If you've got any criticisms, suggestions or have spotted a mistake or anything, feel free to drop a review or a PM to me. I'm more than willing to listen and get more ideas to keep this fic going, be that in the form of new characters, scenes and whatnot or edits to existing ones that'll help flesh out the story and make it all the more enjoyable to read. I can't guarantee any form of an update schedule, but I'll try my best to push out chapters when I can!
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DISCLAIMER: I do not own H.O.T.D nor any of it's characters, nor do I own any other franchise that may be mentioned.
You know, I think all forms of zombie media have been ruined for me. As in, actually playing them. I'm never quite going to look at a zombie game, film or TV series quite the same way now that I have visceral experience in applying a blunt object to a skull. That's a sentiment shared by everyone here, given we're avoiding using that word like it's the plague for the most part.
"There's more of them on the other side of the river..." Takashi comments, and a glance out the window proves him right. There's a group of eight or nine trudging down the riverside towards the Onbetsu bridge on the other side.
We're currently parked a little bit away from our bridge of choice- the path before us blocked by cars we'll need to manoeuvre through, go over or move out of the way- a time-consuming endeavour, but one we're going to have to do alongside lowering the bridge itself. I don't think any of us know how to get a boat running, and going on-foot really isn't a good idea- not that we could all climb up and over anyways.
"It's everywhere. Pan-dem-ic. Remember?" Takagi huffs, crossing her arms and looking away from the window.
A sigh is his eventual response, although Saeko speaks up next "It would appear they have resorted to securing certain areas rather than as much as they can if they've left the bridge unguarded."
Rei interjects "The police are still active- we just need to hang in there and keep ourselves safe! Why else would they have left it raised?"
Hah? "-Your right. Japan's police are devoted to their jobs." She nods slowly, and Rei beams.
I'm left baffled in the fact Miss Facts 'n Logic isn't refuting her obviously false statements. They've got to know something I don't.
"Yeah. Besides, it'd make sense for them to put all their focus in the non-raisable bridge" Kato chimes in.
The bridge itself, while devoid of all undead, is raised up. This would usually be to allow boats to pass under it, but now it's being used to stop the infected from crossing. "How did all of us miss it being raised again?" Takashi asks
I sigh and shake my head "Listen- we were all stressed out last night, and we didn't really have a good time to look earlier when we had to leave in the morning. We were bound to make a mistake somewhere."
Shaking my head, I rub my eyes and try to focus. The radio's given me nothing during the drive over here either, and we've still got a lot of sunlight to burn, so a quick break to get changed and ready to move cars and lower a bridge isn't a bad plan, right?
"We should clear out one of these buildings and get ready properly. Going right to getting this sorted when half of us aren't even in proper clothing is going to end in disaster." I speak up after a moment before any of the others retort, and while Takashi hesitates he does eventually nod along with me.
Don't think I didn't catch that glance around, chief. I'm half tempted to do so as well, but I prefer being alive.
"Hmph! We should. Don't think I've forgotten about your peeking last night though!" Eh? Takagi?
"I didn't do anything." I refute, shaking my head and swapping my pipe-wrench out for the accursed crowbar.
As I open the door to step out before she can respond, Saeko smarmily replies "Would it really be so bad if they had?"
This has more than just me tripping over my feet, as I distinctly see Kohta with another nose-bleed climbing out of the roof hatch. How much blood does that guy have anyways? If his nose bleeds this much I'm surprised he hasn't got a couple beakers full thus far.
With myself out, I look at the two closest buildings- both of which being two-story houses. Picking the one on the right, I make my way towards it, only momentarily looking back as the doors of the Humvee open, my clearing joined by Takashi and Kato.
A glance down shows my hands are shaking. It's slight, but noticeable nevertheless as I tighten my grip on the bar. I don't want to blame the crowbar, but damn does it feel right to push the blame onto the rusting hunk of metal in my hands.
The former of the two runs infront of me, bat at the ready whereas Kato readies her knife. I should probably keep an eye out for something better, that knife isn't going to hold up forever. "Kato-san, check out the main floor and garden while I check the cupboards and closets. Smith-san, clear the upstairs."
On my own? Well, shit. Can't go too wrong, can it? "Got it." We respond, and he tries the front door's bloodied handle where it swings open with a loud creak
The scene within is grisly, the floors and walls coated with a dried red substance that certainly isn't paint- the sight is enough for me to look away with a frown and contemplate our little team composition. I know for a fact Kato's not taking the sight too well if her barely contained retches are anything to go off, but Takashi.. well- he worries me a bit.
There's no outward reaction from him... seemingly at all. He just pauses for a moment and walks towards the kitchen.
Shaking my head, I raise my crowbar and move for the staircase- got to keep my head in the game. With all of this blood, it's not the most ideal place for anyone to get changed- but it's better than nothing at all, especially in an apocalypse.
A gasp from behind me makes me spin on the spot and look away from the stairs, although I see nothing. A wet thunk of a sound tells me enough- Kato probably had to stab an infected. Turning back, I'm greeted with a corpse falling down the stairs. Directly towards me.
"Shit." It plows into me and knocks me off my feet, although while it keeps going down the stairs I manage to cling on at the middle of the staircase, the crowbar falling onto its carpeted surface with a muffled clang.
In no time at all, it's dragging itself to its feet and turning towards me, although it seems to hesitate as a set of footsteps come from either side- and just like that, there's a knife in its skull followed by a bat to drive it through to the other side like a notably unusual nail and hammer.
Choosing to ignore the fact I didn't hear Kato rush up at all, I glance up the stairs- no sounds of shuffling feet up there just yet, and I can't see anything. "Smith-san, are you alright?" Kato asks.
A nod is my response "Yeah- must have heard that first one of them drop and fell down the stairs trying to investigate. Knocked me straight off my feet."
"You good to clear upstairs still?" Takashi checks, and I give him a thumbs up.
Grabbing my crowbar and pulling myself to my feet, the other two go back to what they were doing. Or rather, Takashi does. I didn't hear Kato leave- she's really good at being quiet. That, or I'm as perceptive as a brick.
Probably the latter. The top of the stairs is completely empty, if notably bloody, although the bathroom is open. A peek inside tells me enough- an open mirror-cupboard, some bandages on the floor and blood everywhere.
Bastard who tripped probably got bit, tried to stem the bleeding and died. I'll need to remember to properly check the cupboard or get someone else to do it. First though, other rooms.
Next room along was a bedroom, although all the cupboards are open and emptied of most clothing. There's an alarm clock though, an electronic one. Might be useful to grab given the infected hate noise with a passion, but we'll see. I don't see a cable, but you never know if there's one hiding behind it. It'd be useless if there was one.
Clearing takes priority though- two rooms left. The next room along is a tiny cupboard full of cleaning supplies, mops, a broom, bleach, cloths- things that would have been useful had we ran into them earlier, but right now are pointless to grab. I've no doubt there's more cupboards just like this one scattered all over now.
Eck. Depressing thoughts aside, there's one room left. I slowly open the door... and immediately shut it again, all those depressing thoughts rushing back like a tidal wave. It's a kids room- that much is obvious from just a slight peek in. I didn't hear anything, but if there's a kid in there of a more infected disposition, well...
I take a deep breath and try to clear my head, pinching the bridge of my nose. There's no fixing death, and these things are by all human means dead. This, in turn, applies to kids. The others have acknowledged this much, I think.
Why are you hesitating? You didn't hesitate much to kill all those other things. You didn't hesitate to risk your life to speak over an intercom. Why is this an issue?
Questions like this plagued my mind as I swung open the door, crowbar held firmly in one hand. There's a lot of blood, far more than I'd expect... most of it leading to the cupboard. Other than that, there's two full suitcases on a single bed alongside a pink duffel-bag, completely empty.
Opening a drawer results in a bang from the nearby cupboard, and a grimace washes over my features as I approach it, Crowbar raised in a one-handed grip as my other hand holds the handle to the walk-in cupboard tightly in a white-knuckled grip.
If I don't kill it, it will kill someone else. If this goes on for half as long as I think, then fighting one of these things is inevitable.
The thought that this is arguably the first kill of the crowbar does little to nothing to assuage my mind as I tear open the door and watch the crowbar meet the thing's head with a loud clang.
I've opted not to mention that one room more than necessary as to take my mind off it. Before having left it however, I shoved the now notably dead corpse into the cupboard using my foot and closed it. I doubt any of the others except maybe Takashi or Saeko could have swung while looking at that kid.
I almost gave up myself, and I know for a fact I'll be seeing that face in my nightmares. Especially if there's ever a cure which works on Them.
Shaking my head, I re-focus. We're waiting outside of the house now, the corpses of the two adults having been thrown out into the back garden. Kohta's up on the Humvee still while I'm sitting on the floor against the fence and Takashi is... staring off into space again. All of the girls went inside with the bags of clothing, to none of our objections.
Lil' shit is here too. He's sitting next to me, although I have the sneaking suspicion he wants to bite me again.
"Komuro-san. Smith-san." Kohta speaks up, hopping off the Humvee with the gun-bag in his hand
"Yeah?" We both respond at nearly the same time, with Lil' Shit running around between us as the bag drops to the floor.
"You both should take a gun. We're limited on ammo, but if things go bad while trying to cross, we'll need all the strength we can get."
He's not wrong. If we run out of breath and get surrounded, we're fucked. Ammo will at least let us carve a path if we need to. I crouch down to look through the bag, momentarily contemplating the rifle and shotgun before settling on the revolver. What did he call it again? The Type-somethingoranother.
Takashi grabs the shotgun when I don't, and we both look to him for instruction. I pointedly look away when Takashi accidentally points the barrel in Kohta's face after standing up
"Don't do that! Basic gun safety! Only aim at something you want to destroy!" He exclaims, flinching back visibly. And by flinching back, I mean he literally jumped to the side and almost fell over.
Komuro quickly re-orients the shotgun to aim at the floor. "Ah- sorry. How do I use this?"
Horrible question to ask, Takashi. Now you're going to be saddled with a lecture that'll go in one ear and out the other. Shaking my head as they begin talking, I focus on my little pistol- trying to ignore the dog biting my boot.
It's unloaded right now, and seems to work similar to a Webley in that there's a latch that you can open to expose the cylinder facing downwards. There's also this star-thing that pops up as I do this, likely an ejector. I'm no gun-nut like a certain someone, but I know enough of the basics.
The fact my consumption of war-related media is finally becoming at least slightly useful after all these years puts a smile on my face. "...get four rounds, even when there's a round in the chamber that's only five shots, so..." Kohta rambles to Takashi, and I block him out again.
I'm not seeing any way the little star could differentiate between a spent round and an unspent one, so I'll have to use all six shots before reloading to get the most out of my ammo. If I recall correctly, we're a bit lacking on ammo for this thing.
Closing the gun, I aim off to the side and pull the trigger- watching as the empty cylinder rotates and hearing the click of the firing pin. Certainly seems all functional, although I can't exactly test-fire it at all.
"...should be able to use it well enough. Smith-san! I mentioned it yesterday, but that revolver has a big issue outside of being hard to aim!" What? Oh- yeah, he did mention that.
Komuro is busy looking over his gun in a new light while I'm aiming the empty revolver to the floor "-It does? What's the issue?"
"Will it explode?" Roof-guy chimes in, and I have the sudden urge to throw the weapon. He doesn't react to my glare at all outside of smiling.
"No- the cylinder will occasionally slide into an already fired round when moving. Just make sure you don't move it around too much if it's not fully loaded."
Well, that's bad. "So- don't move much, got it. I think I know how it works otherwise. Does this have much of a kick to it?"
"No. Probably less than the Glock you said you've shot before." Right- mentioned that to him, didn't I? I can't exactly tell him that was when I had my original body, but- well. I can't imagine the recoil can be that bad.
Then again, this reality has some notably fucky physics at times. Don't think I've forgotten you, flying infected. Slug rounds should not send people blasting off like team rocket. "Thanks, Hirano-san."
Double-checking the safety, I tuck the empty weapon into my jeans pocket and grab the limited boxes of ammo from the bag- shoving twelve rounds in my other pocket and the remaining two 50-round boxes into my backpack. Should be enough, right?
It'd probably be a wise idea to load the gun so I can use it in an emergency, but I don't trust myself not to flick the safety on accident and shoot myself. It's happened even to experienced people, if memory recalls.
We pause at the distant sound of an engine, and I draw my Crowbar. Although just as it comes, it goes without fanfare. I doubt we'll get as lucky with people being nice around here- our walk to the apartment was fine in terms of others since people were still going to Onbetsu Bridge, but here and now? I doubt there's many nice people still around in the area.
Can't save everyone, not that some even want to be saved. There's a grimace on Takashi's features, and I believe he's made the same realization as me. We're far too exposed here.
Luckily for us though, the girls seem to be done now. I say seem to be, because I haven't turned to face them yet. I just know Kohta's fallen over again. "Oi, idiots!"
Turning to face them, I resist the urge to gawk as the other two were and instead opt to look down at my crowbar. Suddenly, the accursed objects rust was fascinating, and for good reason. All of them looked good, although in this case good is an understatement.
Saeko's wearing almost the same attire as she did leaving the school, bokken in hand- I say almost, as most of her changing has come from her lower half. Her skirt has been replaced by a black, red trimmed split skirt accompanied by thigh-highs and black boots. Kato, who's walking beside her also hasn't changed very much if at all. She's still wearing what once was my jacket, alongside the sports clothes she wore when I ran into her originally, but she's got what I can only assume to be a makeshift holster of sorts on her leg made from duct-tape, socks and the original plastic sheathe of the knife I gave her.
If it works, it works. Shizuka meanwhile is wearing a pair of blue jeans alongside the white shirt and jacket combo I saw her with at the nurses office. Surprisingly though, she's actually got a weapon stuck in a similar makeshift holster as the one fashioned on Kato's leg. If I'm right, that's the bayonet for the M1A. Didn't expect her to actually grab anything, but I'd like to think she's coming around to understanding 'better safe than sorry', as much as I might ignore those words myself.
Rei... didn't bother to change her actual uniform. She did however add to her attire with accessories- black kneepads and elbow pads, boots, fingerless gloves and a chest-rig with a sling presumably for a rifle currently holding her discount spear. If she's intending on taking the M1A then good for her, but- well. I don't think she'll enjoy Kohta's lessons that much. I know I'm glad I skipped the worst of it- my revolver's basics are simple enough.
Takagi had the most changes out of any of them, swapping out her uniform in its entirety in favour of a brown shirt with the letters H-Q in yellow letters alongside a pair of dark-green jeans and black suspenders. Of everyone, now she's the only one lacking a weapon- although I can't quite blame her for not wanting one, that is if she refused to get one on principle alone and not just because we're a bit lacking on backup weaponry at the moment. I don't think she'd like either my crowbar nor pipe-wrench either.
Lil' Shit finally lets go of my boot, a new hole in it. Thanks, dog. "Wow..." Komuro remarks
"Problem?" Rei asks, shifting the impromptu spear loosely attached to her rifle sling
He backpedals at the tone, the others all looking towards him. Me? I'm a bit more focused on the bridge, our next obstacle. "A-ah.. no! Not at all."
Takagi huffs, and I hear the whispered remark of 'idiot' as she moves up besides me and begins speaking- instantly shattering my thought process. "We, need to cross that bridge, which means we need to clear a path and lower it. There's usually a box in which these bridges can be raised and lowered from, and I can see it on the other side of the river from here- the white box there." She points to the other side of the bridge and nod.
"Are we splitting up then? We'll need to be careful- there's people around and not everyone's nice." Kohta asks, looking over his weapon.
A glance around shows me that we're still in luck- no sign of any infected on our side just yet. The other side though, well- there's still a fair amount, all moving upriver. "It'd be wise to stick in groups of two minimum" Saeko chimes in, and no-one disagrees.
Going it alone might as well be asking to be jumped right about now- had enough experience with that on those stairs a moment ago.
"We need someone clearing the cars, someone watching our Humvee, someone lowering the bridge and someone removing any of Them who get in our way. Four groups, and there's nine of us. The bridge will be loud coming down, so be as fast as possible." Takagi continues.
Kohta raises a hand "I'll protect Shizuka-sensei at the car! I'll be able to cover everyone with my rifle if things go poorly!"
Shizuka places a hand on her chest and smiles sweetly "Aw, thank you Hirano-san!~"
Judging by his nose, those words were a critical hit to him- earning a pointed glare from drill-hair. "Miyamoto-san, Komuro-san - I want you two moving the cars out of the way on the bridge itself, since you make such a good team"
The way she says it seems.. almost snarky. Is she jealous or something? I don't hear any complaints from the two of them in any case as she continues, although a bit more annoyed than a moment prior "Busujima-san, can you and Kato-san keep the path onto the bridge itself clear?"
Both of them nod... and don't say anything. I don't know what I expected, really. One's silent as hell and the other's intimidating.
"And I'll be going with whoever crosses the bridge to lower it, since someone with my genius will be needed to operate the controls." My shoulders slump instantly as I recognize my set task.
I recognize my mistake with my dismay instantly "Oi, DUMBASS. Why are you so upset, huh?!"
This'll be- interesting, to say the least.
Awkward conversations aside, our little groups of two should work out just fine. I've already seen Kato and Saeko get to work on moving the cars with open doors first- putting them in neutral and slowly clearing a path. Shizuka and Kohta have gotten in the Humvee and seem to just be keeping an eye on things and chatting, whereas Rei and Takashi have already climbed up onto the bridge by the service ladder. We, on the other hand, have been a bit stuck.
"Listen, you said to me that your afraid of heights. We need to go up that service ladder, and therein you should go first so I can at least try to catch you if you fall."
"And you'll just use the opportunity to look at me like a pervert!" She insists, shaking her head.
A frown crosses onto my lips once more "Not a pervert. And even if I did- which I wont, by the by- it'd change nothing. We're still on a timer here and its being delayed every second. Miyamoto-san and Komuro-san went up fine, what's the issue here?"
She almost growls at their mention, her face a fiery red. Yeah, she's definitely got some pent up anger going on there. Jealousy? Confirmed. "Fine. I'll go up the ladder first, just be quick about following me up, will you?"
"Shut up, idiot! I'm not the one who insisted on arguing!" Wow, now that's just straight up wrong.
"Well I'm sorry for looking out for your safety, Takagi-san. Next time, I'll be sure to keep my mouth shut" I respond in a snarky manner, moving to the ladder and climbing up quickly.
She stomps her foot angrily with a sound of frustration as I finish climbing the ladder, looking down to her. I don't say anything, but I look on expectingly. She clearly wants to do it on her own, so I'm not going to help.
The first couple of rungs aren't an issue for the angry woman, but when she's about halfway up, she makes a fatal mistake and looks down and away from me after looking up. Freezing instantly.
Her next few steps forward are agonizingly slow, and I can feel Rei and Takashi's gaze on my back as I patiently wait for her. Maybe a bit of encouragement will help?
That's not really helping in a direct manner, right? "You're almost there. Doing good."
"Be quiet, dumbass!" She all but screeches, and I wince slightly as she almost slips. Fine then.
It takes her a couple more minutes to get up, and I don't dare remind her that we'll have to go back down again in a moment in order to reach the controls.
We walk across the raised bridge once she's gotten herself sorted in silence, interrupted only by the environment and the distant sounds of Takashi and Rei chatting about- somethingoranother. I don't bother to listen in though.
Soon enough, we're on the other side. There's no infected up here, or if there are we haven't ran into any yet. A peek down the ladder shows none of them down there, but we'll be on the side where there's definitely a fair chunk of them the moment we go down, and I'm the only one with a weapon.
I turn to face her, rolling my shoulders "-Listen, if things go wrong, don't hesitate to book it. You don't have a weapon, and I'm going to assume you don't want the pipe-wrench in my bag."
A huff is her response, although after a brief moment of staring she nods. "-I don't. If that's what you want me to do though, then I will."
At least we can agree on something at the moment. Clinging onto the crowbar tightly, I begin making my way down the ladder as Takagi freezes up. "Luckily for you, this'll likely be the last ladder we need to climb."
The moment I reach the bottom, I gaze around- there's a few in the distance, but none close enough to cause problems. What was a slight amount concerning to me though was the two police cars blockading this side of the bridge. There's nothing behind them, but I don't really want to test to see if those things have alarms just to try and move them.
I'll wait for the bridge to get moving before even attempting that. Takagi's making her way down slowly, although as she reaches the final stretch she rushes down and misses a rung, falling onto her back with a pained 'oof'. Now, I say she fell on her back, but I failed to mention that she fell on her back, onto me.
I'm very glad my crowbar decided to behave, as it didn't go flying out of my hand and making a ton of noise this time. I did fall to the floor though, which was notably unpleasant.
"Takagi-san, please watch your step.." I groan, standing up only after she does. I receive no response to my request as she dusts herself off.
We walk around the police cars carefully and towards the small room housing the bridge controls, Takagi moving to speak up quietly as I place my hand on the door's handle to try and open it "-Smith-san. Why did you ask me to not hesitate?"
I repeat to her the same four words I repeat to myself; "Better safe than sorry."
There's once more no response as the booth opens- no lock on the door. There's not a drop of blood on it, the windows of the booth nor the controls, although that's where our good fortune ended.
The moment Takagi walks in is the very same one in which things go wrong. Yesterday, a flight of Phantoms flew over and hurt my ears something fierce. Today, just now, when we're clearly not ready- they're flying over again, towards the airport.
We peer out the front door as the infected we had previously ignored in the distance begin stumbling our way. It's hard to miss the sound of a flight of relatively low-flying jets going full throttle to the airport, and even harder to miss the loud explosions that follow.
Jets, means noise. Noise means infected. We're on the other side of the river, and are currently trying to lower one of the very few ways across in the area, which means another persistent source of noise until the bridge is in position.
Already, one hell of a horde is coming- gunshots from the other side of the bridge confirming as much to me and Takagi.
I look to her and say the first thing that comes to mind as we both turn our gaze towards the console in newfound haste.
"Well, shit."
Chapter 8, thanks for reading! We've hit 50k+ words, and I'm considering bumping the rating to M as I've received requests for such- it'd allow me to write in greater detail about things I've been intentionally glossing over otherwise in favour of keeping this bit of writing for fun available for all to read. If you've got any thoughts, opinions, suggestions, characters- literally anything really, shoot me a PM and don't hesitate to leave a review. Always happy to hear people out and keep on writing for fun :) Next up; The Bridge (p2)