted the zombies to their location? Ugh… this was an awful situation to be in.
Then again, I could always try and contact whoever had gone into the city… surely they had narrowly avoided the horde and made it to their destination safely enough? and besides, they'd need warning before heading back up here just in case. Clearing my throat, I switched the radio to long range and to the channel used for groups out in the shit.
"Nanako to Tatsu-san… come in" the words came out in a hushed tone.
I waited a good few minutes for a response and when none came I tried again.
"Nanako to Tatsu-san… anyone?"
I let go of the button, the soft hiss of static was my only response. Had they too ended up with a horde on their asses? had they ended up way off course? Signal could be horrendous up here in the mountains but surely I'd get some kind of response, even if it was a bad signal.
"Great" I muttered softly, tossing the radio down next to me on the couch.
I was drawn from my thoughts by noises from outside. Shooting up from the couch, I slipped close to the window, ducking down to peek out through the partially drawn curtain.
"The fuck?" I whispered as I watched more zombies come spilling into the street.
It seemed either this was the rest of the horde from before, or a second horde had tailed along but either way, there were far more zombies than I'd ever seen at one time just prowling the streets. Grabbing my rifle and the radio, I made my way to the roof access and climbed on up. I needed to see this from a higher point and thankfully the roof was high enough for me to get a good look over this corner of Karuizawa.
Raising the binoculars from around my neck, I began to check things out and well… it wasn't pretty. The remainder of the horde went back for maybe a mile, their rotting bodies ambling into town, clearly searching for something. I ducked down behind the wall that lined the rooftop and watched as the streets became packed.
"Holy shit…" I mumbled, sinking to sit on the roof.
There was no way any of us in Karuizawa were going to get out of this alive.