Chapter 19-Home Sweet Zombie
The sun was beginning to set when Michiru started her own rescue mission. The rain finally stopped and the sun peaked out for one last time, before retiring over the horizon. Michiru knew she had to get inside the building, soon.
The zombie crowd was relentless still, pushing and shoving against the two weak columns that supported the overhang. A slight shift under her feet told Michiru that it wasn't going to hold any longer.
Michiru shielded her eyes and raised her flashlight. The window shattered loudly, showering the zombies below with thousand pieces of glittering fragments. The crowd responded by groaning louder…
She grabbed her stuff and climbed through the hole she made. She blinked hard as she tried to adjust to the darkness inside, as she walked slowly along a long narrow corridor. Randomly, Michiru chose a unit that had a busted lock.
As Michiru pushed the door open, a wave of dust whiffed by, causing her to cough. She walked in slowly and quietly. A quick glance around showed that there were no zombies or humans inside. Michiru dropped her bag on the floor and plopped herself down on one of the chairs.
The unit she broke into was small but she could see why it would be lovely once. Rows of dead plants were still on the window sills. Spider webs and dusts adorned the place, covering what was once normal under a layer of despair. Her eyes rested on a doll lying on the floor and Michiru walked over to pick it up. It squeaked as she squeezed it. It must have belonged to a child.
She quickly rummaged through the house to see if there were any food or water left. "Ah," an uncontrollable squeal came out when she came across a box of strawberry pockey. She quickly stuffed it in her bag. Even though her stomach was growling, she wanted to save this for Hotaru and Chibiusa.
Michiru couldn't help but kick herself for not having food in her bag. Instead, she had packed all of the food and water into Mako's backpack. Finally, Michiru found some crackers and a can of soda and she settled down on the floor to enjoy her meal.
Suddenly, a thud came from one of the bedrooms. Michiru quickly reached for her spear and stood up. She listened again. She was definitely not alone...
Michiru tiptoed over and pressed her ear against the door. There was shuffling, and then fingernails were scratching at the door. She looked at the door handle and debated whether to let this one go or not...one trapped zombie, probably not worth the effort...
She returned back to the kitchen floor and continued her meal, keeping one eye on the bedroom door. The scratching from the bedroom was becoming more frantic now, desperate...
Finally, unable to stand it any longer, Michiru grabbed her spear and headed toward the bedroom door. "Hello?" Michiru spoke through the door. No answer. Definitely a zombie.
She took a deep breath and opened the door quickly, her arm raised, her spear pointed...
"What?!" Michiru looked at the empty room in surprise. She took a tentative step forward, still on her guard.
"Argh..." A sound came from behind the door and Michiru spun around. Her eyes widen in shock as a child zombie started to charge at her...
One moment of hesitation was all it took. Michiru tripped over the bed post and tumbled backwards. The child was on top of her in a flash, teeth out and claws out...
Michiru held her at arms length, preventing the zombie from sinking her teeth in. She could feel tears in her own eyes as she stared at the child monster. She looked to be Hotaru's age. The child was wearing bear pajamas, her hair split into two high pig tails, the child was an image of innocence and evil all bundled into one…
Suddenly, a knife came into view and the child was slain. Michiru cried out as the child laid limp on her.
"Are you okay?" A woman with short wavy pink hair offered her hand. "Are you bit? Hurt?"
Michiru got up and picked up the body of the child. She placed the child on the bed and fixed her pigtails. "Rest in peace now..."
"She's your child?" The woman asked.
"No. I am just passing through. She is my daughter's age though, so..." Michiru looked down sadly at the little girl.
"Hmm. Name's Elsa Grey, what's yours?" The woman offered her hand again.
"Michiru." She finally took the stranger's hand and shook it. "Do you live here? In this building?"
"Nah, just passing through, until some idiot started playing the violin. So I was forced to stay just a bit longer…" Elsa shrugged. "Are you trapped?"
Michiru felt her face turned red. She was mortified to think that her action might bring doom to whoever might still be in this building. "Yeah...anyway, any idea how to get out of here?"
Elsa beamed and pointed upwards. "We go up..."
Michiru raised her eyebrows. "And then?"
"Hope you are not afraid of heights. That's all I'm saying..." Elsa chuckled and head towards the door. "Coming or not?"
Michiru nodded but tightened her grip on her spear. The woman seemed nice, but one could never tell anymore.
"Okay, let's go." Setsuna packed up her stuff. She had copied down the rendezvous information and passed an extra copy to Mako.
Confused, Mako tilted her head. "What for?"
"Just in case if I don't make it. One of us has to make it home and give this to the group." Setsuna said in her usual calm voice.
Mako took the paper and stuffed it in her pocket. "We are all making back. Michiru included. Got any idea on how to get her out?"
Setsuna looked out the window and shook her head. "Best bet is for us to get to the building next to the overhang. Then we find some ropes and maybe climb over. Very risky. Or, we stay put in that building for one night and then wait for the crowd to dissipate. Without a stimulus, they would get bored and move on eventually."
"I saw Michiru broke into the building alright. She looked okay." Mako put on her backpack and was ready. "Now let's get to that building and hunker down for the night. I vote wait it out too. I think Michiru would be smart enough to stay put, and wait for us."
Setsuna nodded and followed Mako silently. Truth was, despite her calm exterior, she was freaking out inside. That conversation with Dr. M was unsettling. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but she knew something wasn't right.
There was a reason why Setsuna didn't just find a radio station and broadcast the information she had. They would end up with a mob in front of their house, hoping to kidnap the "cure". She was hoping that by doing it this way would give her a sense of security, that Usagi would be safe...but could anyone be safe anymore nowadays?
Once they were out of the lab, they started running. The building they were headed for was largely neglected by the zombies. Setsuna threw a flare in the opposite direction, attracting the rest of the strays.
The building they entered was once a dorm for the university. It was once filled with lively energy of youths, but now it stank of death. Setsuna wrinkled her nose and tried to breath through her mouth.
"Be careful, there might be more trapped upstairs. The smell is really strong here..."
Mako nodded. Her axe poised, she was not letting her guard down. "Okay, let's stop here." She opened the door leading to the hallway. It creaked loudly and both of them stopped in their tracks.
Mako poked her head out and looked both ways. "Clear." She motioned for Setsuna to follow.
Eventually, they made their way into one of the dorm rooms. Exhausted, Setsuna laid herself down on the lower bunk. Mako secured the door and then started to rummage through the room.
"What do we have here..." Mako's face lit up when she opened the mini fridge. "Beer, beer, beer, beer, and more beer..."
Setsuna grabbed one, popped it open and chuck it all down. Mako looked at her with shock. She quickly followed suit though, opening one and downing one in seconds.
The alcohol entered the bloodstream quickly and Setsuna could feel the effects within minutes. She sank back down onto the soft mattress and allowed herself to forget...
She didn't want to question herself anymore…did she do the right thing telling Dr. M all that she knew?
