"Huff... huff... huff..."
Looking around with twitching eyes, Marcus found his gaze fall upon the beautiful woman in his arms.
She wore a dirtied and torn outfit, filthy with blood and guts - some of which was her own and some of which was that of others.
He was no different. Wearing a grimy suit that had been shredded in the attacks of the zombies and everyone they had faced, Marcus slowly calmed his breathing as he regained his mind.
"I... I need to take a break.", he whispered to the woman as he lay down with a sorrowful expression.
"Was it... that painful?", the woman asked with concern as she looked up to him.
"It... was. And you?", he quivered.
"I... found out something.", she said with a gulp.
Taking in a deep breath, the man spoke in a cold tone as he looked up into the sky, which was beginning to show the signs of sunrise.
"What did you find out?"
"Number One..."
The woman then stopped in her speech, choking up as she spoke.
Bringing her hand to her mouth as she processed her own memories of the event, tears came to the eyes of the woman as she forced her words out.
"Was just a child."
At hearing this, the trembling which Marcus felt stopped.
His eyes widened, and he spoke in a cold tone.
"I... I see.", he whispered, horrified.
Gritting his teeth, the man frowned with disgust as he closed his eyes, filled with a sense of dread and anger.
"And I found out something as well.", he stated.
The woman looked up to him, concern evident in her expression.
She was terrified even to ask, yet she forced herself to do so.
"What... Did you find out?"
As the woman asked this, the man held up his hand above him, looking at it with a frown.
And then, with another deep breath which was laced with fear, the man spoke.
"Regeneration is no salvation."
With a quivering tone, laced in pure terror, the man uttered his word with sorrow.
"It is nothing more than a curse."
----
"So are we going to go back?", Sylvia asked Marcus.
The two were now sitting at that picnic table, alone in the early morning as they formulated a plan.
The children were asleep - in the teachers lounge no less. The two had searched and found them lying there, fast asleep.
'At least they could get to sleep... I'm surprised they could even do that much.', Sylvia had thought.
Marcus had informed Sylvia of his experience, and so had Sylvia to Marcus.
Slowly, bit by bit, the details were filled in on the experiments who had overtaken their bodies.
There were still a number of unsolved mysteries, but at the very least things were starting to take a foothold.
"Are we going to go back?", Marcus repeated with distaste. "Haha... do we have a choice?"
"I suppose not, if we want to find the girl.", Sylvia responded.
"I already said it, did I not? No matter how many times we have to suffer... we will bring her back. However... Perhaps being so eager to die is not the correct way to go about things."
"So... what are you saying?"
Tilting her head with confusion, Marcus let out a sigh as he looked at the woman with determination.
"I have no idea how long it might take until we actually find any information on Number Five. And to actually find even a hint on where she currently is... it will likely take a much longer time still. To put it simply... I don't think that killing ourselves over and over is the proper way to do things."
"So you're saying that we search on our own in this world for clues and hints, dying along the way and gaining more information as the deaths come?", Sylvia asked with a serious expression.
"Exactly.", Marcus responded without a hint of emotion.
The terror which the two had experienced up to this point was unimaginable.
Never again did they want to experience such pains.
Death, torment, suffering, it was all far too much for a human to bear.
Yet this was their fate.
This was the world which they lived in, and their situation was one where they had no choice but to accept it as a part of their new life.
Looking at the woman with hardened eyes, bags underneath them from exhaustion, Marcus spoke quietly yet with enough cold determination to freeze her over.
"I swear... no matter how rotten this man inside me has become... no matter how disturbed and demented he was molded to be... I WILL find a way to stop this suffering. Even if it means... I have to die again and again to do that."
"And I will be right by your side with you.", Sylvia reaffirmed.
Thus, the two made their declaration.
On the man who created the experiments.
On the experiments who had overtaken their minds.
And on the cruel world which had allowed this situation to come to be.
Rolling his reddened eyes which had become puffed from all the crying, Marcus let out a light laugh as he looked at the woman.
Bringing his hand to his jacket pocket, he pulled out a dirtied handkerchief.
Using it to wipe his rotten face off, the man then offered it to the woman, to which she gladly took it with a bitter smile.
"How kind of you.", she said blankly.
"Of course.", he responded with a chuckle. "I am a gentleman, after all."
"Is a gentleman supposed to wipe his own face with the handkerchief he offers to a woman?", she questioned as she wiped her own eyes off.
"Ah. Perhaps all this has rotted my mind as well."
"Perhaps."
"Heh."
"Hah."
With these lamentful laughs, the two looked up as they watched the sun rise.
"Another day.", Marcus whispered.
"You know, the day is supposed to be the bane of the undead.", Sylvia added.
"Is that so?", he said.
"That's correct.", the woman said with a light smile. "Ah... but that's right. We aren't exactly undead. We are merely somehow still alive."
----
"It's been proven that this schoolground is extremely secure from the undead outside. If they wanted to get in then last night would have been the time to do so, given that there was such a racket from inside these grounds all throughout the night. We have obtained various types of food and water from the teachers lounge, cafeteria, and kitchen - though the only things which weren't rotten were those things which were either canned, bagged, bottled, or sealed. Showers are impossible given the filthy state of the piping systems, and even attempting to bathe would only make one even more filthy."
Gathered around a table made from desks were the five who remained, and each person listened intently as Marcus listed off one thing after another, detailing the situation.
"As far as weapons are concerned, there were a large number of items in that sports shed which we have gathered, as well as the ones we already had before. Textbooks and papers could be used for a fire, but we should also consider the possibility of being noticed by people, which would not necessarily be a good thing. Furthermore, because it is currently summer there is no need for such a thing unless it is to boil water or for other practical purposes."
Marcus and Sylvia had spent the early morning working to gather up any useful items into one place, storing them all in a classroom on the first floor.
"I apologize once again for my show of weakness last night. I will do everything I can to ensure that the people here remain alive and well. Well... as alive as they can be given the situation.", Marcus commented with a serious expression.
The two had explained their experiences in the world of death to the others, who had no reason to doubt their words. After all, if one was able to come back to life from death, who was to say that they couldn't experience such dreamlike memories?
The three were shocked at first, however as they learned more and more about the experiments and their origins, the reality of this world and its situation began to settle in all the more.
The fact that the end of the world had been in the making for years.
There were too many unanswered questions.
How the world went from a few mad experiments to complete annihilation, the five did not understand.
How Seven and the others had gone from innocent people to monsters, Marcus and Sylvia had not yet seen.
Yet here they were.
And after his experience last night, Marcus had a relatively good idea as to how things got to this point.
"That man... Doctor Victor Lichtenburg. Based on his accent and based on those of the people who surrounded him, he was almost certainly from the Forgestarian Empire. I had heard rumors that they were developing weapons... but to think such things were happening while I was simply working my life away..."
With a sigh, Marcus looked to the ground with a distraught expression.
"Well, it's not like I could have done anything about it."
And he spoke the truth.
The painful truth.
No matter what had happened years ago, no matter what terrible experiments had taken place, Marcus had no way of even knowing that they were going on.
And even if he did, he didn't have the power to do anything.
"This world... has always been about power. Whether that power is wealth, political standing, social aptitude, or even ability whether physical or mental, power has always been the single thing which has separated the strong from the weak. I... have learned at least that much. I suppose the only difference between then and now is that the predominant type of power has changed."
With a chuckle, the man tapped his forehead as he spoke in a bitter tone.
"Isn't that right, Seven?"
However there was no response.
"Hmm... he seems to be a bit less cheeky than usual. Perhaps he's asleep?"
[Or perhaps I don't really care enough to answer?]
"Ah... there he is."
The other four merely watched as Marcus talked to himself, yet with a laugh the man sat up as he slammed his hand on the desks before him.
"In this new world, political power means nothing. Societal standing is a thing of the past. Without a doubt, among the survivors there were likely those who tried to use their influence in their previous lives to their benefit. And in a world of life or death survival... I think that such people will likely have been the first to be sacrificed."
Marcus had mixed feelings about what he was saying, but it was without a doubt the truth.
"On one hand, this means that we won't have to deal with arrogant bigshots who do nothing but talk. This could benefit us, as it means that we no longer have to listen to others due to hierarchies and unbreakable norms. On the other hand, it means that we will have to deal with more... brutish leaders. Such as the man we encountered in this very school. If he were still alive, without a doubt he would have gone on to gather as many people as he could to follow him. To put things simply... the world has been reduced to a tribal state."
As Marcus said this, Sylvia seemed to be in deep thought.
"I wonder which is worse?", she murmured underneath her breath.
"Either way, they're both issues.", Marcus responded. "However, personally... I think a brute is easier to deal with.", he added with a casual smirk.
After a pause, Marcus spoke in a slightly sarcastic manner.
"So long as they aren't overwhelmingly powerful like a certain few experiments."
"The fact that you're able to make a joke like that must mean that you've recovered at least a bit, no?"
"As if. I'm simply losing my mind a bit more with each death. I never would have made such a joke in my previous life, and you should know that."
"I do recall you having quite the stick up your ass in your previous life."
"And if I remember correctly, you did as well."
Sylvia responded to the man with a light smile, and the two felt a brief moment of relief as if they had been spared of the torment for just a moment.
With a breath of relief, the man turned forward to face the others, continuing to speak in a serious manner.
"At any rate, while finding Amy is our first priority, I'm sure you all know that doing so immediately is impossible. Even assuming me and Sylvia were to die over and over again to gain information, there is no guarantee that we would find her anytime soon. In order that we may retain the small bit of sanity which we have left, we will continue to work in this world where we can. And when the time comes, we will perform work in... the other world."
The other world.
The world of the past in which Marcus and Sylvia could now travel to in order to experience the memories of Seven and One, respectively.
With death being a precondition to enter this world, and with the torment of human experimentation being the only thing present in such a world, it was a place which Marcus and Sylvia wanted to avoid at all costs.
If it were not for the knowledge which they needed to gain from it, it would only serve as a further punishment to death beyond death itself.
However it was necessary, and both of them knew that.
Both to find Amy, and to understand the creatures - or rather the HUMANS inside of them.
"So what's the plan for now? We have enough to survive, but not for that long.", Shane commented.
"That is the other reason why we cannot simply sacrifice our minds in this world to travel to the other. As monsters who can survive death, myself and Sylvia hold value in this world. As scouts, as scavengers, and even... as warriors."
Holding out a hand before anyone could utter a word, Marcus spoke with a serious expression as he uttered this word as if he despised it.
"I am not underestimating anyone here. I am not trying to belittle you or to say anything along the lines of 'you are a child and therefore you are not able to handle these responsibilities.' The fact of the matter is, you all will DIE if you are killed. On the other hand, we will gain something from being killed. Therefore if we are the ones in the line of fire, it is in EVERYONE'S best interest."
With these words, Marcus felt reminded once again of his days as a manager.
However as he was met with the timid nod of Gordon, the accepting expression of Stella, the serious expression of Shane, and the softened expression of Sylvia, he felt something different.
He felt as if he was truly leading these people - as dwindling as this group may have been.
'Perhaps this is what it should be like... to be a leader.', Marcus thought.
"Shane."
Looking over to the young boy who perked up on being called, Marcus spoke with authority.
"Become strong."
"I will.", the boy replied promptly.
These few words were spoken, yet they were enough.
Both of the parties involved understood exactly what one another met.
'Become strong enough to save your sister regardless of whether I am here or not.'
There was a mission to perform.
A duty to fulfill.
And even if one did not succeed, the other would.
This was exactly what Marcus intended to get through to Shane.
A man in the body of a monster who held power beyond that of normal humans, yet carried within him the uncertainty of an alternate mind.
A weak boy who had no skills beyond that of any other, barely even able to fight.
Both had their weaknesses.
Both had their flaws.
And neither was guaranteed success.
However if they both tried, if they both gambled their very lives in order to achieve their goals, then it was all the more likely that at least one would succeed.
"Gordon."
Turning to the timid boy who looked up with wide eyes, Marcus spoke as he folded his hands.
"Don't turn away from the things that you fear. It is good to be scared. It is good even to run if needed. But you must fight at some point, or you will live your life regretting that you never did so."
Thinning his eyes, Marcus spoke with lament in his voice.
"Just as I did."
Taking in a deep breath, Marcus spoke as a mature adult - not one who had forgotten the suffering which he had endured just the night before, but one who had allowed it to seep in.
"And when the moment comes when you do die... that time which will only come once for you... I do not want it to be like any of the wretched deaths I have experienced."
"I... will do better."
Looking up, Gordon found himself facing the man.
How long had he looked away from everyone who spoke to him?
How long had he faced downwards, too terrified of his own weakness to even do anything?
Far too long.
Yet this man who looked at him now - this man who had the appearance of a middle class worker with nothing special about him - this man who had lived his life without accomplishing anything in particular - this man was looking at him with expectation.
Not the type of ridiculous expectation which his father had crushed him with.
Not the type of overwhelming expectation that was hopeless to achieve from the start.
The type of expectation which was realistic.
Practical.
And achievable.
If only he put in the effort to achieve it.
"No... I won't do better.", Gordon said. "I will become better. And the results... will follow."
"Indeed you will."
How long had Gordon gone longed to hear such words?
How many days of his life had passed where not a single soul expected anything from him aside from the impossible?
Either nothing was expected of him, or everything.
For when he couldn't achieve everything, he was said to be able to achieve nothing.
When he was unable to prove himself as a worthy heir to a massive company, he had fallen in society to a new low, yet right now Gordon felt it was time to crawl out of this hole.
"Shane.", Gordon said as he turned to the boy next to him. "Will you help me?"
"I will."
The two shook hands with one another, affirming their resolve.
"Stella."
Looking at the blonde girl who kept her head lowered, Marcus spoke with a firm kindness in his tone.
"Do you feel as if you have done something wrong?"
"I... I was the one who trusted Number Two. I am the reason he came here... and the same thing with Mr. Pertan. I'm the reason you all had to-"
"We would have had to deal with both of them no matter which way you cut it. Stop taking the credit for something that someone as insignificant as you couldn't change in the first place."
Butting in was Sylvia, who spoke while twirling her hair, not even looking in the direction of the girl as she nonchalantly spoke without a care.
"If you have time to be guilty then why don't you do something to better our situation instead?"
Harsh words.
It was enough to jerk the head of Stella up, causing her to glare at Sylvia with anger.
Yet that anger immediately subsided as she caught the eyes of the woman.
"What? Did you think I would just comfort you and everything would be alright? Listen up, each and every one of you. He may be soft, but that's because he was a failure in his past life. He was a loser who got fired just before his brain was overtaken by Seven. And the reason was because he wasn't able to shut his mouth. Listen up, and listen up closely."
Standing up, Sylvia put her foot on the table in an unladylike manner as she faced the three.
"You're all going to die if you don't get your shit together. So get it together. And then maybe you can head out into this rotten world and make a difference in it."
"Sylvia... do you have to be so harsh on them?", Marcus asked.
At which Sylvia sneered with what Marcus could see was enjoyment stemming from the irritated expressions of the three.
"If I was easy on them like you, then they would become soft and die the moment they stepped out of this place. I've become all too soft for this world already, and that's hurt me a lot more than it's helped. I'm just making sure they don't make the same MISTAKE."
The woman spoke in a sarcastic manner, at which she turned around and headed out of the classroom, speaking as she walked off.
"Let's go."
Standing up to walk alongside her, the man let out a slight chuckle as he too headed towards the exit.
"I suppose that's that. We won't die, so there's no need to worry about us. If there is anything to worry about... I suppose it would be that we've lost our minds and given up on everything. Even so... focus on yourselves. Build yourselves up. Prepare yourselves to fight. And if you need to... do so. Never be afraid to run. Never be afraid to play dirty. Because even if you play clean... this world won't."
With these words, the two zombified humans left the school.
The doors soon closed behind them, and the three children were left in silence, breathless.
For just a few moments, they wondered if everything was all a dream.
However, this was no dream.
This was real life.
For if it were a dream, then it most certainly would have been a nightmare.
----