Z-Day+61
It feels like it's been ages since I wrote anything in here. Then again, it feels like the old life we all used to have was a lifetime ago, so I guess feeling this way only makes sense. Where the hell do I even begin?
It's been over a month since we took our chances on the road and left for Tokyo. We should've been there and back by now, but setback after setback has made it almost impossible to get very far. If only we'd known just how bad it was everywhere else, we probably never would've left Tokonosu.
So much destruction and devastation has consumed this once-beautiful place. It's everywhere we go. I've lost count just how many roads we've come across packed to the brim with abandoned cars. They're practically mass graveyards, with or without the occasional strewn body parts. Seems like the largest congregations of survivors are always the first to go...always.
The military definitely hasn't helped us out, what with bombing entire highways, demolishing major bridges, and collapsing tunnels. I can't blame them for it, though. It must've only seemed natural at the time to keep the infection from getting in or out. The only problem is that this infection has a new set of legs with every person it takes, and it will find a way to catch up to its next bunch of victims. It always does.
Hell, even the weather hasn't been on our side. The rain from all the recent storms has caused major mudslides. Going off-road is ill-advised, unless of course we have no other choice. Sometimes I can't help but wonder what's next: a giant earthquake that'll tear the Earth in two; a volcano sprouting up in the middle of the night? The only bright side is at least the rain keeps 'Them' distracted to some extent.
It wasn't too long after we left that we realized driving two buses together garnered too much attention. We ultimately decided Sho and the rest of his group should scout ahead so we'd cover more ground. They were to radio back to us if they found a way out first. There was contact for the few days. Then…then there was nothing but silence. I refuse to believe they didn't make it, but the cold hard facts keep making me question how good their chances really were. I can only hope they're still alive, wherever they are.
Those wishes are just as much for our sake as theirs. The losses we suffered back at the mall are still so fresh in everyone's heads. It still feels like it all just happened yesterday. I can't stop thinking just how close we were to getting away before Shido dropped in on us.
As if everything else hadn't made our situation bad enough, food started getting scarce once we entered our second week. I can see now why Frasier felt a small group was the way to go. I almost feel guilty eating anything at all, knowing the others are just as hungry as I am, if not more so. Every time we've tried to make a supply run, whether it's the loneliest of convenience stores, or small villages, or the outskirts of cities, they're either burned to the ground or utterly infested with 'Them'.
Shizuka-sensei has taken it upon herself to start teaching Saya-san and Rei-san the basics of first-aid. I think she knows there will eventually come a time that they'll need to know how to properly dress a wound while remaining calm under pressure. They're both thankfully eager to practice, and quite enthusiastic whenever one of us needs aid. I still have this band-aid with a smiley face they put on me after I cut my foot walking barefoot with Miku at night. I just hope they don't figure out exactly why we were walking off so late; or at the very least that they don't start gossiping about it.
Saeko-san has fortunately managed to recover from her gunshot wound since we left. Her muscles are probably still tense and sore by the way she moves and groans, but she insists she can wield a blade whenever any of us ask. Unfortunately, she's become much more reserved, and tends to isolate herself whenever she can from the rest of us. After losing Takashi, whatever bond she had with us has been painfully strained. I just hope she'll be able to get past this and reconcile with Frasier. After their spat, they've hardly said a word to each other. They've both been too busy to even dwell on their fractured friendship. Hopefully, when things calm down, they'll be able to talk again?
Marcus…he worries me a lot. When Hitomi died, it took a big part of him away. He doesn't crack jokes to lighten the mood anymore. No more clever quips or puns at the ready. There's just this sullen silence and a drained stare. He still eats and responds when spoken to, but it's just not him anymore. This world has changed him. For better or worse, it's too soon to know. Either way, I don't like it. Something I noticed last week is that he'll take out Hitomi's badge whenever he's certain nobody is paying him any attention. So, for what it's worth, at least he hasn't forgotten her. Maybe that's the one thing keeping him anchored down at this point.
These damn setbacks keep wearing our spirits down, each and every bloody time. I know Frasier takes it personally as well. Every time something goes wrong, I can see the look of failure in his eyes. And every time, I see the anger and rage eating away at him, to the point I fear even talking to him. But somehow, he's still able to press onwards, always going on about how he can't afford to fail and how the mission must succeed at all costs. I don't know at this point whether I should be afraid of him, or for him.
There's just two routes left that we know of that we've marked down on the maps. If they fail, I don't even want to think of what will happen next. Walking on foot, most likely, but with all these rainstorms and lack of supplies, we might as well just end any notion of reaching Tokyo then and there.
I'm not going to sugar coat this for whoever finds this. We're in a lot of trouble here…and won't make it at this rate. God have mercy on us all.
Click
The sound of the ballpoint pen retracting was nearly piercing against the overbearing silence of the bus. After setting his journal into his rucksack, Noah glanced up at the rear view mirror up front. He felt his heart skip a beat when Frasier's icy glare could be seen in the reflection. Fortunately, before the situation could become any more awkward, his oldest brother turned away to focus on directing Shizuka where to drive.
Making sure to keep to himself, Noah simply let out a heavy sigh; feeling unsettled that he would even feel such fear toward his own sibling like that. Luckily, the tension faded when he felt Miku's head suddenly resting against his shoulder. She'd been making a great effort to show the others she could pull her own weight the entirety of this journey, leaving herself utterly exhausted.
'Even when she's asleep, she's so cute,' Noah thought to himself with a slight blush while gently brushing her vibrant orange hair out of her eyes. He then looked back over to observe the rest of the group. What especially stood out was how long some of the men's hair had grown out.
While Kohta's already medium-length hair hardly changed at all over the past two months, some of the other men of the group had made some decent progress. Tadashi, Johann, Marcus, and even Frasier all had substantially longer hair. Each one looked a bit unruly, their faces grizzled with facial hair by their time on the road. Johann especially had filled his face out with a full mustache and beard impressively quick.
But Frasier was a most foreign sight for Noah. The eldest Lawson was always so insistent and disciplined on how long his hair should've been, so to see his once military crew cut now covering and hanging from his head, accompanied by a noticeable dark blonde scruff on his face, was downright unnatural. Noah was honestly surprised Frasier hadn't opted to use his combat knife to try and cut it all away yet.
What next registered to the young boy most prominently; was the strong body odor and the sweat stained clothing they'd all been unable to wash for the past month, save for the occasional rainfalls. While they all had somewhat gotten used to the stench, every now and again it would become nigh unbearable to stay a moment longer in the bus.
And as though the smell wasn't bad enough, no one had been unable to get a decent night's sleep for the past two weeks. The constant threat of being attacked in the middle of the night was more than enough to keep everyone on edge; but the bus wasn't exactly equipped for comfort either, and they'd all begun feeling the drawbacks of it lately. Every morning was now typically spent waking up to find their bodies aching and muscles feeling sore.
But with everything else, the final straw that'd been threatening to break the group was their reserves of food. While it would've easily lasted double the intended trip time, pushing into four times that long was simply too much. Even without what was left of Sho's group accompanying them, food and water had to be rationed out. It was no easy task for whoever had to carry out the daily burden of feeding some, while others were left with empty stomachs. If the situation didn't change soon, nobody wanted to fathom what was liable to happen.
"According to the map, we'll just need to follow this road until we hit a fork that splits off in two. Take a right once we arrive there," Frasier instructed calmly as Shizuka nodded; relieved she had someone to help guide her while she could focus on the road.
SCREECH
Just as he began to walk away, the bus came to a sudden halt. Everyone was instantly up and alert while Frasier cursed under his breath. Before them was yet another mass graveyard of abandoned cars and trucks. Shizuka's heart was racing, always hating when she had to slam the brakes for anything. She could hear the sound of gripping leather before turning to see Frasier's hand digging into the chair with extreme force. She could understand his anger, but was still grateful he didn't think to do the same to her shoulder instead.
"Maybe it's not so bad once we push through? It could be just a few blocking the road, and it's an easy ride from there?" She suggested in an attempt to defuse his tense attitude. "Unlikely, but it's worth investigating," the stalwart Lawson grumbled before pushing the button to open the door and hopping out.
Noah was the first to follow after him, watching as Frasier climbed the nearest car with binoculars in hand. While his eyes were obscured, he was visibly frowning as he observed their newest obstacle.
"There's a mudslide further down the road. If we turn back now, we can hopefully reach the only route left before nightfall." Frasier instructed. While naturally disappointed, he knew he needed to try to be somewhat optimistic for everyone else's sake.
"I'm afraid we wouldn't get very far. There's hardly enough gas left to make the trip back to where we started today." Shizuka suddenly announced, leaving Frasier tensing up again.
"Well, at least we can do something about that. With this many cars, we're bound to be able to siphon some considerable gas like last time." Noah piped in. "He's right. We might as well gather any other supplies we can find while we're at it." Saya agreed before everyone began to depart the bus; mentally preparing themselves to rummage through what was essentially an automobile graveyard.
"Two of you, take watch. The rest of you, fan out and bring back whatever we can make use of. Don't wander off on your own, and watch each other's backs." Frasier instructed firmly. His straightforward instructions felt downright rudimentary for the group at this point. This was the fourth time they had to salvage the remains of a highway traffic jam, and it probably wasn't going to be the last.
Marcus silently climbed to the roof of the bus, not acknowledging anyone else, as was to be expected. While he'd shown no suicidal tendencies or signals, everyone else had agreed to make sure not to neglect him for a second. After everything they'd gone through up to this point, they couldn't bear the thought of losing one more person.
"Here." Rika spoke up as she climbed up behind him, placing a straw sun hat in his lap. "You'll need it more than I will," she finished, well aware his lighter skin would be more sensitive to the constant sun than her tanned complexion. The young Brit took the hat without a peep before putting it on, no snarky remarks or humorous quips to be heard.
While Frasier initially didn't mind the lack of Marcus turning everything into a joke, a part of him did wish his brother would at least force a smile to reassure the others' concerns. However, at other times, he could muster up some sympathy when realizing if it been Saeko or Alice that died, he'd probably never smile again; let alone restrain his murderous rage.
"Think you can handle keeping watch today?" Frasier asked unexpectedly, causing Marcus to frown. "What, suddenly I'm incapable of keeping watch now? You think I might go crazy and just decide to not warn you of potential danger?" the middle Lawson spat back with unexpected hostility.
"Because we're out of sun lotion and water is limited," Frasier grumbled in what might've been genuine concern, which was now turned to bitter annoyance. This left Marcus silent before looking at the sky to see where Frasier's concerns were coming from.
"I think I'll survive a little sun. Sorry-" Marcus replied, trying not to sound so ungrateful before looking back to see his brother had already left to scavenge, not bothering to stick around for his answer. The young man sighed with regret and sat on the roof of the bus with both knees to his chest, glancing around to survey the area while the rest of the group slowly spread out across the deathly silent remains of the traffic jam.
"That didn't sound so good. You want to talk about what just happened?" Shizuka's voice suddenly broke the silence as she climbed up and sat beside the middle Lawson.
"What's there to talk about? I just shot down actual concern from Frasier. Won't be seeing that ever again." Marcus stated wryly, not wanting to look the nurse in the eye.
"How did it make you feel?" Shizuka asked softly, inching closer to Marcus as he kept his gaze focused on the road ahead. She could practically feel the bitterness emanating from him; as for whom it was towards, she couldn't guess.
"Like finding a bloody unicorn, only to shoo it away. I just hope I can handle my own damn emotions enough to not take it out on Noah too. He'd take it even more personally and make me feel like an outright tosser." Marcus lamented, bowing his head in shame while Shizuka silently brought an arm around his sides and pulled him a little closer, gently hugging the silent young Brit.
"How many more times do we have to keep robbing tombs like this; like a bunch of goddamn scavengers? Do you really think this is all still worth it? Do you really think we'll still be able to make it, the way things have been going?" Kiriko asked out of nowhere, causing Tadashi to look back at her with surprise. He'd been in the middle of trying to crowbar open the sliding door to a delivery van that'd rear-ended the car in front, so his wife's sudden exasperated outburst nearly made the former detective lose his footing.
"Honestly? I think we'll be lucky if we reach the next city at this rate. But Frasier-san is still so hell-bent on reaching that quarantine zone." Tadashi remarked as honestly as he could. Hoping that this was the right plan to get his family to safety. "So then why are we still persisting if it's not as feasible as we thought? Don't forget that this decision affects Rei as well." Kiriko brought up, which seemed to irk her husband.
"I know that. Believe me, there isn't a moment where that isn't on my mind. I've been thinking…maybe if things don't work out, we can try to come up with an alternate solution." Tadashi replied, irritated that she felt the need to point out the painfully obvious. It hurt them both immensely, knowing every day and night wasted on the road was only going to make it increasingly difficult to keep their daughter safe.
"If things don't work out?" Kiriko asked, well aware he already had a Plan B in mind. "More like when they don't work out," Tadashi elaborated before pulling out one of the maps and pointing out a spot he'd marked with red ink. "So what? Try for the coast? Maybe find a boat, head for the nearest island and wait this out?" Kiriko deduced as he smiled and gave a simple nod in confirmation.
"Assuming any boats haven't already been taken, or sunken by the storms, and that there are any large enough for all of us to board; there's no telling if any island nearby has enough supplies for us to wait this out." Rika's voice suddenly lectured in a cynical tone, prompting both Tadashi and Kiriko to look and see she'd been listening in on their conversation. Not that it had exactly been a private one to begin with.
"Do you ever have anything positive to say?" Kiriko asked with a trace of bitterness, crossing her arms. She was half-expecting Rika to have a plan of her own, considering she seemed like the type of person to always have one up her sleeve. "Maybe when there's something to be positive about, I'll try being more verbal about it," the markswoman retorted with a bored sigh, not caring for the policewoman's attitude.
"Well, the constant cynicism isn't helping. Those kids are trying their damn best to get by on what little we have, just like the rest of us." Kiriko said with noticeable regret, hating how useless she felt when they couldn't even feed them some nights.
"It's not enough," Rika pointed out with an almost infuriating bluntness. "Well, if it's not enough, why don't you take charge then? All I see you doing is taking orders from a teenager like everyone else!" Tadashi countered sternly, clearly not thrilled that someone more than a full decade younger than him was holding the fate of his family in his hands.
"Look, truth be told, I'm not really the leading type. Sure, if I have to take charge, then so be it. But if there's a strong, good-looking man willing to lead, then why not? Frasier-kun seems to know what he's doing…mostly." Rika remarked before forming a sly smirk on her face.
"He's still in high school, you know?" Kiriko grumbled, clearly disapproving of Rika's odd choice of priorities. "So? He's legal." Rika answered with an astounding nonchalant air, as though she seemed to take pleasure in Kiriko's disapproval. "But not interested," the policewoman replied with a wry smirk of her own, which left Rika equally annoyed at that unneeded reminder.
"Ladies? As interesting as Minami-san's love life is-" Tadashi interjected before this could get any more ridiculous than it already has. "Or rather lack thereof…" Kiriko remarked, unable to help herself from getting the last shot in. "…we should really focus on the matter at hand." Tadashi finished, as the two bickering women thankfully both seemed to be in agreement for now.
"We need to seriously reconsider what we're going to do. You have any suggestions? Besides the boat?" Rika asked a bit more seriously. Kiriko and Tadashi both looked at one another before the ex-detective nodded. "We should find a spot to settle down in; somewhere preferably isolated, and unlikely for anyone else to stumble upon for good measure," he advised. While simple in theory, it certainly seemed a lot better than what they were trying right now.
"Yes, those kids have all been through enough of this shit. Sooner or later, this hell will break them." Kiriko added, her concern always putting the teenagers and Alice first and foremost. "If it hasn't already." Rika noted with a heavy sigh, looking at the several adolescent survivors trying to keep it together with what little they had left. A part of her couldn't help but wonder what it was that drove them to keep pushing on while so many others couldn't.
"He's right. We can't just rely on good fortune anymore. We need a solution tonight." Kiriko announced with utmost certainty, knowing if they could catch a much-needed break again, they'd be able to, at the very least, release some pent up stress and recollect themselves. "I'll try talking to Frasier-kun; see if I can convince him to reconsider." Rika then offered as she began to stroll away to find him.
"Yeah, I'm sure that's all you have in mind for him." Kiriko teased, not entirely sure why she was so amused doing so. "Hey, whatever happens, happens," the markswoman sighed with content before it was just Tadashi and Kiriko again.
"Do you think the kids somehow aren't broken yet? Do you think Rei is as fine as she says she is?" Kiriko suddenly asked without any of her previous confidence. "I don't know, Kiriko. Those kids are tougher than we give them credit for, but everyone has a limit." Tadashi admitted, unable to project much faith himself.
"Say we do find somewhere isolated and decide to hunker down. Do you really think it will last?" the policewoman then asked, finally revealing her deep-rooted physical and mental exhaustion. "That's still so far away. Every part of me wants to be optimistic for their sake and say yes. It's too soon to say, though," was all her husband could honestly say before they were once more left in unbearable silence. The couple soon resumed scavenging, the continuous need for an alternative never once leaving their thoughts.
While Saya and Kohta were both busy picking apart what was left of a ravaged sedan, Alice couldn't help but take notice of a nearby Jeep that was parked nearby. Deep down, she knew it was best not to wander out of their line of sight; however, it was so close, she was almost certain it would be fine to take a quick peek. She casually wandered over to the dirt-covered vehicle.
At first her hand began to tug on the handle, stopping just before unlocking it when she realized she was supposed look inside first, like Saya had continuously suggested during their trip. Standing on the step to help the driver dismount, she now had a full view of the interior.
She instantly recognized the silhouette of someone sitting in the driver's seat. Initially, she wanted to alert the others, but she was perceptive enough to realize it was entirely motionless. Just to be sure it wasn't a trick, she began to tap on the window. However, the silhouette didn't budge at all.
Alice then barely noticed through the grime on the window, something was resting in the decrepit figure's lap. Both its arms were crossed around the unknown contents in what looked like a black sling. Curious and eager to discover its contents, the little girl opened the door, only to immediately close it again, thanks to the wretched stench the rotting corpse produced. While 'Them' and slain corpses on the street were definitely not much better in comparison, this one was left in the Jeep with the windows rolled up, which only condensed the putrid odor that much more.
Still determined to discover what this dead man was holding onto, Alice covered her nose with the collar of her orange t-shirt and opened it up again. She began coughing from the stink once she realized just how tough it was to pry the sling from the dead body's bony fingers. Just when it felt like it was coming loose, the entire corpse slumped over and toppled onto Alice.
She landed with a hard thud, pinned underneath the corpse, trying to push it away in desperation; the dry, skeletal face only inches from hers. Alice screamed in terror, instantly catching the attention of the entire group. Saya immediately bolted over, looking on in horror as she came face to face with what she feared most: Alice being attacked by one of 'Them', with nobody close enough to save her.
Not even considering her own personal safety at this point, the pink-haired girl rushed in, viciously kicking at the figure pinning Alice before pulling it away, half expecting it to lunge at her now. However, when she realized it was putting up no fight at all, she simply let go, watching as it crumpled before her like it was just some oversized rag doll. Her eyes stared at the shambled remains in both horror and confusion. She began trembling all over, trying to piece things together in her head.
"It's okay! I'm okay!" Alice huffed out in relief before going back to the black sling she'd just risked their lives for, almost as if she was completely unaware of the danger she could've been in. "I don't think this one was ever infected." Saeko spoke up when she was able to identify what looked like laceration wounds along the corpse's wrists.
"What in the hell were you doing?!" Saya suddenly shouted at Alice with intense scorn once she realized what just happened. Her heart was still racing as her hands slightly trembled.
"I saw these and pulled them out. See? It's okay." Alice attempted to explain; as if that might've justified the panic she'd stirred just up. Her whole body flinched when Saya unexpectedly slapped the bag out of her hands. "Okay?! Just OKAY?! There was nothing okay with what you just did! Do you know how stupid that was?! Do you have even a clue just how much trouble you could've brought on everyone here?!" Saya began to practically screech as her eyes flared with a furious intensity that left Alice stunned and horrified.
"I-I just thought..." Alice attempted to stammer out. "Oh, you thought?!" Saya immediately cut the little girl off. "You call that thinking!? What if that wasn't just some dried up corpse?! What if that was one of 'Them'?! You'd be dead right now, because you were too stupid to just do one goddamn thing I told you!" Saya snapped, holding nothing back, with each subsequent rant leaving Alice more hurt than the last. Tears welled up in the little girl's eyes before she finally lifted her head and stomped her tiny foot angrily.
"I HATE YOU! All you ever do is yell at everyone and get angry over everything! Why do you always have to be so mean?!" Alice shouted with unexpected anger through her babbling sobs. Both Saeko and Saya were left in utter awe at how genuine those words felt. Saya's head bowed in shame as the sobbing little girl stormed off, slamming the bus door behind her.
"I'll…I'll go see what she's found. Some of these don't look half bad." Saeko eventually found the courage to speak before walking away with the sling in hand, showing no desire to see the bespectacled girl's reaction to what had just been said.
"Oh my god, I never thought I'd see the day Alice-chan would talk to you like that." Kohta spoke up with astonishment as he hesitantly approached Saya as she fell to her knees.
"Am I wrong?" Saya suddenly whispered to herself as she couldn't stop shaking, trying not to cry herself. "Am I wrong to scold her for this? Did I make the wrong choice trying to discipline Alice-chan into break a bad habit?" she kept frantically asking nobody in particular. Anyone who knew Saya would've known that driving Alice to say she hated the pink-haired genius was the last thing she ever would've wanted.
"It doesn't even matter anymore. We're all going to die out here. We're down to the last of our supplies and have no way out of this nightmare. Why are we even still bothering wasting our time with this damn trip?" Saya continued to lament, Kohta looking at her with shock to hear her so devoid of any hope.
"Saya-san, I want nothing more than to see her make it through this. Out of all of us, that little girl has to survive, no matter what." Kohta stepped in; refusing to let the sharp-tongued girl he admired give up hope after everything else. "I'm sure you had the best intentions, you always do in her case, but all she saw was you...well, being you. Maybe we can talk to her when we're all done here, after she calms down." The gun otaku then said in reassurance, trying his best to instill in her some semblance of confidence.
"What's even the point? I didn't think it was possible for Alice to say she hated anyone. I don't know if there even is any coming back from that." Saya sighed, convinced that had to be the case after such a terrible outburst from the little girl that used to show such admiration for her before.
"We've all been under a lot of stress, and she picks up on that. She was just trying to help, and was probably hoping her find would make us all feel a little better. You shooting her down like that crushed her," the chubby young man explained before Saya shot him another annoyed glare.
"You think I don't know that, you—?!" she began to growl, only to stop short of another insult when she realized that's what landed her in this situation in the first place. "Yeah, I'm aware she's trying to help. I appreciate it even, but it was still way too risky. She's still just a little girl after all." Saya then admitted with a low sigh, wishing she'd been able to just tell that to Alice from that start, instead of flying off the handle again.
"Honestly, I'd be amazed if she wasn't having nightmares each and every night," she went on, as she could recall still not being used to the thought of sleeping out in the open like this herself.
"I know what you mean, we've all been sleeping with one eye open. It'd be nice to be able to just go to sleep and not have to worry whether we'll wake up again or not." Kohta suggested, causing Saya to look at him surprised. It was almost like he'd just taken the words right out of her mouth. "Look, I understand that you're afraid, we all are. But going off on the others, especially Alice-chan, will only break morale more than it already is. Just take a deep breath and try to curb that impulse to yell," he began to advise, with Saya finding no words to respond with.
She could just simply nod as she kept her arms crossed, having to swallow her pride in acceptance of her flaws. She quickly found herself red in the face when the gun lover suddenly hugged her tight. A definite smile slowly formed on her lips as she looked down at him with surprise.
"What's with you? Since when were you giving out the speeches around here?" Saya asked with a hint of sarcasm as she gladly unexpectedly hugged Kohta back. "Well someone has to keep spirits up. I just happen to be good at it when it comes to you." Kohta answered with a strangely confident smile that left her even more red in the face than before.
"T-Thank you. I don't suppose you have more uplifting speeches that can help me apologize to Alice?" Saya said with genuine gratitude, hoping he would have something for her to use. "I'll go with you. We'll handle this together." Kohta suggested, which left her taken aback at the sweet sentiment. For once, Saya Takagi was speechless, until she took his hand in hers. "I'd really like that," she mumbled with another heavy blush that almost matched her pink hair, before they marched to the bus together.
All the while, Rei and Johann were working their way through a few cars with open doors, working side-by-side as always before eventually coming across what looked like an office delivery truck. After breaking open the lock, the two felt their spirits lift when they were met with an abundance of water cooler jugs, all capped and filled to the brim.
The two of them wasted no time pulling out the first water jugs they could get their hands on, with Rei immediately making a beeline for the bus with her own, only to realize halfway Johann wasn't at her side, but was instead still at the truck, struggling with his own jug.
"Whoa, you don't look so good." Rei said concernedly when she could see his arms visibly tremble, struggling just to lift the water jug. "I'm fine. I just…need a moment to collect myself." Johann huffed, forced to drop the jug. Both watched as the seal broke off on impact and water began to spill out onto the road. "Johann, you've been like this for the last few days now. Would you mind telling me what's going on?" Rei replied with a note of skepticism to the young German's attempt at playing it off as nothing.
"Do you promise not to get mad?" Johann suddenly asked as he found himself leaning against the overturned delivery truck to catch his breath. "Of course I won't get mad. Why would I?" Rei reassured him with that same gentle smile, curious why he was suddenly being so secretive.
"I've been giving Alice-chan some of my rations recently. I figured it wouldn't do any harm...I mean, out of all of us, she needs her energy the most. She has to stay alert." Johann confessed; earning a look of surprise from Rei, who realized Alice had been noticeably more energetic compared to everyone else. "At first, there didn't seem to be any noticeable drawbacks, save for my stomach rumbling more frequently. But lately, I haven't been able to exert myself as much as usual. I also feel dizzy if I move about too fast," he continued, coughing every now and then. Rei could only look on in awe as it was clear just how much of a toll this had taken on her dear friend's body.
"It would also explain your recent loss of weight. Johann, this isn't healthy. While I think it's really sweet and kind of you to be looking out for Alice-chan like that, you can't be neglecting yourself like this," she began to express her worries. While truly touched by the personal sacrifices he'd endured for Alice's benefit, it didn't make it any easier for her to see Johann in such a weakened state.
"I know, but when I look at that poor little girl, I just can't help but do what I can to help her along. She's been so sad lately. I was hoping the extra food might help lift her spirits a little." Johann said with slight remorse, all too aware of the pain he was in right now because of his decision.
"I'm sure it has…" Rei said reassuringly with a warm smile as she brushed a hand against his cheek to wipe away some dirt. "…but you need to take care of yourself as well," she then concluded, unable to help but feel worried he'd most likely drive himself to starvation at this rate if she didn't intervene. "I'm sorry, Rei. I didn't mean to make you worry over me." Johann began to apologize, wishing he didn't have to make this trip any harder for her.
"You don't have to apologize for that. You're one of my dearest friends, Johann; it's only natural I'd worry for you at this point. Besides, it's not like there's any shortage for concern anyway, right?" she said with a hesitant chuckle before it became awkwardly silent between them. They both looked away to momentarily reflect on their situation now. All that could be heard was some nearby birds chirping, and the rest of their group scavenging.
"If I can be…regretfully honest right now, I still wonder if what we're doing out here is even worth it sometimes." Rei suddenly spoke up as her once uplifting voice was sudden full of considerable uncertainty and woe. "Ever since we started this journey, everything seems fine at first, like we're actually catching a much needed break for once. Then the next thing you know, someone dies, or another incident occurs. It's all been an uphill fight, nonstop for what feels like forever ago," she continued with a hopeless sense of never being able to pull herself out of this depressing realization.
"I've tried so hard to remain optimistic, to not let my worries and concerns burden the others. I know that all it takes is for one of us to snap and push the others over their limits. I refuse to be responsible for that," the young woman said in a broken voice, recalling how many times she had to swallow her emotions and bottle them up so the others wouldn't need to worry about her on top of everything else.
"You still feel responsible for Takashi-san…don't you?" Johann suddenly asked as he could see the tears that hung near the corners of her eyes finally began to trickle down her cheeks. "If I had arrived just a moment sooner...h-had I just followed my instincts...I'm certain I c-could've saved him. He'd still be alive if it wasn't for me hesitating." Rei began to regretfully reminisce, sniffling and sobbing between each pause.
Before she could say more, Johann gently pulled her into his arms, one hand on the back of her head while the other curled around her right shoulder. At first, Rei had no idea how to react to this, quickly realizing just how much she missed this wonderful feeling of comfort. It felt so foreign to her, leaving her at a pause just for a few more seconds until she could compose herself.
"Hell, Saeko-san even blames Frasier-san, her best friend, for what happened, but I was there too! Sometimes, I wonder if she holds any resentment for me, but simply chooses to be less verbal about it?" Rei began to worry further. The two of them looked to see Saeko a few cars over, loading up supplies into one of the duffel bags they'd brought.
"It's hard to say. She's been so reclusive all this time since then. Let's just hope it doesn't come up again anytime soon. You, on the other hand, shouldn't be so hard on yourself. At least you were able to save Frasier. That must count for something," Johann agreed without even trying to pretend like he could read the young swordswoman. All the while, Rei just looked down with a remorseful frown. "I could've saved both of them," was all she could mutter.
"Well, if there's one thing I've learned from an experience I'm far too familiar with at this point, it's that you can't change anything about the past. The best you can do is be faster next time. I'm sorry there's no easier way of saying it...but that's just the way it has to be. Then again, that's pretty much what you told me when I was where you're at right now," he began to express, hoping his words might get through to her. At the very least, Rei would be able to think on how it was far more beyond her control than she'd normally like to admit.
The faint smile of realization and gratitude Rei gave him warmed the young man's heart immensely as she silently brought her arms around his sides in return and held him tight, even resting her forehead against his chest as she could feel a little of her anxiety slowly fade away in his arms.
"We should probably get back to work. The others are counting on us to find something," Johann then suggested nervously, certain the others wouldn't take very kindly to them just standing around while they were all in the middle of trying to find what little supplies they could here.
Saeko had just finished inspecting the various knives and assorted blades Alice had found, discarding whatever she deemed inefficient before wrapping the sling back up. She was noticeably pleased she could at least use something else to dispatch 'Them', so her prized katana wouldn't wear down as much. As she took a moment to stretch her arms out, she caught movement in the corner of her eye.
Frasier stood alone by yet another wreckage, wearing what was once a white t-shirt (now coated in sweat stains and dirt) and torn up blue jeans. His hands were wrapped in a pair of gray fingerless gloves she'd found for him just the other day, all complete with three dark brown holsters hanging securely at his sides and back for two pistols and one rifle. His tired eyes stared off into the distance. The young swordswoman tried to follow what he could possibly be looking at, yet it seemed like there was nothing of real interest; just more foliage and trees practically forming a wall along the highway. The look of desperation and anguish in his eyes was clear for all to see.
She knew their constant setbacks and failures to get to the quarantine zone had been weighing on him immensely. Every single time something went wrong, it just made him doubt his abilities in leadership more and more. Some nights, she could overhear him muttering in his sleep, rambling on about how he wasn't good enough, for what she could only hazard a guess. But most concerning of all was his insistence that the "mission" was all that truly mattered anymore. Whenever anyone would dare confront him about it, he'd constantly claim to have no idea about it, or why he was so fixated on getting to Tokyo.
While she still mourned Takashi's death in moments of peace, what they had, what could've been; it didn't keep her from remembering that one night she and Frasier were alone, and how she lost control of herself and attacked him. She still found herself thinking back on how he fought so hard to talk her down from giving in to her more twisted side while keeping himself from getting cut in two, refusing to give up on her despite how far gone she was.
That moment they shared together in the aftermath struck an even stronger cord with her: that the two of them could finally open up to each other in a mutual moment of weakness and vulnerability. She still remembered the solemn vow they'd made to keep the other from ever slipping into such a terrible state again, and to pull each other out of the darkness should the need arise.
Without wanting to hesitate a moment longer, she made her way towards the stoic young man, slowly approaching before his hearing picked up that someone was coming. He quickly peeked over his shoulder, turning away once he realized whom it was.
"Hey...are you busy?" Saeko softly asked, hoping he'd be in a somewhat talkative mood. Her smooth voice always had a way of getting his attention; so calm and composed, yet it would command respect. No longer sporting the girl's school uniform, she stuck to a simple black tank top with black fatigues very similar to the one Rika was always wearing. Her combat boots were thankfully lightweight and flexible enough for her to move quickly in battle.
"You know I am. As a matter of fact, everyone should be busy right now," was all Frasier grumbled impatiently, almost going out of his way to signal to her this wasn't the time for idle chitchat.
"Yeah, I know that. But...umm..." she began to say, only to feel her words vanishing in her throat, at a loss for words when he spoke to her so coldly. "But what?" he said in a more impatient sigh, both arms folding against his thick chest.
"I just want you to know that none of this is your fault. In spite of these setbacks, we all still really do appreciate everything you've done for us. We wouldn't have made it nearly as far as we did if it hadn't been for your leadership." Saeko finally confessed, showing a sense of admiration for his efforts despite how much he was struggling to do so.
"Okay," was all he could utter in disinterest before turning away to continue his salvaging, leaving the blade expert at a momentary pause before she formed an agitated frown. "'Okay'? That's it?" she prodded, leaning beside him on the hood of the car while he continued to avoid eye contact with her.
"Oh, was I meant to say more?" Frasier questioned bitterly, almost acting like he was being interrogated. "No, I guess not. But...just 'okay'?" Saeko admitted, visibly concerned with how short he was being with her.
SLAM!
"What more do you want from me?! After what you said on that bus, I figured I'd be the last person on Earth you'd be making small talk with!" Frasier snarled after slamming the car door to the point the window imploded. The malice in his voice struck Saeko hard as she tried to withstand his brewing anger, trying to keep calm and composed so he'd hopefully feel the need to do the same.
"I know we haven't said much to each other since then, but you have to understand that at the time, I was absolutely at a loss. Komuro-kun was dead, and I was beyond angry. I was completely lost…to the point I blamed it all on the last person I should've." Saeko began to explain, holding back the regret and sadness that filled her heart from all this, wanting nothing more than for him to just accept her friendship again.
"You put the blame on me. Despite all I'd done for this group, for you...it didn't matter how much blood I had to spill so the others wouldn't need to. It still wasn't enough for you," the eldest Lawson ranted on, no longer restraining his feelings, making it painfully clear how he felt about their time together since they were reunited.
Unable to say anything that wouldn't result in her voice cracking from the sorrow weighing on her heart, Saeko simply placed a hand on his scruffy cheek; hoping to ease the frustration and contempt that ate away at his heart. However, he bitterly rejected her affection and care, pulling her wrist aside before releasing it with little hesitation.
"I don't need you. I don't need anyone else to do what I do. You want someone to lament your personal shit to? Tell it to Shizuka-sensei. I'm done being an emotional pillar for you." Frasier said with such hateful scorn, it left Saeko dead silent before she had to turn away to hide the tears trickling down her cheeks. The young woman silently stormed away, wishing that she'd just left him alone to begin with.
Once she was out of sight, the young man realized what he'd just done. Had this been a month ago, he would've instantly tried to apologize; but the last few weeks left him in a constant state of alert. Any past attempts of bonding with most of the group felt pointless, or like just another distraction he didn't need right now. His obsession to get the group to Tokyo far outweighed anything else. Eventually, he rationalized that it was all for the best, to ensure she couldn't get to him like she used to. There could be no distractions anymore if they were to survive the long road ahead.
Over the course of the day, it seemed like the desperate survivors had gathered everything that was worth taking along this lonely stretch of road. While it wasn't much, it was enough to keep them going for another few days until they would have to gather more. Several bags lay scattered near the bus while the group took a moment to collect themselves. Marcus then approached with a full canister in one hand, and a tube in the other.
"Got us some petrol. It should be enough to backtrack and then some," he announced as Frasier nodded with a silent approval behind it, somewhat relieved this failed route hadn't been entirely for nothing.
"We found a lot of water in a delivery truck. Help yourselves." Rei announced, both she and Johann struggling to carry the last of the water jugs. Alice was the first to hold up a cup, only for the large plastic jugs to start being pulled away.
"These need to be conserved. We'll need it if we wish to make it to the remaining route." Frasier interjected as he began hoisting the heavy water jugs to the back of the bus two-by-two.
A look of disappointment filled Alice's face, only to look surprised when he came back with bottled water in hand. The seemingly cold leader had to hold his smile back, sitting beside her on the steps as she twisted the cap off and started drinking away at it. Just when the little girl seemed finished, she suddenly began to pour some of it onto her hands.
"What are you doing, Alice-chan?" Kiriko asked, the others equally curious as she suddenly put both hands on Frasier's head. Her little fingers rustled through his hair as the group looked at her like she'd lost her mind, hoping Frasier wouldn't snap at her like Saya had.
"His hair is long enough for me to play with now. I think it looks better this way," Alice explained. Oddly enough, Frasier just sat there, allowing it to happen. At first he looked very annoyed by it, but considering it was Alice, he let it slide.
"Well? How do I look? She didn't make me look silly…did she?" Frasier eventually asked once Alice stopped long enough for them to see she brushed his hair upwards to form a, albeit rather messy and crude, fohawk. "I'd kill for a camera right about now." Saeko mumbled just loud enough for the others to hear. Never once had she, or anyone else, seen his hair like this before.
"It's...different." Tadashi added, not really sure what to make of it, though he could tell by the other's expressions it was a most rare sight.
"Cripes...this shouldn't be so significant..." Noah began to express, still clearly in shock at the sight before him. "…but it's like looking at a bloody unicorn." Marcus finished, both siblings trying to grasp this most bizarre sight. "I think it looks very handsome." Shizuka said in her usual bubbly tone before Frasier had finally had enough, too embarrassed to allow their staring to go on any longer.
"Okay, show's over," the eldest Lawson stammered before ruffling it up back to his former messy look. "We shouldn't be wasting our time with childish nonsense. It'll be sundown soon," he continued, not even aware of how upset Alice looked when he rejected his new hairstyle.
"Well...I thought it looked good." Alice sighed with disappointment, walking back into the bus as Frasier's eyes slightly widened when realizing what he'd just done. "Wow, smooth." Rika commented disapprovingly while he simply ignored the remark and pressed on to load up the supplies.
Suddenly, a low rumbling could be felt all around. The group looked around to see the bus and cars tremble and sway. Before anyone could even guess what was going on, the massive mudslide just up ahead began to shift; crashing further in as numerous rocks and boulders rolled down the slope and crashed into the cars below. As if on cue, all the vehicles began to go off, their alarms ringing loud enough to cause everyone's blood to freeze, knowing what was now to come.
"M-Maybe 'They' are too far away to notice?" Rei shouted, as it was hard to hear amid the deafening racket. "Yeah, and maybe there'll be a rescue team ready to evacuate us to a remote island paradise any second!" Saya sarcastically chimed in, earning a look of annoyance from Rei, even if it was wishful thinking to believe that 'They' wouldn't show up to all this commotion.
"What's going on?" Alice asked worriedly as she rushed to the emergency exit door, only for Miku to usher her back inside. "Stay here. We'll see what's going on," the young teen ordered, trying to keep the little girl calm as best she could; even if she herself was terrified of what was undoubtedly soon to come.
"Ah, bloody hell. Eyes upfront! We've got movement to the north!" Frasier called out as he motioned everyone to look forward. To both their surprise and horror, over a dozen figures began to rise from within the mudslide, slowly but surely prying themselves out bit-by-bit, some even losing limbs to escape.
"Should we take shots now? Those things can't move very well while stuck in all that mud," Noah pointed out, the others already lining up their shots, just waiting for their leader's command to open fire. "We really don't have much ammo to spare. Let's try to load up the rest of our supplies while there's still time," Frasier ordered, keeping his eyes fixated on the corpses violently thrashing in an attempt to break free while the rest of the group started gathering the bags.
Zeke meanwhile could be heard barking in the opposite direction of the mudslide. Normally, the survivors would react swiftly when they heard him yapping excessively; but with the car alarms still going off, it was near impossible to hear him. Johann soon noticed the pup snarling and baring his teeth at something. He started to reach over to pick up the small dog. However, at the last second, he came face to face with a massive undead man wearing what looked like the tattered remains of a basketball jersey.
"Oh God! We've got some back here too!" Johann announced in a panic before he was pinned against the bus, one foot keeping him barely balanced as the other pressed into the chest of the burly corpse that refused to let him go. "What...?!" Frasier growled, as he turned around only to pause at the sight of several dozen more of 'Them' moving in from their rear flank.
"Johann!" both Rei and Kiriko shouted the instant they saw it. Johann clearly wouldn't last another ten seconds against such a powerful foe. Luckily, Saeko was close enough for her blade to reach. With one precise swipe, the arms came clean off, the body slumping forward. Johann ducked down just in time to avoid his face getting chewed off. The zombified athlete's face smashed into the bus, leaving a putrid smear of blood and pus while Johann rolled away.
Without hesitation, Rei fired a single round into the ear hole; the shot blasting whatever contents of the head were left all over the side of the bus. Johann scrambled to get back on his feet with Saeko's help. He shot her a nod of gratitude before she went off to take down a pack drawing very close to the emergency exit door.
"I didn't give an order to shoot! Don't fire unless—" Frasier snapped, trying to maintain trigger discipline before he glanced back to see the first group of 'Them' from the mud were now free and moving in on the group as well. Within minutes, they'd all be surrounded without a chance to escape. "Such madness...weapons free! Open fire!" the young leader muttered at first, realizing this wasn't the time to be holding back anymore.
Without needing any further words, those armed with firearms began to take shots at the closest of 'Them', covering the others trying to drag the supplies back towards the bus.
"Quick, get up on the roofs!" Kiriko ordered as they were forced drop their haul in order to escape the numerous undead pressing in from both sides. The cars rocked a bit as the survivors climbed aboard to narrowly escape numerous hands that now reached out for them.
"Please tell me there's a plan!" Kohta shouted up to Frasier, firing several shots into a pack that were heading towards the car Shizuka and Rika were on.
Frasier meanwhile surveyed the area, trying to find some sort of tactical advantage they'd missed before. Just when it seemed like they were going to have to rely on the last of the ammo, he realized they had just one advantage that could turn the tide of battle.
"This highway is on a slope. Cover me!" he announced before jumping down from the armored bus, Saeko following right behind him while the others carefully placed their shots; making a great effort to not waste a single bullet or shell. Frasier and Saeko rushed down towards the end of the traffic pileup, the main bulk of 'Them' that were pushing up from the rear drawing nearer with each passing second.
"You know what you're doing, right?" the young swordswoman called out as she cut down an undead woman in a torn up robe that was mere inches away from sinking its jagged nails into his back; watching as he busted a window only to start pushing down on the emergency brake.
"I always know what I'm doing! Now start releasing those emergency breaks," the headstrong leader ordered with a shout before he began to push the car with all his might. The wheels slowly turned until it began to finally gain some momentum. Both watched as the vehicle suddenly sped up, rolling over several of 'Them' caught in the way while sending numerous others tumbling over. While it didn't kill that many, it was certainly going to slow some down.
He and Saeko worked side by side now to break up the oncoming horde. Several cars were released before the two of them had to fall back to regroup with the others. Some even managed to collide and momentarily distract some of 'Them'.
Marcus meanwhile tried to keep his cool, refueling the bus so they could escape as soon as possible; all the shouting, gunfire, and shuffling of feet nearby making it so hard to concentrate. He had to check over his shoulder constantly to make sure nothing was about to get him. The pressure of the others relying on him to help them get out of this mess wasn't helping either.
"Those ones from the mud are really going to be a problem! Too many cars to protect and conceal 'Them'." Noah called out to the others, taking several shots at an undead police officer before his gun made that dreaded click.
"Take shots at the ones you can see! We have to buy Marcus more time!" Rika said, catching a glimpse of several of 'Them' lined up behind a windshield. With little hesitation she took the shot, watching as the glass shattered before three corpses collapsed at once. A look of satisfaction took over as she turned around and fired another series of shots in quick succession.
However, the others weren't having nearly as much success, practically counting down the last of their bullets before having to move closer and closer to the bus. Despite spending the last few weeks practicing and honing their skills whenever possible, the lack of a proper rest and their increasingly desperate situation took a huge toll on their accuracy. While some shots would hit, most were in a leg, torso or arm, which didn't even remotely halt 'Them'.
"Marcus, we have to go!" Frasier announced at the top of his lungs, motioning him to hurry up as their time had officially run out. "Not yet! We need more if this trip was to be worth anything," the middle Lawson roared back, refusing to give up so soon. He was beyond adamant in ensuring the bus' fuel tank was filled with everything he'd salvaged.
Just as he fitted another hose to a jerry can, a reanimated JGSDF trooper managed to push through the defender's lines. Marcus looked up at it, making eye contact for a brief moment with those lifeless gray eyes, only to roll aside to avoid being grabbed. Grabbing a nearby hammer, he took a swing at the helmet strapped to its head.
THWACK!
"Shit," he grumbled when it had very little effect on the reinforced helmet. It merely left a dent, as the force of the impact had only caused the undead trooper to stumble back a couple steps.
Just when he thought he'd have to make a risky move to get underneath the helmet, Frasier jumped down and kicked the back of the knees forward, using his knife to slice the strap clinging to the chin, his free hand prying the helmet off in a single motion. Without hesitation, Marcus went in for the kill, repeatedly slamming the hammer down until the metal head was wedged in the messy pulp of skull and brain matter; clinging to it despite how hard the young Brit tried to pull it out.
"Forget it! We're pulling back now!" Frasier ordered as he pulled on Marcus' arm, only for his brother to pull away with very little effort. "Five minutes! I just need five minutes to fill up the last three—" Marcus began to insist, only to stop short when Frasier kicked them over and sealed the gas cap, earning a look of utter contempt from Marcus before he glared right back at him. Despite how bad they wanted to argue over this, this was not the time or place to do it.
"Fall back! All of you get up on the roof of the bus," the eldest Lawson called out to those still in the heat of battle, holding both hands together to start lifting those that hadn't made it onboard. "Son of a bitch." Marcus grumbled out of spite as he was lifted up to the roof of the bus, hating that he couldn't fill up just a bit longer before opening the emergency hatch to let the others inside.
"Come on, take my hand!" Johann called out as Frasier leapt up and grabbed onto it. At first Johann seemed to have him, only to suddenly lose his grip. Frasier hit the ground hard, rolling between several of 'Them' before crawling beneath a car to avoid being pounced on.
"Go! Go! Get this thing moving! I'll catch up!" he ordered, coughing violently as he motioned for Shizuka to take off immediately.
While it was by no means easy for her to potentially leave someone behind, Shizuka knew she had to look out for the others as well. The dead already pressing against the front of the bus also helped persuade her into quickly shift into reverse and starting the official retreat. Several of 'Them' were plowed aside as the bus powered through the oncoming crowds.
"How's he going to get onboard? He knows we can't open these doors and risk 'Them' getting in, right?" Saya asked nervously, uncertain how they'd be able to reunite with their leader. She could only watch as he pulled himself on top of a car before he started to run along them in attempt to keep up with the fleeing bus. "Oh, he knows. Get ready to intercept him by that water truck." Saeko noted as she could see exactly where they'd be crossing paths.
"Come on...come on..." Noah murmured in anticipation as he gripped the back of a seat. Every last second left him anxious, knowing his brother would have little chance of catching up if he was left behind here.
"Slow down, just enough for him to catch up!" Saeko called out as she could see he needed just a little more time to catch up, ready to jump out to help him if need be. "Wait! We have to move faster! If we stall, those things are going to flip us over!" Kiriko warned, the group anxiously looking around as if expecting someone to come up with a plan that didn't involve risking either side.
Unable to handle the intense stress and responsibility, Shizuka pressed on the gas pedal as hard as she could, ramming through several car bumpers just as Frasier was a few rows behind. Just when it seemed like she was prepared to abandon him, the nurse pulled the bus around, slamming on the brakes as she opened up the rear emergency exit doors.
SCREECH!
Rika and Kiriko provided covering fire, clearing a small path for him to use. Moments later, with what seemed like thirty following him, Frasier climbed aboard; huffing for air as Rika pulled the emergency door shut.
"We're all here! Floor it," she announced, watching as Shizuka spared no time in putting her foot to the gas pedal again, leaving the walking nightmare far behind as they could finally collect themselves.
"We made it? Oh my goodness, that was way too close. Is everyone alright?" Shizuka announced out of sheer relief, looking around to see nobody was hurt. While her radiant enthusiasm was welcome, the others couldn't exactly show it after nearly being overwhelmed by 'Them' again.
"I just hope these supplies are worth the last of the ammunition we gathered from that police substation." Tadashi grunted before emptying out his revolver out the window, the casings bouncing and chiming against the road before rolling into a nearby ditch.
"Let's find out and take a look at the haul. Go on, Noah." Frasier said with what little enthusiasm he had to spare. His youngest brother nodded before walking down to inspect what they'd just risked their lives for.
However, the lack of any response after over a minute began to raise concerns.
"Well? What's the hold up, lad?" Frasier called out from the front, trying to keep patient as he could see his brother just standing there, frozen in place.
"It's...it's..." Noah began to stammer, his body trembling while his voice practically cracked. "It's what? Speak up now." Frasier demanded, his patience beginning to wear thin.
"It's not here! There's nothing here!" Noah finally called out in horror as the others rushed over to see he was telling the truth, each one looking in despair at the soul-crushing realization.
"We must've left it behind on the road during our getaway." Johann muttered, looking to see what little they'd managed to bring back. Only the water he and Rei gathered seemed to make it, along with a little bit of gas Tadashi had siphoned.
"You mean…all that...was for nothing?!" Saya said, practically saying what everyone was thinking now.
"M-Maybe we could go back in a few hours? It's not like 'They' will get into any of it." Rei suggested, doing what little she could to help maintain what miniscule of their morale was now left. "It's no use now. We'd end up wasting what little gas we just salvaged trying to go back." Saeko shot down her suggestion, knowing it wasn't worth even trying to entertain such a hopeless idea. The group then looked over when Frasier suddenly stormed past them, heading directly for the front of the bus.
"Stop! STOP THE FUCKING BUS THIS INSTANT!" Frasier roared as Shizuka looked back at him, too afraid to question his orders before putting her foot on the brakes. "What are you-?" Noah began to ask, only for his brother to kick the exit door wide open, surveying the area before drawing his knife for all to see.
At first they were uncertain what had sparked such an erratic and belligerent decision to stop the bus. However, when Rika shined a flashlight on their leader, they could see him dispatching several of 'Them' that had been wandering by; viciously butchering each one in a bloodied frenzy fueled by the rage of yet another failure.
"Probably better we just let him have this. It sure as hell beats him taking it out on the rest of us for this mess." Rika advised. Nobody even considered going out there to stop the young man's rampage. Not even for a second.
Minutes later…
What was expected to be several hours, turned out to only be a few minutes. Several corpses were strung out on the road, each one more brutalized than the last. At the end of the bloody, viscera-strewn trail, Frasier himself could be seen sitting amid his handy work, breathing hard and heavy, clearly worn out and hungry from his momentary episode.
While most of the group was understandably hesitant to even consider approaching him, Rika and Saeko were brave enough to stand before him. Sweat trickled down his face as he finished wiping the blood from his blade. He then slowly looked up at them with an anguished look.
"You good to go?" Rika asked bluntly while looking at the nearby corpses, noticing how each one had been dismembered and disemboweled with almost animal-like ferocity. "Yeah…I think so." Frasier grumbled, starting to stand back up, only to immediately sit back down, as if he was too tired to even pull himself up.
"Here, let me help you up." Saeko offered with an extended hand. A warm smile could be seen on her face as his hand began reaching up for hers.
However, at the last second, his hand moved past hers only to grasp a water bottle Rika was offering him at the side. Within seconds, he'd chugged the entire thing before crushing the plastic bottle and tossing it aside, managing to get up the second time around with little trouble.
"Thanks," he responded before marching back towards the bus, stumbling slightly before he climbed aboard again. He could be seen motioning the others to prepare to move out once more.
"Don't feel bad. You just need to know what a man needs at a time like this." Rika said in a soft voice, slightly pursing her lips as she could see the young man's choice had clearly affected the group's sword master.
Saeko just kept her head down while Rika moved on without her. She formed a sudden fist as she tried not to shed a tear from what just happened, knowing she shouldn't be jealous, despite it being all she could understand right now. Rika's words certainly didn't help either. A serious sense of doubt weighed on her heart now. She took one last sigh before she returned to the bus.
The hulking vehicle took off moments before more of 'Them' could catch up. With spirits down, barely enough food to last the night, and little to no fuel left, the group wasn't going to last another week.