Chapter 6: Guts and Stuff
It is early morning now, though the sun is yet to rise. Alongside the calm breeze, I and Iroha ride our bicycles without rest. When I get home, I will definitely take a bath and have a change of clothes, no matter what. I can only hope that water still works.
"!"
I stop my bicycle, and Iroha does the same. There is only one reason for this – a horde of zombies stands in our way, at least a hundred of them.
Thankfully, neither of us has made any sound, and so the zombies have not noticed us. They are quite a distance away from us, so if they do retain their sense of smell, they shouldn't pick it up from this far.
At least, I hope so.
"W, what do we do senpai?" She asks that question quite often, I note. In any case, I had a lot of time to think about this whole thing. Several dangerous scenarios I could no doubt face in the future were considered, and all kinds of ideas had come up.
For this one, I have just the idea.
"I want to try something out. First, let's go somewhere... less crowded."
Iroha does not protest my suggestion, and we quietly walk with our bicycles in tow.
Inside an empty house, one we had cleared from only a single zombie, I reveal my plan. It is a plan that involves the corpse I had killed just now, laying at the entrance of the house.
"So, you've seen zombie movies before?"
She looks at me as though the answer should be obvious.
"Of course, I have. I mean, who hasn't in this day and age?"
(Fair enough.)
"Yes. Then you must know that they used various tricks to get out of situations like this one, yeah?"
"Where are you going with this, senpai?"
"I want to try something like that. In this case, mask our scent with that zombie's guts." I say so while pointing at the dead zombie.
She looks at the corpse, then at me, back at the corpse, and then at me once more. It looks quite comical once you consider what she just heard.
"...Are you serious?" People have often called me out for my eyes looking dead, or rather, dead fish-like. Having seen myself in the mirror, I can attest that those words may hold some water. And yet here she is, with eyes deader than mine.
Seriously, where did all your cuteness go, kouhai?
"...Yeah." I answer honestly. Realizing too late just how messed up an idea it sounds. Still, while we could try another route, it would take too long. Both Iroha and I know that this is the fastest way. She also knows that I want to get there as quickly as possible.
She either goes with my plan or stays behind. There is no other way, not with me, not when it comes to my family.
Also, this is a perfect opportunity to test the zombies' sense of smell. Though that is the lesser of my goals right now.
Relenting, Iroha lets out a long sigh.
"...Fine. Honestly, senpai... what will I do with you? Making a girl cover herself in zombie guts, how shameless."
"Oi, that last part was uncalled for!"
A foxy smirk meets my weak complaint.
"You wish!"
I lift my machete and prepare to cut the corpse's stomach. The body belongs to what was once a young man, a little older than myself, with an athletic figure.
The blade goes down – and then stops, not so much as touching the skin.
A harsh breath escapes my lips and I drop the machete to the ground, before pulling at my own hair in frustration.
"Aargh!" groaning, I fall to my knees.
I can't do it, damnit! This is the fifth time I'm going at this, and there is still yet to be any progress. It may be a zombie, but the fact that it was once a living, breathing person continues to surface my mind, distracting me from my task. He had his own hopes and dreams, such are the thoughts that plague my mind every time I attempt to pierce his flesh!
"Are you alright in there, senpai?" Iroha, who stayed in another room to avoid seeing the whole gutting thing, asks with concern.
"Y, yeah. It's just... harder than I thought it would be."
Iroha falls silent for a moment. As I consider another attempt at cutting the corpse, she finally finds her words.
"...You can't do it, can you?"
"!?"
How should I answer that? I can't think of anything to say, and the frustration that comes with acknowledging that fact makes me sick. I swore to get to Komachi no matter what, and yet I can't do something like this?
Before I can so much as consider my answer, Iroha continues.
"It might help if you think about what you wish to accomplish. When I face a difficult task, I think about the goal I want to achieve. It usually helps."
(I see.)
My goal, huh? As I think about what I want to achieve by doing this horrible and inhuman act, the repulsion leaves me – albeit, slightly. After all, my precious sister is waiting for me to save her, every passing second is another second of her waiting for me. If this corpse can get me to her faster, then I must do it.
(...I will do it. There is no going around this, no other choice. I have to get to her no matter what!)
I rise to my feat, with my machete in hand. There is a new light in my eyes, a glint of newfound determination.
"Thank you, kouhai. I can do it now."
I do not wait for her to speak.
I simply rise my blade, and deliver it downwards.
I do not know whether their sense of smell works or not, but the zombie guts and blood covering both I and Iroha definitely reeks. I can't help but want to throw up. Both the smell and the memory of my actions sicken me to the core.
But that is nothing compared to losing Komachi. Thus, with gritted teeth and an iron will, I clench my fists and endure it.
Iroha seems pale, is it the guts or the horde of zombies that surround us from all sides? I do not know, but the light in her eyes is certainly not one a weak-minded person would bear.
She is dealing quite well with this absurdity of a situation. She has my respect.
And so we walk, in absolute silence, with our bicycles in tow.
(Komachi... wait just a little longer. I will definitely find you.)
We have successfully passed the horde of zombies. It's been around an hour since then, and though I intend to keep going, Iroha stops me with an angry scowl on her face. Come to think of it, her mood has been increasingly worsening since we left that horde. Could this be her breaking point?
"We're not going any further, senpai. Not with these clothes." she says so with a voice as cold as ice, and eyes deader than mine. Seriously, how is that even possible? I had to spend several years in the hellish world known as middle-school to get where I am now, and yet she has done so in a mere day. I guess the apocalypse does that to people... wait, could it be that my eyes have gotten deader as well? Hmm... I doubt it. I guess it's more of a woman thing.
In any case, I want to protest. Unfortunately, even I have my limits. An angry woman I can only hope to face, but a furious woman is a punishment worse than death. Besides, she has decided to stick with me for the time being, and I have sort of gotten fond of her presence, and so I find it difficult to leave her behind.
I feel troubled, but relent.
(Please forgive your useless and weak-hearted older brother, Komachi!)
"Gulp. Let's make it quick then." I say so with as straight a face as I can, trying to stay composed.
Luckily for me, there is a small clothing store nearby, and we are not that far from home. Besides, I'm not sure I want to meet Komachi with my current appearance – being covered from head to toe in guts and stuff. It would undoubtedly scare her, I have no plans to worsen her current condition.
And so, we enter the store.
Of course, we have not forgotten about the zombies. We bear our weapons with steeled wills. Quietly, we scout the area. I walk in front, while Iroha remains in the back.
Eventually, we confirm that no zombies are present.
I allow myself to sigh in relief.
"Alright, civilization as we know it is done for. Don't even think about turning this into an hour-long shopping spree." Having suffered the pain of shopping with my mother and sister, I sternly warn Iroha. I have no intentions of having a repeat of that battlefield. I would much rather get eaten by zombies.
Iroha pouts.
"Aww. Senpai, you don't understand girls at all, do you?"
"If there's one thing life has taught me, it's that there are some hurdles that are simply too ridiculous to understand. One of the greatest of those ought to be a woman."
"What is that supposed to mean, senpai?"
That sweat voice, like a mask hiding a monster... and that look in her eyes... I think it would be for the best if I were to shut up now.
This is about the guts, isn't it?
"N, nothing. Let's just get it over with."
"Mhm." her cheerful smile returns, and we go searching for some fresh clothes.
