"How's your brother?"
I shifted my gaze unto his little brother, who was still being caress under the comfort of his arms. He had looked like he was suffering the most; after all, the wounds from his foot became more painful for it to be seen.
Just before his brother had been bitten by the mindless zombie, he had reached out for the infected, and called him his "Dad"—their father.
"He's…I don't know" Itsuki's stared at his sleeping brother, comforting him at every possible way.
Judging them closely, it was indeed a miracle that they have escaped from the village's horde alive. If it were the previous me—the younger version of me, I would've been the first one being to be devoured—alive.
Jokes aside, who are these people, and how did they ended up escaping despite these impossible occurrences? Moreover, the zombie outbreak started 3 months ago, globally. So why are these infected presently springing all of a sudden?
Then again, there was no use of thinking such trivial matters. What's important now was the demand to a cure for his brother's sake.
"Itsuki-kun…" Even Konoe stood still and was unable to say another word. It was hard for us to watch how his younger brother slowly decays away…even opening a chance to transform as one of them.
"By time we had realised it…the whole town had turned into chaos."
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_ Back story: Konoe's Perspective (2 days ago) -_-_-_-_-_-_
"Nee-chan, Iku yo!"
"Hai hai. Mou, Tomori-chan, Tsuneni eigo de hanasu koto o wasurenaide kudasaiii"
"Haii~"
It was a perfect morning, unrivalled like any other. Me and my little sister was just about to go to the school when an abrupt announcement, coming from the installed microphones at each of every post, had momentarily stopped our feet.
"Chuui subete no shimin. Ite adobaisu o teikyou shite ima minas an ni okunai yao machi masu. Osore teha ike nai (Attention all citizens. We advise everyone to stay indoors and wait for further announcements. Do not fear!)"
The phrase was thoroughly repeated. Even the alarm that could only be rang in a state of emergencies had been attentively turned on, alerting everyone in the vicinity.
"Nee-chan, ne, nani ga okotte imasu ka?"
"Ee…tabun"
Just as the bells had been violently chimed, screams from distant homes had turmoil the peaceful village, and the familiar faces of our neighbours are now sprawling into a wide panic.
"Iku, Tomori"
"Eeeeh?"
Despite being forcibly pulled by her sister's arms, Tomori didn't questioned everything she's witnessing, and went with the flow, while tugging the ends of her sister's hand. It had been unbelievably rough for them to escape their humble abode while bringing along their family; including the elderly.
"Mom, grandma, we have to go. NOW (For language purposes, I'll be translating their Japanese into English. Okay? Okay.)"
"Sweetie, your grandmother—"
"We don't have much time!"
Konoe packs her things while rushes towards the front door. There, she saw Itsuki and his brother, Natsuki, running outside. However, what she saw baffled her sight, as the two of them were being surrounded by rabid 'humans' oozing with murderous attempt—and among them, was Itsuki's father who had been terribly gnawed by the crowd.
"Take your brother away and…get yourselves to safety"
"But dad!"
"I'm proud of you, my son"
"I got it…"
Those were the last conversation I've heard between the two of them, as I saw Itsuki dashed farther deeper on the mangrove trees. I couldn't call out for his name, because…my hands were full with the same complications.
"No way…"
It was similar from the nightmare I have had.
Our town wasn't particularly rich with the so-called gadgets used in the main city of Tokyo. We were content, but the portable radios and miniature television screen that provided 3-5 channels each, with a blurry magnitude, was enough to keep us in touch with the freshly made news. I previously stumbled upon a news last 2 month ago that a pandemic had arisen, which also reanimates the undead. It could either happen between via infection and/or the existence of a corpse—dead bodies reviving back to life; as the reporters have said. However, our city had a particular culture where we burn the carcass of the dead; which enabled us to avoid the conflicts from the latter explanation. We continued living our normal lives, while stocking up our defenses and such for the upcoming upheaval. However, the massive swarm of…rabid human being emerged from the near boat who had shortly docked their sail. It was one of the popular industrial ships to export and import stocks of fishes and poultries to the extended lands. And before we knew it, the whole town was bathe in chaos.
Suddenly, two of the mad men sprinted towards our direction. Judging from the hue of their skin, they were mildly infected or had freshly 'turned'.
"Konoe!" My father slams the wooden door shut and blocks the two invaders from the outside, saving my prettified body. But the two zombies were persistent and versatile, as they launch their fist and pierce the sturdy ingress. Their duke were coated by the decaying blood painted with darkish-red colour, similar to an inflamed wound filled with all sorts of bacteria.
I regulated my breath and calmed myself in, as I took the wooden sword hidden on my cabin, which is commonly used in my kendo club.
"Everyone, please get out of this building now! I'll do what I can to—"
"No, Konoe. Go get everyone away from here. Let me handle this.
"But dad"
"I don't want to see you die"
It was similar to the conversation that Itsuki and his father had. It was true that my dad was the kendoka of the Kendo Club since the earlier generations; and what was hidden from his pocket were…
"A gun"
"Yes. Now go. Your sister needs you"
My father readied his stance, as he was about to shoot the two intruders at the other side of the door.
"I understand"
I shifted my gaze towards the breech of our house. It was an emergency exit constructed by myself for…safety precautions, just below the kitchen's floor. I couldn't believe that the time had come for it to be used to save our lives. But my dad, who was willing to sacrifice himself, confidently stood amidst from it all. As the rest of my family had slid down the greyish tunnel, where the emergency exit was installed, I hastily went back from my father's side hoping to include him in our safety.
"After we smack their head, you will be joining us in the underground cave"
"KONOE?! I TOLD YOU TO GO BACK TO—"
My father had no time to retort, as we both saw the wooden surface of the door collapse from the brute force expelled by the famished zombies. Their vessels was completely voided from life. Even the white pigment that composes our eyes had been dyed with jet-black substance dripping from the corner of their pupils.
"You left me with no other choice then" My dad spring's into action and hurriedly parry's the claws of the infected. Using his pistol held from his free hand, he aims for the wide-opened zombie, who was already closing the distance, and soon pulls the trigger. The bullet was shot at point-blank range, and landed on to the zombie's sternum.
"Yes!!!!" I cheered from behind while resuming my stance. However, the zombie who had been shot was neither knocked out nor received any damage at all! It shrugs off the bullet impaled from its chest and recommences its attack.
I swung the tip of my wooden sword onto the incoming attack and smashed the infected's skull. Although the initial injury had only stunned my undead target, it had gave a chance for my dad to escape the clutches of the bombarding attacks from the hideous zombie.
"Thanks, Konoe."
"I've learned that move from you, dad"
Still, the battle have yet to be won. After all, the two zombies were still standing strong, glaring daggers at our figure. Unfortunately….
"You got to be kidding me…"
The entire swarm had noticed the commotion and decided to join the fray. It was difficult for us to further handle the situation. Thus, my father decided…
"Konoe! RUN!"
"But dad!"
A young girl grabbed me from the tip of my cloth and hurriedly drag me away from the room, down to the emergency exit. The tunnel comprises of a man-made slide, around 20 feet tall, with a king- sized cushion to catch our fall.
"Tomori?"
"Big sister….run…."
The light glimmering from above soon shuts its door, trapping us inside of the dim cave. It was my father, who had pushed the large cabinet aside and blocked the obvious passageway.
After a few seconds, gun shots from the surface were constantly fired, paired with the screaming agony of my father begging for his life. He had saved and protected our lives—befitting for a remarkable fatherly figure similar to Itsuki's dad.
Although he had saved not only my life but his whole family, from the bitter end.
"Tomori...you're not with mom and grandma?"
"Tomori…got scared…Tomori stayed…Tomori doesn't want to leave big sister… you meanie…"
I was lost in thought that my little sister was the one who had saved my life. She had hidden herself from the battle and waited for a chance to grab both of us inside. However, the whole horde had noticed our plight. The next thing we knew, they were hot on our tails, craving for blood.
"I'm sorry, Tomori. You're big sister won't do that again."
"Dad said he'll save us…dad said….he loves us both"
"I know…"
"Dad said…he will never leave the two of us…"
"I know"
"That's why…Onee-chan…please don't leave me too"
"I know… I'm sorry, Tomori"
I wrapped myself from Tomori's arms, and wailed for the loss of my dad.