Chapter 72: [72] Karma
The sudden assault had sent a sharp bolt of pain coursing through my shoulder. The force of Al's blow was formidable, nearly sending me sprawling onto the cabin's worn wooden floor. His eerie voice reverberated through the room, his sadistic pleasure in our predicament as chilling as the frigid Canadian night outside. I could feel the raw power radiating from him, but I also saw a hint of the madness that drove him.
His eyes, normally a placid blue, were now dark and wild, the whites standing out starkly in his ruddy, enraged face. His words hung in the air, a toxic cloud over us. "I was about to have some fun with the girls, but you just had to ruin it." The gleeful malice in his sneering voice was like a slap to the face, spurring me to my feet despite the lingering pain.
Whirling around, I saw Al raise his axe again, his muscles straining as he prepared to deliver another brutal blow. A spark of fear flashed through my mind, but I stood my ground, ready to defend my companions no matter what.
And then, with an abruptness that took my breath away, Cassidy sprang into action. Unseen by Al, she had managed to slip her bindings and now she lunged at him. Her hands, still tied together by the rope, wrapped around his neck from behind, pulling with all the strength she could muster. His surprised choke was drowned by her fierce yell.
Al thrashed about in response, but Cassidy was relentless, her muscles bulging as she struggled to keep him restrained. Her long golden hair flared around her, her eyes burning with a fierce determination.
In the ensuing chaos, a decorative plate on the wall was knocked off and shattered into several pieces on the floor. Hazuki was quick to seize this opportunity. She grabbed a large, jagged shard and, with a surprising ferocity, she stabbed it into Al's thigh. He let out a blood-curdling scream as the glass pierced his flesh.
It was too much for him. Overwhelmed by the sudden, violent retaliation, Al's legs buckled beneath him. He crashed onto the wooden floor, his large frame shuddering from the shock and pain before his eyes rolled back, and he slumped into unconsciousness.
The taste of victory was bitter, tainted by the ordeal we'd just been through. Cassidy, taking the lead, untied everyone's bonds in swift, decisive motions. Her hands, though shaking from adrenaline, were firm and focused. Once everyone was free, she rummaged through Al's pockets and found a pair of car keys. They were still warm from his grasp.
Turning back to me, her eyes met mine for a brief moment before she offered her shoulder for support. The pain in my shoulder intensified with movement, but Cassidy's steady presence alleviated some of the discomfort. We were leaving this nightmare behind, and the relief was palpable in the air.
However, as we began to make our way out, a feeble plea rang out from behind. "Don't leave me behind! Please, I beg you!" Al's voice wavered with desperation, a stark contrast from his earlier bravado. Cassidy's icy gaze snapped back at him. Her nostrils flared, and she looked like she was about to charge back, but I caught her arm, halting her movement.
"The zombies are approaching. Let's go." My voice was steady, despite the adrenaline coursing through my veins. Cassidy let out a disdainful snort and spat on the floor. "Rot in hell." she seethed. With a final, contemptuous gesture, she flipped him off before we turned our backs to him.
We stumbled upon Al's car hidden under a camouflage net. The keys Cassidy found fit perfectly into the ignition and with a grateful purr, the engine came to life. We climbed into the vehicle, our bodies aching but minds clear. Once everyone was safely inside, I jammed the pedal to the floor and we shot forward, leaving the hellish cabin behind.
As we sped away, I spared a glance over my shoulder at the cabin, a dark silhouette against the blood-red sky. The advancing horde of zombies was almost upon it, their grotesque figures shambling towards the cabin. They crashed through the door, their moans filling the chilly air. Al was left behind, his fate sealed by his own karma.
***
Every bump of the dirt road beneath us echoed in the silence, magnifying the tension that hung thick within the car. Cassidy sat at the wheel, her hands tight on the leather-bound circle. She was still in her sports bra and underwear, her clothes left behind in the hell we had narrowly escaped.
Suddenly, her body stiffened. "Fk! I lost both my babies!" she roared, slamming a fist against the steering wheel in sheer frustration. The sudden blare of the horn made us all jump, adding to the collective shock. Cassidy winced, pulling her hand back. "Sorry… Didn't mean to do that," she said, her voice lower, a stark contrast to her previous outburst. It was a somber reminder of the losses we'd all sustained.
As she drove, the dim light of the vehicle's interior highlighted her lithe figure. Her muscles moved beneath her skin, taut with the effort of driving, the sports bra accentuating her athletic form. My eyes traced her silhouette, admiring her physical strength. Noticing my gaze, Cassidy let out a huff of laughter, her eyes sparkling with a mix of mischief and exhaustion.
"You like what you see?" she teased, her tone light but the question piercing the solemnity that had fallen upon us.
"Yeah," I responded without missing a beat, my gaze still fixed on her. "Though we need to get you some clothes once we get into town."
Cassidy let out a chuckle, a smirk playing on her lips. "You sure about that? Maybe I should just stay like this, seems to be working for you," she jested, breaking the tension that had gripped us all.
"Just drive." I chuckled, a faint blush appearing across my face.
Q: Do you believe in karma?
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone