In the early morning, the RV rolls steadily down a long, empty road. Its beaten-up exterior creaks as Kiren grips the wheel, his expression focused but tired. Atop the RV, Adam sits in his throne chair, stoic and alert, as the wind rustles his coat.
Inside, Megan is curled up on the sofa, lost in a deep sleep. In her dreams, she finds herself in a cozy house, sharing a tender moment with an unfamiliar man. But in a sudden blink, the man collapses lifelessly before her, blood pooling at her feet. Her heart races as her knees hit the floor, tears streaming down her face. She looks up to see a faceless man standing silently nearby.
"You... you did this," she accuses with trembling words, pointing at the faceless figure.
In an overwhelming wave of emotion, Megan picks up a nearby kitchen knife and stabs herself in the chest. The dream distorts, turning shaky and surreal as darkness engulfs her. Suddenly, Megan jolts awake, gasping for air.
Kiren's voice breaks the silence, grumbling from the driver's seat. "Well, great. We're out of gas, this is how far we'll go!"
Megan wipes the sweat from her brow and sits up, shaking off the remnants of the nightmare. She starts packing her things, calling out to Kiren, "Looks like we're on foot from here."
Moments later, Megan and Kiren finish loading their backpacks with whatever essentials they can carry. They step out of the RV, taking one last look at the worn vehicle.
Kiren sighs, running a hand through his hair. "I'm gonna miss this thing. So many memories… Wait, now that I think about it, there's still a ton of stuff inside that belongs to the others. How are we supposed to—"
Before he can finish, Adam jumps off the top of the RV, landing gracefully in front of them. Huey, the slime monster, peeks over Adam's shoulder, wobbling slightly as he gives an enthusiastic squish.
"Don't worry," Adam says firmly. "Huey will take care of it."
Kiren stares, confused, until Megan steps in to explain. "Huey told me and Adam that he can eat the RV and store it inside himself. He'll shrink it down to a smaller form and have it for safe keepings."
Kiren's jaw drops. "Wait, what?! First off, when did Huey explain this? Second, how do we even understand him? He doesn't talk! He just makes cute noises! And yet… somehow, I know what he's saying too."
Huey hops off Adam's shoulder, expanding his slimy body until he towers over the RV. His massive mouth opens in his gelatinous form, and with a single gulp, he engulfs the RV.
Megan smiles as she watches Huey work. "Slime monsters don't communicate the way we do. They speak from the heart. If your heart's open to them, you'll understand everything they're saying just by looking at them."
Kiren stares in awe as the RV inside Huey's body shrinks smaller and smaller, eventually becoming a tiny speck within the translucent slime. Huey compresses himself back into his smaller, adorable form and hops onto Megan's shoulder with a happy jiggle.
"Well, that's… something," Kiren mutters, scratching his head.
With Huey perched on Megan's shoulder, she adjusts her backpack and follows Adam, who is already leading the way down the road. Kiren hurries after them, still processing everything.
"I've got so many questions for you, Huey," Kiren begins, "like where you even came from, and—"
"Huey says it's a long story," Megan interrupts with a chuckle. "Maybe another time. For now, let's just enjoy the view and focus on getting to Nemura City."
Kiren sighs, scratching the back of his neck. "Fine, fine. But I'm holding you to that!"
The trio walks down the seemingly endless road, the sun rising behind them, painting the horizon in warm hues as they journey ahead.
Meanwhile from somewhere else, Mai walks along the empty road, her boots scuffing against the surface with each step. She passes a faded, weathered sign that reads "Welcome to BlackBerry City." Sweat beads on her forehead as she sips the last drops of water from her canteen, her free hand clutching a nearly empty can of food. Tossing the can aside, she grips her crowbar tightly and ventures into the city.
She sticks to the shadows, moving quietly and avoiding the roaming undead. Her eyes scan every corner, every broken storefront, as she navigates the abandoned city. She stops in front of a gas station, its shattered windows and flickering neon sign eerily familiar. For a moment, she stands still, staring at the building as a memory of Frank flashes through her mind—his laughter and all the times they spend together.
Taking a deep breath, Mai pushes the memory aside and slips into the gas station. She scans the shelves, her crowbar ready as she searches for food. The shelves are mostly barren, but she finds a few boxes and starts rummaging through them.
As she inspects a box, a chill runs down her spine. The feeling of being watched prickles at her senses. She freezes and slowly turns, her eyes darting around the dimly lit store. Nothing. But the unease lingers, gnawing at the edge of her thoughts as it reminds of her past with Simon.
Shaking her head, Mai refocuses and continues her search. Her eyes light up as she finds a box of candy hidden in the corner. She unwraps a hard candy ball, the foil revealing a small knight icon etched onto it. She chuckles softly, thinking of Rune and Simbad—one so dedicated to his sword, the other always snacking on whatever he could find.
As she eats the candy, her gaze shifts to an old toy phone lying on a dusty shelf. The sight brings another memory—Nhia, back when they first met. He would playfully use a toy phone, trying to call Jasee.
The overhead lights flicker, casting eerie shadows across the store. Mai glances up, the dim glow reminding her of Michael—the way he came to her rescue back when she was trying to save Kiren from that prison bus. The thought stirs a pang of emotion, but she quickly shakes it off.
With her bag now heavier with food and water, Mai steps outside. She walks into a narrow alley, her crowbar in hand, when a figure emerges from the shadows. A man with shaky hands points a pistol at her, his voice trembling as he demands, "Drop the bag. All of it. Now."
Mai sizes him up, her gaze narrowing. "You're scared. You don't want to do the work yourself, so you stalk people and rob them after they've done the looting. That it?"
The man flinches at her words but steadies his pistol. "You could say that. But you were just unlucky I spotted you. Now hand over your stuff, or else!"
Mai smirks slightly. "Lower your voice unless you want the L-stars to hear you."
The man blinks, confused. "L-stars? What the hell are you—"
Mai quickly corrects herself. "Zombies. I meant zombies."
Before the man can reply, a zombie lurches out from behind him, its decayed arms reaching. Mai reacts instantly, shoving the man aside and swinging her crowbar in a powerful arc. The metal weapon crushes the zombie's skull, and it collapses to the ground.
But as Mai catches her breath, the man scrambles to his feet and grabs her backpack. He yanks on it desperately, trying to rip it away.
"Are you serious?" Mai growls. "I just saved your life, and you're still trying to rob me?!"
More zombies shuffle into the alley, drawn by the commotion. The man panics, pulling harder on the bag. "Just give it to me!" he screams, his voice cracking.
Mai yanks back, her grip tightening. "Stop fighting me, or we're both going to get bitten!"
The man, in a frenzy, tears the bag open and grabs whatever he can. Furious, Mai spins around and raises her crowbar, ready to strike him—but loud, rapid footsteps echo behind her.
She freezes and turns to see a zombie sprinting toward her, its decayed face twisted in a horrifying snarl.
Mai braces herself as the zombie lunges, jaws snapping. She raises her crowbar just in time, wedging it between the zombie's teeth as it bites down hard on the metal. Gritting her teeth, she struggles to shake the creature off, twisting left and right. Her backpack slips from her shoulder, spilling its contents onto the ground, hard candies rolling everywhere.
The man quickly kneels, snatching up the scattered candies and stuffing them into his bag. He glances at Mai, who's still wrestling the zombie, and mutters under his breath, "Sorry, but I have to." He grabs a bottle of water and a can of food from her spilled bag before darting toward a side door, kicking it repeatedly.
Mai snarls through gritted teeth, "If I had my gear, this would've been over by now!" With a sharp push, she forces the zombie back, then drives her boot into its knee, snapping the joint. The creature collapses, and with a powerful swing, she smashes her crowbar into its head, shattering the skull.
Spinning around, Mai sees the man finally burst through the side door. Beyond him, three more zombies shamble closer. "Of course," she mutters, gripping her crowbar tighter. With quick, decisive swings, she dispatches the zombies one by one, each blow landing with precision.
She barrels through the open door, shoving racks of clothes aside. Her eyes lock onto the man on the far side of the store, slipping out through the front exit. "I'm not letting you go!" she growls, giving chase.
Two zombies emerge from the racks, but Mai doesn't slow. She slams one aside with her shoulder, pushes the other away with her crowbar, and sprints through the store.
The man dashes into a small mall, leaping onto an escalator. Mai follows close behind but spots a zombie sprinting toward her from the distance. She charges up the stairs, the undead creature hot on her heels. At the top, she spins and kicks the zombie square in the chest, sending it tumbling down the escalator.
Turning back, she spots the man racing across a glass bridge connecting to another building. She sprints after him, her boots pounding against the hard floor. The man makes a sharp left at the other side of the bridge but immediately retreats, his face pale. Mai sees it too—hundreds of zombies flooding the corridor ahead, their guttural moans echoing through the air.
The man turns and bolts to the right, but the horde notices Mai and begins surging toward her instead. "Oh, isn't that great!" she snaps, turning to run back—only to see a dozen more zombies closing in from the opposite direction.
With no other option, Mai swings her crowbar against the glass wall of the bridge, the cracks spidering out with each blow. On the third hit, the glass gives way, and she leaps through, plummeting down and landing hard on the roof of a truck below. The impact knocks the air from her lungs, but she rolls to the hood and drops to the street, wincing as she lands.
Through the building's glass facade, Mai spots the man still sprinting inside, weaving through the undead. Zombies begin leaping from the shattered windows above, crashing to the pavement behind her. Mai sprints along the side of the building, tracking the man as he turns sharp corners inside.
The loud bang of shattering glass jolts her attention as she rounds another corner. Ahead, she sees him bolt into an alley. She races after him, catching sight of him scrambling up a staircase to the rooftops.
"Hey! We can talk this through!" Mai yells, her voice carrying over the chaos. But the man ignores her, leaping from one rooftop to the next.
Mai follows without hesitation, vaulting over gaps and landing in quick strides. The man stops suddenly at the edge of a rooftop, staring at the wide gap ahead. His eyes dart around, spotting a long electrical cord stretched between the buildings. With no time to think, he yanks off his sweater, wraps it around the cord, and slides across.
Mai tightens her grip on her crowbar. "Guess I'm doing this, too," she mutters, hooking the crowbar over the cord and gripping it tightly. She slides after him, the friction vibrating through her arms.
The man lands on a pile of trash below, rolling off and sprinting once more. Mai follows, landing hard but quickly recovering. She rolls to her feet, groaning, "If you've got this much energy, you could've just looted your own supplies!"
The chase continues through narrow streets and tight corners. The man manages to gain some distance, but Mai's relentless pursuit keeps her close.
Finally, the man collapses onto a bench at a deserted transit stop, he gasps for air on the bench, leaning forward as he clutches his bag of stolen loot. Without warning, the glass window behind him shatters as Mai dives through, tackling him onto the street.
Mai wrestles the pistol from his grip, but the man fights back, his finger slipping onto the trigger. A shot rings out, the bullet narrowly missing Mai's head as she jerks back just in time. "You idiot!" she shouts, finally prying the gun from his hands.
Before she can pin him, a slow, rasping laugh echoes from ahead. Mai looks up to see a zombie emerging from the shadows, dressed in a tattered suit and tie, holding a wine bottle in one hand. Its pale, sunken bright eyes fixated on her, and it speaks with an unnerving, garbled voice. "Come to my party, lady!"
Mai freezes, gripping onto the pistol tighter. "You've got to be kidding me," she mutters.
The host zombie pops the cork from the wine bottle with a loud pop, releasing a pressurized spray of wine. The crimson liquid shoots out like a firehose, drenching both Mai and the man and throwing them backward. They crash onto the hoods of nearby cars, the wine pooling in the streets and leaving an overpowering stench of alcohol.
Mai groans as she pushes herself up, drenched and disoriented. She looks over at the man, who is trying to crawl away. She grabs him by the collar and growls, "Get out of here. I'll deal with this thing. But we're not done, I'll see you later!"
The man nods frantically and scrambles to his feet and runs away as Mai turns to face the host zombie. It stumbles toward her, holding its wine bottle like a weapon, laughing in its eerie, guttural voice.
Moments later the man bursts into an apartment building, panting as he climbs the staircase to the 10th floor. He knocks frantically on a door, glancing nervously down the hall until it opens. An elderly woman greets him, her face lighting up with relief.
"Greg! You're back!" she says, ushering him inside.
Greg stumbles into the living room, dumping his bag onto the floor. Cans, bottles, and candies spill out as he collapses onto the couch. A pregnant woman emerges from a nearby room, her hands resting on her belly. "Greg," she says softly, her voice filled with a mix of relief and frustration. "You're finally back."
He gets up, kisses her forehead, and whispers, "I'm sorry for making you wait. I had to... improvise."
She wrinkles her nose, pushing him back gently. "You smell like alcohol," she says, frowning.
Greg chuckles nervously. "Yeah, about that... I ran into one of those super zombies. This one had a wine bottle—blasted me with the stuff. Nearly killed me!"
The grandmother, now sitting in a recliner, shakes her head. "A wine-shooting zombie? My goodness! I wish I'd been there. I'd have let it hit me! Haven't had a good drink in ages!"
The three laugh briefly, the tension easing for a moment. But their laughter is cut short by a sudden, sharp knock at the door.
Greg freezes, his smile fading. Slowly, he moves to the door and peers through the peephole. At first, he sees nothing. Then, a blur of motion—
CRACK!
The door flies open as Mai kicks it down, stepping inside with the pistol raised. Her drenched figure looms in the doorway, her eyes blazing with fury.
"Don't move!" Mai barks, pointing the gun directly at Greg. His wife gasps, rushing forward with her hands up.
"Please! Don't shoot!" she pleads, stepping between Greg and Mai. The grandmother hobbles forward as well, waving her hands. "We can talk this out, young lady!"
Mai takes a look at all of them and puts the pistol down after seeing the lady's stomach.