Chapter 18: Chapter 18 - To Death?
"Hey, do you want to have sex so badly that you left the three of them alone?"
It was about two in the afternoon, and they had managed to climb on the bus after the morning workout. Shizuka was still complaining about how tired she was, but she still drove. There were few zombies on the road, so the bus was staggering way less than the morning. Though, if something had changed, then it was Saya sitting on the floor of the bus, noting something down on the notebook, writing things down while taking inventory.
"Asshole," Saya shot a look at the blonde-haired pretty boy, despite using such crass language, seeing him sit there while looking outside of the bus, 'why is that asshole gorgeous.'
"Saya, what are you working on," Eve knelt down beside her, peeping into the notebook she was writing with curious eyes.
With a questioning look, Saya asked Eve, "Are you sure you and he are related?"
Eve chuckled, nodding with a smile, "Now, what are you doing? You should be in the Jeep, but you suddenly burst in here. I was sure you were going to hog big brother all for yourself?"
"I am noting down a few things. The amount of experience it takes to reach each level. If it is different from someone else. Then what these G to S Rating actually mean. I think they are some types of aptitude. Like if someone has high aptitude in Strength, then 15 Points in Strength would make a world of difference from them, then someone at G. That asshole can pick tons of weight, right? Whereas I can't pick more than a hundred kg."
"I see, Saya is doing Saya like things," Eve lost interest in moments. She sneaked up on the front seat, dropping in her head in her big brother's lap, who patted her head.
"She's becoming lazier," Saya helplessly looked at Eve.
"No, Eve has always been lazy about anything other than her big brother," Kyoko was much calmer than before. She was fulfilling her role as the teacher. The idea was to send her into the Jeep with boys, but then.
'There is no way those three are going to survive with her or Marikawa-sensei by their side.'
"Is that true? I always saw her go to those tiresome parties with mother," Saya didn't believe that for a moment.
"That's because I wanted to take some burden away from big brother," Eve held his palm, stroking her cheek with it, "Now that I don't have to do that…I can live an easy life being taken by him."
"You spoiled brat," Aurum pulled on Eve's cheek, "So what else?"
"We are running low on bullets. No, let me correct myself. All this time, we have been going through the zombie apocalypse without feeling a real threat because we had supplies. Whereas now, we are running low on bullets. Some of the guns are useless because there are too few bullets to put in the magazine. There are only three grenades left. We have some oil and blow torches, then a few Tasers, but nothing that is more useful than that. WE have a lot of food and miscellaneous items like binoculars, sunglasses and other stuff…"
Saya bit her lip, "I was thinking it was strange that you didn't take care of Parade of Hundred Zombies when there was such an easy chance…but now I get it. You knew this, didn't you! We have no supplies to fight!"
"Hey! Tell me that's not true!" Rei stood up, aghast, and she wasn't the only one. Even Shizuka, who was driving, got distracted when she heard the news.
"It is," Aurum narrowed his crystal blue eyes, looking outside with a troubled gaze, "Those things are hunting everything near the road. Farther they go, more zombies will join their ranks. In fact, more zombies should have."
'If I am right…then there is a reason why it is called Parade of Hundred Zombies,' He sighed, "I need time, material, to prepare a right trap, at right timing. It doesn't matter how strong the enemy is. As long as you have the right preparation and enough time, you can bring them onto knees. We are going to take weapons from Shizuka's friend's house, and then we are going to Takagi Estate."
"I am going to use everything that is useful, and I am going to destroy them. Before they know what hit them," Aurum clapped his hands together, snapping them out of the daze, smiling, "Don't worry. I am going to deal with it. And whatever comes after."
Saeko abruptly stood up, surprising others. She strode forward, standing in front of Aurum to his surprise. He looked up, seeing her eyes looking directly into his as she cupped his cheek, "You are a man. I will respect the decision you make."
Aurum tilted his head, letting out a smile, "I swear, your upbringing is so wrong for the modern times."
Saeko didn't think so. She stroked his cheek, "You are a hopeless man."
Aurum smiled back at her, when Saya commented, "I swear, the two of you have as much chemistry as much a dead fish and fisherman."
"That's because you haven't seen when the two of them are alone," Eve sat up, chuckling, when Saya shot a look towards her.
"There is no need to explain anything," Saeko berated Eve, who sneakily looked away.
They either spent their time doing nothing or talking with each other. At some point, Aurum started exercising, saying something about getting used to the new body and doing that, they finally reached the Apartment of Shizuka's friend.
"You sure are agitated," Saya sat down on Aurum's back while he was doing push-ups. She looked towards the window, "Could it be because of all the people outside?"
Aurum stopped in the middle of the push-up, feeling his body tremble as he tried to ignore her and start again. He lowered his eyes, 'there is a reality that I have been ignoring. There are people walking across. I have come across three temples, although I could only see them in distance, but people are likely gathering there.'
"At first…I thought those temples are good. They are a place for humans to be face…but I should have known it was more twisted than that," Aurum slowly spoke.
Saya sighed as she patted his back and shoulder. They passed by a temple a while ago, filled with people, with zombies outside. There wasn't even the space to breathe with zombies prowling right outside. And the shields kept them away, they also kept humans from killing the zombies while being inside the shield. As a result, people started throwing people out and kill the zombies when they were busy feeding, "That's hell on Earth."
She felt him trying to stand up as she stood up, seeing him sit in the middle of the bus. She looked out the window, seeing lines of people going from one temple to the next, in hopes of finding a safe heaven, away from the zombies, "The Parade of Hundred Zombies is going to go through here. They won't survive that."
Aurum covered his face, "Shut up, will you. What do you want me to do. Stay and fight? We don't have enough resources. We'll die."
Saya bit her lip, seeing the crushed look on his face. She didn't know why, but she felt tears reaching her eyes. She looked towards Kyoko and Rei, both of whom averted their eyes. It was true, no one could hope to fight against those hundred zombies, they were running out of supplies and there was no way to make everyone evacuate faster.
She looked towards Saeko, who stood against the seat with her arms crossed like she didn't see any of that. Saya thought for a moment she was waiting for something, "Fine! Not like I care!"
Saya sat down on the seat when Eve, who was looking at her big brother, finally let out a smile. She parted her lips, calling out to him, "Big brother."
Aurum took a deep breath, raising his eyes to look at his little sister, who let out a smile, "Go."
"What?"
"Go, fight. That's what you want to do, right?" Eve softly smiled at him.
"Are you crazy! Weren't you listening!" Saya raised her voice, "We don't have the bullets or grenades or anything to fight against them!"
"Right, that is, if we are fighting against them," Eve raised her finger, wagging it at Saya, "It's different if big brother is fighting against them. Without all of us dead weights…"
"There is no way I am leaving you, Eve," Aurum shook his head, "if something were to go wrong…"
"Then we have the rest of weapons, and we can escape on foot. I think each of us has enough speed to run faster than the zombies. If we drop all the rations, then we can do that. And Shizuka sensei's friend's condo in on the way. WE can survive. We can make it. There is even the Jeep if we ever need it. I promise, I will survive," Eve narrowed her deep ruby eyes, "but big brother…if you let those people die because you want to protect me…I don't think I can ever act spoiled with you again. I refused to be loved by you while carrying the weight of all these lives on my shoulder."
"That's why," Eve lowered her chin, closing her eyes, "Please go?"
She kept her eyes shut, biting her inner lip to not let sound, even when she felt him stand up. He didn't say anything, he only patted her shoulder, and next she heard was the door of the bus open and close, in the utmost silence.
"Ok, you can breathe. He's gone," Saeko patted Eve's arm, who finally breathed and fell on the seat, slowly opening her watery eyes.
"If you guys are done with your drama, then what are we going to do now? We are going after him, right?" Rei looked towards them as if it was a matter of fact. She was sure the rest were going to agree. Even if it did sound a bit hopeless.
"No, we are going towards our destination," Eve shook her head, leaning against the window, looking at the crowd, searching for her big brother.
"You are kidding me! I didn't think you were serious about letting him going to fight against a hundred zombies!!!" Rei raised her voice, "Are you ok with letting your brother die alone out there?!!!"
"You are wrong on two points," Eve pressed her lips, "One. Death Eludes my Big Brother. Second. Big brother…he isn't alone. He is never alone."
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