CHAPTER 4: Gunshots
Bandit was beginning to wake from his sleep and noticed that his two little ones were curled up against their mother's belly, who had covered them with her bushy tail adorned with round white spots. He looked around, feeling as if he had been asleep for an eternity. He glanced at the time on his cellphone, which he had in one of his pockets, and realized that he had only slept for about thirty minutes, though it felt like hours had passed.
Seeing the children asleep against the young Red Piebald, who was struggling not to succumb to sleep herself, ready to sound the alarm if one of those creatures approached, Bandit smiled at her and motioned that she could rest. He would take over. She closed her eyes and fell asleep almost instantly, exhausted by the events.
Bandit grabbed one of the bags to check if Chili had remembered to pack one of the portable batteries to recharge their phones in case they needed to communicate or guide themselves to a safe place. Luckily, there was one—not the largest one he had, but enough for an emergency. He carefully packed everything back into their gear.
Knowing he would be on watch for the rest of the night, he decided to check what was happening in Brisbane, to see if the situation was localized or if it had spread to a global level. He needed to understand what they were really dealing with, why people were going mad and feeding on flesh. It all seemed so unreal, yet very real. Any information about these creatures or how people were transforming was becoming vital for their survival.
He opened the internet and browsed Australian news sites. There he found panic-filled messages: "Don't leave your home" or "Barricade your doors," but nothing about what these creatures actually were. He kept venturing further onto sites he didn't know or ones that were unreliable, but he had to understand how this thing was spreading.
His eyes were glued to his phone, desperately searching for any scrap of information. After about fifteen minutes of reading, he came across a panicked message from a dog on Facewolf, describing the situation. Bandit started reading. The further he got into it, the stronger the nausea that welled up inside him, disgust creeping across his face.
Article on Facewolf:
"Hello, I don't know if anyone will ever read this message, but I hope it might be helpful to you. First of all, under no circumstances should you come to Gold Coast. I don't know what's happening, howls echo through the streets, and things that look like corpses roam the alleys. No, sorry, I should say zombies, given what I'm about to tell you..."
So far, Bandit thought it was the same situation happening here. Nothing crucial to understanding how it was spreading, and it frustrated him. Yet, he continued reading.
There are these creatures that attack people in a disgusting manner: they bite them, tear off their flesh, and leave them where they've finished devouring them, leaving only a corpse lying in the streets. But that's not all. After observing this gruesome scene long enough, I noticed that some bodies, whose skulls hadn't been severely damaged, would get back up. It took between thirty minutes and two hours, and I still don't understand why there's such a difference in the time before they wake. Once they're on their feet, they behave like the others: hunting and attacking any form of life that comes within reach. What I know for sure is that you absolutely must not get bitten. I don't know if that's the only way of contamination or if we're already all infected, but in any case, be careful. Avoid bites at all costs and flee the big cities. I hope I'm not the only survivor.
He finished reading the message and saw that there was a second one. But before he could read it, his phone displayed: "Server connection error." He refreshed the page over and over. The more he tried, the more his frustration grew, because he had only managed to read "we are all con..." without seeing the rest.
This frustrated him, as he wanted to know what it meant—it seemed important. He calmed himself despite his overwhelming frustration, knowing there was one thing to do: avoid any injury, no matter what, when dealing with these creatures. If a bite could infect them, who was to say their saliva or any other fluid couldn't do the same? Or even a simple scratch...
He turned, looking at his family with a desperate expression, teetering on the edge of madness. Everything was ruined. Under no circumstances did he want his family, or himself, to turn into one of those creatures. A dark thought then crossed his mind: what if they all killed themselves now?
After all, they would fall asleep and not suffer; only he would endure a slow and agonizing death. They wouldn't have to live through the hell that awaited them. Then, he turned his head and saw his reflection in a puddle: his face displayed a forced grimace, his bloodshot eyes, and tears streaming down his cheeks. He suddenly realized the terrible thought that had just crossed his mind and nearly vomited. How could he have imagined such a solution for himself and his family?
His right hand began trembling uncontrollably. Even when he held it with his other hand, he couldn't stop the shaking. He then looked down and noticed a wound on his right side—a sort of scratch he hadn't noticed before. It could easily have been caused by the knife strikes that grazed him earlier, but he couldn't help but stare at it, wondering if he had been scratched while escaping the bar with Chilli. He decided not to say anything for now. His main goal was his family's safety. He would share his concerns about the wound when the time was right. But Bandit knew one thing for sure: no matter what happened, they had to reach Chilli's father, who seemed to be their last hope—and who was much better qualified to protect them than he was, especially after what he'd just learned.
It shook him. The big dog stared into the void, at the stars in the sky, and said a prayer, even though he wasn't religious. He hoped someone or something was listening: "Please, give me time to get my family to safety. If I'm infected by this thing... If there's anyone all-powerful up there, grant me this favor, I beg of you."
Tears streamed down his cheeks uncontrollably. He grabbed his phone, realizing that if Facewolf was offline, the websites to download maps of Australia wouldn't be far behind. He hurried to download the maps, including the hiking ones, to create a route that would avoid the major cities. He had just enough time before his phone displayed "No signal," missing the cut-off by only a few seconds.
He opened the maps on his phone and began studying them, looking for routes that would avoid the most traveled paths and trying to estimate how many days it would take them to reach his father-in-law's house. He spent the night torturing his mind, searching for a route that was both fast and safe. Finally, he found one. They had about a day's walk ahead, maybe two, as the little ones would tire quickly. They needed to cover about 130 kilometers in two days. He wasn't sure how much time he had left if, as he suspected, he was truly infected, but he desperately wanted Chilli, Bluey, and Bingo to be safe if something terrible happened to him.
He put away his phone as he saw the sun rising. He rummaged through his bag to find breakfast for his daughters, knowing they would need energy for the long walk ahead. That's when he realized their food bag had probably been left behind in the car during their panicked escape after the accident. He found very little to eat. Before embarking on this trek through forests and fields, they would need to find a gas station to stock up on provisions, ensuring they wouldn't run out of food.
He pulled out three fruit pouches from his bag, taking none for himself. He gently woke the girls and handed them their breakfast. Then, speaking in a tone unusually cold for him—someone who normally hid his emotions well—he addressed them. Chilli, looking at him, wondered what was weighing on his mind. After all, who wouldn't be upset after what they had gone through the previous night? Her shoulder still ached, though much less than the day before. She and the girls listened closely as Bandit spoke: "I spent the night finding a route to Granddad Mort's. It'll take us about two days to walk, unless we find a car, but I think that's unlikely. We also need to find a place to restock on food, because in the panic yesterday, we probably left a bag in the car that had our supplies."
Bandit's expression grew more serious, and he declared, "Under no circumstances are you to go near those things. Do you understand, girls?"
He looked directly at Bluey, knowing that Bingo, after what she had experienced the day before, already understood how dangerous it was to get close to them. Bluey lowered her ears and nodded. "Okay."
She had never seen her dad so worried and stressed, so she didn't argue. Then Bandit motioned for Chilli to follow him, leaving the kids where they were, as he needed to speak privately with their mother.
Chilli and Bandit walked far enough so that the girls couldn't hear them, hiding behind one of the bridge's walls. He pulled Chilli close, looked into her eyes, and sighed these few words: "I love you, and I'm terrified. Last night, I read horrors about what those things do, posted by people online. I'm so scared of losing you… Wherever we go, we'll be in danger. It's spread everywhere."
His voice trembled, his eyes filled with tears, and he felt so heavy, as if everything was collapsing around him, as if his world was spinning out of control. Chilli hugged him tightly, and both of them collapsed to their knees, silently crying in each other's arms, making sure no one could hear them. But they knew they were crying from the same pain, their tears falling onto each other's backs and cheeks. Chilli kissed him gently on the cheek, forcing herself to smile despite the tears. She wiped her face and pushed her sadness deep down, not erasing it, but hiding it for now. Then, she whispered in Bandit's ear: "As long as we're together, we'll be okay, my love. Everything will be fine."
Not far away, Bingo had overheard them. She had needed to use the bathroom and wanted to ask her parents if they could come with her. But when she arrived, she heard the whole conversation and hid so as not to be noticed, holding back her tears as she thought about her friend Lila, not knowing what had happened to her.
The big blue dog stood up, trying to wipe away his tears to appear normal, as if he hadn't cried. The red healer did the same, and they went back to the children, pretending everything was fine. They ran into Bingo as they emerged from their hiding spot. Panicked, the little dog stammered that she needed to go to the bathroom, knowing her parents would ask why she had come so close.
Bandit looked at her, then turned to Chilli. "Could you watch Bluey? I'll take Bingo to the bathroom, and I'd like someone to stay with her, just in case."
Chilli smiled and replied, "Of course, but be careful."
The two parents went in opposite directions—Bandit and Bingo heading toward the bushes, and Chilli going back to Bluey.
Bandit checked that nothing dangerous was nearby, then helped his daughter so she could go to the bathroom without making a mess. When she was finished, she looked at her dad and asked, "Daddy, why do you look so worried? Are we sick?" she asked innocently.
Bandit's blood ran cold, as if Bingo knew about his wound. But how could she have known? She'd been asleep… He replied, embarrassed, rubbing his arm, "No, Bingo, we're not sick. I'm just scared that something might happen to you. It's normal for a parent to worry about the ones they love."
The little dog jumped up, stretching out her arms so her dad could carry her. Then she whispered in his ear, "I love you so much too, this much," she said, stretching her arms wide. This declaration melted Bandit's heart. He smiled, almost ready to laugh, momentarily forgetting his worries.
For a brief moment, the fact that he might be doomed disappeared, thanks to his daughter, who had managed to lift his spirits. Bandit, carrying Bingo…
Bandit rejoined Chilli and Bluey a little farther down the path. Once they reached them, he set Bingo down and looked at their belongings. He then took the backpack from his shoulders, opened the map on his phone, and grabbed Bingo's paw. Chilli held Bluey's paw. "Alright, everyone ready? You didn't forget anything, because we're not coming back."
Bingo let go of her dad's paw to pick up Floppy, which she had left on the ground next to where she had been sleeping. She handed the stuffed toy to her dad and said, "We almost forgot Floppy, Dad."
Bandit took the plush toy and slipped it into the mesh pocket on the side of his backpack so Bingo could see it and feel reassured during the journey ahead, a trip that would likely be filled with challenges. He took his daughter's hand again, and, with his wife and children, they began their march toward their first goal: the supermarket on the outskirts of the city, where there would be fewer people and where they could stock up on water and food.
They walked through the underbrush, crossing streams. The sound of the wind, the birds' songs, and the murmur of the water were soothing. Everything seemed so beautiful, so calm. How could things feel so peaceful when the day before, everything had been in flames and blood? This tranquility didn't bother him. Bandit thought that heading to Mort's was probably the best decision, considering their surroundings. This thought gave him a sense of courage.
They continued walking for another twenty minutes, following paths made by dogs over the years, leaving their own mark as they went. They climbed toward the road, staying hidden enough to avoid being spotted. The silence was suddenly broken when a vehicle sounded in the distance, much heavier than a regular car, judging by the deep rumble it produced. The group froze. The eldest among them signaled for them to crouch and stay quiet as the vehicle stopped directly above them. A dog got out, and his companions growled:
"Aren't you tired of making us stop every time you think you see another dog? You're wasting our time."
The young recruit responded, "Sorry, boss, I really thought I saw a blue dog with dark markings down there. Maybe I was dreaming."
His superior sighed, "I know you're trying to do your job, but right now, you're just slowing us down. Get back in the car; we have another area to check."
The young soldier replied, "Yes, boss." Then he climbed back into the vehicle, which drove off as quickly as it had appeared.
Bandit and Chilli, breathless, had been terrified of being discovered. If they had struggled to deal with a single soldier the night before, three would have made the situation impossible. What they knew was that the army was still searching for survivors, but why, they didn't know. Either way, they had to avoid them at all costs. Everyone got back up and continued their path through the forest bordering the road above. They climbed the slope separating them from the road, staying discreet and helping their children up, as the ground was very slippery. The two youngest struggled to pull themselves to the top. Before stepping out of the bushes, Bandit glanced around to ensure the coast was clear. He stepped over the safety barrier and found himself on the hot pavement.
Bandit checked the map on his phone and saw they were only 2 kilometers away from the supermarket. His stomach growled with hunger, as he hadn't eaten since the previous day.
"We've got two kilometers left. We'll take the side streets so we don't get spotted."
He and his family quickly crossed the street to avoid being seen, slipping into the narrow alleys alongside the road. After several minutes, they spotted the store, surprisingly intact and still open. Nothing appeared to be broken, as if no one had thought to come here and they were the first. They crossed the street and entered the store, which was eerily calm and silent. Chilli looked at her husband and whispered, "We should split up. You look for water bottles and cleaning supplies, and I'll handle the food. I really don't want to stay here long, it gives me the creeps, and I think Bluey feels the same."
The young blue dog clung to her mother to avoid getting lost, scanning every corner with worry. Bandit checked his watch. "Alright, but be careful. We'll meet back here in, say, ten minutes, and then we leave. I don't want to stay here either. This place gives me the creeps."
Bingo was trembling as well, but she puffed out her chest to show she wasn't afraid. However, her little wobbly legs betrayed her anxiety, which made Bandit chuckle quietly. He scooped Bingo into his arms. "Come on, little hero. Want to help me find some cleaning supplies?"
She smiled and hugged her dad tightly.
The two adults split up, each heading to a different section of the store. Bandit quickly found what they needed with Bingo: washcloths, tissues, and towels. As he turned around, he noticed his daughter eyeing a small bandana, unsure whether to take it. Her dad had told her only to take what was necessary, and she didn't think this counted. But she was surprised to feel her father kneeling behind her, tying the bandana around her neck and gently patting her head. "You look adorable with that, sweetheart."
Bingo's tail wagged immediately. She loved the bandana, but realized she hadn't asked if she could keep it. Lowering her ears, she asked in a small voice, "Can I take it, Daddy? I know it's not essential, but it's so pretty."
Her father didn't answer, simply patting her head to signal that she could keep it. Overjoyed, Bingo's tail wagged wildly as she danced in place, pressing the bandana to her cheek as if what had happened the previous night had never occurred. It suited her perfectly, adorned with the Australian flag and a small embroidered phrase: "The littlest stars shine the brightest."
She responded to her dad's pat with a smile, and it warmed Bandit's heart to see that, despite everything falling apart around them, his daughter could still smile and stay cheerful. She then handed another bandana to her father. "Can we take one for Lila too? That way, if I see her again, I can give it to her."
Bandit couldn't say no, but in his heart, he knew he'd one day have to tell Bingo that she would probably never see Lila again and that she had likely been killed by those creatures. He took the bandana and slipped it into his bag. They continued walking through the aisles, seeing if there was anything else to grab when a noise suddenly broke the silence. It wasn't very loud, but it was enough for them to hear. It came from the back of the store. It sounded like someone choking, struggling to free themselves from something strangling them.
Bandit grabbed Bingo's hand, ready to leave, but Bingo let go and rushed toward the noise, thinking she had recognized Lila's voice. Bandit chased after her, but she was too quick. What he saw at the corner of the door was a horrifying sight no child should ever witness. Bandit arrived just in time to see a creature in front of his daughter, suspended in midair, shocked and horrified by the scene unfolding before his eyes.
Bluey and her mother wandered between the aisles, searching for provisions for their journey and non-perishable food. Bluey replayed the events of the previous night over and over in her mind, wondering if she was dreaming, given everything that had happened. How could it all have gone wrong so quickly and hit so hard? After all, the young dog was still naive for her age, rarely seeing the bad in others, always wanting to find the positive, even when the situation didn't call for it.
She looked at her mother, who was still searching for what to take. They needed items that would last several days and be easy to eat, in case they didn't have time to stop. Lost in her thoughts and questions, Bluey gradually drifted away from her mother, who didn't even notice her leave.
As she wandered through the aisles, the young dog came across children's backpacks. She thought they might be useful—why should only her parents have them? More bags meant more space, and therefore more possibilities to carry things. She picked up two, one for herself and one for her sister.
It was small, but it could definitely hold first aid supplies or various items that could come in handy. She then turned around and retraced her steps, back to where she had wandered off. But as she neared her mother, she noticed something strange: her mother was standing still, her gaze vacant, as if she were in a trance.
The young blue dog approached and tugged at her mother's fur to get her attention. The red heeler felt the tug, but it was as though everything around her wasn't truly there. Or rather, what she saw had nothing to do with reality. Her paws, clutching a can, were trembling, and her lips started to quiver as well. Worried, the young dog shook her mother's leg, trying desperately to get her to react in some way.
Suddenly, Chilli's legs gave out, causing her to collapse to her knees, tears streaming down her face, her breathing becoming rapid. She backed up to the end of the aisle, cornered against the wall. What she saw was terrifying. She was reliving the night they were attacked by their neighbor, but this time the intensity of the scene was far more extreme. Her brain distorted the memories, making the scene even more horrifying.
In front of her stood a monstrous creature, disjointed, with chunks of flesh missing, black blood oozing from its body. The disgusting liquid made its fur sticky. The closer the creature got, the more a twisted grin appeared on its face, as if it were enjoying Chilli's suffering. Its face was mere inches from Chilli's, its jaw unhinging as its flesh melted and dripped onto her. Chilli's breathing quickened even more, her heart pounding so hard it felt like it would explode.
Bluey, seeing her mother in a state of extreme panic without understanding why, since there was nothing in front of her, started to worry. Panicking herself, she shook a bottle of soda and opened it, spraying her mother, unsure if it was the right thing to do. After all, tugging on her mother's fur hadn't worked, so maybe this would.
The red heeler suddenly gasped, as if taking a deep breath after being underwater, and little by little, she caught her breath and came back to her senses. She didn't understand why she was on the floor, covered in soda, and looked at her daughter with a stern expression.
— What's wrong with you? Why did you spray me with soda? Are you out of your mind?
She felt pain where Bluey had pulled on her fur to get her attention. Tears welled up in the little dog's eyes as she responded to her mother. Chilli had never spoken to her so aggressively before. Shocked, Bluey reacted in a way no child should toward their parent. But she had been so scared, not understanding what was happening to her mother. After all, she only wanted to help. She threw the bags she had picked up for their journey at her mother, not wanting to help anymore in that moment. She was angry and said the words she would regret:
"I HATE YOU! YOU'RE NOT MY MOM ANYMORE!"
The young dog turned her back on her mother, staring at the ground, refusing to look at her. All she had wanted was to help.
At those words, Chilli felt her heart break. Without a word, she stood up, picked up the bags Bluey had thrown at her, nervously scratching her arm, feeling embarrassed and stressed. She shouldn't have raised her voice at her daughter. She didn't say anything, knowing that talking probably wouldn't help right now. She packed her own bag with food and water and slipped some care products into the girls' bags, along with a packet of candy to try and make them happy and perhaps win back Bluey's forgiveness. The tension between them was palpable.
Chilli tried to understand what had happened for Bluey to go so far as to spray her with soda to bring her back to reality. She remembered nothing, as if everything that had happened had slipped away from her. The only thing she remembered was being on the floor, soaking wet. As she continued to pack the bags, she decided not to push Bluey to talk, fearing it would make her angrier, even though she knew her daughter's words were said in the heat of the moment. Still, they had hurt.
Meanwhile, with Bingo and her father...
Bandit grabbed Bingo's hand, pulling her out of the room so she wouldn't see more of the scene. But he had noticed a letter and a knife in the room, objects that could be useful later. He knelt in front of his daughter and explained that he would need to go back into the room where the creature was hanging.
The young dog clung to her father's leg as he began to stand up.
"Don't leave me, please."
He looked at her and replied in a calm and warm tone, despite his own fear, which he didn't want to pass on to his daughter:
"I'll be quick, sweetheart. If there's any trouble, you call me, and I'll come right back. Do you want me to leave Floppy with you to help you feel safe?"
She wasn't fully reassured, but she simply nodded in approval.
The big blue dog gave Floppy to Bingo and, to make her laugh, started talking to the stuffed toy:
"Sergeant Floppy, I'm entrusting Bingo to you. Take good care of my little hero."
He made the stuffed toy salute before handing it back to Bingo, who felt just a little less anxious, but still worried.
Bandit got up from the floor and headed toward the dark room, using the light from his smartphone to illuminate the area. As he scanned the room, he indeed saw a man hanging, but he wasn't alone. At the back of the room, he spotted a woman and her child, peacefully asleep, their throats slit.
He started breathing more heavily, feeling his heart race faster and faster as he thought back to what he had considered doing the previous night—a situation almost identical, except this man had gone through with it. He patted his cheeks to snap himself out of it, trying hard to steady his breathing. Then, he lay flat on the ground and crawled beneath the man hanging from the ceiling, who had now turned into that bloodthirsty thing. Once he was far enough away, he stood up and grabbed the letter he had seen, along with a knife. He also noticed a small bag. Upon opening it, he discovered, miraculously, a map of Australia. He could hardly contain his joy, even though his phone was out of battery. With this map, they would be able to find their way.
As he was about to leave, he realized that leaving the bodies uncovered was disrespectful. They deserved to be buried. With no time to spare, he grabbed a blanket lying in the storage room and covered the mother and her child, who were lying together, so they could rest in peace for eternity. He gathered what he had found and returned to his daughter, who was waiting for him, playing with Floppy to calm herself.
He sat down beside her and showed her what he had found. The little dog was happy but curious about the knife he had taken.
"Why did you take that, Dad?" she asked, pointing at the blade.
"You know, just in case we need to defend ourselves. It might come in handy, though I hope I don't have to use it," he replied, staring off into the distance.
He then looked at the letter. Even though it wasn't addressed to him, he wanted to understand what had driven this man to kill his family. Summoning his courage, he opened it, forgetting that Bingo was beside him, and began to read.
*Letter from the Unknown Dog*
*Dear family,
I am deeply sorry for what I am about to do. I love you, and you know that, but I no longer have the strength to continue. During our escape last night, while protecting you, I was bitten. Even writing this letter is taking all the effort I have to put these words down for you. I'm sorry for everything, and for what I'm about to do, but I can't let you live through what I'm enduring right now.*
*God... I was bitten just two hours ago, and I already feel like I'm in hell. I'm suffocating from the inside, I'm freezing cold, and it feels like all my bones are breaking with every breath. Horrible thoughts keep flooding my mind. How could I possibly devour you? Kill you? I could never give you the life you deserve in this world, but at the very least, Lisa, my darling, who means everything to me, and you, Luca, my precious little boy, I can save you from suffering this fate.*
As the letter went on, the ink had smudged, blurred by the tears of the father.
*I love you both so much, and I would rather suffer alone in hell, take this punishment, than see you live a life of killing to survive, or live without me. At least this way, you will leave without pain. You won't feel a thing. I've put enough sleeping pills in the water you drank that you won't wake up. But I want to make sure you'll never wake up as one of those creatures. I'm so, so sorry. What I'm doing is probably selfish, but I don't want you to suffer. I love you, and I hope one day we can be together again.*
The letter ended, and Bandit cried. It was exactly what he had felt, what he had considered doing. But he hadn't had the strength to go through with it.
He wanted to give his family a chance. If things had gone differently, maybe he would have been in that man's place. Bingo had also read the letter, though she didn't understand all the details, and asked her father a question:
"Do you think the man and his family will see each other again? He seemed sad."
Bandit searched for the right words, his throat tight, and replied with melancholy, tears welling up in his eyes:
"I'm sure... well, I hope so. Wherever they are, I hope they're happy together."
He glanced at his watch and realized he had to meet up with Chili and Bluey in a few minutes. Standing up, he helped his daughter get to her feet, and they walked together toward the meeting point he had arranged with Chili. Bandit looked at his daughter, hoping he would never cause her any harm.
A few minutes later, Chili and Bluey arrived, carrying two extra bags, as well as another one for Chili to carry the provisions. Bandit immediately noticed that something was wrong.
Bluey didn't even bother to look at her mother when she handed her the gear. She then passed Bingo's pack to her, and Bingo smiled back, returning the gesture. The young red dog looked at her sister, clearly upset. She wanted to approach and ask what was wrong, but Chili stopped her, shaking her head to signal that it wasn't the right time.
The two adults exchanged a glance, aware that once they left the store, they had no idea what awaited them. Despite their fear, they comforted themselves with the thought that heading to Mort's place was the best course of action.
Chili then broke the heavy silence:
"We should get moving and find a place to sleep along the way."
Bluey replied with a harsh tone toward her mother:
"Yeah..."
She waited for the adults to start walking before following behind them.
Bandit, not understanding what was going on, decided he would ask Chili about it later that night. There had to be a reason why Bluey was acting so cold, even aggressive, toward her mother. He simply nodded in response to Chili's suggestion, and the small family slipped out of the store. They stuck close to the buildings, avoiding the main roads that were infested with those creatures. Some seemed like they were asleep, motionless, while others moved. Most appeared to be in hibernation, waiting for a noise to wake them from their coma.
Each step had to be precise, calculated to avoid attracting attention. After more than an hour of walking through the streets, they approached the city's outskirts. The field they needed to cross to reach the woods, where they could finally continue their journey in safety, was not far away. About 20 to 50 meters separated them from their goal. Just one last effort, and they'd be out of sight.
Suddenly, they heard a gunshot, followed by the cries of a child, screaming incomprehensible words, as if babbling. Bandit, startled by the sounds, signaled to his family to wait. He reassured them he would return, but he had to see what was happening. He couldn't bear the thought of leaving someone behind who could still be saved, especially if it was a child. What kind of father would do that?
He rushed, carefully making his way toward the source of the cries. When he reached a street corner, he saw a small brown Cavapoo, shaking the body of an unresponsive person on the ground. Bandit then realized the sound wasn't an explosion, but a gunshot. Luckily, the bullet hadn't hit the Cavapoo, who continued to shake the person—likely his father—while crying loudly.
Bandit was torn. If he helped the child, he would put himself in danger and likely die. Then a thought crossed his mind: maybe he had been scratched earlier, and perhaps he was already doomed. Dying alone after getting his family to safety, or dying while saving this child—what difference would it make? His life would have meaning, even if it ended here and now. He took a deep breath, blocking out everything else, and focused on rescuing the panicked child.
He sprinted toward the Cavapoo, who was now cornered on all sides, either by the slowly approaching monsters or by the gunfire from a heartless man who didn't hesitate to shoot at a child.
Bandit found himself running unusually fast, far faster than usual. He assumed it was due to the adrenaline. Reaching the Cavapoo, he grabbed him as quickly as possible to prevent him from struggling, even if he had wanted to.
Looking down, Bandit saw the dog—likely the child's father—with a massive hole in his skull, blood covering a large area around him. The first gunshot his family had heard must have killed him instantly. But why miss the little Cavapoo on purpose and hit the father with a single shot? Bandit stopped asking himself too many questions, assuming the shooter had just been lucky with his first shot.
He turned to head back and saw that the path he had taken was now blocked by the creatures. The only accessible route was through the middle of those that were still sleeping. He would have to run between them to find another way back to his family. Frustrated, he shouted aloud:
"DAMN IT!"
Gathering his remaining strength, he started running, zigzagging between the abominations, hoping the shooter would have a harder time hitting him. Several times, he narrowly avoided being scratched or hit by bullets, which he guessed were from a hunting rifle. This sadist was playing with him and the child he carried on his shoulder, who was crying and hitting his back, screaming incoherent words.
Suddenly, he spotted the street he needed to cross and screamed at the top of his lungs:
"RUN NOW!"
From the alley, Chili emerged, running and holding the children's hands to keep them close.
Bandit looked at the field ahead of them. If they could take refuge there, they would be less vulnerable and able to hide. As they reached the middle of the road, Bingo dropped Floppy, her stuffed animal, and let go of Chili's hand to try to retrieve it. Bandit immediately saw what was happening and rushed towards his daughter, shouting to Chili to keep going.
The cavapoo on his shoulder struggled, slowing him down, but Bandit managed, just in time, to lift Bingo off the ground, tucking her under his arm before running toward the side of the road. Without even bothering to jump over the barrier, he caught up to Chili, who was almost at the field. He leapt over it, holding both children tightly in his arms, and they rolled down the slope, finally joining Chili in the thick field that sheltered and hid them.
They continued running until they reached the edge of the forest, to make sure they were no longer being followed. Once in the forest, Bandit collapsed, sitting down, out of breath from what he had just done. Chili, Bluey, and Bingo looked at him, their eyes wide open. They never imagined he was capable of doing all of that under the rush of adrenaline. Even he was surprised.
His gaze then turned to the little brown dog, who was crying and making hand signs, as if trying to communicate in sign language. Bandit, not understanding, thought for a moment and had an idea: maybe the child couldn't speak. He handed him his phone, hoping it would help him express himself. The little brown dog started typing frantically on the screen, hitting each letter with force, visibly angry.
He then showed the message to Bandit, who felt uncomfortable as he read:
— Why did you save me? We have to go back! Dad fell, he must be hurt. We need to go get him, please.
The little cavapoo dropped the phone to the ground and tried to get up to run back to where his father was, but Bandit stopped him. Sighing deeply, he realized how hard it would be to explain to a child that he would never see his father again, that he was gone. Bandit took the child by the shoulders, forcing him to sit facing him. He tried to speak as clearly as possible, enunciating each word:
— You won't see your dad again... He's not in this world anymore...
Even though his father was dead, it meant that the child had lost the person he loved most. The young brown dog then threw himself at Bandit, hitting him in the stomach while crying. Bandit understood that the boy refused to believe him and was calling him a liar. The only thing he could do to soothe his pain was to hold him tightly, even though it hurt. He couldn't allow the young dog to endanger himself by trying to save a corpse. He knew how devastating this loss must be because his father was likely the only person left who understood him.
After several minutes of crying and rage poured out against Bandit's chest, Bingo and Bluey approached the newcomer and gently patted his back, showing the little brown dog that he was no longer alone. Chilli watched the scene with pride. Despite the chaos surrounding them, her daughters remained true to themselves and their values.
Over time, the young dog eventually calmed down and collapsed from exhaustion in Bandit's arms. Bandit gestured to the others that they would need to move further ahead to find a place where they could be safe. Bingo didn't even wait for her father to scold her; she lowered her ears, her nose wet, and apologized on her own for putting herself in danger. She explained that she did it because Floppy was the only thing she had left from their old home. Although Bandit wanted to reprimand her, he couldn't bring himself to do so too harshly. He gave her a lecture, explaining that if he hadn't had time to intervene, she probably wouldn't be here anymore.
The young heeler apologized over and over again, and Bandit understood that she hadn't meant to do anything wrong, but that she needed to be more careful. After all, his daughters were still young and innocent, not always thinking about the consequences.
Chilli then leaned towards Bluey and whispered a few words in her ear, apologizing for the way she had spoken to her in the supermarket. Bluey didn't show it, but her tail betrayed her emotions, gently swaying from side to side. Chilli understood that forgiveness wasn't won yet, but she was on the right track.
The family then resumed their journey, moving through leaves and bushes until they found what would be their camp for the night.
