In the 9th house, she couldn't help but look a bit more carefully at the surroundings. Like her own home, it had relatively old designs, telling her the original owners were like her nominal grandparents, obtaining the property very early on.
It had a classic design, simple patterns, with warm color tones, and very homely.
When there was no one who answered her knock, she entered the house with her now-practiced unlocking skills, which was easier because she was familiar with the lock designs.
She passed the foyer and the anteroom, weapon out and ready to strike.
In this house lived a family of five: The two parents, a pair of twin children, and a surviving grandfather. She could find this out from the various photos displayed on the walls.
The largest one was a large picture frame over 1 meter in height, except there was also a grandmother in the photo. But it could be seen that in the more recent photos (as seen by the growth of the children), the grandmother had already passed away.
They looked like a really happy family, and somehow Althea hoped that she would find survivors here more than others.
She decided to start with the upper floors going down, going from room to room to find valuables. There wasn't much though, even in the main bedroom, and it was obvious that the family lived a relatively simple life despite their being well-off.
It was a little endearing. Too bad their house was several blocks away and they didn't have any interactions before this tragedy...
Shaking the thoughts off, Althea passed a few more rooms and eventually ended up in one of the last rooms on that floor.
She frowned when she noticed that there were traces of blood in the area. It was like someone bloodied was dragged hurriedly across the floor and heading towards the final room.
She didn't follow this trace for now and focused on the door at hand.
Tentatively raising her hand, she knocked on it a bit, a little hopeful at the sound.
But when she heard it was the familiar scratching and growls, she immediately raised her weapon and opened the door.
"ROAR!"
Her body moved by instinct to hit the most vulnerable part she could access at this angle: The neck. She took it down with one hit and saw that it was the zombie father who greeted her. Inside, she met the mom and the grandfather and quickly handled them as well.
She looked around and saw it was a study. The three adults were probably having a meeting of sorts when it happened. There were still teas and teacups on the floor, the carpet drenched with it.
There was a plethora of awards on the wall—from the father to the grandchildren. As well as a small bookshelf. Very old-fashioned, as most people read e-books now.
If she had more space, she would've wanted to bring these treasures with her.
Sigh.
Shaking her head in regret, Althea looked more carefully around the study. She pondered whether there were hidden compartments and safety deposit boxes but to no avail.
Eventually, she gave up and resumed her trip to the rest of the house. This time, she decided to follow the blood and her feet stopped at a sound.
Her eyes brightened a bit and she felt a little hopeful. She raised her delicate hands and gently knocked on the door.
Knock knock, knock knock
She also heard a rustle inside as if responding to her noise.
It wasn't like the slow scratching sounds made by the zombies. It was more like people dropping things because they were startled.
It couldn't have been made by a zombie, she thought.
Since the three adults were gone, then it must've been the children.
The children survived!
Unconsciously, her pace hastened a little and she hurried to open the door.
Two swift figures immediately lunged at her, with speeds comparable to the mutt she encountered earlier.
This was worse because there were two of them, and they were bigger.
It was the girl-boy twin of the couple. They were about 13 years old, but the savagery in their eyes and form could scare the soul out of anyone.
She followed her body's instinct to hit wherever she felt like there would be an attack. Simultaneous attacks from two sides rendered her unable to follow the movement with her mind, so she just let her body's instinct do the work.
How many times she almost got scratched, she could no longer count. She had no choice but to leave the house and jump through the railing of the second floor. Luckily she was flexible and while enough so she managed to use the patterned wall as a landing to cushion her fall.
But the movement was too wild for a pregnant woman like her, regardless of her strengthened physique. She felt bile rise up her stomach and she could not stop it. It was at this moment that the zombies rushed to her and she accidentally threw up on one of them.
The other twin smelled the vomit on his sister and attacked her, instead.
"Well, that's one way of putting waste into use." She mused, quite proud, but not before sprinting as far as she could.
Soon the twins realized that the fresh meat was gone and ran after her. She quickly used another elevation change to make them lose their balance.
One of the twin teenagers followed and jumped carelessly, falling down on her face. Althea immediately raised her club to repeatedly crush the zombie's head. The force bent the golf club and she threw it away and pulled out another club, continuing the hitting until the body stopped twitching.
[+15 copper, +15 experience]
She blocked the teeth of the other twin that ran over, kicking it with all her strength, and putting her whole weight to the hit.
[+15 copper, +15 experience]
She looked around for any more signs of danger, her heart felt like it rose up to her brain, her erratic heartbeat echoing inside her head.
Her feet gave way as soon as she was sure it was safe, sliding down against the wall, and eventually ending up on the floor.
It was only now that she realized the amount of red blood in both of the children. Zombies did not bleed, just excreted disgusting fluid and pus.
This meant that the children didn't turn to monsters the first time. Rather, they turned into zombies by being bitten by their family members. It was a heartbreaking image to imagine.
Was that why they were so strong?
This meant that those who had survived the initial transformation would turn to much stronger zombies.
And when she thought things couldn't get any worse—it would.
For a long time after that, her body shivered from all the adrenaline it had to release.
Shakily, her body bent down to hug herself and her belly.
And she broke into a sob.